Diana Taurasi announces her retirement!

[meyers7]

From the great JS

Ode to the Ball Hog Chick
(JS)

UConn's got a young guard
And they call that girl DT.
And you never find it hard
To see she's friendly as can be.

She pats the ref right on the butt
And tousles coach's hair.
She always makes you bust a gut
And never shows a care.

But opponents better watch out
Cause this gal's got mucho game.
She's gonna make your coach pout,
Make you sorry that you came.

You can try your X's and your O's
She's gonna make you pay.
Give you headaches, give you woes,
Make you wish that it were May.

No matter what you've learned,
And no matter what your schtick
You'll still get good and burned
By that grinning Ballhog Chick.

If your manning gives you trouble
Then try your box and one.
If your zoning lies in rubble
And your double teams are done

Then it hasn't been your day
Be you Muffet, be you Pat.
Just shake ol' Geno's hand and say
"Nice game, you little brat."

"Cause no matter what we boasted
We just couldn't make it click.
We were lit up, we were toasted
By that awesome Ballhog Chick."

 

[Blakeon18]

Great post from the past, Meyers7.

This post is a repeat but for the life of me I can not remember
the reporter's name. Hope someone does.

Dee played in the high school all-star game in her senior high school year.
All the greats in that class were in the game. It was played in the Hartford
Civic Center. Dee played with obvious ability and flair...more than a bit
showy and flamboyant...loosy-goosy...it WAS an all-star game after all.

Post game one of the sports reporters for the Manchester Journal Inquirer was sitting somewhere down in the basement.
Diana walked by...I doubt they had ever met. The reporter simply said to Dee: You can't play like that at UConn.
Taurasi's answer was just as simple. I know that, Sir....then walked on.

From that moment on Diana had that [olde school] reporter wrapped around her finger. I think it was simply
the use of the word "Sir". Every article the reporter wrote about Dee the next 4 years contained much
evidence that he really.....REALLY...admired not just her game but her character. His affection for her
jumped off the pages.

Dang...who was that reporter? I think he was the sports editor for the JI at that time. Researching
didn't help. Anyone remember?

Oddity: I think it was at that particular game that Chubby Checker's daughter played...very talented...went to
Duke I believe. I sat about 2 rows behind Chubby. Whenever the camera was on him the crowd would all chant
his name and TWIST. He would wave and grin...only once did he stand up and do The Twist...crowd went wild.

 

[bballnut90]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

A year late but she earned the right to call her shot. The ultimate floor general and Queen Clutch. May life treat you well Diana.

 

[meyers7]

Great post from the past, Meyers7.

This post is a repeat but for the life of me I can not remember
the reporter's name. Hope someone does.

Dee played in the high school all-star game in her senior high school year.
All the greats in that class were in the game. It was played in the Hartford
Civic Center. Dee played with obvious ability and flair...more than a bit
showy and flamboyant...loosy-goosy...it WAS an all-star game after all.

Post game one of the sports reporters for the Manchester Journal Inquirer was sitting somewhere down in the basement.
Diana walked by...I doubt they had ever met. The reporter simply said to Dee: You can't play like that at UConn.
Taurasi's answer was just as simple. I know that, Sir....then walked on.

From that moment on Diana had that [olde school] reporter wrapped around her finger. I think it was simply
the use of the word "Sir". Every article the reporter wrote about Dee the next 4 years contained much
evidence that he really.....REALLY...admired not just her game but her character. His affection for her
jumped off the pages.

Dang...who was that reporter? I think he was the sports editor for the JI at that time. Researching
didn't help. Anyone remember?

Oddity: I think it was at that particular game that Chubby Checker's daughter played...very talented...went to
Duke I believe. I sat about 2 rows behind Chubby. Whenever the camera was on him the crowd would all chant
his name and TWIST. He would wave and grin...only once did he stand up and do The Twist...crowd went wild.

That was the old WBCA All-Star game, before McDonalds took over. First time I saw DT live. And yes she did play very "loose". Took a couple 30-35 foot shots. (I think she might have made one.)

However, she quickly endeared herself to the UCONN nation. After the game, I believe she was receiving the MVP Player award for the game?, she led the crowd in a U-C-O-N-N cheer. No doubt where she was going to school.

Mistie Bass was the one you were thinking of, Chubby Checkers daughter. Played quite a few years in the WNBA also. I believe won a WNBA Championship with DT at Phoenix.

 

[maple]

DT is one of the GOATs, not just at UConn but at all levels professionally as well. She is in very rarified air and has won it all. Retirement is well deserved!



So happy I was able to be alive and watch/appreciate all of her success. I hope (and imagine) she will continue to be a part of the women's game in other shapes/forms.

 

[EricLA]

Someone posted the link to the pic but I thought i'd post the actual pic (thanks to who did that!). Classic!!

 

[ThisJustIn]

Doesn’t she also have the record for most Ts?

Yes.
And someone else posted on twitter, she also has the record for most "fouled while shooting a 3" - 120+

 

[ThisJustIn]

 

[Zanzman]

Great post from the past, Meyers7.

This post is a repeat but for the life of me I can not remember
the reporter's name. Hope someone does.

