2012 » ft on short-notice with them, and they are such a great supp

STORRS, Conn. -- Coach Geno Auriemma has one question for people who are picking his UConn Huskies as preseason No. 1: What the heck are you thinking?Sure, the Huskies have won the past four NCAA titles and are currently on another epic winning streak at 75 in a row. But with Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck all in the WNBA, the Huskies quite obviously are not the same group that went 38-0 last year and won by an average of 40 points.I never said, Well, I think a lot of teams have a chance to win the national championship, and were just one of them, Auriemma said of his preseason stance for the past few years. We knew we were favorites, and we knew why. But now, anyone that picks us No. 1, my first question is Why? Give me your rationale.Well, youve always been No. 1. OK, thats a lazy answer.Uh-huh, its always something with this guy, the master motivator. The Huskies were No. 1 in the WBCA poll and in the espnW preseason poll. They were No. 3 in the Associated Press rankings, getting six votes at the top, behind Notre Dame and Baylor.I wish we were 33, Auriemma said.As if. But if he wants to hear why some of us are voting UConn No. 1, its not out of laziness. Its out of experience. As the saying goes, weve seen this movie before.UConn won three NCAA titles in 2002-04, and then Diana Taurasi went to the WNBA. After that, admittedly, came three years of falling short of the Final Four. But those were still very good UConn teams.In 2004-05, the Huskies went 25-8 and lost to Candice Wiggins and Stanford in the Sweet 16. The next year, UConn was 32-5 and fell to Monique Currie-led Duke in the Elite Eight. Then in 2006-07, the Huskies were 32-4 and lost in the regional final again, this time to Sylvia Fowles and LSU.That 2007 season was the last time the Huskies didnt reach the Final Four. Even in 2012 -- a year after losing Maya Moore and two years after the graduation of Tina Charles, a duo that had led the way in UConns 90-game winning streak of 2008-10 -- the Huskies still got to the national semis.And from 2013-16, they were NCAA champions again. So why are we picking UConn No. 1? Because even without the obvious star right now, the Huskies still have some very talented players and a coaching staff that has more championship experience than you can find almost anywhere in any sport.What the Huskies dont have are all the answers. Who is their emotional leader? Who is the player who gets on everybodys case when its necessary? Who can keep everyone calm? Who will stand tall when they face on-court challenges? Because, unlike recent years when that virtually never happened, it probably will this season.And that includes during their first two games: at No. 12 Florida State on Nov. 14, and at home against No. 2 Baylor on Nov. 17.You cant force leadership on people, said Kia Nurse, one of the most obvious candidates for that role. What happens is the upperclassmen all step up together, and we develop our own leadership traits. We have to figure out how to work together, and make sure thats a presence all the younger guys hear every day.It actually isnt just older players like Nurse, who averaged 9.3 points per game, and fellow junior guard Gabby Williams (8.8) in that role, though -- sophomores Katie Lou Samuelson (11.0) and Napheesa Collier (6.8) need to do it, too.Were trying to do the things we learned from the seniors last year, Samuelson said. All four of us know we have to be really solid every single day we practice or play. Were going to be the ones that disperse the energy throughout the team.All of us knew coming here we would eventually be in this situation. We were fortunate to learn from the three best leaders in the country, I would say. I think its going to keep getting better.The Huskies have three freshmen -- guards Molly Bent and Crystal Dangerfield and forward Kyla Irwin -- being immersed in UConn culture, along with transfers Azura Stevens (Duke) and Batouly Camara (Kentucky). Asked if she could pinpoint what leadership trait from last years seniors that she most wanted to pass on now, Samuelson didnt hesitate.Just how much we all trusted them, she said. Every single day we knew what we were going to get from them in practice. Stewie, Morgan and Mo were just consistently solid every day. Weve been trying to be that same kind of core group to rely on.Samuelson, who sustained a broken bone in her foot in the national semifinal game against Oregon State last April, had to watch the second half of that game and then the championship from the bench. She said shes now at 100 percent.And some classic Auriemma sarcasm was directed her way after the Huskies first exhibition game Tuesday, a 111-39 victory over Indiana of Pennsylvania, so you know she must be doing OK.Im sure