Thank You, Antonita ...

[JoePgh]

... for Slaughtering the Wicked Witch of the Southwest (relax, ETT, allow the momentary hyperbole) by stirring up a tornado of 3's on the Oklahoma plain. Ding, dong, the witch is dead! Now we, the Munchkins of WCBB this year, have a better chance to survive and prosper. But beware, the tempest continues to rage; houses are still flying about, and one in particular, owned by your Kentucky cousins, may land on us this very night if we are not careful, and somewhat lucky.

More seriously, I would venture the opinion that this year's Baylor roster, on paper, may be the best in the history of the women's game, rivalled perhaps only by the UConn 2002 team. If a 15-game series were played between Baylor and Louisville, Baylor would win at least 14 times. The Baylor team compares to some other memorable ones in other sports: the Yankees of 1960 with Maris, Mantle, Whitey Ford, and Elston Howard; the 1980 Soviet Olympic hockey team, and the St. Louis Rams Greatest Show on Turf about 10 years ago. And last night, the same thing happened to Baylor that happened to each of those teams -- they were upset at a crucial moment by a highly improbable opponent.

The other point that is underlined by last night's event is the rarity of UConn's accomplishment in winning 90 games a few years ago. I would say that the Tina / Maya / Renee roster that did that was (on paper) slightly inferior to the current Baylor roster and would probably lose a 7-game series to this Baylor team by 4-3. I don't believe they ever ran into a team that hit 70% of its 3's or made 16 of them in a game, which shows (as Geno always acknowledged) that luck is an inevitable part of any such achievement. But even so, to win 90 games consecutively is an amazing achievement which this year's Baylor team did not approach. Only 1 of those 90 games, as I recall, was won by less than 10 points; this Baylor team lost 2 games (albeit by a total of 3 points) and won another by only 6. Despite being better "on paper" ...

 

[Icebear]

One of the great moments is the one some people wanted Shoni teed up for. After making her circus shot Shoni gets in the face, er, waist of BG looking way up at BG yapping away like a chihuahua at the mailman. Pure unconstrained bravado.

 

[msf22b]

yapping away like a chihuahua at the mailman. Pure unconstrained bravado.[/quote]



Priceless!

 

[Pete]

I think I will take the Tina, Maya, Renee team over this Baylor team

 

[doggydaddy]

I would say that the Tina / Maya / Renee roster that did that was (on paper) slightly inferior to the current Baylor roster and would probably lose a 7-game series to this Baylor team by 4-3. I don't believe they ever ran into a team that hit 70% of its 3's or made 16 of them in a game, which shows (as Geno always acknowledged) that luck is an inevitable part of any such achievement. But even so, to win 90 games consecutively is an amazing achievement which this year's Baylor team did not approach. Only 1 of those 90 games, as I recall, was won by less than 10 points; this Baylor team lost 2 games (albeit by a total of 3 points) and won another by only 6. Despite being better "on paper" ...

Better on paper? I totally disagree.

 

[msf22b]

For Ice:

​

Alonzo Adams/The Associated Press. Louisville's Shoni Schimmel (center) reacts after a shot over Baylor's Brittney Griner (left) in the second half Sunday. Schimmel scored 22 points as the Cardinals upset the Bears. (Alonzo Adams/The Associated Press)​

Read more athttp://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/04/01/ne-biggest-upsets-history-native-guard-shoni-schimmel-drives-louisville-past-top-seeded

 

[cohenzone]

One of the great moments is the one some people wanted Shoni teed up for. After making her circus shot Shoni gets in the face, er, waist of BG looking way up at BG yapping away like a chihuahua at the mailman. Pure unconstrained bravado.

Aside from the fact that I'm not a great fan of Griner, maybe because of her intent to maim Dolson, I think Geno would have had a little chat with Shoni. She is way too emotional for a senior leader. And it almost cost her team. She made a total circus shot on Griner that goes in maybe 2 out of 20 times. While I liked seeing Baylor go down, I'm sure in his wildest dreams - ok, maybe in his wildest dreams - Walz never expected his team to shoot that crazy % from 3, and they needed all of them. Probably not the case if Shoni isn't on the bench for the last 5. I'd love to see them beat UT, but I think the way they play on O plays right into UT's hands. I think they'd better hope they shoot that way again.

 

[uconn_nyc]

One of the great moments is the one some people wanted Shoni teed up for. After making her circus shot Shoni gets in the face, er, waist of BG looking way up at BG yapping away like a chihuahua at the mailman. Pure unconstrained bravado.

Street basketball that was. The bravado was a must for L in order to win this game.
The chihuahua comment, agree with you guys: Priceless! I mean, how often does a player have the, well, bravado, to get on Griner's neck?

 

[diggerfoot]

... for Slaughtering the Wicked Witch of the Southwest (relax, ETT, allow the momentary hyperbole) by stirring up a tornado of 3's on the Oklahoma plain. Ding, dong, the witch is dead! Now we, the Munchkins of WCBB this year, have a better chance to survive and prosper. But beware, the tempest continues to rage; houses are still flying about, and one in particular, owned by your Kentucky cousins, may land on us this very night if we are not careful, and somewhat lucky.

More seriously, I would venture the opinion that this year's Baylor roster, on paper, may be the best in the history of the women's game, rivalled perhaps only by the UConn 2002 team. If a 15-game series were played between Baylor and Louisville, Baylor would win at least 14 times. The Baylor team compares to some other memorable ones in other sports: the Yankees of 1960 with Maris, Mantle, Whitey Ford, and Elston Howard; the 1980 Soviet Olympic hockey team, and the St. Louis Rams Greatest Show on Turf about 10 years ago. And last night, the same thing happened to Baylor that happened to each of those teams -- they were upset at a crucial moment by a highly improbable opponent.

The other point that is underlined by last night's event is the rarity of UConn's accomplishment in winning 90 games a few years ago. I would say that the Tina / Maya / Renee roster that did that was (on paper) slightly inferior to the current Baylor roster and would probably lose a 7-game series to this Baylor team by 4-3. I don't believe they ever ran into a team that hit 70% of its 3's or made 16 of them in a game, which shows (as Geno always acknowledged) that luck is an inevitable part of any such achievement. But even so, to win 90 games consecutively is an amazing achievement which this year's Baylor team did not approach. Only 1 of those 90 games, as I recall, was won by less than 10 points; this Baylor team lost 2 games (albeit by a total of 3 points) and won another by only 6. Despite being better "on paper" ...

These are fun things to argue from a subjective point of view, since "paper" does not tell the whole story. Yet if we go with what's on "paper" Baylor comes up short to several teams. The UConn roster you mentioned may give a slight edge to the center and point guard for Baylor, the two most important positions. Yet the edge is slight and then you add Moore, the best player out of all of them, and another WNBAer in Greene. No contest on "paper" really. 2002 on "paper" is by far the best roster ever, no other team will end up with a starting five that all goes in the top six of the draft, with four of them becoming Olympians. The Tennessee squad with Holdsclaw, Catchings and Randall, and I think the point guard was drafted as well, is also better than Baylor on "paper." Even UConn 1995, with four WNBAers including point guard and center, and two Olympians, is better on "paper." Now, if either Pope or Williams AND one other currently little used player happens to get a shout from the WNBA, then maybe there is some comparison on "paper." As it stands, the only real comparison is by bringing in subjective intangibles/opinions, but perhaps I just don't understand what you mean by "on paper."