Olympic Team announced

[LadyVols_WBK]

That's dumb not to pick the players that got them through qualifying. I would think that 3x3 is specialized enough that you would want to pick players that have experience in it.

Of course, if selecting Dolson and KLS means two more UConn players added to the Olympic team...

I would keep Gray and Plum but Lou and Dolson are suspect to me and are replaceable... its very easy to lose in 3x3

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Wasn't it the last Olympics team that Geno snubbed Candice and added B. Stewart who had just left UConn and had not played even a second in the WNBA yet? There was no justification for that except Geno's obvious bias. They need a WNBA coach for this team who knows the talent.

 

[Amb3096]

Wasn't it the last Olympics team that Geno snubbed Candice and added B. Stewart who had just left UConn and had not played even a second in the WNBA yet? There was no justification for that except Geno's obvious bias. They need a WNBA coach for this team who knows the talent.

Except that Candace Parker was also selected to the US Olympic team as a rookie before having started her WNBA career, at the expense of other seasoned WNBA stars. Do you think that was also inexcusable?

Breanna deserved to be there in 2016 and backed it up ever since. Candace also deserved to be there in 2016. There are other players who did not, and that is where the issue lies.

 

[brassie]

This is the biggest issue IMO. No doubt that Sue and Diana are great players, but the USA is year in-year out the overwhelming favorite to win, and there is no player development going on. They drove Becky Hammon to Russia, Vandersloot to Hungary, and I'm sure there are other Americans playing for foreign teams because they know that they will never have a fair share because their is some senior citizen playing in her 12th Olympics because of "leadership". And I've always felt this way about the USWNT. They don't give younger players a chance because they are too busy trotting out the same players for 4-3 Olympic games in a row, when they could still win the gold with a younger team. If I'm being honest, Catch shouldn't have been on the 2016 team because she was in the twilight of her career and there were rising stars that should have been there ahead of her. Same with Seimone, and honestly, Taurasi and Bird should have stepped aside then for younger players to take the torch.

I mean, they selected over-the-hill Swin Cash and Ashja Jones in 2012 instead of Nneka Ogwumike. That is inexcusable, and they continue to screw Nneka over, first by leaving her off the 2016 team in favor of Stewart and then this past year for Collier. I think Collier and Stewart are great, but Napheesa didn't pay her dues the way other players have who still weren't rewarded. Like someone else said, she should go play for Nigeria, because Team USA is not worth her time.

Looking forward to 2032 when 50 year old Sue Bird is playing in her 8th Olympics...

And winning her 8th gold medal? Reality is that the current trend of having a mix of veterans and new talent has proven to be a winner. As long as that continues the selection process will remain the same.

You can't make the player development argument and then criticize the selection of Collier. I also remember the same criticism when Stewart was selected. Wasn't that also player development?

 

[Amb3096]

And winning her 8th gold medal? Reality is that the current trend of having a mix of veterans and new talent has proven to be a winner. As long as that continues the selection process will remain the same.

You can't make the player development argument and then criticize the selection of Collier. I also remember the same criticism when Stewart was selected. Wasn't that also player development?

Sue could play every Olympics until she dies, and she will win a gold each time. Which is kind of meaningless given that if the USA could send 3 teams, I'd bet money that they'd sweep the medals.

For the record, I didn't criticize the inclusion of Stewart. Never did. She totally deserved to be on the team as a rookie.

I had no problem with Napheesa's selection because I assumed it was because EDD and Nneka were unavailable due to injury. That would totally make sense. It makes less sense to put her on the team when Nneka (who has never rep'd the USA on the Olympics) is still in the prime of her career. Napheesa will definitely have her chance in 2023 as a 25-year old. She should not have been selected over Nneka based on player resumes.

As I said in a previous post, this whole concept of "veteran" leadership being needed is overrated. The USA has far and away the biggest WBB talent pool, and would coast to the gold playing exclusively with a combination of players that are half newcomers and half with only 1 previous Olympic game experience. For something like this where the team is chosen using subjective criteria, it is a shame that players like DT, Bird, and Sylvia are competing in their 4+ Olympics when other equally good players are not selected because they aren't part of the clique.

 

[brassie]

Sorry, I was not pointing at you as one that criticized Stewart's 2016 selection.

My understanding is that Nneka's expected return from her knee sprain would be in early July. Taurasi OTOH is expected to return to play in a couple of days.

Bird's comment about all the "too old" negativity around her. “I’m sure there are people out there like, ‘What’s a 40-year-old doing on this team?’ Well,” Bird said, “thanks for the motivation.” I have been watching Bird for a lot of years and she has one of the coolest demeanors on the court that I have seen. She doesn't get flustered. She is also in great condition and any loss of speed is made up for in court smarts.

