The CardBoard
On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - Printable Version

+- The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board)
+-- Forum: C-House! (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-4.html)
+--- Forum: The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-5.html)
+--- Thread: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four (/thread-23096.html)


On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - Blue Hawk (Mizzou) Card - 03-28-2022

Not sure this post is worth a new thread, but I thought we should start a new one as the theme now should be "We are Taking Our Twins (and All the Others) to the Final Four!"

We are so excited that our team made the Final Four. Since moving back to North Dakota, we no longer have many driving road trips to see our beloved Cardinal, so our crew is fired up for this one.

Random thoughts that I was not able to post until now:

1. STANFORD HAS THE TOUGHEST ROAD TO A POSSIBLE TITLE: You don't get any bonus points for this and it is a matter of luck more than anything, but Stanford has/had the toughest possible road to a national title of the remaining teams. There were no major upsets that got Stanford a game against a significantly weaker team, athletically.

I don't like Texas's style of play one bit. In fact, I don't like that university one bit (but that is a family story related to my Dad's time there, so its irrelevant here). But they are really good at what they do. Likewise, Maryland is really good at what they do. [For a half, even Kansas, another school I don't like, was decent.] And all of the possible opponents from this point forward play really good defense. You don't demolish teams like the ones Stanford has been playing. So it is tough on the nerves of fans, but you have to give our team credit for, so far, overcoming some very good teams.

2. FINALLY FIGURED OUT LEXIE: Have you ever had the experience of interacting with someone, thinking "s/he reminds me of someone, but I cannot think of who?" That is what I have thought of Lexie for four years. For some reason, I finally figured out who last night: Chris Hernandez. Like Lexie, that guy would do anything (legal) to get Stanford a win. Lexie slides all over the floor, grabs tough rebounds, drives into much larger players, hits clutch threes, etc., etc., etc. Her assist to Cam on the "and one" was as pretty a pass as you will ever see (with credit to Cam to know to go to the hoop, also). I am really going to miss her. But as they say, "Don't be sad that it's over. Be glad that it happened." What an honor it is to root for her (and her teammates, of course).

Right now, Lexie Hull is the MVP of the tournament. Even if she keeps it up, she will never be recognized as such, and it is pretty clear that the Stanford team does not care about individual honors. But she puts her team on her back over and over.

3. LACIE TO THE RESCUE: Since my theme is twins to the Twin Cities, let's note, as the great Bob K has, that Lacie is going to be one of four starting point guards in the Final Four next weekend. Over her career at Stanford, she has been asked to do a variety of things, and she has done them. One big difference between the first Texas game and the one yesterday is the improved guard play. A substantial part of that was Haley, whom I also love. But Lacie has improved a lot in her point guard role over the course of the season.

4. FRAN FAN: Now it's confession time. After her second half of the season last year, I assumed Fran would never again be a significant contributor. Everyone loves a redemption story, and Fran is the best redemption story of the year for us. She was the key beta (i.e., unexpected key factor) last night. My wife will report that, time after time last night when Fran got the ball at the end of the free throw line (the corner of the lane), I said "Don't give her the ball there! Something bad is about to happen." Over and over, it didn't. By the second half, my wife was responding, "That must be the strategy." She was right.

5. IN TARA WE TRUST: Or, at least, I do. Not that she needs me to defend her, but a fellow poster has been pretty tough on her, so here is my take: With significant assistance from Kate Paye (and others, no doubt), nobody is better at putting her team in a position to win than Tara. Sometimes the strategy is non-obvious and even frustrating to us as fans. [As Maryland inched closer, it was aggravating. But Tara had done the math, and she obviously told her team that priority no. one was to run clock. That led to some ugly possessions, because it can be difficult to find a good shot in the last five seconds of the clock. But it was the right strategy. And it worked. If Stanford had played the fourth quarter the way it played the last two minutes of the third quarter, the game might have been long enough for Maryland to win it.]

Against Texas, the strategy was to accept a beating from the guards, but to clog the middle. Again, at times that was tough to observe as a fan, like when no. 31 got hot from three-point range. But it worked. Those threes that went down so often in the first three quarters did not go down in the fourth.

