Oh snap...look who's finally updating her blog.
The W had this whole good but flawed idea to have an all decade team in honor of its 10th Anniversary.
It was a great idea to allow fans to vote, but flawed in the sense that fans...as usual...can't read.
The criteria from the W's site says, "Consideration for the team will be based on ability and on-court performance, leadership, sportsmanship and community service as well as contribution to team success and the growth of women's basketball."
It does not say rattle off a bunch of stats or ask who has done what in college, USA Basketball or overseas. Read it again:
Ability
On-Court Performance
Leadership
Sportsmanship
Community Service
Contribution to Team Success
Contribution to the Growth of Women's Basketball
So basically, here's how I determine who belongs on this team:
Ability - Does Jane Player have the athletic capacity to play the game of basketball? Well gee, I hope so.
Who makes the cut: all 30
On-Court Performance - Is Jane Player one of the best players to play in the W at her position in the last decade? Most of the 30 nominees can make a case at least partially.
Who makes the cut - the year(s) they could be considered one of the best (22 out of 30)
Bird - 2003 - Current
Cash - 2003 - Current
Catchings - 2002 - Current
Cooper - 1997 - 2000
Gillom - 1997 - 1999
Griffith - 1999 - Current
Holdsclaw - 1999 - Current
Jackson - 2002 - Current
Leslie - 1997 - Current
Mabika - 2002 - 2004
Milton-Jones - 2000 - 2003
Nolan - 2003 - Current
Penicheiro - 1998 - 2004
Sales - 1999 - Current
Smith - 2000 - 2005
Staley - 1999 - 2002
Stinson - 1997 - 2001
Swoopes - 1997 - Current
Taurasi - 2004 - Current
Thompson - 1999 - Current
Weatherspoon - 1997 - 2001
Williams - 1999 - 2003
Leadership - Well that's simple and here's where the list gets shorter. Almost half the Jane Players on the list get knocked off when you start comparing their leadership abilities on an all decade level. Sure most of the players on the list are leaders...20 out of the 30 by my count...but some are just born leaders. If they weren't leading a basketball team, they'd still be leading somthing (and most are to my knowledge)...hopefully good.
Who makes the cut: 17 out of 30
Bolton
Cash
Catchings
Cooper
Gillom
Griffith
Jackson
Leslie
McWilliams - Franklin
Milton - Jones
Penicheiro
Staley
Swoopes
Taurasi
Weatherspoon
Williams
Sportsmanship - Now see, this is the tough one because right away Lisa Leslie gets 86'd but how can you have an all-anything list regarding the W without Lisa Leslie? Other than Sparks who were in LA for more than a year, I don't see anyone on the list that doesn't meet the sportsmanship requirement.
Who makes the cut: anyone but a Spark with over a year of tenure.
Community Service - Almost everyone in the W seems to have the right approach to community service whether forced by the number of required appearances or motivated by genuine interest. However, some are just better than others in this category. Some have gone above and beyond the W.
Who makes the cut: 13 of 30
Bolton
Cash
Catchings
Cooper
Griffith
Sales
Staley
Stinson
Swoopes
Taurasi
Thompson
Weatherspoon
Williams
Contribution to team success - If your team sucks, has always sucked and will continue to suck...you shouldn't be on this list. If you contributed to the turmoil on an underachieving team you should not be on the list.
Who makes the cut and why: (24 out of 30...well, 22 out of 30 really)
Arcain - 4 championships
Bird - 1 championship
Cash - 1 championship
Catchings - has always led her team in almost every single statistical category...even the unsuperstar-like ones
Cooper - 4 championships
Dixon - 2 championships + 1 finals appearance
Gillom - 1 finals appearance
Griffith - 1 championship
***Hammon - eh, not really...her playoff performances have left a lot to be desired, but she did have 3 appearances nonethless, although in a supportive role
Jackson - 1 championship
V. Johnson - 4 finals appearances
Leslie - 2 championships
***Lobo - see Hammon minus 1
Mabika - 2 championships + 1 finals appearance
McWilliams - Franklin - 2 finals appearances
Milton - Jones - 2 championships + 1 finals appearance
Nolan - 1 championship
Penicheiro - 1 championship
Sales - 2 finals appearances
Staley - 1 finals appearance
Stinson - 1 finals appearance
Swoopes - 4 championships
Thompson - 4 championships
Weatherspoon - 4 finals appearances
Contribution to the growth of women's basketball - Same explanation as community service. I'm a firm believer that you can contribute to the growth of the game in more effective ways than filling a box score. However, this is 2 fold. Are you contributing by being cute/popular...ridiculously talented/popular...charasmatic/popular OR are you an ambassador who never wastes an opportunity to be a role model or promote the game? There's nothing wrong with either, FWIW.
Who makes the cut:
Reason 1: 11 out of 30
Bird
Cooper
Hammon
Holdsclaw
Jackson
Leslie
Lobo
Swoopes
Taurasi
Weatherspoon
Reason 2: (15 out of 30)
Bolton
Cash
Catchings
Cooper
Griffith
Leslie
Lobo
McWiliams-Franklin
Sales
Staley
Stinson
Swoopes
Taurasi
Weatherspoon
Williams
Who met each requirement?
Cash
Catchings
Cooper
Griffith
Staley
Swoopes
Weatherspoon
Who makes my team?
Catchings
Cooper
Griffith
Staley
Swoopes
Weatherspoon
+ 4 you can't leave off regardless
Leslie
Thompson
Jackson
Williams
IMO...those who just missed the cut:
Sales
Penicheiro
Smith
Stinson
Holdsclaw
Cash...in that order.
And if I had to rank all 30:
1) Swoopes
2) Cooper
3) Leslie
4) Griffith
5) Jackson
6) Thompson
7) Catchings
8) Weatherspoon
9) Williams
10) Staley
11) Sales
12) Penicheiro
13) Smith
14) Stinson
15) Holdsclaw
16) Cash
17) Bird
18) Gillom
19) V. Johnson
20) Arcain
21) Milton-Jones
22) Bolton
23) Taurasi
24) McWilliams-Franklin
25) Mabika
26) Nolan
27) S. Johnson
28) Dixon
29) Hammon
30) Lobo