POST CHAMPIONSHIP THOUGHTS

[Buzzyboy]

As far as the comparison to Tina Charles, who was an phenomenal player, she did not average double digit rebounding in a single UCONN season.

Griner finished the season with 206 blocks and averaged 2.05 fouls per game. She is the most dominant defensive force ever seen and only averaged 2 fouls a game! That is an incredible stat.

23.2 ppg
9.5 rpg
5.15 bpg
60.9% fg
80% ft
50% from three point range (1 of 2...LOL)

Now give the woman her due and quit nitpicking. Why is it so hard for some to admit what a great player she is? And if her improvements continue as they have I can only imagine what there stats will look like next year.

How can you compare Tina Charles at 6'3" to Griner who has such a distinct physical advantage over 99.9% of the women who have ever played basketball at any level. Giving up something like 5 inches is a massive amount. Another thing is that Griner had a chance to work with Geno over the summer and it was noted by her that his coaching had a big effect on her. To attribute all of her growth strictly to her coach or their staff is silly. Beyond that, she is like almost any person on the planet and that her body is maturing. Even a typical none athlete is physically stronger and has more dexterity in the years just past their being teenagers. Some of the stats aren't necessarily noteworthy. What was Tamika Williams field goal percentage over her career. Wasn't it something like 70% for her ENTIRE CAREER?????????????? I concede that she's gotten better but part of that is a natural maturation.

 

[ladybears4eva]

Griner is great but I hate to think of the beast she might have been in the hands of Geno and CD at this point in her career. I cannot imagine her standing around as much as she does at times if she had been at UCONN. Plus if the UCONN conditioning staff did half the job with her that they have done with Stef, watch out!

Do not get me wrong I think that she has developed under KM but I do not think it is near what it could be.

dolson isn't what anyone, other than large german folk, would consider as athletic. be real.

 

[Icebear]

I am not saying that BG does not have areas of improvement. She absolutely does. But also keep in mind that she has only been playing organized ball since her freshman year of high school. By that time, most players had already been playing for several years. She is still learning the game.

She has learned a tremendous amount. KM has and is doing an excellent the only thing I see and what I am suggesting is the only area I see Brittney needing to really grow in is her dominance on every play and taking no plays off. It took TIna Time to learn that, too. I want Brittney to desire to dominate the middle like Bill Russell and Tina. She has the physical gifts of Wilt, she needs the intensity of Bill. As Buzzy noted Geno has already had an affect on her as noted by both KM and Brittney. She even noted it was about constant effort.

 

[Icebear]

dolson isn't what anyone, other than large german folk, would consider as athletic. be real.

Did I say she was athletic I spoke of the conditioning job they have done. Athleticism is very different than conditioning. Watch film from her entry as a freshman and then watch her efort against ND at 5000 feet in Denver. There is no comparison. She and Brittney started in two completely different places athletically simply by luck of the gene pool.

 

[RadyLady]

Another championship thought: Odyssey is the best point guard in the nation. She plays defense like no other.

SHe is one tough cookie and I agree that she is terrifice and a clutch player. Was she up for the Lieberman award? She should have been (and won it, IMO)

 

[Icebear]

SHe is one tough cookie and I agree that she is terrifice and a clutch player. Was she up for the Lieberman award? She should have been (and won it, IMO)

Yup, she should have been the winner.

 

[RadyLady]

Griner is great but I hate to think of the beast she might have been in the hands of Geno and CD at this point in her career. I cannot imagine her standing around as much as she does at times if she had been at UCONN. Plus if the UCONN conditioning staff did half the job with her that they have done with Stef, watch out!

Do not get me wrong I think that she has developed under KM but I do not think it is near what it could be.

Much as I hate the thought of Baylor beating us next year, I would like to see BG on the Olympic team where she will be under the tutelage of Geno and company

 

[sarals24]

Yup, she should have been the winner.

I thought that award was based on number of Twitter followers...

 

[Icebear]

I thought that award was based on number of Twitter followers...

Sadly, this may most certainly be true.

 

[meyers7]

I thought that award was based on number of Twitter followers...

Oh!

Very well done.

 

[easttexastrash]

Did I say she was athletic I spoke of the conditioning job they have done. Athleticism is very different than conditioning. Watch film from her entry as a freshman and then watch her efort against ND at 5000 feet in Denver. There is no comparison. She and Brittney started in two completely different places athletically simply by luck of the gene pool.

Can anyone say that BG is not well conditioned? She plays 40 minutes a game against the top teams and you never see her huffing and puffing and gasping for air. How much better conditioned could she possibly be?

As a post player, she will never be perpetual motion like some on this board seem to think that she should be. She is not a mover like Nneka and she is wise with conserving her energy, IMO. If she is going to be asked to play 40 a game she cannot wear herself by zipping all over the court all game long.

 

[meyers7]

She is not a mover like Nneka and she is wise with conserving her energy, IMO. If she is going to be asked to play 40 a game she cannot wear herself by zipping all over the court all game long.

