FBC Thoughts

Wow, what a weekend of basketball we just saw!  Nothing short of a total domination of the two closest PAC-10 rivals in this season's standings.

So I think I'll take a little time to go over some Fast Break Club stuff in this blog.

Ever since the change to make the Buck/Cardinal Club the main fund raising arm for all of Stanford's sports teams, the format of the Fast Break Club has been evolving and I have heard many of the grumbles.

So let's look at a few points and see what we can see.

Let me start by saying that the access Stanford Women's Basketball gives to its program is unprecedented and has been for a very long time.  It all started out in a cozy tent behind Maples in the late 80's and hasn't changed much in over 20 years.  We are able to see players and coaches in a very up close and personal setting.

I have been to games at Tennessee.  Coach Summitt might come out and address the crowd.  The only time I saw that was when she did her post-game radio show from the court.  Many years ago, there was an "Eileen-type" in the office who had previously worked at Tennessee--she was flabbergasted at the access that was given by the Stanford players and staff.  This is not to pick on Tennessee, but to point out that high level programs just don't do what Stanford does.

Unfortunately, once something is given, it is hard to have it taken away.  So finding a balance of what works for fans and what works for the team is always difficult. 

I admit that I am a lurker on the woman's Hoopsboard--no posting, just doing some reading to see what is going on.  So, when a recent string entitled "FBC Events" showed up, I was interested.  It started out as a comment on the move of post games from Arrillaga to Maples.

"I see from the e-mail that went around today that all the tents for the rest of the year are in Maples instead of Dallmar court. Does anyone know why? "

Hopefully, you have already heard of the financial issues that necessitated this change.  If not, in short, it costs the Program big $$ to set up for the post game in Arrillaga.  The tarp on the floor (necessary to make sure the floor is not damaged), the chairs and even the podium have to be paid for.  Recently, the cost of setup was raised from $1,000 per game to over $3,500 without notice.  So, the money that had been budgeted for the year is already gone. 

The best work-around is to stay in Maples.  The Coaches don't necessarily like it, as they cannot be as candid as they are used to being.  But on the bright side, this gives access to newer fans who would not know to go over to Arrillaga at all.  In addition, the Staff is trying very hard to hold Senior Day in Arrillaga. 

Some say, let's pass the hat and pay for this.   It probably couldn't be done, but, if we were really able to raise $3,500 per game, wouldn't it be far better spent in support of something that the team needs instead of paying for an hour of chat?

As a result of this change, the Thursday post games are back, now in the Kissick Auditorium.  Yes, these used to be on the court in Arrillaga, but, again, this is not financially feasible.  And yes, it can be crowded!  I was there last Thursday and may I offer a hint?  Folks, please sit next to each other and make seats available.  There were empty seats inside, but everyone was stuck at the door.  It would be great if some volunteer ushers would step up! 

Remember, too, that the Pre-Game chalk talks remain in place as always.

So back to the Hoopsboard string--

"Well I'm not going to contribute to Buck/Cardinal next year or ever again. Why should I when for my contribution I apparently lost events I used to enjoy."

Contributions to the Buck/Cardinal Club have absolutely nothing to do with events that take place.  The FBC is being maintained by the Program because they understand how valuable the group has been and continues to be.

At some point, when donating money to anything, it becomes a matter of whether a person donates for what they receive or for what that donation will do for the recipient.  This is a very personal thing that everyone has to decide for themselves.

"Moving everything to the Buck/Cardinal Club has had a very destructive effect on the FBC. The whole 'donor' thing is pricing out folks who have supported this team for years."

How is this true?  Remember, in years past, you had to show your membership badge to attend post games. Now, you just show up.  Nobody knows what you have paid for.

"Also, it is hard to join. I wanted to join in September this year and found out that I missed the deadline -- according to the FBC web site, you had to donate before August 31, 2010 to receive benefits for 2010-11. I donated anyway, so -- I guess -- I will be a member starting in the 2011-12 season. Who ever heard of a fan club that you have to wait a year to get into?"

This is a tough one, but remember that the Buck/Cardinal supports all Stanford sports, so the membership calendar is set up in conjunction with their fiscal year.  This results in difficult timing to join in support of all Winter and Spring sports if you are trying to join right before their seasons start.  But, by selecting Women's Basketball on your Buck/Cardinal application, you are assuring that your money is designated to the Program no matter what time of year you join.  And, just as important, keep in mind that this membership timing does not exclude anyone from FBC events.

