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bcdawg04
Joined: 12 Apr 2016
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 Posted: 01/15/20 7:01 pm ::: |
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| stever wrote: |
https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28487129/why-oregon-sabrina-ionescu-good-where-grow
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Ionescu, who has an NCAA-record 22 triple-doubles in her college career, is focused on trying to lead the sixth-ranked Ducks -- who host No. 3 Stanford on Thursday (ESPN/ESPN App, 9 p.m. ET) -- back to the Women's Final Four. But what makes her so good, and what will make her so valuable at the next level?
We asked Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, two of the best guards in the world, Oregon coach Kelly Graves and WNBA scouts. |
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"Maybe your parents don't necessarily speak English really well when you're a kid, and you may have to do some things other kids don't. But you see your parents just going to work every day, working hard. You take that on: You want to prove to everyone that you belong. That stuff comes out in you. I know I still have that chip on my shoulder."
-Diana Taurasi on what she calls an "immigrant mindset" she shares with Sabrina Ionescu |
You want to prove to everyone that you belong. Yes. Great perspective.
Nice article. 22 triple-doubles in college is insane.
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
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Location: New York City
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| Posted: 01/15/20 7:24 pm ::: |
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| bcdawg04 wrote: |
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"Maybe your parents don't necessarily speak English really well when you're a kid, and you may have to do some things other kids don't. But you see your parents just going to work every day, working hard. You take that on: You want to prove to everyone that you belong. That stuff comes out in you. I know I still have that chip on my shoulder."
-Diana Taurasi on what she calls an "immigrant mindset" she shares with Sabrina Ionescu |
You want to prove to everyone that you belong. Yes. Great perspective.
Nice article. 22 triple-doubles in college is insane. |
Wonderful remarks by Taurasi. A remarkable stat for Ionescu.
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J-Spoon
Joined: 31 Jan 2009
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| Posted: 01/15/20 8:02 pm ::: |
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Did Johannes sign a multi year contract? Or was it one year and she now has reserve status with the Liberty? If she is a reserve could the Liberty offer her a bigger contract? Or is there still some restriction based on Johannes only being a second year player?
In other words could the liberty entice her to show up more in 2020 by paying her saying 160K vs 60K or whatever rookie contracts are?
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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Location: London
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| Posted: 01/15/20 9:06 pm ::: |
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| Agents realised a while back that undrafted foreigners should initially only sign for one year, because then you become reserved but can be paid anything. So yes, barring any changes in the new deal, Johannes is reserved and can be paid anything up to the applicable max (which I believe in her case would be 185k, but don't hold me to that yet). |
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
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| Posted: 01/15/20 9:28 pm ::: |
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| Certainly seems clear that our new coach is on a mission to convince Marine Johannes to seriously increase her commitment to the Liberty. He's got my vote on that.
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007
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| Posted: 01/15/20 10:25 pm ::: |
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| Shades wrote: |
| stever wrote: |
https://share.transistor.fm/s/7941db28
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Hopkins talked about three players he was excited to be working with. He was quite long-winded and effusive about Johannes. I’ll transcribe the conversation here.
Kia Nurse
“Kia Nurse is already at an All Star level. There are small adjustments we can make with her that could make a big difference.”
Marine Johannes
“Marine is one of the most talented players in the league right now that we really haven’t gotten a chance to see her shine and really show everybody what she’s capable of. But as I went through and I studied the team and I watched Marine, I was absolutely floored by the potential there. She can really do things I don’t really know for sure if I’ve ever been around a player who has that natural level of that she has that swagger to her. She can make a jump shot from anywhere inside half court... off the dribble, set. She passes at an unbelievable high level. She’s got great size.”
Asia Durr
“We haven’t gotten a full season out of healthy Asia Durr. Jonathan speaks so highly of her and really has gotten more of a chance to look at her than I have. I haven’t gotten a chance to see Asia on the practice court and things like that. Really excited about her. I watched her a lot in college at Louisville. She’s one of my favorite players out of that draft.”
So it sounds like Hopkins looked at the Liberty film of Johannes but didn’t do the same with Durr because he said “he didn’t get a chance to see her.” Hmmm. To me it sounds like Hopkins is totally open to making Johannes a starter, unless I’m misunderstanding terms like “one of the most talented players in the league right now“ and “absolutely floored by the potential there”. |
Hopkins said he didn't get to see Durr on the practice court. He said nothing about film. Besides, Walt scouted Asia extensively in college. He knows what she's about. Johannes, on the other hand, is a player he probably doesn't know well. Marine missed the first two games against Minnesota, and she was unimpressive in the one game Hopkins saw (1-5, 2 pts, 3 fouls). So, if he's getting to see the good Johannes for the first time, yeah Walt's more likely to talk about her. Everybody loves their new toy.
