What I've been up to...

The last four months in a nutshell.

As most of you have probably noticed, before Monday, I hadn't updated this blog since January. A lot of stuff happened in that time - both for the Libs and for me - and I can't go over all of it. Still, I need to catch up a bit, and will be doing so in the upcoming weeks.

TO DO LIST...

• Go over the Libs' draft picks. Yeah, it would've been better to have done this the day-of, but then again, I got nothing better to do.
  
• Take off all hot-linked pages. I just don't have time to redo them and I can't continue to keep them up. So, if you think they're funny, better look now before they're gone.
  
• Do an "In Memory" piece on Shay and Martina. They deserve it.
  
• Update what my "special" features are going to be this year.
  
• Begin the Liberty Belle and Nickname selections for the new Libs.
  

As you can see, it's a lot to do, and I'll be doing my best to stay up on it. I've got two books coming out (part of the reason why I didn't have a lot of time to update), and the search for the job has been long and fruitless. Thank God for freelancing...

Or as I like to call it, "Barely-Paid Boredom."

But you don't care about me. You all care about the Liberty. And why shouldn't you, now that the season has FINALLY started.

It started feeling like an eternity after a while.

Power Rankings are up at the WNBA's site and at ESPN. Yeah, the Libs are low, but consider that this is also only the second week. Let's wait a bit before the Chicken-Little talk, okay?

Here's a BIT more on the Outdoor Classic. Frankly, I think it's a fantastic idea (so long as it doesn't rain). The only thing cooler would be to have the Libs play at the W. 4th Street Courts, but the crowds might be a bit of a problem.

Though judging by the way the Libs handle ticket sales, maybe not...

AROUND THE LEAGUE...

Silver Spurs 81, Mercury 76
Storm 74, Monarchs 62

The Mercs are struggling with their new coach while Penny Taylor is out, dropping their first two. Taurasi and Pondexter are still averaging over 22 points a game each, but Phoenix is going to need a lot more if they want to keep riding off their first WNBA championship. Meanwhile, the Silver Spurs also look a bit unwieldy, though this could have to do with the long off-season. They managed to beat the Mercs by playing their usual brand of decent defense coupled with a strong dose of timely achievement. Becky Hammon's got to wake up, but as long as Sophia Young can produce, that team will play at least .500 ball.

The Storm have the look of last year's Libs - starting out strong and winning games in which they shoot themselves in the foot. Sacramento had their number in the first half and was on their way to putting up a 2-0 record. But then their defense collapsed and the Australian Goddess known as Lauren Jackson suddenly remembered how to play ball.

Must have been the jet-lag from her "Reason's the Writer is Glad He's Straight" Contest.

The Monarchs don't look like the team that dominated the first half of the WNBA West last year. They need a bit more discipline, and if anybody can do it, it's Coach Boucek.

Indiana @ Detroit

Last year's Eastern Conference Finals match-up is getting revisited, and Katie Douglas is going to be the key. She scored 24 points in her Fever debut and is looking to keep her team on a roll. The Shock, meanwhile, are looking to erase some of the bad taste left in their mouths from the Lynx. Was that abomination and aberration? Or a sign of things to come? Fever by 6.

Donna Orender is already talking about adding two more teams to the league within the next five years. Let's see how this little experiment in Atlanta turns out, shall we? After all, the expansion team got downed 100-67, and unless they turn it around, Orender's idea that there's too much talent in the league rings a bit hollow.

As Hollow as Kevin Bacon in that one movie. I think it was called "The Guy Who Was Invisible, But Not Really All the Time".

As an aside to that, creating an expansion team and then having them take the next week off isn't the best way to keep people's interest high. At least they have two home games in three days... which should REALLY keep that expansion team on their toes. I know I say it all the time, but somebody's gotta kill the WNBA Scheduler.

Muppet-Style. Like Always.

The WNBA is hyping their new affiliation with McDonald's... or is it the other way around? In any case, its a coup for the league, as McD's is a huge sponsor, but at the same time, that Scottish corporation is still a festering boil on the face of humanity. Now Five Guys... THERE'S a burger chain. Check out the one on Bleecker and 7th. Or on Laguardia and Houston. You won't be disappointed. DAMN IS IT GOOD!

Definitely worth selling my soul and this blog's credibility for.

The Libs are gearing up for tomorrow's match-up against the Mystics tomorrow. I'll be previewing the game and (hopefully) posting a wrap-up near midnight. If I can. I'm going to be in State College, PA, and for all I know, I'll be loaded. Is there any other way to experience State College?

See ya, Space Cowboy...