Feb. 29, 2008
I know it’s been half past forever since the last time we did a BasketBlog. But with the way this team has played this season, and all the energy surrounding this program, can you really blame us for being super busy? I can’t tell you how much fun this season has been, both for me personally and for our entire program as a whole. In fact, that’s been a major buzzword around the team this year …fun. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at Lindsay Schrader’s post-game comments after Wednesday’s win over South Florida:
“Basketball is fun. It should be fun, right? Why would you play if it isn’t fun?”
The camaraderie and depth on this team also has been amazing to see. If you’ll recall, back in November (yes, I know, the last time we did a BasketBlog), I mentioned how this team had the potential to be the deepest Notre Dame squad in many years, probably going back to before the 2001 national championship season. Little did I know that just about everyone on the roster would score in double figures at least once and five different players would ring up a double-double. And when Devereaux Peters went down with her season-ending knee injury, everyone pulled together to score an extra point, grab an extra rebound and block an extra shot, making up for Dev’s loss and keeping the train moving.
Quick side note on Dev — she’s become a bit of a prankster on the team, and teamed up with Ashley Barlow to pull one over on yours truly earlier this season. During our team dinner the night before our game at West Virginia, we were at one of those steakhouses (you know, the ones with the peanut shells on the floor) and spread amongst a few tables. Late in the meal, I’m enjoying some conversation with our assistant coach Jonathan Tsipis when a trail of servers comes marching towards our tables, clapping and chanting like it’s someone’s birthday. I look around and wonder who it’s for …until I realize the whole team (players, coaches, staff) is looking right at me and laughing. That’s right — they told our waitress it was my birthday, even though my real birthday was five months away. As if that weren’t enough, they rolled out this wooden pedestal with a saddle on it (complete with steer horns) and I was asked to hop in the saddle and sit there while the restaurant proceeded to serenade me with a round of “Happy Birthday.”
Not bad, Dev, but you know I’ve got three more years to get you back …and you know I will!
Speaking of people who like to have fun, that fits my BasketBlog partner to a “T” …or should I say a “G”. Assistant coach Angie (Potthoff) Barber, who is known to most around the team as “Coach G” or just “G”, is in her third season at Notre Dame and spends her days working with the Irish posts. Actually, that may probably explain where Dev got the idea for that birthday prank …so now Angie’s on my list, too.
Anyhow, I’ll sign off for now and turn it over to G for this week’s guest blog. Don’t forget to join us Saturday at 2 p.m. (ET) for Senior Day against Seton Hall, as we say so long to our four tremendous seniors (Charel Allen, Melissa D’Amico, Tulyah Gaines and Amanda Tsipis). And, as always … GO IRISH!!
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THE G REPORT
With assistant coach Angie (Potthoff) Barber
Stephanie (Menio) has been driving me nuts to do a blog and I have been putting it off for probably a few months now. Not that I didn’t want to do one, but I’ve been kinda busy. Three red-eye flights in three weeks have to be worth something? Well, Steph didn’t take that as an excuse and threatened a work stoppage if I didn’t do one. So, I realized it was about time I stepped up and did my part. So, sorry this has taken so long Steph. I really did have fun writing it … I hope you all enjoy it!
I can’t believe the end of the regular season is upon us! It has all gone by so fast, and what a fun ride it has been. This team has had our share of ups and downs both on and off the court. Through all the adversity, we have become a stronger team and a closer team. Our fan support once again has been amazing. There is nothing like that feeling to walk out onto the court with Coach McGraw and hear the roar of the crowd. Yeah, I know they are cheering for Coach but sometimes I pretend they are cheering for us assistants, too. HAHA!!! Just kidding!
Well, wait a sec … I wanna say something. I’m gonna put it out there. If you like it, you can take it. If you don’t, send it right back. So, we assistant coaches are looking for some love, searching for one, just one, of the Joyce Center’s sections to adopt us. Any takers? We are pretty cool people and actually really fun. We have one home game left — I’m thinking of maybe something like … Niele’s Navy … Jonathan’s Basketball Junkies….and (my personal favorite) G’s Groupies! Come to think of it, we may need to include Matt McGraw in our group too, because, at times he does his share of coaching. Maybe Matt’s Mulligans, in honor of his golfing abilities? Well I put it out there. So Tsip, Niele, and Matt, if no one claims us this year, there’s always the ’08-09 season. I hear the bathrooms at gate 10 may be looking for someone.
Okay okay, back to the real business. Last Sunday’s game at DePaul was such a huge win and it was so great to look up in the stands and see all those lime green shirts. Wednesday, we FINALLY made it back home and took care of business against South Florida. With three straight road games, it was so great to be home. So, now we have two games left and they are probably the biggest games of the year. We are in control of our fate for the BIG EAST Tournament. We have been talking all year getting one of the top four seeds and a bye in the first round. With the bye, we still have to win three games in three days to win the tournament, but it’s way better than four in four days!
This crazy ride we call the regular season is coming to a close and the real season is soon to begin. We have two tournaments we want to win … SO, LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!
GO IRISH!!!!
Oh yeah, and a little shout out to my husband Luke … Luv ya!
In Hoops,
Angie “G”