"And no auction this year. In the past this has been promoted as a key fundraiser and the primary source of funds for foreign trips. It now seems to have declined in importance."

OK, this one is close to my heart!  Frankly, in the past, we did not receive much feedback on the auction that would indicate that it was all that popular with attendees.  We discussed this before the season and decided to give it a year break to maybe refresh it (and the Volunteers!) and create a demand.  With the support of the Buck/Cardinal, it was OK to take that break for a year.  And guess what?  Now we hear that people are missing the Auction!  So, in response, we are auctioning a jersey at the Thursday post games and we are already planning for a mid-November 2011 Auction.  You can be assured that the Auction will remain the primary fund raiser for foreign trips, which can take place every four years.

I, like so many, was reluctant to join the Buck/Cardinal Club because I was certain all of the $$ would go to Football.  But the results are great, according to the Coaching Staff.  Their focus no longer needs to be on fund raising, so they have time to do what they do best--COACH!  Instead of about 300 donors to the Program during the FBC-only days, there are now over 800 donors to Women's Basketball, all because of the Buck/Cardinal Club.  That is true progress!

I hear comments about the Program--that "they just don't care anymore."  That is just not true.  From the get-go, the concern was always that the uniqueness of the FBC be maintained as the conversion to Buck/Cardinal took place.  Our FBC group is vastly appreciated by all involved and not caring is just not in the equation.  If they didn't care, all of these activities would have just gone away.

In the end it is important to remember nothing stays the same.  We may not be in that cozy tent behind Maples, but our support is still a cornerstone to the grand success that is Stanford Women's Basketball.  It has been, and will continue to be, a fabulous, fun, fast-breakin' good time!

Bookends

There are bookends...

And then there are

BOOKENDS!!!!!!!

Let's Face it--

some BOOKENDS

are better than others!

Now that was fun!

Hold On, Santa's Comin'!

The North Pole was flooded

With mail from far and wide.

Just so many letters

That Santa just sighed.

"I've so much to do!

What about the recession?"

And slowly he sank

Into a bit of depression.

"I had planned a short roadtrip

To Knoxville and DePaul

But I got so darned busy

That I couldn't go at all!"

"And I hear, in my absense,

A few things went wrong

Which meant that road trip

Seemed especially long!"

Santa took a deep breathe

And leaned back in his chair

And came up with a plan

To help clear the air.

"As soon as this is over

And the kids have their toys

I'm heading to Maples

For some post-Christmas joy!"

"I owe it to My Cardinal

To be in that place

To win a few big games

with Toni, Sara and Grace!"

"So hold on, I'm coming

Chiney, Nneka and Mel

Jeannette, Kayla and Jos

And all will be well!"

"We'll share something special

Yes, that's what we'll do!

Mikaela and Booooothe,

Hannah. Ashley and Lulu!"

With that, Santa smiled

Confident with his plan

To end 2010

With a terrific homestand.

"There will be talk of some streak

And an X team from last year

But my Card will be ready

With nothing to fear!"

And then Santa chuckled

And let out a Ho Ho Ho

And headed back to the workshop

While cheering "Go Stanford! GO!"

Happy Holidays, y'all!

Calling 1-800-VanDerveer

As I sat down to write this, I thought, "Didn't we just do 700?"  Yep, it was just 2007, but you can move up the ladder quickly when you average 32 wins over the last three years.  That is what Coach Vanderveer and her troops have done to put her on the threshold of her 800th win.

The numbers are easy.

Career Milestone Wins

1 Idaho Dec. 1,1978 Northern Montana 70-68

100 Ohio State 1982-83 (date N/A) Michigan 74-60

200 Stanford Feb. 12, 1988 Washington 70-66

300 Stanford Dec. 20, 1991 Southern Illinois 82-63

400 Stanford March 16, 1995 UC Irvine (NCAA) 88-55

500 Stanford Nov. 26, 2000 Pacific 73-65

600 Stanford March 20, 2004 Missouri 68-44

700 Stanford December 28, 2007 Washington State 105-47

And so are the highlights.

