Seattle vs. LA

[CocoHusky]

Wrong about that. Charles and Jones pushed back in the 2nd half and USA won.

I though you were done with this thread? So if Charles and Jones pushed back they must have been pushed in the first place, No?

 

[UConnCat]

I though you were done with this thread? So if Charles and Jones pushed back they must have been pushed in the first place, No?

I said I was done with Parker, not posts about other players.

Your second point is just silliness.

 

[EricLA]

Morgan Tuck. Maya Moore. Kelly Faris. At least.

FWIW, I would disagree that these are the only players in the history of UCONN who have given 100% effort most of the time they were at UCONN. Anyone doubt Rizotti was 100% effort all the time? How about Elliot and Ralph? Rita Williams and Nykehsa (Precious) Sales? Anyone doubt how hard Dee worked? How about Ashley Battle? Mel Thomas spent more time sliding across the court chasing loose balls. Anyone think Tina is a slacker? How about Hartley and Dolson? And water bug Jefferson? Just because players aren't as physically athletic or gifted as others does not mean they don't work their butts off - and Geno pretty much demands that every day. Remember the game he sat Stewie AND Morgan?

I bet if you go back and ask Geno who his hardest working players were, he'd give you a list of a bunch. I think there are very few who bring it 100% every second of every day in every practice and every game, but I bet there are a lot that Geno loves and respects for how hard they worked while at UCONN...

You and Cat are both a breath of fresh air!

 

[HuskyNan]

Morgan Tuck. Maya Moore. Kelly Faris. At least.

Nykesha Sales

 

[Icebear]

Note the quote from Geno in the MacMullan article. We all know how direct he is and how tough he has been on almost all of his players, including Stewie.

"Candace has a lot of skills," Auriemma said, "and some nights she really tries to use them. Other nights, she forgets the skills she has.

"Luckily for us, tonight she remembered to use them."

Geno was addressing inconsistency of effort and/or focus. As a casual observer, I've seen the same in her game. I thought she was the best player in the WNBA when she played last season, and yet she disappeared at times, costing her team some wins.

And in this is the very problem of CP3.

 

[Icebear]

I said I was done with Parker, not posts about other players.

Your second point is just silliness.

Save your breath, Cat.

 

[baggerbob]

Morgan Tuck. Maya Moore. Kelly Faris. At least.

I remember Morgan, and Stewie being benched after 5 minutes of a game.

 

[CocoHusky]

" He prods individuals by saying things like "You suck" and "You are never going to make it." Auriemma's caustic style has earned him many critics, and his autobiography is more about self-defense than reflection."
Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection

Geno is not on trial so please resist the pavlovian reflex to defend him and consider that his statement about CP is ultimately complementary and similar to ones he has made about several of his own players.

 

[UcMiami]

Simple statement - you play defense or you sit on a Geno team. Candace loves her some offense but gives limited effort on defense and always has. If she was going to sit anyway, might as well put someone else on the team.

She scored 30+ points in the first game and waved driving players on to the basket for about 20 at the other end. A typical game for her.

And as for enjoying watching talented players ... all the US player pool are talented and I personally enjoy Dupree's style of play over Parker's - not a lot of flash, just efficient effort at both ends all the time. She doesn't get the credit others do, but her teams sure win a lot.

Effort on Uconn teams - every year he is generally happy with the effort of most of the team - this past year he was happy with most of the team the whole year including Briana and Tierney - missing layups is like missing jump shots, something that happens, but I don't think he every questioned Morgans effort on the floor.
Huge difference between consistency of effort and consistency of results.

 

[CocoHusky]

Simple statement - you play defense or you sit on a Geno team. Candace loves her some offense but gives limited effort on defense and always has. If she was going to sit anyway, might as well put someone else on the team.

She scored 30+ points in the first game and waved driving players on to the basket for about 20 at the other end. A typical game for her.

And as for enjoying watching talented players ... all the US player pool are talented and I personally enjoy Dupree's style of play over Parker's - not a lot of flash, just efficient effort at both ends all the time. She doesn't get the credit others do, but her teams sure win a lot.