I think that was the point. If she was better conditioned (and she has improved her conditioning from her freshman year) she would be able to "zip" around the court, all game long.

 

[Icebear]

Can anyone say that BG is not well conditioned? She plays 40 minutes a game against the top teams and you never see her huffing and puffing and gasping for air. How much better conditioned could she possibly be?

As a post player, she will never be perpetual motion like some on this board seem to think that she should be. She is not a mover like Nneka and she is wise with conserving her energy, IMO. If she is going to be asked to play 40 a game she cannot wear herself by zipping all over the court all game long.

But she simply uses her pacing on the court to manage that. If she was in better condition she could assert herself harder and at a quicker pace. Too often I see her cruising. She relies on her dominance by size to make it work for her rather than really taking it to the opponent and kicking their butts. When I watch Stef vs watching Brittney I see and player working her butt off vs one relying on her talent to do the work. Tina did that all the time until Geno got through to her. If she was in better condition and motivated to the maximum effort every moment of every game she would dwarf even what she can do presently.

I do not expect you to agree with me I simply see so much more potential in her that is still untapped and I think the area of conditioning and maximum effoty every play is a key one. It is critique, not criticism.

 

[Aluminny69]

I would like to add my two cents.

I am extremely grateful that UConn did not suffer any significant injuries this season. That doesn't happen very often, unfortunately. UConn trainers must be doing something right.

 

[easttexastrash]

But she simply uses her pacing on the court to manage that. If she was in better condition she could assert herself harder and at a quicker pace. Too often I see her cruising. She relies on her dominance by size to make it work for her rather than really taking it to the opponent and kicking their butts. When I watch Stef vs watching Brittney I see and player working her butt off vs one relying on her talent to do the work. Tina did that all the time until Geno got through to her. If she was in better condition and motivated to the maximum effort every moment of every game she would dwarf even what she can do presently.

I do not expect you to agree with me I simply see so much more potential in her that is still untapped and I think the area of conditioning and maximum effoty every play is a key one. It is critique, not criticism.

Go back and watch some footage of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, which to me, is the most comparable comparison. He cruised in a similar manner and was the greatest center in the history of the game. He had a way of standing back and watching the play develop, much as Griner does.

It is simply unrealistic to expect a 40 minute a game player to go as hard as she can all game long. She is very smart with the pacing of her energy.

 

[JByron21]

It is simply unrealistic to expect a 40 minute a game player to go as hard as she can all game long. She is very smart with the pacing of her energy.

Tell that to Maya Moore.

 

[easttexastrash]

Tell that to Maya Moore.

I watched Maya and she was not perpetual motion like Nneka. Nneka may be the best mover I have ever seen. However, it is much easier for a 6-0 guard like Maya to move more than a 6-8 center who wears a size 18 shoe. Also, NOBODY in the history of women's sports got shoved and pushed more than BG. You have to account for some of that when you discuss her fitness level. EDD got banged a lot in the Kansas game and it completely wore her out to the point where she had nothing to give toward the end of the game.

You have to compare apples to apples. You simply cannot compare the movement of a player with BG's size to that of a guard. That's like criticizing Kareem for not moving as well as Michael Jordan.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think that was the point. If she was better conditioned (and she has improved her conditioning from her freshman year) she would be able to "zip" around the court, all game long.

Griner will never do that. Did you ever see Kareem do that? Did you ever see Shaq do that? Do you see Dwight Howard do that? You are not comparing apples to apples in this debate.

Anyway, I am very happy with the way she moves and as stated, this will be an "agree to disagree" discussion.

 

[meyers7]

Griner will never do that. Did you ever see Kareem do that? Did you ever see Shaq do that? Do you see Dwight Howard do that? You are not comparing apples to apples in this debate.

Anyway, I am very happy with the way she moves and as stated, this will be an "agree to disagree" discussion.

The point was if she was better conditioned she would be able to work harder/longer (there's plenty of room for that) and not just have to rely on her natural ability/height. It's not a criticism but an observation of where she can improve. And hopefully she will get selected as the 12th player for the Olympics, where she will have to work harder/longer and not be able to rely on her natural ability/height.

 

[JByron21]

I watched Maya and she was not perpetual motion like Nneka. Nneka may be the best mover I have ever seen. However, it is much easier for a 6-0 guard like Maya to move more than a 6-8 center who wears a size 18 shoe. Also, NOBODY in the history of women's sports gets shoved and pushed more than BG. You have to account for some of that when you discuss her fitness level. EDD got banged a lot in the Kansas game and it completely wore her out to the point where she had nothing to give toward the end of the game.

You have to compare apples to apples. You simply cannot compare the movement of a player with BG's size to that of a guard. That's like criticizing Kareem for not moving as well as Michael Jordan.