Two NCAA Championships

Head Coach of the 1996 Gold Medal winning USA Olympic Team

Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee in 2002

Eight trips to the Final Four
18 Pac-10 Titles

Three-time NCAA Coach of the Year

10 time PAC-10 Coach of the Year

As impressive as all of this is, that is not the measure of Coach VanDerveer.  Put the records and the accolades aside for a minute and it is still easy to see what Tara has contributed to not only the world of Women's Basketball, but to the whole world in general. 

Women's Basketball will be forever changed by her coaching strategies and the thriving Coaching Tree that grows with each year.  Five former players and seven former assistants have been head coaches at the NCAA or WNBA level.  Throw in a whole bunch of former players who are currently assistants and you know that Tree will continue to sprout.

As for the world in general, a quick look at the list of former players tells the story--doctors, lawyers, teachers, business professionals, engineers, moms, consultants, analysts, nurses, trainers, Peace Corps members.  It is not a stretch to say that the players that Tara has coached are making a big difference in the world.

Because, at heart, Tara is a teacher, and we all know that nothing makes her  happier than seeing a player work hard to progress and make the full use of their potential.  It may be that they find that full potential not as a player, but as a human being.  For Tara, that is the true definintion of a Win.

So as our Coach gets ready to join the elite 800 Club, along with Pat Summitt, Jody Conradt, C. Vivian Stringer and Sylvia Hatchell, let's remember to celebrate Tara the Mentor as well as Tara the Coach.  Nothing would make her happier.

Being Thankful

Let's see--

Three Final Fours in the last Three Years ?

A shot at a National Title in 2011? 

Terrific Student-Athletes to support?

Top Notch Coaches?

Premier matchups coming up soon?

Yep, let's all be thankful!

Rethinking Orrange

My last blog was bemoaning that the Orange in my wardrobe was running into Basketball season.  And we all know what Orange means during Basketball season.

But do we know what ORRANGE means in Basketball season?  Next year, we are going to find out!

I must admit to being a fan of basketball names so when I first heard of Amber Orrange, it stuck in my mind.  Now that she is coming to the Farm, I guess we will all have to adjust to having a little Orrange in our lives.  I know I will be ready!

Orrange you glad she's coming to Stanford?

Getting My Orange On

Something very strange happened this year--you all know what it is.  The Giants, yes our Giants, won the World Series.  I am pretty sure it is because I watched almost every game plus Kayla threw out a First Pitch, so that sealed the deal.  For a lifelong fan, it was absolute KISMET.

But I must say, this exhilarating run has put me into quite a quandry.  I have noticed that quite a bit of Orange has been sneaking into my wardrobe.

In Baseball, Orange means everything Giants, at least as far as I am concerned.  And since the Giants are usually done by early October, I can safely put my Orange away before Basketball season.  Because we all know what Orange means in Basketball Season and I don't like to touch the stuff.  But with this run, the seasons have bumped right up against each other.  So please forgive me if I wear just a little Orange as the season starts--I promise to snap out of it soon!

This was an almost perfect year of fandom--National Championship game and a World Series victory.  I'm thinking that this Bay Area Magic just might continue into 2011 for the Cardinal.  Anyone up for a parade?

Tip It to Tip Off the Season

The Summer is speeding by (weren't we just in San Antonio?) and before you know it, it will be Basketball season!  So to get in the get ready position, plan now to attend what has become a

Fast Break Club tradition--our Wine Social! 

Sunday, September 12, 2-4 pm at Vino Locale in Palo Alto.  All the details and the sign up form are here.  It is always a great day with a chance to catch up with FBC friends and visit with the coaching staff.

Our friends at Vino Locale always take excellent care of us and they are HUGE Stanford fans.  In fact, they will donate 10% of all bottle sales during our event to Stanford Athletics--how about that?  To get an idea of what will be in store, check out this review that just appeared in the Mountain View Voice.

Fans of Kathy Griffin might know that I stole the Tip It in the title from her Mom's ability to squeeze the last drop out of a wine box by tipping it.  But I promise--no Box Wine at this event!

What's Up for Next Season?

                                         

I know, I know--the season just got over.  But it is never too early for us to start working on some FBC events for next season. 

