And on the Eighth Day, there was a Schedule...

And lo, God said, "Let there be light!"

The Lib's schedule is out.

You know I'm lazy because I just copied it off of the site. I have no regrets, nor any shame.

There's a lot to talk about, and frankly, there are a lot better people to do it. However, since this is the first BIG thing to happen to the Libs since the end of the season, I feel that it is my duty to do as well as I can for you folks. In-depth analysis isn't this blog's thing, and I'm apt to put in a completely random photo, but I'll do my best.

Thinking Caps on!

First, the opener is against Connecticut at home. Connecticut finished strong last year, but faded quickly against the onslaught of the Tamika Catchings-led Fever. They will be a strong test for our first game: no Chicago Sky cakewalks this year.

We face several good teams in the first month of play, with the only two non-playoff teams in that span being Washington (who almost knocked us out of the post-season) and Houston, who, despite injuries, did much better than their record suggests. Thankfully, however, there are an average of two to three days between our biggest games, allowing for rest and rehab if needed. See

The longest road trip of the season is, of course, the West Coast long-haul that's going to put a mighty big strain on the Libs. It's directly in the middle of the season, too, starting off June 28th (a Saturday) against the Monarchs, and going through July 8th (a Tuesday) against Becky Hammon and the Silver Stars. The middle three games - Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix - will not be pretty, and are one-day-on, one-day-off. The Sparks won't be TOO much trouble (although games in the Staples Center are always tough), but Seattle won't go down without a fight. And of course, there's Phoenix...

THESE ladies...

This trip could work out one of two ways; it could break our backs or kick us into high gear. I really don't see us coming out of that road trip 3-2 or 2-3, and with a home game against Detroit and a road game in Connecticut immediately following, that stretch will definitely define the Libs as a team. Remember last year, when we played six out of seven on the road? We lost the games we should have won and let teams get back into it every time. That led to the season-worst seven-game skid and almost knocked us out of contention for good.

However, if we are able to get out of that road trip 4-1, we'll be in good shape for the rest of the season. The Shock and Sun games won't mean as much, and after that, we have only one solid team to face (the Fever) - with two against Washington, one against Atlanta, and a game at home against the hapless LA Sparks - before the Big Gap(tm).

See that Gap? If you listen closely, you'll hear "USA! USA! USA!"

That's the Olympics. From July 27th to August 28th, the Libs are out of commission. Doron played for Israel while Weber played for the Germans back in October...

There's a tasteless joke there somewhere...

...while McCarville and Moore put on the stars and stripes. Depending on who makes it to Beijing, the Libs might not have to worry so much about playing together as a team. Still, a long break is always a big unknown.

I won't guarentee anything here, but I see a good set and record for the Libs this season. While we won't know how well ANY team will be until the season gets underway, Atlanta will definitely make for three easy games. Los Angeles needs a major overhaul and without a trade at the draft, that's not going to happen this year. Minnesota should also be similarly distressed this season, but will be tougher on us with one game on the road between a Mercury and Fever game at home for us.

Even those prognostications make me uncomfortable, however, and the rest of the schedule is just too up in the air. If Washington starts to gel like they did at the end of the season, they could make a big push for the playoffs. As long as Catchings stays healthy, the Fever figure to be in it, and the Shock still seem to be the team to beat. The Sun could be first or last, depending on where their streaks fall this year, and the Sky are a big unknown that could flirt with the fourth playoff spot or languish for one more season in the cellar.

The West, meanwhile, is even more open. Phoenix is coming off of a championship season, but they lost their head coach to the Sonics, and without a singular force directing them past their absolute lack of defense, they could collapse. The Storm also lost their head coach, but from the sounds of the politics going on behind the scenes in Seattle, that might be a GOOD thing. Minnesota and L.A. are pretty much out, but Sacramento still stands a strong chance, and there's no reason to think that Becky Hammon won't rally her troops around her again in San Antonio. Houston, like Chicago, figures to be the variable, with either a strong performance that will still probably conclude without a trip to the Finals OR another season of frustrating potential.

None of this will matter, however, if we can't protect our goods in the Expansion Draft, pick well in the regular draft, and have several of our key components back in top knotch shape. If we hit a rough spot and Patty refuses to move to the back of the bench, we could end up with Atlanta at the bottom of the heap.

