Connecticut's Maya Moore won the State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year Award today - the third player to win it twice.
Tina Charles took the AP Player of the Year Award.
Nebraska Coach Connie Yori won the AP's Coach of the Year award. No surprise to me.
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Cal wins WNIT championship
Congrats to the Bears, who defeated Miami today for the WNIT championship, 73-61. DeNesha Stallworth had 21 and Alexis Gray-Lawson 17 for Cal. Nice video here, and great photo here.
Notes for the class of 2011
This column by ESPN's Mark Lewis deserves its own post, so full of great info that it is:
Now is the time to be proactive about your recruitment. Now is the time to make those unofficial visits. Now is the time to narrow your lists. Now is the time to find out who's offering and who's not and to find out who's serious about your future. Now is the time I need stop trying to sound like one of President Obama's speeches.
First things first, let's visit some recruiting calendar realities. Division I coaches have three days to evaluate off campus in April (17-19) and 20 days in July (6-15 and 22-31). That's it until next fall, so a lot of thought has to go into who you play with and what events they will attend during those time frames.
Another recruiting calendar time line to take note of is all of the specific parameters surrounding phone calls. This year coaches can begin calling you the 9th of April and are allowed only a single call between then and the end of the month. They can then make another individual call anytime in the month of May.
Pay attention to who makes those calls to you in April and May in particular. If you're high on the priority list, it will be the head coach. With only one call permissible in each of those two months, it's hard to imagine any program's top prospects won't get a call from the big cheese once they're allowed to do the dialing.
Between June 1 and 20 they get another call and from the 21st to the 30th one more. Still with me? Then, in the entire month of July they can call you a total of three times, but no more than one time per week.
And just to stir things up a bit more, they cannot call you at any point during those 20 permitted July evaluation days. To simplify July, they have four time slots to get three calls in. The 1st through 4th, on the 5th only, the 17th or 18th and the 19th through 21st with no more than one call in any three of those periods.
Following July it gets simple, one call per week the rest of the way. Once you sign a national letter of intent with a school they then have unlimited phone calls.
You reading and listening, kids?????
Now is the time to be proactive about your recruitment. Now is the time to make those unofficial visits. Now is the time to narrow your lists. Now is the time to find out who's offering and who's not and to find out who's serious about your future. Now is the time I need stop trying to sound like one of President Obama's speeches.
First things first, let's visit some recruiting calendar realities. Division I coaches have three days to evaluate off campus in April (17-19) and 20 days in July (6-15 and 22-31). That's it until next fall, so a lot of thought has to go into who you play with and what events they will attend during those time frames.
Another recruiting calendar time line to take note of is all of the specific parameters surrounding phone calls. This year coaches can begin calling you the 9th of April and are allowed only a single call between then and the end of the month. They can then make another individual call anytime in the month of May.
Pay attention to who makes those calls to you in April and May in particular. If you're high on the priority list, it will be the head coach. With only one call permissible in each of those two months, it's hard to imagine any program's top prospects won't get a call from the big cheese once they're allowed to do the dialing.
Between June 1 and 20 they get another call and from the 21st to the 30th one more. Still with me? Then, in the entire month of July they can call you a total of three times, but no more than one time per week.
And just to stir things up a bit more, they cannot call you at any point during those 20 permitted July evaluation days. To simplify July, they have four time slots to get three calls in. The 1st through 4th, on the 5th only, the 17th or 18th and the 19th through 21st with no more than one call in any three of those periods.
Following July it gets simple, one call per week the rest of the way. Once you sign a national letter of intent with a school they then have unlimited phone calls.
You reading and listening, kids?????
It's THAT weekend, baybayyyyyy
Of course there is a buttload of news today, as Final Four weekend begins......
How many millions of times have I said it's all about whether or not you think you can? Oklahoma believed they could get back to the Final Four.
Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer may not yell like Pat Summitt, but she's just as intense.
Bill Walton is hoping UConn will break UCLA's winning streak. Ick. My dad and I never liked him.
Hey, a female coach has been named to head Trinity Valley Community College! Congrats to Kenya Larkin-Landers, and good luck in returning TVCC to prominence.
Miami and Cal will face off for the WNIT championship in a few hours, but they've already hung out - so to speak - a little bit:
All the University of Miami women had to do to size up their opponent in the Women's National Invitation Tournament championship game was look across the plane.
