diggerfoot
Humanity Hiker
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2011
- Messages
- 1,632
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- 9,278
"Saddens" is a stronger emotion than "regrets." As a fan I may regret we haven't won every championship that might have been possible for us, but what saddens me is a devastating loss for the player involved.
I can't consider EDD in that category. Because she did not stay at UConn she never experienced a championship, yet that clearly was not as important to her as being accessible to her sister. I was more gladdened than saddened by that. As for regrets? Like bb90 stated, you can't be sure of the all important impact on chemistry EDD might have had.
Consider, for example, the case of Abrosimova and Bird. 2001 may have been the greatest assemblage of talent but, as was later reported, there were chemistry issues. Those chemistry issues were evident in the way they played at times, including the double digit loss to Notre Dame in the regular season with both players still in action. On the one hand, UConn plays its best in March, on the other hand, those chemistry issues may still have been significant precisely because of the seniors. A freshman Taurasi just might be a hard pill for some senior leadership to swallow. In any case, at least Ralph and Abrosimova did experience winning a national championship, so I can't say I'm particularly saddened by their loss.
Mel Thomas also was on teams with chemistry issues for most of her career. Nevertheless, from her very first game she proved she had the "heart of a husky," a Kelly Faris or, perhaps, Molly Bent type of player. Then in her senior year a new sheriff comes to town, named Maya Moore. The early season regular and tournament performances were very promising. This could be the year that Thomas finally ..... plays in a Final Four! (forget the championship for a moment) Then both she and Greene are injured that year. Had she remained healthy she definitely would have tasted playing in her first Final Four and it's possible that with both Thomas and Greene and playing their best in March that we could have won a championship (though I suspect Tennessee fans will disagree). After all, a rookie Moore got the best of a veteran Parker in the pros.
Sales, Ralph, Abrosimova, all injured their senior years, could be considered devastating losses that saddens. But the loss of the senior Thomas was the most devastating, saddest loss of all.
I can't consider EDD in that category. Because she did not stay at UConn she never experienced a championship, yet that clearly was not as important to her as being accessible to her sister. I was more gladdened than saddened by that. As for regrets? Like bb90 stated, you can't be sure of the all important impact on chemistry EDD might have had.
Consider, for example, the case of Abrosimova and Bird. 2001 may have been the greatest assemblage of talent but, as was later reported, there were chemistry issues. Those chemistry issues were evident in the way they played at times, including the double digit loss to Notre Dame in the regular season with both players still in action. On the one hand, UConn plays its best in March, on the other hand, those chemistry issues may still have been significant precisely because of the seniors. A freshman Taurasi just might be a hard pill for some senior leadership to swallow. In any case, at least Ralph and Abrosimova did experience winning a national championship, so I can't say I'm particularly saddened by their loss.
Mel Thomas also was on teams with chemistry issues for most of her career. Nevertheless, from her very first game she proved she had the "heart of a husky," a Kelly Faris or, perhaps, Molly Bent type of player. Then in her senior year a new sheriff comes to town, named Maya Moore. The early season regular and tournament performances were very promising. This could be the year that Thomas finally ..... plays in a Final Four! (forget the championship for a moment) Then both she and Greene are injured that year. Had she remained healthy she definitely would have tasted playing in her first Final Four and it's possible that with both Thomas and Greene and playing their best in March that we could have won a championship (though I suspect Tennessee fans will disagree). After all, a rookie Moore got the best of a veteran Parker in the pros.
Sales, Ralph, Abrosimova, all injured their senior years, could be considered devastating losses that saddens. But the loss of the senior Thomas was the most devastating, saddest loss of all.