However, a good season will be likely IF the following things fall into place...

• Muffin and Thor MUST bring their A game everyday, or at least trading off when one is fantastic and the other nightmare-inspiring.
  
• Davenport and Jackson MUST prove that they can play in the WNBA for long stretches. This will also depend on Patty's willingness to play them.
  
• Dutch MUST make strides on improving her defense. She had a good enough shot last year to make up for some of her lapses, but that won't be enough.
  
• Patty MUST play the bench if the front seven aren't up to snuff. Really, what's the difference if we lose with Christon, Moore, and Kraayeveld on the floor instead of Doron, Jackson, and Weber? Remember when she wasn't playing McCarville? Remember what happened when she put her IN?
• 
  

Most likely, it will come down to the wire just like last year. We play nine games in eighteen days to end the season, and a sub .-500 finish won't cut it in this year's post-season, not with all the teams in the East better than last year and with Atlanta as the fall-guy inflating records. The last three games will be easy; the fever in Indiana, the Sky in Chicago, and finally, the Shock at home. At least we finish in New York, but there will be a big difference if we come into that game at 16-17 or 17-16.

It will be a good season, but until we get closer, that's about all the analysis I have in me. And now for something completely different.

I held out as long as I could.

Around the League...

Anybody looking for an internship? The Libs are offering one. It's basic office work, but that's what ALL internships are about. Go out there and make me proud. And if you meet Martina Weber, put in a good word for me.

Apparently, Loree Moore is going to be a guest ringmaster at the Circus this weekend. I don't care much for Circuses... circi? circes?... but then again, if you are, by all means, now you have an extra incentive; flat-out pandering!

The League has it's own coverage of the new season, including these top 10 games to watch. Our September 7th game against the Sky is on there, for good reason. It's going to be national on ABC and will almost assuredly have playoff implications. Well-played, WNBA. Well-played.

Lin Dunn, an assistant under Brian Winters, is now the new head coach for the Tamika Catchings Show. Much like the Neutronians, I have no opinion one way or the other.

The Comets are moving to a new arena next year. Specifically, the Reliant Arena, which holds about 5,800 people. Last year, the Comets averaged about 8,000 people at their games. Admittedly, that might be inflated, but even if that the real number is lower by about 20%, the Comets will be losing out on AT LEAST 600 extra paying customers a night. And what happens if the WNBA (or the Comets) get a boost in popularity in the years to come? I can understand that you want to keep it cozy and intimidating, but this might be TOO intimate. I hope the lower cost will be worth it...

That's all I got in me. Until next week?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Special Report: Detective Dumbass on the Scene

In place of your scheduled update, here is a mystery...

So, here's something. It's the Season Ticket pricing plan for the 2008 Libs. Notice anything different?

The 300-400 level seats are gone.

Now, the 400 Level seats, I can dig. I went to about ten games last season, and I saw exactly two people up in those seats (I thought they were having sex, but that just might be my overactive imagination). So, losing the 400 level seats is not a big deal. I still think the Libs should sell those seats for $1-5 dollars, but I didn't get a business degree, so what the hell do I know?

But the 300 seats?

Maybe I'm wrong. I've only followed the Libs for a season, and that was just from the first game one. Faithful Lib season ticket holders, let me ask you this; do the Libs open up the 300 level seats later in the season? Or is this a new thing?

Because if this IS a new thing, then I'm not too keen. Sure, it's essentially a re-organization of the ticket prices, with some going up and some going down... but what about people like me who don't want to sit in the endzones? Hey, I make a decent salary (especially now that I sold a book), but I was expecting to buy $10 season tickets. And now, unless I want to sit behind the baskets, I have to pony up more? At a time when attendance is going down, and down, and down.

That dog don't hunt, mon-seen-yoor.

I can understand why the Libs are trying to consolidate the crowds into the lower bowl. The WHA did that back in the 70's to make it seem like more people were at games. What I don't understand is that if they are still going to sell gameday tickets in the 300 section, why not sell season tickets? Is this being grand-fathered in or what? Any help?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Everything's been kinda out of whack...