Because of a convoluted travel schedule that sent the Hurricanes (22-13) from Michigan to the Bay Area via Chicago, they were on the same flight as the University of California women -- who play host to UM in the title game at 2 p.m. Saturday.
``We're waving to each other right now,'' said UM coach Katie Meier via cellphone Friday, on a short layover in Los Angeles.
Meier didn't need to introduce herself to Joanne Boyle, coach of the Golden Bears (23-13). They've been friends for more than 20 years. Both are Duke grads, and Boyle got her first break into coaching as an assistant with the Blue Devils.
``Joanne's one of the best people in the world,'' Meier said.
The two friends, who speak and text on a regular basis, enjoyed an in-person chat Friday thanks to the bizarre nature of the WNIT schedule.
I love stuff like that.
Here's a retrospective of Oregon Ducks' turnaround season under new Coach Paul Westhead.
ESPN's Mark Lewis is always good with the practical advice. This week he's telling high school athletes to practice their skill sets more, which is excellent. Then this part reminded me of something I wrote on March 8:
I'm also surprised by the number of players who really aren't fans of the game. The players who have the most vested interest in the game and who are, in essence, its future, pay little attention to what you would assume is their passion.
As a coach you try to find out an athlete's level of knowledge about the college game during the recruiting process. I'm not talking about the specifics of a particular program or coach but about the game itself and the nuances that make up women's college basketball. Beyond their own recruitment, many prospects actually know very little about the game.
Of course you could argue that "playing" the game is where that passion really lies, but part of excelling at any sport is what you can take from others walking in your own shoes. A young athlete can develop by imitating, learning from and being inspired by players at the highest levels.
Yup. Pisses me off, too.
Really cool interview here of Cal's Alexis Gray-Lawson (rumored to be on the Seattle Storm's draft list) by a school principal. As a teacher myself, I love that perspective, because the writer got some good things out of AGL:
You’re proud of the fact that you’re from Oakland, but you’ve also distinguished the difference between being raised “in Oakland” and being raised “by Oakland.” Working where I do, and seeing what my students deal with every day, I think I know what you mean, but can you speak to that a little bit?
I think sometimes people forget that I was a normal kid, like most people. Did I get in trouble? Yeah, I got in trouble too. Everybody had their paths that they could possibly take, and for me, it was like, when you come from Oakland, it’s kind of like life or death. So many of my friends chose the wrong path and a lot of them are not living today. Whereas I had a lot of role models, a lot of people looking out for me to make sure I was doing the right thing. And by me doing the right thing, I kind of ended up here. For me, just to be able to be raised in Oakland was such a big thing for me, because it helps me appreciate a lot of things, it helps me appreciate life in general, and being able to wake up every day to see my family and friends, just all of that. It just helps me to be grateful to have a dollar in my pocket, or to have clothes, and shoes. I don’t think people who come from different neighborhoods appreciate that, and I really appreciate it.
Joanne Boyle talks about—in the context of what happened to Tierra—she talkas about who you are and what you do give you a platform. And it sounds that’s what you’re trying to do, to use your platform to give back and be a role-model. You have a close relationship with Joanne, and you’ve previously said that “Coach Boyle has raised us.” Can you talk more about that?
I’ve said that people give her credit, but they don’t give her enough credit for some of the success we’ve had here as people, not just as basketball players. If you look at me and Devanei’s situation and how we come from absolutely nothing, and she shows us around the world and teaches us so much about life. I can remember Devanei getting in trouble so much every year about something; something was always wrong. She got suspended for this, suspended for that. I think Coach Boyle really helped her understand certain things about life and how to become a woman. For me personally, faith is everything to me, and my parents have kind of drilled that into me from day one. Then you come here, things change for you a little bit. Sometimes you don’t have the greatest day, and you go through so many different issues and problems. But to be able to come in and talk to Coach… For instance, when my dad got really sick, I was so depressed, and there were times when I couldn’t practice, and I’m screaming and everybody sees me crying, and everyone is trying to figure out what’s going on. Then I go talk to her and my whole day is better. I can never never repay her for any of it, because it definitely helped me to become the woman I am. Me giving others my time and my energy even when I’m dead tired, it’s because of some of the stuff my parents did, but it’s also some of the stuff Coach B does. If she could give you everything, she would, you know? So that has helped us form this bond. Everybody talks about me being the Golden Child in our group, but definitely it has helped me to build this relationship with her, and it’s one we’ll build for years to come. I already joke that when I have kids, they’re going straight to her house. She really is the mom of our team. Words I don’t think can express some of the things that she does.