Last night in the second quarter, the back door cut that is a staple of Stanford's offense worked wonderfully. But Tara knew Texas would cut that off in the second half, so she used other offensive strategies. She makes great halftime adjustments.

I've been a sports fan for about six decades. I've rooted for lots of teams, with lots of coaches. Tara is the best coach of any of those teams. In other words, she is my favorite coach of all time. I have more faith in her ability to give our team its best chance of winning than I've had in those dozens (hundreds, maybe) of other coaches.

Though we don't know when it will happen, someday relatively soon we will no longer have the chance to root for Tara's teams. Let's enjoy what we have left of a wonderful ride.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four (cont'd) - Blue Hawk (Mizzou) Card - 03-28-2022

6. OFFICIATING: If our friend Teejers is keeping track (and he probably isn't, because I don't get to post that often anymore), he would classify me as a constant whiner about officiating. After that day in Strawberry Canyon when the official didn't admit blowing the play dead, followed a few days later by the accidental photo showing that he almost certainly did, I have never fully trusted officials. That goes in pretty much all sports. [I even yell at the screen about officiating in water polo, a sport I really enjoy, even though I don't know the rules of that game.] But basketball officiating is particularly aggravating. In part, it is because almost everything is subjective in basketball. By strict application of the rules, they are fouling, traveling, and in the lane for more than three seconds constantly (and double dribbling often). So the officials need to decide which fouls, traveling, and three seconds they are going to call. As a result, almost every call is somewhat debatable. So, as Teejers points out, all we can realistically ask for is consistency. On that scale, I would invite anyone to re-watch the first half, watching Texas no. 1. She shoves, with two hands, often, especially (though not exclusively) when she is boxed out on rebounds. If she gets away with that, a lot, as she did, how can you call that second foul on Cam? Don't get me wrong, there is a basis for that foul, as it was a foul, but if you call that, you have to call the two hand shoves by Texas no. 1, to be consistent. Also, compare the last foul on Anna (a mild touch, possibly, though the replay is not as clear as you would like) to that foul all the way up Cam's arm a minute into the game, which should have put a Texas big into immediate foul trouble. And the offensive foul on Lacie on the arm guard is inexcusable, when the freshman Texas superstar (and she is) initiated contact with a reach in before that was not called. That has to be either a foul on Texas or, more legitimately, probably, a non-call. If we are gong to say Cam should stop reaching in, though, we have a right to expect a foul on Texas on that reach in. Btw, what is it about Cam that makes officials hate her so? Is it that she is thin? Seriously: Large body post players get away with a lot more than she does. [Just watch Boston, with her hip check moving screens.] And Lexie seems to bother them, though less so, also, probably because she is a hustle machine and those types of players put a lot of pressure on officials. She gets at least on undeserved foul a game. When she also gets fouls she deserves, that is problematic. My bottom line on basketball officiating: It is a difficult job that is often done very badly.

7. YOU CAN'T GUARD THAT: A minor point, but I disagree with the poster who said Anna had an off night guarding the jump shot. The Texas frosh point guard is a really special player. As soon as you commit to stopping her from driving, as Anna did very well last night, you are vulnerable to having her stop on a dime, rise up, and hit a jumper. Ever since Kenny Sailors invented that move, there is no defense for it, if you decide to defend the drive. [Btw, speaking of Kenny Sailers, watch "The Jump Shot," a pay-per-view movie financed, if I understand correctly, by Cam's godmother's son. It is a fun watch for any basketball fan, even--make that especially--if you have never heard of Kenny Sailors.]

8. GREAT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNIVERSITY: In other discussions on this board, we note that coaches who vastly underperform are good representatives of Stanford and its values. FWIW, I do value that. But is there any better representative than Tara? My point: Being a great coach and being a great representative of Stanford are not mutually exclusive.

9. ARE YOU TRADING? NOT ME: One of my tests as a sports fan is to ask myself: Would I trade my team for their team? For these purposes, I am ignoring good character. [That matters a lot to me. I just don't consider it when asking myself this question.] Instead, I am focusing on talent, performance under pressure, teamwork, etc. The things that make a difference in Ws and Ls.

