Storm to Stay - Who Has Two Thumbs and Called It?

THIS guy!

The Seattle Storm have been sold to a local ownership group. Terms of the sale were finalized in the last couple of days for around $10 million dollars. It's still pending league approval, but that's really a formality, as all four majority owners seem to have deep enough pockets to fund the WNBA franchise. Plus, one (Anne Levinson, former Seattle Deputy Mayor) has experience in owning a women's team, in the Seattle Reign of the now-defunct ABL.

And really, there was no reason for Clay Bennett to keep the Storm. Oklahoma may or may not be a city worthy of an NBA team (I have my doubts, but then again, Salt Lake City does well enough), but why would Donna Orender let a team with a passionate fan-base just slip away? Why would Bennett keep a team that was little more than an albatross around his neck?

Will this have any affect on the Sonics? Probably not. There's WAY too much money to be had. Even if the Sonics tank in Oklahoma, there's still the honeymoon period, and at the end of that time frame (around 4-5 years), Bennett can sell out, make an obscene amount of money, and then ride his deathmobile back down to Hell. Now that Professor Heartbreak has sold off the one piece of baggage that would have dragged his purchase down, the only thing keeping him in Seattle is the Key's lease... which he's trying to get around.

At least THIS set of fans won't commit suicide.

So, rest easy, Storm fans. Your precious franchise is safe... for now. There's no telling what the new CBA deal will do to the WNBA, or whether or not players will continue to play in the US for less money than in Europe, or a million of different things. But for now, raise thy mugs of mead and giveth thanks to the Gods of War.

I couldn't help posting this picture. My Y Chromosome will be the death of me.

How does this affect the New York Liberty, you might ask? It's a decent question, as this IS a Lib blog. Beside being about the WNBA, it also has to deal with the health of the league in general. Look, four women aren't going to pony up 10 million (with the potential to lose over six figures a year) just to say that they own a basketball team. There is room for growth here, and that should send a good feeling gut-punch to every WNBA fan out there.

All right. That's all I got. I just wanted to let you guys know.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

EDIT:

I completely missed it. Loree Moore has signed with Vologda-Chevakata, a Russian club that is heading to the 2008 EuroCup. Her first playoff game with the team is tonight against Hemofarm Vrsac. Did I spell either of those teams' names right? It sounds like I need to cough up some phlegm whenever I pronounce some of those Russian team names.

Oh yeah, and Pat Coyle has a post up on Hoopla. I give her a hard time, but she's a decent coach and has some interesting stuff to say.

For real this time, peace...

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...

What's New in Liberty-ville

Posted Shay Doron's nickname and Liberty Belle page, so both sections are now finished. Browse at your leisure. As for the Libs, well, things are kinda like dead at the moment.

As in "Dead like a Kennedy" dead.

Sure, Martina is back in the news, but it's in GERMAN, for God's Sake! I can't make heads nor tails of it! The WNBA is at it again, although I'm not sure if I linked this page before or not. More CBA rumblings, but really, is there going to be a strike?

Somehow I doubt the American Public would sympathize.

Oh, and apparently the WNBA isn't Brittany Hunter's dream. Which is fine. It's not my dream either. But saying that if she's drafted, she'll play, but that she doesn't want to be playing at 27 or 25 would definitely dissuage a team from choosing her in any round.

Unless that team is, say, the Liberty or the Sparks.

Anyway, that's about it. Hopefully, I'll have some more news for you tomorrow. I've started cleaning up the site, so that's going to be taking most of my blog-time, but I won't shirk my responsibility of informing the public with my own unfunny-brand of comedy. Until tomorrow?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Shay Doron - Nickname Day

Shay Doron

Um...





...





...well...





...





...huh...





...





...er...





...





...

Shay Doron = The Hebrew Hammer.

It really couldn't be any other way.

Liberty Belle - Shay Doron

Shay Doron

Height: 5'9''
Weight: 145 lbs.
Position: Guard
School: Maryland '07
Can she kick it:...

Yes, she can!

Shay Doron. The Hebrew Hammer. You know her. You love her. Well, unless your name is Pat Coyle, in which you sit her on the bench for long stretches of time before giving her a token start, when she really couldn't do worse than some of the lasses on some of the nights and wouldn't have been cool if she could have played in that Washington game, since she's from Maryland, and alot of her friends and family were there and, SHIT, that's a HUGE reason why the WNBA can't catch on, because it's constantly angering and alienating its fanbase with stupid decisions like these...

