Ketia Swanier Redux

[RegisteredUconn]

When I was studying mechanical drawing in high school we had a little plastic template consisting of several different curvy sections that allowed us to connect dots that didn't follow any specific mathematical pattern smoothly. It made for smooth transitions rather than angles and points of inflection. Ketia always looked to me like her movements were choreographed using a spline and not a straight edge. I once called her a ballerina of the hardwood. She moved the way DiMaggio or Astaire are pictured in my mind. Yes, I'm old, I can't think of any contemporary examples. Make that couldn't think of any for just like the mirror told Snow White's wicked queen, there is another. And I've seen her. Evina Westbrook moves as if she's floating. There is complete fluidity of motion. It's going to be a pleasure watching her this year. I'm so glad she's in Storrs.

[I learned two things in putting this post together: 1) Ketia's real name is Naketia Marie Swanier; and 2) it's not "Mirror, mirror on the wall" it's "Magic mirror on the wall."

 

[pspr11]

Allied a “French curve”

 

[topogigio]

3 very good tidbits of trivia to start the day; Naketia, Magic Mirror, and Spline - thanks!

 

[BBallF]

Yes, Evina moves so fluidly at times it seems as if her feet are not on the ground. We are seeing a game to game change in her. We will know she ifs fully back when she stops in the lane on a fast break or on a hard drive move for a pull up jumper. She has a very good one. It will show great confidence by her in her knee. Last night she had 17 points, 8 boards, 5 assists and 4 steals, a very strong performance and her defense was solid. I think we will see her assert herself more gradually on offense and as a team leader but she is a team player first so don't be disappointed if she defers the shot for a pass. As for "Mirror Mirror", it joins "Play it Sam" instead of "Play it again Sam", "Music doth soothe the savage breast" instead of "savage beast", and a whole lot other misquotes that have become iconic.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I can't think of a UConn player who so dramatically improved from her freshman to her sophomore year than Swanier. Early on in her freshman year, she would speed down the court with the ball, then stop in her tracks- completely flummoxed as to what to do next. By her senior year, she was WNBA ready.

Amazing transformation!!

 

[Bama fan]

@RegisteredUconn and @pspr11 piqued my curiosity as to the history of the templates referred to above. I discovered these templates are often called Burmesters, or cornus, or clothoids, and of course the aforementioned French curves. Then I read that the curves are mostly Euler's spirals. A Euler spiral is a curve whose curvature changes linearly with its curve length. It is an inverse function type relationship. These curves are also found in the pattern of a rat's whiskers! All this before noon. You just never know what you will discover here in the BoneYard, It is a constant source of enlightenment. Every now and again there are basketball stories too. What great fun! Oh, and Evina does sorta glide around the floor at times.

 

[mbr33ct]

Can't wait until we get to topic discussing these...

 

[RegisteredUconn]

@RegisteredUconn and @pspr11 piqued my curiosity as to the history of the templates referred to above. I discovered these templates are often called Burmesters, or cornus, or clothoids, and of course the aforementioned French curves. Then I read that the curves are mostly Euler's spirals. A Euler spiral is a curve whose curvature changes linearly with its curve length. It is an inverse function type relationship. These curves are also found in the pattern of a rat's whiskers! All this before noon. You just never know what you will discover here in the BoneYard, It is a constant source of enlightenment. Every now and again there are basketball stories too. What great fun! Oh, and Evina does sorta glide around the floor at times.

Holy carp! Having this "constant source of enlightenment" means change isn't the only constant. More enlightenment!!

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Allied a “French curve”

All these French curves can be had for a mere $11.20. They appear to be much better than the measly one I had in H.S. They'll get you splinin' for sure.

 

[jazz]

Yes, Evina moves so fluidly at times it seems as if her feet are not on the ground. We are seeing a game to game change in her. We will know she ifs fully back when she stops in the lane on a fast break or on a hard drive move for a pull up jumper. She has a very good one. It will show great confidence by her in her knee. Last night she had 17 points, 8 boards, 5 assists and 4 steals, a very strong performance and her defense was solid. I think we will see her assert herself more gradually on offense and as a team leader but she is a team player first so don't be disappointed if she defers the shot for a pass. As for "Mirror Mirror", it joins "Play it Sam" instead of "Play it again Sam", "Music doth soothe the savage breast" instead of "savage beast", and a whole lot other misquotes that have become iconic.

EW had a terrific all around game. I don't want to take away from that but I also want to point out that she will need to defend against top level wings at some point this year. She will need to keep them out of the paint or Liv will get into foul trouble. I still worry about her lateral movement.

I was thrilled with her game against Nova however. If she can hit that 3 and get to the rim on occasion, that would be immense for us! She also anticipates passing lanes very well. Good handle, passing skills, poise and length. But it is a whole other matter to keep players out of the paint. Most top teams will have a really good wing that will have three point skills and movement skills that EW will have to deal with. She didn't struggle with this at all against Nova but did the game before when I thought her perimeter defense was poor and she lacked lateral movement and didn't fight through screens. (funny it will not let me type the word fiiiiiggggghhhtttt...instead it puts in beat???)

I will say that I am rooting for her big time! She just makes such a great story with all she has been through at Tenn and with the knee. She has been all class!

 

[Bama fan]

Holy carp! Having this "constant source of enlightenment" means change isn't the only constant. More enlightenment!!

Everyone knows that change isn't the only constant my friend. In Fact Mr Einstein had enlightenment in mind when he hypothesized that E = mc^2. Speaking of deep questions, is "holy carp" related to the Golden Carp in anyway?