08-08-2011, 05:34 PM
Tara inducted in Naismith HOF
08-09-2011, 09:54 AM
Congrats to Tara and I know she'll say to her staff and players as well. But she really has earned this wonderful honor. For decades she has maintained a program of excellence and carried the banner for West Coast Women's Basketball for a long, long time. Hope to see other programs excel too.
I haven't talked about it here before - but I could NOT have been MORE proud of our team this year. They exemplified all the virtues that make me proud to be associated with Stanford Athletics.
We went to the Final Four in Indianapolis thinking this was our year to win it all. The game against Texas A&M (we've lost to the National Champion the last 4 Final Fours) was a great game which could have easily gone either way. A call here or there would have made the difference. But we lost. And even though our team had worked so very hard to get there and wanted it so very much, when the game was over they held their heads up high. We watched the press conference for all of the Final Four teams (men and women) that lost and it was painful - like watching torture - as they all cried and were heart broken. But Kayla Pedersen in her press conference said that she could not be more proud of her team. That she loved playing with them and would rather lose with this team than win with any other.
When I heard and saw the USA Women's World Cup team and how they handled their loss in the Championship - it immediately reminded me of that moment with Kayla.
This is the way that John Wooden led and taught his players with his Pyramid of Success. The Stanford Women's Basketball team and the USA World Cup team left it all on the court. They prepared themselves and did all they could, performing their best. That's what John Wooden talked about - not about winning or losing, but about giving it your all and doing your best.
What Tara has accomplished is beyond the national championships, gold medals, and hundreds of wins. She has built an incredible program - one that has a culture of hard work, commitment, and sacrifice and above all, the sense of team and teamwork.
I haven't talked about it here before - but I could NOT have been MORE proud of our team this year. They exemplified all the virtues that make me proud to be associated with Stanford Athletics.
We went to the Final Four in Indianapolis thinking this was our year to win it all. The game against Texas A&M (we've lost to the National Champion the last 4 Final Fours) was a great game which could have easily gone either way. A call here or there would have made the difference. But we lost. And even though our team had worked so very hard to get there and wanted it so very much, when the game was over they held their heads up high. We watched the press conference for all of the Final Four teams (men and women) that lost and it was painful - like watching torture - as they all cried and were heart broken. But Kayla Pedersen in her press conference said that she could not be more proud of her team. That she loved playing with them and would rather lose with this team than win with any other.
When I heard and saw the USA Women's World Cup team and how they handled their loss in the Championship - it immediately reminded me of that moment with Kayla.
This is the way that John Wooden led and taught his players with his Pyramid of Success. The Stanford Women's Basketball team and the USA World Cup team left it all on the court. They prepared themselves and did all they could, performing their best. That's what John Wooden talked about - not about winning or losing, but about giving it your all and doing your best.
What Tara has accomplished is beyond the national championships, gold medals, and hundreds of wins. She has built an incredible program - one that has a culture of hard work, commitment, and sacrifice and above all, the sense of team and teamwork.
Congrats to Tara and I know she'll say to her staff and players as well. But she really has earned this wonderful honor. For decades she has maintained a program of excellence and carried the banner for West Coast Women's Basketball for a long, long time. Hope to see other programs excel too.
I haven't talked about it here before - but I could NOT have been MORE proud of our team this year. They exemplified all the virtues that make me proud to be associated with Stanford Athletics.
We went to the Final Four in Indianapolis thinking this was our year to win it all. The game against Texas A&M (we've lost to the National Champion the last 4 Final Fours) was a great game which could have easily gone either way. A call here or there would have made the difference. But we lost. And even though our team had worked so very hard to get there and wanted it so very much, when the game was over they held their heads up high. We watched the press conference for all of the Final Four teams (men and women) that lost and it was painful - like watching torture - as they all cried and were heart broken. But Kayla Pedersen in her press conference said that she could not be more proud of her team. That she loved playing with them and would rather lose with this team than win with any other.
When I heard and saw the USA Women's World Cup team and how they handled their loss in the Championship - it immediately reminded me of that moment with Kayla.
This is the way that John Wooden led and taught his players with his Pyramid of Success. The Stanford Women's Basketball team and the USA World Cup team left it all on the court. They prepared themselves and did all they could, performing their best. That's what John Wooden talked about - not about winning or losing, but about giving it your all and doing your best.
What Tara has accomplished is beyond the national championships, gold medals, and hundreds of wins. She has built an incredible program - one that has a culture of hard work, commitment, and sacrifice and above all, the sense of team and teamwork.
I haven't talked about it here before - but I could NOT have been MORE proud of our team this year. They exemplified all the virtues that make me proud to be associated with Stanford Athletics.
We went to the Final Four in Indianapolis thinking this was our year to win it all. The game against Texas A&M (we've lost to the National Champion the last 4 Final Fours) was a great game which could have easily gone either way. A call here or there would have made the difference. But we lost. And even though our team had worked so very hard to get there and wanted it so very much, when the game was over they held their heads up high. We watched the press conference for all of the Final Four teams (men and women) that lost and it was painful - like watching torture - as they all cried and were heart broken. But Kayla Pedersen in her press conference said that she could not be more proud of her team. That she loved playing with them and would rather lose with this team than win with any other.
When I heard and saw the USA Women's World Cup team and how they handled their loss in the Championship - it immediately reminded me of that moment with Kayla.
This is the way that John Wooden led and taught his players with his Pyramid of Success. The Stanford Women's Basketball team and the USA World Cup team left it all on the court. They prepared themselves and did all they could, performing their best. That's what John Wooden talked about - not about winning or losing, but about giving it your all and doing your best.
What Tara has accomplished is beyond the national championships, gold medals, and hundreds of wins. She has built an incredible program - one that has a culture of hard work, commitment, and sacrifice and above all, the sense of team and teamwork.
08-09-2011, 10:38 AM
For more insight into Tara, check this Twitter hash tag #taraisms. Kate Paye and other former and current players are posting her expressions.
http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23taraisms
http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23taraisms
For more insight into Tara, check this Twitter hash tag #taraisms. Kate Paye and other former and current players are posting her expressions.
http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23taraisms
http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23taraisms
08-09-2011, 01:17 PM
I remember seeing those a while ago on some facebook profiles of Tara's players. Classic.
08-09-2011, 05:20 PM
"They already made the movie Dumb and Dumber, and you're not in it." That's wonderful.
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »