Courtesy A-10 Conference

By Aaron M Smith

**** Welcome to the Pickin’ Splinter’s Who am I for A-10 women’s basketball. Each week we will highlight an A-10 player or coach past or present. Your mission should you choose to accept will be to take the set of clues and figure out who the player/coach is.  Now let’s lay the ground rules for this exercise. First and foremost try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you decipher the answer. Add to that the teachings of Myagi: patience. If you don’t get the answer right away, give your brain a chance to work if for no other reason than to stay in the discussion. You may not have THE answer, but you might prompt another reader by asking the right question. Good luck !

Now that everyone has gotten rid of their Super Bowl hangover, let’s get down to business. To figure out who I am, you better have your thinking cap on and be prepared to look under the green clover.  I started all 122 games of my college career.  I finished my four years scoring 2,340 points, good for third all-time in the Atlantic 10.  Now I know what you are saying, you play that much you had better score. Well I not only left my school as the leading scorer in each of four years, I also led my team in rebounding. I am the only player in my alma mater’s history to accomplish that feat. In fact when I graduated, I left with eight school records. In my senior year I was named Player of the Year – twice.  More importantly I was as good a student as I was an athlete. I was named the A-10′s Student-Athlete Player of Year twice.   After graduating I played professionally both in the WNBA and overseas. Later I was fortunate to have my number retired by the university, and I was inducted into two Hall of Fames. I am not telling you where, that would be too easy! Now I am an assistant coach in the college ranks. Just how serious am I about my academics? In 2007, I graduated with my masters in business administration. Oh and one last thing – if you know whiskey, you know where I am from.

Who am I?

Courtesy of A10 Women's Basketball

By Aaron M Smith

**** Welcome to the Pickin’ Splinter’s Who am I for A-10 women’s basketball. Each week we will highlight an A-10 player or coach past or present. Your mission should you choose to accept will be to take the set of clues and figure out who the player/coach is.  Now let’s lay the ground rules for this exercise. First and foremost try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you decipher the answer. Add to that the teachings of Myagi: patience. If you don’t get the answer right away, give your brain a chance to work if for no other reason than to stay in the discussion. You may not have THE answer, but you might prompt another reader by asking the right question. Good luck !

If we had been comic book heroes during our college careers we would have been the dynamic duo – Batman and Robin. I was more in the background of my teammate, so I will gladly take on the role of Robin. After all it is was Robin who did all the little things that didn’t always get noticed and in a way best exemplifies my college career. In my freshman year I was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of Year. I was a member of the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team for three consecutive seasons. Twice I was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year and also took home the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year one time. I left my alma mater as the all-time rebounder with 1,552 boards. I was on the Wooden Award Final Ballot three consecutive years. Don’t get me wrong I wasn’t too bad on the offensive end either. Over my college career, I racked up 1,895  points,  good for 14.5 points per game over my 4 years. In 2011 I realized my dream when was drafted 8th overall in the WNBA draft, just 4 spots behind “Batman.” Playing at my college also had its family perks. My brother is the second baseman for the MLB baseball team in the city where my school is located.

Who am I?

Bonus: Who is my brother?

 **** Welcome to the Pickin’ Splinter’s Who am I for A-10 women’s basketball. Each week we will highlight an A-10 player or coach past or present. Your mission should you choose to accept will be to take the set of clues and figure out who the player/coach is.  Now let’s lay the ground rules for this exercise. First and foremost try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you decipher the answer. Add to that the teachings of Myagi: patience. If you don’t get the answer right away, give your brain a chance to work if for no other reason than to stay in the discussion. You may not have THE answer, but you might prompt another reader by asking the right question. Good luck!