Dee played in the high school all-star game in her senior high school year.
All the greats in that class were in the game. It was played in the Hartford
Civic Center. Dee played with obvious ability and flair...more than a bit
showy and flamboyant...loosy-goosy...it WAS an all-star game after all.

Post game one of the sports reporters for the Manchester Journal Inquirer was sitting somewhere down in the basement.
Diana walked by...I doubt they had ever met. The reporter simply said to Dee: You can't play like that at UConn.
Taurasi's answer was just as simple. I know that, Sir....then walked on.

From that moment on Diana had that [olde school] reporter wrapped around her finger. I think it was simply
the use of the word "Sir". Every article the reporter wrote about Dee the next 4 years contained much
evidence that he really.....REALLY...admired not just her game but her character. His affection for her
jumped off the pages.

Dang...who was that reporter? I think he was the sports editor for the JI at that time. Researching
didn't help. Anyone remember?

Oddity: I think it was at that particular game that Chubby Checker's daughter played...very talented...went to
Duke I believe. I sat about 2 rows behind Chubby. Whenever the camera was on him the crowd would all chant
his name and TWIST. He would wave and grin...only once did he stand up and do The Twist...crowd went wild.

Randy Smith

 

[Shorty Dee]

Congratulations Di!! As one of my favorite women basketball players...I will always love you!! You are the best to ever do it!! Setting milestones that may never be broken, while giving other females hope. I am sad to see you leave, but you gave us 20 years of the finest basketball playing we could ask for!! #UCONNNATIONANDPHOENIXMERCURYNATIONISRISINGUP

 

[dtbtbtb]

DT is the reason i became a fan of UConn and WBB. I saw by chance a UConn game on TV in 2002 and fell in love with DT's basketball abilities. Few tidbits: a game in the elite 8 where after the game (win) DT refusing to celebrate as the job (winning a championship) was not done yet. Her playing with a bad back during her senior season and still leading the team to a championship, A game in the WNBA where the Mercury played in Chicago against the Sky where after the game i went to see the bus and while no one bothered any of the other Mercury players, a large group of people was there for DT and she took pictures and signed autographs right outside of the bus to make sure everyone was happy, to a game in the WNBA that i saw live where it became clear that she just sees the game few steps ahead then everyone else (kind of like Paige), etc.
I truly hope she becomes an analyst for WBB as she is an amazing basketball mind and real fun to listen to (in a way like Charles Barkley).

 

[robert]

For me ,
The best season of Dee in UConn was the 2002- 2003 when she carry the team to a National Championship with most of her teammates were underclass .During the championship game the analysts expected Tennessee to win the game for they were taller and more experienced players than the young UConn players . There was no senior on UConn at that time … Guess what “We have Diana and they don’t.”

 

[meyers7]

DT is the reason i became a fan of UConn and WBB. I saw by chance a UConn game on TV in 2002 and fell in love with DT's basketball abilities. Few tidbits: a game in the elite 8 where after the game (win) DT refusing to celebrate as the job (winning a championship) was not done yet. Her playing with a bad back during her senior season and still leading the team to a championship, A game in the WNBA where the Mercury played in Chicago against the Sky where after the game i went to see the bus and while no one bothered any of the other Mercury players, a large group of people was there for DT and she took pictures and signed autographs right outside of the bus to make sure everyone was happy, to a game in the WNBA that i saw live where it became clear that she just sees the game few steps ahead then everyone else (kind of like Paige), etc.
I truly hope she becomes an analyst for WBB as she is an amazing basketball mind and real fun to listen to (in a way like Charles Barkley).

Yeah, I think that's were she would be best.

 

[fomalhaut]

The only GOAT as far as I'm concerned in a world that has used that term too much.

I wish they would stop using it at all, because goat used to mean the diametric opposite in sports. If you need an acronym, why not BOAT (best of all time)?

 

[LesMis89]

Great post from the past, Meyers7.

This post is a repeat but for the life of me I can not remember
the reporter's name. Hope someone does.

Dee played in the high school all-star game in her senior high school year.
All the greats in that class were in the game. It was played in the Hartford
Civic Center. Dee played with obvious ability and flair...more than a bit
showy and flamboyant...loosy-goosy...it WAS an all-star game after all.

Post game one of the sports reporters for the Manchester Journal Inquirer was sitting somewhere down in the basement.
Diana walked by...I doubt they had ever met. The reporter simply said to Dee: You can't play like that at UConn.
Taurasi's answer was just as simple. I know that, Sir....then walked on.

From that moment on Diana had that [olde school] reporter wrapped around her finger. I think it was simply
the use of the word "Sir". Every article the reporter wrote about Dee the next 4 years contained much
evidence that he really.....REALLY...admired not just her game but her character. His affection for her
jumped off the pages.

Dang...who was that reporter? I think he was the sports editor for the JI at that time. Researching
didn't help. Anyone remember?

Oddity: I think it was at that particular game that Chubby Checker's daughter played...very talented...went to
Duke I believe. I sat about 2 rows behind Chubby. Whenever the camera was on him the crowd would all chant
his name and TWIST. He would wave and grin...only once did he stand up and do The Twist...crowd went wild.

Carl Adamec?