03 October 2014
First-World Basketball Problems
From Mechelle Voepel's chat:
kevin (macon ga): If Sue Bird was Australian she would already be guaranteed a spot on the 2020 roster. If Breanna Stewart came up in any other country the only debate would be whether anyone else should be allowed to touch the ball. Isn't debating whether Bird or Stewart or any of the other serious contenders should make the Team USA roster the very definition of a First World Problem?
Mechelle Voepel: *Every* debate about the US national team is a first-world problem. :) What I understand is that there may be a feeling that it didn't matter how well other guards played in training camp or how much better they may be now as WNBA players, nothing or no one was going to knock Bird out of her spot. And some may say that's justified because of all she's done for the national team, and that she's very reliable. I understand that point of view. But it's also understandable that it be questioned because there are a lot of good guards.
kevin (macon ga): If Sue Bird was Australian she would already be guaranteed a spot on the 2020 roster. If Breanna Stewart came up in any other country the only debate would be whether anyone else should be allowed to touch the ball. Isn't debating whether Bird or Stewart or any of the other serious contenders should make the Team USA roster the very definition of a First World Problem?
Mechelle Voepel: *Every* debate about the US national team is a first-world problem. :) What I understand is that there may be a feeling that it didn't matter how well other guards played in training camp or how much better they may be now as WNBA players, nothing or no one was going to knock Bird out of her spot. And some may say that's justified because of all she's done for the national team, and that she's very reliable. I understand that point of view. But it's also understandable that it be questioned because there are a lot of good guards.
Labels: Olympics, Seattle Storm, UConn basketball
09 March 2014
Quote of the Day: The Onion
From U.S. Advances To Women’s Hockey, Hey, Get The Fuck Back Here:
"After surging ahead thanks to first-period goals from Amanda Kessel, Kacey Bellamy, and—what, did seeing the names Amanda and Kacey already make you want to navigate away from this page? Because sources saw your dismissive, misogynistic bullshit coming a mile away before posting this report about a women’s sporting event, even though it involves a team representing the United States of America at the goddamn Olympics."
"After surging ahead thanks to first-period goals from Amanda Kessel, Kacey Bellamy, and—what, did seeing the names Amanda and Kacey already make you want to navigate away from this page? Because sources saw your dismissive, misogynistic bullshit coming a mile away before posting this report about a women’s sporting event, even though it involves a team representing the United States of America at the goddamn Olympics."
Labels: Olympics
23 February 2014
Quote of the Day: Twitter
Seen here:
"When wars are fought by slinging stones at your adversaries over sheets of ice, Canada will rule the world. #Sochi2014"
"When wars are fought by slinging stones at your adversaries over sheets of ice, Canada will rule the world. #Sochi2014"
Labels: Olympics
22 February 2014
Olympics of the Past
Listening to Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir commentate on the Olympics inspired me to find some of their performances on YouTube.
Tara Lipinski in 1998 was just as adorable as I remember. (Although my memory was that she threw in an unplanned combination jump at the end -- but the commentators on the video don't say anything about that, so I must be imagining things...)
I rarely watch men's figure skating, so I don't know that I ever saw Johnny Weir perform, but his long program from Vancouver was quite good:
Tara Lipinski in 1998 was just as adorable as I remember. (Although my memory was that she threw in an unplanned combination jump at the end -- but the commentators on the video don't say anything about that, so I must be imagining things...)
I rarely watch men's figure skating, so I don't know that I ever saw Johnny Weir perform, but his long program from Vancouver was quite good:
Labels: Olympics
Quote of the Day: Johnny Weir & Tara Lipinski
I've really enjoyed the broadcast team of Terry Gannon, Tara Lipinski, and Johnny Weir for the Olympic figure skating and ice dancing competitions. This exchange came during the women's short program:
Johnny Weir: Figure skating is basically running a marathon without sweating, and then smiling at the end of it.
Tara Lipinski: In sequins.
Johnny Weir: Figure skating is basically running a marathon without sweating, and then smiling at the end of it.
Tara Lipinski: In sequins.
Labels: Olympics
16 February 2014
Quote of the Day: Tumblr
Seen here:
"it makes me nervous that Biathlon is an Olympic sport.
Just think about it.
It tests your ability to ski really fast, then shoot things with incredible precision, and then ski the fuck away.
Olympic sport, or training ground for Nordic serial killers— the lines are blurred"
"it makes me nervous that Biathlon is an Olympic sport.
Just think about it.
It tests your ability to ski really fast, then shoot things with incredible precision, and then ski the fuck away.