Who are we comparing here? I compare Maya's amount of movement to BG, and then you throw Nneka into the picture? The post I quoted you on talked about players who play (or seem to play, since no one averages that) all 40 minutes, hence my initial comparison. Then I'm told that I can't compare them because of their size, which I could agree on, except you compared Tina and BG earlier in this exact thread. 6'8" and 6'3" is not apples to apples. In fact, I don't think much is apples to apples with BG, so are we not allowed to draw comparisons at all?

 

[easttexastrash]

The point was if she was better conditioned she would be able to work harder/longer (there's plenty of room for that) and not just have to rely on her natural ability/height. It's not a criticism but an observation of where she can improve. And hopefully she will get selected as the 12th player for the Olympics, where she will have to work harder/longer and not be able to rely on her natural ability/height.

I look forward to that. I hope that she makes the team so that she can reach even higher levels of performance.

 

[easttexastrash]

I would like to add my two cents.

I am extremely grateful that UConn did not suffer any significant injuries this season. That doesn't happen very often, unfortunately. UConn trainers must be doing something right.

The only injury that Baylor suffered was an ACL to Shanay Washington, who had 4 previous ACL tears. Hard to say that was a result of the Baylor training staff.

 

[easttexastrash]

Who are we comparing here? I compare Maya's amount of movement to BG, and then you throw Nneka into the picture? The post I quoted you on talked about players who play (or seem to play, since no one averages that) all 40 minutes, hence my initial comparison. Then I'm told that I can't compare them because of their size, which I could agree on, except you compared Tina and BG earlier in this exact thread. 6'8" and 6'3" is not apples to apples. In fact, I don't think much is apples to apples with BG, so are we not allowed to draw comparisons at all?

Why in the world would you compare a 6-0 guard to a 6-8 center. I brought Nneka up because she is a great move but NOT 6-8. It was additional argument that you simply cannot compare Griner's movement to a smaller player.

 

[meyers7]

I look forward to that. I hope that she makes the team so that she can reach even higher levels of performance.

So do I, although don't relish facing an improved Griner next year.

 

[meyers7]

The only injury that Baylor suffered was an ACL to Shanay Washington, who had 4 previous ACL tears. Hard to say that was a result of the Baylor training staff.

Don't think he was implying (inferring??) anything about Baylor.

 

[easttexastrash]

And for the record, I was not the one to bring Charles up in this discussion (see the below comment from post #17 below). I only responded to this statement.

what I do not see in Brittney is the mental force and compete every possession attitude that Geno and Cd are so good at bringing out of players, such as, Tina Charles. More than anything else that is what would make Brittney the most impossible player in the world to deal with.

 

[magic]

Go back and watch some footage of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, which to me, is the most comparable comparison. He cruised in a similar manner and was the greatest center in the history of the game. He had a way of standing back and watching the play develop, much as Griner does.

It is simply unrealistic to expect a 40 minute a game player to go as hard as she can all game long. She is very smart with the pacing of her energy.

I grew up watching Kareem. They are comparable only because of the size domination. Kareem seemed to cruise , but because of the UCLA scheme Kareem moved around the floor much more both on offense and defense. He had such a great team around him. I was however a little dissappointed in her intervue with Rebecca. I believe at halftime she was asked what she thought her team could do better. I believe her response was something like, " play harder". I can't remember the exact response. Obviously Rebecca was looking for some team basketball knowledge. Kareem was a very analytical player.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think they looked better because the teams they beat weren't capable of doing what we did in December. UConn was not a great offensive team this year and it was their defense that actually generated a good deal of their offense. I think they would have neutralized a good amount of Baylors offense had we played them in the finals. I'm not saying we would have won because Baylor would have effected UConn's scoring, as well. Next year I think we'll have the capability of defending them even better while we'll be able to generate a lot more offense due to the incoming kids. Beyond that, we'll be a little more mature at key positions because we were very young this year.

I agree completely. Stewart's length will be valuable in guarding Griner. Dolson behind her and Stewart in front should really be a good tandem. UCONN will have a lot more offense next year so Baylor will have to really have a good offensive game to beat UCONN

 

[easttexastrash]

I grew up watching Kareem. They are comparable only because of the size domination. Kareem seemed to cruise , but because of the UCLA scheme Kareem moved around the floor much more both on offense and defense. He had such a great team around him. I was however a little dissappointed in her intervue with Rebecca. I believe at halftime she was asked what she thought her team could do better. I believe her response was something like, " play harder". I can't remember the exact response. Obviously Rebecca was looking for some team basketball knowledge. Kareem was a very analytical player.

I agreed that the team needed to step up their effort. I thought they were not as aggressive as they could have been, so I cannot say that I do not agree with her assessment. And maybe she felt that she personally needed to work harder and establishing position.

 

[easttexastrash]

Hopefully Griner makes the Olympic team so that Geno will have a chance to correct all of her bad habits, teach her how to address required halftime adjustments and she comes back next year as the new and improved Griner.