USA vs Spain, 11:00 a.m., EDT, This Morning

[RockyMTblue2]

Brittany Griner has frequently called DT her muse. Maybe she has just surrendered! For all watching, between the 1st and 2d quarter Geno had everyone huddled up ... well, almost everyone, and the camera slid over to DT, hands flying, talking with intensity, to BG. DT kept going. When Geno released the team to the floor at the start of the quarter DT went out there and gave them her two cents. Coach DT.

 

[easttexastrash]

Tina fall-away. Unstoppable.

That fade away jumper is a thing of beauty. Not even Griner's long arms can stop that shot from being successful.

 

[easttexastrash]

Brittany Griner has frequently called DT her muse. Maybe she has just surrendered! For all watching, between the 1st and 2d quarter Geno had everyone huddled up ... well, almost everyone, and the camera slid over to DT, hands flying, talking with intensity, to BG. DT kept going. When Geno released the team to the floor at the start of the quarter DT went out there and gave them her two cents. Coach DT.

BG is in good hands with DT. BG recognizes how valuable DT's advice is and DT recognizes the talent still untapped with BG. I am sure that DT is BG's favorite teammate ever.

 

[easttexastrash]

The hockey player skates with the puck to much

Where is much?

 

[easttexastrash]

Could the male announcer be any more bored out of his mind? Sounds as though he really wanted to, well, announce anything but- horror of horrors- women's basketball!

Tell the guy to go back to sleep. Maybe that was the problem. The guy was extremely jet lagged after an all-night flight from Tokyo.

Interesting take on this guy. I don't get the impression that he is extremely knowledgeable of the women's game but I don't get a sense of boredom. Meyers-Drysdale, on the other hand, is spot on. She knows the history of Olympic basketball, both the US and other countries, having been there herself, but also knows the current game because she is part of the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury.

 

[j66kicker]

Game article:

U.S. women's hoops team routs Spain by 40

"[Geno] put the four Minnesota Lynx players on the court together for the first time. Maya Moore had been in the starting group, and Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles had been playing with the second unit...... in its brief time playing together, it was surely a delight for Minnesota fans."

 

[MilfordHusky]

The hockey player skates with the puck to much

I sometimes think that too. It's an interesting contrast from Sue. I think that Lindsay can get hung up in traffic and force the shot or turn the ball over, but she's had a successful career with her approach.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Interesting take on this guy. I don't get the impression that he is extremely knowledgeable of the women's game but I don't get a sense of boredom. Meyers-Drysdale, on the other hand, is spot on. She knows the history of Olympic basketball, both the US and other countries, having been there herself, but also knows the current game because she is part of the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury.

I like Ann. I met her in a hotel elevator in St. Louis in 2001 and she was very cordial. She is indeed very knowledgeable, but she throws out a little too much info and confuses it or misspeaks at times.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Game article:

U.S. women's hoops team routs Spain by 40

"[Geno] put the four Minnesota Lynx players on the court together for the first time. Maya Moore had been in the starting group, and Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles had been playing with the second unit. in its brief time playing together, it was surely a delight for Minnesota fans."

I thought Geno played the Minny group yesterday too. In any case, the groupings of those 4, Diana and Britney, and Sue and Stewie are successful partly because of familiarity. I also like the Sue and Dee and Maya and Tina pairings.

 

[MilfordHusky]

In case anyone missed it, Alba Torrens is a world-class player. She had 20 points on 6-13 shooting.

For the Connecticut Sun fans, they have the WNBA rights to her.

 

[Orangutan]

Exactly. A real treat watching a world-class player who doesn't come over to the WNBA. Amazing talent!

*Checks what team she plays for* UMMC Ekaterinburg. Figures. You don't get on the mercenary super-team alongside Griner and Taurasi unless you are pretty darn good.

 

[rugbymate]

I sometimes think that too. It's an interesting contrast from Sue. I think that Lindsay can get hung up in traffic and force the shot or turn the ball over, but she's had a successful career with her approach.

Totally agree...the flow of the game is so completely different when Sue is at point. She gets everyone involved Early in the play so that everyone is moving. It is really beautiful basketball. Sue works hard to get others( who happen to be among the greatest offensive weapons on earth) the ball first.
LW is a great player and deserves to be on the team but her style is more of what you see in the NBA with a heavy dose of dribble and then drive. One can notice less movement among her teammates. Also, the play where she had a two on one with Della Donne and didn't get her the ball was a total head scratcher.
I guess both styles can be effective but from a fan's point of view, the game is so much more fun to watch when Sue is in charge.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Game article:

U.S. women's hoops team routs Spain by 40

"[Geno] put the four Minnesota Lynx players on the court together for the first time. Maya Moore had been in the starting group, and Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles had been playing with the second unit. in its brief time playing together, it was surely a delight for Minnesota fans."

They're all Catching(s) Auriemma Fever: " It's fun. It's fun to watch. It's fun to be a part of. When we move the ball and everybody is just kind of like -- everybody's doing their part -- screening, rolling, cutting to the basket -- you never know where the shot is going to come from. As a team, we're so selfless."

Welcome to UConn Ball Tamika! Just funning. It is a great pleasure to watch the spacing and focus of this gang of 12. And, like she says, you never know where the shot is coming from. 10 days ago Geno was concerned about the inside game. I'd say it is very, very healthy now. An amazing aggregation of focus to put it together so, so fast. Kudos to them all.

 

[CocoHusky]

Interesting take on this guy. I don't get the impression that he is extremely knowledgeable of the women's game but I don't get a sense of boredom. Meyers-Drysdale, on the other hand, is spot on. She knows the history of Olympic basketball, both the US and other countries, having been there herself, but also knows the current game because she is part of the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury.