As I said before, there's no doubt management and the fans love Johannes. But does she love us back? You can't start someone who isn't here. Maybe the Benjamins will help. But you're trying to pry her away from the French National Team. Will money trump national pride?
I'm all for giving Johannes whatever role she earns if she shows up. But right now, who out there wants to bet on her playing the first half of the season? Any takers? Because if Marine isn't here, then someone else (probably Durr) will start for roughly 20 games. Then after the Olympics, will Hopkins simply hand the starting job over to Johannes? Aside from the fairness issue, how will Marine even know the plays or systems if she hasn't been here?
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
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| Posted: 01/15/20 10:40 pm ::: |
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| root_thing wrote: |
Hopkins said he didn't get to see Durr on the practice court. He said nothing about film. Besides, Walt scouted Asia extensively in college. He knows what she's about. Johannes, on the other hand, is a player he probably doesn't know well. Marine missed the first two games against Minnesota, and she was unimpressive in the one game Hopkins saw (1-5, 2 pts, 3 fouls). So, if he's getting to see the good Johannes for the first time, yeah Walt's more likely to talk about her. Everybody loves their new toy.
As I said before, there's no doubt management and the fans love Johannes. But does she love us back? You can't start someone who isn't here. Maybe the Benjamins will help. But you're trying to pry her away from the French National Team. Will money trump national pride?
I'm all for giving Johannes whatever role she earns if she shows up. But right now, who out there wants to bet on her playing the first half of the season? Any takers? Because if Marine isn't here, then someone else (probably Durr) will start for roughly 20 games. Then after the Olympics, will Hopkins simply hand the starting job over to Johannes? Aside from the fairness issue, how will Marine even know the plays or systems if she hasn't been here? |
You're viewing this entirely in terms of the 2020 season. I'm not and I'm guessing that Hopkins isn't either. For 2020, everything you say is right. And of course he shouldn't just turn the starting job over to Johannes if she arrives midseason.
I'm thinking long-term. Perhaps Johannes is already set in her mind and in her plans as to how she's going to handle her options for 2020. But suppose that in working with Johannes--in whatever time he'll have with her this year--Hopkins is able to convince Johannes to make a stronger commitment to New York for 2021 and beyond. I'm for that.
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J-Spoon
Joined: 31 Jan 2009
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| Posted: 01/15/20 11:17 pm ::: |
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It is an interesting problem. Durr vs Johnnes, hmmm
the easiest solution in 2020 might be for Johannes to show up late, Durr starts, Johannes gets heavy minutes off the bench upon arrival and re-evaluate in 2021 who should be the starter.
If Johannes shows up for most of the season it sounds like she could start alongside Ionescu and Nurse and Durr is relegated to scorer off the bench role a la Lou Williams, that might be a good role for Asia, but after being a star her whole career, and starting a lot as a rookie I am not sure if she is healthy how thrilled she would be with a bench role. Yes they are pros and should do what is best for the team but the adjustment from number 1 option to 3rd or 4th option as a starter is hard, from #1 option to bench is probably even harder (but maybe be the 1st option of the 2nd unit would be a more natural fit for a player like that).
Then you would have to answer the question who is a better compliment to Ionescu in the back-court?
ANd while I might be in the minority if Durr takes the step forward I think she will take in a healthy sophomore season I am not sure there will be an easy answer to who is better Durr or Johannes come 2021. I guess it is a good problem to have.
If Johannes shows and Durr is healthy I would assume that Ionescu, Durr, Johannes and Nurse sliding to the 2 when Allen (or yet to be named SF) is in means there aren't a whole lot of minutes for Boyd or Hartley left on the table.
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007
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| Posted: 01/16/20 1:32 am ::: |
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As I've said repeatedly, if Johannes shows commitment to the Liberty I'm fine with whatever happens. Like everyone else, I'm rooting for Marine to return. In September, after the Liberty got the #1 pick, I sent this PM to NYL_WNBA_FAN:
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| I've been watching highlight videos of Ionescu as well as some of the Liberty players. Sabrina on the floor with Johannes is going to be fun. We just need everybody to be alert for surprise passes. Stokes especially, and Han if she's here, are two players who need reminding. |
I'm high on Johannes, and I don't care if she beats out Asia Durr. Remember, I wanted McCowan. But I'm skeptical she'll be around. Foreign players care more about playing for their country. And those commitments repeat year after year -- some more demanding than others, but always hovering. The other thing that annoys me is how people keep talking about Johannes like she's some kind of can't miss talent. She's not. Even overseas Johannes is a good but not great player. Look up her LFB stats or her national team numbers. Marine's results have ranged from good to mediocre. Johannes is popular because she's flashy, but she has never been a great player even in France. Hell, a Liberty player won the French League MVP two years ago and it wasn't Johannes. It was the great Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe. That's not to say Marine doesn't have the potential to do more, but right now she's like the skinny French version of Shoni Schimmel: flashy, inconsistent, and a weak defender. Marine is obviously more athletic, but she's still at a similar level of accomplishment when it comes to the WNBA. I'm sure Hopkins is genuinely enthusiastic about her, but I've noticed that our master communicator is also a master of hyperbole.
