ASIA MAKES FINAL FOUR FOR WADE TROPHY
Hopefully, it's the first of several Final Fours in store for senior Asia Durr.
What! (you say)...Not one player from ESPN darlings Connecticut squad or NCAA favorite Notre Dame? Surely this can't be right! (First off...don't call me Shirley and, yes...it is correct). Sorry Arike and Katie Lou...this bus hasn't room for anymore passengers.
The announcement of the winner to come Thursday April 4th. in Tampa at the Final Four's 2019 WBCA Convention.
So, how did they get to the last four standing?
Sabrina Ionescu. She has a team "still dancing" in the Sweet Sixteen and she was the Pac 12 player of the year. Twice in a row she's garnered that honor and she was first team ESPNW All-American. She also holds the NCAA DI record for career triple-doubles (for both the women and men). Her Oregon Ducks are the #2 seed in Portland and will take on upstart #6 seed South Dakota State at 11 p.m. Friday night on ESPN 2. Megan Gustafson. You can catch her in action Saturday in the Greensboro Regional action when she leads her #2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes in a 11:30 A.M. tilt against #3 seed North Carolina State. She has a pretty good resume, too. Big Ten Conference player of the year, ESPNW's National player of the year and led the nation in scoring. She's also the all-time leading scorer for the Hawkeyes.
Asia Durr. "Nite-nite" was the ACC Player of the Year for the second straight time and averaged 21.3 points per game. She was First Team ESPNW and is second in school history in points scored with 2447 behind Angel McCoughtry. #1 seed UofL faces #4 seed Oregon State in the Albany Regional at 9:30 p.m. Friday night on ESPN. The Cards are 123-22 since Durr arrived on campus. So graceful on the court, so talented and so very confident.
So...a west coast representative, mid-west player, south-eastern star and south contender. Four different conference represented. Two players from #2 seeds and two from #1 seeds.All still dancing. All legends in their fan-bases hearts and minds.
It should be interesting. My pick? ASIA DURR. Not just because I'm a Cardinal fan. The Cards were consistently ranked higher than any of the three other contestant's squads and Durr was the main reason Louisville had the success they did. That spells "best player" to me.
I've heard opposing coaches all season long gush about Durr, laugh when asked how to stop her and say she's the best they've seen this year.
And, that sums it up.
WORRIED ABOUT WALZ?
Feeling uncertain about the future and having anxiety attacks when you think about the status of Louisville's head coach? You are not alone. I've fielded a ton of worried and concerned e-mails about Jeff Walz leaving for Tennessee. Some make very good points. There are conspiracy theorist I have heard from among you. Many wanted to hear Walz say these 11 words yesterday in his press conference:
"I am not taking the Tennessee job. I am staying at Louisville".
He did not say those exact words in a fun, informative, slightly silly and revealing Wednesday presser. He danced around the issue, pointing out that Tennessee still had a head women's basketball coach. He goes through this every year. It's getting old on his side. It's his players' fault...they are so good that they make him look good...and desirable to other programs. He wants the Lakers job and to hit Powerball. Jeff answering for nearly 30 minutes the sometimes moronic questions from media who have never been to a Walz presser. People who wouldn't know Asia Durr from Asia Taylor. Self-important television bozos who are all about their own image and getting their voice heard. And, somehow, he made it fun.
Yeah. It was that kind of day.
 |
| "Rut row... Phil's walking our way." |
Holly Warlick had been let go. That set off a renewed panic in the Louisville fan base and unmitigated glee among Vols fans. I trolled a few message boards lie night. Not only are the Tennessee fans confident Walz is coming, some are thinking he'll bring Dana Evans with him.
Nuts.
We, as Cardinal fans, go through this every year, it seems. Jeff gets linked with more openings than the help wanted board down at the local unemployment center. has posted
Take a step back. Breath. Come back to reality. UofL women's basketball fans. Jeff Walz has one thing only on his mind right now. Beating Oregon State. He is excited that Sam Williams got the EKU job, proud of Asia's recognition and maybe dismayed he didn't hit Powerball last night. (I got one of the six numbers, in case you're interested, on my solo ticket). And, somewhere in Coach's thought-process is the need to find a board game that he can occasionally win against Lola and Lucy.
Cardinal fans. Please read carefully below.
Focus on the game ahead. There will be no "John L.Smith going to Michigan State" surprises at the halftime of the Louisville women's basketball games. No one needs to track air-flights out of Knoxville to the Louisville or Southern Indiana airports. Sightings of Phil Fulmer in town can be related to the fact that the Vols A.D.'s #2 ranked Tennessee men's team is playing in the Louisville Regional of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen tonight at the KFC YUM! Center against Purdue at 7:30 p.m. Celebrate the current.