The male announcer is Marc Zumoff announcer for Philly Sixers games. Just a summer time gig for him. I doubt he knows these players beyond a quick pre-game read if that.

 

[easttexastrash]

Totally agree...the flow of the game is so completely different when Sue is at point. She gets everyone involved Early in the play so that everyone is moving. It is really beautiful basketball. Sue works hard to get others( who happen to be among the greatest offensive weapons on earth) the ball first.
LW is a great player and deserves to be on the team but her style is more of what you see in the NBA with a heavy dose of dribble and then drive. One can notice less movement among her teammates. Also, the play where she had a two on one with Della Donne and didn't get her the ball was a total head scratcher.
I guess both styles can be effective but from a fan's point of view, the game is so much more fun to watch when Sue is in charge.

Sue is ONE of a kind. Would be nice to appreciate that and then appreciate LW for what she is. So she's not of the same caliber of SB. Who is? Thats what makes Bird the best.

We all get it by now; the offense flows better when Sue is in the game. This continued of criticism of Whalen seems a bit harsh for a player who is out there busting her chops for her country.

 

[EricLA]

Sue is ONE of a kind. Would be nice to appreciate that and then appreciate LW for what she is. So she's not of the same caliber of SB. Who is? Thats what makes Bird the best.

We all get it by now; the offense flows better when Sue is in the game. This continued of criticism of Whalen seems a bit harsh for a player who is out there busting her chops for her country.

I actually think Whalen has really improved in just a few games. In one of the exhibition games, I echoed the criticism of Lisa Leslie who said the offensive flow was disrupted as Whalen was playing way to much 1 on 1 basketball. I haven't seen that at all in the past 2 games - She certainly looks for a drive to the basket when it's open, but she's also running the offense much more as well. Again, I'm not a coach and it's just my observation watching from the comfort of my couch.

If I had to guess, I would say one of the coaches or maybe Dee or Sue pulled Lindsay aside and said "hey - you need to run the offense more efficiently. Remember, this is the US National team and these women can do pretty much anything so keep them all involved" or something like that.

This team does not play together for very long. I think they've gotten better every game and LW's improvement is also something I've noticed as well. Kudos to her! She's probably the most physically strong PG I've seen in a while...

Just my $.02 but the 3 players I think are playing noticeably better than in the exhibition games are Augustus, Griner and Whalen. I also think Fowles and Stewart are both playing at a higher level than in the exhibition games.

 

[UcMiami]

ETT! Very well stated.
And interestingly for most of the last 6 years - two WCs and the last Olympics Lindsey had made a very good case of being equally strong in leading the USA team, some even coming to the conclusion that USA was playing better when she was in the games. Sue is playing better in this Olympics than she has for quite some time (injuries and wear and tear taking their toll.) So I think what we are seeing is Sue playing pretty much as well as she ever has and better than she has in years, while Lindsey is playing pretty much the same as she has for the last six years.

 

[rugbymate]

Sue is ONE of a kind. Would be nice to appreciate that and then appreciate LW for what she is. So she's not of the same caliber of SB. Who is? Thats what makes Bird the best.

We all get it by now; the offense flows better when Sue is in the game. This continued of criticism of Whalen seems a bit harsh for a player who is out there busting her chops for her country.

Dude...if you're reference to harshness of LW is my post then I didn't communicate properly. LW uses her physical strength to her offensive advantage and that may be encouraged by the coaching staff.No problem with that at all and it certainly wasn't criticism except for the comment for failing to pass to DD. My point was, and is, that as a fan I prefer to watch basketball where the game is played with a bias for a pass first mentality....a skill that SB has mastered.

 

[UcMiami]

I also think in looking at the first two games (and admittedly, really the only judging game will likely be Australia) I cannot imagine a better balanced team than the one we have. Watching Augustus and McCoughtry as the guards for stretches of the game you realize why they are selected - their versatility beyond what you see in their WNBA roles is a big part of what USA selection is all about. I think they got this right.

 

[bags27]

I understand the criticisms of Whalen--since I'm one of those who made them. I also appreciate her tremendous talent to penetrate--and to finish. She brings a different kind of energy than does Sue.

It may be unfair (I'm prepared to accept that assessment) to "blame" her for the significant change of pace and movement when the second team is in. It may be more than Whalen's style. For example, I really, really, really admire EDD's game, but even she, while moving very well, needs at least a bit more of the set play than do the starters. Although Stewie may not deserve to be among the first off the bench, I suspect that, if she were, the pace and movement would pretty much remain as with the starters.

It's not a bad thing that the pace changes. While the second team seems to slow things down, they also therefore take time off the clock and the change of style challenges the defense. Just that the first team, with Sue and Dee running things, reminds me of a certain college team's offense that I so admire.

 

[j66kicker]

Another USA team article...

"The U.S. women's team is so good that it has fans on the opposing bench -- like the Spaniards in USA's 103-63 win over Spain on Monday...."

Caple: It's hard not to be in awe of U.S. women's basketball

 

[bags27]

Another USA team article...

"The U.S. women's team is so good that it has fans on the opposing bench -- like the Spaniards in USA's 103-63 win over Spain on Monday...."

Caple: It's hard not to be in awe of U.S. women's basketball

LOVE that picture. Three ladies with million dollar smiles.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Big Syl has been awesome!

 

[warbler1055]

I like Whalen. She has a swagger, not unlike Russell Crowe in Gladiator. Fearless!!! Bird and Whalen are the best!!! USA BB is lucky to have both of them.

 

[msf22b]

Moriah is (correction; will be) the best.