Lady Tiger basketball video gets huge assist from nation's best in Doug Aucoin

BOB STARKEY: There are so many people that make a huge difference in the success of our program that man fans don't know about -- one is Doug Aucoin.  Many know Doug for  heading up the video department for LSU football -- and he's the best in the business!  That’s one reason Aucoin was named last year’s Bob Matey National Video Coordinator of the Year by the Collegiate Sports Video Association.

But Doug has mentored us in every phase of the video world from how we video practices and games, put together scouting video and create motivational videos.  He oversees the equipment we utilize and gives us tremendous support.  Doug Aucoin is a major reason for success at LSU. 

To follow is a great story on Doug and his staff that ran recently in 225 Magazine, written by another Lady Tiger fan Lee Feinswog:

When the LSU football coaches settle into their seats for the plane ride home after a game, they fire up their laptops. At their disposal, edited to individual groups they coach, is the entire game they just played.

No waiting. Just watch, learn and grade.

It’s all part of a day’s work for LSU director of video Doug Aucoin and his staff, who take digital imagery to a different level.

For that matter, that’s every day. Because it’s not just after games that the coaches want video to break down. They do the same after every practice. So sophisticated is the LSU system that the indoor practice facility is set up with robotic cameras that feed video right into the editing suite in the adjacent building.

All of which makes it more amazing when Aucoin says, “It’s a far cry from when I came here 14 years ago and they didn’t have a computer in the football office. Seriously.”

For what it’s worth, now the LSU coaches have two computers on each of their desks—one exclusively to watch video—and each was outfitted with an iPad this past summer. Gerry DiNardo may have said it best when he was LSU’s head football coach in the 1990s: that the battle among top-level football schools for facilities and amenities was an arms race.

Trust that LSU is on the cutting edge when it comes to video and its associated technologies. That’s one reason Aucoin was named last year’s Bob Matey National Video Coordinator of the Year by the Collegiate Sports Video Association.

“Doug is one of those behind-the-scenes guys that plays a huge role in the success of our program,” LSU coach Les Miles says.

“Doug’s progressive thinking has helped us revolutionize the way we scout both our team and our opponents from a video standpoint. There’s no doubt he’s one of the best in the nation, and we are lucky to have him at LSU.”

When LSU plays on the road, Aucoin and assistant Brad Mendow are joined by four student interns. They take along five video cameras and various remote editing computers.

Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/9Bp1Tp

Doug_aucoin

Posted by Bob Starkey 

Fowles' dominance for Sky demands attention

By Ryan Smith for "RedEye"

Sky center Sylvia Fowles isn't your typical basketball star.

She prefers life out of the spotlight, doesn't necessarily embrace being the center of attention and intentionally avoids highlight-reel dunks.

But considering what she's accomplished on the court for the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic team and the Sky this year, Fowles is a bona fide superstar--whether she likes it or not.

After two seasons slowed by injuries and fighting for minutes, the 24-year-old center has emerged as a dominating force for the success-starved Sky. She is averaging 18.4 points and 9.9 rebounds, leads the league in blocks and has racked up a few monster games lately, including a stat-stuffing 35-point, eight-rebound game Sunday at Phoenix, despite seeing double- and triple-teams from many opponents.

"This is the season we sort of expected her to have right from the beginning," Sky coach Steven Key said. "We were a bit unlucky, and she was a bit unlucky with the two injuries that she had her first two seasons. Now we can see what she can do, and she's the biggest, baddest thing around."

She might be the biggest and baddest, but you won't get her to make that claim.

"I just never was that person who wanted to be the focal point or in the spotlight," Fowles said. "That's just my personality. I'm very mellow and quiet."

Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/98vNwF
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Filed under  //  Alumni   Sylvia Fowles   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Show LSU Lady Tiger spirit and help WNBA raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness

The WNBA is raising funds for the Jimmy V Cancer Foundation through an internet auction and you can show your LSU spirit while supporting a great cause.

Each WNBA team has a commemorative pink WNBA basketball autographed by their team.  For you LSU fans keeping score this would include Chicago (Sylvia Fowles), Connecticut (Allison Hightower), Los Angeles (Marie Ferdinand-Harris), Minnesota (Seimone Augustus), Phoenix (Temeka Johnson), San Antonio (Roneeka Hodges), and Tulsa (Scholanda Robinson).