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J-Spoon
Joined: 31 Jan 2009
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| Posted: 01/16/20 3:03 am ::: |
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I also don't really care who starts even though I was all in for Durr with the Liberty and still stand behind that idea I wanted better offense and we did have better offense last season and I think we will see the best offensive team we've had in a while next season.
With that said I wrote my comments feeling something you hit on Root, I like Johannes but after reading all her praise this season and off season I was kind of thinking did I miss something? She had some great games, and some so-so games like most first year players.
Before writing my Durr vs Johannes comment I looked at their 2019 stats with the Liberty and over all they were pretty equal. Durr scored slightly more points, Johannes had more assists, Durr overall percentage was higher but Johannes' 3 point percentage was higher, Durr was slightly higher with steals and blocks does that mean she was a better defender? I am not sure but I was surprised at how similar their stats were, especially if you saw them through the lens of Durr being a scoring guard while Johannes was more of a combo guard.
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007
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| Posted: 01/16/20 9:21 am ::: |
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| To be fair, Durr struggled on defense too. Katie pulled her at times for that reason. Nonetheless, both she and Johannes are athletic enough so that there's no reason why they can't become good defenders. It's just a matter of developing better technique and being in the right place. At least both players seem to be making an effort.
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toad455
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007
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| Posted: 01/16/20 6:52 pm ::: |
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| Weird schedule for Liberty fans. Not only is there a five-week Olympic break, but after the games resume NY will play on the road for three weeks. Not that it's one road trip -- there are 5 and 4-day gaps built-in. The last home game before the break is Friday, July 10, against the Wings, and the next one is Friday, September 4, also against the Wings. Exactly 8 weeks apart against the same team. It's going to feel really disjointed.
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 01/16/20 6:55 pm ::: |
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| The schedule favors me as my summer is typically busy(July/August). I'm hoping to make those Sunday games in May & June.
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
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| Posted: 01/16/20 7:11 pm ::: |
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| root_thing wrote: |
| Weird schedule for Liberty fans. Not only is there a five-week Olympic break, but after the games resume NY will play on the road for three weeks. Not that it's one road trip -- there are 5 and 4-day gaps built-in. The last home game before the break is Friday, July 10, against the Wings, and the next one is Friday, September 4, also against the Wings. Exactly 8 weeks apart against the same team. It's going to feel really disjointed. |
Given the Olympic break, squeezing in 36 regular-season games for each team is a challenge. I'm guessing that roster depth will matter this season more than most. The Liberty begin the season with back-to-back games, then have another set on June 27-28 soon followed by a third back-to-back on July 5-6.
The five-game road stretch right after the Olympic break looks challenging, even with the gaps built-in. But New York has four of its first five games at home and seven of its first 10. And four of the final six games at home.
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 01/16/20 7:22 pm ::: |
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| root_thing wrote: |
| Weird schedule for Liberty fans. Not only is there a five-week Olympic break, but after the games resume NY will play on the road for three weeks. Not that it's one road trip -- there are 5 and 4-day gaps built-in. The last home game before the break is Friday, July 10, against the Wings, and the next one is Friday, September 4, also against the Wings. Exactly 8 weeks apart against the same team. It's going to feel really disjointed. |
17 games in 36 days heading into the break, including 4 in the final 6 days. I'd assume other teams are similar, but that's brutal. And if you're Johannes or Han, might not be the preparation you're looking for with the Olympics starting barely two weeks later. |
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007
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| Posted: 01/16/20 7:31 pm ::: |
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| Richyyy wrote: |
| root_thing wrote: |
| Weird schedule for Liberty fans. Not only is there a five-week Olympic break, but after the games resume NY will play on the road for three weeks. Not that it's one road trip -- there are 5 and 4-day gaps built-in. The last home game before the break is Friday, July 10, against the Wings, and the next one is Friday, September 4, also against the Wings. Exactly 8 weeks apart against the same team. It's going to feel really disjointed. |
17 games in 36 days heading into the break, including 4 in the final 6 days. I'd assume other teams are similar, but that's brutal. And if you're Johannes or Han, might not be the preparation you're looking for with the Olympics starting barely two weeks later. |
Haven't you heard? Walt Hopkins says we're loaded -- LOADED! We're like three deep in starter-level talent. 17 games in 36 days? No problemo.
