DoggyDaddy's Dailies 8/30/16

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Well, taking another week off. Leaving the laptop home while we travel to rainy Florida for a week to see my son and his family. Can't wait to see my two granddaughters!!!

I'll be back posting on September 6th. In the meantime, I'll pack this blog with as many links as I can find.   

See you all later!!!

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I'm just going to leave this here to help the MOJO for UConn getting an invite to the Big 12.

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Scores (links in the WNBA link section)

No Games


Top Performers/UConn Performers (bold)

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UCONN LINKS

ESPN lists the top basketball programs looking to join the Big 12 Hookem.Com
UConn commit Gordon better with age Carl Adamec
UConn 2017 commits set official visits Carl Adamec
Catching up with former UConn star Morgan Tuck Jim Fuller
Former UConn star Moore struggles in first game after Olympics Jim Fuller 
8 UConn players earn AAC academic honors Jim Fuller

WCBB LINKS

Sherri Coale speaks in Lawton KSWO
Indiana women's basketball releases schedule 247 Sports
UI roundup: Women's basketball schedule released The News Gazette
AAU girls basketball teammates commit on same day USA Today
Providence Day girls basketball star Janelle Bailey commits to UNC Charlotte Observer
Rutgers women's basketball vs. Seton Hall, Princeton highlights schedule NJ Online
Recruits commit to UTC basketball  Times Free Press

WNBA /USA TEAMS LINKS

WATCH: Tina Charles talks about gold medals and first pitches Excelle Sports
Mercury-Fever preview Fox Sports
Lindsay Whalen times push perfectly in Lynx win Minneapolis Star Tribune
On The Fly: Significant Turnaround For Sun Hartford Courant
Diana Taurasi scores 26 points, Mercury beat Sparks 70-66 ABC News
Brittney Griner Collects Hundreds of Shoes for Phoenix Homeless WNBA
Hartley knew about pregnancy for “some time,” notified the Mystics “less than two weeks ago” SB Nation
Young Sun, Stars embody WNBA's unpredictable nature  The Day
CT Sun keeps its winning momentum after Olympic break, beat defending WNBA Champs Sportzedge
Presence In The Paint: Rebekkah Brunson Sets New Rebound Record WNBA
Stars-Sun preview Fox Sports
Keys to the Palace: Handing out weekly awards in the post-Olympic break SB Nation
WNBA Playoff Race: What’s Wrong With The Los Angeles Sparks? A1.AM
Maya Moore: For The Love Of The Game Blog.EastBay
Defending champion Minnesota rallies past visiting Storm The Seattle Times
Defending champion Minnesota rallies past visiting Storm WNBA
Swin Cash Wears Unreleased Air Jordans Sole Collector
Elena Delle Donne scores 18, leads Sky over Wings 92-85  Chicago Tribune
Liberty grad Gwathmey leads San Antonio in scoring during 1st start of WNBA career Fauquier
LA Sparks fall to Phoenix Mercury LA Daily News

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Message Boards

UConn Territory - The best UConn women's message board ever!!! 

College Fans Only - WCBB board where no holds are barred

Vol Nation - Tennessee women's basketball board    
CockyTalk - The upstart South Carolina women's basketball board

ND Nation - Notre Dame women's basketball board

                     Rebkell - WCBB for everyone that thinks they are smarter than everyone else

DoggyDaddy's Dailies 8/29/16

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I wrote this 2016-17 "preview" of the Tennessee Lady Vols, the team I love to hate, on a message board and thought I would share it here.

Someday, maybe after she leaves Tennessee for the WNBA, the TN fans will realize that Deshields  is just not a good shooter. MAYBE she will take better shots, but she hasn't shown the proclivity for doing that in her two years of playing.

That has nothing to do with her shin splints. Which those same fans said LAST YEAR wouldn't be a problem. Now it sounds like an excuse.

With around 600 more shots available this year.....I'd look for around 20 shots per game from her. Close to 700 for the season. They better hope she can hit 40%. And the ball will be in her hands a lot more with Cooper and Carter gone, her terrible assist/TO ratio will have to be so much better.

They have two top 25 players in Russell and Deshields. After that? I guess I will end up disagreeing the TN fans on how talented the remaining players are. But every one of them would have to improve to make Tennessee an SEC title contender and an NCAA threat more than maybe the sweet sixteen.

