POLL: what WCBB player (not a Husky) did you most love to hate?

[Wally East]

Agree. Hate is a strong word.

DISLIKE---for me it was Holdsclaw. I don't know if anyone remembers but her freshman/sophomore season she was rude and taunting to opposing team players. She used to get in players faces all the time. She is the reason I don't like Tennessee. I will look for some youtube videos.

I remember. I also remember when she had the ball out on the wing, holding it, while being guarded by a Boston College defender. She held the ball in one hand, swung it around a bit, and then, intentionally, bopped the defender on the head with it. I swear I am not making this up.

 

[Wally East]

Kara Lawson got some folks riled up when, as a freshman, she got terribly excited about beating UConn at Storrs.

Oh, she jumped around, holding up her first finger, screaming they were #1. The funny thing? UConn didn't drop but stayed #1

 

[bluefan64]

This should be fun. Take a walk down memory lane and discuss who you most loved to hate, whose misfortune made you the happiest, who seemed to be a thorn in your side. Have you ever forgiven Chamique for the 1997 regional finals or the 1996 national semis? Do you still delight in Skylar Diggins's still-TBD progress as a WNBA player? Does anyone anger you more than the thought of Candace Parker? Is there another LV I couldn't make a selectable option (and if you're thinking Tamika Catchings, what on earth is wrong with you anyway?)? So, talk about the painful losses and the most annoying displays of attitude that earned a young woman the title of "WCBB player you most loved to hate"!

Ajavon from RU.

 

[JoePgh]

Can you imagine how high Diana would be on the lists of every other WCBB team? Her offenses were more grievous and more numerous than any of those described above for this list of minor offenders.

 

[watanabe]

Can you imagine how high Diana would be on the lists of every other WCBB team? Her offenses were more grievous and more numerous than any of those described above for this list of minor offenders.

Perhaps, but she was definitely not an elitist like Ms Diggins. DT was blue collar all the way.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'm not sure about the word "hate" either, but loathe, disdain, ... The Diva, SkyDig.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Can you imagine how high Diana would be on the lists of every other WCBB team? Her offenses were more grievous and more numerous than any of those described above for this list of minor offenders.

Not for most fans. DT was great. In spite of some bellyaching when RU had to play UConn while DT was on the team, most fans that I have ever met basically admired her, with a possible objection to some colorful language she was known to use.

Like ETT, I liked most of the players on the UConn list, I will admit I wasn't enthused by Candice Parker.

And of your Rutgers dislikes, the only player that wasn't a hit with me was Ajavon, I always thought she played with way too much "me" and selfish attitude. That said, I didn't know her and many RU fans would testify that she was a great person and I always heard she was a good teammate; I just didn't see it on the court.

 

[rocky rococo]

Hate, no... but disgust, well the name Matee Ajavon springs to mind.

YOPB

Yep, I'm with Boo, the name Matee sprung to mind.

 

[hoophuskee]

Cappie for me. That awful display where she jabbed her finger in Geno's chest - she clinched it for me. Though I rooted for her when she played with DT in Phoenix.

Knight-the reason of RU and why I'd mention Pointer (but not as bad as Cappie for me) is how RU played and they seemd to relish "the tough guy" attitude. I don't like the men's college game much you can see by the scores for some top teams -they're scoring low 50's and mid-40's. RU's style I've always perceived as similar to that - an anemic offense style, rough physical defense. The lousy offense bores me. Someone like Pointer was the leader. A very talented player no doubt. But I associated the team play/style with the leader.

 

[Blueballer]

Kara Lawson got some folks riled up when, as a freshman, she got terribly excited about beating UConn at Storrs. But, when she was a senior, she really earned my respect. I kept a close eye on the Tenn games that year, and, I can't tell you how many times she pulled her team through late in the game, when things were tight. She's not the most elegant of players, but, boy, as a senior, she did exactly what any coach would hope, expect, and dream that a senior leader would do - she pulled her younger teammates to victory.

I don't think Lawson should even be on the list. Really just that one moment of exuberance after the win that was over the top. Otherwise she has been a class act all the way. There are a number of Vol players I would put ahead of her for disliked. Among them Randall, Alexis Hornbuckle, Michele Snow, and I'm not a big fan of Meghan Simmons antics either. And as someone else said there are a long list of Rutgers players who would be up for consideration too. Linda Miles tops the list for me. And of course the queen of the sneaky trippers , Syracuse player Nicole Michael.

 

[Phil]

Cappie for me. That awful display where she jabbed her finger in Geno's chest - she clinched it for me.

That was a "heat of the moment" misunderstanding, quickly corrected.

 

[Phil]

I don't think Lawson should even be on the list. Really just that one moment of exuberance after the win that was over the top.

I don't even feel it was that over the top. I understand why UConn fans were gritting their teeth to watch her exuberance, but I've tried to viewed it as a homage to Connecticut.

Of course she's excited, she just beat CONNECTICUT! I bet she didn't get that excited about beating Alabama.

