Notebook: Teams take in some Hollywood stargazing
The two teams competing in tonight’s title game in the Spokane Region of the 2008 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship are probably starting to think the host city is a popular hangout for movie and television celebrities.
On Saturday afternoon actor Cuba Gooding Jr., who is town shooting a movie, spoke to the Stanford Cardinal, after they selected one of his movies, “Men of Honor,” as the team film to watch prior to their semifinal matchup against Pittsburgh later that evening.
And earlier in the week on Friday, several of the Maryland Terrapins ran into former “Happy Days” cast members Henry Winkler, Cindy Williams and Donny Most, who were headlining at this past weekend’s Auto/Boat Speed Show at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center.
UM coach Brenda Frese and her players were asked about their celebrity encounter, which occurred in the lobby of their team hotel, during Sunday’s press conference at the Arena, where they will face Stanford tonight at 6:30 for a berth in the Final Four in Tampa, Fla.
In particular, Frese’s players, because of their ages, were quizzed about whether they had ever heard of the three actors before and if it was true that the only reason they knew Winkler had portrayed The Fonz was because they has seen his character on the animated series Family Guy.
All five players at the press conference acknowledged they had heard of the actors before, but senior forward Crystal Langhorne admitted she recognized Winkler from the 1998 movie “The Waterboy.”
In any event, Winkler took time to pose for photographs with the players.
“We were in the (hotel) hallway and walking toward the elevator and all of a sudden everybody was like, ‘That’s The Fonz! That’s The Fonz!’ ” said freshman guard Marah Strickland, adding that her teammates all started emulating the ‘Aaaay!’ catchphrase Winkler used as Arthur Fonzarelli on Happy Days, a family comedy that debuted on ABC in 1974 and enjoyed a popular 10-year run. “We’re like, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s him,’ and everybody started running over … ‘Can we get a picture with you?’
“It was very exciting.”
Hard foul revisited
Stanford’s all-American guard Candice Wiggins was the victim of a hard foul on a breakaway layup attempt during the later stages of Saturday’s 72-53 win over Pittsburgh.
At the time, not much was made of the way the Panthers’ Taneisha Harrison drove Wiggins to the floor on the play, but after watching video of the incident on Sunday, Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer made it clear she did not appreciate the hit that left her star player on the floor and grimacing in pain for a brief spell, and felt a flagrant foul should have been called.
“I was very disappointed with the call against Candice,” VanDerveer said. “Having watched it the second time, I really thought it put her at risk to get hurt, and that was something that had me really upset.
“I think that hard fouls are part of the game, but a play should be made on the ball.”
VanDerveer admitted to being a bit anxious while waiting for Wiggins to get back up.
“In all games, sometimes, things happen that are very emotional,” she explained. “But as a coach, it’s really hard when you see someone go down like that. You watch your whole season flash before your eyes.”
Wiggins admitted she was still a little sore.
“She kind of got my hand,” she said. “It’s my left hand, but it’s OK. It’s nothing serious.”
Underdog role still holds
Despite the season-long success enjoyed by top-seeded Maryland, the Terrapins seem more than willing to embrace their self-perceived role as an underdog in this year’s march to the Final Four.
“Our team always loves being the underdog,” said senior forward Crystal Langhorne. “I know Stanford wasn’t happy about getting the (number) two seed, and a lot of people still don’t think we deserve it.
“We want to prove a lot of people wrong.”
UM coach Brenda Frese, when asked if Saturday’s convincing 80-66 win over Vanderbilt might have changed public opinion about her team, said:
“I hope not. I love it right where it’s at. It reminds me of two years ago (when many of the players on this year’s team played key roles in the Terps’ unlikely run to a national championship), and it’s just amazing that you can continue to dismiss this team and not see the positives of how this team plays.
“Obviously, we’re a tremendously talented offensive team, and we rebound the ball extremely well. But I hope it just continues right along the path it’s been. I think we work better than way.”