What brought you to WBB?

[pinotbear]

I remember sitting in the base lodge at Sugarbush, on a Saturday afternoon, in late March/early April of 1995. The TV in view was tuned to a basketball game..a women's game, with UConn playing somebody (maybe Stanford semi-final?). As I'm enjoying a late lunch/snack with the family, I kept glancing up at the game. At this point, it was obvious that honorable daughter #2 (ursusminor) was of a size and athletic temperment that BB was in her future, so, things just clicked. The first game we ever saw in person was the following season (?), at BC. Drove up on a Sat. or Sun. morning, after a snowfall the night before - bright sun, with intense glare! I remember being floored at how physical the game was, in person.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Cheryl Miller for USC in 1983. She was cool, exciting, just fun to watch, and had some 'tude. After that it was just wading through and waiting until UConn broke into the elite.

 

[ndmb]

I started watching in the 2000-2001 season when a friend of my family introduced us to it. I remember being devastated by the FF game, which compelled me to watch the next year. I've been hooked ever since.

 

[Phil]

Then came "the shot" in an extremely exciting final 4; not that I liked North Carolina, but it was exciting since I didn't have a horse in the race.

I didn't see it live, but it is in the running for one of the greatest moments in wbb history.

 

[Phil]

I loved Ann Richards, and she was a big fan of the Lady Longhorns (despite being a Baylor grad), so I took a bit of an interest.

Care to share why? Somewhere, i have a picture of myself and Ann, although I doubt I can find it.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I was stuck in Des Moines for a couple of weeks on a project during the women's high school basketball tournament in 1978...very different rules from today, but it amazed me how much the girls loved it and what a big deal it was. I've followed it ever since, and while I've grown bored with a lot of sports...I still get a great kick out of WBB...

 

[alexrgct]

Care to share why? Somewhere, i have a picture of myself and Ann, although I doubt I can find it.

Why did I love Ann, or why she was a Lady Longhorns fan?

I loved Ann because she was a Texas original- tough, colorful, hilarious, warm, genuinely cared and tried to do the right thing. I recently saw Holland Taylor's play at Lincoln Center and thought it was great. Really took me back.

As far as why she liked the 'Horns, when she took office, they were institutionally good and were followed by a lot of powerful women in Austin (Barbara Jordan in particular)...though they rapidly went downhill. Ann did, however, take care of Baylor; she helped ensure they had a seat at the Big XII table as the SWC was in the process of dissolving.

 

[winlots]

CBUS: that's a question I almost always ask Yarders that I meet or with whom I PM, except I usually just specify UCONN vs. WBB.,,,,I suppose bec I'm a fan of just "Our Girls" and not of WBB overall. In any event, good question.
My simple answer: LOBO. She was the initial hook....and then got to know her team and the style of play....REAL basketball. Haven't wavered since.

 

[Wally East]

Not getting into the pep band for the men's team (I actually forgot about auditions).

There wasn't a pep band for the women's team (this was '89-'90), so we lobbied the band director, and started one. The women's team was a lot of fun to watch. They had an amazing small forward, a terrific power forward/center, and a cute point guard who could guard anybody. Rooting for them felt like rooting for an underdog, too, since they didn't get a lot of press or buzz on campus.

The next year, I chose to be in the women's band (I think), and got: (a) a trip to Philly for the regionals, (b) a trip to New Orleans for the Final Four -- my first plane ride, and (c) my wife, who played trombone -- we started dating that summer. During this seasons, I watched as much other WBB just to see what other teams were like and what they were doing.

Other than that, not much else hooked me. Not that first game against Tennessee. Not that fantastic Elite Eight game in '95 against Virginia. Not my first road trip as an adult when we went to Minneapolis in '95. No, certainly not

 

[Phil]

I've recounted this before, and on the Boneyard, so the short and sweet version:
I was literally browsing channels sometime during the 94-95 regular season. Some channel was carrying a Uconn game, and I stopped to watch for a few minutes, but didn't expect to watch long. A ball was rolling on the floor, headed out of bounds, when Jen Rizzotti dove to save it. I said "wow" and I was hooked.

So I started as a Rizzotti fan, quickly became a UConn fan, then became a fan of the entire sport.

 

[rjuconn]

At least with Banham, you have a reason to watch again.

It's a start. They've been successfully recruiting Minnesota kids -- such as Banham -- the past few years and hopefully they'll hit a few home runs. Then there are the ones that got away, such as Tayler Hill (from Minneapolis South) and now the top two outgoing seniors and All-Americans are also going elsewhere (Rebekah Dahlman and Nia Coffey). Would help if they could keep that caliber of kid in the state.

 

[jplotinus]

What got me interested in wbb?

Kim Mulkey.

