I don't have the figures but the the Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team ranks at or near the top of the list when it comes to San Francisco Bay Area sports success.
How often do we open the local newspaper to read about some native bay area sports figure going to the "big show" with a team many miles away, while our local team struggles. We've read about the Tom Brady's, Jason Kidd's and Amani Toomer's. They all played high school sports here in the bay and they all have professional championship rings. We read about it here in the bay and we are for the most part happy for their success.
We even claim golfer Tiger Woods (Stanford Alum) as one of our own just to feast on the flavor of a champion. Tiger grew up in southern California's Cypress in Orange County.
We haven't often had the thrill of cheering championship caliber college or professional teams on a national platform. In the past five years I can only think of three bay area teams worthy of championship cheering; There's the San Jose Sharks, throw in the Sabercats and the Tara VanderVeer led Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team.
The Cardinal (2011 Pac 10 Champions) are going to their fifth straight final four round of tournament play, twice advancing to the big show (2008, 2010.) And though they haven't brought home the championship hardware, they've given us plenty to cheer and be proud of.
When national sports analysts and sports talk hosts discuss college women's basketball, the Stanford Cardinal have earned themselves a part of all conversations.
Led by Nnemkadi and Chiney Ogwumike, the 2011-2012 #1 seed Lady Cardinal easily handled the #2 seed Duke Blue Devils yesterday, 81-69. They move on to face another #1 seed who's on a 40-0 winning streak; the Baylor Lady Bears. They'll face each other Sunday night in Denver, April Fool's Day.
Ogwumike Sisters
Coincidently the sisters, like Tiger, are also from a town named Cypress. Cypress, Texas.
You Go Cardinal Gurl!
Tara VanDerveer (Pac-10/Pac-12)
(1996-present): 423-85
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