Diamond DeShields article

#2
#2
Great article,thanks for sharing. Lady Vol opponents will have their hands full to try and contain Diamond. Now,if the rest of the team plays to their potential,it should be a good season.
 
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#3
#3
Awesome. I have a feeling great things are in store for us this year. This could get very interesting.
 
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#5
#5
I'm glad Diamond's health has improved. My wish is that every WCBB player would be able to play at 100% this year.

As for the article, go back and reread it carefully, especially the sections where Diamond is quoted. Every word is about the individual awards and accolades she wants for herself. I did not read one word about the contributions she wants to make to the team or the program. I did not read about her wanting to contribute to the success of the team. She did not compliment her teammates or even acknowledge that there will be four other players on the court with her. Every word was "me, me, me." Compare her words to those Carter used in the article "Andraya Carter: In Her Own Words." Carter was always a team-first player who understood that basketball is a team sport. The differences between the two young ladies are enlightening.
 
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#6
#6
Hoya Saxa said:
I'm glad Diamond's health has improved. My wish is that every WCBB player would be able to play at 100% this year.

As for the article, go back and reread it carefully, especially the sections where Diamond is quoted. Every word is about the individual awards and accolades she wants for herself. I did not read one word about the contributions she wants to make to the team or the program. I did not read about her wanting to contribute to the success of the team. She did not compliment her teammates or even acknowledge that there will be four other players on the court with. Every word was "me, me, me." Compare her words to those Carter used in the article "Andraya Carter: In Her Own Words." Carter was always a team-first player who understood that basketball is a team sport. The differences between the two young ladies are enlightening.
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I can understand how you took it that Diamond was being selfish and it's all about her. But on the other hand the article was about her. She just commented on individual goals that she set for herself. I don't think there's anything wrong with that especially since she is the best player on the team. She didn't live up to a lot of fans expectations last season and she wants to make amends.

So, I agree to a point. Yet I took her words as encouragement for herself. Her improvement from last season and her confidence will only make the team better. Also, she acknowledges coach Summitt. Diamond knows the history and wants to honor coach by playing her best and being a great leader. It's honorable of her to have worked on her game especially defense to lead her team to the Final Four.

By Diamond being the best player that she can be will only help the team get to where they want to be.
 
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#7
#7
Hoya Saxa said:
I'm glad Diamond's health has improved. My wish is that every WCBB player would be able to play at 100% this year.

As for the article, go back and reread it carefully, especially the sections where Diamond is quoted. Every word is about the individual awards and accolades she wants for herself. I did not read one word about the contributions she wants to make to the team or the program. I did not read about her wanting to contribute to the success of the team. She did not compliment her teammates or even acknowledge that there will be four other players on the court with. Every word was "me, me, me." Compare her words to those Carter used in the article "Andraya Carter: In Her Own Words." Carter was always a team-first player who understood that basketball is a team sport. The differences between the two young ladies are enlightening.
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What's wrong with having individual goals? She stated that the TEAM wanted to honor Pat Summitt by getting to the Final Four and possibly winning a National Championship. What better way than to lead by example. We need her confidence to take pressure off the rest of the team. We will need her to carry this team this season. Even Holly stated how Diamond has become a leader and matured this off-season. As long as she doesn't have ridiculous turnovers and take shots consistently that have you scratching your head, I'm OK with what she said in this article. We need someone to lead and have mental toughness. Our guard play has been our weakness for some time now.
 
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#8
#8
VOL720 said:
Lady Vols' DeShields has regained her health, confidence
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Here we go again with Diamond putting too much pressure on herself by saying things like "I want to be player of the year" and such.

You'd think that as bright as she is that she'd have learned that lesson after the first time she doomed herself by talking about what a great season she was about to have. :ermm:

Diamond could very well be a great player, but if I had my druthers she'd be the type that didn't make predictions about her own future greatness and just play to the best of her ability and let that do all the talking.

Also, it was disappointing to hear that she had to be constantly reminded to compete last year. Really? As if there weren't enough problems the self-proclaimed team leader/star player had to be reminded, constantly, to try hard? :blink:

I do believe Diamond is a fine young woman and I'm so happy she's a Lady Vol. I just wish she'd wise up and realize that the mind games she seems to need to play with HERSELF for motivation end up hurting the whole team when she hits rough patches.

Just hush up and play, and try to have fun doing it. That's all! :p
 
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#9
#9
Hoya Saxa said:
I'm glad Diamond's health has improved. My wish is that every WCBB player would be able to play at 100% this year.

As for the article, go back and reread it carefully, especially the sections where Diamond is quoted. Every word is about the individual awards and accolades she wants for herself. I did not read one word about the contributions she wants to make to the team or the program. I did not read about her wanting to contribute to the success of the team. She did not compliment her teammates or even acknowledge that there will be four other players on the court with. Every word was "me, me, me." Compare her words to those Carter used in the article "Andraya Carter: In Her Own Words." Carter was always a team-first player who understood that basketball is a team sport. The differences between the two young ladies are enlightening.
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I hear you. I can't remember any other Lady Vol talking this way about individual awards - they just went out and earned them. Diamond has always talked this way, yet she apparently is considered a good teammate. You see her at games encouraging & supporting her teammates. It's good to have a lot of confidence. Wish the best for her & the LVs this season. We'll see!
 
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#10
#10
It is personal goals, every Pro has them and there is nothing wrong with trying to achieve these goals. I hope every player and Coach has a set of goals they will try to achieve this coming year.
 