How many millions of times have I said it's all about whether or not you think you can? Oklahoma believed they could get back to the Final Four.
Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer may not yell like Pat Summitt, but she's just as intense.
Bill Walton is hoping UConn will break UCLA's winning streak. Ick. My dad and I never liked him.
Hey, a female coach has been named to head Trinity Valley Community College! Congrats to Kenya Larkin-Landers, and good luck in returning TVCC to prominence.
Miami and Cal will face off for the WNIT championship in a few hours, but they've already hung out - so to speak - a little bit:
All the University of Miami women had to do to size up their opponent in the Women's National Invitation Tournament championship game was look across the plane.
Because of a convoluted travel schedule that sent the Hurricanes (22-13) from Michigan to the Bay Area via Chicago, they were on the same flight as the University of California women -- who play host to UM in the title game at 2 p.m. Saturday.
``We're waving to each other right now,'' said UM coach Katie Meier via cellphone Friday, on a short layover in Los Angeles.
Meier didn't need to introduce herself to Joanne Boyle, coach of the Golden Bears (23-13). They've been friends for more than 20 years. Both are Duke grads, and Boyle got her first break into coaching as an assistant with the Blue Devils.
``Joanne's one of the best people in the world,'' Meier said.
The two friends, who speak and text on a regular basis, enjoyed an in-person chat Friday thanks to the bizarre nature of the WNIT schedule.
I love stuff like that.
Here's a retrospective of Oregon Ducks' turnaround season under new Coach Paul Westhead.
ESPN's Mark Lewis is always good with the practical advice. This week he's telling high school athletes to practice their skill sets more, which is excellent. Then this part reminded me of something I wrote on March 8:
I'm also surprised by the number of players who really aren't fans of the game. The players who have the most vested interest in the game and who are, in essence, its future, pay little attention to what you would assume is their passion.
As a coach you try to find out an athlete's level of knowledge about the college game during the recruiting process. I'm not talking about the specifics of a particular program or coach but about the game itself and the nuances that make up women's college basketball. Beyond their own recruitment, many prospects actually know very little about the game.
Of course you could argue that "playing" the game is where that passion really lies, but part of excelling at any sport is what you can take from others walking in your own shoes. A young athlete can develop by imitating, learning from and being inspired by players at the highest levels.
Yup. Pisses me off, too.
Really cool interview here of Cal's Alexis Gray-Lawson (rumored to be on the Seattle Storm's draft list) by a school principal. As a teacher myself, I love that perspective, because the writer got some good things out of AGL:
You’re proud of the fact that you’re from Oakland, but you’ve also distinguished the difference between being raised “in Oakland” and being raised “by Oakland.” Working where I do, and seeing what my students deal with every day, I think I know what you mean, but can you speak to that a little bit?
I think sometimes people forget that I was a normal kid, like most people. Did I get in trouble? Yeah, I got in trouble too. Everybody had their paths that they could possibly take, and for me, it was like, when you come from Oakland, it’s kind of like life or death. So many of my friends chose the wrong path and a lot of them are not living today. Whereas I had a lot of role models, a lot of people looking out for me to make sure I was doing the right thing. And by me doing the right thing, I kind of ended up here. For me, just to be able to be raised in Oakland was such a big thing for me, because it helps me appreciate a lot of things, it helps me appreciate life in general, and being able to wake up every day to see my family and friends, just all of that. It just helps me to be grateful to have a dollar in my pocket, or to have clothes, and shoes. I don’t think people who come from different neighborhoods appreciate that, and I really appreciate it.
Joanne Boyle talks about—in the context of what happened to Tierra—she talkas about who you are and what you do give you a platform. And it sounds that’s what you’re trying to do, to use your platform to give back and be a role-model. You have a close relationship with Joanne, and you’ve previously said that “Coach Boyle has raised us.” Can you talk more about that?
