Play every game with competitive greatness, be at your best when your best is needed, enjoy a difficult challenge, and put your socks and shoes on properly...
As an aside, it was really nice to see new football coach Bob Chesney show up to today's event to support the women's basketball team.
I got to speak with him for a few minutes and he's the real deal--as down to earth in person as he comes across in the videos we've all seen on social media.
I hope everyone will take a moment to read this incredible story by Ben Bolch about Coach Close and her relationship with Coach Wooden... It's very touching and really speaks to her beautiful heart and soul, the way she teaches, and why her team is so very special 💙💛💙💛
The Lady Bruins? I warched the selection sunday party last year and they were jumping and screaming when they got the #1 overall seed, they were over the moon with excitement.
That's close to what happened. BSPN turned the UCLA camera on for a few seconds and then for unexplained reasons (we all can presume the reasons) very quickly went to another feed at another site while the studio was still in the process of announcing our seed. Our basketball twitter had to show our team's reaction on their own account later.
If you look at the Wins Above Bubble (WAB) ranking, UConn is only fourth which implies that the other three #1 seeds would also have finished undefeated if they played UConn's schedule. Doesn't say they are better but UConn's SOS was not as high.
I don't know T, until Geno is out of the tournament I can only be cautiously optimistic. Inflated stats or not (and it pains me to say that the Wizard has any "comp"), he has proven himself to be the John Wooden of Women's College Basketball.....
This is certainly what Cori has been building towards for several years......I am hoping she takes that next step......right over Geno if she has to......and takes the National Title...
How does Lindsay Gottlieb keep recruiting another 5 star for the 2026 class? After what Cori has proven in the last 3 years why would anyone want to play across town? Especially with JuJu no-pass-the-ball Watkins.
NVE, She obviously talks a good game, but evidently, she has much more than that.......She has NBA experience.....I just learned that she was the first college woman's BB coach to be offered an NBA job......she was with the Cavaliers for 3 or 4 years involved with player development......she evidently also has a great GM identifying and pitching players both nationally and internationally for USC.
According to a neighbor who has a talented daughter, what she offers is a pro-NBA-style offense that supposedly allows individual show-casing within the team concept......evidently this attracts the most athletic 5-stars who are interested in great NIL and “showcasing” their skills for a “WNBA-ready” pro-career upon graduation.....I would say that she is a “John Calipari (while at Kentucky) type” of coach, offering star caliber players, star caliber teammates to play with along with brand development; versus Cori's "Bill Self style" or dare we say, a "John Wooden style" of Final Four, NCAA Championship “team first” brand of coaching and fundamentals; Cori has been great recruiting balanced depth and stressing individual development, playing within a team concept over several seasons……but right now she is losing the recruiting arm’s race to Gottlieb’s offer of glitz, personal fame and NIL along with their basketball (3 top 5-stars recruits committed for 2026, one national and 2 international).....at least according to these parents.
Win baby win.
Play every game with competitive greatness, be at your best when your best is needed, enjoy a difficult challenge, and put your socks and shoes on properly...
Love, Coach Wooden 💙💛💙💛
Let's goooo Lady Bruins!!!
💙💛💙💛
As an aside, it was really nice to see new football coach Bob Chesney show up to today's event to support the women's basketball team.
I got to speak with him for a few minutes and he's the real deal--as down to earth in person as he comes across in the videos we've all seen on social media.
That is so awesome! 💙💛💙💛
Coach Chesney and Coach Close are both incredible human beings who truly understand how to lead and teach and build up others and the community.
I have said this before but they both remind me so much of Coach Wooden.
We are lucky to have them! 💙💛
Met him there today too! Totally agree!
I hope everyone will take a moment to read this incredible story by Ben Bolch about Coach Close and her relationship with Coach Wooden... It's very touching and really speaks to her beautiful heart and soul, the way she teaches, and why her team is so very special 💙💛💙💛
https://x.com/calpostbbolch/status/2033516288551862739?s=12
Much better reaction this year. Not sure what was going on last year.
What happened last year?
They looked like they were half asleep when their seeding was announced.
The Lady Bruins? I warched the selection sunday party last year and they were jumping and screaming when they got the #1 overall seed, they were over the moon with excitement.
Maybe it was that delayed reaction thing and missed the actual reaction part.
That's close to what happened. BSPN turned the UCLA camera on for a few seconds and then for unexplained reasons (we all can presume the reasons) very quickly went to another feed at another site while the studio was still in the process of announcing our seed. Our basketball twitter had to show our team's reaction on their own account later.
No wonder they went undefeated, UCONN didn't play one ranked team in the Big East.
Yep. And UConn's stats are inflated because of it. I still believe they are a great team but we deserved the #1 overall seed, imho.
If you look at the Wins Above Bubble (WAB) ranking, UConn is only fourth which implies that the other three #1 seeds would also have finished undefeated if they played UConn's schedule. Doesn't say they are better but UConn's SOS was not as high.
I don't know T, until Geno is out of the tournament I can only be cautiously optimistic. Inflated stats or not (and it pains me to say that the Wizard has any "comp"), he has proven himself to be the John Wooden of Women's College Basketball.....
I just think there will be some magic on the court with our Lady Bruins, and Coach Wooden will be smiling 🙏😊💙💛
This is certainly what Cori has been building towards for several years......I am hoping she takes that next step......right over Geno if she has to......and takes the National Title...
How does Lindsay Gottlieb keep recruiting another 5 star for the 2026 class? After what Cori has proven in the last 3 years why would anyone want to play across town? Especially with JuJu no-pass-the-ball Watkins.
NVE, She obviously talks a good game, but evidently, she has much more than that.......She has NBA experience.....I just learned that she was the first college woman's BB coach to be offered an NBA job......she was with the Cavaliers for 3 or 4 years involved with player development......she evidently also has a great GM identifying and pitching players both nationally and internationally for USC.
According to a neighbor who has a talented daughter, what she offers is a pro-NBA-style offense that supposedly allows individual show-casing within the team concept......evidently this attracts the most athletic 5-stars who are interested in great NIL and “showcasing” their skills for a “WNBA-ready” pro-career upon graduation.....I would say that she is a “John Calipari (while at Kentucky) type” of coach, offering star caliber players, star caliber teammates to play with along with brand development; versus Cori's "Bill Self style" or dare we say, a "John Wooden style" of Final Four, NCAA Championship “team first” brand of coaching and fundamentals; Cori has been great recruiting balanced depth and stressing individual development, playing within a team concept over several seasons……but right now she is losing the recruiting arm’s race to Gottlieb’s offer of glitz, personal fame and NIL along with their basketball (3 top 5-stars recruits committed for 2026, one national and 2 international).....at least according to these parents.