Here's a kinda catchup for all those Lib fans out there that forgot that the season is over.

You know who you are.

Kym Hampton - all a y'uns remember her? - is throwing a girl's basketball clinic in February. While I doubt many of my faithful are readers below the age of 18, I wanted to make the shout out anyway. If it turned out that, say, the Moose was throwing a goaltending clinic in Newark, I'd want to know about it. And I'd want YOU to tell me.

Mythic Warrior or Nordic Ice God? YOU decide.

Holdsclaw has resurfaced... in Europe. While Holdsclaw has always played by no one's rules save her own, this is a bit troubling. A solid WNBA player quits the league to play in Europe... for "family reasons"? Remember how people were saying that the W could fold if too many stars realize they can make WAY more money in Europe and skip the hassle of the Stateside grind? Remember? Well, this could be sign of things to come...

Anne Donovan, coach of the Seattle Storm, got canned... er, resigned. It's sad, as she was the first female WNBA coach to win a title, but come on. With the lineup that she had, she should have done MUCH better, especially beating up on the Lynx, Comets, and Sparks several times a year.

For any of you who thought that the vacancy in the Storm's head coaching position could possibly be filled by Paul Westhead, think again.

That's about it for me. Until next time?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

It's Firday if you're Dyslexic

I'm only doing this 'cuz I promised.

Yeah, I promised two updates this week, and so I fulfill that promise with this update, but I gotta be honest, not much is going on. Sure, there is a bit of news...

...like Atlanta naming their new head coach...

...but for the most part, it's deader than Dumbledore.

Sorry if you didn't know, but there's a statute of limitations on stuff like that.

Instead, I have created a Liberty Quiz. This will keep you Lib Heads satiated through the weekend, right? Right? I hope so, cuz I got nothin'. Don't worry; if you've been paying attention to my blog or to the Libs at all, you'll be fine.

Hehe.

The Best Liberty Quiz Ever

1.)On average, how many players did Coach Coyle play a game in the 2007 season?

a.) Ten
b.) Eight
c.) Six
d.) As few as she could get away with.


2.) What team did The Writer mercilessly taunt throughout the season?

a.) Indiana Fever. Or, should I say, the Tamika Catchings Show.
b.) Chicago Sky. But Claire Coggins... be still, my loins.
c.) Minnesota Lynx. The worst team in basketball since the Washington Generals.
d.) Washington Mystics. They sold their soul to the devil, and all they got was a mediocre team.


3.) According to the Libertine, who is the source of all the Writer's woes?

a.) Bill Simmons.
b.) Chicago Sports Fans.
c.) Coaches who refuse to play certain members of the team.
d.) The New York Yankees.


4.) Of what nationality is Shay Doron?

a.) Marlyand. That's a nation, right?
b.) American. Red-blooded, three-point-throwin' American.
c.) Israel. She's the Hebrew Hammer, remember?
d.) Trick question: she's from outer space.


5.)True or false: Shameka Christon could kill the Grimace.

a.) True. Her badassness knows no bounds.
b.) False. While Christon is the basketball equivalent of finding a twenty in your jeans after a wash, nothing can kill the Grimace.


6.) A little word association: Becky Hammon for Jessica Davenport.

a.) MOTHER@#$%ing GODDAMNED SONUVABITCH I'M GONNA MURDER THAT... (trails off into unintelligable rambling)
b.) Slump.
c.) Wait. Davenport's still on the team? How come I didn't see her for the last part of the season?
d.) Who?


7.) On the first game of the season, what song did the Timeless Torches dance to?

a.) "SexyBack"
b.) "Bad"
c.) "Milkshake"
d.) They weren't there that night. They were too busy saving orphans from a fire.


8.) When I think Erin Thorn, I think of...

a.) ...up in the air, and for the win... YES!
b.) ...Brigham Young... and his five hundred wives.
c.) ...a song by Poison.
d.) ...three-points.


9.) How could the Liberty increase attendance?

a.) Lower ticket prices.
b.) Increase advertising.
c.) More innovative marketing.
d.) By doing anything, goddammit.


10.) Who is the hottest player on the Liberty?

a.) Martina Weber.
b.) Martina Weber.
c.) Martina Weber.
d.) Martina Weber.