There is also individually autographed basketballs including one by Seimone and one by Syl.

Check out all the Breast Cancer Awareness auction items at: http://bit.ly/dlnu51

Filed under  //  Alumni   Breast Cancer   Seimone Augustus   Sylvia Fowles   Temeka Johnson   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Breast Cancer Awareness Week in the WNBA

By Stuart Winchester, for WNBA.com

The pink shoes are coming out.

So are the pink shooting shirts, the pink-and-white basketballs, and the pink-and-white jerseys.

Everywhere you see the WNBA from Aug. 23 to Aug. 30, from WNBA.com to pregame warm-ups to nationally televised matchups, you’ll see the color that is synonymous with breast cancer awareness.

In a league well known for its sustained commitment to giving back, Breast Health Awareness Week has stood out since the WNBA’s inception as its strongest community platform, raising more than $2 million to date. All 13 teams are again ramping up efforts for this leaguewide comprehensive initiative that includes online, in-arena, television, and community components that serve to both raise money for breast cancer research and educate women about detection and prevention. This year, for the second consecutive year, a partnership with ESPN will focus on donating funds to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund®, in partnership with The V Foundation.

During Breast Health Awareness Week, teams will conduct pregame, halftime, and postgame programming and activities to educate fans about breast health, including ticket promotions, chalk talks, ceremonial tips, and ball exchanges. The centerpiece of individual team efforts will be the donation of autographed pink-and-white basketballs, which will be centralized in an online auction at auctions.wnba.com. All proceeds will benefit the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund®, in partnership with The V Foundation.

Additionally, the league’s breast health awareness efforts will be brought before a national audience with a pair of games on ESPN2, during which the courts, players, coaches, and referees will sport pink or pink-and-white signage, uniforms, ties, and lapel pins, respectively. The Sky will take on the Sparks on Tuesday at 10 p.m. and the Shock will meet the Silver Stars in a rematch of last year’s WNBA Finals on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Read the entire article: http://bit.ly/9jKJMw 

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Filed under  //  Breast Cancer   WNBA  
Posted by Bob Starkey 

Sho leads Tulsa to huge upset of Seattle...Meek & Mone shine alos

Scholanda Robinson scored 12 of her 21 points in the third quarter to lead the Tulsa Shock to a surprising 84-75 victory over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday night.

The league-worst Shock (5-22) snapped a seven-game losing streak and a nine-game skid at home, while the Storm (22-4), with the WNBA's best record, dropped their second straight.

``Just so excited,'' Robinson said. ``A little bit of relief, but it just feels really good. We put a great game together from beginning to end. It is just domination. We beat the best team in our league and it just shows what a great team we are. When we come to play our game and we play for 40 minutes, we can beat anybody.''

With the score tied at 41, Amber Holt converted a four-point play, then Keisha Brown hit a shot from midcourt right before the halftime buzzer, giving the hosts a 48-41 lead at the break.

Robinson, who had only five points in the first half, then went to work, hitting jump shots and 3-pointers.

Cash got the first basket of the second half for the Storm, the Robinson answered with a three-point play to stretch the advantage to 51-43.

Tulsa/Seattle Box: http://bit.ly/9dkI8J

Temeka Johnson had 13 points, 6 assists and 4 steals as red-hot Phoenix won their third in a row defeating San Antonio on the road 103-92.  Roneeka Hodges had 8 points and 5 boards for the Stars.

Phoenix/San Antonio Box: http://bit.ly/9Cs2cH

In Minnesota, Seimone Augustus poured in 21 points while passing off for 6 assists as Minnesota won their second straight defeating Connectictut 111-103.

Minnesota/Connecticut Box: http://bit.ly/bgFXlo

Posted by Bob Starkey 

2010-11 LSU Lady Tiger Roster Announced, Take A Look At It Here

Kg

The 2010-11 LSU Lady Tiger basketball roster has been updated online at LSUsports.net. Take a look at this year’s team, including their updated headshots, profiles and year-by-year statistics. This year’s squad features 11 returning letterwinners, four seniors, five juniors, two sophomores and three freshmen.

In the coming weeks, we will introduce you to some of the new members of the team. Also, for updates, please follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LSUwbkb or www.twitter.com/LSUCoachStarkey.