So here is the key question: Would you trade our team for anyone else's, under that test? To be honest, in most years, as good as Stanford is, someone--sometimes multiple someones--has a better team. For many years, we had one or two great players and solid role players, but UConn, Tennessee, or others had a significant talent advantage over us.

Last year, I said, before the tournament began, that I wouldn't trade with anyone. For once, we had the talent.

How about this year? South Carolina is mighty good. Everybody says they have the best player in the country. And their second best player is also one of the top players. UConn at full strength is mighty good, too. And both NC State and Louisville are impressive.

But I'm not trading. Even if we don't have the top two players, our top two (right now its Haley and Lacey) are darn good. And nobody can match us three through eight (or three through whatever number you want to choose, be it eight or ten or twelve). Like Fran did last night, someone steps up from the bench to do something special.

I am not saying we are going to win it. Who knows? Luck factors in and I don't expect the officiating or the crowd to favor Stanford. But I am not trading, even before one considers the incredible character of this team. We are so fortunate to be rooting for them.

See you in Minny!

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four (cont'd) - TonyLima - 03-28-2022

(03-28-2022, 06:02 PM)Blue Hawk (Mizzou) Card Wrote:  6. OFFICIATING: If our friend Teejers is keeping track (and he probably isn't, because I don't get to post that often anymore), he would classify me as a constant whiner about officiating. After that day in Strawberry Canyon when the official didn't admit blowing the play dead, followed a few days later by the accidental photo showing that he almost certainly did, I have never fully trusted officials. That goes in pretty much all sports. [I even yell at the screen about officiating in water polo, a sport I really enjoy, even though I don't know the rules of that game.] But basketball officiating is particularly aggravating. In part, it is because almost everything is subjective in basketball. By strict application of the rules, they are fouling, traveling, and in the lane for more than three seconds constantly (and double dribbling often). So the officials need to decide which fouls, traveling, and three seconds they are going to call. As a result, almost every call is somewhat debatable. So, as Teejers points out, all we can realistically ask for is consistency. On that scale, I would invite anyone to re-watch the first half, watching Texas no. 1. She shoves, with two hands, often, especially (though not exclusively) when she is boxed out on rebounds. If she gets away with that, a lot, as she did, how can you call that second foul on Cam? Don't get me wrong, there is a basis for that foul, as it was a foul, but if you call that, you have to call the two hand shoves by Texas no. 1, to be consistent. Also, compare the last foul on Anna (a mild touch, possibly, though the replay is not as clear as you would like) to that foul all the way up Cam's arm a minute into the game, which should have put a Texas big into immediate foul trouble. And the offensive foul on Lacie on the arm guard is inexcusable, when the freshman Texas superstar (and she is) initiated contact with a reach in before that was not called. That has to be either a foul on Texas or, more legitimately, probably, a non-call. If we are gong to say Cam should stop reaching in, though, we have a right to expect a foul on Texas on that reach in. Btw, what is it about Cam that makes officials hate her so? Is it that she is thin? Seriously: Large body post players get away with a lot more than she does. [Just watch Boston, with her hip check moving screens.] And Lexie seems to bother them, though less so, also, probably because she is a hustle machine and those types of players put a lot of pressure on officials. She gets at least on undeserved foul a game. When she also gets fouls she deserves, that is problematic. My bottom line on basketball officiating: It is a difficult job that is often done very badly.

7. YOU CAN'T GUARD THAT: A minor point, but I disagree with the poster who said Anna had an off night guarding the jump shot. The Texas frosh point guard is a really special player. As soon as you commit to stopping her from driving, as Anna did very well last night, you are vulnerable to having her stop on a dime, rise up, and hit a jumper. Ever since Kenny Sailors invented that move, there is no defense for it, if you decide to defend the drive. [Btw, speaking of Kenny Sailers, watch "The Jump Shot," a pay-per-view movie financed, if I understand correctly, by Cam's godmother's son. It is a fun watch for any basketball fan, even--make that especially--if you have never heard of Kenny Sailors.]

