Just sort of an observation of the evolution of the Women's game from someone who has seen it move from a club sport to where it is today. In the late AIAW years/early NCAA years, there were a half dozen or so teams that were really the only ones capable of winning a title. La Tech, Texas, the Rocky Tops, USC, Old Dominian and Stanford. After those schools, the drop off was huge. Although Andy Landers had Georgia at the lip of the cup MANY times (think Fred Akers). Those programs had visionary leadership that made the game the best and cheapest entertainment value. Designed to attract families, older alums and actually made an attempt to get students to attend. Attendance at those games was staggering. There were two years the Lady Longhorns outdrew not just out drew the men's team, they outdrew every Men's and Women' team in the SWC averaging at 10k a game. Didn't lose a conference game for 13 years. But after a while beating TCU 115- 42, loses its appeal. And while folks still bought tickets, alot of them are still sitting in the top desk drawer. The first game in the new building at Tennessee was an SRO crowd of over 20,000. I believe all of these years later, Clarrissa Davis still holds the single game scoring record in that building, as we torched Tennessee . After we beat USC for the title the wheels sort of came off for the Trojans. Tennessee won its first title in the Erwin Center Final Four. They had beaten us in December in Austin breaking our long winning streak. After the title game my 10 year old niece said "If you can come into Austin and win three games, then you probably really are the best team in America". She was right. If Sonja Hogg and Leon Barmore didnt exist we would have won two of three more titles. Sometimes you just have a teams number (think Nebraska in football). And then the UCONN magic appeared, Tech built a new arena for Marsh'a teams (good luck getting a ticket). ND being forced to play by the rules that everyone else was, suddenly became a power (who the hell saw that coming). And watching Dawn's Staely's team at South Carolina is a joy, of course her playing for a UNC team that beat La Tech on an 40 shot for the title several years always makes me smile). And then there is of course the Baylor thing. I really don't have any trouble understanding how they got and have stayed so good. They just simply sold their soul to the devil. This is the same school that gave us Dave Bliss, Kenn Starr, the Sea Hag in stiletto heels, Darrell Johnson, the worst fans in the game and it's unbelievable treatment of Birttney Griner. I remember very well hearing a booster that most any one here would know the name, say at a LHF function that "Jody Conradt has got to go, the game has passed her by". I was sitting in a luxury box 3 years later at the Final Four in Atlanta to watch Jody's team and the same creep was going on and on extolling all of the great things that Jody had done for this program and how he other influential boosters had made sure that the pressure that had circled to kick JC upstairs or to get her to retire, etc, didn't happen. Great coaches don't just wake up one day and decided that they can coach anymore. What an a**. This program has clearly turned a corner. The program's at Tennessee and Tech are dropping like a stone. La Tech is a distant memory. When we will catch up with UCONN's Baylor and Notre Dame? Don't know. Don't know if they ever will. But it wasn't that long ago that I wasn't sure we would ever catch up to Tech. Basketball is a uniquely American game. If is a game where an athlete can have average skills, but be the very best at a certain skill, and that is what creates the Heart of A Champion. Of all of the Lady Lonhorn games I have ever been too, the one thing that always brings a smile to my face is Ellen Bayer. Leading Arkansas 101-99, with Reunion Arena rocking and the Hogs shotoing a one and bonus, she got the rebound and stood there and just held the ball straight up in the air where no one could touch it. For those that don't remember Ellen, she was 6'11" and had not had a very good game. But for one moment she had a skill that no one else had. I am sort of like Mack Brown and Bill Clinton; I am a crier when I am that happy. That ballgame was one of the 5 best games that I have ever seen; women's, men's, NBA, WNBA. All of which is to say, of course I want us in the Final Four, I want another one of those trophies. But sometimes the journey is just as satisfying as the destination. A KID. A BALL. A DREAM.
I too have felt Lashann should have gotten more playing time throughout the year. When you have a player of that caliber, imo you play them at least enough to facilitate growth. There are going to be growing pains. I think all of us thought after the Tennessee game that she would have been a more significant contributor to the team throughout the season. When you have a light-em-up game like she did at Tennessee, it certainly brings expectations for the future. For whatever reason, Karen chose a different route, and whether we agree or disagree with Coach Aston's decision, it's a moot point now. I have tremendous respect for Coach Aston so I'll obviously defer to her judgment. I do, however, disagree that we have an "already loaded arsenal". That is simply not the case. We have at times shown an inability to "score" the basketball on a consistent basis, having long scoring droughts which have hurt us. I will say this.......with our limited offensive capability at some positions, I do believe how far we get in the tournament could very well depend on Lashann (and not just how much she herself scores). It is about her ability to break down the opposing defense and the "threat" she brings everytime she has the ball (as well as how active she is on the defensive end), that could open it up for other perimeter players. We simply at this point, do not have the "balanced", CONSISTENT offensive firepower to score enough against some of these outstanding offensive teams that we could face in the tourney. You don't win on just defense alone anymore. You have to consistently score WITH these teams. Muffet McGraw said it best....."in order to win in today's game, you have to score with the other team".
I agree with you Bobcat. You got have Offense, in order to stay in the game. With Teams like UConn, N.Dame and Baylor
