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Sue Bird ready to lead Team USA
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sportsfanswhine



Joined: 10 Sep 2007
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PostPosted: 08/02/08 5:05 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

norwester wrote:
newkid wrote:
Bird's pretty young. Perhaps USA Basketball is expecting her to be their go to point guard for two Olympics, and are planning on her grooming a successor next time around.

Risky, despite her youth, but I'm sure you're right.


Yeah, this. You'd think they could learn from what happened with Harding, but apparently that's expecting a lot.

Playing her 35 minutes a game and taking for granted that she'll be around as long as they want her, USA Basketball as a whole sure doesn't give Sue the level of consideration her years of commitment actually deserve.



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Richyyy



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PostPosted: 08/02/08 7:15 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Bear in mind that, although most Americans still only pay any attention to the Olympics, major international basketball competitions come around every two years. I think the people who've already answered are right in relation to the 'building for the future' issue - USA Basketball don't see it as necessary for the point guard spot yet, because Bird is expected to continue (especially through the next two years, but almost ceertainly through the next four as well). Also, if they're lucky, Whalen can be brought in and made a part of the system over the next two years, and at least be a solid back-up part of the roster by 2010. That's made even more likely because Thibault is the almost inevitable next head coach.

I said it before the Worlds two years ago, and I still hold to it - the choice for a 12-player roster should be between two or three proper point guards, not one or two. But to be fair to USA Basketball (something I don't bother with too often, what with their general dumbness), they did try a few options and they kept falling through. Loree Moore was invited and got hurt; Harding was invited and got hurt; Whalen was invited and either got hurt or had better things to do. So in the end I think they felt like they had run out of legitimate point guard options and decided to stick with this back-up point guard by committee thing.

That might well have been influenced by Donovan's style of using her point guard(s). Considering Thibault currently has three on his club roster, and arguably four once Phillips arrives, that might well change once he has a stronger voice in the selection as head coach rather than an assistant (yes I know the head coach doesn't pick the roster, before anyone points that out again - but he/she definitely has a significant influence on who's picked).


p_d_swanson



Joined: 01 Dec 2004
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PostPosted: 08/02/08 7:26 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

norwester wrote:
I totally agree on the no-back-up point; it worries me. I even think I asked about it in my post. Who's being groomed now?



bballfan2005



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PostPosted: 08/02/08 7:39 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

That's fair. She is the best PG option that Minnesota has ATM, and the veterans of the WNBA have trouble keeping her out of the lane. That said, why isn't she on the 12-man roster? Could any of the guards playing for Russia and Australia guard her?



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Slovydal



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PostPosted: 08/02/08 7:39 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

gopherfan wrote:



Then don't compare collages in which has nothing to as to why lindsay didn't get picked.


Yeah, a player's artistic abilities should not be a factor.


bullsky



Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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PostPosted: 08/02/08 7:51 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

bballfan2005 wrote:
That's fair. She is the best PG option that Minnesota has ATM, and the veterans of the WNBA have trouble keeping her out of the lane. That said, why isn't she on the 12-man roster? Could any of the guards playing for Russia and Australia guard her?


I think they're worried that she hasn't had a lot of experience at the senior level, unlike Fowles and Parker. Wiggins will definitely be on the Team in 2012. By then, we will need to replace Katie, Lisa, Tina, and probably Delisha. Plus, with the overwelming talent coming in, I don't see Lawson making it. She can definitely fill a void on the perimeter. I expect/hope players like Wiggins, Dupree, Christon, Whalen, Humphrey, and perhaps even Mitchell in future Team USA pools.



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Richyyy



Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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PostPosted: 08/02/08 7:58 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

bballfan2005 wrote:
That's fair. She is the best PG option that Minnesota has ATM, and the veterans of the WNBA have trouble keeping her out of the lane. That said, why isn't she on the 12-man roster? Could any of the guards playing for Russia and Australia guard her?

Says the person who was loudly vociferous in her defence of Kara Lawson's spot on the roster Rolling Eyes . Wiggins isn't there largely because they took Kara instead.


bballfan2005



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PostPosted: 08/02/08 8:06 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Richyyy wrote:
Says the person who was loudly vociferous in her defence of Kara Lawson's spot on the roster Rolling Eyes .


She was an All-Star last year, she attended the offseason camps, and she made the team. What's this strange obsession you have with Kara making the team? Did she shit in your Wheaties or something?

Richyyy wrote:
Wiggins isn't there largely because they took Kara instead.


Yeah, like Team USA will actually have an 11-man rotation. Rolling Eyes

At least three of the players on the roster will be riding pine come the medal rounds. Kara is hardly the only player who'll be sitting on the bench as Team USA attempts to do something other than disappoint.



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gopherfan



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PostPosted: 08/02/08 10:56 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Douglas and Whalen should be on the USA team before Wiggins. They are both experience and are proven players Whalen being a true point guard and KT having overseas experience. Wiggins is still wet under the ears throwing in an inexperience newbie to play back up point guard for USA would be dumb.



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