As we near today's game, I want to share a few thoughts. First of all, the obvious which is that there is a painful similarity in the careers of Paige, Azzi and Aubrey and it is a torn ACL amongst other injuries. I can only imagine the feelings they will have thinking about what they have gone through, how they have stuck together, and what opportunities they have lost.
For Paige, it has been an amazing but arduous journey. A devastating leg injury, after a prior year NPOY, from which she came back to lead us to the Finals after perhaps the greatest one game performance ever by a Husky in the double overtime win against NC St.in the Elite Eight, then a season lost due to an ACL as she watched our FF streak get snapped, then a return and that heartbreaking loss last year in the FF to Iowa. And all along, the physical pain, the perseverance, the focus, the exercise of will and determination and above all else, the staggering amount of poise and grace for so young a person.
For Azzi, injuries, her ACL, and never a true chance to play a whole season with her best friend until now and even that has been truncated. An amazing smile, a great personality and a very active mind, and someone who in one game showed everyone who forgot how special a talent she is and what she can do. The best compliment I can give is one inadvertently given by a friend of mine who is, to his detriment, a college men's fan exclusively. When talking about a certain Big East men's player's 3 point shot he said "He's good, but he's no Fudd". I truly hope she returns but I think that will depend on who wins our last game.
For Aubrey, last year's injury was so untimely. She had become such a force, and the best 6th man in the country and her offense was evolving. With her we definitely would have made it to the Finals and who knows what might have happened beyond that. She would not have had the rehab, the loss of the upward progression and this year's Aubrey would have been a complete terror. I was at the Seton Hall game at Walsh in February and it was just so heartwarming to see her have a great game on her parents' home court. Again, the loss of not just time and opportunity but development. We see progress every game and just hope it continues at an exponential pace. A quintessential team player.
For KC, we all were wondering for a while where it was but it's been found now. She delivered against SC and hasn't stopped. Her shot, judgment and defense have been great and there is more to come. We just wish we had a longer time together.
We all feel so strongly about them, they are our our nieces, our friends, our teammates. We only want one thing for them this season, just one time.
For Paige, it has been an amazing but arduous journey. A devastating leg injury, after a prior year NPOY, from which she came back to lead us to the Finals after perhaps the greatest one game performance ever by a Husky in the double overtime win against NC St.in the Elite Eight, then a season lost due to an ACL as she watched our FF streak get snapped, then a return and that heartbreaking loss last year in the FF to Iowa. And all along, the physical pain, the perseverance, the focus, the exercise of will and determination and above all else, the staggering amount of poise and grace for so young a person.
For Azzi, injuries, her ACL, and never a true chance to play a whole season with her best friend until now and even that has been truncated. An amazing smile, a great personality and a very active mind, and someone who in one game showed everyone who forgot how special a talent she is and what she can do. The best compliment I can give is one inadvertently given by a friend of mine who is, to his detriment, a college men's fan exclusively. When talking about a certain Big East men's player's 3 point shot he said "He's good, but he's no Fudd". I truly hope she returns but I think that will depend on who wins our last game.
For Aubrey, last year's injury was so untimely. She had become such a force, and the best 6th man in the country and her offense was evolving. With her we definitely would have made it to the Finals and who knows what might have happened beyond that. She would not have had the rehab, the loss of the upward progression and this year's Aubrey would have been a complete terror. I was at the Seton Hall game at Walsh in February and it was just so heartwarming to see her have a great game on her parents' home court. Again, the loss of not just time and opportunity but development. We see progress every game and just hope it continues at an exponential pace. A quintessential team player.
For KC, we all were wondering for a while where it was but it's been found now. She delivered against SC and hasn't stopped. Her shot, judgment and defense have been great and there is more to come. We just wish we had a longer time together.
We all feel so strongly about them, they are our our nieces, our friends, our teammates. We only want one thing for them this season, just one time.
