Feb. 5, 2002
Santa Clara senior forward Steve Ross recently conducted a live chat on ESPN.com. A complete transcript is below. For the original chat, click here.
Steve Ross: (5:12 PM ET ) Hey everyone, thanks for showing up. Let the questions begin.
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John (Stockton): What were you looking for in a college when time to make the decision came? Were you recruited by anyone else?
Steve Ross (5:13 PM ET ) A school with good academics and one that you feel you can fit into in the program as a player.
Steve Ross (5:13 PM ET ) I was recruited by San Diego, a little by Gonzaga and Eastern Washington.
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Pat (Littleton, CO): Steve: Congrats on a fine career! Go Broncos! What do you think Santa Clara needs to do to improve and how do you like playing in the new Leavey Center?
Steve Ross (5:14 PM ET ) For us to continue to improve we need to learn how to be consistent on a nightly basis. Every team will have ups and downs during the season, but you have to try and minimize that and be consistent during the year.
Steve Ross (5:15 PM ET ) As far as the Leavey Center goes, I love it! I spend a lot of time in there at night when no one is there, and I love it when it is full with fans. It is just a comfortable place for me.
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Alameda, CA: I would like to know if Steve Nash had anything to do with you transferring to SCU?
Steve Ross: (5:16 PM ET ) Yes. Santa Clara was really the first school that I became familiar with because of its reputation and the fact that their best player was someone from my hometown.
Steve Ross: (5:17 PM ET ) I always wanted to go here, but when it was time to pick a school, my position on the team was already filled so there wasn't a need for me then.
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San Francisco: Do you think you can play at the next level?
Steve Ross: (5:18 PM ET ) Definitely! I haven't played a lot of college basketball, despite this being my fourth year. I just haven't participated in a lot of games yet, but the more I play in the more confident I am in my abilities to keep progressing and play at the next level.
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Kris (Los Angeles, CA): How is basketball different here in the states versus Canada?
Steve Ross: (5:19 PM ET ) Overall, the players are a lot better and the game is a lot more physical and more up-tempo.
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Victoria, British Columbia: We just want tell you hoiw proud we all are of your accomplishments. You are truly an inspiration. Could you please tell us about playing for the Canadian National Team and perhaps representing Canada in the Olympics?
Steve Ross: (5:20 PM ET ) That would be a dream of mine to be able to compete at the highest level internationally and represent my country. I played on the junior national team after I graduated high school and it was a tremendous experience and I would love to do it again.
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Michael Gilmore: Hey Steve, You're doing great this year! What can you advise young players to do when they need to get free, and have a defender hanging on them pretty tightly. How do you get free for those three point shots?
Steve Ross: (5:21 PM ET ) A lot of it is footwork and timing. You need to be aware of where your defenders are and where the open place on the court is. Also, it is important to have teammates that are capable of getting the ball to you in the right place and at the right time.
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Steve (LA): How do you think you will match up against Danny Danny Dickau on Thursday night?
Steve Ross: (5:23 PM ET ) There probably won't be too many situations Thursday night where we will be guarding each other. I don't think that is a match-up that either team is looking for. It is not about him versus me, it's about our teams and that is what I am going to focus on, giving my team its best chance to win the game.
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SP (Los Altos, CA): How do you like playing for Dick Davey?
Steve Ross: (5:24 PM ET ) It has been a great experience playing for Coach Davey. He is the most knowledgable basketball mind I have ever met and he pushes you to perform at the highest level every time we play.
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Brett (San Diego): Who do you most want to be like in the NBA and who was or is your all-time favorite NBA player?
Steve Ross: (5:25 PM ET ) There isn't one person that I want to model my game after, I just want do the best that I can. I think that there are so many players that bring so many different things to the table, that I just want to learn as much as I can from everybody.
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Brad Den Ouden (Victoria): Steve, I had the pleasure of playing against you during your high school career as I played for Dover Bay of Nanaimo. Since then I've followed your career closely, what would you attribute to all of your improvement over the past 5 years, and secondly what plans do you have after graduation? Play professionally in Europe perhaps? Good luck with the rest of the season and the WCC. Brad
Steve Ross: (5:27 PM ET ) The only memories I have of us playing Dover Bay was us being on the losing end of most games.
Steve Ross: (5:27 PM ET ) The only memories I have of us playing Dover Bay was us being on the losing end of most games.
Steve Ross: (5:28 PM ET ) I credit a lot of the improvement to the time I spend working on my game. I have worked really hard on every aspect of it and I think that it is starting to show.
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Jamie Holmes (Weert, Holland): Steve How have you dealt with the pressure put on you to fill Jamie Holmes' shoes? He really did a lot for the team last year and it seems it took you awhile to adjust to not having him around. With the defense focusing on him last year you had a lot of open shoots, but now they are focusing on you. What have you done to adjust to this?
Steve Ross: (5:30 PM ET ) Jamie, good to hear from you. You were a great player and one of the best big men in the WCC and it is definitely a lot harder not having you around.
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santa clara: hey steve, great season so far. I was wondering what the latest was on the appeal to regain a year of elligibility. Thanks. Good luck!
