[CON/LAS] Running it up?

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Sun win a blowout, and were virtually unchallenged, except for a brief run near the end of the third quarter, where the Sparks got the score to within seven... Of course, then the Sun ended the quarter on an 11-2 run, and that was that.

Of greater interest to me is the fact that Thibault left three of his starters in the game (Sales did not dress) until the final minute. There was some speculation by Mike Gorman and Debbie Black during the broadcast as to whether they were trying to go after the franchise record; I think they said they came up a point short.

Personally, as a competitive guy who's kind of a prick, I'm in favor or running the score up; they're professional players... if you don't want to get embarrassed, play some defense.

 

[Luv13fan]

I would tend to agree with that sentiment.
Conn may have been up by alot, but the shots came within the flow of the offense they were running. Jamie Carey (back up pg) sank a few Three's on them during the final few of theat contest.

I think "Slowing Down the game" or Playing so you don't "Run the Score Up on People" leads to mental lapses. I also think there is a difference between staying aggressive and actually trying to embarrass someone.

An Example to me of "Embarrassing someone" would be employing a full Court press when you are up by 30. And the other team has conceeded the game. E.g. emptied the Bench and waived the preverbal white flag, and you still actively attempt to run the score up.

Cooper had not conceeded the ball game. The Sparks were actively engaged. They had their primary scorers on the floor. And there were attempting to score. Thank Goodness... Love you Sherill Baker. Therefore all bets are off, and you play it out.

As you said these are Professionals. And I agree 100%. If you don't want to get embarrassed, bring your A game and play defense.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

As an example of not wanting to embarrass somebody, I'm looking straight at Margo Dydek; I recall reading an article where she said something to the effect of not dunking because she doesn't want to embarrass her opponent. Except, in Dydek's case, she's practically on the other end of the spectrum: she's so intent on not embarrassing her opponent, she's completely passive, and that attitude utterly chaps my hide. I mean, if Dydek had Yo Griffith's heart, she'd be the greatest women's player of all time; she'd be the Wilt Chamberlain of the WNBA.

As a competitive and somewhat pejorative person, it just irks me to hear athletes say that they don't want to show up their opponents: if I were seven-foot-two, not only would I demand the ball on every possession, I would want to demonstrate my dominance over my opponent in the most humiliating way possible. I would look into her eyes and say, "I'm going to dunk this ball on the top of your head so hard that it's going to get stuck there, and I dare you to try and stop me!"