Some times statistics don't matter, or measure the player...

[DavidinNaples]

Exactly two years ago, Briana Pulido and Tierney Lawlor answered Stewie's tweet for walk-on players to try out for the Huskies. The process for making the team took over two months and neither player was prepared for the brutal practice regime run by Geno & company. Endless drills, mind numbing repetition and relentless running tears down your muscles and fries your brain. Your body begs your brain to quit and stop this nonsense, but your brain is just too tired to listen. Then there is weight lifting, then homework. Try studying on a delayed flight from Dallas, then landing at 7am and taking a Biology final at 8am. Not fun. It is true the reward for all the hard work and sacrifice is obvious, with Polly and TLAW having been part of two National Championship squads and a remarkable 78-1 record.

But both Pulido and Lawlor are gifted athletically & playing time is hard to come by. TLAW, who was a three sport star & captain at Ansonia High School, has averaged 3.7 minues in the 64 games in which she played. Briana, a multi sport athlete who originally came to UConn on a track scholarship, slightly less. When your total season playing time is less than a week's worth of practice, some times the effort & sacrifice totally eclipses the reward. But Pulido and Lawlor don't care. They answered Stewie's request and contribute to the team every day with selfless effort, unwavering support and nary a complaint. And when they do play, and score, you get a reaction from their team mates like the one pictured above. (A TLAW three touching nothing but net.)

Congratulations to TLAW and Briana. You are fan favorites, great sports and epitomize what college athletics is all about. We look forward to another great season and enjoy that you will be a part of it.

Go Huskies..!!

 

[Dickers]

Amen, I say amen to your observation. I am sure these two girls will go far in life with the lessons they have learned and their own self confidence and ability to sacrifice. I would be proud to have either one as my daughter. Go Huskies!! Lets get this season on.

 

[UcMiami]

Nice - but I can't resist the following:
Yeah, they got two championships, but I just can't understand why they don't transfer somewhere when they can get a lot more playing time! Sure they are on a great winning team, but no athlete wants to sit on the bench!

(just quoting some of our posters on other players who aren't starting.)

 

[CocoHusky]

View attachment 10292



Congratulations to TLAW and Briana. You are fan favorites, great sports and epitomize what college athletics is all about. We look forward to another great season and enjoy that you will be a part of it.

Go Huskies..!!

When I first read about Stewie Tweet my first reaction was not positive. It was bewilderment, an in, How in the world can the Premier WCBB program, coming of a National Championship season find itself in “need” of walk-on players? After seeing them play in the scrimmage on first night, I Immediately changed my mind and realized how lucky UCONN was, not to be in need ,but to have two young ladies of such high caliber to fill that need.
Positively “Rudy” like!

 

[Dickers]

Sure they could transfer to another school and play. But thats not the point. They love the school, the players, the academics. The whole enchilada.
There is more to the story than playing more.

 

[NVUConnFan]

Ditto congratulations to TLAW and Briana. It's a TEAM sport and sometimes role and mostly practice players can be great contributors. I love it when either one gets some PT.

 

[EricLA]

Amen, I say amen to your observation. I am sure these two girls will go far in life with the lessons they have learned and their own self confidence and ability to sacrifice. I would be proud to have either one as my daughter. Go Huskies!! Lets get this season on.

#lessonslearned... btw, you'd need to be a Duke fan to get that reference...!!

 

[TWG236]

One of the most changeling issues Geno and staff have to evaluate is not only how a potential recruit will provide value to their team, but also how will they deal with the fact that they aren't getting a lot of playing time. Nothing hurts a team chemistry more then a disgruntle teammate, who is either complaining or not providing 100 percent effort. I know we enjoy watching our team win, but I for one also enjoy watching the interaction between all of the teammates. Watching TLAW running to the end of the bench to get the clipboard at time outs, POLLY high fiving the entire bench after each and every three point basket and the starters reactions when any of the non rotation players makes a basket our good play is also very enjoyable to see. In each and every game you see several incidents that show you how much each of these girls respect and appreciate each other. Yes UcMiami I have also read previous comments from some posters commenting on the lack of basketball talent pertaining to some of our past, current and for that matter incoming players. Yet somehow Geno and staff seems to keep on winning. TLAW, POLLY, STACEY MARRON, TAHIIRAH WILLIAMS, MARCI, CZEL, CHRISTINE RIGBY, CASSIE KERNS, HEATHER BUCK and others could have transferred to other programs and yes they most likely could have obtain more playing time, but I bet if you ask each and everyone of them, they would voice the fact that they are extremely glad they hadn't and would describe their time in this program as being one of the most worthwhile experiences in their entire life. Thankfully for these woman earning a UCONN degree, working their tails off for a common goal, receiving both the players and coaches respect and admiration and making life long friends is more important to them then playing time. As Dickers and others have said, there is more to life then just playing time and thankfully we all got the pleasure of knowing these young ladies and watching them grown into woman who are ready to take on the world. Remember, in the past several other players have transferred into the great unknown and have never won or been heard of again. To quote Dickers, "Go Huskies!! Lets get this season on."

