Diggins, McBride and Dolson Cut

[calpedaler]

I also cannot stand THE ND DIVA!

May iI respectfully take issue with the multitude of Diggins haters.

Usually, despite rabid approval of all things UConn, this generally is a pretty fair and knowledgable board.

To chastise Diggins for her charisma and over-the-top demonstrations
is to completely ignore a penetrating BB mind.
Who gets the max out of somewhat limited pure physical gifts.
An unyielding competitor.
A young woman who went back to the drawing board after a difficult first pro season
and found a way to rejigger her game and was hugely successful (that Stef can do the same),

Sure , she's not perfect: dribbles a little to much…fine on the Tulsa offense
Pouts a little when she's down, the perfect front runner
A streaky shooter who can be off.
Better at going for the steal on D than actually perfect man defense.

Nevertheless, she is a monster competitor, with the game on the line, you're confident with the ball in her hands


And she is going to have a wonderful pro (and yes) Olympic career.
She was a major contributor in several of the most painful Ct. losses in history
I still remember( perhaps the first loss), her darting behind screens at the top of the key
and no one could stop her, even though it seemed that the whole was unfolding in slow motion.

I think to lump her with Muffit's shenanigans is unfair.
Sure, her end of game theatrics at our expense were not in the best of taste

But, she earned it and we have been not exactly innocent of the same, (think Dee).

31 flavors

 

[JoePgh]

Two comments:

1. I am one visitor-friendly UConn fan who does not mind ETT's enthusiasm for Griner. And I agree with him and others that the offense should flow through her, and she should shoot until the other team contorts its defense to stop her. I expect Tina to play the 4 next to her, and get a lot of points on putbacks.

2. I cannot imagine any criticism that can be made of Skylar Diggins's style, attitude, basketball approach, or personality that would not apply equally to Diana. Diana involved her teammates, but so did Skylar at Notre Dame.

 

[Kibitzer]

The half-court offensive strategy of the USA team is not complicated. Get the ball inside to Griner, who must be double-teamed to be stopped. Once she is doubled, there are three defenders for four deadly shooters. That math doesn't work very well. Never has.

 

[j66kicker]

I also cannot stand THE ND DIVA!

May iI respectfully take issue with the multitude of Diggins haters.

Usually, despite rabid approval of all things UConn, this generally is a pretty fair and knowledgable board.

To chastise Diggins for her charisma and over-the-top demonstrations
is to completely ignore a penetrating BB mind.
Who gets the max out of somewhat limited pure physical gifts.
An unyielding competitor.
A young woman who went back to the drawing board after a difficult first pro season
and found a way to rejigger her game and was hugely successful (that Stef can do the same),

Sure , she's not perfect: dribbles a little to much…fine on the Tulsa offense
Pouts a little when she's down, the perfect front runner
A streaky shooter who can be off.
Better at going for the steal on D than actually perfect man defense.

Nevertheless, she is a monster competitor, with the game on the line, you're confident with the ball in her hands


And she is going to have a wonderful pro (and yes) Olympic career.
She was a major contributor in several of the most painful Ct. losses in history
I still remember( perhaps the first loss), her darting behind screens at the top of the key
and no one could stop her, even though it seemed that the whole was unfolding in slow motion.

I think to lump her with Muffit's shenanigans is unfair.
Sure, her end of game theatrics at our expense were not in the best of taste

But, she earned it and we have been not exactly innocent of the same, (think Dee).

Way too fair and objective, giving benefit of the doubt, etc. I'll just go with your first sentence.

 

[j66kicker]

Two comments:

1. I am one visitor-friendly UConn fan who does not mind ETT's enthusiasm for Griner. And I agree with him and others that the offense should flow through her, and she should shoot until the other team contorts its defense to stop her. I expect Tina to play the 4 next to her, and get a lot of points on putbacks.

2. I cannot imagine any criticism that can be made of Skylar Diggins's style, attitude, basketball approach, or personality that would not apply equally to Diana. Diana involved her teammates, but so did Skylar at Notre Dame.

