[Non Monarchs] FIBA Americas Championship for Women
- Thread starter Monty'sBiggestFan
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Here's a question that I'll throw out there: Anne Donovan's career preceded the WNBA by many moons... After watching the little halftime feature, it seems probable that Staley can connect with the players more easily than Donovan does; does anyone get the sense that she may also be able to coach them more effectively? Or is she still too recently removed as a player to be able to exert that authority if Team USA were ever threatened by a difficult opponent?
Nice question, Mr. S£im. I think that Dawn Staley has had the respect of players for a very long time. They would connect with her better than with Donovan who strikes me as a bit too intense. I could be wrong there. One day, Dawn Staley will be the USA head coach. Until then, she will pass on her expertise, but never showing up Donovan in the process. None of this is to say that Donovan does not have the player's respect, because I believe she does.
I don't think there's anything wrong with being intense as a coach; the only thing about being too intense (a la Donovan or Laimbeer) is the same trouble with being too "nice" as a coach, or too much a "player's" coach (a la Westhead or Karleen Thompson)... and that problem is that both being too intense or too nice only works as long as you're winning.
Winning cures everything. Staley could probably coach this team in this tournament just as effectively as Donovan, but they haven't seriously been threatened in this tournament. I agree with Staley being the coach for Team USA in the years to come, but I suppose I have my doubts as to how well the players would have responded to her direction following the upsets last year. My impression is that she's still a little too recently removed from being a player to be as effective as the Ultimate Authority as Donovan is right now. My sense is that once she's established a little more separation from the current players, particularly the ones she helped shaped the league with, that she'll be a more effective coach in the long run.
Winning cures everything. Staley could probably coach this team in this tournament just as effectively as Donovan, but they haven't seriously been threatened in this tournament. I agree with Staley being the coach for Team USA in the years to come, but I suppose I have my doubts as to how well the players would have responded to her direction following the upsets last year. My impression is that she's still a little too recently removed from being a player to be as effective as the Ultimate Authority as Donovan is right now. My sense is that once she's established a little more separation from the current players, particularly the ones she helped shaped the league with, that she'll be a more effective coach in the long run.
Maiga did play for Mali and was named MVP of the tourney.
Shoot, meant to post a reply to this earlier....
There are some who are raising a ruckus that Donovan is not the right as coach of team USA. (cough...clay kallam...cough) and is essentially beating the ABD drum
http://fullcourt.scout.com/2/668309.html
http://fullcourt.scout.com/2/684496.html
According to the rule changes made by USA Basketball the women's national team coach must be a WNBA coach, so for Staley to get the gig barring another rule change, she'll need to be coaching in the W.
There are some who are raising a ruckus that Donovan is not the right as coach of team USA. (cough...clay kallam...cough) and is essentially beating the ABD drum
http://fullcourt.scout.com/2/668309.html
http://fullcourt.scout.com/2/684496.html
According to the rule changes made by USA Basketball the women's national team coach must be a WNBA coach, so for Staley to get the gig barring another rule change, she'll need to be coaching in the W.
...which I don't think she will do.
Staley seems pretty comfortable and financially secure coaching at Temple, plus it's in Philly which is her hometown. I don't think she will have the time to coach in the WNBA and in college simultaneously. So, I think we can rule out Dawn coaching the national team for quite a while.
Staley seems pretty comfortable and financially secure coaching at Temple, plus it's in Philly which is her hometown. I don't think she will have the time to coach in the WNBA and in college simultaneously. So, I think we can rule out Dawn coaching the national team for quite a while.