 

[EricLA]

Great post, TWG. But please, let me introduce you to a little thing called "paragraphs"... Seriously, though, it makes posts MUCH easier to read!

 

[bramos]

Great post, TWG. But please, let me introduce you to a little thing called "paragraphs"... Seriously, though, it makes posts MUCH easier to read!

yeah..pair of graphs for a pair of walk-ons..
Just think how this would go. These two are in a group of job applicants. Everyone's vitae is similar. You are a savvy Human Resources officer. The resumes of TLAW and Polly include the sentences..Walk on at UConn. Won X National Championships....
I would hire these two..

 

[JSB60]

I'm hijacking the thread a little, but TWG236 reminded me of my all time favorite team player, Heather Buck. Sometimes she got little more playing time than a walk-on, but when called upon, she could cover Griner better than anyone else in the country.

 

[UcMiami]

TWG - my post was definitely tongue in cheek - and I agree with everything you say and have often argued it against a poster saying a player getting only 15 minutes a game would be better off in another program (and often about freshman, or a potential recruit that likely wouldn't start.)

The striving for excellence that our two walk-ons go through on a daily basis is a fabulous life lesson on top of the camaraderie and athletic success the team experiences.

And that is the reason that I and most HR people would agree with your comment Bramos regardless of the school colors we personally wear.

 

[Millenial23]

This is a great thread - it even got posted on Stewie's facebook fan page!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Breanna-Stewart/296047987193268

 

[MilfordHusky]

If things go well, this will be an interesting comparison. Number of National Championship rings (a selected list):

Morgan Tuck 5

Tierney Lawlor 4
Breanna Stewart 4
Moriah Jefferson 4

Briana Pulido 3
Diana Taurasi 3
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis 3
Kiah Stokes 3

Maya Moore 2
Tina Charles 2
Sue Bird 2

 

[BroadwayVa]

View attachment 10292

Exactly two years ago, Briana Pulido and Tierney Lawlor answered Stewie's tweet for walk-on players to try out for the Huskies. The process for making the team took over two months and neither player was prepared for the brutal practice regime run by Geno & company. Endless drills, mind numbing repetition and relentless running tears down your muscles and fries your brain. Your body begs your brain to quit and stop this nonsense, but your brain is just too tired to listen. Then there is weight lifting, then homework. Try studying on a delayed flight from Dallas, then landing at 7am and taking a Biology final at 8am. Not fun. It is true the reward for all the hard work and sacrifice is obvious, with Polly and TLAW having been part of two National Championship squads and a remarkable 78-1 record.

But both Pulido and Lawlor are gifted athletically & playing time is hard to come by. TLAW, who was a three sport star & captain at Ansonia High School, has averaged 3.7 minues in the 64 games in which she played. Briana, a multi sport athlete who originally came to UConn on a track scholarship, slightly less. When your total season playing time is less than a week's worth of practice, some times the effort & sacrifice totally eclipses the reward. But Pulido and Lawlor don't care. They answered Stewie's request and contribute to the team every day with selfless effort, unwavering support and nary a complaint. And when they do play, and score, you get a reaction from their team mates like the one pictured above. (A TLAW three touching nothing but net.)

Congratulations to TLAW and Briana. You are fan favorites, great sports and epitomize what college athletics is all about. We look forward to another great season and enjoy that you will be a part of it.

Go Huskies..!!

First---Thank you so much for this. Talent is great. Heart is better. Uconn is blessed with Women who have both. I was looking for Stats to prove your Header point, but you fooled me. This has turned out to be the best tribute Polly and TLaw could ever have received --this is only the first. Thank you Boneyarders for recognizing how important these "walk on's" are and have been to OUR team.
Just two more things--Heather Buck (as has been posted) did a magnificant job on Griner, kudos.
Block paragraphing is an acceptable form--sometimes looks like run-on writing.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Sure they could transfer to another school and play. But thats not the point. They love the school, the players, the academics. The whole enchilada.
There is more to the story than playing more.