1. Me too, no problem here.
2. Diana is/was less flamboyant/disrepectful, and more talented/effective than SD ("Best in the world" is the phrase I hear/see frequently, not just here. And never regarding SD). IMO there's no "equally" on either attribute. Diana was called "ballhog chick" (despite unbelievable passing/assists), but I don't remember "diva" or anything similar. ??

 

[01Neaggrad02]

This ought to stir the pot a little. I feel that if Muffet is the National Coach, then Diggins and McBride make the team. Just a thought....

Let the flaming begin...

If I were a rich man.. la da da da da da de.... If I were 6 inches taller and had basketball talent I would be a wealthy man.... The main thing is Muffet is not the National Coach... they tend to go with winners for that. Geno has won 7 national titles since Notre Dame won their one..... Not lets see what happens when we add some substance to that flame...

 

[Aluminny69]

In all fairness, BG didn't even get the lion's share of the shots on her own team (Phx) and that only featured one Olympian on it - Diana. In fact, on her own team, Griner was 3rd in shots taken, and also 3rd in FG%.

Now on a team of Olympians you think it's going to be all about BG? I get that you are enthused, but it's beginning to border on the ridiculous. I would not be surprised if Griner doesn't even start for Team USA. And you are talking about her dominating the world and being the toast of Istanbul? And if I'm understanding you correctly - IF BG does not get the lion's share of the shots, then the team does not care about winning? You really believe that? For real??

Not quite true. Dupree is still an Olympian, as is Penny Taylor. And Dewanna Bonner never met a shot she didn't like. ( i.e. she's a gunner.) Add in DT, and that doesn't leave a lot of shots for "you know who."

 

[Fightin Choke]

Way too fair and objective, giving benefit of the doubt, etc. I'll just go with your first sentence.

That first sentence that you admire was a quote from RSHERMVIKES from early in this thread. Michael would never write that.

 

[Fightin Choke]

If I were a rich man.. la da da da da da de.... If I were 6 inches taller and had basketball talent I would be a wealthy man.... The main thing is Muffet is not the National Coach... they tend to go with winners for that. Geno has won 7 national titles since Notre Dame won their one..... Not lets see what happens when we add some substance to that flame...

I figure you were more trying to provoke than share some accurate information, but on the chance that you care whether or not your post is accurate, it is not. In the past 38 years, there have been only 3 Olympic head coaches who have ever won an NCAA championship: Summit, then Tara, and then Geno. So I guess winning an NCAA championship isn't required to coach the Olympic team. But if it is, Muffet is covered anyway.

 

[Orangutan]

2nd in the WNBA in scoring and 4th in assists (not bad for someone who is "selfish") and Diggins doesn't make the team...but her teammate does.

Maybe she had bad practices or is bad for team chemistry, I would have no way of knowing but...wow...from the outside it looks strange.

 

[easttexastrash]

2nd in the WNBA in scoring and 4th in assists (not bad for someone who is "selfish") and Diggins doesn't make the team...but her teammate does.

Maybe she had bad practices or is bad for team chemistry, I would have no way of knowing but...wow...from the outside it looks strange.

Sims became more effective in the last ten WNBA games and that apparently carried over to the National team. Geno and the committee (-; saw something in Sims that set her apart prom Diggins and McBride.

 

[HuskyNan]

Let's stick with basketball and leave the childish name calling out. Stop, already.

 

[meyers7]

May iI respectfully take issue with the multitude of Diggins haters.

You may, but that's half the fun of being a fan. Hating your opponents.

An unyielding competitor.

Nevertheless, she is a monster competitor,

She was a major contributor in several of the most painful Ct. losses in history
I still remember( perhaps the first loss), her darting behind screens at the top of the key
and no one could stop her, even though it seemed that the whole was unfolding in slow motion.

Sure, her end of game theatrics at our expense were not in the best of taste

All good reasons to hate an opponent.

You know, we don't hate Holy Cross or their players.