Here are your 2010-11 LSU Lady Tigers:

http://www.lsusports.net/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=5200&SPID=2167&SPSID=27833

Posted by Bill Martin  

Lady Tigers In The WNBA Weekly Stat Update -- August 3, 2010

Lady Tigers In The WNBA Weekly Update – August 3, 2010

Every week, we will take a look at what former Lady Tigers did the past week in the WNBA.

Marie Ferdinand-Harris, Guard
Los Angeles Sparks

Last Week:

July 27 at Minnesota (W, 71-58) 12 pts, 6-of-9 FG, 3 stl, 23 min

July 30 at New  York (L, 79-88) 17 pts, 6-of-13 FG, 2-of-3 3PM, 3-of-3 FT, 4 reb, 3 stl, 35 min

This Week:

Wednesday, August 4 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m. CT

 Friday, August 6 vs. Tulsa, 7:30 p.m. CT

Sunday, August 8 vs. San Antonio, 5 p.m. CT


Sylvia Fowles, Center

Chicago Sky

Last Week:

July 27 at Indiana (L, 74-78) 18 pts, 8-of-13 FG, 2-of-3 FT, 8 reb, 4 stl, 2 blk, 34 min

July 30 at Seattle (L, 60-80) 13 pts, 4-of-5 FG, 5-of-9 FT, 5 reb, 5 ast, 28 min

August 1 at Phoenix (L, 96-97) 35 pts, 14-of-23 FG, 7-of-8 FT, 8 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk, 32 min

This Week:

Wednesday, August 4 at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m. CT

Saturday, August 7 vs. Minnesota, 2 p.m. CT


Allison Hightower, Guard
Connecticut Sun

Last Week:

July 30 vs. Atlanta (L, 62-94) 1 reb, 1 ast, 13 min

August 1 at New York (L, 67-71) 3 pts, 1-of-3 FG, 1-of-1 3PM, 2 reb, 1 stl, 11 min

This Week:

Tuesday, August 3 at Minnesota, 8 p.m. CT

Thursday, August 5 at Seattle, 10:30 p.m. CT

Sunday, August 8 vs. Washington, 5 p.m. CT

Temeka Johnson, Point Guard
Phoenix Mercury

Last Week:

July 27 at Seattle (L, 85-91) 11 pts, 5-of-11 FG, 1-of-3 3PM, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 18 min

July 29 vs. Minnesota (W, 110-92) 8 pts, 4-of-8 FG, 7 reb, 8 ast, 2 stl, 18 min

 August 1 vs. Chicago (W, 97-96) 6 pts, 2-of-3 FG, 1-of-1 3PM, 1-of-2 FT, 5 reb, 6 ast, 31 min

This Week:

Tuesday, August 3 at San Antonio, 5 p.m. CT

Friday, August 6 vs. San Antonio, 7 p.m. CT

Sunday, August 8 vs. Indiana, 3 p.m. CT


Scholanda Robinson, Guard
Tulsa Shock

Last Week:

July 27 vs. Atlanta (L, 89-105) 13 pts, 4-of-10 FG, 2-of-4 3PM, 3-of-6 FT, 6 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 30 min

July 30 vs. San Antonio (L, 85-101) 17 pts, 7-of-15 FG, 3-of-5 3PM, 3 reb, 4 stl, 28 min

 August 1 at Washington (L, 62-87) 9 pts, 3-of-3 FT, 4 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 28 min

This Week:

Tuesday, August 3 vs. Seattle, 7 p.m. CT

Friday, August 6 at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m. CT

Saturday, August 7 at Seattle, 9 p.m. CT

Seimone Augustus, Guard-Forward
Minnesota Lynx

Last Week:

July 27 vs. Los Angeles (L, 58-71) 6 pts, 1-of-2 FT, 4 reb, 2 ast, 36 min

July 29 at Phoenix (L, 92-110) 13 pts, 5-of-18 FG, 3-of-4 FT, 4 reb, 1 ast, 26 min

August 1 vs. Seattle (W, 72-71) 24 pts, 11-of-19 FG, 1-of-4 3PM, 1-of-3 FT, 2 reb, 2 ast, 33 min

This Week:

Tuesday, August 3 vs. Connecticut, 7 p.m. CT

Saturday, August 7 at Chicago, 2 p.m. CT

Sunday, August 8 vs. New York, 6 p.m. CT

Posted by Bill Martin  

Meek's HOPE: A Small Part In Our Huge Responsibility For "The Education Debt"

From www.SwishAppeal.com:

In Rachel Whittaker's New Orleans Times-Picayune article yesterday about Phoenix Mercury point guard Temeka Johnson's new book Meek's Moments, Louisiana State University assistant coach Bob Starkey described the origins of his former player's foundation, Meek's HOPE (www.MeeksHope.org).