Olympic sport, or training ground for Nordic serial killers— the lines are blurred"
Labels: Olympics
15 February 2014
Quote of the Day: Tumblr
08 February 2014
Quote of the Day: Richard Cohen
From his twitter:
"Primary reaction to Olympic Opening Ceremony so far - at least my country isn't paying for this crap this time."
"Primary reaction to Olympic Opening Ceremony so far - at least my country isn't paying for this crap this time."
Labels: Olympics
06 August 2013
Katarina Witt
I loved Katarina Witt in the late 1980's. She was such a beautiful skater. Tonight's "Nine for IX" documentary was about her and her role as the face of East Germany. It's called "The Diplomat" and it's very good:
It was wonderful to see clips of her skating, and it was shocking to discover the pressure she was under to win gold in 1988: After winning gold in 1984, she petitioned the government to let her turn pro. They told that they would consider it if -- and only if -- she won gold again in 1988.
And she did.
It was wonderful to see clips of her skating, and it was shocking to discover the pressure she was under to win gold in 1988: After winning gold in 1984, she petitioned the government to let her turn pro. They told that they would consider it if -- and only if -- she won gold again in 1988.
And she did.
Labels: Olympics
23 August 2012
Quote of the Day: Jayda Evans
From her twitter:
"Opals yellow and USA blue make Seattle Storm green."
"Opals yellow and USA blue make Seattle Storm green."
Labels: Olympics, Seattle Storm
21 August 2012
Quote of the Day: Sue Bird
From her livechat on ESPN.com:
[She was asked what other Olympic sport (besides basketball and soccer) she wishes she could compete in.]
"I'm not sure which one I'd want to compete in, but one of the sports that I went to watch live was water polo. I can definitely tell you that I would not want to play water polo. It looks like the toughest sport I've seen in my life. I went to women's water polo and they are legit athletes. I'm pretty sure I would drown."
[She was asked what other Olympic sport (besides basketball and soccer) she wishes she could compete in.]
"I'm not sure which one I'd want to compete in, but one of the sports that I went to watch live was water polo. I can definitely tell you that I would not want to play water polo. It looks like the toughest sport I've seen in my life. I went to women's water polo and they are legit athletes. I'm pretty sure I would drown."
Labels: Olympics, Seattle Storm
16 August 2012
Post-Olympics
First, the video of Sue Bird on New Day Northwest. Best part is ~3:15 when Sue talks about having to guard LJ in the USA/Australia game:
Speaking of LJ, she has some messages for us. On the Storm website there's a nice message explaining why she's not back yet, and tonight she tweeted, "#StormCrazies Go Storm, I am with you guys tonight, CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK THERE. YAY... Cheer my little Bird, T, Milli & co loud. I will be"
The WNBA made a cool little post-Olympics video:
Speaking of LJ, she has some messages for us. On the Storm website there's a nice message explaining why she's not back yet, and tonight she tweeted, "#StormCrazies Go Storm, I am with you guys tonight, CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK THERE. YAY... Cheer my little Bird, T, Milli & co loud. I will be"
The WNBA made a cool little post-Olympics video:
Labels: Olympics, Seattle Storm
11 August 2012
Game 8: France vs. USA
France put up a bit of a fight at the beginning of the game, but the result was never really in doubt. USA won the gold, 86-50.
I was much more anxious about the previous game: Russia vs. Australia. That was a much closer game,but Lauren Jackson had a fabulous second half and Australia won the bronze -- woo hoo!
US women win 5th straight gold, rout France 86-50: "The names change on the U.S. uniforms, but the results don't. Teresa Edwards, Dawn Staley, Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie got the amazing run started and now Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Tamika Catchings have continued it. With young stars Parker, Maya Moore and Tina Charles a big part of the success in London it doesn't look like the run will end anytime soon."
USA Basketball quotes: Geno Auriemma: "I mean, you can’t apologize for being really good. The reason [the media] don’t think there’s any competition is because they don’t have to be here playing. We know what the competition is, we know how good these other teams are, and we know how hard we have to work to make it look easy, because it’s not as easy as it looks. We do what we do in the United States and we take great pride in our basketball program. It doesn’t matter who the coach is, it doesn’t matter who the players are, there’s a certain level of expectation when you coach and play for USA Basketball. That expectation is to win, and we take it very seriously. Maybe in those other sports, there isn’t that same expectation in the United States that you’re going to win all the time, but we’re not going to start losing just to make them feel better back home."
