Media Days -- Day 1 wrapup
posted by David Cloninger, 10/22/2008 07:24:00 PM
--------- GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS
My most lasting impression from Day 1 of SEC Media Days (it may surprise you):
Dawn Staley is one hell of a basketball coach.
I can't recall if I've ever seen her coach a game. I briefly recall watching her play during her senior year at Virgina (they had those twins, Heidi and Heather, I believe). If she hadn't got hired at South Carolina, I wouldn't have known her if she came up to me and asked me to dance.
But within two minutes of talking to her, one-on-one on Wednesday, instead of one in a crowd of other reporters, I thought, "This woman means business."
I had walked up just as some other dude asked her if she expected to win right away. The look Staley gave him was priceless.
She looked at him as if he was just released from Bellevue and replied, "Oh yeah."
It's as if she was challenging him to say anything different.
When I got in the hot seat next to her and started pitching questions, it was the same thing. She looked like she was ready to pick up a basketball right then and start instructing me on the proper way to shoot (and I could use the advice).
She spoke of how she whipped a sorry Temple program into shape and did it very quickly. She spoke of how she wouldn't accept excuses for lazy play or "just not good enough."
She's going to bring the law to USC women's basketball, which if you didn't know (I had to look it up) had a lot of great seasons before joining the SEC.
Restoring the program to that level may take a while, but I'm betting with Staley in charge, it'll be sooner rather than later.
What I like about her is she's got a young team, one that will lean heavily on its three seniors but one that has others who will contribute and learn for next year. Once those players are established, she's already got commitments lined up to come in and lay the groundwork for the future.
It won't be easy, but nobody ever said it would be. But the look of determination in her eyes -- like Jasper Brinkley when he's about to turn some quarterback into a grease spot -- was full of icy steel.
"We are going to be a blue-collar type of team," she said, eyes boring holes into the interviewer.
Guess who's swinging the sledgehammer?
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"Bad to the bone."
--------- GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS
My most lasting impression from Day 1 of SEC Media Days (it may surprise you):
Dawn Staley is one hell of a basketball coach.
I can't recall if I've ever seen her coach a game. I briefly recall watching her play during her senior year at Virgina (they had those twins, Heidi and Heather, I believe). If she hadn't got hired at South Carolina, I wouldn't have known her if she came up to me and asked me to dance.
But within two minutes of talking to her, one-on-one on Wednesday, instead of one in a crowd of other reporters, I thought, "This woman means business."
I had walked up just as some other dude asked her if she expected to win right away. The look Staley gave him was priceless.
She looked at him as if he was just released from Bellevue and replied, "Oh yeah."
It's as if she was challenging him to say anything different.
When I got in the hot seat next to her and started pitching questions, it was the same thing. She looked like she was ready to pick up a basketball right then and start instructing me on the proper way to shoot (and I could use the advice).
She spoke of how she whipped a sorry Temple program into shape and did it very quickly. She spoke of how she wouldn't accept excuses for lazy play or "just not good enough."
She's going to bring the law to USC women's basketball, which if you didn't know (I had to look it up) had a lot of great seasons before joining the SEC.
Restoring the program to that level may take a while, but I'm betting with Staley in charge, it'll be sooner rather than later.
What I like about her is she's got a young team, one that will lean heavily on its three seniors but one that has others who will contribute and learn for next year. Once those players are established, she's already got commitments lined up to come in and lay the groundwork for the future.
It won't be easy, but nobody ever said it would be. But the look of determination in her eyes -- like Jasper Brinkley when he's about to turn some quarterback into a grease spot -- was full of icy steel.
"We are going to be a blue-collar type of team," she said, eyes boring holes into the interviewer.
Guess who's swinging the sledgehammer?
Link to this entry - Discuss this entry - Return to Blog Home
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David Cloninger. David is a full-time staff writer for GamecockCentral, and covers Gamecock football, men's basketball, baseball and recruiting. He may be reached by email at david(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.