Swoopes at Center???

[comets979899]

Chronicle reporting today that Coach Van is contemplating playing Sheryl at the five some this year...does this mean we'll see Amaya in the starting line up!!!

Swoopes,Thompson,Valdemoro,Cooper,Arcain

i don't know about you, but i see this as desperate...Swoopes is six foot, but to go all season against the likes of Leslie,Dydek,Griffith,Hampton. i don't see this as a good move for the long term. i see this as weakening the defence in the starting line up as well as depleteing the bench. who's gonna come in now off the bench for offence and defence if Amaya is in the starting line up ( this is my opinion, of Valdemoro, not fact. nothing was said of Valdemoro in the starting line up ). the chronicle did also say that Tzekova and Charkira are supposed to be on there way as soon as work visa's are issued, but they've both missed the entire training camp. Janeth is not here either, but she's been on the team for three years, i'm not concerned with her. i don't know, i'm starting to get a little worried. but then again, maybe this is one of Van's sneeky game plan's to through off the rest of the league on what to exspect from the team and if that is the case, he's living up to his rep of being sly as a fox while giving me flashbacks of the old cardiac kidz days of clutch city.

peace

------------------

[PhiSlammaJamma]

I'm not really in favor of this, but I can see some major advantages to doing it. I can also see some disadvantages. On the postive side, I see Swoopes actually giving Lisa Leslie some fits. And considering they are Houston's toughest competition that's a good thing. Lisa tends to play outside which is to the benefit of Swoopes. I can see an in your face style that bothers Leslie. Lot's of missed shots and steals. I don't think Leslie is that good with her back to the basket anyway. So go ahead, try to back down Sheryl and let's see what happens. All in all, I think that move to Center would play in our favor against the SParks. On the negative side. Swoopes won't be out leading the break which takes away a huge advantage this team has. And in my opinion easy baskets are the key to winning in the WNBA. So taking that away is monumental. That's why I vote this move down.

I am intrigued that she thinks she can dunk....


------------------
humble, but hungry.



[This message has been edited by PhiSlammaJamma (edited May 23, 2000).]

[University Blue]

On a side note, along with Phoenix, LA will be a legitimate threat to Houston defending its title...but I think Sacramento will be the toughest challenge to a fourth championship. Sacramento has surrounded Griffith with some solid players.



------------------
Forget regrets or life is yours to miss.

[CometsFan]

Personally, I don't think the idea of moving Sheryl to center is a great idea. The league has been getting bigger and bigger over the last 3 years and I think she would have real trouble with the Dydeks and Griffiths of the league.

I think she could do some damage on the offensive side, pulling these larger players out to the perimeter, but on the defensive end, it would be a liability.

If she will ever get her visa troubles worked out and report to camp, I think Polina will be our solid center. True, they may want to play with lineups to exploit a mismatch (like letting Sheryl play center when we face LA), but for the most part, I see Sheryl as a 3 <em>MAYBE</em> a 4 in some cases. And I think Polina will be more than competent in the role as starting center. She had a slow start last season getting used to the physical play, but she had it down by the final month. I think she will be able to pick up where she left off last year.

And, also in my opinion, Sheryl will be able to do much more damage in her natural position at small forward. And at the 3 spot, she will be daunting on BOTH ENDS OF THE COURT!

I'll stick my head out now and predict that Sheryl will be the league's MVP this year! No one is going to be able to match her over all play. She's not just an offensive wonder - she's a defensive force to be reconned with!

------------------

[PhiSlammaJamma]

Agree. Polina should be our Center. She did get tougher. And she too can pull a defender out of the post with her ability to hit the jumper. I think she is one of the best centers in the league. Crying or no crying. She's gotten a lot tougher. She fits our team perfectly. And Monica Lamb may be the best backup in the league. She smoked New York and LA. Sheryl may very well be MVP if Coop doesn't get it, but Coop gets to the line sooooo much that I think she will once again be the scoring leader, and thus MVP. Swoopes time will come. Maybe. Just maybe it's this year.

------------------
humble, but hungry.

[CometsFan]

PhiSlammaJamma, my thinking about Sheryl vs Coop for the MVP is this - Coop is one <em>HELL</em> of an offensive threat and she's no slouch on defense either. But Sheryl ... well if her game continues to evolve (as it HAS in each season), just has so much more overall potential.

Don't get me wrong. This is still Coop's team. Just like Francis will have to take the Rockets from Dream, Sheryl will have to earn her spot as top Comet (and she hasn't yet). I just see it being a natural progression.

Plus ... Coop is the player other teams will focus on (at least in the beginning). And that will open more opportunities for Sheryl. If Sheryl takes advantage of these opportunities and still makes her mark as a defensive master, I believe she'll earn the top honors this season.

I've got no problems watching Coop win another MVP (she's certainly capable), but I think Sheryl will step up to the plate and will claim the hardware for herself this year.

;+)

------------------

[ChrisP]

First off... CometsFan, I agree with your last post 100%. There's no denying Coop's current status as top dog in the WNBA pecking order but Sheryl has been working her way up to that "franchise player" status she was endowed with 3 years ago.

I could see Swoopes possibly taking the MVP this year (shoot, she might have even earned it last year) as long as she stays at small forward. She dominates at that position and keeps getting better since the baby was born -- she should stay there. I mean, you wouldn't play Grant Hill at the 5, would you?

Tzekova is a solid center, especially on this Comets team with her ability to nail the outside jumper. But even if she and Charkira don't show, we've still got Tammy Jackson and Monica Lamb. Both serviceable centers that can complement the real core of our power at the 2, 3 and 4.

------------------
fan is short for fanatic - logic has little to do with it.