ANSWER KEY
(No peaking)

1. d,  2. b,  3. a,  4. d,  5. b,  6. c,  7. a,  8. c,  9. d,  10. Come on.

SCORING

0-1
You're the Minnesota Lynx! How's the the lighting down there in the cellar?

2-3
You're the Chicago Sky! Average Attendance: 184.

4-5
You're the Seattle Storm. Sorry, the Oklahoma City Storm.

6-7
You're the San Antonio Silver Stars. Home-wreckers.

8-9
You're the Phoenix Mercury. I think the "D" section is missing from your dictionary.

10
You're the New York Liberty. Hey, it's my quiz! I can do what I want!


See ya, Space Cowboy...

Back in Black

Thankfully, I fought my gut to a draw.

Yeah, I'm back. Sorry for the long delay, but there has been a lot of craziness going on thanks to Thanksgiving and various other developments. I can heartily say that turkey day was good and that much, much tasty bird was eaten.

This mofo didn't stand a chance.

In anycase, I am back on the scene, and despite not that much happening (or at least, not much which I can find links to), I am going to keep up with the updates. Those who thought that I was down for the count, beware.

Gird thy loins for battle.

A bit about Shay Doron’s former college team, the Terps, and the recruits of the future. Seems like Maryland can't quite find the mojo that the Hebrew Hammer brought to the team. My suggestion? Raid Israeli basketball camps.

Kraayeveld is keeping busy. Here are some articles on her games, all in french. Mr. Jenkins (my Junior High French teacher) would throw chalk at me should I even TRY to butcher these pieces of journalism, so you're on your own.

Good teacher, killer arm.

Here’s a list, courtesy of the Libs’ site, with all of your favorite lasses who’ve been in the top ten of any category during the WNBA’s existence. Stunning, and looooooong.

Andy Awieda, CEO of the Comets, has resigned. This isn’t necessarily a bad turn – for all we know, he could have just gotten bored and wanted out – but it doesn’t exactly ring bells of endorsement for the team either. The Comets are one of the most successful (both financial and on the court) teams in the WNBA, and having a CEO just resign, almost out of the clear blue, should not fill anyone with any sense of hope.

Unless you take pleasure in the demise of the WNBA.

Vote for your favorite WNBA photos of the 2007 season. Some are nice, some are corny, some are hot... I don't know where I'm going with this.

Some words of self-gratitude from the Ministry of Information. Okay, that may be a bit harsh. Donna loves her the turkey, and I can't fault anyone who loves that bird. So, in recognition of that, there will be no jokes at Donna's expense until... the new year. Think of it as an early Christmas gift.

Seattle should buy the Storm (and the Sonics), or so says the Seattle P-I. It's a heady idea, and not exactly unique, but unless there is some significant action on part of the populace, coupled by a favorable court ruling that would force Bennett to sell, I doubt much can happen on this front. I guarentee, however, that Bennett doesn't give a shit about the WNBA. An effort by a grass roots organization and/or the city to buy the Storm is not that far-fetched. I'll keep you posted.

That's all I got, folks. There will be at LEAST one update this week, probably more like two. If anybody's got some Lib news out there, let me know. I'm faltering over here.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Nickname - Barbara Farris

Barbara Farris (formerly Barbara Ann)

You know Barbara Farris. That low-post, knock-down, drag-'em-out brawler played in 28 games for us this year and posted decent stuff in the post-season, too (albeit with several lapses in defense here and there). Well, someone mentioned that for someone such as Farris, her former nickname just isn't going to cut it.

Barbara Ann is no more.

No more indeed. We needed something fresh, something new, something... something.

Barbara Farris = Barb Wire.

Oh, hell yeah. Sure, the movie sucked HARD. I mean, really hard. It was one of the worst movies I have ever seen, and I've seen all the odd-numbered Star Trek films. Pamela Anderson was bad, the editing was horrendous, the screenplay was laughable...

I'm sorry. My mind was somewhere else.

In anycase, the comic and the character are both the epitome of bad-assness, in my humble opinion, and so, without further adieu, I give you the new Barbara Farris, Barb Wire. Henceforth, let it be know that no defense shalt be free of her sharp guard and trapping ways. Thou shalt mess with her razor-wire exterior at thine own risk.

