Mistakes of Youth - What Could have Been

[DaddyChoc]

not bad are a college career of no championships,,, and deciding to stay home.

 

[Bajan Best]

not bad are a college career of no championships,,, and deciding to stay home.

AND YET..

"He's super intense and a brutally honest coach," Augustus said. "Some coaches kind of hold back. But he definitely lets you have it. I like that. He just expects greatness all the time. That's what I respect about him. I always wonder, if I had gone to UConn, could I have played for Coach Auriemma? And the answer is yes, I could."

 

[DaddyChoc]

AND YET..

don't you wish you would have done a few things differently in your life?

geesh... pulling a quote 10yrs after the fact.

so is she a failure?

 

[Bajan Best]

don't you wish you would have done a few things differently in your life?

geesh... pulling a quote 10yrs after the fact.

so is she a failure?

I'm not the one determining whether she is a failure or not, as I said in my earlier post, It all depends on what each individual goals are in life.. I personally think she has been a huge success.. But if she feels as though she could have benefited from something or someone else, it is okay for her to reflect on that as well..

Those are her words not mine... And that quote was shortly after these past Olympics I believe..
We can all sit on the side and form our own opinions but when it is all said and done it's the actual players who measure their own results as being successful or not with regards to maximizing or living up to their potential...

 

[DaddyChoc]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

don't you wish you would have done a few things differently in your life?

geesh... pulling a quote 10yrs after the fact.

so is she a failure?

Actually Daddy I don't see regret in her quote, just curiosity and affirmation.

 

[bags27]

Choosing a college is a whole lot more complicated and involves things such as location, academics, atmosphere, etc.

+1
Let's settle one thing: I think most (not all) high school players recognize that UConn has the best coaching staff in WCBB. They know it, their parents know it, their coaches know it. But how much better than some other programs is the "best"? For some players, it's just a marginal difference, for others there's a clear and decisive gap. I'm positively convinced, for example, that Megan Walker would have preferred going to college at the University of Texas at Austin, but she believed that the coaching gap was too great for her professional aspirations. That wasn't true for A'ja Wilson, etc. They don't necessarily believe that the marginal difference in coaching staffs results in any appreciable difference in their eventual skill development.

The decision often comes down to the weight the athlete places on 4 years of experiencing college vs 4 years of pre-professional training. I've a friend who chose to go to an unattractive graduate school in an unattractive place, but he was able to work with the #1 person in the field, and today is a great scholar/teacher himself. He sucked it up for 5 years in order to have a wonderful career. To some extent, that's what UConn WCBB is: sucking it up in the best graduate program in basketball.

UConn is certainly NOT an unattractive university or location. It's really nice, indeed. But it doesn't come close to (say) Austin as a college town and, as Nan says, it might be remote for some students or just not offer some personal intangibles. What it does offer is the best pre-professional training for a life in basketball (and many of us believe, beyond--but you can't tell that to a 17 year old).

So, the real decision is between:
1. Getting "good enough" coaching plus the very best college experience and/or other intangibles for that individual;
2. Or getting the very best pre-professional coaching with "good enough" for that individual college experience or other intangibles.

Forget about national championships as a consideration for top athletes. National championships are for us boosters who live vicariously. Why should kids sacrifice #1 above, just so that boosters can brag to our friends? Championships are nearly as exploitative as the whole NCAA corrupt mess. College sports would be a lot better off (though a lot less fun) without championships. Let's not put the burden of choosing a school for championships on young kids.

 

[HopJim]

+1
Let's settle one thing: I think most (not all) high school players recognize that UConn has the best coaching staff in WCBB. They know it, their parents know it, their coaches know it. But how much better than some other programs is the "best"? For some players, it's just a marginal difference, for others there's a clear and decisive gap. I'm positively convinced, for example, that Megan Walker would have preferred going to college at the University of Texas at Austin, but she believed that the coaching gap was too great for her professional aspirations. That wasn't true for A'ja Wilson, etc. They don't necessarily believe that the marginal difference in coaching staffs results in any appreciable difference in their eventual skill development.

The decision often comes down to the weight the athlete places on 4 years of experiencing college vs 4 years of pre-professional training. I've a friend who chose to go to an unattractive graduate school in an unattractive place, but he was able to work with the #1 person in the field, and today is a great scholar/teacher himself. He sucked it up for 5 years in order to have a wonderful career. To some extent, that's what UConn WCBB is: sucking it up in the best graduate program in basketball.

UConn is certainly NOT an unattractive university or location. It's really nice, indeed. But it doesn't come close to (say) Austin as a college town and, as Nan says, it might be remote for some students or just not offer some personal intangibles. What it does offer is the best pre-professional training for a life in basketball (and many of us believe, beyond--but you can't tell that to a 17 year old).

So, the real decision is between:
1. Getting "good enough" coaching plus the very best college experience and/or other intangibles for that individual;
2. Or getting the very best pre-professional coaching with "good enough" for that individual college experience or other intangibles.

