2007 Women's Final Four - Cleveland (Day 2 Continued)

I just attended the 2007 AP Coach and AP Player of the Year Awards Presentation.

The winners are:
AP Coach of the Year - Gail Goestenkors (Duke)
AP Player of the Year - Courtney Paris (Oklahoma)

Coach G winning the award was somewhat of a given since Duke went 29-0 during the regular season and one of her players (Lindsey Harding) is winning almost every player award given out this year. This is also what makes the choice for player of the year a little surprising. Paris has had a very good year (as should be expected), but when one player is at the top of almost every list, it can be somewhat of a surprise when they don't win player of the year. But I guess today is a day of surprises. First Candace Parker wins the State Farm Wade Trophy and now Courtney Paris wins the AP Player of the Year award.

During her acceptance speech, Coach G stated she felt Kay Yow (NC State) was more deserving of the award because of what she and her team have gone through this season. I agree to an extent. Coach Yow has been through a lot this past year, and you can't say it didn't have an affect on her team. For Coach Yow to come back this season and coach NC State to the Sweet 16 is remarkable, not just for her but also for her players.

During Paris's acceptance speech, she thanked her coaching staff (especially "lifecoach" Sherri Coale?) and also Lindsey Harding for having someone (player) to look up to, admire and respect. Courtney did not believe she was going to win, so she told her family not to attend the presentation. (Courtney - FYI. If you are invited to an awards presentation, you just might be getting an award).

Here are a few quotes from Coach G on Coach Yow:

"She (Yow) has been truly an inspiration to me and to my team..."

"The way that Kay has gone through this year, the grace she has shown, the fight, the ability to enjoy the journey, I think that is what I take away from this. I have learned to appreciate every moment you have. Every player you have and each day that you have."

On the Texas coaching vacancy:

"I'm taking it one day at a time. I'm still in the process."

"It's (the process) been pretty stressful. They're (Duke and Texas) both unbelievable institutions, great academics, athletics as well...It's about the people."

"I would like to make the decision as soon as possible, just for peace of mind and peace of heart."

"Texas is a job that I'd always thought was one of the best jobs in the country. So that was very appealing."

Coach G did mention the support by Duke and the fans was incredible and that she loved Duke and all the fans, friends and team. I think she did a good job of straddling the fence, using present and past verbs to describe the process and her feelings for Duke and Texas. She did make a statement about not looking in the past, but to look to the future (something she has learned based on what Coach Yow has gone through this past year). Is Duke the past and Texas the future? We shall see.