Happy New Year everyone!! To start 2012 off, we are going to take a step back into time to figure out who I am.  Now, I was a two sport athlete before guys like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders made it popular.  I not only played basketball for my alma mater, but I was on the volleyball team as well.  I was pretty good in both, but I am not going to brag. I would prefer that the focus be on my teammates. In volleyball I was the National Player of the Year twice, which may make it difficult to convince you that basketball is where I made my impact.  To date I still own 25 of my alma mater’s records in basketball.  I finished my college career scoring 2,672 points, which is more than the men’s all-time career scoring leader.  In my senior year, we finished 36-2 and went on to win the small division National Championship. One of those two losses occurred when I was at the National Championship game for our volleyball team. In 2011, our team was inducted into the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame. Nowadays,  I remain active with my alma mater by operating the game clock at both the men’s and women’s basketball games.

Who am I ?

**** Welcome to the Pickin’ Splinter’s Who am I for A-10 women’s basketball. Each week we will highlight an A-10 player or coach past or present. Your mission should you choose to accept will be to take the set of clues and figure out who the player/coach is.  Now let’s lay the ground rules for this exercise. First and foremost try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you decipher the answer. Add to that the teachings of Myagi: patience. If you don’t get the answer right away, give your brain a chance to work if for no other reason than to stay in the discussion. You may not have THE answer, but you might prompt another reader by asking the right question. Good luck!

I certainly hope everyone has recovered from all of the turkey this past weekend. It is going to be tough following last week’s “Who am I” , but I am going to give it my best shot. To start my college basketball career, I didn’t go far, heading East – one state over to be exact. If you said that I  “blocked” my way on the Atlantic 10 basketball scene it would be an understatement. Just 29 games into my college basketball career, I became the school’s all-time leader in blocked shots. During my freshman year, I set a school record with 11 blocks in one game.  I was the second player in the school’s history to score over 2,00o points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. During my freshman year, I earned Rookie of the Week honors a record 12 times. For my career I had well over 1,200 rebounds which came out to an average of 9.2 per game. 59 times I recorded a double-double in my career. During my college career, my teammates and I were a perfect 12-0 in A-10 tournament games. Not bad, huh? We won the A-10 championship 4 times in 5 years. A little misleading, I know. Well I had to sit out one season, but I can’t tell you why- that would be too easy. I was named Atlantic-10 Player of the Year twice. After my college career, I was drafted in the first round of the WNBA and headed north to start my professional career.

Who am I?

  **** Welcome to the Pickin’ Splinter’s Who am I for A-10 women’s basketball. Each week we will highlight an A-10 player or coach past or present. Your mission should you choose to accept will be to take the set of clues and figure out who the player/coach is.  Now let’s lay the ground rules for this exercise. First and foremost try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you decipher the answer. Add to that the teachings of Myagi: patience. If you don’t get the answer right away, give your brain a chance to work if for no other reason than to stay in the discussion. You may not have THE answer, but you might prompt another reader by asking the right question. Good luck!

Wow, I get to be the first Who am I at Pickin’ Splinters!!  Now that is an honor, but then again I am used to receiving honors.  If we start listing the honors I received in college – well we could be here awhile. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.  It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that my journey to college basketball stardom has hints of a great tale. I came to the United States, having learned most of what I knew about the United States by watching television. I speak several languages fluently including the language of basketball. During my college career, I led the A-10 in scoring all 4 years. I am the first and only basketball player in my school’s history (male or female) to score over 2,000 points in my career, but when it comes to the all-time scoring record in the A-10 -  I am not the leader.  I still hold the career record for my school in four different categories. Recently I was passed by a current member of my alma mater’s team in the category of 3-pointers made. I was named the conference’s Player of the Year twice. In the 1998 WNBA draft, I wouldn’t say it was a “shock” that I was picked in the first round. I went on to have a professional basketball career for 10 years in the WNBA and European League before having a brief stint as an assistant coach in the WNBA and A-10. I was the first female student-athlete at my alma mater to have her jersey retired. Who am I?

No, it's not us.

By Chas

As father and son tandems go, we were hardly the Griffeys, but we both played over 10 years in the majors, so that’s something to be proud of.