Effort on Uconn teams - every year he is generally happy with the effort of most of the team - this past year he was happy with most of the team the whole year including Briana and Tierney - missing layups is like missing jump shots, something that happens, but I don't think he every questioned Morgans effort on the floor.
Huge difference between consistency of effort and consistency of results.

It is also a huge leap & awfully convenient to take "anything" Geno says literally and offer it as proof positive of a any player's inconsistent effort-HUGE!

 

[EricLA]

Effort on Uconn teams - every year he is generally happy with the effort of most of the team - this past year he was happy with most of the team the whole year including Briana and Tierney - missing layups is like missing jump shots, something that happens, but I don't think he every questioned Morgans effort on the floor. Huge difference between consistency of effort and consistency of results.

Great points about Briana and Tierney. There was a great montage of interviews of UCONN players including AHC Dailey who all praised her, but at first, she wasn't serious about being on time or being committed. But she GOT it and the coaches and players heaped praise on her. It's a great video...

 

[MilfordHusky]

In terms of consistency and effort, there is the regular season and there is the one-and-done post season. Certainly, Stewie left no room for criticism in that regard. Nor did Kaleena, other than one failed box-out as a freshman.

I just re-watched the game. I had seen pieces on video after watching the game in person from the nosebleed seats behind the Opal's first-half basket. Folks should watch it, irrespective of the Candace discussion. (Note that the announcers are horrible and poorly informed.) The Aussies are very big. Tina gave up 5" to Cabbage, and Catch gave up 5" to Jackson. Both gave up 50 pounds or more. I thought Catch battled the hardest, but struggled with the size differential. Tina battled and scored over Cambage several times. Griner wasn't on the team, and Sylvia had an injury, so there was a lot of pressure on Tina. She looked great. That happened to be her WNBA MVP season. The much-maligned Sue Bird kept us in the game by shooting 5-6 in the first half. Lindsay and Seimone hit midrange jumpers to help us extend the lead in the second half. Asjha battled the Opal bigs by pushing them away from the basket. Neither Maya nor Diana had a great shooting game, though Dee hit 2 big threes in the third period, and Maya got a big steal and break-away off of Cambage. The Maya Moore of 2014 was much better than the Maya of 2012. The Aussies scored 47 points in the first half and shot 61%; they scored 26 in the second half. Geno was very displeased with the initial defensive effort and lack of raised hands. The defensive technique and energy were much better in the second half.

The only time when Cambage beat Tina in deep was when both ran the floor and got to 3' under the basket at the same time. Liz scored on at least 2 offensive putbacks after an Aussie guard beat her defender and missed a layup. One was over Tina; I think the other was over Sylvia. Candace was ineffective at bodying up the Aussies. She did, however, use her length to good effect a couple of times. Perhaps the lowlight came with about 3 minutes left in the game. Candace dribbled into the paint, made a spin move, and tried to get a shot up. Cambage blocked it flat-footed. At the other end, Jackson took Candace off the dribble for a layup. Shortly after that, Geno subbed Candace out.

 

[HuskyNan]

Did we ever see this article by Jim Fuller?

There has been attempts to make [not choosing Parker] a two-dimensional process. Geno doesn't like Candace, Geno coached Breanna Stewart therefore Stewart makes the team over Parker. I would think it's not quite that simple although it does make it easy for the Geno bashers. I don't question for a second that Auriemma got his wish in this matter with Stewart making the team and being the strong personality that he is, I am sure he did not hold back in expressing his thoughts during the selection of the team. However, to assume that five committee members would just allow Auriemma to walk all over them just to get his way is quite a reach. I doubt Parker, if she has any hopes of making the 2020 Olympics, is going to come out and get into specifics and Callan made it clear that won't happen from USA Basketball's end of things so it will be a case of people choosing whatever side they like. There will be those, like me, that believe that something significant must have taken place behind the scenes for such a drastic move to be made and others will simply go with the "it's all UConn all the time" party line.