Reynolds has to have more than just games where she scores. Although she did have a season high of 16 along with games of 15, 12 and 10 points. Yes, a big ole four double digit games for the season. So no, she needs WAY more than to be consistent. This is her last season and she really hasn't shown she can be an effective point guard on a daily basis. She actually regressed last year from her sophomore season.

Nared is a nice players and she has definitely had her moments. I think she is the third best player on the team. Most players make their biggest jump from their freshman to sophomore year. I expect her to make some nice improvements. Can she improve her 34% shooting and 26% on threes?

The rest of the team? It gets pretty dicey to me.

From what I have read, it looks like the 5th year senior, 6'3" Schaquilla Nunn from Winthorp, will be taking Graves spot in the lineup. She missed last season with a broke foot. It might take a little while after sitting out so long to get it into gear. But she has a great basketball body (long arms and strong torso) and a great attitude.

The only other post on the team is three star freshman center 6'3" Kamera Harris. It's tough enough for highly ranked bigs to contribute. I wouldn't expect much here.

They  have the two juniors off the bench, Dunbar and Middleton. Right away you have weak defensive players that will give Holly headaches when they are in the game. It was clear last year that Warlick didn't trust them on the court on the defensive end. Dunbar lead the team in three point percentage at 33%. But she added little else. She also regressed from her freshman to sophomore season. Middleton can hit the occasional three. And does a nice job in the passing lanes on defense, picking off errant passes. But her one-on-one defense is an issue. Can either of these players handle doubling their minutes considering their defensive liabilities?

Lastly they have Meme Jackson. She really struggled in her freshman season, only receiving 6 minutes per game. She was 1-16 on threes. Expected to be a defensive presence on the court, she seemed lost, often losing her man. How much can you expect from her?

They lost more in Graves, Cooper, Carter and Moore than they gained in Nunn and Harris. Way more.

I'm not sure why anyone would expect this years team to be better than last years team. It's just not as talented. And Holly is still the coach. 

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I'm just going to leave this here to help the MOJO for UConn getting an invite to the Big 12.

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Scores (links in the WNBA link section)

Connecticut Sun 73 Atlanta 87

Chicago Sky 92 Dallas Wings 85

Seattle Storm 80 Minnesota Lynx 92

San Antonio Stars 85 Washington Mystics 74

Los Angeles Sparks 66 Phoenix Mercury 70


Top Performers/UConn Performers (bold)

Morgan Tuck Connecticut 5 points 2 rebounds
Kelly Faris Connecticut 4 points 2 rebounds 1 assist
Chiney Ogwumike Connecticut 24 points
Tiffany Hayes Atlanta 17 points 7 rebounds 3 steals
Angel McCoughtry Atlanta 19 points
Layshia Clarendon Atlanta 19 points
Sue Bird Seattle 11 points 4 assists
Breanna Stewart Seattle 10 points 6 rebounds 4 assists
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis Seattle 3 points
Jewell Loyd Seattle 20 points
Maya Moore Minnesota 13 points 5 rebounds 3 assists
Renee Montgomery Minnesota 4 points
Lindsay Whalen Minnesota 24 points
Moriah Jefferson San Antonio 15 points 9 assists
Monique Currie San Antonio 16 points 10 rebounds
Stefanie Dolson Washington 11 points 5 rebounds
Tayler Hill  Washington 26 points
Diana Taurasi Phoenix 26 points 
Candace Parker Los Angeles 25 points 13 rebounds 7 assists 6 turnovers
Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles 15 points 9 rebounds

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UCONN LINKS

Forget the NBA — Auriemma is already at the top of his game Boston Globe

WCBB LINKS

Bruins Conclude Successful Trip to Australia UCLA Bruins
Missouri girls basketball commit Elle Brown finds home at Rock Bridge Columbia Daily
Foreign tour gives KU women's basketball educational experience KU Sports

WNBA /USA TEAMS LINKS

USA Basketball 3x3 National Tournament Champions Crowned, Named As USA 3x3 World Championship Teams USAB
WNBA: A Sit-down With Chicago Sky’s Imani Boyette Sir Charles
Dream ‘out tough’ Sun behind McCoughtry, Claredon SB Nation
Delle Donne scores 18, leads Sky over Wings 92-85 ESPN
Olympians lead Phoenix Mercury past Dallas 98-72 AZ Family
Will the Fever figure it out in time? Indianapolis
Sparks sign French Olympian Sandrine Gruda Swish Appeal.

