2ndGenBeaver
Sophomore
Posts: 1,837 
Grad Year: 1991 (MS/CS) 1999 (PhD/CS)
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Post by 2ndGenBeaver on Oct 12, 2017 22:45:24 GMT -8
While most of the questions and answers fielded by Rueck, Mik and Marie were your standard boilerplate sorts of things, a couple of things stood out: Coach Rueck: "We have incredible students in this. I think this team has the ability to have the best culture to this point. And that's saying something. That's saying a lot, actually" I believe some not insignificant part of the Beaver WBB success can be attributed to the culture that this team has developed. So now we have more top notch talent, AND the culture will be the best ever this year? Could be a very successful season. SR on MoJo (Grymek): "So her story is one where she wants to be elite. She wants to be great. And anytime you have someone that wants it that bad, good things are going to happen. She obviously in some ways will remind you a bit of Ruth because of her size. ....... But she's very intelligent and adapting quickly. Even in our first week of practice, you just saw incredible growth and her just becoming comfortable within a new system. So I have big hopes for her that she's going to have a big impact on our season this year. OK, when SR expresses "big hopes" on MoJo's having "big impact" I have to get pretty excited. Note that we are NOT talking about a "project" big here - we are talking about the #1 center/#2 juco recruit, someone who put up "senior Ruth" like numbers, shooting %, and minutes, albeit at a lower level of competition. Couple with that a hunger to be elite, intelligence, and 6'8", and I again get very hopeful. I can't wait for the season to begin...... (Full quotes here: www.osubeavers.com/documents/2017/10/11//17WBBMD_quotes_OregonState.pdf) Go Beavers! |
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Post by bennyskid on Oct 13, 2017 5:38:58 GMT -8
She's like Ruth . . . but intelligent?
Whoa.
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Post by Werebeaver on Oct 13, 2017 6:47:21 GMT -8
She's like Ruth . . . but intelligent? Whoa. Well Ruth never did figure out how to pronounce “schedule”. After four years. |
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Post by jefframp on Oct 13, 2017 7:52:48 GMT -8
She's like Ruth . . . but intelligent? Whoa. Yeah, that was my reaction too. Engineering school graduate and an WNBA draftee. I don't think Scott meant it that way though. |
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Post by bennyskid on Oct 13, 2017 8:13:51 GMT -8
What he meant was, "People are going to compare her to Ruth because of her size, BUT they should compare her to Ruth because of her intelligence."
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2ndGenBeaver
Sophomore
Posts: 1,837
Grad Year: 1991 (MS/CS) 1999 (PhD/CS)
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Post by 2ndGenBeaver on Oct 13, 2017 8:30:06 GMT -8
The danger of eliding parts of quotes!!
Here is the entire exchange (I did provide the link). SR (and I) meant absolutely NO slight to Ruth, perhaps one of the smartest athletes ever to grace Gill Coliseum.....
Q. Some of your new faces, you see 6'8" on the
roster, and it piques your interest in how developed
she is. And do you expect her to be able to
contribute this year?
SCOTT RUECK: Yeah, well, you know I love those
ones. So we're really excited about Jo. Jo is neat. We
had our team retreat this past weekend, and each of
the students got to share. We all did. Everybody in the
room got to share. Got to tell about their story a little
bit.
We all got to hear her motivation for coming to the
States. She knew if she wanted to be the best she
could be, she had to come here to develop. That was
met with some adversity at home.
So her story is one where she wants to be elite. She
wants to be great. And anytime you have someone
that wants it that bad, good things are going to happen.
She obviously in some ways will remind you a bit of
Ruth because of her size. She's an imposing
presence. She has a lot to learn. She hasn't played at
this level yet. But she's very intelligent and adapting
quickly. Even in our first week of practice, you just saw
incredible growth and her just becoming comfortable
within a new system. So I have big hopes for her that
she's going to have a big impact on our season this
year.
Go Beavers!!
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Post by 411500 on Oct 14, 2017 9:12:31 GMT -8
Like everyone on this board I want Grymek to turn into an unstoppable force for the Beavs this season.
I'm encouraged by Coach R's enthusiasm about her - typically, he is not a rah-rah guy when it comes to promoting his players.
Also, like some on this board, Coach R's upbeat comments, while a pleasant surprise, caught me completely off guard....
Obviously, we all have to wait and see what's what with her game. Having waded thru this cautionary preamble, I'll simply throw in my comments and you all can take them for what they're worth.
Grymek is not a natural. She's good but raw. She has a lot of technical work to do to become an impact player in the PAC-12. The fact that she is highly motivated is good, but wanting to be great and being great are totally different realities.
In her games that I watched (video) last year at Seward J.C. she was never a "dominant" player - good, impressive, but certainly not dominant. In her International play with the Polish team she has been a solid performer, but certainly not dominant. As of last year she ran the court with her head and neck lowered (and indicator of strain) which does not mean a lot except that she, as of now, will slow down team that wants to run, but will hold her own on a team that wants to play ball control.
As I said earlier, we obviously will have to wait and see. My guess is that Jo is not yet ready for PAC-12, and we will have to wait at least until January to see if elite coaching and intense daily competition elevates her into an elite player....I'm glad she is 6'8" and highly motivated. That's a good start, but it's not enough. Right now her biggest challenge is to crack the starting line-up..If she can do that, then we'll talk !!
The Notre Dame game is less than 5 weeks away - - we won't have to wait long for everyone to let me know that I have underestimated her game.....
Here's hoping Jo tears things up..... GO BEAVS......
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Post by bennyskid on Oct 14, 2017 10:16:27 GMT -8
If she cracked the starting line-up, it would be *earth-shattering*. She's behind an all-conference player who is on a tremendous upward track. I don't think anyone expects her to be a force right away. I see her as a situational player, coming in as a shot-blocker when we're playing against penetration-heavy offenses and giving us a different offensive look when we need it. Plus she'll give Marie a blow for a few minutes a game. If she just does that much, she'll be a huge addition.
Just that is worth getting at least a little excited about.
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Post by believeinthebeavs on Oct 14, 2017 11:58:38 GMT -8
I wouldn't say she is behind anyone, what position did Marie play last year? While our shorter post players were in the 5 position, Marie played the high post. This is because she has a nice 15 foot shot and her back to the basket game needed work. I do think that Marie is going to start, just not sure what position. The second post starter is up for grabs. It could be Jo if Marie is the high post or if Marie is at the low post them either Taya or Janessa could slot into the high post. Janessa may be able to play the low post, she appears to have the strength. I think that with her 3 point shooting Taya won't see much low post, we need her ability to stretch the defence.
A Marie and Jo front court could be really good, look back a couple of years and remember the Tennessee game at home. We used a Marie/Ruth combination to claw our way back into the game, we might have won that game if they were left on the court. Instead Marie was pulled and Deven brought back in, momentum was lost and they pulled away again for the win. Jo is definitely not Ruth but give her some time with Katie Baker and CR, look what they did last year with Bre and Kolby.
These are our four main post players, with the option of using Maddie or even Katie in the high post for a change of pace or in case of foul trouble or injuries. Maddie especially has quick feet for the position, she repeatedly used the same fake and drive move last season with success.
This year is exciting because every position is up for grabs, Marie and Mik will almost surely start but at what positions? We won't know our starting line up for the season for a couple of months, last year it wasn't decided until the Las Vegas trip.
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