UConn Women Feted at the White House

There are three other videos embedded above the Hartford Courant article, below; the ceremony, and interviews with Geno Auriemma and Rene Montgomery.

Hartford Courant: UConn Makes White House Visit

WASHINGTON — - Long before he became a candidate, President Barack Obama was a huge basketball fan. Well documented during the presidential campaign, his alter ego is that of a gym rat — a guy with a nice first step, decent jumper and pointy elbows.

And after the ceremony on Monday welcoming the national champion UConn women's basketball team to the White House, Obama decided to prove it. He invited them to the basketball court he had constructed on the White House grounds.

"We played P-I-G, which is a shorter version of H-O-R-S-E," UConn center Tina Charles said. "He beat Maya [Moore], Renee [Montgomery] and myself. He was shooting 17-footers all over the perimeter."

Said Montgomery: "He only missed one shot out of five shots. In 20 years, I'll remember that I could not make one jump shot at the White House. My clothes hindered me. I couldn't extend my arms."

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
HONORING THE 2008-2009 NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS,
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

Obama Picked a Women's Bracket

Maybe he read my email? The Hartford Courant reports that the President's media team contacted them to let them know that he did pick a women's bracket as well, and that he picked UConn to win it all.

I emailed the Prez on whitehouse.gov and asked him to fill out a women's bracket. And I gave him some bad advice (don't pick as many upsets when filling out a women's bracket, which is so WRONG this year) and some good advice (pick Connecticut to win it all, because otherwise you will look stupid.) So maybe he took my advice.

Hartford Courant: Obama Picks UConn Women To Win

President Barack Obama's media people contacted The Courant today to let them know he had also filled out a women's NCAA tournament basketball bracket - to go with his more publicized men's bracket. His pick to win? UConn.

"The president believes the University of Connecticut is a fine institution with a wonderful basketball program," Moira Muntz, a spokesman for the president, said. She did not know who Obama's other Final Four picks were.

Muntz told The Courant Tuesday that the president had filled out a women's bracket, in addition to a men's bracket that was done for ESPN, and that No.1 UConn was his choice to win the title.

Another UConn Fan

 

Tuesday evening, March 25, 2008, Arena at HarborYard, Bridgeport, CT

Maya Moore: Perfect Form

 

Maya Moore (Renee Montgomery and Assistant Coach Tonya Cardoza in background), open practice, Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT, March 22, 2008

UConn Fan

 

Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT, March 25, 2008, before the UConn-Texas game

Hiatus

Maya Moore hits a fall away jumper over Alyssa May, No. 10, and Ashley McLaughlin of Holy Cross during the first half. (JOHN WOIKE / November 14, 2007)
Hartford Courant

I'm heading to New York to pick up Coach Mom. We're heading to Bridgeport, CT tomorrow to see the first and second round women's NCAA basketball games there. Looking forward to tomorrow's open practices as well. Go UConn! Maya Moore! Geno! Sweet.

Back next Friday.

Maya Moore Could Be the Best Ever

So good that even the New York Times, which generally ignores women's sports, writes about her:

NYTimes: In Freshman Season, Moore Shows UConn What May Come