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Message Boards

UConn Territory - The best UConn women's message board ever!!! 

College Fans Only - WCBB board where no holds are barred

Vol Nation - Tennessee women's basketball board    
CockyTalk - The upstart South Carolina women's basketball board

ND Nation - Notre Dame women's basketball board

                     Rebkell - WCBB for everyone that thinks they are smarter than everyone else

DoggyDaddy's Dailies 8/28/16

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Congrats to Bria Hartley on her pregnancy. She will miss the rest of the WNBA season. I remember meeting Bria before her attending UConn at one of the UConn games at Gample. She was and is a really sweet person.

And she is all of 5'9" no matter what anyone says!!!

Praying for a healthy experience for Bria and her baby. 

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So, yesterday I posted a really nice workout video of Napheesa Collier. Just a reminder that she had recent hip surgery. It's great to see her move with such ease.

Of course, there is always one idiot that needs to piss in everyone's cheerio's. From a UConn message board - "nice footage... but she'd get called for traveling on just about every move".

That is not even close to being true. You don't work out trying to perfect moves that include traveling.  I just don't get some people.     

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I'm just going to leave this here to help the MOJO for UConn getting an invite to the Big 12.

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Scores (links in the WNBA link section)

Washington Mystics 92 Indianapolis Fever 69


Top Performers/UConn Performers (bold)

Stefanie Dolson Washington 11 points 2 rebounds 2 assists

Tayler Hill Washington 18 points

Emma Meesseman Washington 17 points

Kahleah Copper Washington 17 points

Tamika Catchings Indianapolis 12 points

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UCONN LINKS

No UConn Links.

WCBB LINKS

Tennessee to wear helmet stickers honoring Pat Summitt USA Today

Gary, Ind., point guard Dana Evans is one of the nations elite players and is on her official visit to Louisville this weekend Scout

Penn State women’s basketball announces captains Centre Daily

WNBA /USA TEAMS LINKS

Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen reflect on winning Olympic gold Norwich Bulletin
Hometown Olympian earns 4th gold medal  Champion Newsletters
Chicago Sky 90, Atlanta Dream 82 Oursports Central
Team USA Beats Serbia, Wins Third Straight Olympic Gold Medal Mag-Series USA
Lynx: Keisha Hampton took winding road to WNBA Twin Cities Pioneer Press
Bird leads Storm past WNBA-leading Sparks, 79-72  SWX Right Now
Sun hit the road to face Dream in Atlanta The Day
Sparks-Mercury preview Fox Sports
Tiffany Bias Signs With WNBA's Dallas Wings For Remainder of Season  OK State
Bria Hartley to miss season due to pregnancy, Mystics sign Leilani Mitchell, waive Tianna Hawkins SB Nation
Mercury blow out Dallas Wings in post-Olympic return AZ Central

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Message Boards

UConn Territory - The best UConn women's message board ever!!! 

College Fans Only - WCBB board where no holds are barred

Vol Nation - Tennessee women's basketball board    
CockyTalk - The upstart South Carolina women's basketball board

ND Nation - Notre Dame women's basketball board

                     Rebkell - WCBB for everyone that thinks they are smarter than everyone else

DoggyDaddy's Dailies 8/27/16

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OK, so I didn't make it back for 8/1. I was enjoying my break and really needed this time off from writing. And linking.

Now that the WNBA is starting back up, I thought I would too. Miss me????

My grandson took a lot of my time and he is cuter than ever!!!

In the time I was away, he has started crawling like crazy, has 6 teeth and will be walking soon.

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I don't know if you need to be on twitter to see this, but here is a link to Collier's summer workout. She has some mad skills and it going to make a HUGE jump from freshman to sophomore season.

Believe me!

Napheesa Collier Workout Video

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I watched and enjoyed every USA women's basketball game in the Olympics. They were just fantastic and I believe this was the best team of all time. They just dominated the competition.

The UConn contingent did us proud. Taurasi showed why she is the best player and the best teammate in the world. Maya was the best overall player in the event. Sue was just indispensable and even though they still dominated when she was out, they were out of sorts without Birds firm hand on the ball. Tina was just unstoppable. Her baby hook and mid-range game make her impossible to guard. Lastly, I was so impressed with Stewie. She never looked out of place with these great players. Her terrific 1st half in the WNBA gave her the confidence that she belonged.