any day now, sometime within the next four or five months, Lou will throw a pass, Auriemma said. And well have made some progress.He also joked about whether some magical force had taken over the body of senior guard Saniya Chong because, Right now, shes in a really good place. You got to remember, this kid was really, really good coming out of high school. It kind of got away from her. Hopefully shes got it back a little.It might be fair to wonder if Chong perhaps was just swept along in the tide of greatness that dominated the Huskies. Maybe this season, finally, she -- along with everyone else on the team -- knows that they really can be difference-makers. In fact, they will have to be. Stewart, Jefferson and Tuck cant come to the rescue and take over.Auriemma is intrigued by how his Huskies will deal with that realization.Its hard to know how some people will perform when theres no safety net, he said. And until theyve been in that situation, maybe they dont know. And its our job to help guide them through it.Cheap Mike Shannon Jersey . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Willie McGee Jersey . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. http://www.cheapstlouiscardinalsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-red-schoendienst-jersey . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Cheap Whitey Herzog Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Cheap Steve Carlton Jersey . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle.Leroy Houston cannot quite believe he could make his Australia Test debut on Saturday -- almost 11 years after the last time he represented the Wallabies.Bath favourite Houston thought his chances of international rugby had deserted him, before winning a seat on Australias bench for Saturdays Rugby Championship clash with Argentina at Twickenham.The 29-year-old last wore his countrys green and gold when Australia A thrashed the French Barbarians 42-12 in Bordeaux in November 2005.Three standout years at Bath have put Houston back on the Wallabies radar, with the bullish flanker joining the Queensland Reds for next season.Asked if he ever gave up hope on his Australia dream, Houston said: Yeah of course. I was just playing rugby -- I didnt think Id ever get back into the Wallabies.But the chance has come around and Im very happy to take it. I cant put it into words, emotions are running high. Now the thing is to try to keep calm and just prepare the right mental space to play against the Pumas.Knock on wood Ill be able to come off the bench and hopefully get that debut. I didnt think Id be involved at all this year.Then-Australia boss Eddie Jones took an extended Wallabies squad on the 2005 Europe tour in bid to boost long-term resources. Houston impressed against the French Barbarians, but was unable to force his way into the Wallabies set-up in the long-run.Stints in France and then with Bath have forced another step towards the Test arena however, with Houston itching for the chance to grace the Twickenham field this weekend.Houston left Bath at the end of last term only to return on a loan deal that expires at the end of the month. The likeable loose-forward admitted he has been relieved to end his time at Thee Recreation Ground on favourable terms.ddddddddddddBack in 2005 I was just star-struck to be honest, looking up to players like Stephen Larkham and George Smith. I was really, really shy. I didnt speak too much because I couldnt believe I was with those guys, getting to train and play with them.The last time I was at Twickenham with the Wallabies I was a spectator, on that 2005 tour. The English anthem gave me goosebumps. I love Bath, the supporters there are great. So its been emotional; going back there was awesome.This time I get to say goodbye, and also look to the future and playing for the Reds. I wanted to give back to the supporters. I left on short-notice with them, and they are such a great supporting base that I felt like I left on a bit of a bad note.They gave me the opportunity to come back until the end of October and finish up hopefully on a high note.Stephen Moore was a substitute in that powerful 2005 victory over the French Barbarians the last time Houston graced a Wallabies shirt. Australias current captain hailed Houstons 11-year odyssey as proof it is never too late to force a Test debut.I remember Leroy had a really strong game against the French Barbarians, and that was my first Wallabies tour, said Moore. Its amazing to see that after all that time he now gets his chance for a possible Wallabies debut.Hes taken the chance to play club rugby in the northern hemisphere and been able to prove his quality. Of course hes coming back to play at the Reds next year but its a good indication that no matter what you do there can always be an opportunity if you want it. ' ' '