I’ve said that people give her credit, but they don’t give her enough credit for some of the success we’ve had here as people, not just as basketball players. If you look at me and Devanei’s situation and how we come from absolutely nothing, and she shows us around the world and teaches us so much about life. I can remember Devanei getting in trouble so much every year about something; something was always wrong. She got suspended for this, suspended for that. I think Coach Boyle really helped her understand certain things about life and how to become a woman. For me personally, faith is everything to me, and my parents have kind of drilled that into me from day one. Then you come here, things change for you a little bit. Sometimes you don’t have the greatest day, and you go through so many different issues and problems. But to be able to come in and talk to Coach… For instance, when my dad got really sick, I was so depressed, and there were times when I couldn’t practice, and I’m screaming and everybody sees me crying, and everyone is trying to figure out what’s going on. Then I go talk to her and my whole day is better. I can never never repay her for any of it, because it definitely helped me to become the woman I am. Me giving others my time and my energy even when I’m dead tired, it’s because of some of the stuff my parents did, but it’s also some of the stuff Coach B does. If she could give you everything, she would, you know? So that has helped us form this bond. Everybody talks about me being the Golden Child in our group, but definitely it has helped me to build this relationship with her, and it’s one we’ll build for years to come. I already joke that when I have kids, they’re going straight to her house. She really is the mom of our team. Words I don’t think can express some of the things that she does.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Mysterious LA Sparks announcement Monday
Just got this from Sparks HQ:
Sparks To Make Major Announcement Monday, April 5th & You're Invited!
The Sparks will make a major announcement about the upcoming season on Monday, April 5th at the Home Depot Center in Carson. As key members of our team, we want you to be there for the press conference!
Join us at 10:30AM and be there as we share a major announcement with you!
SPARKS PRESS CONFERENCE
Location: Home Depot Center
18400 Avalon Blvd.
Carson, CA 90746
Date: Monday, April 5, 2010
Time: 10:00AM – Check-in and Seating
10:30AM – Program Begins
As MVPs, you heard it first!
Hmmmmmmmm.
I'm going.
Sparks To Make Major Announcement Monday, April 5th & You're Invited!
The Sparks will make a major announcement about the upcoming season on Monday, April 5th at the Home Depot Center in Carson. As key members of our team, we want you to be there for the press conference!
Join us at 10:30AM and be there as we share a major announcement with you!
SPARKS PRESS CONFERENCE
Location: Home Depot Center
18400 Avalon Blvd.
Carson, CA 90746
Date: Monday, April 5, 2010
Time: 10:00AM – Check-in and Seating
10:30AM – Program Begins
As MVPs, you heard it first!
Hmmmmmmmm.
I'm going.
The Friday before the Final Four news
Mel Greenberg has some interesting notes on why this summer will make for a fascinating WNBA season - not the least of which that a lot of athletes will be coming "home" to play.
If Stanford can get past Oklahoma this Sunday, they could be UConn. Boy, wouldn't that be great.
And speaking of the east coast Huskies, they aren't the owners of the longest winning streak: that honor belongs to Washington University.
If Stanford can get past Oklahoma this Sunday, they could be UConn. Boy, wouldn't that be great.
And speaking of the east coast Huskies, they aren't the owners of the longest winning streak: that honor belongs to Washington University.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Another firing, plus almost in trouble
Once again, the Pac-10 has proven unlucky for Judy Spoelstra. The former Oregon State Coach-turned Husky assistant has not had her contract renewed by the University of Washington. Is the UW sure they're getting rid of the right coach? I'm not.
San Diego State University was under scrutiny for a possible "recruitment violation," but the NCAA chilled out.
San Diego State University was under scrutiny for a possible "recruitment violation," but the NCAA chilled out.
Cal wins second WNIT semifinal, 61-45
ESPN doesn't even have that there's a game today, but I know better because I just watched the last third of it: Cal beat Illinois State tonight for right to play Miami in Saturday's championship game. Alexis Gray-Lawson had 23 points and three steals for the Bears, and Maggie Krick logged 12 points for ISU. Story. Cal will host Saturday's game.
Congrats to the Bears. They've done pretty well this season considering all the newcomers, and their mid-season slump.
Congrats to the Bears. They've done pretty well this season considering all the newcomers, and their mid-season slump.
