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Ailene Voisin: Boucek's rookie year had bumps
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Columnist
Published 6:39 am PDT Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
Jenny Boucek ended her first season with a thud, with a poorly executed, theatrical tantrum near the visitor's bench in San Antonio.
She wasn't pushed. She wasn't tripped. Instead, infuriated by the officiating in the waning moments of the postseason finale, the Monarchs' colorful head coach threw up her arms and crumpled to the court, and then for dramatic effect, stretched out along the sideline.
"It was awful," an exhausted Boucek explained Tuesday. "Obviously I don't know what I was thinking. It's one of those embarrassing moments you want to forget."
There was certainly nothing graceful about the landing -- her clean white suit suddenly smudged with dirt and dust bunnies -- nor flattering about the game's outcome. The same could be said for the postseason, Boucek's first as John Whisenant's successor.
By losing the best-of-three opening round to the San Antonio Silver Stars, the Monarchs failed to reach the Western Conference finals for the first time in five years, and, for the first time since 2004, were denied an opportunity to compete for a championship in what could be Yolanda Griffith's final WNBA season.
The finale in San Antonio, in fact, serves as a surprisingly succinct summation of the season. The defense was sluggish in the tempo-setting opening half. The offense was stagnant, clumsy, overwrought. The effort was surprisingly inconsistent at both ends, seldom matching the feverish pace and aggressiveness that characterized recent Monarchs' clubs.
The injury factor was another crippler, with DeMya Walker sidelined all season, and Yolanda Griffith, Rebekkah Brunson and Ticha Penicheiro -- hampered by their own ailments -- unable to compensate for sore limbs and aching bodies, as well as their head coach's inexperience.
Should anyone have expected more? More commitment? More cohesion? Better concentration?
Maybe. But maybe only if "Whiz" hadn't cut and run after a contract impasse last September. He built this team in his image -- his unconventional and complex defense its very essence -- and then, after returning to the front office, selected a 33-year-old replacement to maintain the organization's commitment to defense and a fast pace while matching wits with Paul Westhead, Bill Laimbeer, Dan Hughes and Mike Thibault.
In retrospect, entrusting this strong-willed Monarchs bunch to an unproven rookie was more lunacy than leap of faith, for all the familiar reasons. Rookies tend to be caring, but too controlling, invariably guilty of trying to do too much. They want to establish their reputations, win all their games and change the world before the opening tip.
Boucek, who is exceptionally bright and surprisingly scripted in conversation, arrived in Sacramento seemingly intent on coaching and saving souls in the same semester. She produced playbooks and personal journals, and conducted team meetings in which players were urged to share their thoughts and feelings of a more "spiritual" nature. Though none of the players complained publicly, some within the organization privately argue that Boucek's approach is better suited for a parochial high school or college.
"I encouraged Jenny to be her own person," Whisenant said, slowly, "and like all coaches, there are things that could have been handled better. I thought we could have beaten them (Silver Stars), but I don't think we had a bad season."
As the season progressed, Boucek, in fact, seemed more comfortable with conventional defenses and inclined to call plays on most possessions. The changes from the more freewheeling Whisenant at times confused the players, with Griffith, for instance, days ago cautioning against "tweaking" a system her teammates had long ago embraced.
"We didn't do too much differently," Boucek insisted. "There were minor, minor adjustments. We didn't get away from what (previous teams) did, or if we did, it wasn't conscious. "
As the Monarchs begin an offseason fraught with uncertainty -- Griffith contemplating retirement, Walker coming off knee surgery, Penicheiro a free agent -- Boucek should be free to select her offenses and defenses. She should be free to run her locker room as she chooses, though mindful that her emphasis on spiritual and personal matters can be interpreted as an unnecessary distraction, and arguably, an inappropriate intrusion into professional sports.
Coaching is a matter of balance.
The idea is to stay on your feet.