It must have been '81 or '82, when ESPN first started televising wbb tournament games. I watched and realized that while they were 5-4 and up and not 6-4 and up, they were players of the game, with skill sets, determination and knowledge of how the game of basketball is best played. No player I saw exemplified those traits better than Kim Mulkey did in that era. I was hooked on the game from that point forward.

And, I still think wbb is the best brand of pure basketball being played.

 

[meyers7]

(c) my wife, who played trombone -- we started dating that summer.

Ok, gotta ask, and you've probably said, what did/do you play?

 

[blackbird]

My grandparents were big fans. I sat down and watched a game. It was the 2002 undefeated team.

I still think about how lucky I am. That team was the first team I ever watched play basketball.

And needless to say, I've been hooked ever since.

I started watching the WNBA because I loved Sue. I started watching the NBA because of the Olympics, and I loved Manu Ginobili. And although I always watched the guys along with the girls, I didn't quite love the men's team until AJ Price's junior season.

 

[Wally East]

Ok, gotta ask, and you've probably said, what did/do you play?

Tuba

 

[meyers7]

Tuba

So did I, but only in high school.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Cheryl Miller

 

[Geno-ista]

Tracy Lis did it for me (HS averaging 35-40pts per game at Killingly) then of course the 95' parade and Nykesha Sales (local talent). I also was aware of Nadine Domond (Bridgeport)

Oh My God- Nadine- who was recruited by Geno, but didn't come here because they were so loaded with talent already. I believe she played for C Viv in Iowa or Iowa St- Pt Guard I believe. I sat with her by accident during the Big East Tmt for a couple of nights. We had the greatest time. She is an absolute Hoot- Smart and Funny. She has a successfulB Ball training school in Virginia I belive. We still stay in touch after 3-4 yrs back. She loves C Viv, but she thinks Geno is the tops. She also had Elizabeth Williams in her school for a long time and a few great point guards came out of her school also!

 

[johnnyc]

I was always aware of WBB. When I was a kid playing pickup on the streets I played against some pretty good girl players. Our CYO always had a boys and girls league. I remember hearing about Nancy Lieberman when she played in high school. Then following 'The Blaze' Carol Blazejowski from Montclair St. in the daily papers. Wiki says the 1995 UConn team 'was widely credited with increasing interest in women's basketball'. That may be true and that is when I became a fan of UConn but I was very much aware of WBB before that.

 

[Geno-ista]

My most disappointing basketball moment was one year when Rivercrest girls won state in 1968 and I did not get to go because I burned my buns by accidentally sitting on a gas heater that was in the bathroom. So instead of going to Austin I had to stay with my grandparents all weekend with aloe on my butt and had to listen to the games on the radio. I cried all weekend, for more than one reason.

That is sad, great , and hilarious all in one!

 

[msf22b]

I played schoolyard BB in the 50's, had the moniker Schauss after the Knick player of that era (Freddie).
Not big or fast enough to compete even at a HS varsity version but loved college BB and my Knicks
Remembered a great college game at the Garden around 52 or so: Seattle with the 5' 9 O'Brien twins beat NYU 102-101 in a classic.
Later the great heyday of the Red Holzman Knicks leading up to '73.
Fast forward to the Lobo era.
Started following UConn for the style of play and its similarity, even grounding on the great eras of the past.
The modern men's game has far less appeal.
Then there was Diana, later Maya and I became a season ticket holder for a few.
Finally discovered the 'Yard to the regret of some.
Love old-time BB, Geno's game.

 

[huskeynut]

94/95 season I was channel surfing and caught a Uconn game. During the game the announcers mentioned Rizzotti was from New Fairfield. I spent three years teaching at New Fairfield High School/ Middle School and was good friends with the girl's bb coach.I gave him a call after the game and he said Jen played for him and was really very good.

I was hooked from that point on.

 

[ochoopsfan]

1973 AIAW WBB Tournament held at Queens College, Flushing, N.Y.
I was sitting in the cafeteria with my friends and in comes about 10 girls in warm ups from I think Kansas State. Then another team comes in from Florida or Florida State. I looked at my friend and figured we would ask some of the girls what was up. They told us that the tournament was here, at QC, and we should come and watch it. I went to two games, the ones that Queens College played in, and won. I loved it, and I thought the girls were cute too. I didnt make the championship game vs Immaculta, (QC lost). I have followed college games since and have followed HS games and AAU starting about 7-8 years ago. I have met some wonderful people, players, parents, and fans.
QC and Immaculata are both D3 now(maybe D2).

 

[Sakibomb25]

I was 15 years old and by chance, I listened to the Stanford radio station. It was Stanford vs. Alabama in the Elite Eight and it was a double overtime game. Kate Starbird had fouled out... and it was up to Naomi Mulitauaopele to hit her free throws. Great drama, great game and I was hooked.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

CPTV and the success that UConn began to have in the early to mid 90's. But mostly CPTV
because if the games weren't easily accessible I probably wouldn't have gotten hooked so
early.