Women's Basketball Bronze Medal: Lauren Jackson Leads Australia To Medal Over Russia: "After ending the three previous Olympics with a loss to the United States, Lauren Jackson earned her fourth consecutive Olympic medal and Australia's fifth with a win in the bronze medal game over Russia, 83-74."
No upsets as USA claim gold against France, Australia -- bronze: "Russians have previously complained about the aggressive defending by the Australians so they came out as the aggressors this time, crossing the line of dirty play more than they are used to. That didn’t stop the Russian coach Sokolovsky to complain about Australians getting away with too much."
London Finals: Bird, USA Golden Again: "Sue Bird and the USA women are golden again. The USA extended its domination of women's basketball competition at the Olympics to two decades, winning a fifth consecutive gold medal by crushing France in Saturday's final at London's North Greenwich Arena, 86-50. The win was the 41st in a row for the U.S. women in Olympic play, a streak that dates back to 1992. That was the last time the USA was unable to bring home gold."
What USA Women's Basketball's Defense Did To France In The Third Quarter Of The 2012 Olympic Final: "During the third quarter of the USA women's basketball team's 86-50 win in the 2012 Olympic final, BBC commentator John Amaechi said of France's offensive performance, 'Their scoring has gone from anemic to ... something worse than that.' "
U.S. women did not generate buzz, but did generate fifth straight gold: "While hordes of journalists attended every practice and game of the U.S. men's team, the women saw just a handful on a regular basis. They were well aware their journey lacked a certain kind of drama: They weren't doing something for the first time, as the U.S. women's water polo team did in winning a gold medal; they didn't leave outcomes in doubt, as the U.S. women's soccer team did in beating Canada in the final seconds of their semifinal. They weren't on a redemptive mission, and no tragic personal stories fueled them. They didn't stir up controversy on twitter, didn't show up in viral photos they'd live to regret; didn't wear ill-advised t-shirts that proclaimed, 'Greatness Has Been Found,' as the U.S. soccer players did after they won a gold medal."
I was much more anxious about the previous game: Russia vs. Australia. That was a much closer game,but Lauren Jackson had a fabulous second half and Australia won the bronze -- woo hoo!
US women win 5th straight gold, rout France 86-50: "The names change on the U.S. uniforms, but the results don't. Teresa Edwards, Dawn Staley, Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie got the amazing run started and now Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Tamika Catchings have continued it. With young stars Parker, Maya Moore and Tina Charles a big part of the success in London it doesn't look like the run will end anytime soon."
USA Basketball quotes: Geno Auriemma: "I mean, you can’t apologize for being really good. The reason [the media] don’t think there’s any competition is because they don’t have to be here playing. We know what the competition is, we know how good these other teams are, and we know how hard we have to work to make it look easy, because it’s not as easy as it looks. We do what we do in the United States and we take great pride in our basketball program. It doesn’t matter who the coach is, it doesn’t matter who the players are, there’s a certain level of expectation when you coach and play for USA Basketball. That expectation is to win, and we take it very seriously. Maybe in those other sports, there isn’t that same expectation in the United States that you’re going to win all the time, but we’re not going to start losing just to make them feel better back home."
Women's Basketball Bronze Medal: Lauren Jackson Leads Australia To Medal Over Russia: "After ending the three previous Olympics with a loss to the United States, Lauren Jackson earned her fourth consecutive Olympic medal and Australia's fifth with a win in the bronze medal game over Russia, 83-74."
No upsets as USA claim gold against France, Australia -- bronze: "Russians have previously complained about the aggressive defending by the Australians so they came out as the aggressors this time, crossing the line of dirty play more than they are used to. That didn’t stop the Russian coach Sokolovsky to complain about Australians getting away with too much."
London Finals: Bird, USA Golden Again: "Sue Bird and the USA women are golden again. The USA extended its domination of women's basketball competition at the Olympics to two decades, winning a fifth consecutive gold medal by crushing France in Saturday's final at London's North Greenwich Arena, 86-50. The win was the 41st in a row for the U.S. women in Olympic play, a streak that dates back to 1992. That was the last time the USA was unable to bring home gold."
What USA Women's Basketball's Defense Did To France In The Third Quarter Of The 2012 Olympic Final: "During the third quarter of the USA women's basketball team's 86-50 win in the 2012 Olympic final, BBC commentator John Amaechi said of France's offensive performance, 'Their scoring has gone from anemic to ... something worse than that.' "
U.S. women did not generate buzz, but did generate fifth straight gold: "While hordes of journalists attended every practice and game of the U.S. men's team, the women saw just a handful on a regular basis. They were well aware their journey lacked a certain kind of drama: They weren't doing something for the first time, as the U.S. women's water polo team did in winning a gold medal; they didn't leave outcomes in doubt, as the U.S. women's soccer team did in beating Canada in the final seconds of their semifinal. They weren't on a redemptive mission, and no tragic personal stories fueled them. They didn't stir up controversy on twitter, didn't show up in viral photos they'd live to regret; didn't wear ill-advised t-shirts that proclaimed, 'Greatness Has Been Found,' as the U.S. soccer players did after they won a gold medal."