Former LSU women's basketball star Temeka Johnson debuts children's book | NOLA.com
Bob Starkey, one of Johnson's coaches on the LSU women's basketball team, recalled a day when she walked into his office as a sophomore and told him of her dream to start a foundation to help children.

Starkey said it was endeavors like this that cemented Johnson as a leader for the Lady Tigers.

"I've never heard of a college student thinking that far ahead," said Starkey, who joined Johnson in Phoenix for the weekend. "She thought about leadership 24 hours a day."

Although Starkey's description of her might make her seem like an extraordinary individual, it's worth noting that Johnson considers what she does as far more ordinary than the praise of her coach and the positive press she's attracting seems to indicate.

Giving back to people, as Johnson described in an interview with Swish Appeal prior to last Tuesday's 91-85 loss to the Seattle Storm, is something that has just always been a natural part of who she is, regardless of whether she was doing so under the auspices of an organization or simply being a compassionate human being.

"It was nothing spectacular -- not in my eyes it wasn't spectacular," said Johnson, while recalling the ways in which she gave back even before founding Meek's Hope in 2005. "It just seemed like the normal stuff, the normal things that people do: helping out kids that needed help and listening to people that needed to be talked to. It's always been something that I've done."

So in order to appreciate the work that Johnson is doing as part of Meek's Hope, it's important to understand that it's not just the result of an idealistic vision she's had since her sophomore year in college, but a natural extension of who she is and how she interacts with the world. The organization is just a way to formalize the ways in which she influences others, both directly and indirectly.

This is long and incredible article, please click on the link to read it: http://bit.ly/aaFYGX

Posted by Bob Starkey 

RVing with Fran!

BOB STARKEY: One of the things I love most about coaching at LSU is the other coaches and the relationships we get to forge with each other.  It's an incredible place to coach because of the quality of coaches in all sports and how much we share with each other and support each other.  One of my absolute favorites is Fran Flory, the head volleyball coach.  Besides being an outstanding coach, she is a great person.  She cares deeply about her team and her sport -- which is why I'm not surprised that she has put together this plan of living in an RV to promote her program and build her twitter base.  This morning our staff went over to hang out and spend some time with her and I have to report that she is going strong and committed to staying there until she meets her twitter follower goal.  I already follow @lsuvolleyball and look forward to her tweets!  GOOD LUCK FRAN!

Posted by Bob Starkey 

Help us save Fran -- and promote Lady Tiger Volleyball!

BATON ROUGE - LSU volleyball coach Fran Flory will move into a RV camper starting on Aug. 2 in an effort to grow the team's following on Twitter. Fans can help free Flory by following @lsuvolleyball on the social media site.

Once @lsuvolleyball reaches 500 followers, in a week, Flory will be able to go home. The account currently has 319 followers as of 9 a.m. CT on Saturday. The count will begin on August 2 and will hopefully reach over 800 followers.

Fans following @lsuvolleyball will have an opportunity to win exciting prizes and are encouraged to visit the reigning SEC and AVCA South Coach of the Year in her RV camper on campus, which will be located in front of Tiger Stadium on the West Side Parking Lot.

Flory will be visited by members of the LSU Athletics family throughout the week. Along with Tweets, video and written blogs from Flory chronicling her experience will be posted on www.LSUsports.net/volleyball during the week.

"We're always excited to find ways to give the fans an inside look at our program," Flory said. "Our Twitter account does that from the in-match updates to team news to information on promotions when you come see us play at the Maravich Center.  I need 500 fans to sign-up on @lsuvolleyball next week, the earlier we reach 500 followers the earlier I can go back home."

Fran_van
 

Posted by Bob Starkey