Is This The Year of The Megatron?

[RockyMTblue2]

StorrsCentral - Megan Walker is ready to make the leap

"But Walker isn’t just talking a big game. Auriemma has watched her put in the work throughout the summer in order to elevate her play to the next level.

“She’s in the best shape she’s ever been in and she’s doing what kids at that level at this point in their college career at UConn are supposed to be doing. Going from here to here, then from here to here the following year,” he said, moving his hand up in steps. “I’m excited for her, I think she’s going to have a great year.”

As Geno says, her upside is so high. Pulling for her to "wreck it" this year.

 

[eebmg]

Great article on Megan. A nice boost for the BY psyche

and Geno is still Geno.

That isn’t unusual: the Huskies routinely police each other. Instead, it was who voiced their displeasure that surprised head coach Geno Auriemma: Rising junior Megan Walker.

“I almost spilled my coffee,” he joked. “She made a comment the other day when she saw someone working, she said ‘That was me two years ago.’ So it shows you how far she’s come.”

 

[Gus Mahler]

StorrsCentral - Megan Walker is ready to make the leap

"But Walker isn’t just talking a big game. Auriemma has watched her put in the work throughout the summer in order to elevate her play to the next level.

“She’s in the best shape she’s ever been in and she’s doing what kids at that level at this point in their college career at UConn are supposed to be doing. Going from here to here, then from here to here the following year,” he said, moving his hand up in steps. “I’m excited for her, I think she’s going to have a great year.”

As Geno says, her upside is so high. Pulling for her to "wreck it" this year.

And yet another writer used "highest-scoring teammates" instead of classmates.

 

[JordyG]

Hopefully she's worked hard on finishing at the basket this summer. That alone would raise her PPG avg 4 points.

 

[Plebe]

As a language nerd (and professional), bone to pick here:

“We’re going to miss [Collier and Samuelson] and what they brought to the program but everyone’s excited, it’s our time,” Walker said. “It’s finally on our shoulders and I think me [sic], Crystal, Christyn and Liv, we’ve been waiting for this opportunity, so we’re excited to go out there and give it all we got.”​

It's spontaneous speech, for cryin' out loud. No need for a pedantic "sic" notation because, god forbid, someone use the objective case instead of the nominative.

Back to regularly scheduled programming: I did enjoy the anecdote about Geno almost spilling his coffee. I doubt there's a theme any more persistent in his program that the greatest challenge for his players is learning "how" to practice. It's a challenge that takes many players half their college career to conquer ... and some never do.

 

[eebmg]

I wondered if that was on purpose.

The power of Megatron and the mysticism of the Magi.

 

[Bama fan]

And the misspelling of the year goes to ...

But it is on all the hats!

 

[JoePgh]

That is an excellent article. I think the basic hypothesis is correct -- we will see play from Megan which is noticeably better than anything we have seen thus far. Regarding the impact of the "10-pound weight under [her] jersey", as referenced in the article, let's remember that if she had been able to jump about 1-2 inches higher in the Final Four last year, Jackie Young would not have been able to complete those entry passes to Brianna Turner in the last five minutes of the game that really made the difference in the outcome.

Despite her improved play, I don't expect her to average more than 14-15 points per game, simply because there will be so many other potential scorers in the lineup, including bench scorers for the first time in quite a few years. Crystal and Christyn should average about 15-18 points each; ONO should have about 10 (and 8 to 10 rebounds). The fifth starter and the first few bench players (Aubrey, Anna, Evelyn, and Batouly if healthy) should each account for 5-8 points even in competitive games. And that is without considering Westbrook and Prince, since we don't yet know if they will be eligible or (in the latter case) even present.

I recently re-watched the National Championship game from 2000, in which Geno had and used eight players for significant minutes. The starting lineup was Sue / Shea / Swin / Sveta / Kelly Schumacher, but Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams, and Kennitra Johnson (Sue's backup as PG) all got significant minutes. That game certainly illustrates that Geno does not have any built-in predisposition to use a short bench late in the season, provided that he has more than five or six players who can play at the level required. I think he will have that in the upcoming season.

 

[Huskee11]

Last season Megan averaged 12.1 and 6.7. I think she can bump it up to 16 and 8, maybe closer to 14.5 or 15 if Westbrook plays.

By comparison, over her last two seasons Tuck averaged about 14 and 5.6.

I respect her willingness to put in the effort to become great, instead of pouting and complaining about things.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Megatron lost 10 pounds. She should be quicker and elevate better. She was the consensus #1 player for a reason. We'll see why.

 

[HuskyNan]

Y

As a language nerd (and professional), bone to pick here:

“We’re going to miss [Collier and Samuelson] and what they brought to the program but everyone’s excited, it’s our time,” Walker said. “It’s finally on our shoulders and I think me [sic], Crystal, Christyn and Liv, we’ve been waiting for this opportunity, so we’re excited to go out there and give it all we got.”​

It's spontaneous speech, for cryin' out loud. No need for a pedantic "sic" notation because, god forbid, someone use the objective case instead of the nominative.

You are going to have to learn to live with it, I’m afraid. My intelligent, educated sons say “me and my friend...” and when I tried to correct them for the billionth time, I got the eye roll. They know I want them today “my friend and I” but the other phrase has become part of the vernacular, at least by Megan and my sons’ generation. Language evolves, and not always in ways that are pleasant to the ear.

 

[Triad]

StorrsCentral - Megan Walker is ready to make the leap

"But Walker isn’t just talking a big game. Auriemma has watched her put in the work throughout the summer in order to elevate her play to the next level.

“She’s in the best shape she’s ever been in and she’s doing what kids at that level at this point in their college career at UConn are supposed to be doing. Going from here to here, then from here to here the following year,” he said, moving his hand up in steps. “I’m excited for her, I think she’s going to have a great year.”

As Geno says, her upside is so high. Pulling for her to "wreck it" this year.

Good good good. Megan had a very good year this past season. The expectation are that she will have a huge leap and forget being a follower to become a leader. That is a given she shall.
I'm please that she has shown Geno where she is headed. She arrived as a HS Star and shall leave as a UConn standout.
Geno long ago stated: He spends most of his time teaching Frosh, a bit less on Sophs, Juniors (Megan) are supposed know the system, Seniors are expected to lead by example (Danger, Irwin, Molly)--for you who think Irwin and Molly can't or won't think again: They will lead the efforts in practices and the cheering sections during game--and then don't be overly surprised when one or both have a standout game or 2--I won't.

 

[tomcat]

Y

You are going to have to learn to live with it, I’m afraid. My intelligent, educated sons say “me and my friend...” and when I tried to correct them for the billionth time, I got the eye roll. They know I want them today “my friend and I” but the other phrase has become part of the vernacular, at least by Megan and my sons’ generation. Language evolves, and not always in ways that are pleasant to the ear.

But for sure we don't have to like it.

 

[snlMINAJ]

i think it is the year of megatron

 

[eebmg]

i think it is the year of megatron

Copyright Infringement..

 

[BigBird]

Y

You are going to have to learn to live with it, I’m afraid. My intelligent, educated sons say “me and my friend...” and when I tried to correct them for the billionth time, I got the eye roll. They know I want them today “my friend and I” but the other phrase has become part of the vernacular, at least by Megan and my sons’ generation. Language evolves, and not always in ways that are pleasant to the ear.

Amen. The “new” plural-subject rules also drive me crazy. Such as, “UConn <ARE> a championship contender.” It makes my ears burn.