No I’m not going to talk about the plane snafus of Hurley’s Huskies.
Flying sucks.
But shall comment briefly on the UConn women’s situation, exclamation-pointed by Geno Auriemma’s every pissy, passive aggressive postgame take.
As someone whose team’s fortunes went south this season after a ref’s untoward call cost them an important game against a league rival, I understand the frustration and resulting ire of UConn fans.
A blocking call against Aaliyah Edwards cost her team, down one with seconds to go, a shot at winning the national semi.
To my eyes, it was a legit foul. She moved to her left, spread her feet outside her shoulders, raised her forearms to her chest, and leaned into the defender.
It happens.
I’m of the belief that refs should not let the game play out amidst physical chaos if fouls are committed. An infraction of the rules in the 1st is also one with three tics on the clock.
That said, let’s hope this increases the focus on the egregiously less than acceptable officiating generally in the women’s game. It’s been a problem for years. Now that the sport has emerged into the nation’s consciousness, it’s time to fix it.
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The Truth: We all want to see Caitlin Clark play one more time against juggernaut South Carolina Sunday afternoon.
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One other thing about the women’s game.
Ole Miss, a member of that league that cares more and really doesn’t care what anybody else thinks, the school that hired Chris Beard, has gone and done it again.
The institution of higher learning recently hired as an assistant on the women’s team: Quentin Hillman.
His name might not immediately ring a bell. He’s the Syracuse coach who was forced to resign after an investigation instigated when nine former players documented over the top verbal abuse. Three said they contemplated suicide.
So, yeah.
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Bronny James is entering the NBA draft, though he might stay at Southern Cal or transfer.
Seriously, with his numbers and health history, would the pros do anything but laugh in his face, if his father wasn’t You Know Whom. Which they might do anyway.
I’ve always felt kinda sorry for the kid and the klieg light scrutiny he faces.
I thought of Michael Jordan’s sons, Marcus and Jeffrey, who played to modest success collegiately. But basically under the radar.
Their papa did not turn the spotlight on them like LeBron does.
But they both ended up with issues in adulthood.
Bronny, tell your dad you realize you’re not ready, and transfer to a school far from LA, and develop.
I mean, I know a place with plenty of roster spots available. And I’m not talkin’ SMU.
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Read an interesting article about musician/ former baller/ former soccerer David Barrett.
He penned “One Shining Moment,” which we shall all hear late Monday evening under a montage of the Dance, and which understandably kicked his career into gear. It was fortuitous luck that it got to CBS.
And while all that’s nice for him. And his song when played a couple of days from now will be definitive statement that hoopaholic withdrawal is here, it reminded me the singular musical number forever and always a reminder of my Cardinals’ first natty.
Kenny Loggins’ “This Is It.”
— c d kaplan
The ref’s call in the Iowa-UConn was a good one. It was a clear foul. The game was very physical with no calls on both teams. Better UConn fans should whine about the missed rebound on Clark’s second free throw.
This was a pretty physical game from the tip. Refs let a lot go. Clark was bumped and held most of the game so UConn had no room to complain. But the foul was an illegal screen as the author described. The physical play caught up with them. All the complaining, especially by ESPN, really dissed a great effort by a really good Iowa team.
Frankly, I see very little consistency in college level refereeing. In fact, you have to expect this most every game. Point being, don’t put yourself in a position where the refs impact the game. I know, easier said than done. But followers of the seedy K,
you ain’t going to see the likes of Hank Nichols blowing a whistle any time soon. What you will see is existential subjective inconsistencies. Example, an intentional foul called on UL’s Olivia Cochran with a few seconds left on the clock while playing the women Cuise. This is done all the time in the use of clock strategy. The result, a common foul is called. UL had fouls to give. So, what happened? You guessed it-a two shot foul was called. UL loses by one. There you have it.
I always liked This is it better than one shining moment. Too many things to get into about the U Conn-Iowa game. It was physical both ways, but somehow U Conn got into more foul trouble than Iowa. I thought U Conn played Clark cleaner than Louisville played Griner many years ago. Nothing wrong with face guarding. Two things officials would not have done in a mens game – call an offensive block on the last play, and let nearly two seconds run off the clock before calling a jump ball or going to the monitor to check the clock. Granted, it was over with the jump ball play. I wonder if Clark missed that FT on purpose, as opposed to making it and allowing U Conn to advance the ball.
It definitely was a legitimate foul. In my opinion it had to be called due to the clear foul on UConn on the previous defensive play. The non call allowed UConn to be in the position to win.