There are 6 Olympic rookies on the team. One of them may have been UConn alum Tiffany Hayes if she was not injured.

 

[mcannon1]

 

[LadyVols_WBK]

Al I know was that Geno involved

 

[lvocd]

This is the biggest issue IMO. No doubt that Sue and Diana are great players, but the USA is year in-year out the overwhelming favorite to win, and there is no player development going on. They drove Becky Hammon to Russia, Vandersloot to Hungary, and I'm sure there are other Americans playing for foreign teams because they know that they will never have a fair share because their is some senior citizen playing in her 12th Olympics because of "leadership". And I've always felt this way about the USWNT. They don't give younger players a chance because they are too busy trotting out the same players for 4-3 Olympic games in a row, when they could still win the gold with a younger team. If I'm being honest, Catch shouldn't have been on the 2016 team because she was in the twilight of her career and there were rising stars that should have been there ahead of her. Same with Seimone, and honestly, Taurasi and Bird should have stepped aside then for younger players to take the torch.

I mean, they selected over-the-hill Swin Cash and Ashja Jones in 2012 instead of Nneka Ogwumike. That is inexcusable, and they continue to screw Nneka over, first by leaving her off the 2016 team in favor of Stewart and then this past year for Collier. I think Collier and Stewart are great, but Napheesa didn't pay her dues the way other players have who still weren't rewarded. Like someone else said, she should go play for Nigeria, because Team USA is not worth her time.

Looking forward to 2032 when 50 year old Sue Bird is playing in her 8th Olympics...

I am in 100% agreement with your post.

 

[Amb3096]

Sorry, I was not pointing at you as one that criticized Stewart's 2016 selection.

My understanding is that Nneka's expected return from her knee sprain would be in early July. Taurasi OTOH is expected to return to play in a couple of days.

Bird's comment about all the "too old" negativity around her. “I’m sure there are people out there like, ‘What’s a 40-year-old doing on this team?’ Well,” Bird said, “thanks for the motivation.” I have been watching Bird for a lot of years and she has one of the coolest demeanors on the court that I have seen. She doesn't get flustered. She is also in great condition and any loss of speed is made up for in court smarts.

There are 6 Olympic rookies on the team. One of them may have been UConn alum Tiffany Hayes if she was not injured.

Really, is there a really such a difference between "early July" and "in a few days"?

I've said all along that Sue is still an elite player, but it seems ridiculous to keep giving her, DT and Sylvia automatic spots for their 4th and 5th games over equally talented/productive players who have yet to repp the USA.

And if Hayes was healthy and made the team over Atkins (who has superior performance the last two seasons), it would just further prove that tryouts are a farce and UConn players and other pets are given priority consideration.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

I am 100% convinced Geno takes his favoritism as far as he can get away with.

 

[volman128]

Should Catchings have been left off the 2016 roster because she was old and past her prime? IMO she was selected as a reward for all of her contributions to USA basketball.

Most likely, yes. She brought nothing to the team just like Ashja Jones and Swin Cash in London.

 

[volman128]

but Howard wasn’t even the best player in college basketball last year.

Exactly what does this point have to do with the point that you're replying to?

 

[volman128]

Swin was a star her first few years and steadily declined after a fast start. I think she got injured and never fully returned to form. I think she earned her spot on the 2004 Olympic team, but nothing after that.

Ashja was a steady, productive player who had a long career, but absolutely did not deserve to be in the Olympics over Nneka...especially in 2012. She was good, but indistinguishable from the other "good" players out there.

Neither of them deserved to be on the 2012 Olympic team, and pretending that they weren't put on there because of Geno's influence is being oblivious to reality.

What's hilarious is that they were left off the 2008 Olympic team when Anne Donovan was coach and it was clear that their time on the team was done until Geno came swooping in to give them spots on the 2012 team as benchwarmers.

 

[sisaq]

Most likely, yes. She brought nothing to the team just like Ashja Jones and Swin Cash in London.

Catchings was selected just to cover up their favoritism & discrimination because lady vols fans were already going crazy during the selection to training camp. Check out all the Uconns that were selected that time. It just seems like Uconn team suppose to be atleast 6 or 7 In the team eventhough half of them are not great to be there.

 

[volman128]

Catchings was selected just to cover up their favoritism & discrimination because lady vols fans were already going crazy during to selection to training camp. Check out all the Uconns that were selected that time. It just seems like Uconn team suppose to be atleast 6 or 7 In the team eventhough half of them are not great to be there.

