RebKell's Junkie Boards

[njjosh]

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- If you believe Vivian Stringer, it never is too late to teach an old dog new tricks.

On the eve of her team's regional championship game against top-ranked Connecticut, the Rutgers women's basketball head coach announced that her team will play offense when it has the basketball. Stringer will put that offense on display for the first time tonight when the Scarlet Knights try to get to their second straight final four.

"I've been a head coach for more than 30 years and I have never won a national championship," said Stringer, who previously had coached Cheney State and Iowa to Final Fours. "I also never seem to get any respect from the selection committee or the NCAA in general. I awoke in the middle of the night last night and realized there was a reason for that. So I did some studying this morning and I'm going to throw some actual offensive sets out there tonight that might allow us to score points."

Stringer wouldn't say what texts she studied. But inquiries at Greensboro-area bookstores revealed that Stringer purchased the book "Basketball Offense for Dummies."

Stringer is only the third women's coach, along with Tennessee's Pat Summit and former Texas coach Jody Conradt, to amass 800 wins. Her teams have also been known for great defensive play, in particular the "55" scheme she has used at Rutgers.

But unlike those other two 800-win coaches, Stringer has not won a national title, losing in the title game in 1982 and 2007 and in the national semifinals in 1993. Critics have pointed to her teams' inability to score enough points to beat the other top teams this late in the season, and that so many of her postseason losses have come while her team held the opponent to under 70 points or even under 60 points.

"It's about time she saw the light," said Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma, winner of five national championships and Stringer's opponent tonight. "Playing against her teams is such a drag, even when you win. It's worse than trying to get Charde Houston to play hard consistently."

A spokesperson for the NCAA said that it will be watching tonight's proceedings closely. If this new-found "offense" works as Stringer claims, the NCAA may consider seeding and placing her team better in next year's tournament......

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS' DAY!!!!

[beknighted]

Very good. It was even plausible until this line:

"If this new-found 'offense' works as Stringer claims, the NCAA may consider seeding and placing her team better in next year's tournament......"

[sbjules]

Nicely done, NJJ!!

[Orion]

Happy April Fool's Day to you, as well.

_________________
An original Mystic fan.