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Connecticut Sun fans, get your evals here

Joe — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:51:23 +0000

Fans of the Connecticut Sun should already be following Matt Stout’s blog, but if not, here’s the reason to start. For the next 12 days until team functions resume during the Olympics, he’s going to be evaluating all the players on the team.

First up: Jolene Anderson.

Post from: EveryJoe

Connecticut Sun fans, get your evals here

Your Olympic viewing guide

Joe — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:36:29 +0000

As one of my last posts at the LC, I wanted to let you know when you can see Team USA play Click here (courtesy of the Women’s Hoops Blog).

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Your Olympic viewing guide

Team USA practice blog

Joe — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:51:26 +0000

Jayda Evans of the Seattle Times is blogging from Team USA’s practice sessions. They’re very informative and will last through training camp. Give her some page view love, LadiesCourt fans.

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Team USA practice blog

Dream puts positive spin on inagural season

Joe — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:19:30 +0000

The 3-23 Atlanta Dream are keeping their head held high, especially after 17 consecutive losses to being the franchise’s history before winning two straight games and 3 of 5.

Head coach Marynell Meadors said she is proud of how some of her players have made headway as faras effort even thought they’ve been long eliminated from the playofs.

I’d be happy to quote a little bit from the story, but it’s an Associated Press article via the NYTimes.com. Hat tip to the Women’s Hoops Blog for the find.

Post from: EveryJoe

Dream puts positive spin on inagural season

Hammon begins quest for Russian gold

Joe — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:14:07 +0000

The time is here. Becky Hammon will leave the San Antonio Silver Stars following Sunday’s game against the Detroit Shock to join Team Russia as they begin their quest for Olympic supremacy with its newest, most-visible citizen in the Stars’ point guard.

David King of the San Antonio Express-News takes a good, long, in-depth look at the diminuative point guard and her struggled to make a name for herself, including her struggles as she decided to join Team Russia for its’ playoff run. One of my favorite parts of the article doesn’t detail Becky’s stateside troubles, but those within her own Olympic squad across the pond.

It also helps that Hammon, who has three years left on what is reportedly a $2 million contract with CSKA, won over members of the national team. Some had objected to the idea of playing with a U.S. point guard, both in the media and with Grudin, before the 2007-08 season.

“There was a big question mark about ‘How is she going to fit in with the Russian girls? How is she going to treat them? Is she going to be a pain in the butt on this team? Is she going to be a good teammate? Is she going to be somebody we can trust and rely on?’” Hammon said.

“And after they saw me on a day-in and day-out basis, they’re like ‘OK, we’ll take her.’”

King also provides a basic Olympic primer for those who want to know what to expect prior to the Olympic games.

Post from: EveryJoe

Hammon begins quest for Russian gold

The break is here

Joe — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:52:27 +0000

With the end of Sunday’s games, the WNBA will take its month-long break for the Olympic Games in Beijing. All teams will be off as a bulk of players prepare for international competition. Some players have already left, but most will join their teams this week to begin practicing for the basketball competition starting the second week of August. Post from: EveryJoe The break is here

Post from: EveryJoe

The break is here

Will brawl bring viewers to the WNBA?

Joe — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:45:51 +0000

Of course, the brawl’s been in the news over the last few days. Hell, I had a discussion about the brawl with a recruiter I met with while here at the UNITY convention in Chicago. Anyway, Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News asked the question, and here’s his answer.

But here’s what the skirmish proved: There is passion in the women’s game. For many, the WNBA is a below-the-basket game played by the old girls club. The brawl has revealed the players to be competitive athletes who would not be more at home on the Ladies PGA Tour. No one is advocating turning the WNBA into the WWE, but an outpouring of pure emotion is never bad for a sport.

The fact that a bunch of people are talking about the league now can’t necessarily hurt, but the question has to be asked whether a fanbase that includes some alienation from other more prone-to-violence sports might risk turning off some viewers if these fights become more commonplace.

Post from: EveryJoe

Will brawl bring viewers to the WNBA?

Cheryl Ford out for season

Joe — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:03:17 +0000

Many who watched it thought so and it seems their initial reactions were correct.

Detroit Shock forward Cheryl Ford is out for the season after suffering an ACL injury.

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Cheryl Ford out for season

Shock, Sparks brawl

Joe — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:30:06 +0000

Something about the Palace at Auburn Hills.

At least the league’s not sweeping it under the carpet with its coverage.

Safe to say Candace Parker and Delisha Milton-Jones are getting suspended for a game, though.

Post from: EveryJoe

Shock, Sparks brawl

Mystics fire Tree Rollins

Joe — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:30:32 +0000

It seems like it was only nine months ago we talked about Tree Rollins becoming the official coach of the Washington Mystics.

Well, that’s because it was — and since we’re talking about it, it’s because he was fired Saturday. From the Washington Post:

General Manager Linda Hargrove said the completely demoralizing nature of the back-to-back losses to New York (77-56) and Detroit (99-62) was the tipping point. The embarrassing losses put the playoffs farther out of reach for the Mystics (8-14), who’ve qualified for postseason play four times in their 11-year history.

“It probably wouldn’t have happened had we lost those two games, just lost them,” Hargrove said. “But the way we lost them and the way we didn’t compete . . . was very much a part of the decision.

“Whenever you are going through a bad stretch sometimes you can keep everybody together on the same page and continue to work toward a common goal. I don’t think I really felt the connectiveness with our team and Tree for a while. I think we won some games in spite of maybe not having a real together feeling with everybody.”

I guess you can ask yourself why he can’t get a full season to see if the team buys into his plan, but when you get your ass handed to you twice in a row, sometimes you don’t get to ask the questions.

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Mystics fire Tree Rollins