I mean, they could've just selected the LV that actually should've been on the team (Candace).

 

[Argonaut]

Exactly what does this point have to do with the point that you're replying to?

Their first point was they’d take Howard over Collier for this team, but IMO, that’s a HUUUUUGE jump downward (not to mention swapping a forward for a guard) considering that Howard isn’t even the best player (or guard) in college basketball and Collier followed up her ROY season with a second team all star selection.

I guess I just think of quite a few players before I jump to Rhyne Howard, and none of them are still in college.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Sorry, I was not pointing at you as one that criticized Stewart's 2016 selection.

My understanding is that Nneka's expected return from her knee sprain would be in early July. Taurasi OTOH is expected to return to play in a couple of days.

Bird's comment about all the "too old" negativity around her. “I’m sure there are people out there like, ‘What’s a 40-year-old doing on this team?’ Well,” Bird said, “thanks for the motivation.” I have been watching Bird for a lot of years and she has one of the coolest demeanors on the court that I have seen. She doesn't get flustered. She is also in great condition and any loss of speed is made up for in court smarts.

There are 6 Olympic rookies on the team. One of them may have been UConn alum Tiffany Hayes if she was not injured.

It's not her age that is garnering the most criticism. It's the fact that she has already been on 4 Olympic teams. Her inclusion comes at the expense of other players who haven't yet had the opportunity. USA Basketball is acting as though they can't win the Gold Medal without Bird and Taurasi and that is bull $hit.

 

[volman128]

Their first point was they’d take Howard over Collier for this team, but IMO, that’s a HUUUUUGE jump downward (not to mention swapping a forward for a guard) considering that Howard isn’t even the best player (or guard) in college basketball and Collier followed up her ROY season with a second team all star selection.

I guess I just think of quite a few players before I jump to Rhyne Howard, and none of them are still in college.

*Once again* what does Howard "not even being the best player in college basketball" have anything to do with making the Olympic team? I don't even agree with taking Howard over Collier but what you're saying has no logic whatsoever because that's not a criteria for making the team. Back in the day the Olympic team was primarily college players.

 

[Argonaut]

*Once again* what does Howard "not even being the best player in college basketball" have anything to do with making the Olympic team? I don't even agree with taking Howard over Collier but what you're saying has no logic whatsoever because that's not a criteria for making the team. Back in the day the Olympic team was primarily college players.

They’re the one who initially threw out Howard’s name — not me. I want to know why they would throw out her name into the discussion and not the best player(s) in college wbb. Guard or forward.

I don’t think this is the right USAB opportunity for college players anyways, but Sisaq brought her up and I’m curious as to why if she isn’t even the best that WCBB has to offer.

 

[brassie]

It's not her age that is garnering the most criticism. It's the fact that she has already been on 4 Olympic teams. Her inclusion comes at the expense of other players who haven't yet had the opportunity. USA Basketball is acting as though they can't win the Gold Medal without Bird and Taurasi and that is bull $hit.

Why should this be about opportunity? Maybe some of it is about recognition for an athlete's contribution to USA basketball over 20 years.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Why should this be about opportunity? Maybe some of it is about recognition for an athlete's contribution to USA basketball over 20 years.

Four prior selections to the United States Olympic team should sufficiently serve as recognition for that contribution. The United States has a very deep pool of women's basketball talent, with other American players deserving of the chance to represent their country in the Olympics. USA Basketball doesn't have to keep picking the same players over and over again in order to win the gold medal .... but that is what they are doing.

 

[Amb3096]

Why should this be about opportunity? Maybe some of it is about recognition for an athlete's contribution to USA basketball over 20 years.

So they reward her because they guarantee her a spot on the team? Doesn't make sense.

As said by myself and others, it's unnecessary because there is no one player that is crucial to winning the gold. The USA could achieve that with various combinations of players and still win just as convincingly. So not giving different players an opportunity to represent the USA instead of just picking the same players every year is just a bad look for them. I'm sure you'd feel differently if Paige was passed up repeatedly for Destanni Henderson because of her "leadership" and she's a "team player".

 

[BowlBrother85]

Should Catchings have been left off the 2016 roster because she was old and past her prime? IMO she was selected as a reward for all of her contributions to USA basketball.

Yes, Tamika Catchings should not have been on the 2016 Olympic team. Candace Parker should have had her spot.

 

[NeedOrange]

As I understand the 2016 slight to Candace was at least partly a corporate issue. 2016 was the first year Nike took over sponsorship of the basketball programs from Converse. Candace always wears Adidas since she became a Lady Vol. I was led to believe Nike didn't want Adidas' most visible player on the team.