Connecticut Sun general manager Chris Sienko is one of the five committee members and at yesterday's media day he addressed the situation as much as he could.

"It was an eye-opening process because I am very familiar with the athletes in the league and a few collegiate players over the last couple of years," Sienko said. "I just think that the depth of knowledge of who these players are, watching them workout, watching them overseas when I was at the World Championships or on a day to day basis at WNBA games was different than it was before because you look at them with a different (way). How are they interacting with their teammates? How are they responding to adverse situations? What are they doing if things are going against them just all sorts of different things. They may not mean anything in the bigger picture but it is the way that I started to assess players differently.

"The committee is five of us and the coach is obviously involved in the [pro]cess but at the end of the day we are responsible for making the selection and not Geno. We want to get input and have an understanding of his feelings but we have to make the decisions."

 

[CocoHusky]

Did we ever see this article by Jim Fuller?

I had not see the article thanks for posting. Very interesting.

 

[Blueballer]

Haven't I seen this thread before? (LOL)

 

[mkwstar23]

Easy to see in one game that if one of the best defensive coaches in women's game came out running double teams at her that it will be a learning experience for a while...no wait she was 9-13 from the floor with 23 points and 6 rebounds...i think she will be just fine...she just needs some help...hoping it was just a bad game for Bird...she looked so slow...Beard is a special athlete quickness wise so that may be part of it...KML needs to get in much better shape to get more minutes...she has the prettiest shot in the game...better days are ahead for the Storm and #30 just may take a year

 

[VAUConnFan]

How many WNBA titles has Candace Parker won?

I don't believe that L.A. has made the finals in her tenure.

Your respective points?

My counter point - Basketball is a team game, championships are won as a team. To illustrate the point one need look no farther than the 1992 Dream Team, considered the greatest collection of basketball talent ever, 11 of whom are in the Naismith Hall of Fame as players:

1. Charles Barkley - No NBA championships in 16 seasons
2. Larry Bird - 3 championships in 13 seasons
3. Clyde Drexler - won his one and only championship in his 12th NBA season as a member of the Houston Rockets
4. Patrick Ewing - No NBA championships in 17 seasons
5. Magic Johnson - 5 championships in 13 seasons
6. Michael Jordan - won the first of his 6 NBA championships in his 7th season
7. Christian Laettner - the only non Hall of Famer as a player(In as a member of the Dream Team), he also retired without having won a NBA championship in 13 seasons
8. Karl Malone - No NBA championships in 19 seasons
9. Chris Mullin - No NBA campionships in 16 seasons
10. Scottie Pippen - 6 NBA championships in 17 seasons
11. David Robinson - Won the first of 2 NBA championships in his 8th season
12. John Stockton - No NBA championships19 seasons

Of the 12 players on the the most dominant squad ever assembled in any sport, 6 of them have never received a NBA Championship ring. Player evaluations are not about championships, it is a team game. Even for the truly greats of the game, it took a while to win their first championship.

It is a coach's job to take the best players and mold them into a team. I do not believe for one second that a coach of Coach Auriemma's stature is going allow himself to be compelled to coach a team that he did not choose; To coach a team over which he has no input into personnel decisions. That he would allow himself to be put into a position where a committee of individuals who, combined, do not have as much basketball knowledge as he does, tell him whom he is going to lead into the Olympic Games to represent his adopted country. Coach Auriemma has forgotten more basketball than most of us will ever know in our lifetimes. Coach Auriemma has likely made a number of regrettable decisions. Leaving Candace Parker off of the 2016 US Olympic Team will go down as his most egregious. Not that it will hurt him or his legacy. The United States will still take home the gold medal. The US could overhaul this entire team and win with its next 12 players.

 

[EricLA]

I doubt Parker, if she has any hopes of making the 2020 Olympics, is going to come out and get into specifics and Callan made it clear that won't happen from USA Basketball's end of things so it will be a case of people choosing whatever side they like. There will be those, like me, that believe that something significant must have taken place behind the scenes for such a drastic move to be made and others will simply go with the "it's all UConn all the time" party line."

