Sometimes we need not to be so enamored by the Pat Summitt myth, where endless stories are told of how she completely changed the course of a game with "the stare." The LVs had more than their share of disappointing losses, including the inexplicable result where the legendary "meeks" team lost to an on paper overmatched Duke squad in the elite 8. In a lot of games, the outcome turned less because of CPS's stare than because the LVs had a Candace Parker, a Holdsclaw, or a Catching, or a Lawson would could take over a game.
(Imagine the conversation around this Auburn game, if a 100% Rae had closed the game with 10 point flurry leading the team to victory...)
CPS was kind of in the Bobby Knight mold (a much more in-control version of course) and I think that stern disciplinarian approach just does not work as well in today's world. I have no doubt that kellie demands accountability but redface screaming at a player may make fans feel better but it probably does not do jack squat for most players. In her presser, Maria ask if Kellie if this game could be a teaching moment to make the team appreciate the value of not turning the ball over. And Kellie's response, was they know that already, we talk about it, we work on it, it was our execution and spacing that was our problem tonight."
I think that is exactly right. Does anyone really believe that Burrell needs a coach to scream at her to realize that she hurt the term when she dribbled the ball off her foot in a crucial moment (and to feel awful about that mistake). Is screaming at Emily going to improve her reaction time? and so on.