Steve Ross: (5:31 PM ET ) As it stands right now, the last appeal that we sent in was denied, and as far as I know that was the last step. So as it stands right now, I am a senior and although I don't agree with the decision it is something I have to accept and try to move forward.
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B>scott : how does it fell to play college ball and do u think u and your team have a chance at march madness and do you think you coudl be a top 5 nba pick
Steve Ross: (5:33 PM ET ) I believe in the team and I know that if we play well that we have just as good a chance as anyone to get into the tournament.
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Casey (Spokane): Steve, Which gym in your opinion is the hardest to play in on the road in the WCC?
Steve Ross: (5:34 PM ET ) I would have to say that the hardest gym for me to play at is Portland. Not because of the fans, but I just never really got a feel for the gym and I don't enjoy shooting there as much as other places.
Steve Ross: (5:35 PM ET ) Although, I have to admit that the guys who made fun of my pink tights up there this year were pretty creative.
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scott: hey
Steve Ross: (5:35 PM ET ) HEY
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Mark(Columbia, MO): What do you miss from Canada that Santa Clara doesn't have?
Steve Ross: (5:36 PM ET ) My family.
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Markey Mark: What do you think about Nash's selection to the All-Star Game?
Steve Ross: (5:36 PM ET ) I don't think that anybody deserves it more than he does.
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Willits: Are you going to be able to light up Gonzaga this Thursday like you did up in Spokane?
Steve Ross: (5:37 PM ET ) I sure hope so, but it's not going to matter if we don't come out on top.
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Jackson Capezio (Danville): Hey Steve, How did you get such a quick release for your shots. What drill would you recommend for a kid to learn how to dribble so well?
Steve Ross: (5:39 PM ET ) As far as quick release goes, it is not something that I practiced to make fast. It just gets quicker after shooting thousands and thousands of time. Repitition is the key.
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Kyle Smith, Moraga : Compare the top four programs in the League? Zags, Waves, Broncos, and Dons?
Steve Ross: (5:40 PM ET ) I think that Pepperdine and USF are known for having really good athletes and playing a more free form style, whereas Santa Clara and Gonzaga are a little more structured. They tend to run a few more sets for their players, but all four are really effective in how they approach it.
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Josh (Littleton, CO): Discuss the shooter's mentality that you have and what it takes when you're having an off-night to re-focus and get back the scoring touch.
Steve Ross: (5:41 PM ET ) I think that it is important to know that you are not always going to score on jump shots. It is important to find other ways to score, whether it be offensive put-backs or at the charity stripe.
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Potts: I hear the SCU trainer Mike Cembellin was key in increasing your flexibility and improving your quickness. What are his secrets?
Steve Ross: (5:43 PM ET ) Cembi has done a lot for all the athletes on campus, and has been instrumental in keeping us healthy and fit. He is also one of the funnier guys on campus.
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Irvine, CA: How do you feel about the lack of respect the WCC gets from the media and the NCAA? Or do you think the conference garners the respect it deserves?
Steve Ross: (5:45 PM ET ) You know everybody at the mid-major level doesn't get the respect that the bigger conferences do. That might be just because that there is only one team doing well in the conference. So until we can get two or three teams every year to play well, we will continue to live in obscurity.
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Mark(Columbia, Mo): Santa Clara got off to a bad start to begin the season. What has changed to help turn around this season?
Steve Ross: (5:46 PM ET ) Consistency. We really struggled to find our flow in the early part of the year and I think that it really showed. Some of it might be because of lack of experience, but whatever it was we seemed to have turned things around and are looking to continue to make strides to improve.
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Bill Russell (San Francisco, CA): Who is the best player in the West Coast Conference?
Steve Ross: (5:48 PM ET ) I think that most people would agree that Dan Dickau is the best player in the league right now. Although there are other really good players at differene positions so it is hard to compare guards to forwards, but popular opinion is that he is the best right now.
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Bobby Hill: Hey, how about that women's soccer national championship? Pretty cool, huh?
Steve Ross: (5:49 PM ET ) I think that it is great for the school and great for the program. It brought about National attention to the school and the women's team really deserved it.
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Dale Larson: Steve: You and Steve Nash share not only a homeland but also a tremendous work ethic. Steve, when he was at SCU, and you now, both spend long hours alone working on your game and your shot, and it obviously pays great dividends. I heard of you once making 48 three-point shots in a row. What other aspects of your game are you working on to increase your college playing career and your chances of playing in the NBA?
Steve Ross: (5:50 PM ET ) I am just trying to gain experience with every game I play. As far as the work ethic goes, I modeled a lot of it after Steve because he is proof that if you put in the time, you can get results.
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Dan Dickau: Do you think that you will be able to repeat the performance you had up in Spokane this Thursday?
Steve Ross: (5:52 PM ET ) I really hope so Dan, but I hope the score is reversed at the end. It should be interesting to see. Have a good flight!
Steve Ross: (5:53 PM ET ) Alright guys, last question.
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Mark: If you had the chance to play against any team in the country, who would it be and why?
Steve Ross: (5:54 PM ET ) Whichever team we are playing in the NCAA Championship Game at the Georgia Dome!
Steve Ross: (5:54 PM ET ) Thanks for coming out everbody. I am off to class.