Hey! Moses, I ain't!

Gomez, Morticia, Lurch, and...

Now only if there were a day named Pugsley...

According to AAEmotion, Shay Doron's most recent game has been cancelled due to violence between two men's teams. I found a bit more info here. Damn. Sucks to be an Israeli basketball fan, let alone a Doron fan. Just pray that SOMEONE doesn't dump Doron next season to make some questionable draft picks, cuz then we won't be getting ANY Doron.

And that's a fate worse than death.

Yeah, yeah... the national team is kicking ass. I understand it's all about ambassadorship and the like. Still, I hope they are not just running up the scores on a bunch of impressionable... what? Really? 75-24?

Is there no shame?

You remember that cool-ass coach from Heart of the Game? You know, that movie where that crazy coach instills life-values in his gals while taking them to states? Well, he got canned. And nobody is saying why.

I learned about this from Women's Hoops Blog. I run a pretty strict New York Liberty/WNBA thing here, but if you're interested into the college game as a whole, check out WHB. They update everyday with tons of stories and news from across the gamut of the women's game.

Barbara Farris updated-Nickname to come soon. Until then?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Thanksgiving Approacheth... Turkey Beckons...

A Monday can only be cured by Weber's smile.

Doron is facing the club she grew up with down in Israel. Adventure! Intrigue! Mystique!

Janel's bloggin' away... gradually. Not that I should be talking about regular updates. But she's got Martina Weber news in there, and that sends my heart a-twitter. She calls her "my girl, Martina Weber".

I called her first!

Someone in the comments section suggested that Barbara Farris be re-nicknamed "Barb Wire". And frankly, I can't dispute that. Look for a new Barbara Farris nickname page on Wednesday (or tomorrow, if I can get around to it).

Dennis Rodman is NOT going to coach in Atlanta after all. Owner Ron Terwilliger has put the brakes on THAT freight train of woe. Teresa Edwards, a two-time All-American at Georgia and now an assistant with the Lynx, appears to be the front runner for the job.

Begone, vultures. Have you not yet had your feast of my flesh? (Name the reference, win... something. In any case...)

See ya, Space Cowboy...

F-R-I-D-A-Y Spells Today

This Friday made possible by a Week with Prozac!

If you haven't been following, the Liberty site is doing a moderate job keeping up with the info on the gals overseas. Still, I'd like to see some pics and better coverage. Or, really, just Martina Weber's phone number, her likes and dislikes, and her favorite kind of flowers.

Some stuff about Tiffany Jackson and her former team, the Longhorns. We got our mitts on her now, and we're not giving her back!

The Times is covering coverage of the WNBA. How meta is that? You know, for all their hem-and-haw about the coverage, the Times itself doesn't do much reporting on women's sports (let alone MEN'S sports).

Coquese Washington, who spent seven seasons in the WNBA and ABL including a stint with the Libs, is coaching the Lady Lions and has a nice piece written up here. Personally, I despise Penn State with the heat of a thousand suns (in spite of - or perhaps in part because - my brother goes to school there), but it has thousands of devotees.

I told Clay Bennett doesn't give a shit about Seattle. Of course, it's always been a stupid idea to move a team from SEATTLE to OKLAHOMA CITY. It's also kind of a raw deal for David Stern to come down so hard against the Emerald City, promising never to return if the team leaves. Not only does that sour support in the city anyway (probably their point), but if the Sonics (and by association, the Storm) stays, there's going to be a lot of residual anger.

Nice job, dumbass.

The National Team beat ASU. Whoopee.

Speaking of Arizona, Phoenix is going to be hosting the 2008 All-Star game. I gotta give props to the WNBA for holding back the location of their all-star game until the year before, because it allows them to showcase stars in cities that are building up some kind of heat (the Mercs recent championship) and push it to a boil. You could say they raise the Mercury!

That barely makes any sense. I'm sorry.

The GM of the Fever discusses how Indiana won so many games last year. I can tell you in two words: Tamika Catchings.

Remember how I said Rodman coaching in the WNBA is a bad idea? Apparently, I'm not the only one.

