Nicole Ohlde named Wade finalist

[Jimi]

In addition to Nicole Ohlde the finalists are:
Chantelle Anderson, Vanderbilt
Alana Beard, Duke
Iciss Tillis, Duke
Carla Bennett, Drake
Michelle Greco, UCLA
Kara Lawson, Tennessee
Kelly Mazzante, Penn State
Nicole Powell, Stanford
Diana Taurasi, Connecticut
LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State
Linsey Whalen, Minnesota
Shereka Wright, Purdue

[Jimi]

I am very pleased to see Carla Bennett's name on the list. I am, of course, also glad to see Ohlde's name. I expect everyone but Beard and Taurasi are window dressing, but these are all fine players. In my ever so humble opinion, Ohlde should be in the top three. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

[YCN]

Jimi, she is a very special player. Her gifts are undeniable, but I increasingly have the feeling that the political forces that decide these things are focused in the northeastern part of the country, which means that anybody of than Beard or Taurasi need not apply.

Call me disgruntled, but I am starting to get very weary of the current "state of affairs".

BTW, my post about host schools and the mess it is going to make with this year's tournament should be posted in the next week to 10 days. This year promises to be the most jerrymandered selection in the history of the 64 team women's tournament.

[ChipperF1]

"I increasingly have the feeling that the political forces that decide these things are focused in the northeastern part of the country, which means that anybody of than Beard or Taurasi need not apply.

Welcome to the Bert Convy Effect. That what decides most of the awards. Its who gets the hype.

The only problem with the gripe this year is, the two players getting all this press are deserving of every bit of it.

Who can you honestly make a case for? I only see two kids I could seriously walk into court and make a case for. LaToya Thomas is very nasty. She's going to light the WNBA up. I'm a believer. BUT, She has all the number, but Taurasi and Beard have the number plus the most important stat of all The Won-Loss Column.

Nicole Powell has the number, has the game, has the leadership. She's incredible. BUT, she's been injured this year, and missing game hurts your position when it comes to the individual awards. Not that Nicole really cares though. This kid gets a little red faced when you make a fuss about her. NKP's focus is more on the front of her jersey, not the back of it.

I'm happy for Carla Bennett. It's about time she's got her just due for being a good player. I've been digging her since high school. I think she's got a future in it, and could make some WNBA GM look really smart.

[YCN]

(Message edited by YCN to eliminate some unnecessary whining and general grumpiness from this board.)


[This message has been edited by YCN (edited 02-22-2003).]

[Bball Girl]

Good to see Ohlde here...she deserves it.

I've tried to understand the deal with LaToya Thomas ever since Tech blew MSU and her away in the NCAA's last year. I can see that's she's very athletic, very talented and has great skills. I've listened to Van Chancellor praise her to the skies and her ability to dribble and run the floor. She dribbles like Pierson which isn't overly impressive. I can see her talents and her gifts, but I don't see her using them very well with MSU. She gets her nose out of joint if the other players on the floor aren't dazzled by her and that affects her team and the results.
I've seen MSU play 2 or 3 times and once against So Carolina in a barnburner.

Course I felt the same way about Catchings too...until last year in the WNBA when I became a believer. Perhaps it is that a player like Thomas really doesn't fit as well in college ball as she will fit in playing pro ball.

I really like Chantelle Anderson.
On a homer note...I think Pierson's name would have been there too if last year had never happened.

[JohnHenry]

Well, I think Taurasi is a money player, based on what I have seen. And Beard is definitely one of the 3 or 4 best, stats be damned.

I'm a little shocked that Wecker isn't on that list. She could very well be Big 12 player of the year, IMHO.

[ChipperF1]

"This year promises to be the most jerrymandered selection in the history of the 64 team women's tournament.

This is one I do agree with you on. I don't like this "pre-selected site" approach either. I just seems cobbled together, and that's putting it nicely.