by Rick Newton

Created on: March 30, 2009

The 2008-2009 UCONN women's basketball team cannot be the greatest team of all time or even the greatest UCONN team of all time, because there is no such thing as the "greatest team of all time". This implies that there will never be a better team. It is subjective at best to say that this or one of the other championship teams, is the best ever (up to this point in time). Nobody can consider all the variables of team strength, schedules, competition, players, the events in players lives on and off the courts, and make a perfectly objective judgment as to the "best team". Each player, team, and season is unique. Over time players tend to get bigger, stronger, and more skilled as a whole. The game itself can change. UCONN's earliest championship teams may be sentimental favorites for picking a "best team" but, in spite of very tough competition from some great teams, there were fewer teams that were competitive at that time. With that said the 08-09 team could lose in the NCAA tournament and still be the best UCONN team to this point because of the presence of so many competitive teams.

Jen Rizzotti's presence was one of the factors that made the 1995 UCONN championship possible, but she was not as physically gifted as other UCONN guards that followed her. She worked harder and hustled more than her counterparts on opposing teams. She also knew the nuances of the game, and was ostensibly a coach on the court. She was the right person at the right time. If Dawn Staley or Sue Bird had in
Rizzotti's place in that time period, each would, without a doubt have been a star, but the results may not have been as good for the team. Each of them played successfully for a team with a different, unique chemistry.

When UCONN won their first NCAA championship, there may have been anywhere from four to six women's teams that dominated their respective conferences throughout the season. Although teams may have only been separated by several positions in the national rankings, the top teams were worlds apart from the other programs. Tennessee was the perennial favorite. Yet, with nearly all of the most talented players going to a select few teams, they breezed through the early rounds of the tournament. The later rounds included the lion's share of elite players on several teams making the outcome of the final four a literal toss-up.

The '08-'09 team has Maya Moore whose talent, skills, and team play may make her the best UCONN player ever. Is she better than Diana
Turasi? Again, they are two different players, who played with different squads, against different teams. Stats alone cannot tell the story. Who w/is the better team leader? Who will have more championships? Whose team will have more wins? How strong was their respective competition? No matter how much data you get, you will not know all the variables. This team is supposedly not as deep as others from previous years. Yet, UCONN's magnificent three point shooter Caroline Doty was lost to the team months ago. The team still has not lost, as they enter the Elite Eight.

There is a profusion of talent in the women's ranks. Perennial powerhouses may be upset by other schools that have risen through the rankings. Does this mean that if UCONN wins it all they must be the best? With this much talent nation-wide, does it mean that they could still be the best UCONN team even if they don't win it all? Have your say, but nothing is definite. Even if we tore into the time continuum and setup match games between all the best teams in UCONN history, there are variables we could not conceive of that could come into play. Each of the best was the best in their respective time. Maybe we should be satisfied with that.

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