I even heard..."Walz rhymes with Vols". (Putting hands over ears and loudly chanting... "LA.LA.LA.LA.LA"!) Walz is on several "top 10 replacement for Holly" lists and Mechelle Voepel seems to think is he the #1 candidate. I'm a little disturbed about those lists. I looked at several of these lists and didn't see "Paulie" on any of them. I did see Michelle Clark-Heard, though, on a couple of lists and I think "MCH" would be a fine fit in Knoxville.
Celebrate the positive going on with UofL WBB right now. I guarantee you Coach Walz and the players are...and I want to go to Tampa. How about you?
One day at a time. One game at a time. Beat the Beavers Friday, Cards.
paulie
xxxxx
LOL. Walz rhymes with Vols! I wanted to hear Coach say these words yesterday:
ReplyDeleteCurtis, You get front row season tickets next year, right behind our bench!"
Go Cards! Damn the Beavers!
Curtis "Walz rhymes with balls" Franklin
I normally delete a comment like this but I am leaving it up as a example of what drinking too much before 10 a.m. can do to one.
ReplyDeleteSir or madam, please don't attempt to operate a motor vehicle today, get some food or coffee in you and go back to bed.
Paulie
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSorry. pal. Had to delete that one. we are a family site. Again, go sleep it off.
DeletePaulie
Hey, ho. Dave O here!
ReplyDeleteOn Walz:
On his presser it goes to prove that people hear what they want to hear.
His comments in their entirety are a good thing...
What he said:
"I think it is a slap in Holly's face," adding that coaching rumors pop up every year and that he's focused on his team's Sweet 16 matchup Friday against Oregon State.
"I'm holding out for the Lakers."
"I know all these rumors always get started in March," Walz said. "Every single year. It never changed and it's not going to change. This job, that job. The job's not open, OK? So I'm not even going to worry about that. We're going to continue to focus on the (Louisville) basketball team."
Also there was this regarding Sam Fuehring asking him about it...
"It's part of it," Walz said. "I told her it's her fault. If we were bad and lost a bunch, no one would be interested or even throw my name in conversations."
Yes, I see a coach making a few light-hearted jokes (Lakers and it being Sam's fault) and wondering "Why am are we even discussing me taking a job that isn't even open?"
Now the job is open. How much does it change things?
Could he have said his interest in no uncertain terms, Certainly. But then we'd have nothing to talk about between now and then. I don't think he expected Fulmer to move this fast. A serious blunder by Fulmer. Did he really think Walz ( or any of the other so-called finalist for the job ) would jump out of their NCAA Tournament plans and scream..."Oh, yes. I want this job!"
I do think and believe he hasn't given it much thought. And his comments say so. He is focused on beating Oregon State.
He is proud of Sam Williams getting the Eastern KY head coaching job. Another branch from the Walz tree sprouting leaves.
I come back to this. Jeff Walz has every thing he wants at Louisville, Why blow all that to take a job at a school where you'll also be compared with a dead woman and always reminded about what she did. If it's a money issue, I would think Vice would match a UT offer.
I don't think we'll hear from Coach until the Cards run is over about the Tennessee dilemma. I could be wrong, but, Jeff has too much class and respect for his team to loet this become any more of a circus than it already is.
Jeff wants a National Championship. That is job #1 right now.
Your friend,
David Watson
(who has returned from a vacation spot for a well-deserved few days rest after hosting the Watson NCAA Marathon Opening Weekend Party and drive to the Sweet Sixteen...back at it later today.)
Nice thoughts, Dave-O. Priority is Friday 9:30 p.m. and beating Oregon Sta In a military vein...it is the objective and capturing the objective is the prime directive.
DeletePaulie
Paulie
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
ReplyDeletePaulie, at how many pressers have you heard Walz say "the grass may be greener on the other side, but it's also full of manure"?
ReplyDeleteYou said it when you said a bunch of non knowing folks asking over and over.
I was never worried, am never worried, about Walz leaving for ANY other program.
Building his OWN perennial power right here.
A ton of times, K....a ton of times.
DeletePaulie
The problem of jeff staying would be solved if he just visualizes je and his wife dressing in TM orange with Rocky Top blaring constantly from the practice arena.
ReplyDeleteWalz is color-blind, so the orange aspect probably wouldn't bother him as much as it might Lauren (who played basketball at Vanderbilt). Rocky Top is an annoying song, especially as often as it is played by the UT pep band.
ReplyDeleteThe constant references to the sainted Pat would probably bug him, as well.
Paulie
One would certainly think creating you own legacy would be more fulfilling than riding the coattails of a past legend . Not much to be gained by following Rupp, wooden, geno or Pat.
ReplyDeleteWalz has built a legacy at UofL. We all hope he wants to add to it
DeleteOk I hope CJW is not leavening for horse manure,but did anyone notice Nyah Green playing in the McDonald high school game.
ReplyDeleteShe has a good looking shot and her body is ready for D1 College BB. Go Card's beat the Beavers.
Very excited to have her coming in.
DeletePaulie