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@sacbee.com
Ailene Voisin: Boucek's rookie year had bumps
By Ailene Voisin - Bee Columnist
Published 6:39 am PDT Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
Jenny Boucek ended her first season with a thud, with a poorly executed, theatrical tantrum near the visitor's bench in San Antonio.
She wasn't pushed. She wasn't tripped. Instead, infuriated by the officiating in the waning moments of the postseason finale, the Monarchs' colorful head coach threw up her arms and crumpled to the court, and then for dramatic effect, stretched out along the sideline.
"It was awful," an exhausted Boucek explained Tuesday. "Obviously I don't know what I was thinking. It's one of those embarrassing moments you want to forget."
There was certainly nothing graceful about the landing -- her clean white suit suddenly smudged with dirt and dust bunnies -- nor flattering about the game's outcome. The same could be said for the postseason, Boucek's first as John Whisenant's successor.
By losing the best-of-three opening round to the San Antonio Silver Stars, the Monarchs failed to reach the Western Conference finals for the first time in five years, and, for the first time since 2004, were denied an opportunity to compete for a championship in what could be Yolanda Griffith's final WNBA season.
The finale in San Antonio, in fact, serves as a surprisingly succinct summation of the season. The defense was sluggish in the tempo-setting opening half. The offense was stagnant, clumsy, overwrought. The effort was surprisingly inconsistent at both ends, seldom matching the feverish pace and aggressiveness that characterized recent Monarchs' clubs.
The injury factor was another crippler, with DeMya Walker sidelined all season, and Yolanda Griffith, Rebekkah Brunson and Ticha Penicheiro -- hampered by their own ailments -- unable to compensate for sore limbs and aching bodies, as well as their head coach's inexperience.
Should anyone have expected more? More commitment? More cohesion? Better concentration?
Maybe. But maybe only if "Whiz" hadn't cut and run after a contract impasse last September. He built this team in his image -- his unconventional and complex defense its very essence -- and then, after returning to the front office, selected a 33-year-old replacement to maintain the organization's commitment to defense and a fast pace while matching wits with Paul Westhead, Bill Laimbeer, Dan Hughes and Mike Thibault.
In retrospect, entrusting this strong-willed Monarchs bunch to an unproven rookie was more lunacy than leap of faith, for all the familiar reasons. Rookies tend to be caring, but too controlling, invariably guilty of trying to do too much. They want to establish their reputations, win all their games and change the world before the opening tip.
Boucek, who is exceptionally bright and surprisingly scripted in conversation, arrived in Sacramento seemingly intent on coaching and saving souls in the same semester. She produced playbooks and personal journals, and conducted team meetings in which players were urged to share their thoughts and feelings of a more "spiritual" nature. Though none of the players complained publicly, some within the organization privately argue that Boucek's approach is better suited for a parochial high school or college.
"I encouraged Jenny to be her own person," Whisenant said, slowly, "and like all coaches, there are things that could have been handled better. I thought we could have beaten them (Silver Stars), but I don't think we had a bad season."
As the season progressed, Boucek, in fact, seemed more comfortable with conventional defenses and inclined to call plays on most possessions. The changes from the more freewheeling Whisenant at times confused the players, with Griffith, for instance, days ago cautioning against "tweaking" a system her teammates had long ago embraced.
"We didn't do too much differently," Boucek insisted. "There were minor, minor adjustments. We didn't get away from what (previous teams) did, or if we did, it wasn't conscious. "
As the Monarchs begin an offseason fraught with uncertainty -- Griffith contemplating retirement, Walker coming off knee surgery, Penicheiro a free agent -- Boucek should be free to select her offenses and defenses. She should be free to run her locker room as she chooses, though mindful that her emphasis on spiritual and personal matters can be interpreted as an unnecessary distraction, and arguably, an inappropriate intrusion into professional sports.
Coaching is a matter of balance.
The idea is to stay on your feet.
About the writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or avoisin@sacbee.com
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