Father began his career in the midwest, but it wasn’t until he moved further west that he enjoyed major league success. It was there that he played in three different post-seasons, but never the World Series, although one of his teammates almost single-handedly propelled his team to the series one year.

Father accumulated over 2000 hits and 50 wins above replacement (WAR) in his career. That might qualify him for some people’s “Hall of Very Good,” despite the fact he dropped off the ballot after his first year.

Father was probably better than Ken Griffey Sr., in fact, but I suppose that point is debatable.

What’s not debatable is that son was nowhere near as good as Ken Griffey Jr., although the potential was there.

Son was a first-round draft pick (#3 overall), out of a college in the same city where dad enjoyed his best professional years. He actually even played with Griffey Jr., albeit very briefly, during one of his nine major league stops.

Son was supposed to be better than his father, but never lived up to expectations, although he did show a few sustained flashes of his five-tool ability, including one 30-30 season, a Gold Glove, and breaking one team’s record for most assists in a season by an outfielder.

Son returned home for his final year in the majors, playing 38 games for his dad’s primary team in the city he grew up in.

Who are we?

By Aaron M Smith

****Remember, try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you decipher the answer. Add to that the teachings of Myagi: patience. If you don’t get the answer right away, give your brain a chance to work if for no other reason than to stay in the discussion. You may not have THE answer, but you might prompt another reader by asking the right question.

I bet you expected this to be about baseball didn’t you? Since this is the week that my sport is celebrating its final tournament of the season, we decided to throw a “curveball” with this week’s WAI. But it is interesting that you bring up baseball. Growing up,  I was a fine baseball player – good enough to even get a tryout with a National League team. People might think I was crazy, but I decided to skip the tryout. Guess what ? I won my first tournament that very weekend – not a bad decision if I do say so myself.

The idea of sports was all foreign to my family. My father was a blacksmith, and I was the only one of my gender amongst 5 children. Sports, let alone golf were not exactly at the forefront for my family’s way of life. Initially, I got a job at a local country club to help with the family bills. When I wasn’t working as a caddy, I decided to work on my own golf game. Eventually, I became good enough to enter tournaments and at the age of 19, I made my professional debut.

Ironically, it was at an exhibition at another local country club that I started to make a name for myself and at the same time, helped put that golf course on the map as well.  A little ironic if I do say so myself.  Many people, fellow colleagues included, attribute my personality to raising the popularity of the game. In fact, I am credited with helping to increase the “purse” of tournaments, something today’s golfers can thank me for.  More money always worked for me since I had expensive taste when it came to clothes.

All in all, you can say I had a great career, even though I was more interested in stopping to smell the roses. I was the first golfer from my country to win an “Open”; which didn’t go over well with the local golf fans there.  In fact, I decided to win it a couple more times just to rub salt in the wounds. My success rate at the majors was staggering; I won an impressive 20% of the majors I entered. The  proverbial “grand slam” wasn’t actually a four bagger in my time.  It was more like an Earl Weaver special if we are still using baseball terms. I have been depicted in several movies, including the movie that starred the guy whose parents didn’t seem to understand him. Later,  I was inducted into the Hall of Fame, but unfortunately, I wasn’t there to see it.

Who am I ?? As a bonus, can you name the course I helped make famous??

Where am I? Who am I? How did I come to be here? What is this thing called the Pine? How did I come to the Pine? Why was I not consulted? And if I am compelled to take part in this, where is the man in charge? I want to see him?

Actually, I’ll settle for the answer to the question, who am I? But remember to try this without research. If the answer doesn’t come to you immediately, be sure to share your thought process, as you may assist another in his or her quest to help me answer this “existential” question.

By Chas

I was drafted by a west coast team, but most people don’t know me for that. I was supposed to be the successor to a guy who failed at replacing a legend, a man whom some wonder why he didn’t receive more Hall of Fame support.

I played only parts of three seasons out west before being traded to an eastern team, in a deal for a player who could be described as a professional hitter (a guy who won four batting titles), although he was in the twilight of his career.