That's it for me. I'll see you on Monday.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Odin's Day just doesn't sound right...

This is me right now. Think about it.

More Terps/Shay Doron news, courtesy of the Diamondback. It's not much, but then again, it's the only Lib news I've got.

The US team is at it again, beating up on poor Baylor 82-56. Is this news, or am I just grasping at slippery, shitty straws, here?

New Phoenix coach? Yeah, it's Corey Gaines. Best part about the article? The side-bar, which states that Dennis Rodman wants to coach a WNBA team. Somehow, I don't think that's a good idea. "Coaching", "Strong, female role-models", and "Calmly expressing one's ideas in the face of adversity" don't spring to mind when I think of Rodman in the WNBA.

But then again... no, I was right the first time.

That's it. Short post, no news. Until next time?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Monday, Monday

Winter's great if you're a child or his magical tiger. For a Lib fan, however, it blows.

Just going through the motions here, people. Nothing doin' over the weekend, and this off-season is going by REALLY slow. In any case, I have some (small) tid-bits of info to keep you from going out of your mind with Liberty-less mayhem.

Here's a piece about the Terps and their upcoming season. Why is this relevant, you ask? I say "Screw You", because it deals with Shay. More stuff from her Israeli team, Ramle, that also catches up with Doron. Shay is doing well offensively, scoring 13.3 points per game, though she still needs to work a bit on the back end of the court.

Go Hebrew Hammer! Go Hebrew Hammer! Go Hebrew Hammer Go!

The Libs' site has their own 2007 Season in Review up. Eh. Mine's longer and intentionally funny, with more jokes and Shakespeare references.

Here's a nice little wrap-up on McCarville's jaunt with the National Team. Oh, Miss Marvel; stop hogging all of the awesome and let some of the other girls be cool. Just in the off-season, mind you. When summertime rolls around, keep it real.

Loree Moore has left the National Team, meanwhile, to go into rehabilitation for her knee. She was on the side the whole time, but it was still nice to see a couple Libs representin'.

Speaking of our national lasses, they took down Tennessee on their college tour, 83-72. I have to admit, while I think the college's should be competitive against the best of the league, I would hope that the US Team could do a little better than an 11 point victory over the Lady Vols. Or maybe I'm just asking for too much.

Probably that.

Lisa Leslie's got a Q&A up on the league's site coming off of her 18 point, 9 rebound performance in her first game back from her pregnancy. It's as decent as such an interview can be when it's produced by the league, but still little more than fluff.

That's all, folks. I've got nothing left to squeeze out today (unless you count my afternoon constitutional), so I'm leaving you with all of that and a hug. Cuz frankly, we could all use a hug on a Monday.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Or, How the Libertine Got Its Groove back.

So, I haven't updated since monday. Reasons include...

• Not enough news. It's the November Doldrums.
  
• Sickness. I was all kinds of messed up. Technicolor yawns abounded.
  
• Too much work. Writing and working on bugs and... and... ugh.
  
• Laziness. Duh.
  

But I think I have enough to make this a half-way decent post to set you guys up through the weekend. So, in the words of Samuel L., hold onto your butts.

Dutch's Q&A is up on the official site. She's playing in Belgium right now, and while not dealing with mounting tensions between the Walloons and the Flemish, she is answering such questions as "Which part of Manhattan do you live in during the season" and "Which stores do you shop in". Yeah, it's fluff, but if you dig the Dutchness of Dutch like I do, go Dutch and dutch it out. Dutch.

That doesn't make any sense. I'm sorry.

The US National team began their tour of colleges by beating up the Terps on Wednesday, 90-73. Moore was out due to a sore knee, but should play soon. Keep on praying, children!

The Libs have baby photos up. Aw, dey ar soooo cuuuuuute! Wook at der widdle cheeks! Snoogy-woogy babadoodoo!

Saturday's Janel McCarville's birthday. Give three cheers or send her an email through the Libs' site.

AROUND THE LEAGUE...

The WNBA Site has this up on their site. It's about the back-door pass. Now, that isn't all that interesting, but I included it because, when I saw it, my mind construed that statement in several different ways. None of them turned out to be correct.

