Saturday Cardinal Couple -- WBB Coaches we'll miss

SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


- A five-pack of BIG EAST/AAC WBB Coaches we'll miss...

- Whaddya say, A-Tayy?

- No radio tomorrow


In keeping with the theme of transitioning into the ACC...we've decided to take a look at some WBB Coaches we'll miss not coming into the KFC YUM! Center to battle Coach Walz and the Louisville WBB squad. This list is in no particular order or ranking...just a fivesome of skippers we have enjoyed over the years. 

- Doug Bruno -- DePaul

The affable Bruno was always a great post-game interview and watching him in front of the visitor's bench in his "institutionalized" Shawshank Redemption blue shirt with the DePaul logo emblazoned on the right side, pocket level was always a treat. His looks of incredulous disbelief and chuckling dismissal of calls that went against the Blue Demons always reminded me of a fairway duffer who couldn't believe he just put his tee-shot into the woods or just missed a three-foot putt for par. 

Favorite Bruno memory is after his final appearance in the KFC YUM! Center and a 20-something point loss to the Cards. Bruno showed up at the post-game press conference and proceeded to deliver an almost 20 minute Q&A that covered wide ranging topics. Doug never missed a beat and kept the handful of reporters there in rapt attention as he pontificated about any subject presented to him. With a cup of water in his hand, he looked like he was ready to propose a toast at times...and he delivered well that night...much better than his injury-ridden Blue Demons did. 

C. Vivian Stringer -- Rutgers

C Viv steppin' out on the town in New Orleans

C-Viv's game theatrics were legendary but what a classy lady she was before and after contests. When asked a potentially fuse-igniting question after a UofL game about a specific Rutgers player, I remember she rolled her eyes skyward, smiled and shook her head. I don't remember the exact words...but it did have something to do about how good the player could be if she'd accept coaching instructions. 

C-Viv delighted in seeing Coach Walz and his children and she'd always take time to greet the numerous people who would gather behind the Rutgers bench during pre-game warmups when the Scarlet Knights came to the "Ville".

Let her go out on her own terms, Julie Hermann. You have a legendary, national treasure in your WBB coach.

Harry Peretta -- Villanova

"Whaddya mean  you
can't find the ledger for
March's sales?!?"

Harry always looked like a harried, mid-level corporate manager trying to solve an inter-office crisis by the time a game got to the second half...with the white shirt un-tucked, tie askew and arm extended.

Shrugging and turning away from referees after questioning a "bad" call after blasting out a few words of contempt. It was almost like he'd asked an hourly if they could work a few extra hours of overtime and gotten a negative response. 

But Harry was always a class act in words and actions...always quick to give credit to the players and defer questions about himself. Harry was always a true gentleman and gracious in defeat. Hats off to Harry...coach 'em up another 40 years if you have it in you.

Keep getting those hard-working, tough-as-nails Philadelphia Catholic girls on your roster. Solid, fundamental basketball....'Nova and Coach P. style.

Jamelle Elliott -- Cincinnati

"Big wheels keep on turnin'...Proud Mary keeps
on burnin'...Rollin', Rollin' Rollin' on the river."

The wild women of the sidelines...Jamelle was perpetual motion in front of the bench if it looked like her Bearcats had a ghost of a chance of winning. Eventually, when the defeat was evident...and she suffered a lot of them in her early years at UC...she'd doggedly resign herself to a seat on the bench.

 Still shouting out advise to her players, but done with the "Tina Turner - Live In concert" reenactment. 

She ws an unqualified superstar when she played for Geno at UConn and she expects the same out of the players she recruits to be Bearcats. I think she'll eventually be a powerhouse in the AAC.

They just need to get some fans in the seats to sponsor her up in the Queen City. Apathy reigns in the UC WBB fanbase and that's a shame...because they have a coach that is worth the price of admission alone for her performance.

Jose Fernandez -- USF

Geno pats down Jose for weapons before the game

My favorite description of the USF WBB skipper came a couple of years ago when a scribe joked that he "looked like Andy Kaufman's older brother".

Jose's post-game interviews are classic...he goes from speculation to askance...from self-depreciating humor and blame assignment to outright proud defense of anything dressed in the green and gold. All the time...employing a multitude of facial expressions and hand gestures.

My favorite Jose moment came when the Bulls upset a very good UofL WBB team at the KFC YUM! Center.

