Why I like this year's team more than last year's?

[jsloanjr]

Granted, we just have 2 games for any results, but they are quicker, they have more team defense, they are deeper and Kiah is the real deal in the paint on both ends............Morgan Tucks gives us another post player and a scoring threat in the paint and from 3PT land. I like our bench....

I think we will see a different road team in CA....More pressure defense and Geno will go deep on the bench...........Plus, Friday nights game is on ESPN 3 at 10 PM............

 

[Zorro]

He can't go a helluva lot deeper on his bench than he did today, unless he starts the second half with Polly, T-Law and Water Girl.

 

[chrissaran]

How can you be better than 40-0 while winning the National Championship. And nobody, and I mean nobody, will replace Stef's personality.

 

[johnnyc]

How can you be better than 40-0 while winning the National Championship. And nobody, and I mean nobody, will replace Stef's personality.

Or her screens. Well maybe Tuck.

 

[Zorro]

We got a glimpse today (or at least some of you did) of just what a total monster Tuck can be. She has strength, finesse, smarts, a touch; if there is anything she doesn't have, it isn't worth having. I really think that before the season ends, always barring injury, we may really have the four best players in wcbb. Morgan and MoJet will probably not make first team AA, but they arguably should. I am looking forward with great anticipation to seeing just how well Lloyd, Williams and Mitchell will fare against the Huskies. My guess is that they will be eaten alive. And no, I am NOT TonyC in disguise! Simply an objective viewer.

ps; I think Kiah will probably deserve(but not receive) AA honors as well.

 

[Bestiarius]

And nobody, and I mean nobody, will replace Stef's personality.

Every year's team is special and will be remembered for it's own unique set of memorable traits never to be forgotten.

 

[Buzzyboy]

How can you be better than 40-0 while winning the National Championship. And nobody, and I mean nobody, will replace Stef's personality.

It sounds like this team and all proceeding teams will pale in comparison because of the absence of Stef! I'm an overtly big fan of Stef's contributions running the offense, her tenacity, her playfulness and ability to lighten the moment with teammates, her shooting skills both inside and out, with either hand, but come on, we've had Svet and Shea leaving, we've lost Maya and Tina along with Sue and Diana and a couple of other TASK members and we've succeeded extraordinarily well. To assume that this team or subsequent teams can't match up to last year's team because of the absence of Stef or Bria is a little out there. As with all people, I've seen Stef get sloppy and turn over balls, miss chipees, have rebounds ripped out of her hands, made bad fouls and failed to run the floor occasionally so lets not give her sainthood. I agree that this team with their talent level and a healthy Morgan Tuck and KML and skilled freshmen giving us depth along with a more confident Kiah could actually exceed last years team, maybe not in victories (I don't think we could get to 40-0, even if we don't lose) but in dominating our opponents. I always thought that the Bill Walton teams were better than the Abdul Jabbar UCLA teams but others might have disagreed. Stef was a truly memorable player but with Geno, all things are possible and this team could possibly be BETTER!

 

[Zorro]

And it doesn't really matter, because this year's team will not be playing last year's team; they will be playing this year's ND, and SCar and Duke. Actually, in many ways my favorite team of all was the 2003 team of Diana and the babies; Strother, Turner, Crockett, Jess Moore, Battle and Conlon. They had, on paper, nothing like the power of either this or last year's teams, nor of the more recent teams. They didn't have the power to crush people, but they won the NC (as a 2 seed) on desire, guts and Diana, and then did it again in 04. They did not beat people by much, but they did beat them. Still great games to watch.

 

[Geno-ista]

We got a glimpse today (or at least some of you did) of just what a total monster Tuck can be. She has strength, finesse, smarts, a touch; if there is anything she doesn't have, it isn't worth having. I really think that before the season ends, always barring injury, we may really have the four best players in wcbb. Morgan and MoJet will probably not make first team AA, but they arguably should. I am looking forward with great anticipation to seeing just how well Lloyd, Williams and Mitchell will fare against the Huskies. My guess is that they will be eaten alive. And no, I am NOT TonyC in disguise! Simply an objective viewer.

ps; I think Kiah will probably deserve(but not receive) AA honors as well.

Elizabeth Williams does not impress me for such a "great" player. If she was- Duke would have been competing with the elite teams. And I love Kiah Stokes, and think she will have a long and solid pro career with her current gifts & skills. But she has to show some offensive prowess vs solid opponents before we retire her #! Morgan is the girl that has the potential to give us on offense, what Dolson gave us the past two years- if she can stay healthy. She understands offense and was a cool customer with the ball in her hands, her entire freshman yr! I'm getting psyched!!!

 

[msf22b]

Morgan +Kiah will give more output then Steff
Morgan is also an excellent leader
Methinks she and the 7th grader take up that role.

 

[jsloanjr]

Thank you for your feedback.............I like this team and so does Geno............Mo JeF is better, KML is healthy, Kiah is an animal on the boards and in the paint, Stewie is the difference maker against any team and now with a Healthy and confident Tuck..............Lookout NCAA teams..........Our freshmen will all contribute immeditely........IMO, UCONN will win both games in Cali by 35 + or more...........Stanford is learning a new offense and UCONN will press them into too many mistakes.............10 on Fri on ESPN3..........

 

[rocky rococo]

Because this is this year, and this year's team is the team we have now, that's why I like them better now. Do I know or think they'll be a better team, how can I say, I haven't seen them play yet. But it's this year's Huskies!

 

[DaddyChoc]

dang throw Dolson & Hartley under the bus... especially Dolson!

