EDD: Pinch Me

[RockyMTblue2]

"But asked for her favorite individual highlight, she replied: "A couple of those 3s Diana Taurasi was hitting. I just had to laugh and shake my head. I idolized her growing up, and to be able to play alongside her and see some of that craziness that I saw when I was a young kid falling in love with the game, that was really cool for me."

Nice little article. I had not realized her stats in the Gold game. She and Griner have bonded.

I'm beginning to realize Griner's quick wit.

"Asked if the two would emerge as leaders over the next four years, Griner replied: "We'll step into those roles, but there are definitely players in front of us. We just got our diapers off."

Sky's Elena Delle Donne on first Olympic gold medal: 'Somebody pinch me'

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Yes, EDD have several things in common, not the least of which is Geno.

"I knew I was jus going to grab him and pick him up off the floor,'' Griner said. "I couldn't wait to do it. It was amazing. He's the best coach ever. He's awesome, and he brings out the best in me. And just to win this gold, it just means everything right now. I really don't know what to say.''

Olympic gold puts Griner in exclusive company

 

[JavaMan]

...not the least of which is Geno. "I knew I was just going to grab him and pick him up off the floor,'' Griner said. "I couldn't wait to do it. It was amazing. He's the best coach ever. He's awesome, and he brings out the best in me...

I wonder if anyone in Waco has seen these remarks?

​

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I wonder if anyone in Waco has seen these remarks?

​

As Col. Kurtz would say: "The horror ... the horror."

 

[MilfordHusky]

As Geno noted, Elena came off the bench for probably the first time in her life. And she did a good job of filling the role that was requested.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Yes, EDD have several things in common, not the least of which is Geno.

"I knew I was jus going to grab him and pick him up off the floor,'' Griner said. "I couldn't wait to do it. It was amazing. He's the best coach ever. He's awesome, and he brings out the best in me. And just to win this gold, it just means everything right now. I really don't know what to say.''

Olympic gold puts Griner in exclusive company

Players with NCAA, WNBA, FIBA, and Olympic Championships:

Sue Bird
Diana Taurasi
Maya Moore
Swin Cash
Asjha Jones
Kara Wolters
Tamika Catchings
Cynthia Cooper
Sheryl Swoopes
Britney Griner

Players who have completed the career Grand Slam at least twice:

Sue Bird
Diana Taurasi
Maya Moore
Sheryl Swoopes

Players who has completed the career Grand Slam at least three times:

None (Dee needs 1 more FIBA)

 

[MilfordHusky]

Players with NCAA, WNBA, FIBA, and Olympic Championships:

Sue Bird
Diana Taurasi
Maya Moore
Swin Cash
Asjha Jones
Kara Wolters
Tamika Catchings
Cynthia Cooper
Sheryl Swoopes
Britney Griner

Players who have completed the career Grand Slam at least twice:

Sue Bird
Diana Taurasi
Maya Moore
Sheryl Swoopes

Players who has completed the career Grand Slam at least three times:

None (Dee needs 1 more FIBA)

My bad--I think Swoopes had at least 2 of everything, but not NCAA championships.

 

[SallyH]

Geno looked uncharacteristically on edge to me in the interview they showed before the game. I'm in Ohio and don't get all the coverage that you in CT get. Seems to me he usually says something to the effect that if we play up to the level of which we're capable we should be all right. All the players love him, but will he return to USA basketball and the olympics?

 

[bags27]

An honor to watch so many extraordinarily talented and selfless players. From top to bottom and back, everyone of them was a treasure.

 

[MilfordHusky]

An honor to watch so many extraordinarily talented and selfless players. From top to bottom and back, everyone of them was a treasure.

Agreed. It was a Hall of Fame lineup.

 

[Geew1992]

Yes, EDD have several things in common, not the least of which is Geno.

"I knew I was jus going to grab him and pick him up off the floor,'' Griner said. "I couldn't wait to do it. It was amazing. He's the best coach ever. He's awesome, and he brings out the best in me. And just to win this gold, it just means everything right now. I really don't know what to say.''

Olympic gold puts Griner in exclusive company

This says so much

 

[warbler1055]

Geno looked uncharacteristically on edge to me in the interview they showed before the game. I'm in Ohio and don't get all the coverage that you in CT get. Seems to me he usually says something to the effect that if we play up to the level of which we're capable we should be all right. All the players love him, but will he return to USA basketball and the olympics?