 

[meyers7]

Let's stick with basketball and leave the childish name calling out. Stop, already.

hmmm, I'll have to read back through the posts. Don't remember seeing any childish name calling.

Kudos on your avatar though, much better. Always liked her.

 

[JS]

hmmm, I'll have to read back through the posts. Don't remember seeing any childish name calling.

Deleted post.

If you like to collect examples of childish name calling, gotta act fast.

 

[UConnCat]

Of course for Muffet to be the coach, she would first have to agree to work for USA basketball, something she has never done I believe.

Muffet was an asst coach for Team USA South in the 1993 Olympic Festival which was an event the US Olympic Committee used to host in off-Olympic years. So, technically she did coach once for USA basketball but it was not an international competition and your overall point is correct. I recall reading that Muffet valued her time off more than coaching USA basketball which is very reasonable given the demands of coaching college and USA basketball.

 

[meyers7]

Deleted post.

If you like to collect examples of childish name calling, gotta act fast.

Ah, once again I'm too slow. I need them for my book I'm writing "Oh Yea, Well Your Mom Wears Army Boots".

 

[UcMiami]

Muffet was an asst coach for Team USA South in the 1993 Olympic Festival which was an event the US Olympic Committee used to host in off-Olympic years. So, technically she did coach once for USA basketball but it was not an international competition and your overall point is correct. I recall reading that Muffet valued her time off more than coaching USA basketball which is very reasonable given the demands of coaching college and USA basketball.

Thanks for the correction. Hadn't realized she had ever worked for USA. And I have no problem with her choice - it is a large commitment of time, though nothing like the time commitment that Tara was required to put in for her stint. My point being that they usually (but certainly not always) like to work with someone below HC of the national team, before turning the program over to coach.

 

[Striper69]

Not quite true. Dupree is still an Olympian, as is Penny Taylor. And Dewanna Bonner never met a shot she didn't like. ( i.e. she's a gunner.) Add in DT, and that doesn't leave a lot of shots for "you know who."

It's called "balance" which is why they won the championship.

Also why the Dream lost early- they depended too much on Angel...

 

[Beemer]

It's called "balance" which is why they won the championship.

Also why the Dream lost early- they depended too much on Angel...

I think part of that is because in the past Angel had been known to go into a snit when the offense was run through anyone else but her. I think she improved in that respect this past season.

 

[Striper69]

I think part of that is because in the past Angel had been known to go into a snit when the offense was run through anyone else but her. I think she improved in that respect this past season.

I like the fact that she wants the ball in critical situations but she needs to realize that the other team knows that too. If they're double or triple teaming her that means two or three of her teammates will be open.

Until she changes Atlanta will not get over that hump. I think the Sun will take over the East next season with KML...

 

[ChicagoGG]

I doubt Angel would have a snit around Geno, she knows that does not fly with him from prior USA team experience. She did whatever he needed from her the last time and I am sure she will do so again. I must confess, I thought that what little I did see of Ms. Diggins this time around, that her demeanor was much improved from her ND days. (and I am now choking from that admission, but true is true...) Anyway, good luck to the whole team against the Czechs today in Prague, I am off to the stat thread to see what is going on. Toodles.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Most likely KML ends up in Seattle since they have the 1st pick in the Draft. Tulsa has the 2nd pick, so don't see how KML ends up with the Sun unless there's a trade.

 

[Beemer]

I like the fact that she wants the ball in critical situations but she needs to realize that the other team knows that too. If they're double or triple teaming her that means two or three of her teammates will be open.

Until she changes Atlanta will not get over that hump. I think the Sun will take over the East next season with KML...

I'm looking forward to seeing Chelsea Gray in a Sun uniform myself.

 

[Beemer]

Most likely KML ends up in Seattle since they have the 1st pick in the Draft. Tulsa has the 2nd pick, so don't see how KML ends up with the Sun unless there's a trade.

I had forgotten about that. The Sun have the 3rd & 4th picks in the next draft. And given the low opinion many have of the next draft class the Sun might have to over pay to get that #1 pick, which just about everybody believes will be KML. Decisions, decisions...