As always great stuff Nancy. Of course it will never put to rest the accusations of people who have chosen the "anti-Geno" side, but as Jim said, if Parker wants to make the next Olympic team...well we will have to see. It seems like she may have some things to address. I also agree that something drastic happened behind the scenes, that we may never be privy to, for the committee to have decided the way they did.

 

[hoophuskee]

Did we ever see this article by Jim Fuller?

There has been attempts to make [not choosing Parker] a two-dimensional process. Geno doesn't like Candace, Geno coached Breanna Stewart therefore Stewart makes the team over Parker. I would think it's not quite that simple although it does make it easy for the Geno bashers. I don't question for a second that Auriemma got his wish in this matter with Stewart making the team and being the strong personality that he is, I am sure he did not hold back in expressing his thoughts during the selection of the team. However, to assume that five committee members would just allow Auriemma to walk all over them just to get his way is quite a reach. I doubt Parker, if she has any hopes of making the 2020 Olympics, is going to come out and get into specifics and Callan made it clear that won't happen from USA Basketball's end of things so it will be a case of people choosing whatever side they like. There will be those, like me, that believe that something significant must have taken place behind the scenes for such a drastic move to be made and others will simply go with the "it's all UConn all the time" party line.

Connecticut Sun general manager Chris Sienko is one of the five committee members and at yesterday's media day he addressed the situation as much as he could.

"It was an eye-opening process because I am very familiar with the athletes in the league and a few collegiate players over the last couple of years," Sienko said. "I just think that the depth of knowledge of who these players are, watching them workout, watching them overseas when I was at the World Championships or on a day to day basis at WNBA games was different than it was before because you look at them with a different (way). How are they interacting with their teammates? How are they responding to adverse situations? What are they doing if things are going against them just all sorts of different things. They may not mean anything in the bigger picture but it is the way that I started to assess players differently.

"The committee is five of us and the coach is obviously involved in the [pro]cess but at the end of the day we are responsible for making the selection and not Geno. We want to get input and have an understanding of his feelings but we have to make the decisions."

I'm with blueballer- I've seen these comments before from Chris Sienko. Somewhere else his comments were posted. They really don't say why. It's generic. I've agreed all along that I don't believe for one second Geno could step over / stomp over the 5.

By, who ma the decision to fire Coach T and hire Anne D? I don't who it was - but was it Chris? Who on here thought once it was announced that it was good move?

 

[hoophuskee]

What's interesting is that the attention on Candace has grown, her twitter followers went up, more articles are being written, and she's been trending on twitter both after the announcement and after her first game. This could end up being a blessing in disguise that puts more money in her pockets. Funny how things work out.

You've got to be kidding that this is somehow a blessing because she is getting a few more bucks? You're kidding, right? She was only playing in the Olympics for the money?

 

[hoophuskee]

Note the quote from Geno in the MacMullan article. We all know how direct he is and how tough he has been on almost all of his players, including Stewie.

"Candace has a lot of skills," Auriemma said, "and some nights she really tries to use them. Other nights, she forgets the skills she has.

"Luckily for us, tonight she remembered to use them."

Geno was addressing inconsistency of effort and/or focus. As a casual observer, I've seen the same in her game. I thought she was the best player in the WNBA when she played last season, and yet she disappeared at times, costing her team some wins.

Which games did she blow for her team while other superstars don't blow for theirs?

 

[hoophuskee]

And I'm still shaking my head on your bringing up Barkley. WHo do you think you're kidding bringing up Barkley? Barkley wasn't supposed to make the team. He wasn't considered an all-time great at the time. By you bringing up Barkley seems so desperate.

As far as Becky-now you've mentioned her more than once. Who would you have put her over? I can maybe see it here. But comparing the college Barkley who by all accounts "came out of nowhere" to Parker is outrageous.