Just my own gut feeling, Geno will not return as HC. There will be many changes in the roster for 2018 WC and of course 2020. You are right about the players loving Geno, watching their body language and the way they performed for every game, one has to credit Geno for coaching the team with different skills into an orchestra.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

one has to credit Geno for coaching the team with different skills into an orchestra.

You hit the nail on the head. He was much less a coach and much more a Conductor. Sure he did some coaching here-and-there, but he set his own ego aside to direct the team, rather than tell them what to do. I see his work as an extension of what he did in Taurasi's Junior & Senior seasons; he wasn't coaching her, he was leading her, and teaching her how to lead in the process.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Just my own gut feeling, Geno will not return as HC. There will be many changes in the roster for 2018 WC and of course 2020. You are right about the players loving Geno, watching their body language and the way they performed for every game, one has to credit Geno for coaching the team with different skills into an orchestra.

Chamber, symphony or philharmonic? No wonder no one else could win with just 12!

 

[OldAlum]

I find it particularly impressive that Geno can do his work (magic) in such different circumstances. At UConn it is about developing young players and melding them into a team with an eye on current and future seasons. Lots of teaching. In USA ball, he had 12 highly skilled adult players and a very limited time. He has to meld a team that works throughout the tourney. No time to "break down and build up" just the need to create a super team out of 12 individual super players. Kudos to the women who put their egos aside and work for the common good and kudos for Coach who can put his usual controlling self and ego aside to carefully mix and match and enable the greatness of the Team.

 

[UcMiami]

I find it particularly impressive that Geno can do his work (magic) in such different circumstances. At UConn it is about developing young players and melding them into a team with an eye on current and future seasons. Lots of teaching. In USA ball, he had 12 highly skilled adult players and a very limited time. He has to meld a team that works throughout the tourney. No time to "break down and build up" just the need to create a super team out of 12 individual super players. Kudos to the women who put their egos aside and work for the common good and kudos for Coach who can put his usual controlling self and ego aside to carefully mix and match and enable the greatness of the Team.

Part of the trick that is USA women is that everyone points to 'two weeks' prep and 'one month' from start to medal, but the reality for Geno is he had four years of teaching 6 (2010), 6 (2012), 5 (2014) and 5 (2016) of his former Uconn players, and after 2010 he had already worked with 10 of the players in 2012, 9 in 2014, and 11 in 2016 - so he was never starting from scratch even in 2010. It obviously isn't the same thing as having a month of intensive preparation but between the past association, and the once or twice yearly 'refresher' gatherings, it was easier than it is made out to be.

Watching EDD struggle a little with how and when to assert herself within the NT to my eye clearly showed her 'rookie' status both in international competition and within Geno's coaching concepts. She played well, but there were moments of hesitancy when she should have shot rather than pass, or pass rather than shot. Stewart while younger was more comfortable within the team and within the international game because of her greater familiarity with both.

 

[bags27]

...not the least of which is Geno. "I knew I was just going to grab him and pick him up off the floor,'' Griner said. "I couldn't wait to do it. It was amazing. He's the best coach ever. He's awesome, and he brings out the best in me...I wonder if anyone in Waco has seen these remarks?

Thinking about this. Watching BG, from the U.S.-based practice games (to the extent she was allowed to participate under suspension) and through the Olympics, it was easy to see increasing joy in her game: greater confidence, greater sense of satisfaction from how her coaches and teammates appreciated her. She's had a somewhat rough time of it lately, and this may have been a life changing event for her. Not easy being so tall and having such a deep voice. I'm sure there were times in her life when she felt she was being exploited for just being tall. But Geno has an amazing way of pushing people beyond their comfort zones and yet honoring their commitment to that journey. I'm sure she is thinking that life might have been different for her, had she gone to UConn. But F. Scott Fitzgerald was dead wrong: there seems to be many second acts in American lives, and Brittney is getting one of hers. She will be an essential part of the next two, maybe three, Olympic teams.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Part of the trick that is USA women is that everyone points to 'two weeks' prep and 'one month' from start to medal, but the reality for Geno is he had four years of teaching 6 (2010), 6 (2012), 5 (2014) and 5 (2016) of his former Uconn players, and after 2010 he had already worked with 10 of the players in 2012, 9 in 2014, and 11 in 2016 - so he was never starting from scratch even in 2010. It obviously isn't the same thing as having a month of intensive preparation but between the past association, and the once or twice yearly 'refresher' gatherings, it was easier than it is made out to be.

