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2000 ESPN.COM CHAT TRANSCRIPT - #2 |
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ESPN - Wednesday, November 2000 Purdue and Duke are said to have this season's top recruiting classes. The Huskies' recruiting ability was a hot topic during a recent ESPN.com chat with UConn junior guard Sue Bird. One user asked Bird if she viewed UConn's recruiting ability as a negative since coach Geno Auriemma constantly brings in players who can challenge the starters for their jobs. "It is definitely not a negative," Bird said during the Nov. 1 chat. "The fact we have so many great players on this team is what makes us so good. "Everyday in practice, you're forced to play your best. And so when the games come, you're used to the competition. It's not about who plays how many minutes. It's about who wins the basketball game." Bird also talked preseason expectations, the Huskies' chances for
a repeat and named the best players in Husky history during her
chat. If you missed it, check out the edited transcript below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tyler: Two questions for you! Anything you think you have improved on during the offseason? Also is Keirsten Walters going to play this year or not? Sue Bird: Hi, Tyler. Thanks for writing. I played for USA Basketball this summer, so I got a lot of great experience playing against great competition and some international experience as well. So I think my game has improved in those aspects. As for Keirsten, I don't know. Meet me in St. Louis: Sue, did you hear a lot about Chamique Holdsclaw when you were at Christ the King? Did you feel competitive with her then or do you feel competitive with her legacy at Tennessee? Sue Bird: I did hear a lot about her when I was there. Obviously she is a great player and was for Christ the King. But I don't feel any competition whatsoever. I think I aspire to do what she has done in her career. I don't look at it in competitive terms. She's just a great player. Meet me in St. Louis: Sue, do you have any lasting affects from the hand injury in the final game? Sue Bird: No. It was just a jammed finger. Nothing serious. JohnW: Tennessee is likely to come after UConn like a wounded tiger in the games this year due to the embarrassing loss they earned in the NC game. How does the team prepare for the fury that is likely to characterize the first 10-15 minutes of those games. Sue Bird: First of all, this is a new year, and just like they can't live in the past, neither can we. And I think we've moved on and gotten a lot of new players. So right now we're just working on getting better everyday, and if we do that, I think we'll be OK. As for Tennessee, I do expect a lot of fire, and we hope to counteract that. UConn Husky Fan: Ten years ago, UConn was not even a contender in the Big East. But Coach Auriemma has turned it into THE program in the country. What is it about coach Auriemma that has enabled him to turn UConn into such a huge program? Sue Bird: I think just because both he and coach Dailey ... the way they approach things, they expect nothing but the best. So the players have the same expectations, which is why they have been so successful. UConn Husky Fan: In your opinion, who is the best player to ever play at UConn? (Yourself excluded, of course.) Sue Bird: From watching, from a point-guard perspective, I'd have to go with Jen Rizzotti. But at the same time, Nykesha Sales is amazing. UConn Husky Fan: Year after year, UConn has one of the best recruiting classes in the country. From a players prospective, isn't that kind of a negative since you constantly in a challenge for your job? Sue Bird: It is definitely not a negative. The fact we have so many great players on this team is what makes us so good. Everyday in practice, you're forced to play your best. And so when the games come, you're used to the competition. It's not about who plays how many minutes. It's about who wins the basketball game. #10RULES: Sue, how tough was it to sit out your freshman year with your injury??? Sue Bird: It was really tough because I went from actually playing to just watching. And anyone can tell you that's not an easy thing. But at the same time, I learned a lot from it, and I think I'm the player I am today because of that injury. Sue's Biggest Fan: How'd you like playing with the girls on the Jones Cup team? Sue Bird: I had a great time. Not only from a basketball standpoint, but I got to hang out and meet a lot of different people from a lot of different places, and I had a great time. It was a lot fun. I've also made some new friends as well. Chris Cain: What made you decide to choose to play basketball at UConn? Sue Bird: My final three choices were Connecticut, Stanford and Vanderbilt. But on my visit to UConn, and talking to the players and coaches, I knew it was a place I could go to and grow as a player and person. It was just a feeling I got that it was right for me. Jennifer: I read that you played soccer in high school. Would you ever consider playing again, or is basketball the sport for you? Also, what position did you play? Sue Bird: I played center midfield, that, and forward. If the opportunity presented itself, I would love to play in college. But unless I take a fifth year or something strange like that, I don't see it happening. It has definitely crossed my mind. Soccer is definitely my second favorite sport. Ag2K: Sue, love your game...I know you're only a junior, but how does having a women's pro league, finally a defined end of the rainbow, affect how exceptional players like yourself go thru your season and prep for the jump? Sue Bird: Having a women's pro league is obviously great for people my age. It gives us something to look forward to after college basketball. But, at the same time, my focus is on college right now because I'm here. But the WNBA is an incentive when you can get paid for something you love to do. Carlos: Hello Sue, with all the talent on the UConn team this year, especially in the point guard and post positions, how will Geno rotate so many players? UConn is about 10 deep this year! Sue Bird: We did it last year. Like I've always said, I think our depth is our No. 1 advantage over other teams, and it's not really a matter of how he'll do it ... it just matters that we're going to come at you with five people. And then when a new five comes in, they'll be as strong as the first five. Ricky Martin: What do you think of Kristen Clement of UT? Sue Bird: I think she's definitely a good player, not somebody you can sleep on. We played her in high school once, and she had a great game. So I know what she's capable of. Icount: Is there any meaning to the number 10 you wear? Sue Bird: It started off with my sister. She's five years older, and she played basketball before me and wore No. 10. And so I took on that tradition. But the reason she took it is because she's born in October and it's the tenth month. I'm born in October, too, so it kind of has a double meaning. Marty: Hello Sue, describe what it was like winning the National Championship last season as a "Player" on the U. of Connecticut? Sue Bird: Winning a national championship is something only a few people get to do, and something a lot of people dream about. So when I was standing out on the podium, it's hard to describe and put into words. But to know you worked so hard all year and then finally reach it is amazing. Johnny: Sue, what's life like on campus in Storrs, Conn.? Sue Bird: Storrs doesn't have that much around it, but the campus life is a great college experience and a lot of fun to be a part of. Eric: Sue -- I am from CT, love the huskies! What do you think of the fans in CT? Sue Bird: I think the fans in Connecticut are the best. The support they show for us is indescribable, but I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them. You guys rule. Thanks for stopping by, but that's all the time we have for now. I gotta go get ready for practice, but I enjoyed chatting with you all. Take care. Go Huskies. |
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