8. GREAT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNIVERSITY: In other discussions on this board, we note that coaches who vastly underperform are good representatives of Stanford and its values. FWIW, I do value that. But is there any better representative than Tara? My point: Being a great coach and being a great representative of Stanford are not mutually exclusive.

9. ARE YOU TRADING? NOT ME: One of my tests as a sports fan is to ask myself: Would I trade my team for their team? For these purposes, I am ignoring good character. [That matters a lot to me. I just don't consider it when asking myself this question.] Instead, I am focusing on talent, performance under pressure, teamwork, etc. The things that make a difference in Ws and Ls.

So here is the key question: Would you trade our team for anyone else's, under that test? To be honest, in most years, as good as Stanford is, someone--sometimes multiple someones--has a better team. For many years, we had one or two great players and solid role players, but UConn, Tennessee, or others had a significant talent advantage over us.

Last year, I said, before the tournament began, that I wouldn't trade with anyone. For once, we had the talent.

How about this year? South Carolina is mighty good. Everybody says they have the best player in the country. And their second best player is also one of the top players. UConn at full strength is mighty good, too. And both NC State and Louisville are impressive.

But I'm not trading. Even if we don't have the top two players, our top two (right now its Haley and Lacey) are darn good. And nobody can match us three through eight (or three through whatever number you want to choose, be it eight or ten or twelve). Like Fran did last night, someone steps up from the bench to do something special.

I am not saying we are going to win it. Who knows? Luck factors in and I don't expect the officiating or the crowd to favor Stanford. But I am not trading, even before one considers the incredible character of this team. We are so fortunate to be rooting for them.

See you in Minny!

Re officiating, please see my comment in the game thread.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - BobK - 03-28-2022

World class post Blue Hawk. And thank you
Get us two wins in Minny which rhymes with Wiggy so there’s an omen right there

Well at one times I wanted to trade a third stringer for a Della Donne if that counts lol

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - JJJ - 03-28-2022

When will we know what time we play on Friday? To help decide a venue for a viewing party.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - Card10Fan - 03-28-2022

Hopefully after Lousiville/Michigan conclusion, we will know if we are the first or second seminal. I feel like typically the top overall seed gets the early game so my GUESS would be we play the late semifinal. Should be a dandy. Uconn looked great tonight (granted a home game for them). We are going to need to slow down Bueckers and Fudd if we want to have a chance at victory. Uconn does not have depth in the post at all

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - petersalas - 03-28-2022

Scheduled for the 2nd semifinal… which I’m relieved about so I can make it home before tip off!! Go Stanford!!!!

(03-28-2022, 06:58 PM)Card10Fan Wrote:  Hopefully after Lousiville/Michigan conclusion, we will know if we are the first or second seminal. I feel like typically the top overall seed gets the early game so my GUESS would be we play the late semifinal. Should be a dandy. Uconn looked great tonight (granted a home game for them). We are going to need to slow down Bueckers and Fudd if we want to have a chance at victory. Uconn does not have depth in the post at all


RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - UltimateCard - 03-28-2022

(03-28-2022, 06:58 PM)Card10Fan Wrote:  Hopefully after Lousiville/Michigan conclusion, we will know if we are the first or second seminal. I feel like typically the top overall seed gets the early game so my GUESS would be we play the late semifinal. Should be a dandy. Uconn looked great tonight (granted a home game for them). We are going to need to slow down Bueckers and Fudd if we want to have a chance at victory. Uconn does not have depth in the post at all

It’ll be a home game again on Friday for Bueckers

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - JJJ - 03-28-2022

(03-28-2022, 07:05 PM)petersalas Wrote:  Scheduled for the 2nd semifinal… which I’m relieved about so I can make it home before tip off!! Go Stanford!!!!

(03-28-2022, 06:58 PM)Card10Fan Wrote:  Hopefully after Lousiville/Michigan conclusion, we will know if we are the first or second seminal. I feel like typically the top overall seed gets the early game so my GUESS would be we play the late semifinal. Should be a dandy. Uconn looked great tonight (granted a home game for them). We are going to need to slow down Bueckers and Fudd if we want to have a chance at victory. Uconn does not have depth in the post at all
Thanks Card10Fan and petersalas. Later works better for us too. Let's do this!