I'm done. I promise.

In actuality, Shay is pretty bad-ass without all of my pandering and such, so I'll play it straight. Starting in Rotenberg High School in Tel Aviv, Doron commenced lighting courts on fire with her strong play and strong shooting. She led her team to several state championships, and also excelled at track & field, for which she won some 60 odd medals.

When she was done messing up enough Israeli's, she moved to New York at Christ the King High School in hopes of one day making it to the NCAA and WNBA. You know how THAT story goes, but I'm getting ahead of myself...

She couldn't be contained in High School - 17.1 points per game, took her team to a Brooklyn-Queens Championship, led her team to the New York Federation Finals, named All-American, took MVP and Player of the Tournament honors from the Nike Tournament of Champions - and thus was quickly scooped up by Maryland. Could the Terps handle her?

Not a chance.

Under the coaching of Brenda Frese, Doron led Maryland to four straight NCAA Tournament Appearances, winning it all over Duke in 2006 for the first time in Maryland history. Along the way, she broke several school records and posted top ten finishes in a handful of others (three-pointers, assists, steals, et cetera, et cetera) while majoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Sam Waterston better watch his back.

You know the rest of the story. She was drafted 16th overall in the 2007 draft and promptly buried on the bench by Patty. She saw game time only seven times in the regular season, totaling 10 points and 3 rebounds in 35 minutes of play. But if her amateur career is any indication, Doron won't be able to be contained for long. Currently, she's playing for the Israeli National team, as well as Elitzer Ramle in the Israeli league. If you hear about some kind of revolution involving female sports in Israel, don't be surprised if you find Doron leading the pack.

She's like Godzilla, except metal... so more like Mecha-Godzilla.

From national to international, from college to the pros, from on-court action to off-court heroism, Doron is an all-around bad ass. If you can't get enough of Shay (is it really possible to get too much of her), then head on over to her website. Check it out. Shoot her an email. Just don't fall into her shadow. Her temple guards may have to cut out your heart for such a heretical action.

I found that out the hard way.

Burn, Chicago, Burn - Gameday Preview

Let's get this party started with a bang...

New York Liberty vs Chicago Sky
8 P.M.

We're going to Chicago, and it's clear to both teams that a victory is needed. The Libs are in a much better spot for post-season action than Chicago, with destiny in their own hands: if they win their next four games, they're in no matter what. Chicago, meanwhile MUST win this game if they are to reach the post-season (not to mention their season finale in New York), while also hoping that the Mystics lose two of their next three games. New York has breathing room, but not much. The Mystics are playing today, and the Libs are half a game out (with a game in hand). A win today will put them into fourth and give them a chance (with their extra game) to put a full match between them and the 5th spot.

We've split the season series so far with Chicago, winning our home opener against them 83-71, but losing a month later, 73-66. Both games came at completely different moments than where both teams are at the present. The Liberty are coming off a win against the Shock and winning three of their last five after dropping seven in a row. The Sky, meanwhile, have lost five straight after winning four of five (against Detroit, Indiana, and San Antonio!). Clearly, things are up in the air tonight for both teams.

Chicago isn't without talent. Candice Dupree, who is averaging a hair under 17 points per season, leads the team in points, but other notables include Jia Perkins, a stalwart guard who can throw a mean dish, and Chasity Perkins, a strong forward who can rebound and throw a body. They're top five players are averaging double-digit points a game, and they have been known to upset any opponent that doesn't take them seriously.

Their problems, however, stem from a weak bench and inconsistent play. Dominique Canty and Armintie Price are both strong regs (averaging 8.8 and 8.3 points, respectively), but the rest of the bench is weak, has been hurt, has not played enough, or can't perform up to their talent-level on a nightly basis. Dupree, meanwhile, has scored beneath her average in eight of her last fourteen games. The Sky are a team of streaks, winning a bunch of games, then losing a bunch of games, and like a city on a fault line, can be dangerous after lying dormant for a period of time.

