Jere @NYT: UConn’s Breanna Stewart: A Guard in a Center’s Body at Forward

[ThisJustIn]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/s...-in-a-centers-body-at-forward.html?ref=sports

It was midway through the second half of a rare game in which Connecticut’s Breanna Stewart struggled to find the basket and her accustomed dominance.

Coach Geno Auriemma called Stewart, known as Stewie, to the edge of the court. Her heart was beating so fast, Auriemma said, he could see her jersey fluttering.

“Take a deep breath,” he told her. “You’re going a hundred miles an hour.”

 

[maddoggy]

And, gee, to which recent ESPN darling might Geno have been referring when he said this about TBS?

“Today, it’s about the show, the posturing,” Auriemma said. “With her, it’s all just about let’s play. She’s not going to do anything to draw attention to herself except to try to get a double-double every night. She’s from a different era. She’s not that kid that wants everybody to stare, to say, there’s Breanna Stewart, let’s see her entourage, let’s see if she has bodyguards, let’s see if somebody has to do her hair, let’s see if she’s got certain nail polish that’s only hers.”

 

[UConnCat]

Nice to see Jeré writing about women's basketball again.

 

[HoopsFan21]

And, gee, to which recent ESPN darling might Geno have been referring when he said this about TBS?

“Today, it’s about the show, the posturing,” Auriemma said. “With her, it’s all just about let’s play. She’s not going to do anything to draw attention to herself except to try to get a double-double every night. She’s from a different era. She’s not that kid that wants everybody to stare, to say, there’s Breanna Stewart, let’s see her entourage, let’s see if she has bodyguards, let’s see if somebody has to do her hair, let’s see if she’s got certain nail polish that’s only hers.”

UConn kids aren't allowed to wear nail polish, do anything crazy with their hair, twitter, have visible tattoos, or do any silly pre-game stuff during introductions. Chris Dailey is pretty controlling with all the rules (ask any freshman when they step on campus and get the list), but she is protecting a brand and wants the program to project a certain image.

 

[maddoggy]

Dailey ... is protecting a brand and wants the program to project a certain image.

Same could be said of Diggins, of course. And it sounds to me like Geno said it well.

 

[Kibitzer]

The most resolute (and stubborn) protector of a brand (team) image had to be Red Auerbach. Never had a mascot or cheerleaders. As for dancers to perform during timeouts, halftime, etc., he grumbled that his Celtics would have dancers "over my dead body."

Sure enough, Red stepped aside for a new management regime. He died on a Monday. Opening game for the new season took place a few nights later. The Celtics Dancers were introduced and performed.

But Red had kept his word.