Forget about national championships as a consideration for top athletes. National championships are for us boosters who live vicariously. Why should kids sacrifice #1 above, just so that boosters can brag to our friends? Championships are nearly as exploitative as the whole NCAA corrupt mess. College sports would be a lot better off (though a lot less fun) without championships. Let's not put the burden of choosing a school for championships on young kids.

Well worded response. Everyone has personal goals, some of which UConn does not meet. Just as there are some jobs that are rejected since they require 80 hour work weeks and movement from family and friends, its a bit arrogant to think every 16/17 year old high school player wants the UConn experience.

 

[Zorro]

My memory may be flawed (quite likely is) but I seem to recall that a major sticking point was that Ms. Wilson was adamant that she was NOT going to play the 5 in college and that pretty much soured the UConn staff on recruiting her, since UConn players play wherever, whenever and however the staff tells them to. Anyone else recall this?

 

[oldude]

My memory may be flawed (quite likely is) but I seem to recall that a major sticking point was that Ms. Wilson was adamant that she was NOT going to play the 5 in college and that pretty much soured the UConn staff on recruiting her, since UConn players play wherever, whenever and however the staff tells them to. Anyone else recall this?

My memory is a bit shaky, but I do seem to recall some talk about that issue. I am not sure if it was real or not. As far as the traditional 1-5 designation, UConn's motion offense and switching defense means that all 5 players have to play all over the court. SC likes to use Wilson at the high post with Coates in the low post. She doesn't step out and shoot 3's nor does she put the ball on the floor beyond a couple dribbles driving to the basket. She's very good in her role at SC, but she's no Stewie or EDD. On defense Wilson is best when she's around the basket. She had real difficulty trying to guard Stewie out on the floor in last year's game in Columbia.

 

[uconnell]

Yes I remember that quote by Ms Wilson, I pretty much knew, along with everyone else, that that is the position she would play. No matter where she was going and no matter what the coaches told her during recruitment. Some were truthful (Geno), some not.

 

[j66kicker]

My memory may be flawed (quite likely is) but I seem to recall that a major sticking point was that Ms. Wilson was adamant that she was NOT going to play the 5 in college and that pretty much soured the UConn staff on recruiting her, since UConn players play wherever, whenever and however the staff tells them to. Anyone else recall this?

She "didn't like contact", and was even touted as a "guard" by some.

 

[iamcbs]

Imagine that you are a young girl in America, with a love of playing basketball, and a desire to have that interest get you a basketball athletic scholarship at a good four-year college. In addition, it would be nice to go to a college that has an opportunity to be in contention to play for a national championship. And, of course, there is the possibility of being a Professional basketball player after college - perhaps even playing for America at the Olympics.

Well, opinions could recommend a list of schools that might provide this young girl with the above dreams. However, statistics point to one college and one college only - UCONN. And, until the mathematics of college woman's basketball change, a truly gifted player, is approaching insanity, not to want to play for UCONN and its amazing coach and staff. They are the surest way to a successful college basketball experience, and, the absolute best at getting college players ready for the pros. Just ask any pro woman's basketball coach.

One superior athletic, in particular, who did not believe in statistics, but in opinion, chose to “be the one who beats UCONN,” rather then play for them. In my opinion, a sophomoric decision. That girl, A’ja Wilson, now a junior at South Carolina, is having a wonderful amateur career. There is even the possibility that she could win a national championship this year - which would be her last chance, as all indications point to the 2017 UCONN team as once again being completely dominate and unbeatable. And, I fully expect A’ja to be a high first round pick, if not number one, for the WBA.

If A’ja had picked UCONN, she would now be working on her third national championship ring, and would probably be the face of the UCONN lineup, now owned by Katie-Lou. And, next year, pick up another National Championship Ring - before headed to the pros. But, that is what could have been. And, if UCONN, which is surprising EVERYONE, could win number five in a row this year - that means A’ja goes 0 for four, when she could have possibly been 4 and 0, within the context of National Champions.

And the last bit of irony is that 20 or so years from now when A’ja is showing her children video’s, magazine articles, and other mementos of her glorious past as a superstar for South Carolina, somewhere else in America, a Doctor named Briana "Polly" Pulido, will be showing her children the 3 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS she earned - rings beyond the reach of a superstar, but not, of a hard working team player who gave her ALL ever single second she wore the UCONN uniform - even though it would not lead to anything other then the joy she had of being part of something unique in American sports history.

I really, really, wish that A’ja had come to UCONN. But, regardless, I wish her nothing but the best in the future, except for Monday, February the 13th of next year.

Why is her choice being questioned? Her decision was obviously based on more factors than winning a Natty, why is that a bad thing. EDD doesn't seem to have any regrets and why would she. Every player isn't for Connecticut and Connecticut isn't for every player.

 

[HuskyNan]

Second post of the day exalting UConn WBB (fine) at the cost of denigrating an opposing player. A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Mitchell are playing an extremely high level of basketball which they've worked long and hard to achieve. They are, moreover, thriving where they are.

Why can't we just feel good about our surprising success without wondering whether Kelsey Mitchell should be an AA or A'ja Wilson should have come to Connecticut?

+100000000000