It's not like the Libs are some powerhouse, however, as despite our recent nail-biter victory over the Shock, we've played pretty poorly. Our last three losses (Phoenix, Washington, Los Angeles) were all fairly decisive, with the Los Angeles game particularly distressing. Patty, while getting better about spreading the bench, still likes to play her favorites into the ground, and most of the team has been fairly inconsistent.

New York HAS woken up recently, though, taking three games out of five and beginning to show what we are capable of. McCarville's emergence has been a big factor, but as other players on our team have begun to step up and fill the void left by Becky Hammon, more and more confidence has been seen on the court. Whereas about a month ago we couldn't close down a team after going ahead late in the game, now it is the Liberty who are the ones banging down doors, taking down Detroit and Houston despite being down at several late points in the game.

Sunday's game proves that New York can hang with any team in the league. Six Libs scored 10 points or more, including four of our starters. All that being said, it was essentially an seven-person show, with Davenport playing 6 minutes and Willis and Farris combining for just a little over 3 minutes total. Kraayeveld, despite waking up late in the game, continued to play despite missing key shots and turning over the ball late in the game. For today to turn out well, we are going to need at least three of our starters to have good games and several regulars step up to fill the void of those that flail, much like what happened against Detroit. Chicago can pick a team apart if they want to, and while New York's zone can shut them down, if we start to scramble, it's all over. Kraayeveld is going to need to be strong on D, Moore is going to need to keep coming up big, and the entire team can't force a pass that isn't there. Turnover points have killed us in our last ten games and we need to cut them down.

Look for Patty to play a more conservative game tonight. Chicago is going to push as hard as they can - they are indeed desperate to make the playoffs after finishing 5-29 last year - and Coyle will probably try to us their momentum against them. Hopefully. Step it up, ladies, and we can play it well.

KEYS TO A NEW YORK VICTORY

• Take your time finding shots. The Sky's defense against Field Goals is second worst in the league (.430, right behind the Lynx), but they rebound well. If the Libs pass enough, they'll find an opening in the defense.
• Shoot from the arc. The Sky aren't great defending against the 3, either. Set up outside, and if they collapse in, go for it.
• Cut off passing lanes and hold your ground. Force them to shoot from the outside, and if they decide to run in, and for God's sake, plant your feet.
• Keep their heads in the game. Chicago is really not that good of a team. Sure, they have Candice Dupree, and yes, Claire Coggins gets my blood boiling, but they aren't any better than us. Just remember that.

I would like a little Liberty-Sky rivalry to build up, and if the Sky can survive their horrible attendance numbers and one of us eliminates the other from the post-season, that could add some fuel to the fire. Let's just make sure that it's US on the inside, and THEM on the outside.

AROUND THE LEAGUE...

Connecticut @ Mystics
Houston @ Detroit
Minnesota @ Seattle
San Antonio @ Los Angeles

Connecticut is in the playoffs and will secure at least the third spot if they win tonight. Washington has been playing very well overall, although they've struggled mightily in their last few games. They haven't lost at home since Detroit in late July, and before that, San Antonio at the beginning of that month. While Connecticut is the better team (by far) of the two and could bump up to the number 2 spot in the Conference if they take two more games than Indiana, they have much less at stake here than the Mystics. Look for the Mystics to try and prove to a hometown crowd that they deserve to be in the playoffs. Mystics by 4.

Detroit is now rested and looking to enter the post-season on a strong note. Houston, while playing much stronger than a few playoff-bound teams at the moment, is now eliminated. Both have little to play for except pride, but I think that Detroit is going to look to get the bad taste out of their mouths after their loss to New York. Ford is out until at least the playoffs, but Cash could come back if Detroit feels she's up to playing. That could spell doom for the Comets. Shock by 7.

Will Minnesota even both to wake up? Which Seattle team will show at the Key tonight: the one that has several super-stars, or the one that looks like a female-version of the Washington Generals? Will Seimone Augustus be able to lift the incompetence around her, or will the stellar play of Jackson cancel her out and make it an easy pick-up for the Storm? All these questions will be answered tonight in a game between the worst team in the league and the worst team heading into the playoffs, as well as another question; will anyone care? Storm by 6.

San Antonio is a game behind Phoenix in the Western Standings, but has two games in hand. They're going in against a Los Angeles team that has upset several opponents in the past but is still far from being competitive. Becky Hammon will be in (supposedly) as this will be the last time that the Silver Stars can gain ground on Phoenix. Expect quick work. Silver Stars by 8.