We have decided to give the auction a hiatus for one year.  Sometimes, things can get a little stale and just need a break.  We do plan to bring it back in 2011-12.  For next year, we are exploring the possibility of running an online auction for items such as uniforms and Sit on the Bench opportunities.  Stay tuned for details as they become available.

Back again will be our popular Wine Social.  Mark your calendar now for Sunday, September 12, 2-4 pm, at Vino Locale in downtown Palo Alto. Last year, over 70 FBCers and the coaching staff got together for what has become a wonderful way to get in the get ready position for the upcoming season. 

Good friends, good fun, good food, good wines! 

After one year off, we are going to bring back the Shootathon!  We are targeting the October/November time frame and Coach Amy is checking for the best date.  We'll keep you posted as we get more details. 

That is what Fundraising has planned so far, but we have a few more things that we will be working on to spice it up a little.  Keep checking in to the FBC website during the summer to see what else is coming our way! 

WNBA on the way!

The WNBA season starts this Saturday, May 15 with a national broadcast of the Phoenix LifeLocks against the Los Angeles Farmers.  (I make fun, but if these sponsorships keep the WNBA going, I'm all for it!)

There are presently four Stanfordians in the WNBA and each is in a position to make a run at the WNBA title this year.

Can it be that Nicole Powell is the most senior Stanford player in the WNBA?  As sad as it was that the Monarchs folded after last season, it is very exciting that Nicole has landed with the Libs.  As you can see above, she is front and center in their marketing plans and the team is much improved this year.  By making a blockbuster trade for All-Star Cappie Pondexter, the Liberty solidified the point guard position that has been up in the air since the trade of Becky Hammon.  Janel McCarville is improving every year and should share the post with veteran Taj McWilliams-Franklin.  Add that Anne Donavan will be on the bench (albeit for just this year before she departs to coach Seton Hall) and the Liberty will be a compelling team to watch.

Candice Wiggins is entering her third year in the WNBA.  Unfortunately, she had arthroscopic surgery for a small meniscal tear in her right knee on April 28, that will keep her sidelined for up to four weeks.  Hopefully, she will be back in action during the first week of play.  The Lynx pulled off a blockbuster of their own in acquiring favorite daughter Lindsay Whalen from the Connecticut Sun in the trade that allowed the Sun to draft Tina Charles with the first pick this year.  While the excitement is high, there are lingering questions about the status of Seimone Augustus, who suffered an ACL injury last year and recently underwent surgery for fibroids.  If Seimone comes back strong, this could be an amazing team.  They added Monarch Rebekkah Brunson to an already good post rotation that includes Nicky Anosike and drafted Monica Wright from Virginia.  New coach Cheryl Reeves, a long time Shock assistant, will have plenty of options as the Lynx run for their first ever playoff berth--and should not be stopping there.

As this is written, Brooke is still on the Phoenix Mercury roster.  She looks to have a good chance to stick with only one other true center, Tangela Smith, on the roster.  Defending Champion Phoenix should be interesting this year, having traded away the aforementioned Pondexter.  But that move cleared money to resign Aussie Penny Taylor, who was key to their run last year.  In addition, it netted All-Star Candice Dupree and will allow Temeka Johnson to take over the point.  Oh, and don't forget that one player that they have that will light it up almost every night--Diana Taurasi.

Our Jayne is now in San Antonio--how odd is that?  But this could be a great fit for her, even if she has to wear number 32 in deference to Michelle Snow.  Last year's starting center, Ann Wauters, has decided not to play in the WNBA this year so the starting job will fall to Ruth Riley.  When Jayne is healthy (and all indications are that should be soon), she should be in a heavy rotation at the post.  The SASS are intriguing, with Becky Hammon, Sophia Young and loads of young talent.  It will also be Sandy Brondello's first year as a head coach as she takes over from now-GM only Dan Hughes. 

The demise of the 'Narchs has left us no easy drives to games, which is so unfortunate, considering the fervor the Bay Area has for women's basketball.  Of course, there are always road trips to be taken!  But there is a bunch of TV action listed here.  I see that they are not listing games that will be on NBA-TV, but many of the games that are listed for local TV often show up there.   The WNBA also offers free webcasts on their website here.  Tune in--maybe we'll have a WNBA Final Four with our four favorites!