I thought the rest of the team, the gritty Whalen, the tough McCaughtry, and laser like shooting Augustus, the impossible matchup EDD, and the forever young Fowles played their roles with terrific enthusiasm.

Griner is Griner and that is part of her problem. I only see a little bit of improvement in her game. Even so, she is still a terrific player that I think could be even better.

I'll end with a tribute to Tamika Catching, my favorite former Lady Vol. Classy to the end, even with limited minutes, she was a great leader. The best cheerleader when not player, she never complained and never let it show that she wanted to play more. And you can be sure she would have loved more minutes. All competitors do.  I was just thrilled she ended with a gold medal.

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It's hard to believe that with the USA team playing so well, the Lady Vol fans could do nothing but complain and take shots at Geno and the 5 UConn players.

Just go to VolNation.Com and check it out if you have the stomach.

They are still on the warpath about Parker being left off. Some fans refused to watch any of the games. Some even hoped that the USA would lose.

Disgusting folks. I'm looking forward to another double digit loss season for the Lady Vols.

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I'm just going to leave this here to help the MOJO for UConn getting an invite to the Big 12.

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Scores (links in the WNBA link section)

Minnesota Lynxs 80 Connecticut Sun 84

NY Liberty 84 San Antonio Stars 77

Atlanta Dream 82 Chicago Sky 90

Dallas Wings 72 Phoenix Mercury 98

Los Angeles Sparks 72 Seattle Storm 79


Top Performers/UConn Performers (bold)

Maya Moore Minnesota 8 points 5 rebounds, 3 assists 
Renee Montomery Minnesota 4 points 2 assists
Morgan Tuck Connecticut 6 points 2 rebounds
Kelly Faris Connecticut 3 minutes
Alyssa Thomas Connecticut 15 points
Chiney Ogwumike Connecticut 11 points 10 rebounds
Swin Cash New York 10 points 3 rebounds 2 assists
Tina Charles New York 13 points 10 rebounds 3 blocks
Kiah Stokes New York 3 points 3 rebounds
Sugar Rogers New York 18 points
Moriah Jefferson San Antonio 16 points 4 rebounds 4 assists 3 steals
Jayne Appel-Marinelli San Antonio 17 points
Tiffany Hayes Atlanta 13 points
Angel McCoughtry Atlanta 22 points
Elizabeth Williams 20 points 6 blocks
Elena Delle Donne Chicago 34 points 8 rebounds 5 assists
Plenette Pierson Dallas 23 points
Diana Taurasi Phoenix 13 points
Penny Taylor Phoenix 22 points
Brittney Griner Phoenix 13 points 8 rebounds 6 blocks
Nneka Ogwumike Los Angeles 28 points
Sue Bird Seattle 15 points 6 assists
Breanna Stewart Seattle 5 points 11 rebounds
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis Seattle 8 points

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UCONN LINKS

Mo’ne Davis shifts her drive to the basketball court the undefeated

WCBB LINKS

UVM cancels UNC game over transgender bathroom law WCAX
Mulkey Gives Back to Hometown Baylor Bears
Women’s Basketball Names Captains for 2016-17 Penn State
Syracuse women's basketball will close home non-conference slate vs. in-state rival Post Standard
Catching Up with Desiree Rhodes West Virginia
Pat Summitt's will leaves 'personal property' to Tyler Summitt The Tennessean

WNBA /USA TEAMS LINKS

As WNBA returns, Sky's Delle Donne reflects on Olympic gold Daily Herald
Doug Bruno savors experience with USA women’s basketball team Excelles Sports
U.S. wins gold; greatest women's basketball team of all time? Chicago Tribune
Mystics and WNBA are back from Olympic break, but LaToya Sanders got no rest Washington Post
Indiana Fever hope to get record above .500 Indianapolis Star
Ogwumike Chasing Basketball Immortality To Close Season WNBA
Maya Moore: Back From Rio With Olympic Gold, and Back to the WNBA Grind  Sports Vice
Storm’s Stewart leads WNBA jersey sales; Diggins No. 2 WNBA 

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Message Boards

UConn Territory - The best UConn women's message board ever!!! 

College Fans Only - WCBB board where no holds are barred

Vol Nation - Tennessee women's basketball board    
CockyTalk - The upstart South Carolina women's basketball board

ND Nation - Notre Dame women's basketball board

                     Rebkell - WCBB for everyone that thinks they are smarter than everyone else