Stef Must Adjust

[psconn]

Stef is a terrific player and by all account a great person also. That stipulated, I thing she has some adjusting to do to the new points of emphasis. Check out Stef in the ESPNW video posted earlier. Although getting about what she was giving, this hand-to-hand combat could easily have been called an illegal screen. There were several other examples of this during the game also.

Over the past 3 years its been good to see her get tougher and tougher in the paint, but now some adjustment is called for. Can't have her sitting with fouls (at least until KML and MT come back). I'm sure the coachin staff has been working with everyone on these rule changes, but being so shorthanded makes it more important.

OBTW- The BEST PART of that video was MD's "coach" losing her mind at the ref....

 

[chrissaran]

Brenda Frese does that a lot. She did it when I saw them play USF at the Sun Dome. Geno has had his share, but there seems to be less of them of late.

 

[msf22b]

The most unnecessary and self indulgent foul was just at the start of the 2nd half.
There was a long rebound to the far corner which Stef won
But after corralling the ball, she gave Routan a gratuitous shove.
Completely unnecessary.

 

[ctkaiser]

All comments are true but let's not forget what a great job she did playing with 4 fouls down the stretch.

 

[msf22b]

All comments are true but let's not forget what a great job she did playing with 4 fouls down the stretch.

Completely true, those two layups were the final nails.
But we were speaking of an area in which discipline is essential now.

 

[tomcat]

Discipline a key word here. Stef just needs to get with the program. She's smart and after some video review, I'm sure she will get it.

 

[Sonny44]

Evidently Stef didn't read this as of the PS game.

 

[easttexastrash]

I enjoy her incredulous laugh after each foul. But if she truly doesn't think she is fouling, what is she going to change?

 

[tomcat]

There seems an element here of Einstein's definition of insanity -- doing the same thing again and again, hoping for a different result. I have to believe Geno is going to make some changes to get Stef more involved. She's a wonderful passer, but that's not all she is, and the team needs those talents more now.

 

[psconn]

Evidently Stef didn't read this as of the PS game.

That's our history... Stef never listens to me.

 

[Kibitzer]

Stef evokes memories of Kevin McHale. Great player who NEVAH EVAH committed a foul.

 

[CCinCT]

Even the homer announcers caught one of Stef's "fouls" today - run into while in a straight up defensive position.

Stef does foul - but doesn't get the benefit of the doubt = like, let's say BG did

 

[Zorro]

You can't play effectively if not fouling is your prime directive. She also had 5 blocks.

 

[psconn]

You can't play effectively if not fouling is your prime directive. She also had 5 blocks.

The prime directive isn't "not fouling", it is not committing senseless fouls. Did you see the very first sequence (I think it was the first, anyway), Stef just started grappling with the PSU post, could easily have been called (wasn't); that would have been a dumb foul.

 

[Zorro]

Unfortunately, the only "seeing" I am able to do is by gametracker, so I will take your word for it. And I agree, we cannot afford for any of our players to p;ick up senseless fouls.

 

[tomcat]

There's certainly truth in what Kibitzer said. But it's also true that at least once a game there will be contact, her arms are straight up, and she gets called for the foul. Nonetheless, if that's how life is, she needs to adjust.

 

[Icebear]

This game as it was played inside was a reversion to the old officiating. There was tons of excessive contact and wrestling inside. Refs were very arbitrary in what they decided to call. Talia East literally plowed into Stef at speed several times to displace her from the defensive position Stef had taken, no calls.