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Richyyy
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| Posted: 01/16/20 7:43 pm ::: |
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| root_thing wrote: |
| Richyyy wrote: |
| root_thing wrote: |
| Weird schedule for Liberty fans. Not only is there a five-week Olympic break, but after the games resume NY will play on the road for three weeks. Not that it's one road trip -- there are 5 and 4-day gaps built-in. The last home game before the break is Friday, July 10, against the Wings, and the next one is Friday, September 4, also against the Wings. Exactly 8 weeks apart against the same team. It's going to feel really disjointed. |
17 games in 36 days heading into the break, including 4 in the final 6 days. I'd assume other teams are similar, but that's brutal. And if you're Johannes or Han, might not be the preparation you're looking for with the Olympics starting barely two weeks later. |
Haven't you heard? Walt Hopkins says we're loaded -- LOADED! We're like three deep in starter-level talent. 17 games in 36 days? No problemo. |
Ah, but you're not allowed to talk about free agents. So right now your LOADED roster looks something like...
Boyd
Durr
Nurse/Allen
Zahui B/Stokes/Han
Kinda thin...  |
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
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Randy
Joined: 08 Oct 2011
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| Posted: 01/16/20 9:32 pm ::: |
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| root_thing wrote: |
| Richyyy wrote: |
| root_thing wrote: |
| Weird schedule for Liberty fans. Not only is there a five-week Olympic break, but after the games resume NY will play on the road for three weeks. Not that it's one road trip -- there are 5 and 4-day gaps built-in. The last home game before the break is Friday, July 10, against the Wings, and the next one is Friday, September 4, also against the Wings. Exactly 8 weeks apart against the same team. It's going to feel really disjointed. |
17 games in 36 days heading into the break, including 4 in the final 6 days. I'd assume other teams are similar, but that's brutal. And if you're Johannes or Han, might not be the preparation you're looking for with the Olympics starting barely two weeks later. |
Haven't you heard? Walt Hopkins says we're loaded -- LOADED! We're like three deep in starter-level talent. 17 games in 36 days? No problemo. |
So what is he saying -the loaded Liberty lost all those games last year due to poor coaching?
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010
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| Posted: 01/16/20 10:48 pm ::: |
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Can't we just announce tomorrow that we're picking Sabrina Ionescu #1? Do we really have to wait? 
Here are Ionescu's stats from Oregon's 87-55 rout against Stanford:
38 minutes, 14-26 from the field, 5-12 on three-pointers, 4-4 from the line, 11 rebounds (four offensive, seven defensive), one personal foul, seven assists, three turnovers, no blocks, two steals, a career-high 37 points.
But more impressive than any Ionescu stat, than any Ionescu skill, is her fire. Wow!
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Last edited by Bob Lamm on 01/17/20 1:51 am; edited 2 times in total |
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root_thing
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| Posted: 01/16/20 11:05 pm ::: |
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| Randy wrote: |
| root_thing wrote: |
Haven't you heard? Walt Hopkins says we're loaded -- LOADED! We're like three deep in starter-level talent. 17 games in 36 days? No problemo. |
So what is he saying -the loaded Liberty lost all those games last year due to poor coaching? |
Walt is such a positive guy that I can't see him saying anything negative about anybody. He would probably attribute it to unlucky wind currents from the airconditioning blowing Liberty shots off target.
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Lib Fan
Joined: 10 May 2005
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| Posted: 01/18/20 4:58 pm ::: |
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Just back from the Liberty "Meet your Seat" event for STH's
Its so nice to play in a "Real" arena and Barclays is certainly that !
Good to see many fans that I had not seen in White Plans , and now
they will be in Brooklyn.
Im happy with the seats my friend and I chose...
Nice to meet Coach Walt...extremely personable
I think he was happy to see the turn out and how passionate
Liberty Fans are
Ok Lets have the draft and start the season ...Im ready !
Anyone else pick their seats today ?
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jmvcity
Joined: 21 Jun 2013
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| Posted: 01/18/20 6:01 pm ::: |
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In my 15+ seasons as a Liberty STH, this was the most poorly organized and inefficient Pick-Your-Seat event ever. The ushers had no clue what was going on. There were not enough ticket reps to go around. If there were, they were difficult to find and track down. It was a guessing game as to which seats were still available. I wish they were trained by the MSG team.
But it was great to see fresh face in the new coach. Not the same old.
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 01/18/20 6:46 pm ::: |
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| Can't do a full season, waiting on partial plans to open up for the Sunday games. Coming from NJ, weeknights are out for me.
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