Erin Thorn's got a chat going on today. If you're into that kinda thing, it starts at 2.

Penny Taylor and Deana Nolan were named WNBA Players of the Week. Hard to argue with either choice, especially Nolan, who has been carrying her team (absent Ford and Cash).

Nickname up in the afternoon. Until then?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Liberty Belle - Lindsay Bowen

Lindsay Bowen

Position: Guard
Height: 5'6'' (5'7'' in some sources)
College: Michigan State
Years Pro: Rookie
Former Star of: Cheers.

See?

Hailing from Dansville, Michigan (named, one presumes, after someone named Dan), this Liberty Guard is fast, killer outside the arc, and currently owns the Great Lakes Record for most number of dreams broken in a single game. By day, she plays for the New York Liberty, but by night, she fights crime as the Necromancer!

All blatant lies, just so you know.

It all started back in Michigan State, where Bowser holds the record for most three-pointers made in a season and was named Co-Big Ten Freshman of the year. There, she averaged over 13 points a game, going big on the free throw line (309 out of 352) and three-point arc (.405 average), while also becoming the Spartans second all-time leading scorer.

Sources are scarce for Lindsay Bowen's information online. I would make stuff up, but really, I'm too lazy. Lindsay Bowen's acts can speak for herself. Sure, she's only played in six games for the Libs this season (1 started), but in that time period (37 minutes), she's scored nine points and gone 3-6 from the three-point line. Clearly, she has the skills to pay the bills, but can the coaches stop acting like roaches and give her a chance to get in the dance?

That was horrible. I apologize.

An interesting article about Lindsay from her alma mater can be found here. It's a pretty touching story, filled with the kind of sad, sad stuff that makes for a great Disney movie. Cut from the Liberty practice squad, practices in Europe for a year, friend gives up, Lindsay goes to Switzerland to hone her skills (no, really), and then comes back and makes the squad to the joy of her family. It would warm my heart if I wasn't actually a robot, hell-bent on destroying humanity.

Bowen's just going to get better and better, as evidenced by the time that she has been able to get on the court. For more information, use your imagination, write to the Liberty, or start your own fansite. Just, whatever you do, don't stalk Lindsay outside her apartment. It can lead to bad, bad results.

I speak from experience.

Coronary Embolism? No... - Liberty Win

My heart can start beating again...

New York 85, Detroit 84

Talk about thrilling. Talk about excitement. Talk about... about... about a last second shot at the buzzer that, based upon all prior knowledge of physics and the universe, I thought had no conceivable chance of hitting the rim, let alone bouncing up, up, and in. But we'll get to that in a second...

Anyway, you guys want actual reporting? I can't give it to you straight as, while I was at the game, the box score STILL isn't up. However, I can definitely give highlights.

Goofus and Gallant go the MSG.

This game proves that the Liberty can hang with the big boys, if they so choose. Sure, Detroit was tired from a knock-down-drag-'em-out fight with Indiana the night before, but they were playing a full bench and were swtiching up players four at a time to start off the game. They might have been tired, but that's just an excuse. The Liberty found a way to win, and everybody in uniform contributed.

The 1st quarter was a doozy. The Libs grabbed 32 points and, despite some defensive lapses (Detroit scored 28 themselves), made the Shock look tired and beat. McCarville came up with a huge eight points, while several other Libs (particularly Moore and Christon) made big shows and huge moves. It looked like this game was going to be a strong, strong show.

Of course, this is New York. Nothing is so easy. The Shock stormed back and tied it up, went down, then tied it up. Going into the half, the Libs and Shock were tied (if I remember correctly), but momemtum had definitely swung to favor Detroit. They were gaining big, and with Katie Feenstra filling the void left by Cheryl Ford and Swin Cash (both out due to injuries), it seemed that Patty would have to give a major pep-talk to keep the girls on top of the ball.

That didn't happen as well as she had hoped, however. The second half started, and it was all Detroit, all the time. The 3rd quarter was, save for the last few minutes, a travesty on par with the Teapot Dome Scandal.

Your Grandmother gets that reference.

