Was D the best point guard at UConn?

[RockyMTblue2]

Ok.

Ode to the Ball Hog Chick​

(JS)​

​

UConn's got a young guard
And they call that girl DT.
And you never find it hard
To see she's friendly as can be.​

She pats the ref right on the butt
And tousles coach's hair.
She always makes you bust a gut
And never shows a care.​

But opponents better watch out
Cause this gal's got mucho game.
She's gonna make your coach pout,
Make you sorry that you came.​

You can try your X's and your O's
She's gonna make you pay.
Give you headaches, give you woes,
Make you wish that it were May.​

No matter what you've learned,
And no matter what your schtick
You'll still get good and burned
By that grinning Ballhog Chick.​

If your manning gives you trouble
Then try your box and one.
If your zoning lies in rubble
And your double teams are done​

Then it hasn't been your day
Be you Muffet, be you Pat.
Just shake ol' Geno's hand and say
"Nice game, you little brat."​

"Cause no matter what we boasted
We just couldn't make it click.
We were lit up, we were toasted
By that awesome Ballhog Chick."​

Made my day @meyers7

 

[brownale]

I had season tickets to the PSU games in the mid 80s and got to see Suzie McConnell for 4 years. She was the best pure PG. I have only seen the UConn PGs on TV but regardless of their comparative talents, Mo was my favorite to watch .

 

[meyers7]

Who wrote this? I am sure I am not the only one who is in the dark about this bit of Americana

JS

I believe also penned
The Return of the Ball Hog Chick
The Legend of the Ball Hog Chick
The Legacy of the Ball Hog Chick

IIRC, after the WBCA All-Star game, which was held for a few years in Hartford, one of our beloved Vol fans (although could have been a Vol fan on another board) labeled Ms Taurasi as "the ball hog chick". A bit uncouth if you ask me. But it stuck, around here anyway.

DT's team won the All-Star game. She took many shots, many from well beyond the 3 pt line. She was the MVP and showed off her personality by leading the fans in the U-C-O-N-N cheer.

 

[CocoHusky]

Who wrote this? I am sure I am not the only one who is in the dark about this bit of Americana

This was written by a self-described "hack".

 

[Tonyc]

DT had a flair for being able to do the unexpected at the most critical and unexpected times. The Greatest of All Time.

 

[MilfordHusky]

DT had a flair for being able to do the unexpected at the most critical and unexpected times. The Greatest of All Time.

You mean like flipping in a left-handed jumper while falling out of bounds in the National Championship game? Who even thinks of taking that shot other than Diana?!

 

[UConn82]

I don't know enough how to judge who was a better college player: D, Maya, or Stewie.

I don't even know how one would go about judging this objectively, i.e., more than just asserting or even giving a few stats. As we know, there are lies, damn lies, and statistics. (And I have taught probability in college.)

Anyway, I don't feel the need to judge. I just hope CW is close to these three.

 

[Carnac]

D had the 2nd most assists all time, just behind Mo.

The little bit of D I have seen in the pros, she sure looks like a point guard.

Sadly, I did not see D play at UConn.

Thoughts?

One Man's Opinion: UConn's All-Time Guards

 

[JonathanXIV]

You mean like flipping in a left-handed jumper while falling out of bounds in the National Championship game? Who even thinks of taking that shot other than Diana?!

I will never forget that shot. Jumped out of my seat. Only Larry Bird would have the presence of mind and the ability to take and make that shot.

 

[Tonyc]

The Differences between DT Stewie Maya and everybody else. DT ran a team of underclassman as a coach on the floor and her ability to stand above every other player in WBB was unbelievable. She could take over a game by setting up plays, by making unbelievable plays, or by scoring when she needed to step up. There was nobody like her and understand when I heard about Stewie when she was 12/13 yrs old and how unbelievable she was and when Tenn filed the 37 page report because Maya came to UConn and not Tenn understand DT had something else. She was able to lead underclassman take over a game and beat opponents with her skills along. She is the Greatest of All Time and it aint even close

 

[HuskylnSC]

Of all the great players at UConn DT is the one I would like to see take over after Geno. She is the one that most closely matches his attitude and willingness to sit a great player when necessary. She has the most experience (with Sue) and has always been a leader on every team after 2002.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Mo was better than Sue... because of her defense!

 

[meyers7]

One Man's Opinion: UConn's All-Time Guards

Needs to be updated.

 

[CTrefugee]

One thing is indisputable. D was the best at elevating the play of teammates. They had no right to win her last NC (on paper).

 

[Vancat]

I know she wasn't the best, but I have a soft spot for Jenn Rizzotti.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

One play by D will always stick with me. I can't recall the game. But D was standing just to the left of the top of the key. A long pass was coming to her, as she was standing with her back to the basket. She didn't catch that long pass. Instead she put her hands up, flicked the ball, deflecting it, but with speed to the UConn player standing nearly under the basket to the right of the basket. So D flicks the ball over her hand right to the UConn player nearly 20 feet away without looking. The UConn player was so surprised that she blew the layup.

But the play was so amazing, though it didn't result in a basket, that it sticks with me years later. It was vintage Diana Taurasi. Just eye-popping!

 

[MD#12Fan]

D had the 2nd most assists all time, just behind Mo.

The little bit of D I have seen in the pros, she sure looks like a point guard.

Sadly, I did not see D play at UConn.

Thoughts?

I'm sorry, I'm in a snarky mood this morning. I suggest you actually do a little research on this. YouTube has tons of Geno/Diana stuff. The recruiting of Diana is great lore.
Come on, you don't define the greats of the game by what position they play. Was Larry Bird a small forward or power forward? Who the hell cares? He was actually a "point-forward" which is a position he created. Everything went through him. He was the go-to scorer and he distributed the ball to others. Not Tiny or DJ. Diana was the same way.
Was she (in her prime) the greatest ever? That's the discussion, not whether she plays the one or the two. If she was on your squad in a pickup game, you don't negotiate with her, who's playing what position. She does what she wants, when she wants to. The game ends, and she has made big play after big play and your team wins. Like Geno used to say, "we have Diana and you don't".
Study up a little. Does anyone care if Jordan was a 2 or a three? Do we care if Babe Ruth was a right-fielder. It doesn't matter.