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#11
#11
PineyBluff Vol said:
It is personal goals, every Pro has them and there is nothing wrong with trying to achieve these goals. I hope every player and Coach has a set of goals they will try to achieve this coming year.
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Personal goals are important, of course.

But last year, when Diamond's publicly stated personal goals became a very public personal embarrassment for her, many of us pointed out then that it was SHE who had created the problem in the first place by creating the highest of expectations among teammates, coaches and fans.

I remember some folks saying, "Give Diamond a break! The expectations were too high!" But that's what she asked for when she made her personal goals so public and with so much confidence.

That's what I mean by "just hush up and play." But if a player just HAS to make lofty goals widely public, then that player should never have to be "constantly reminded to compete."
 
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#12
#12
PineyBluff Vol said:
It is personal goals, every Pro has them and there is nothing wrong with trying to achieve these goals. I hope every player and Coach has a set of goals they will try to achieve this coming year.
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Piney: I agree with you about having personal goals. Every player should have them. In fact, I would wager that Holly sits down with each and every player at the start of each season to go over them.

But in polite society, we acknowledge the presence and contributions of others and the role they play. At a very young age, my mother taught it me it was the height of rudeness to monopolize a conversation, it was boorish to only talk about oneself, and to be braggy and conceited (whether justified or not) was in very poor form. If you read Carter's (farewell?) letter, you will see that she goes to great pains to give credit to everyone around her. I applaud Andraya for that. Clearly her parents have done a fantastic job of raising a well-mannered, compassionate, and considerate human being.
 
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#13
#13
Hoya Saxa said:
I'm glad Diamond's health has improved. My wish is that every WCBB player would be able to play at 100% this year.

As for the article, go back and reread it carefully, especially the sections where Diamond is quoted. Every word is about the individual awards and accolades she wants for herself. I did not read one word about the contributions she wants to make to the team or the program. I did not read about her wanting to contribute to the success of the team. She did not compliment her teammates or even acknowledge that there will be four other players on the court with. Every word was "me, me, me." Compare her words to those Carter used in the article "Andraya Carter: In Her Own Words." Carter was always a team-first player who understood that basketball is a team sport. The differences between the two young ladies are enlightening.
Click to expand...

You want to compare an article Andraya wrote herself to an article that Diamond was interviewed for. As if Diamond had control of which quotes the writer was eventually going to put in print. Umm, yeah.
 
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#14
#14
xanamanax said:
You want to compare an article Andraya wrote herself to an article that Diamond was interviewed for. As if Diamond had control of which quotes the writer was eventually going to put in print. Umm, yeah.
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Very good point. The printed copy could be a few sentences out of a much larger interview.

Of what they did print, I find it odd that it is important to her that she be considered the best player on the court. There will be games (ND, Baylor, SC) where she may not be. There will be games where she won't be the best LV player on the floor (hope that won't be a problem for her).

I hope by "best player" she means doing all of the things that really define a great player (shooting, defense, rebounding, assists, limit turnovers, setting picks for others, exuding positive body language, having a good attitude when you are asked to sit, etc.).
 
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#18
#18
Now dats sum **** Taurasi wud say. lol Love it. Alpha female is back.

She is the best player in game if she plays to her potential, Louisville's Duo kinda scary tho.

Great read. Thanks.
 
#20
#20
And y'all all worried about number of players we will have. Heck, sounds like we only need someone to throw the ball inbounds to DD and we will be hanging banners!!!!!

Or...at least celebrating a POY!!
 
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#21
#21
Here's to hoping that this article means Diamond will lead the way, Russell will follow suit, and they will drag the others up the hill with them. Someone has to be the leader on the court right?

Regardless as to whether or not you like her verbiage or at least what the author decided to share, she is taking ownership of a leadership role which she must. If she believes herself to be the best on the floor during the game then she must also be the best in practice, the best in the locker room, and in the class room.

If the other players on the team see her excelling and working hard as their leader they will do the same, if they have any respect at all for her. Having a great leader on the floor will make the Tennessee coaching staff's job much easier.
 
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#22
#22
Pat4life said:
Now dats sum **** Taurasi wud say. lol Love it. Alpha female is back.

She is the best player in game if she plays to her potential, Louisville's Duo kinda scary tho.

Great read. Thanks.
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We have and have always had, an Alpha player in DD,,, The question is, do we have an Alpha-Leader on staff to control or inspire our alpha player?

Jollette gave it a try.
Maybe Reaves can do it.
Or Coach Jumper is available.
 
#24
#24
SCGamecock said:
You think the article was ruined here? You should check out The Boneyard's response to it... you get crucified for even hinting that you like DeShields over there.
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That is hard to believe... since DD has such "mad respect" for Geno.
 
#25
#25
NO Diamond was Beta last year. Not alpha. An alpha athlete performs every nite and leads by example on and off the court, in practices and games. If u ain't performing to yo potential u ain't Alpha, and no confidence. So, no Diamond wasn't an alpha player last year.

Alpha for one don't like to be told wut to do, it doesn't take an Alpha coach to lead, an Alpha athlete, just someone who that person trusts, and gonna be honest.

Alpha player don't need anything from anyone, just to remind them of the goals, and to stay in the moment and remain focus.

Holly and her staff can do that, most importantly, I think Diamond teammates will hold her more accountable this year.

She always been Alpha, not last year. ijs. This year. We shall see. Her swag and confidence used to crush teams before they played, no one feared the Lady Vols last year.

Mercedes, make that Izzy jump this year, All American jump this year, two years.
 
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