They could do as you hinted but only at Uconn did they get to be on and play on a NCAA Championship team or get to play in National Championship game--How many wouldn't sell there new luggage for that chance????

 

[DavidinNaples]

Bump....because TLAW and Pulido have earned the right to be called "players".....
Can we not even agree on that on the BY..?? Geez....!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Having coached for 32 years a slew of HS sports, Wrestling, Boys Soccer, Girls Field hockey, Track & Field, Gymnastics, Football, Baseball, among a few others, I loved watching the not-so-talented players grow as both athletes and people through their 4 years of competition! Some of the most dramatic moments were achieved by 2nd stringers/JV type players!
In Wrestling, John was shy, borderline suicidal, and his Father, his freshman year wanted him involved in a sport to force him to become more out-going, social, and have to sweat! John had thick glasses about 5'4" 120 lbs. his 1st year on JV he got pinned in first 30 seconds the 5 early matches, I was scared to death it would drive him off the deep end! But my coaches and I emphasized that everyone was important if the team was to be successful, When John lasted to the 2nd period, you'd think he'd won a State Title, the bench went nuts, he got pinned 10 sec. into the 2nd period! No wins as 9th grader JV wrestler!
He kept getting better, sophomore year 1/2 way through he won his first match ever in last 2 seconds of a JV match, 2-1, and the whole team rushed the mats and carried John off! That was one team point deducted I didn't mind losing!
His junior year he was .500 on JV at 145, well-muscled pounds! At the end of season banquet he won the Andy Hayes BIG HEART AWARD!
His senior season he had a winning record and won the JV Tournament 152lbs. Championship! His Father came up to me crying afterwards that The Wrestling Program changed his son's life! But John had that "something" in him that made him change himself!
I've lost track of John through the years, but I'm betting he's brought the same fight to where ever life's taken him!
So when I see the UCONN players coming off the bench, I think back to those athletes I've coached that brought their "everything" what ever that was, to every practice or meet and made us better for it!

 

[cferraro04]

One of the most changeling issues Geno and staff have to evaluate is not only how a potential recruit will provide value to their team, but also how will they deal with the fact that they aren't getting a lot of playing time. Nothing hurts a team chemistry more then a disgruntle teammate, who is either complaining or not providing 100 percent effort. I know we enjoy watching our team win, but I for one also enjoy watching the interaction between all of the teammates. Watching TLAW running to the end of the bench to get the clipboard at time outs, POLLY high fiving the entire bench after each and every three point basket and the starters reactions when any of the non rotation players makes a basket our good play is also very enjoyable to see. In each and every game you see several incidents that show you how much each of these girls respect and appreciate each other. Yes UcMiami I have also read previous comments from some posters commenting on the lack of basketball talent pertaining to some of our past, current and for that matter incoming players. Yet somehow Geno and staff seems to keep on winning. TLAW, POLLY, STACEY MARRON, TAHIIRAH WILLIAMS, MARCI, CZEL, CHRISTINE RIGBY, CASSIE KERNS, HEATHER BUCK and others could have transferred to other programs and yes they most likely could have obtain more playing time, but I bet if you ask each and everyone of them, they would voice the fact that they are extremely glad they hadn't and would describe their time in this program as being one of the most worthwhile experiences in their entire life. Thankfully for these woman earning a UCONN degree, working their tails off for a common goal, receiving both the players and coaches respect and admiration and making life long friends is more important to them then playing time. As Dickers and others have said, there is more to life then just playing time and thankfully we all got the pleasure of knowing these young ladies and watching them grown into woman who are ready to take on the world. Remember, in the past several other players have transferred into the great unknown and have never won or been heard of again. To quote Dickers, "Go Huskies!! Lets get this season on."

Great post but, let's not forget Jacquelyn (Jacquie) Ann Fernandes.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Bump....because TLAW and Pulido have earned the right to be called "players".....
Can we not even agree on that on the BY..?? Geez....!

I've answered this in an earlier posting--

These are great kids that could play for a lot of Div 1 and be starters but no National Championship. I thank you David for being the
ombudsman for the two you and the BY, without exception, respect. We sometimes use words that convey less than what we mean.
English is supposed be a bit more precise but alas it leave a lot of us thinking: What did it mean??