I will say one last thing before I sign off and leave the commenting to others. I remember well 1984 and the controversy..... watched a lot of SEC that year.... was my first year of grad school.... according to you Barkley "came out of nowhere"..... but he was #5 overall draft choice in NBA that year... before the Olympic team was chosen..... Jeff Turner (who's he?) was 12 picks later. out of Vanderbilt... same conference... ..... he made the Olympic team..... Again I appreciate your labeling my citing the Barkley thing "desperate" and "outrageous"..... yes it is your opinion, and you may be right.... as u say it is a chat forum, and I thought it was a valid point.....[/QUOTE]

Why do you think he wasn't initially favored to make the team? After all he was the 5th pick, right? The reason why he wasn' favored to make the team was because at the time he wasn't believed to have been among the 5 best players. He only got one vote for 2nd team. It wasn't until after his impressive showing in camps did he move up the ladder. How does a sleeper have the same similarity with Parker who's been regarded as among the world's best for many years? Barkley wasn't even regarded that high until DURING/AFTER the tryouts.

I'm sorry about this but it just seed to me you were talking down to those of us who believe very strongly that Parker should be on. If we have a strong conviction she should be on, then how else are we supposed to sound?

 

[hoophuskee]

I'm not only upset about Candace not playing and I know this won't be popular here, but I don't want to see Sue on the national stage either.

Regarding Sue. IMO you couldn't have watched the games in 2014. Same discussions were being made. Should give time to the young guards. After I watched her performance I completely understand why BOTH Bird and Catchings are on.

 

[hoophuskee]

Morgan Tuck. Maya Moore. Kelly Faris. At least.

Didn't he bench Morgan Tuck for something not so good in her jr year?

 

[hoophuskee]

Your respective points?

My counter point - Basketball is a team game, championships are won as a team. To illustrate the point one need look no farther than the 1992 Dream Team, considered the greatest collection of basketball talent ever, 11 of whom are in the Naismith Hall of Fame as players:

1. Charles Barkley - No NBA championships in 16 seasons
2. Larry Bird - 3 championships in 13 seasons
3. Clyde Drexler - won his one and only championship in his 12th NBA season as a member of the Houston Rockets
4. Patrick Ewing - No NBA championships in 17 seasons
5. Magic Johnson - 5 championships in 13 seasons
6. Michael Jordan - won the first of his 6 NBA championships in his 7th season
7. Christian Laettner - the only non Hall of Famer as a player(In as a member of the Dream Team), he also retired without having won a NBA championship in 13 seasons
8. Karl Malone - No NBA championships in 19 seasons
9. Chris Mullin - No NBA campionships in 16 seasons
10. Scottie Pippen - 6 NBA championships in 17 seasons
11. David Robinson - Won the first of 2 NBA championships in his 8th season
12. John Stockton - No NBA championships19 seasons

Of the 12 players on the the most dominant squad ever assembled in any sport, 6 of them have never received a NBA Championship ring. Player evaluations are not about championships, it is a team game. Even for the truly greats of the game, it took a while to win their first championship.

It is a coach's job to take the best players and mold them into a team. I do not believe for one second that a coach of Coach Auriemma's stature is going allow himself to be compelled to coach a team that he did not choose; To coach a team over which he has no input into personnel decisions. That he would allow himself to be put into a position where a committee of individuals who, combined, do not have as much basketball knowledge as he does, tell him whom he is going to lead into the Olympic Games to represent his adopted country. Coach Auriemma has forgotten more basketball than most of us will ever know in our lifetimes. Coach Auriemma has likely made a number of regrettable decisions. Leaving Candace Parker off of the 2016 US Olympic Team will go down as his most egregious. Not that it will hurt him or his legacy. The United States will still take home the gold medal. The US could overhaul this entire team and win with its next 12 players.

IMO this post is an over-exagerration of Geno. Wildly over exaggeration. To think a committee of professionals would let themselves be walked over by a college coach whieel they will have to be stuck with answering the questions imo is wrong. To think they'd let Geno pick every player- then why are they there? They are professionals in their jobs and they have no say? Please stop. Geno was quote specifically speaking of DT and Bird. Not also 10 other players.