"No April fools" morning news
Nice piece here: the Final Four coaches talk about the tournament, and Brittney Griner.
The FF coaches also comment on the possibility of expanding the women's tournament to 96 teams (a stupid idea right now, at best).
Georgia high school sophomore Andraya Carter explains why she chose to declare for Tennessee so early:
“And I want to play for Pat Summitt as long as she is there, and I don’t see that changing. Then I didn’t see any point in waiting. It wasn’t based on emotion. I’ve studied (recruiting) for a long time. I’ve looked into degrees, the campuses, and everything. I felt it in my heart, and I prayed about it.
“Now I don’t have to worry about my college decision. I can just focus on getting better.”
Makes sense.
WNBA bits:
Stanford's Jayne Appel might end up with the Lynx in next week's draft.
Allison Hightower of LSU is excited for the draft, on April 8.
Kansas University's Danielle McCray is hopeful she'll be drafted.
Sparks Coach Jen Gillom, Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve and Shock Coach Nolan Richardson talk about the draft.
Four WNBA draft prospects speak.
And for anyone who might have been wondering why I'm ignoring all the "is UConn's winning streak bad for the women's game?" stories, including one today.......those types of pieces are on par with the ones that bash women's basketball. I don't read them, don't pay attention to them at all. I pretend they were never written, because they're so ridiculous. Only over-analytical women's basketball fans would worry that a long winning streak could be bad for the game. Just let 'em play, and the game will continue to evolve as it has for many years before this. Let it go and enjoy.
The minute UConn finally loses, all the hand-wringers will find something new to worry about anyway.
The FF coaches also comment on the possibility of expanding the women's tournament to 96 teams (a stupid idea right now, at best).
Georgia high school sophomore Andraya Carter explains why she chose to declare for Tennessee so early:
“And I want to play for Pat Summitt as long as she is there, and I don’t see that changing. Then I didn’t see any point in waiting. It wasn’t based on emotion. I’ve studied (recruiting) for a long time. I’ve looked into degrees, the campuses, and everything. I felt it in my heart, and I prayed about it.
“Now I don’t have to worry about my college decision. I can just focus on getting better.”
Makes sense.
WNBA bits:
Stanford's Jayne Appel might end up with the Lynx in next week's draft.
Allison Hightower of LSU is excited for the draft, on April 8.
Kansas University's Danielle McCray is hopeful she'll be drafted.
Sparks Coach Jen Gillom, Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve and Shock Coach Nolan Richardson talk about the draft.
Four WNBA draft prospects speak.
And for anyone who might have been wondering why I'm ignoring all the "is UConn's winning streak bad for the women's game?" stories, including one today.......those types of pieces are on par with the ones that bash women's basketball. I don't read them, don't pay attention to them at all. I pretend they were never written, because they're so ridiculous. Only over-analytical women's basketball fans would worry that a long winning streak could be bad for the game. Just let 'em play, and the game will continue to evolve as it has for many years before this. Let it go and enjoy.
The minute UConn finally loses, all the hand-wringers will find something new to worry about anyway.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Meighan Simmons takes McDonald's All-American player of the game honor
Tennesee fans can take heart, as signee Meighan Simmons busted 21 points in 14 minutes in today's Micky D's All-American matchup, and she was also named player of the game.
West won 84-75, but it wasn't always that close. The East was down by 22 points before going on a run late in the game. They came as close as six points with less than a minute to go, but the West held on to win:
Chiney Ogwumike, headed for Stanford, had 14 points and Duke's Richa Jackson added 12 points for the West, which built a big early lead and then hung on as the East mounted a furious comeback.
Natasha Howard, who will play at Florida State this fall, was the East MVP with 20 points, while future Connecticut teammates Bria Hartley and Stefanie Dolson had 17 and 12, respectively.
West won 84-75, but it wasn't always that close. The East was down by 22 points before going on a run late in the game. They came as close as six points with less than a minute to go, but the West held on to win:
Chiney Ogwumike, headed for Stanford, had 14 points and Duke's Richa Jackson added 12 points for the West, which built a big early lead and then hung on as the East mounted a furious comeback.
Natasha Howard, who will play at Florida State this fall, was the East MVP with 20 points, while future Connecticut teammates Bria Hartley and Stefanie Dolson had 17 and 12, respectively.
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