 

[Striper69]

This should be fun. Take a walk down memory lane and discuss who you most loved to hate, whose misfortune made you the happiest, who seemed to be a thorn in your side. Have you ever forgiven Chamique for the 1997 regional finals or the 1996 national semis? Do you still delight in Skylar Diggins's still-TBD progress as a WNBA player? Does anyone anger you more than the thought of Candace Parker? Is there another LV I couldn't make a selectable option (and if you're thinking Tamika Catchings, what on earth is wrong with you anyway?)? So, talk about the painful losses and the most annoying displays of attitude that earned a young woman the title of "WCBB player you most loved to hate"!

I think Diggins is doing fine as a WNBA player. I don't think she has to be a big scorer considering the teammates she has. They just need the right coach to put it all together. Not sure if this guy is the right one.

I don't dislike any WCCB players.

 

[Artifact]

Hate someone? The opposite is ' Love'.

This should be fun. Take a walk down memory lane and discuss who you most loved to hate, whose misfortune made you the happiest, who seemed to be a thorn in your side. Have you ever forgiven Chamique for the 1997 regional finals or the 1996 national semis? Do you still delight in Skylar Diggins's still-TBD progress as a WNBA player? Does anyone anger you more than the thought of Candace Parker? Is there another LV I couldn't make a selectable option (and if you're thinking Tamika Catchings, what on earth is wrong with you anyway?)? So, talk about the painful losses and the most annoying displays of attitude that earned a young woman the title of "WCBB player you most loved to hate"!

 

[meyers7]

Of those listed I'd have to go with Holdsclaw. (see Wally East). At the time Boo Randall was a great enemy here on this board. Heck UCONN gave her the nickname Boo (for her run in, roll around, with Sveta). But over time she became one of my favorites the way she embraced the name and the way she always played 100%.

The one I probably hated most was Snow. Still don't like her.

 

[Icebear]

Epiphany Prince. Nuf said.

 

[Ctpaul0825]

Desma Thomas, University of Miami, 1997.

"Whoever said you should let a sleeping dog lie could have been thinking about the unbeaten Connecticut women's basketball team.
Five weeks ago in Miami, the UConn women, already ranked No. 1 in the nation, led by only 45-40 with eight minutes to go before pulling away to a 69-51 victory. Desma Thomas of Miami was trash-talking much of the game, and near the end she got into a bumping incident with Nykesha Sales of UConn."

 

[loneycafe]

As an NC State fan, I have to say Ivory Latta.

Candace Parker is up there, though, too.

 

[ScarlettB]

Personally, I don't hate any players. There are a few who's attitude could have been better - Angel comes to mind. I find it interesting that most of the players mentioned were able to lead their teams to victory over UConn at least once.

 

[uconnell]

Hate, no... but disgust, well the name Matee Ajavon springs to mind.

YOPB

Thanks Boo, that's the name I was trying to recall.

 

[bballnut90]

I think the 2 elements that really irritate fans are:
1. arrogance
2. talent/playing great against the fan's favorite team

Diggins and Parker definitely played with a huge amount of swagger/arrogance and typically had huge games/huge plays against Connecticut. Similarly, Taurasi had the same effect on Tennessee fans.

On the contrary, someone like Holdsclaw/Moore was immensely talented but both of these players were humble, didn't trash talk and just went out and played basketball. I haven't heard of any UCONN fans trashing Holdsclaw and Tennessee fans rarely talk negatively about Moore (compared to how they talk about Taurasi.)

 

[doggydaddy]

I think the 2 elements that really irritate fans are:
1. arrogance
2. talent/playing great against the fan's favorite team

Diggins and Parker definitely played with a huge amount of swagger/arrogance and typically had huge games/huge plays against Connecticut. Similarly, Taurasi had the same effect on Tennessee fans.

On the contrary, someone like Holdsclaw/Moore was immensely talented but both of these players were humble, didn't trash talk and just went out and played basketball. I haven't heard of any UCONN fans trashing Holdsclaw and Tennessee fans rarely talk negatively about Moore (compared to how they talk about Taurasi.)

No, the Tennessee fans just trash her and her mother for going to Uconn based on lies about a mythical house.

 

[Waquoit]

For me it was Michelle Marciniak. On camera, right after the 1996 semis (when UConn should have won) she was asked what the game plan was and she said, "Our plan was to jam it down Wolters throat." Which they did the following year as well to an undefeated UConn team. Wolters never reponded to the challenge either time, that's why she ranks down the list of UConn greats IMO.

 

[meyers7]

On the contrary, someone like Holdsclaw/Moore was immensely talented but both of these players were humble, didn't trash talk and just went out and played basketball. I haven't heard of any UCONN fans trashing Holdsclaw and Tennessee fans rarely talk negatively about Moore (compared to how they talk about Taurasi.)

Holdsclaw wasn't humble. She was an arrogant jerk. A very talented one, but one none the less.

 

[ChicagoGG]

While Candace and Kara L were not my favorites when they played against UConn, I had to respect their skills and leadership. Kara, particularly, has gone on to a stellar career both in basketball and on ESPN. She is a class act.

Skylar, on the other hand, is definitely on my short list of badly behaved competitors. When she was handing out her headbands and ND t-shirts on OUR court last January (2013) after ND beat us, I thought that was bush league.

And Mattee Ajavon is right after her....remember her bad behavior leaving the court after her last Big East Tournament game against UConn? A brat.