What Could Have Been

You have to believe when UConn set the all time record for consecutive wins, two women contemplated decisions they made that coincided with the start of the streak. As the UConn women's basketball team marches (again) into the history books, Pat Summit and Elena Delle Donne must be at least thinking about what could have been.

Two years ago, Delle Donne was the most heavily recruited high school senior in the country. Even with the incredible Maya Moore (pictured) finishing just her freshman year at UConn, Della Donne seemed to be the next cover girl for the program, poised to be the next Diana Taurausi.

As a 6'5"(!) high schooler, she led her team to three state championships and was offered a scholarship to UConn. She briefly attended a summer camp at the school, but left before her freshman year actually began, citing burn out. Since she made her decision, UConn has yet to lose.

Those two things are connected only coincidentally, of course. Had she decided to come to UConn, the winning streak still would have occurred and who knows what her role would have been. As it turns out, she's close to home and playing ball again. She recently finished her first basketball season at Delaware and was named her conference's player of the year.

Pat Summitt decided that her personal relationship mutual animosity with Gino Auriemma prevented her from having her Tennessee team play UConn. In a sport with too few rivalries and little high level competition, the Tennessee - UConn match up provided some drama and considerable TV exposure. When the game was cancelled, it diminished interest in women's basketball. The lack of emotion around the UConn record is a direct reflection of the limited heated competition the Huskies have encountered and that the Volunteers may have provided.

So two woman made decisions a couple of years ago. It would be interesting to know what they think of their decisions now.