Carolyn Jenkins is the new Director of Player Personal for the league. In a nutshell, she runs all the camps, try-outs, inter-player communications, and makes sure things are purring on the low end of player business. So, if you have a dream of strutting onto the court at MSG and suiting up for the Libs, Jenkins is the woman to talk to.

The Storm are staying put... for now. A court ruled that the new owners of the Storm (and Sonics) cannot go to arbitration to release them from their lease early. That doesn't mean that Clay and his band of weasels won't somehow ferret their way out of the Key and into Oklahoma, but it cools the engines of their moving vans a bit. Stay sharp, lads and lasses. Stay sharp.

That's all I got for now. Keep it real, those few who stuck through my most recent absence. I'll see y'all on Monday.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

The Soviets have risen once more...

Goddamned Commies...

McCarville did her best, but shooting 18 and rebounding 9 just wasn't enough to carry the rest of the US team. You've probably heard, but good ol' USA lost to CSKA Moscow 75-65 in the FIBA's. It was the finals, to be sure, so we landed in second place. But you know what a good friend of mine always said about "second place"?

"That's a fancy word for LOSER!"

Quotes and the boxscore are here. Now the team is headed back for a tour of colleges. If you're in the area, check it out.

Watch out, Hammon fans. Your gal has an article up on WNBA.com. Click on the link and then stop hounding me for more Hammon shout-outs.

That's about it today. Sorry it's not a lot. Leave me be, jackals.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Friday and it's Cold

Global Warming can suck it!

Yes, Autumn has finally arrived, and with it, a dearth of Liberty news. Yes, there's not much going on in the league today, but I'll do my best to keep you fat and happy through the weekend with my witicisms and fart-humor.

Hee-hee! Hilarious!

James Dolan is having a time of it, idn't he? A sexual harrassment lawsuit, dropping Knicks attendance/ratings, and now? A scathing article from Muckety! Oh, cruel Muckety! When will you leave poor Mister Dolan alone? Does he really deserve all of this?

Yes.

Cablevision is NOT going private... for now. The Dolan's attempt to get the cable station back into their control has failed for the moment, which is both a good and bad thing. The good; the Dolans, who essentially run everything (save for the Rangers) that they touch into ground, will not be allowed to mess up the Libs' TV Network. The bad; who knows what kind of benefits the Libs might have gotten with this change of hands? I guess we'll never know...

The Fever have parted ways with Brian Winters after four seasons. He was 78-58 in that time, with three 21-13 finishes. Personally, I feel like he got the shaft. He did a hell of a job coaching that team, and while he could have done a better job rallying the troops without Catchings there at the end of the season, he did take the Fever to the Eastern Conference finals. Oh well... there are several teams who are interested in a new coach.

For the girly among you, here are Lindsay Whalen's wedding pictures. No, seriously.

All right, that's all I got. Keep it real, folks.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Woden's Day Update

Wedne is pissed that his day pronounced "WENDS-day". That's what happens when your religion dies out.

The day is short, and so is Liberty news. Up first, if you haven't seen it already, is the collection of clips that the Libs' site has. Staying on the site, you can find a game recap of the USA's victory ove CSKA Moscow. Notice anyone familiar in the photo? With Marvel leading the way, the US is going to the FIBA semi-finals. Huzzah!

Something involving Shameka Christon scoring 25 points... look, my spanish is about as good as my Klingon. I can kinda read it (thanks, Latin!) but... I don't want to make a fool out of myself. She had a good game. If anybody wants to help me out, get back to me.

Forgot to put this up back when... oh well. Here it is now. It's a recap on the Liberty's all-time draft choices. Can't say that I'm all that impressed with the picks, but then again, there are some high tent-poles keeping the team afloat.

Yeah, that was a mixed-metaphor from hell.

Want some coverage and philosophy on this year's lottery? Here ya go. 'Course, the guy writing is saying that Tim Duncan is the best player in the NBA, so take what you want with that.

There are some good players in the draft this year, but it's not nearly as good as some of the recent drafts. There's this coverage on Essence Carson, however. Depending on whether GMs will take her stats at face value or will instead look at her contributions to a team remains to be seen. She could go top 3 or last until near the end of the first round. Don't trust my analysis, however; I don't get hockey drafts right, and that's a sport I know something about.

