Pedersen and Pohlen Preseason Previews

So, biding or time until the women’s college basketball season starts back up, C and R are trying to keep tabs on our recent Stanford grads Kayla Pedersen and Jeanette Pohlen and how they are faring in the WNBA.

Even if we can’t see them live and in person the way we used to, we are trying to keep up with their press clippings. The Tulsa World compared Kayla to Larry Bird, even though Kayla was three when Bird stopped playing, and boy don’t that make C and R feel old! (Yes, R, I know this is bad English but I am doing it to make a point or have personality or somethin'). But the good news is her new coach, Nolan Richardson, likes her. He typically likes to play a run and gun style pace and likes that she ran at Stanford. Hope she will crack the starting line up. They open May 29th at Seattle.

The great women’s basketball writer Mechele Voepel, caught up with Kayla and Jeanette and wrote a long, in-depth interview about what life is like right out of college for a basketball player, and right out of a program that made four final-four appearances and never once came away with college’s top prize of a basketball championship.

Interesting reading about both of them being aware of social media and to not say anything too controversial and to stay a role model. Wish some more pros would think that way.

For people of a certain age like C and R (read, before cell phones) the cell phone part was a little chilling. Not about Kayla and Jeanette themselves, but just the fact college-aged kids get together to hangout or have dinner and bring their cell phones to text other people not present and then ignore/not connect with those that are present. Jeanette’s an old fashioned gal who leaves her cell phone at home when out with the folks. Now, is that a role model or what?

C and R wish them both good luck. Got a little nervous when Mechelle wrote, “Admittedly, with 12 franchises and 11 roster spots for each, making a WNBA team in 2011 is exceedingly difficult. The vast majority of players who compete in women's college basketball will not play in the WNBA.” Yikes. Looking forward to the start of the season, as we are sure JP and KP are, too.