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - CompSci87 - 03-28-2022

Cancelled my appointments, booked my flight, and arranged to stay with my niece in Minneapolis. Now all I have do is buy tickets. For that I'm waiting to hear if my niece or other local family want to come along. This will be my first final 4 in person!

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - DaBears17 - 03-28-2022

(03-28-2022, 06:54 PM)JJJ Wrote:  When will we know what time we play on Friday? To help decide a venue for a viewing party.

6:30PM on west coast.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - M T - 03-29-2022

(03-28-2022, 10:00 PM)CompSci87 Wrote:  Cancelled my appointments, booked my flight, and arranged to stay with my niece in Minneapolis. Now all I have do is buy tickets. For that I'm waiting to hear if my niece or other local family want to come along. This will be my first final 4 in person!

Cool!  Enjoy!

I was planning on an encore trip to San Antonio until Covid got in the way.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - fullmetal - 03-29-2022

Truly wonderful post, Blue Hawk!  

I may or may not be able to make it to Minny, but I will find a way to watch the games.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - crackpot - 03-29-2022

Thank you, Blue Hawk. What a wonderful read.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four (cont'd) - MiniBlueHawkCard - 03-29-2022

I will add a 10th point: RELIABILITY: As fans we come to expect a certain level of performance. That level is almost always higher than any statical evidence would suggest it should be. Often, that leads to message board rants, finger pointing and yelling at the refs (a family favorite). I cannot think of a team that I have cheered for that has been more reliable over the past two seasons. Ridiculously reliable, to the point where we could set our watches to an uneasy battle with Colorado or a blowout of a quality opponent like Washington State. Shots don't always fall and some games during this stretch haven't gone our way but the effort, compassion, and joy this team plays with is always on display. Even in "ordinary times" the reliability of this team would be noteworthy. However, this run of quality basketball has taken place in anything but ordinary times. There was not much we could count with COVID impacting seemingly everything. I will always remember this group providing so much joy for all those invested in the program. They got Tara another title! And, honestly, no matter when or how it ends in Minneapolis, it will be mighty hard to say good-bye to the ladies moving on. It would be slightly easier, and very deserving, if they exit stage left with nets around their neck!

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - 81alum - 03-29-2022

Great post BlueHawk!

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - UltimateCard - 03-29-2022

I’m looking forward to my fifth Final Four… and first since 1995, also in Minneapolis (parenthood intervened…ah, the joys now of empty nesting!). Hoping for a much better outcome this time. One thing that definitely will NOT be repeated: being told by Ted Leland before the public announcement that Tara would be named the Olympic coach. I happened to book a room in the same hotel as the Stanford contingent and ran into him at the restaurant. Since he was by himself, I politely asked if I could have breakfast with him. He must’ve thought I was a big donor prospect (which I am decidedly not) and gave me the scoop! Good thing there was no social media back then!

So will there be a CardBoard meet-up?

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - Madera86 - 03-29-2022

I always enjoy your thoughtful and well-written posts, BlueHawk.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - pefloresjr - 03-30-2022

It looks like I might have an extra for the Final Four.  These are lower bowl through Stanford.  I should get confirmation today of whether my friend has to cancel.  If any Cardboarders are interested, please DM me.  I want it to go to a Stanford fan.  
Cheers,
Pete F.

RE: On to the Twin Cities for the Final Four - WBB fan - 03-30-2022

Another voice for "great post, Blue Hawk." Thanks for that.

And totally agree with adding #10, RELIABILITY. For that one, I always come back to Lexie. She sometimes is red hot offensively, then follows that with an off game offensively, but she is always there defensively and with brobdingnagian energy and effect. Lexie may or may not score in a game, but she never takes a minute off and always, totally reliably, contributes importantly to a Stanford win. I think a strong case can be made for her as Stanford MVP. She's going to be seriously missed next year!