After graciously consoling the disillusioned Card players...he literally bounded across Denny Crum Court and embraced the USF play-by-play guy Alex Perlman before doing his post-game radio show. A moment of unbridled joy and sincere ecstasy after winning (arguably...) the biggest game of his career. 

Sure, I was disappointed about the loss...but seeing his innocent and genuine joy made me feel a little better about seeing Louisville lose. It was his moment. He deserved it and earned it.


(Got a coach and a specific memory? Feel free to leave it in the comments section or send Paulie an e-mail about it.

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Thanks to Sandy W. for sending the link below feauring our girl Asia Taylor in a Lynx interview.

All three of the Lady Cards in the WNBA were on the same court last night when Atlanta hosted the Minnesota Lynx. Taylor, Schimmel and McCoughtry were in the game at the same time for about four minutes near the end of the first quarter.

http://www.wnba.com/video/wnba/2014/06/09/140604GetToKnowAsiaTaylorupdate2-3296697/


In WNBA action Friday night:

Angel McCoughtry scored 23 points, Erika de Souza had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Atlanta held off the Minnesota Lynx 85-82 on Friday night in Philips Arena.

Shoni Schimmel saw six minutes and did not score. Asia Taylor saw six minutes and did not score.

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We will not be doing a radio show today.

Sonja and I will be at the grave-site services of a departed friend and Jeff still not quite ready to compete after his surgery.

We'll be back next Saturday. 

paulie
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SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

- Preview of Lady Cards WBB vs. Villanova

( Quentin Voigt sets us up for Sunday 2 p.m. game against the Wildcats -- no, not those Wildcats -- in Philly. For cheese-steaks, Rocky references and more...read below.)

Harry Perretta, head coach of the Villanova Wildcats women's basketball team for the past 35 years, achieved two milestones in 2011-12. He got his 600th. career victory and coached in his 1000th. career game. He's one of seven D1 coaches to win 600 games at one school and the seventh coach in D1 history to coach 1000 games at one school. Coach Perretta appears to be a very fundamentalist teacher of the game. His teams have led the nation on numerous occasions (including three of the past six years) in fewest turnovers committed per game. 

This year, they are once again demonstrating how they value possessions. They cough it up only 11 times a session. Harry will regularly play 9 individuals for 15+ minutes an outing. VU is sixth in the nation in scoring defense. They average 7.4 made three-pointers per game, while attempting 24.7.

Leading scorers consist of 6'2" senior Laura Sweeney at 13.2 ppg and 5'9" senior Rachel Roberts with 10.5 ppg. It seems like they've been at Nova since the turn of the century. 5'10" freshman Caroline Coyer gets 7.2 ppg --along with Laura Burford. Sweeney leads in boards grabbed at 6.8 a contest. Roberts hits 40% from three-point land and Burford 39%.

The Wildcats play their home games in the Pavilion with a capacity of 6500. The student section is right on top of the playing floor -- which you must experience to believe.

An awesome advantage if you use it. Sadly, the largest attendance this season has been 2939 for the Notre Dame visit. They average 991 a home game.

Excellently coached Villanova is 18-7, 7-5. A tough trip awaits the Cards. A lot at stake in conference positioning.

-Quentin Voigt

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Nova was pre-season ranked to finish 10th. in the Big East. The fact that they are jumbled up with DePaul, USF and Rutgers battling for sixth is impressive. Their pre-season schedule not so impressive as far as opponents went...a win over Temple and lost to Delaware the only games of consequence. In the BIG EAST, losses to Marquette and Providence are eyebrow-raising...but they have knocked off DePaul and USF....teams that have gone 1-1 with the Cards this year.

Sweeney will punish you inside if allowed to do so. Burford and Roberts bring the trey ball.

The Cards knocked them off last year in the YUM! Center 62-58, getting four players in double figures in a game that was knotted up 21-21 at half time. Louisville defeated them again in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament 63-47 after a 29-29 first half tie....Shoni getting 20 in the win.

Jeff Walz is 7-0 lifetime against Harry.

Which Cardinal team will make the trip to Philly? The fired-up bunch who pounded DePaul or the group that slept-walked through the USF contest? Only three games left in the regular season. Fourth place, a double bye in the BIG EAST Tournament...things obtainable for the Lady Cards if they take care of business.

TCB, ladies...

Paulie

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