I played 5+ years there for a team on the rise. We went from 64 wins in my first full year to a postseason berth in my last. While there, I set a major league record (that since has been broken) for most assists in a season at a position not known for them.

I left as a free agent, though, to sign with another eastern team. We turned our fortunes around in my first year there, which was the beginning of a long run of sustained success. In fact, we made the playoffs in all of my three seasons there, but lost in the World Series twice. We even beat my previous team in a playoff series once, and I played a pivotal role on a series-deciding play.

My postseason numbers were solid, if not spectacular: a .785 OPS in 92 AB over 28 games.

I moved on from there, heading west again, and played one final year for a fourth team where I served as the backup to another player whose Hall of Fame candidacy has become a lightning-rod for controversy.

I didn’t reach 1000 hits or 100 homers over my 12 years in the majors, but I held my own. Even though I played the requisite 10 seasons, my name never appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Who Am I?

Where am I? Who am I? How did I come to be here? What is this thing called the Pine? How did I come to the Pine? Why was I not consulted? And if I am compelled to take part in this, where is the man in charge? I want to see him?

Actually, I’ll settle for the answer to the question, who am I? But remember to try this without research. If the answer doesn’t come to you immediately, be sure to share your thought process, as you may assist another in his or her quest to help me answer this “existential” question.

By Chas

I was the last switch-hitter to win the American League MVP, but you probably don’t remember me for that.

In the time that has passed since, six different switch-hitters have won the National League MVP (Jimmy Rollins being the most recent), but not a single player from the junior circuit.

I played for a team that had a pretty good run, although we fell short of the World Series the year I won MVP. Not the next year, though. We won it all that season, but I missed a good portion of the year due to a contract dispute. It wasn’t our only championship, however, but I never quite lived up to expectations in any of the World Series I played in.

A few years later, our team underwent a fire sale of sorts. Our owner either traded away or allowed all our best players to leave via free agency. He tried to trade me too–twice–but the commissioner invoked his “in the best interests of baseball” powers and blocked both trade attempts. A couple years later, we finished in last place and I was finally traded away, to our nearest geographic rival.

My first year with my new team was a good one, but after that my very solid career was already on the down side by the time I turned 30. A little substance abuse problem had something to do with it.

Despite flaming out early, I was selected to six all-star teams, but I wasn’t good enough to receive serious Hall of Fame consideration. I peaked at just under 10% of the vote, and dropped off the ballot after four years. Not bad for a poor kid from Louisiana.

Who Am I?

****Remember, try this without research. Release your inner James Joyce and show us your stream of consciousness as you decipher the answer. Add to that the teachings of Myagi: patience. If you don’t get the answer right away, give your brain a chance to work if for no other reason than to stay in the discussion. You may not have THE answer, but you might prompt another reader by asking the right question.

By Chas

I played most of my career with the same team, but for some reason, I’m almost as well known for the team who traded me away after I totaled 99 plate appearances in parts of two seasons.

OK, maybe it’s an exaggeration to say I’m just as well known for the team with whom I batted fewer than 100 times as for the team I played 14 years with. After all, I did hit over 300 homers and drive in almost 1000 runs for the latter team. It’s just that the trade is actually “discussed” in one episode of a popular sitcom.

I also got the chance to face my former team in the postseason three times. I batted .366 against them across those three series, but we only won one of them. Both times they beat us were in the league championship series, helping to prevent me from ever playing in the World Series. In fact, my team has never reached the Fall Classic. Not with me, not without me.

I hit over 40 homers and drove in over 100 runs in three consecutive seasons, but I only made the all-star team once. I also led the league in strikeouts in two of those years. Another dubious distinction I hold is I have the lowest stolen base success rate in history. Actually, they didn’t keep track of caught stealing prior to 1954, but since then my 25% 20% success rate (6 SB, 24 CS in 30 attempts) ranks dead last.

Who Am I?