POST CHAMPIONSHIP THOUGHTS

[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.

 

[magic]

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.

Do you have any idea where one can find Baylor's schedule for next season? I am interested to find out whether they will be challenging themselves with a difficult out of conference schedule our not.

 

[easttexastrash]

Do you have any idea where one can find Baylor's schedule for next season? I am interested to find out whether they will be challenging themselves with a difficult out of conference schedule our not.

I have not seen the schedule for next year. I am not sure if it has been released yet. But Mulkey is not one to shy away from a tough schedule. But I am not sure that either UCONN or Baylor will really be challenged.

 

[EricLA]

That's exactly how it seems. I find it annoying.

how many times are we going to hear "twice on the pipes"?

 

[uconnell]

. NOBODY in the history of women's sports got shoved and pushed more than BG.



Guess you never watched TAURASI play. She was always covered with bruises. She was even clotheslined by Tenn player and nothing called. She was also taunted, although not for the same reasons as Griner, she dealt with it with humor and great play..

 

[Bestiarius]

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.

Improvement in conditioning is easier said than done. Brittney did just fine this year with her present state of conditioning. When you' re already dominating all your competitors, what is the incentive to get even better? Small conditioning improvements require large amounts of grueling, painful and boring effort. I think that's part of why Geno is successful. He forces his players to expend effort even when the need for it is not necessary or apparent. That way, when extra is needed in a game, the player isn't saying uh-oh I should have done more wind sprints.

And by the way, conditioning isn't limitless. Secretariat's heart was twice the size of the average race horse. Other horses could never do what he did regardless of how hard they trained.

 

[Icebear]

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.

The whole game was played slower in those days. I have long said that physiology wise he is the most apt comparison for Brittney. She can go harder. She does not even go at Alcindor/Jabbar's pace.

 

[Icebear]

Improvement in conditioning is easier said than done. Brittney did just fine this year with her present state of conditioning. When you' re already dominating all your competitors, what is the incentive to get even better? Small conditioning improvements require large amounts of grueling, painful and boring effort. I think that's part of why Geno is successful. He forces his players to expend effort even when the need for it is not necessary or apparent. That way, when extra is needed in a game, the player isn't saying uh-oh I should have done more wind sprints.

The motivation is pride and the desire to be your best. Your description of Geno and UConn is exactly why they are tremendously conditioned athletes. They pay the price ever moment of every practice and are constantly discovering they can go harder longer than they ever thought possible. It is why KML loved the practices she saw as a recruit coming in and then discovered they were 10 times harder than she thought. It is why she celebrates Kelly who she notes never takes a moment off.

 

[Icebear]

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.

That is indeed the point. It is not a criticism of Brittney in any way. Great athletes are always looking for where they can improve their game. This is one opportunity I see for Griner.

 

[FairView]

I am amazed at the outstanding conditioning of Boneyarders, who have the ability to go hard arguing the same points over and over for hours on end. We are marvels of modern science.

 

[Icebear]

There is the occasional finger cramp.

 

[ladybears4eva]

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.

she looks the same to me... stomps around from one sid eof the court to the other, and is usually gassed before most media time outs. I'm just being honest. I do like that she has changed her attitude and isn't afraid of taking the jump shot, she should in fact, she's great at it. I also like that she is getting tougher in the low post, i just hope she can develop into a meaner and more aggressive low post presence like Charles did. If that happended, it wouldn't matter how fast she got to the other side of the court, she would bring so much swagger with her it would intimidate the opponent like Charles had.

I cheer for her to get more aggressive against the elite post players, instead of shying away... and letting them get the best of the post area, but she often lets me down. So maybe as a junior she will develop that more, and be more dangerous from the top of the post or free throw area.

dont mean to harm.

 

[ladybears4eva]

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.

considering how many points Griner has in her career, already, and the type of defenses she has had to battle, i say she is the best post player to date. and Why do people make Tina Charles one inch shorter everytime they compare her to Griner? ... I thought she was 6'4" and 198 like on the WNBA.com website and UCONN websites? ... hilarious when people try to defend her by making her so much smaller than Griner that it's a type of excuse.

 

[ladybears4eva]

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)

she lost the liberman award to Skylar Diggins.... maybe it had to do with being pretty? pouting during games? pouting after a loss? giving sore loser attitude to press during confrences? i wonder what made her the best point guard this year?

Sims has always played Skylar really hard everytime we played them and Baylor with Sims is 3-0 to Skylar and ND...

Sims defense is like no other. and she controlled most of the game... you think that a liberman award winner would be able to change the pace of the game or seize some control of it... not be nuetralized and lose in bad fashion...

 

[ladybears4eva]

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

i think the lieberman award was announced on twitter... thats' so hilarious... it seems like a popularity contest to me... or beauty contest..

liebermann wasn't bad looking..? she admires pretty faces too?

 

[ladybears4eva]

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.

lol dont use his words to hit him back in the face... what a bully... jk.