[81alum]

Haley stood behind Tara and held both hands with thumb to forefinger touching over her eyes as if they were goggles and made fun of Tara. 

i believe the gesture you are referencing is celebratory, not mocking. it means look at that 3-point shot! or, more generally, look at that great play! steph curry uses it often.

https://www.vrfitnessinsider.com/what-st...ro-sports/

(sorry, i can't figure out how to post the photo rather than the link)

thank you for mentioning tara not attending haley's draft night. isn't that on remembers-everyone's-birthday tara rather than on haley? i noticed that the video of the history of stanford's teams left out haley from the section on the recent national championship. is that on haley? tara assigned haley to run the point at least 50% of the time last year when we had no experienced point guard. that led to many critiques of haley. imo haley did what tara asked even though it ruined haley's game.

tara is now supportive of nil, but i recall her being cool and skeptical when nil was just starting out. haley made the first forays into nil, and i can easily imagine tara being critical at first.

blaming transfers out on haley? i don't think so! there was a logjam at the post - betts still wouldn't start at stanford this year. the higher-ranked indya nivar backed up lepolo.

blaming our poor play last year on haley? i don't think so! with the departure of kiana, anna wilson, and the hull twins, we had 5 top posts but no star point guard and no star wings.

p.s. thanks for posting haley's interview of lauren betts. it's a wonderful interview. they have a great time talking. both are exuberant and delightful. they clearly enjoy each other. betts calls haley a "10 out of 10" and references their close friendship over the years. betts says it was hard to leave because she loved the players, but she had to because she "did not feel supported." given the context, she appears to be saying not supported by the staff.

There comes a point where our speculation may be counterproductive.  While we fans might like to know the inside story, we are not entitled to know it, and it might or might not be good for the program if it were publicly known.   Here are the salient points, in my opinion:

1. Not everyone fits with the personality of every coach, no matter how accomplished that coach or that athlete might be.  And not every freshman fits Stanford, believe it or not.  Some, like Alyssa Jerome, so fall in love with the culture of the program and the sisterhood they stay for 5 years even with almost no playing time.  Some, like Taylor Rooks, find out their freshman year that it is not a match for them.  They could be homesick, they could find Stanford doesn't fit their academic plans, they could fall out of love with the level of basketball competition.  In the pre-portal days, we never heard about these stories, but they were always there.  Student athletes just had to "tough it out" or suffer if they made a decision that was not right for them.  Now we know about every one.

2. Betts was very careful not to disparage Stanford in the interview, although it is clear that in some way or another she did not feel supported.  I think many of us had the sense that for one reason or another--and speculation has run a little too rampant--the team chemistry last year was not what it should be.  It would have been a rough atmosphere for a freshman to step into.  It sure seems better this year.

3. Tara made a comment in the post-celebration interview sticks in my mind.  She said something like "Nobody is perfect.  I've said some things to some players I regret.  I've not been the coach I needed to be at certain times."   I wonder if she had specific incidents in mind.  One thing is certain--she has in fact changed her approach this year.  She changed her coaching staff, and she has infused a much more positive philosophy.  Tara's effort to change (successfully, it seems) actually confirms in my mind that something did need to change, and it started with her.  That is why she has lasted--she can be self-critical and correct and adapt.

[81alum]

Haley stood behind Tara and held both hands with thumb to forefinger touching over her eyes as if they were goggles and made fun of Tara. 

i believe the gesture you are referencing is celebratory, not mocking. it means look at that 3-point shot! or, more generally, look at that great play! steph curry uses it often.

https://www.vrfitnessinsider.com/what-st...ro-sports/

(sorry, i can't figure out how to post the photo rather than the link)

thank you for mentioning tara not attending haley's draft night. isn't that on remembers-everyone's-birthday tara rather than on haley? i noticed that the video of the history of stanford's teams left out haley from the section on the recent national championship. is that on haley? tara assigned haley to run the point at least 50% of the time last year when we had no experienced point guard. that led to many critiques of haley. imo haley did what tara asked even though it ruined haley's game.

tara is now supportive of nil, but i recall her being cool and skeptical when nil was just starting out. haley made the first forays into nil, and i can easily imagine tara being critical at first.

blaming transfers out on haley? i don't think so! there was a logjam at the post - betts still wouldn't start at stanford this year. the higher-ranked indya nivar backed up lepolo.

blaming our poor play last year on haley? i don't think so! with the departure of kiana, anna wilson, and the hull twins, we had 5 top posts but no star point guard and no star wings.

p.s. thanks for posting haley's interview of lauren betts. it's a wonderful interview. they have a great time talking. both are exuberant and delightful. they clearly enjoy each other. betts calls haley a "10 out of 10" and references their close friendship over the years. betts says it was hard to leave because she loved the players, but she had to because she "did not feel supported." given the context, she appears to be saying not supported by the staff.

There comes a point where our speculation may be counterproductive.  While we fans might like to know the inside story, we are not entitled to know it, and it might or might not be good for the program if it were publicly known.   Here are the salient points, in my opinion:

1. Not everyone fits with the personality of every coach, no matter how accomplished that coach or that athlete might be.  And not every freshman fits Stanford, believe it or not.  Some, like Alyssa Jerome, so fall in love with the culture of the program and the sisterhood they stay for 5 years even with almost no playing time.  Some, like Taylor Rooks, find out their freshman year that it is not a match for them.  They could be homesick, they could find Stanford doesn't fit their academic plans, they could fall out of love with the level of basketball competition.  In the pre-portal days, we never heard about these stories, but they were always there.  Student athletes just had to "tough it out" or suffer if they made a decision that was not right for them.  Now we know about every one.

2. Betts was very careful not to disparage Stanford in the interview, although it is clear that in some way or another she did not feel supported.  I think many of us had the sense that for one reason or another--and speculation has run a little too rampant--the team chemistry last year was not what it should be.  It would have been a rough atmosphere for a freshman to step into.  It sure seems better this year.

3. Tara made a comment in the post-celebration interview sticks in my mind.  She said something like "Nobody is perfect.  I've said some things to some players I regret.  I've not been the coach I needed to be at certain times."   I wonder if she had specific incidents in mind.  One thing is certain--she has in fact changed her approach this year.  She changed her coaching staff, and she has infused a much more positive philosophy.  Tara's effort to change (successfully, it seems) actually confirms in my mind that something did need to change, and it started with her.  That is why she has lasted--she can be self-critical and correct and adapt.