 

[Kibitzer]

And it doesn't really matter, because this year's team will not be playing last year's team; they will be playing this year's ND, and SCar and Duke. Actually, in many ways my favorite team of all was the 2003 team of Diana and the babies; Strother, Turner, Crockett, Jess Moore, Battle and Conlon. They had, on paper, nothing like the power of either this or last year's teams, nor of the more recent teams. They didn't have the power to crush people, but they won the NC (as a 2 seed) on desire, guts and Diana, and then did it again in 04. They did not beat people by much, but they did beat them. Still great games to watch.

I still have a copy of the Boneyard Magazine cover by Biff, Volume 1, Number 2, January 2003.

Photo of Diana with all of her teammates on her back. And the teaser headline: "Feature - Where does the fate of this year's team rest? It's Clear!"

(I'll bet there are others who still cling to the fondest memories of those teams.)

 

[semper]

I can remember watching the 2004 championship game in a bar in Guilford, and the great and prideful feeling I had as a Nutmegger when Maria ("short but slow") Conlon brought the ball up. She was just such a great solid player! Oh, we needed everyone one of them to win, and they all came through.

 

[Zorro]

You mean ths one, huh Kibs?

 

[Bgillon]

When did this magazine stop being published?

 

[winlots]

You mean ths one, huh Kibs?

ElZ: Wow, that is really nifty. Thank you. Had never seen that even though we were following the team enthusiastically back then and way before; and thanks to KIB for stimulating you to post it up.

 

[winlots]

It sounds like this team and all proceeding teams will pale in comparison because of the absence of Stef! I'm an overtly big fan of Stef's contributions running the offense, her tenacity, her playfulness and ability to lighten the moment with teammates, her shooting skills both inside and out, with either hand, but come on, we've had Svet and Shea leaving, we've lost Maya and Tina along with Sue and Diana and a couple of other TASK members and we've succeeded extraordinarily well. To assume that this team or subsequent teams can't match up to last year's team because of the absence of Stef or Bria is a little out there. As with all people, I've seen Stef get sloppy and turn over balls, miss chipees, have rebounds ripped out of her hands, made bad fouls and failed to run the floor occasionally so lets not give her sainthood. I agree that this team with their talent level and a healthy Morgan Tuck and KML and skilled freshmen giving us depth along with a more confident Kiah could actually exceed last years team, maybe not in victories (I don't think we could get to 40-0, even if we don't lose) but in dominating our opponents. I always thought that the Bill Walton teams were better than the Abdul Jabbar UCLA teams but others might have disagreed. Stef was a truly memorable player but with Geno, all things are possible and this team could possibly be BETTER!

BUZZ: fair, balanced, and right on target . (My memories of those two great UCLA teams are not sharp enough to favor one over the other.)

 

[Huskies Rule]

Because this is this year, and this year's team is the team we have now, that's why I like them better now. Do I know or think they'll be a better team, how can I say, I haven't seen them play yet. But it's this year's Huskies!

Couldn't agree more, Mr. Danger- It's like Stephen Stills said- "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with." I lived and breathed with DT's, Sue Bird's and Maya's teams, and I went into a clinical depression when they left Storrs forever. But I 'Gloria Gaynor-ed' and learned to put all those wonderful memories in my pocket and move on to the next special group of Geno's Kids. And I love each of them, equally, for all their differences, as you love each of your children, none more or less than the others. At your cervix, RR

 

[rugbymate]

If we go undefeated this year, the debate will be ongoing and likely inconclusive as to which team is better. However, IMO this years team is far more interesting and exciting than last years. Last year we had two great seniors and an emerging group of stars that were generally viewed as rock solid contributors. A NC was thought to be virtually guaranteed particularly with the absence of injury.
This year, The emerging stars are now bona fide AA's. Yet we have the possibility of brilliance if Tuck plays to her potential, the possibility of Kiah being a nationally recognized force, a set of freshman that at the very least will generate excitement and curiosity. solid competition for playing time and so on.
So to the point of this post...I like this years team better because it seems more exciting and interesting ( but not necessarily better).

 

[Biff]

You mean this one, huh Kibs?

I used to love that Mag. I got it for the great articles....

 

[UcMiami]

I really liked last years team and I am pretty sure I will really like this years team.
In discussing the post position though we are not replacing Stef with Kiah and Morgan, we are replacing Stef and Kiah with Kiah and Morgan. While I love Morgan's game when healthy, that is trading a lot of height and strength for a more versatile but shorter and weaker player. I don't think it will be a difference maker, but Stef and Kiah had 182 blocks (Stef - 93) and I doubt Morgan and Kiah will come close to that total even with Kiah significantly increasing her number. That is a lot of 'post' intimidation that we have lost. Add in 135 assists and 9.3 rebounds for Stef ...
It will be a very different team this year - more depth likely off the bench, though how much that depth will be used in a competitive game is yet to be seen. But we are trading some height for more back court depth and a healthy Morgan and healthier KML we all hope. And we are moving on from two senior captains who had strong and very different personalities. That 'captainship' is very important, though unseen, and is the bridge between coaches and players when things inevitably get a little off track during a long season. I think Moriah and Kaleena will likely be captains this year, and wouldn't be surprised in Kiah gets tabbed as well - a further motivation for her to bring it every day.

 

[Ellie]

Hope I can say the same after the season but for now, "Let the games begin!"

Granted, we just have 2 games for any results, but they are quicker, they have more team defense, they are deeper and Kiah is the real deal in the paint on both ends..Morgan Tucks gives us another post player and a scoring threat in the paint and from 3PT land. I like our bench....

I think we will see a different road team in CA....More pressure defense and Geno will go deep on the bench......Plus, Friday nights game is on ESPN 3 at 10 PM..

 

[jsloanjr]

Plus, it being siging week and the top 3 will all sign by Friday...........Looking forward to this season........