Labels: Olympics, Seattle Storm
10 August 2012
Post-Game Articles
Team USA finally wears down Australia, advances to gold medal game: "There’s always a game within the game – and even though Australia would extend a 32-28 second quarter lead to as many as seven before the break, the tide had already turned with 6:11 to go in the second quarter. The reason? Liz Cambage was exhausted. Up to that point, Cambage had scored 13 points and dominated the game, but she was also completely out of gas. She leaned over at the free-throw line, hands on her knees, and had to come out of the game."
London 2012: Will semis loss to the U.S. be the end of an era for Australian women's basketball?: "Nor was [Australian guard Kristi Harrower] regretting her team's failure to game the system by losing their final preliminary round game, as Russia has all but confessed to doing, in an effort to avoid meeting the U.S. before the final. No, that would have been 'un-Australian,' as Harrower, team captain Lauren Jackson and Opals' coach Carrie Graf each independently described it when the question was put to them."
USA Women's Basketball Vs. Australia: Tina Charles, Asjha Jones & The Five Minutes That Changed The Game: "While Minnesota Lynx teammates Augustus, Moore, and Whalen have already drawn praise for bringing their WNBA championship-caliber chemistry to London, the defensive play of Charles and Jones - that has helped the Connecticut Sun establish themselves as the top defensive team in the Eastern Conference in the first half of the 2012 WNBA season - was just as significant in shifting momentum in favor of the U.S."
And from the USA Basketball site, Coach Auriemma's best quote:
On the decision to move to a two-three zone in the second-half:
I would love to say that it was really strategic on my part, but it was more out of desperation. We couldn’t guard her – there was nothing we could do. We had a couple of our bigs in foul trouble, and their two bigs were just killing us. So, we had played it a little bit this tournament and we were actually pretty bad for not having spent a lot of time on it. That and making a couple shots on the other end proved to be the difference.
London 2012: Will semis loss to the U.S. be the end of an era for Australian women's basketball?: "Nor was [Australian guard Kristi Harrower] regretting her team's failure to game the system by losing their final preliminary round game, as Russia has all but confessed to doing, in an effort to avoid meeting the U.S. before the final. No, that would have been 'un-Australian,' as Harrower, team captain Lauren Jackson and Opals' coach Carrie Graf each independently described it when the question was put to them."
USA Women's Basketball Vs. Australia: Tina Charles, Asjha Jones & The Five Minutes That Changed The Game: "While Minnesota Lynx teammates Augustus, Moore, and Whalen have already drawn praise for bringing their WNBA championship-caliber chemistry to London, the defensive play of Charles and Jones - that has helped the Connecticut Sun establish themselves as the top defensive team in the Eastern Conference in the first half of the 2012 WNBA season - was just as significant in shifting momentum in favor of the U.S."
And from the USA Basketball site, Coach Auriemma's best quote:
On the decision to move to a two-three zone in the second-half:
I would love to say that it was really strategic on my part, but it was more out of desperation. We couldn’t guard her – there was nothing we could do. We had a couple of our bigs in foul trouble, and their two bigs were just killing us. So, we had played it a little bit this tournament and we were actually pretty bad for not having spent a lot of time on it. That and making a couple shots on the other end proved to be the difference.
Labels: Olympics
Quote of the Day: Seimone Augustus
Remember how I said Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird talked to the team at halftime of the last game? Apparently Sue Bird really made an impression on Seimone Augustus:
On the team’s second half effort:
When Sue Bird has to yell at you about something it’s a problem and I think everybody took it personally at the way we defended in the first half. It was very disappointing to see [Liz] Cambage get easy shots like she did, so they came out and played awesome and the second group just took it upon themselves to be a little more aggressive and put the pressure on Australia early.
On the reserves sparking the 16-6 run:
Coach talks about it all the time, it could be any player on a given night. Angel McCoughtry has been a great job for us coming off the bench early, and tonight it just so happened to be the Minnesota Lynx and a few players from Connecticut that sparked that fire; and it was a matter of Sue Bird yelling at us in the locker room, which is unheard of. When Sue has to yell at a player it’s a problem, so we wanted to come out and bring the energy.
