ESPN NCAAW Conversation

Mysterio Red

I'm scratching my head looking at this list . . I think there's a deeper reason why the left Cappie Pondexter off the team this year. I feel Brittney Griner should have been on the team. She's the Number 1 center in the world right and the pick Tina Charles, Swin Cash and Lindsey Whalen ? So what if the Lynx won a championship. Lindsey Whalen is NOT better than Cappie Pondexter. Swin Cash I think is too old and I think they should have given Brittney Griner the center spot instead of TIna Charles. But then again Geno is the coach so if you play for UCOnn your basically on the team all ready.
32 Days ago

MAHOGMA66

It's not about the best players,it's about the best team.
8 Days ago

Theblkpro

I've look at the squad and there no way Cappie should not be on that squad. Name four players on that squad that has more talent then Cappie.
42 Days ago

donna55055

even when cappie was on the team she didnt play that much and she was one of the best players then... she is easily one of the best in the world, 4 players from uconn, PLEASE!... what about both griner AND delle donne, SWIN CASH "take a back seat please" as well as sue bird there is NO ONE IN THE WORLD WHO CAN TELL ME SHE S THE BEST GUARD IN THE NATION!
51 Days ago

astrose00

I'm not sure if she's elgible but Sophia Young (US Virgin Islands) might have been a great choice over Swin. I could name tons of players I would have picked over her, including Tina Thompson and Taj McWilliams Franklin. There is nothing she's bringing to this team. I'm sorry. I would think they would have to choose Griner (and she definitely deserves it) but Elena Delle Donne would also been a nice choice for that last spot. I would also have pick Nneka Ogwumake over Swin Cash. I can't see her getting much playing time. She can't shoot.
50 Days ago

Realgee1

I agree. I can see whalen making the team. As much as I like Sue Bird, her skills are starting to diminish. For the team to only have 2 true point guards is ridiculously. Swin Cash should not have made this team, there are better forwards in the league than her. I say they should have picked Deena Nolan, and Britney Griner. i think this team also has 3 or 4 players over 30 years old.
50 Days ago

donna55055

women's basketball is soooo political... ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL... and yes i know i was invited to and tried out for the world championship team " back in da day" hehe
51 Days ago

astrose00

Yeah, it's sickening. But maybe if and when they stop winning they will select differently. I'm sad Kara Lawson didn't make the team. She's no superstar but I thought she was brilliant on that team as a floor leader, defender and distributor.
50 Days ago

myuconncuzinvinny

Lindsay Whalen deserved to be on the team, she earned her way on. Cappy could have made the team but had other things on her mind.
51 Days ago

astrose00

Like what? Rest? Attending Fashion Week is not the same as playing basketball. Should she have become a hermit and stayed at home? These women don't make a whole lot of money playing ball so Cappie is concentrating on her business. What's wrong with that? If a player was pregnant during the 2010 World's would that also be punished because she had other things on her mind? I'm not flaming you but just ridiculing the selection committee if they actually hold things like that against players.
50 Days ago

NYCScribbler

Pondexter has made it very clear where her priorities are. USA Basketball has responded appropriately. Individual talent isn't the only criterion for building a team.
51 Days ago

HateBrass

Let me tell you something-pondexter would never have played for a national team if she had not played with tarausi in Phoenix and helped her win a WNBA title. Afterall, Pondexter got into it with Geno when she was at Rutgers. Tarausi used her pull with geno to get Pondexter on the team. Now that she is in NY, her free pass is over. I know at least 10 players that are better than many of the players that have been chosen for years.
52 Days ago

msmoniker

Pondexter's lack of commitment to the National team is likely the biggest reason why she's been left off. Her playing with Taurasi in Phoenix and her run-in with Auriemma had little bearing, if any, on her being on the team before and her not being there now. The US head coach has very little say as to who is on the team, and a player has even less/none.
51 Days ago

astrose00

I doubt very seriously that Geno had no input. If he didn't, Swin Cash would NOT be on that team.
50 Days ago

jehu80

Agreed. It's her attitude. She's started more fights with players and opposing coaches than any other female I can remember. She doesn't represent what the game should be about. Often times, she's not even provoked. Nothing happened, and she makes a huge deal out of the smallest little run-of-the-mill foul. She got into it with Geno in the past, and she even got into it with Taurasi who was the only reason she won a championship to begin with. So it's not surprising that she's being left off a team where both Geno and Taurasi probably have a lot of say(no matter what the selection committee says) on who is on the team.
51 Days ago

astrose00

And how many conflicts does Geno start?
50 Days ago

astrose00

Taurasi is the only reason Cappie won a title? You sure it's not the other way around??? Cappie won Finals MVP that first year when she put that team, including Taurasi, on her back in a very Dwyane Wade-esque manner. She SHOULD have been MVP for the second championship as well. I don't blame her for wanting to be the "man" on NY instead of living in Diana's shadow. I agree with the person who said all of this is very political. Way back when, Deanna Nolan was one of the top players in the world and got overlooked for lesser players. Nolan is a team player all the way and one of the best defenders and shooters in the womens game. She has no weaknesses and would have been a great addition to the team. Look at the men's game. Kobe and Shaq and Kevin Garnett have passed on playing in the World's. Was anyone following them around to see what they did when the team was practicing? Can we really equate attending Fashion Week to practicing and playing basketball? These players play all year round. Cappie plays hurt and gives 100% on the court. No one should question when she needs a break. I have never heard that Diana Taurasi is winning any congeniality awards. In fact, there's been far more controversy surrounding her career than Cappie. But DT is who the league thinks fans want to see so she's propped on a pedestal she doesn't deserve to be on. And Swin Cash should be embarassed to have been put on the team. She's no where near a top anything anymore (if she ever was). Maybe top cheerleader but that's about it.
50 Days ago

andrewgeorge58

Pondexter is more talented than any of the guards on the team. Normally I'd have sympathy but after all the fist fights she's started with player I have to wonder about her mental state and her ability to pass the tests. The absolutely best player unfairly left off the past 3 Olympic teams is Deanna Nolan.
52 Days ago

HateBrass

She was left off because (a) she played for Detroit and ESPN and many won't admit it that they hated detroit because of Bill Laimbeer. another reason she was left off the teams is because any male that watched basketball knows Nolan is far superior than all the players Tennessee and U Conn have sent to the WNBA. The only U Conn player that has Nolan's physical skills and athleticism is Maya Moore. Nolan was a champion in high school, made the Final Four in her three year college career, was a three time champion in the WNBA and has won world titles annually overseas with two different teams. Bird, Staley, Milton-Jones, catchings, Whalen, McCoughtry, Cash and Parker should ever have been considered for a national team over Deanna Nolan.
52 Days ago

astrose00

She hasn't played against the world's top talent in, what, 3 years? I've seen great players play overseas and not do much and I've seen marginal players go overseas and look like superstars (e.g., Erin Thorn). It's hard to say why that is but most of the time it's the coach and the system. I know she had a lot of injuries her last year or two with Detroit so perhaps that has to do with it.
50 Days ago

Jet Jaguar76

All that praise, and Nolan is a less-than-stellar bench player for UMMC Ekat in Russia in the Euroleague. How do you explain that?
51 Days ago