Here we go.....

[Tonyc]

Im so-ooo excited about this years tournament. We're young, coming on great at the end of the season and Im looking forward to see how we handle the pressure. I gotta admit we've got a very tuff bracket. With that said some of the other top teams will be tested and may even lose. So where we at? We've got a much improved team on both sides of the ball with depth. The depth gives our coaches a chance to rest the starters which will help keep them out of foul trouble. Olivia has been coming on strong as has Nika and Edwards. Christyn appears to be over her early season slump and has been a major part of getting this team going. Her dribble drives make a huge difference. We're playing with fire in our bellies and we playing with confidence. Our execution is right out of Genos play book. We wont get beat playing our A game in some cases our B game. We have been playing with too much energy for that to not happen. One of our huge advantages is we have Nika Evina and Paige all playing well and all are facilitators as is Olivia. We have great ball handlers at every position. I think as the tournament progresses we're going to see a UConn team that gains more confidence. If we stay healthy and out of foul trouble its gonna be hard to stop us. This is why all these top players came to UConn. To be coached and developed and play for a NC. They didnt come here thinking I hope we get the the NCAA's they came here thinking we want a NC. Thats a huge difference.

 

[Carnac]

Random thoughts on Ayanna Patterson's commitment and the future of UConn women's basketball - Unless you're completely oblivious to the "obvious", it's not hard to see the potential juggernaut Geno and his staff is putting together. He laid the foundation with this year's freshman class. Combined with the Uber talented players he's got coming in the next two classes, UConn is going to be extremely formidable for the next 5 years. Winning national championships is ALWAYS the ultimate goal at UConn.

Given the talent level of those teams during that time period (I'm trying to be conservative), it's not unreasonable to forecast at least three championships during that period. During the Stewart era, UConn was the "unquestioned" top team in WCBB, with a wide chasm between them and everyone else. They were the standard bearers. Their 111 game winning streak put them in "rare air", a class of their own. They had the respect of every Division one program. THEY were the team every other program sought to emulate. Since then the chasm has closed. Three tournament champions (South Carolina, Notre Dame and Baylor) have been crowned since 2016, UConn's last championship year. If the current class and the next two that will follow reach their potential, that chasm should widen just a bit.

It's understood and acknowledged that the other top 25 programs have significantly improved their rosters as well. As has been well noted by media journalists and coaches. There is perceived to be 7-8 programs that could win this tournament. There are no dominant teams this year. All of the top 10 teams have 1-2 losses, some to unranked teams. All of that is now water under the bridge. It's tournament time!! The day we've been waiting for. Everyone starts with a zero won-loss record.

The tickets are sold, rehearsals are done, the show has begun. The audience is more than ready for the 2021 NCAA Women's National Tournament to begin. Good luck and best wishes to our girls. Play well, have fun (enjoy the moment), and most of all, no injuries. Enjoy the games everyone.

 

[veryolddog]

I like both of your posts. They give me a happy face. The potential is there. Now, the present, they have to execute to pull it off. And, in the future with that kinds of talent on this team, it really seems possible that they will build a juggernaut that will be unstoppable reminiscent of the Steware days.

P. S. I had to look up the spelling of the word "reminiscent" and was surprised that I got it correct. I was afraid that the spelling police would jump on an old man's bones. Heck, I am just glad that I did not spell it backwards. Unfortunately, I think it but I cannot type what I think and lose words.

 

[warbler1055]

Saw the Soul movie twice and just want to enjoy this year most unexpected season at the moment:
"Near the end of Soul, Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) gets the gig he’s been seeking for most of his life. He literally fights the afterlife to get back to playing piano for Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett). After the show, he feels empty – wondering if that’s it. Joe had finally achieved that one thing, and it didn’t fill him with the euphoria that he hoped. Dorothea tells him a story about two young fish, young and old.

“I heard this story about a fish. He swims up to an older fish and says: “I’m trying to find this thing they call the ocean.” “The ocean?” the older fish says, “that’s what you’re in right now.” “This”, says the young fish, “this is water. What I want is the ocean!”
I know the future is bright but I think I am in the water now. Besides "Que sera sera!!?"