As I prepare to do analyst work for the Lynx basketball games on FSN I am saddened that this season of WNBA basketball won't be the same for me. I used to share my tickets and discuss the games, players, and anything else that happened at a game with my good friend Molly Tadich who passed away on Dec. 13, 2008 at the age of 43.

Molly was a true baller, a Gopher great. When Molly stepped on the floor at Williams Arena, or any basketball court for that matter, she came to win. She played from 1983 to 1987 and her name is all over the Gopher record book. She belongs to an elite group of only four Gophers to score over a 1,000 points and rip down over 1,000 rebounds in her career.

Molly's belief was that if you were going to play the game you should give it everything you had. Her patience was low for players that didn't work to get better in the off season. Although intense and serious about the game, Molly's shrewd sense of humor was a welcome relief both on and off the court. She often chided me about my inability to add weight to my painfully lean 135 pound frame. "Did you gain in ounce this week, Bergie?" (my nick-name in college) she would tease.

Molly's playing days were over before mine had even begun at the U of M. I met her playing summer pickup ball at the Barn. Her college career had ended but Molly still showed up to play ball. It was then I realized that the great players don't walk away from the game; they can't because it's part of who they are. Molly had the ability to see and understand the game in ways that most players can't. She simply got it. As a player, coach, or fan Molly could break down the plays and the players like few other people I have ever met. Her expertise wasn't limited to just basketball, she knew all sports.

I always wondered what it would have been like if Molly would have played in the WNBA, which wasn't in existence yet. I know for sure she would have made the most of the experience. In memory of a great person, I am dedicating this Lynx season to Molly Tadich.