(Editor's note: Stanford junior center/forward Carolyn Moos will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season. For more on the Cardinal, visit Stanford's official athletic site.)

Jan. 25, 2000

	Moos

With time comes experience and knowledge. You learn from each and every game as well as practice, and you can either take a step forward or backward. I think our team is moving forward everyday. As long as we play the best basketball we can play, then it is satisfying. The losses that come from lack of execution, turnovers, lack of aggression, etc. are not satisfying, and there is no excuse for that type of play. As a team we are focused and are coming together each step of the way.

Rankings (Stanford returned to the AP Top 25 at No. 24 this week and to the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll last week) do not mean anything to me -- they are just representations of the public's view of the potential standing of the team at a given moment in time. Whereas the reality is how the team is doing according to the members on the team and within the program.

Besides, all that matters is how all the teams are ranked at the end of a season -- that tells the real story. The team feels the same way, and I know that none of us focus on the rankings; they are just an unnecessary distraction.

Back on the court
We beat Cal 83-57 on Friday, and it was a good win for our team. But our effort wasn't steady. We played a good first half, but then made too many mistakes in the second. We need to take better care of the ball, and limit the number of turnovers off of offensive fouls, traveling, three seconds, etc. We also can be more aggressive, which is completely an effort-related issue.

	THE FULL DOSE OF DIARIES
	Notre Dame's Ruth Riley: No pressure
	Tulane's Grace Daley: Superstition ain't the way
	UCLA's Maylana Martin: Road warriors
	Jackie Stiles of SMS: Road rules
	Oregon's Shaquala Williams: On the way to L.A.

But is was a good team win. Individually, I had a few fouls, two of which were not smart. That limited my time on the floor a little bit. I need to rebound more and be aggressive without fouling.

The teams' record (11-4) is not to be the main focus. We know that we must come out ready to play ALL the time, and that every team that plays us is likely to bring their best game. We have yet to get the scouting report about the Washington schools (Stanford plays UW on Thursday and WSU on Saturday), but that will come around later this week.

Our scouting reports consist of a very descriptive report of what to expect, and this helps to prepare mentally for the teams we have to face. We have to execute and play Stanford basketball while also focusing on shutting down their weapons.

Fun in the free time
My free time is quite limited as we travel every other week, which often entails being on the road from Wednesday through Sunday. So other than getting my work done, sleeping, eating and training -- which constitutes a lot of my time (I enjoy all of that; don't get me wrong), I also try to make time for my friends, both teammates and friends outside of the team.

I like to get out on campus and be with everyone. It is fun to go out with the whole team and dance or whatever. It's fun to dress up and also be a hard working, competitive, aggressive female athlete. I also like to draw with pastels, write poetry, listen to music and be with people. Our team has a lot of similar interests and if fun to go out with, which contributes to our chemistry on the court, too.

I also like to support other athletes. My roommate is a swimmer, so I like to get out and see her when possible (which is only about twice a season), and I also make a point to get out to all different sports from field hockey to cross country meets. I have friends that play in all different sports and it is fun to see them perform and what they do best -- after all, I know how much time and effort goes into what they do.

I also enjoy the beach, riding, outdoor stuff and the city, but all these things wait until springtime or the summer, when I have more time.

Enjoy, Carolyn Moos