fevertrees
05-05-2012, 12:34 AM
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/usatoday/article/54737232?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Sports|p
Diana Taurasi delights in two types of pressure situations.
On the basketball court, she won three NCAA titles, two Olympic gold medals and two WNBA titles. Off the court, give her an ironing board and she will press clothes — hers and other people's — until the wrinkles go away.
"I'm a good ironer. I like to iron. I can iron my face off," she said. "Something about ironing that I really like. In college, I used to iron all of my guy friends' shirts before we went out. I'd always iron. I iron everything. Something about that smooth surface that I really enjoy looking at when I iron."
As for tools and technique, she keeps it pretty simple. "I just got an ordinary, CVS, $30 iron. It works fine. You definitely have to have the steam on to get the smoothest surface. You have to put a little water in and you have to let it get nice and hot. Make sure the steam is going; if you go too early, you know how you get water all over your shirt. That's annoying. You gotta be patient."
Taurasi didn't have to wait long for her first Olympic gold — it came in 2004, the year she graduated from Connecticut and was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury. She won the first WNBA title three years later and the second title came in 2009.
The U.S. women, led by coach Geno Auriemma, are the heavy favorites to win gold in London. They've taken the gold in the last four Olympics.
I'm actually probably the worst player ever on Words with Friends. I actually just deleted it from my iPhone. I was like, I suck at this.
I don't talk trash.… I can do it in Spanish or I can do it Italian. I can get down a little bit with the Russian.
Sometimes you forget how little of the language you know and you just point, you kinda try to figure it out. So it's nice to get back home and actually understand everything.
Once in awhile when we go to these little cities, you think they're bringing out chicken, but they're bringing out rabbit. And it's not too bad. I wouldn't order it, once it came out, I ate it.
If I had to choose, I'm taking the last second shot (over posing nude). The body shoot (in ESPN The Magazine's Body issue), that was probably the only time in my life I would agree to do something like that.
I'm not big on putting stuff up in my house. My mom has a copy (of the magazine). I'm sure I have a copy somewhere hidden in my house. Maybe when I'm 50 and retired, I'm sitting on a beach, one day I'll go through some magazines and say, that was me back in the day.
The great thing about (Auriemma) he's kind of an open book. He really is one of the most caring people you'll ever meet. On court you only see this cutthroat, wanting to win at all costs … but behind closed doors he is one of the most caring people I've been around.
A group of people battles it out for the ultimate goal. To win a championship is the ultimate goal. In the Olympics … it's the one that takes the cake. Doing it for your country, for everyone who plays basketball in America — not just the 12 people on the team, but everyone who laces them up, whoever goes and plays pickup on the weekend, everyone who plays basketball in America. You want to represent them well.
Something about the swimming events that I just really like. They train so hard. So regimented. … I think I like the relays. Gotta be in synch, everyone's gotta do their part, for it to all work. Something very cool about that. Gratifying.
(Brittney Griner) is really one of a kind. She's 6-8 and doesn't move like a kid who's 6-8. She's fluid, she's athletic, she's coordinated. The one thing that sets her apart is she is willing to listen and learn and wants to get better. I think that's a quality lot of people don't have anymore.
When on vacation, I'll go on the (tennis) court for a little bit. Get some exercise. I really do love the sport. Played (table tennis) since I was a little kid. We set it up in the garage. (As for her skill level), ask Sue Bird— she knows. … Me and Andy Roddick in the mixed doubles … I'm there. I'd always said it would be interesting to train and see what level you can go to. When I was younger, I played, I had some lessons. It would be interesting to see … I mean, at 30 I'm not sure how good you'd be.
Diana Taurasi delights in two types of pressure situations.
On the basketball court, she won three NCAA titles, two Olympic gold medals and two WNBA titles. Off the court, give her an ironing board and she will press clothes — hers and other people's — until the wrinkles go away.
"I'm a good ironer. I like to iron. I can iron my face off," she said. "Something about ironing that I really like. In college, I used to iron all of my guy friends' shirts before we went out. I'd always iron. I iron everything. Something about that smooth surface that I really enjoy looking at when I iron."
As for tools and technique, she keeps it pretty simple. "I just got an ordinary, CVS, $30 iron. It works fine. You definitely have to have the steam on to get the smoothest surface. You have to put a little water in and you have to let it get nice and hot. Make sure the steam is going; if you go too early, you know how you get water all over your shirt. That's annoying. You gotta be patient."
Taurasi didn't have to wait long for her first Olympic gold — it came in 2004, the year she graduated from Connecticut and was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury. She won the first WNBA title three years later and the second title came in 2009.
The U.S. women, led by coach Geno Auriemma, are the heavy favorites to win gold in London. They've taken the gold in the last four Olympics.
I'm actually probably the worst player ever on Words with Friends. I actually just deleted it from my iPhone. I was like, I suck at this.
I don't talk trash.… I can do it in Spanish or I can do it Italian. I can get down a little bit with the Russian.
Sometimes you forget how little of the language you know and you just point, you kinda try to figure it out. So it's nice to get back home and actually understand everything.
Once in awhile when we go to these little cities, you think they're bringing out chicken, but they're bringing out rabbit. And it's not too bad. I wouldn't order it, once it came out, I ate it.
If I had to choose, I'm taking the last second shot (over posing nude). The body shoot (in ESPN The Magazine's Body issue), that was probably the only time in my life I would agree to do something like that.
I'm not big on putting stuff up in my house. My mom has a copy (of the magazine). I'm sure I have a copy somewhere hidden in my house. Maybe when I'm 50 and retired, I'm sitting on a beach, one day I'll go through some magazines and say, that was me back in the day.
The great thing about (Auriemma) he's kind of an open book. He really is one of the most caring people you'll ever meet. On court you only see this cutthroat, wanting to win at all costs … but behind closed doors he is one of the most caring people I've been around.
A group of people battles it out for the ultimate goal. To win a championship is the ultimate goal. In the Olympics … it's the one that takes the cake. Doing it for your country, for everyone who plays basketball in America — not just the 12 people on the team, but everyone who laces them up, whoever goes and plays pickup on the weekend, everyone who plays basketball in America. You want to represent them well.
Something about the swimming events that I just really like. They train so hard. So regimented. … I think I like the relays. Gotta be in synch, everyone's gotta do their part, for it to all work. Something very cool about that. Gratifying.
(Brittney Griner) is really one of a kind. She's 6-8 and doesn't move like a kid who's 6-8. She's fluid, she's athletic, she's coordinated. The one thing that sets her apart is she is willing to listen and learn and wants to get better. I think that's a quality lot of people don't have anymore.
When on vacation, I'll go on the (tennis) court for a little bit. Get some exercise. I really do love the sport. Played (table tennis) since I was a little kid. We set it up in the garage. (As for her skill level), ask Sue Bird— she knows. … Me and Andy Roddick in the mixed doubles … I'm there. I'd always said it would be interesting to train and see what level you can go to. When I was younger, I played, I had some lessons. It would be interesting to see … I mean, at 30 I'm not sure how good you'd be.