Shouldering along

Candace Parker of the Lady Vols had her left shoulder pop out not once, but twice, during last night's game against Texas A&M in the NCAA women's basketball tournament. Coach Summitt was having a fit that the sleeve they needed for her wasn't where it should be, and as the crew went fishing for that, the rest of the team fought to keep the score even until Parker, their star player, could return.

They pulled out a victory. Ironically, the coach had the same injury recently after chasing a raccoon away from from her dog, and complimented Parker on her ability to play despite the injury, saying she knew well how painful it was.

It is what Parker said that stuck in my mind as I later watched Rutgers fall to Connecticut. She emphasized the team effort that kept the game within reach and the efforts of her teammates, not her own. She's leaving the team at the end of the season and, ironically, her departure and the ability of the team to win despite that could be a valuable confidence builder for the younger Lady Vols.

Rutgers started out strong, playing as a team, but lost their rhythm along the way. The sad thing is they could have won. They were so close. It was as if they just lost heart when Connecticut began to gain on them and they stopped believing in themselves. Opportunities to score were squandered and they couldn't pull out the win. They stopped playing as a team.

There will be other playoffs for Rutgers. And maybe, just maybe, despite their loss, what the women who played last night learned was what Parker and other departing seniors know: play your best every minute you can, because it won't last forever. Ultimately, that could help them win next time.