On the team’s second half effort:
When Sue Bird has to yell at you about something it’s a problem and I think everybody took it personally at the way we defended in the first half. It was very disappointing to see [Liz] Cambage get easy shots like she did, so they came out and played awesome and the second group just took it upon themselves to be a little more aggressive and put the pressure on Australia early.
On the reserves sparking the 16-6 run:
Coach talks about it all the time, it could be any player on a given night. Angel McCoughtry has been a great job for us coming off the bench early, and tonight it just so happened to be the Minnesota Lynx and a few players from Connecticut that sparked that fire; and it was a matter of Sue Bird yelling at us in the locker room, which is unheard of. When Sue has to yell at a player it’s a problem, so we wanted to come out and bring the energy.
Labels: Olympics, Seattle Storm
Game 7: Australia vs. USA
I managed to stay unspoiled for this game, despite the fact that I watched it a full twelve hours late. I almost wish I knew that we'd win, though, because yikes! It was a close one.
Australia was ahead at the end of the first quarter and the end of the first half. After halftime, though, the Americans figured out how to defend Liz Cambage, and by the fourth they had a comfortable-ish lead.
Apparently, at halftime Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi did most of the talking.
Speaking of Sue Bird, she ... well, she decided her team needed her to score some points, so she did.
Final score 86-73.
Next up: France in the gold medal game.
As lovewomensbball tweeted: "France win the silver medal! #TweetsFromSaturday"
Australia was ahead at the end of the first quarter and the end of the first half. After halftime, though, the Americans figured out how to defend Liz Cambage, and by the fourth they had a comfortable-ish lead.
Apparently, at halftime Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi did most of the talking.
Speaking of Sue Bird, she ... well, she decided her team needed her to score some points, so she did.
Final score 86-73.
Next up: France in the gold medal game.
As lovewomensbball tweeted: "France win the silver medal! #TweetsFromSaturday"
Labels: Olympics, Seattle Storm
09 August 2012
Quote of the Day: Richard Cohen
From his twitter:
"You've really gotta make sure you hold your flag the right way round in a match between Hungary and Italy."
"You've really gotta make sure you hold your flag the right way round in a match between Hungary and Italy."
Labels: Olympics
08 August 2012
Previewing the Semi-Finals
Lots has been written about the USA/Australia game tomorrow...
Here's two.
Also, for some reason, Apolo Ohno dropped by the team's practice. He looks really short.
Here's two.
Also, for some reason, Apolo Ohno dropped by the team's practice. He looks really short.
Labels: Olympics, Seattle Storm
Rebecca Lobo's Gold Medal
I quoted her tweet the other day, but now her husband has written an article about showing their kids her gold medal:
"These are the best athletes in the world," the announcer was saying, over an Olympic event that was blocked by my 7-year-old's silhouette -- her head, ears and pigtails backlit by the TV screen. A light bulb buzzed to life above that head and she said, without turning around, "Mom, you were in the Olympics, right?"
"A long time ago," my wife said from her armchair.
"Still," our daughter said, checking the math of her own logic. "That means you ... were one of the best people in the world ... at basketball." ("And yet you can't even microwave oatmeal," she seemed to imply.)
"These are the best athletes in the world," the announcer was saying, over an Olympic event that was blocked by my 7-year-old's silhouette -- her head, ears and pigtails backlit by the TV screen. A light bulb buzzed to life above that head and she said, without turning around, "Mom, you were in the Olympics, right?"
"A long time ago," my wife said from her armchair.
"Still," our daughter said, checking the math of her own logic. "That means you ... were one of the best people in the world ... at basketball." ("And yet you can't even microwave oatmeal," she seemed to imply.)
Labels: Olympics
Quote of the Day: Twitter
A conversation between Richard "WNBAlien" Cohen and Dishin' & Swishin':
WNBAlien: Big upset on cards in the handball quarters, with Iceland 4 down to Hungary at halftime. Can't quite believe I just typed that.
Dishin' & Swishin': you owe me 15 seconds of my life back that I read it
WNBAlien: Hungary won in double-overtime, by the way ;).
Dishin' & Swishin': make that 17 seconds
WNBAlien: Big upset on cards in the handball quarters, with Iceland 4 down to Hungary at halftime. Can't quite believe I just typed that.
Dishin' & Swishin': you owe me 15 seconds of my life back that I read it
WNBAlien: Hungary won in double-overtime, by the way ;).
Dishin' & Swishin': make that 17 seconds
Labels: Olympics