That's all I got. Peaceful in October, ain't it. Speaking of which, where the hell did the month go? Damn...

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Back in the Saddle with Ella

Janel McCarville, grabbing 15 points and 10 rebounds, led the US Team in their 79-76 loss to TEO Vilnius. Miss Marvel spurred the US's late surge, but it wasn't enough. Loree Moore played for three minutes, but only in tiny chunks and didn't log a point. Oh well. Good to see her in action once again.

Other Libs are once again MIA. Instead, take this rendition of "Summertime" by George Gershwin as played by Fitzgerald, Armstrong, et al.

If this were, indeed, in the summer, I would have more news... instead, I'm listening to this as I sit boiling in my office. Will fall arrive yet? Anybody out there got any information on our lassies? Anybody in Israel picking up on Doron? Anybody in Europe know the score? Give me an email. Otherwise, look at this ancient clip of the Beatle socking it hard, courtesy of the Lib's official site.

LA got the top pick in the draft, and frankly, their organization can use it. After Holdsclaw's abrupt departure, their season went down the tubes faster than a Guam tree snake. Chicago got the second, then Minnesota, Atlanta (due to its expansion-status), Houston, and Washington. It's all on the site. Talk about it here, or read what the league thinks are the problem spots in each team (that's gotta smart, don't ya think).

Speaking of expansion, the owner of the new Atlanta team sounds off on why he's picking up the tab for a new team. In a nutshell; community service, promotion of women. I'm glad he's not in it for the money, because... well, there isn't going to be in that market.

On the topic of basketball markets, more rumblings in Seattle, though it's heavy on the Sonics. A few people are beginning to wise up to the fact that the Storm wouldn't make a good fit in Oklahoma. My suggestion? Sell to a local interest group and keep the team in the Emerald City. Just don't allow them to fold...

That's it for today, so instead of just handing you guys some boring tid-bits from around the league, take this to remind you of the depths of summertime ball...

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Silence greeted Zarathustra...

Honestly, nothing going on. More stuff about the Atlanta franchise can be found at one of my favorite women's hoops' sites, Women's Hoops Blog. Other than that, I'm going to take a breather and meet up with you guys on Monday.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Thursday is the new Thursday

What happened to Fall?

Got a question for Cathrine Kraayeveld? Send it in before the 26th and she may just answer them. My question is a two-parter: "Have you always kicked this much ass, and if so, how do you hope to improve your ass-kicking abilities in the future?" Yeah, I'm classy like that.

The draft lottery is in five days. The Libs are picking seventh no matter what... unless, of course, they trade up or down. Trading down wouldn't be a bad option if we can get something good in the deal. It's not the strongest draft year (in my "knows next to zilch" opinion about WNBA draft classes) and if we throw a quality player that isn't getting a lot of time (Willis) or either Thorn or Moore into the mix, we could pull a bigger player from a team like Phoenix or Detroit who would be able to lose someone of a high, though not all-star, caliber while remaining under the cap, picking up a player for the future, and keeping the level of quality on their team relatively high. Add onto that the Libs already have too many players that we don't play and that we have the 14th pick (from San Antonio in the Davenport/Hammon trade), and I would almost say it'd be foolish NOT to trade back.

But that's just my opinion.

Thought of a nickname for the Atlanta expansion team? Contribute. My favorites? Flames (I'm a sucker for history and the shout-out) and Firebirds (keeping with the theme of the city's teams). The worst? Force and Freedom. Ugh. Colors can be suggested, too, but PLEASE don't make blue one of them. We already have too many teams with blue. Also, people are talking about them playing in Gwinett. The Phil is almost essentially a done-deal, but a smaller stadium (like what the Sky and Sun play in) might not be a bad idea.

The Maggie Dixon Classic is going to be at the Garden on a semi-permanent basis. The games are on December 8th and will feature Rutgers, Duke, Army, and Pitt. I'll be there (love me the Pitt ladies), and so should you. Buy tickets now, you jackals.

That's it. I'm outta here for the day. Gonna get my drink on at Fiddlesticks (on Greenwich Ave). Happy Hours are the best time of the week. Until tomorrow?

See ya, Space Cowboy...