I get what you're saying. But I don't think rebounding is really difficult like (say) improving one's shooting percentage. It's simply about being committed in practice to fight for the ball and transferring that commitment to game conditions. If Lou were contact-adverse, I'd understand. Some plays are, and yet can be fantastic scorers. But Lou has no problem with contact. So, why can't she rebound more aggressively? I just don't get it.
IT all depends on the person and what do you mean by "difficult." I don't agree at all with your assertion -- "
It's simply about being committed in practice to fight for the ball and transferring that commitment to game conditions."
I think you are way way way way way way oversimplifying how hard it is to rebound well enough to fit your standards/criteria.
That's why I said each person has their own pet peeves. When you say previously "Folks please no excuses . . . " from your initial post-- imo that is just your preference of play from a player. The style of play you prefer. Geno has said on the video you posted here "she is working pretty hard at it." Yet with you -- it is driving you NUTS.
I know there are certain things I value - which you will brush off. Thus we have different likes and styles. Fro example, I know many on here love to bang he ball inside to a BIG center and feel more comfortable with playing halfcourt bruiser basketball. This summer I went at it with a poster who said Geno blew it last year by not giving Nat bigger minutes because once season started we now had no chance to beat any of the big teams because she didn't get those minutes. She had "likes" to her style/ what she wanted/felt we needed. I think there are different ways to play and win. Only thinking only way to win is that we should play bruiser-ball drives me nuts thus whenever Nat would have a good scoring game - there was a time some would say-- "we need to get Nat more touches."
In this case- I like a style that is up and down. This team at tops is going to lsoe TWO GAMES all year. That surpasses or at best equals what I thought. I didn't have a number that I can recall but it certainly wasn't zero or one. I enjoy the uptempo style therefore because Lou isn't getting rebounds but we are still playing an uptempo AND Geno seems "somewhat satisfied" That Lou is working hard enough to improve, I am not going as "nuts" as you.
If I want to look at - things we need for USC-- sure one can point to Lou being tougher. But we also have other issues - they don't drive me "nuts" but it can for nay of us that have different preferecnes than you:
Gabby - her getting down while clunking free throws along with overall she is not shooting well from 15 feet. There were posters praising her to start the year how she was going to knock down 3's and others told us she WAS a good shooter in high school yet she STILL doesn't shoot that well beyond 5-8 feet. Last year Gabby shot 75% from the ft line. This year she is shooting .667 and the trend is going down. Now YOU may not care about it- but what about those that think ft shooting has juts a lot do with concentration etc?
Collier- in how many big games is she going to keep getting into foul trouble? In Games vs Baylor, ND and MD she got into foul trouble. PLUS as we heard Geno yell at her during Baylor-- just because she got a shot blocked - will she stop shooting the ball from the outside? Geno has said she has a beauty shot. Look at three games she got into foul trouble-- she took ZERO 3's yet we heard Geno say she can shoot the ball very well. Then look at three games she took at least one three- in those games she played 38, 39, 39 minutes - probably was feeling more confident to take the shots vs Fla State, Ohio State and Texas. Tentative play from her - as we heard Geno yell at her vs Baylor- that could be something that drives others
"nuts."
And as for Kia-- aren't we always a bit concerned about her confidence? Right now she is going through a tough patch shooting. Did you see some of her shots yesterday. They clanked the bottom of the rim even though she was open. It's oen thing to miss- and even occasionally chuck an airball- but don't you think there si a concern/frustration over how she might flip from one extreme ot another yet she is supposed to the the team leader?
***The point is-- we can fret over MANY things. Rebounding bothers you. IMO it is what you prefer. IMO you are over-simplifying the difficulty of a player to change to become more aggressive when even as we hear from Geno he has said 1)-- it doesn't come naturally for her AND he has said "she is doing pretty well trying to overcome her weaknesses." SO when you made your comment "Please folks no excuses . . ." I brush that off as it being just your preference. Others can fret over the Gabby/Collier/issues which apparently doesn't bother you as much but it does others. I've seen arguments about Gabby's shooting. I've read stuff about Kia not being all that good (not that it was stated she is bad). There are posters during the games that fret how we are playing poorly etc.
*****I'll reiterate with you -- I do agree with you -- Lou needs to play tougher. Even next year and afterwards. Regardless of wins and losses.