Watching EDD struggle a little with how and when to assert herself within the NT to my eye clearly showed her 'rookie' status both in international competition and within Geno's coaching concepts. She played well, but there were moments of hesitancy when she should have shot rather than pass, or pass rather than shot. Stewart while younger was more comfortable within the team and within the international game because of her greater familiarity with both.

I agree, particularly about Stewie and Elena. The MVP in Spain in 2018 could well be Stewie.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

But Geno has an amazing way of pushing people beyond their comfort zones and yet honoring their commitment to that journey. I'm sure she is thinking that life might have been different for her, had she gone to UConn.

I believe it was during one of the first group games there was a time out and Geno was caught on camera, off to the side of the team huddle up/water break, appearing to be up in Brittney's grill (impossible I know) and he was saying (paraphrase) "that's how I want you to be all the time, assertive" ...may have been aggressive as I think about it. Anyone else catch that?

 

[JoePgh]

I kept expecting to see a true alley-oop play for Brittney, where she catches a pass over the rim and dunks it in the same motion. That wouldn't be just showmanship -- it's an impossible play to defend (and obviously a difficult play to execute, since the pass has to be timed exactly to allow a catch at the peak of her jump.

I wondered why I never saw it (at least on highlight film) in her play at Phoenix, and I wondered again why it never happened in Rio. I still wonder.

 

[Orangutan]

Watching EDD struggle a little with how and when to assert herself within the NT to my eye clearly showed her 'rookie' status both in international competition and within Geno's coaching concepts. She played well, but there were moments of hesitancy when she should have shot rather than pass, or pass rather than shot. Stewart while younger was more comfortable within the team and within the international game because of her greater familiarity with both.

I only got to watch two games, so I'll take your word for it but...50% shooting and 3.2 a/to ratio...we should all struggle so!

Honestly, I was amazed at how totally different Geno used her from how she is used with the Sky. I'm sure it was quite the adjustment.

Now it's back to running isos because Pokey somehow can't come up with a fluid offensive system when she has Sloot, Cappie, Quigley, and EDD on her team. But that's another rant entirely.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I only got to watch two games, so I'll take your word for it but...50% shooting and 3.2 a/to ratio...we should all struggle so!

Honestly, I was amazed at how totally different Geno used her from how she is used with the Sky. I'm sure it was quite the adjustment.

Now it's back to running isos because Pokey somehow can't come up with a fluid offensive system when she has Sloot, Cappie, Quigley, and EDD on her team. But that's another rant entirely.

As Geno noted, Elena came off the bench for probably the first time in her life.

As Zumoff noted, what a luxury to have the reigning WNBA MVP come in off the bench. That team had an insane amount of depth. The last 2 players on the bench were one of the best players ever and arguably the best college player ever, who is in the MVP conversation as a WNBA rookie.

 

[GiladKatzDeli]

As Geno noted, Elena came off the bench for probably the first time in her life.

As Zumoff noted, what a luxury to have the reigning WNBA MVP come in off the bench. That team had an insane amount of depth. The last 2 players on the bench were one of the best players ever and arguably the best college player ever, who is in the MVP conversation as a WNBA rookie.

As Allen Iverson would say, I don't know any WNBA MVP that comes off the bench...

 

[BroadwayVa]

An honor to watch so many extraordinarily talented and selfless players. From top to bottom and back, everyone of them was a treasure.[/QUO

Bags--probably the most memorial for me and I've seen the Olympics for years, I agree with each word.
Geno was a bit edgey before and after some of the final 3 games--especially the Gold. He prepares, he coaches, he trusts--but there is always the unexpected--and Geno does not believe in losing. He trusts but verifies. Geno had tears in his eyes as he walked off the court--that my friend tells everything about the man--the tears were for his players and the Gold was for Us Americans..

 

[easttexastrash]

I wonder if anyone in Waco has seen these remarks?

​

Well, I am not in Waco but I have seen them. It is no secret, at least to me, that BG has a special bond with Geno and loves him as a person and a coach. I am thrilled that she was able to play and learn from Geno and I only wish she could have more time with him.