The Shock start whipping the Liberty like they were a redheaded step-child. Again an again, the Liberty can't seem the bury the ball, and the Shock come up huge and score big. At one point, halfway through the third, the Shock, once down by six, are now up by 13 points. Slowly, the Liberty begin to come back into the game, but can't manage more than an extra point per drive. We're down by 10, down by 8, down by 9, down by 6... you get the idea. Frankly, with the way the Libs were playing, I was happy to get out of the 3rd quarter only down by 4. It was a shit-show, pure and simple, and I thought that, despite the Libs surge at the end of the 3rd quarter, that they were losing steam.

Nothing could prepare anyone for the 4th, however. Deanna Nolan proves why she's an All-Star by scoring 12 of her 19 points in these ten minutes alone. I wish I could go into the details of all of what went on in those ten minutes, but like some Russian epic about the Napoleanic Wars, I would only begin to scratch the surface while leaving you, dear readers, with the impression that I had beswamped you in details.

Some key points stand out, however. Battle making three free-throws on technicals (starting with one at the beginning of the quarter on Shock Coach Bill Laimbeer). Tiffany Jackson making a diving lay-up to keep the game close. Nolan coming up big from the key, then Moore making a three of her own, then Nolan making ANOTHER three-pointer. Dutch scoring a huge two points with 44 seconds left. Barbara Farris, put in for the first time all game, coming up with a huge rebound with less than half a minute to play. The Liberty's time-out, leading to two shots - both missed but both rebounded - and the Libs retaining possession on three OB's. Then, with about seven seconds left, the Libs get one more shot. Around and around they go, before it goes out of bounds, but thankfully, mercifully, the Libs come up with it again.

3.3 seconds left. Time for ONE shot. Dutch (I think it was Dutch; my memory grows hazy with time and alcohol) looks, left, looks right, squeezes the ball through to Thorn with a planck-length of room to spare. The seconds tick down. Thorn is cut off, pushed back. She has one shot. In a weird, twisting, jumping motion, she throws herself into the air and WILLS the ball in the general direction of the net.

The buzzer goes. Time literally slows down to a heart beat as the nine thousand people in attendance hold their breath. It is astoundingly quiet; so quiet that when Thorn lands (before her shot), one can hear the squeak of her shoes echo. The shot arcs, almost wobbling, in a strange trajectory that everyone KNOWS can't be good, but PRAYS will hit the rim.

Up.



Up.



Down.



Bounces on the rim. Off of the backboard. STRAIGHT UP.






And up.







And up.







And while I'm sure that it never was more than two feet above the rim, in my mind's eye, the ball travels like some homemade rocket before making its descent back to the court.







And then it goes in.

Madison Square Garden erupts. You would have thought that it was a sell-out from the noise. People are dancing in the aisles as Thorn jumps into a throng of her teammates and is lifted onto shoulders. The Shock, upset and dismayed, nonetheless pull it together to shake hands. And, for one second, before anyone knows what the Mystics did, it feels like the Libs managed to beat the odds and take something that no one gave them any credit for. A group of ladies that no one gave any shot at doing anything this year took down the big dog of the league and were winners.

And then, of course, reality set in. There are still four games left until the end of the season, and the playoffs after that. The battle is won, the war continues.

GAME NOTES

• The Shock outrebounded the Liberty by at least a margin of ten. I wish I could be more exact, but the WNBA's site STILL doesn't have the boxscore up.
• By the way, WNBA's site = horrible.
• The Referees? I wish I could say that the Libs won on their own, but they had some HUGE help from the refs, who made several home-town calls late in the game to keep the Libs in contention.
• Everyone had a hand in this. Thorn? Obviously. McCarville? HUGE first and last quarter. Tiffany Jackson? Her second half was magical. Barbara Farris? Massively clutch rebound with less than a minute left. I could go on and on...
• The crowd? Electric. For the final minute, on those who literally couldn't stand up were sitting in their seats (and even a few of these defied medical science and stood up anyway).
• Martina Weber was on the sidelines. That sucked, but she WAS wearing a nice blue dress number that, allowing me a moment of sexist lust, was smokin'.

So what's that all spell out in terms of standings? Well, to put it mildly, this was probably our most important win all year. We're now a half game behind Washington for the final playoff spot, with a game in hand (we have four games left, they have three). We play each other IN Washington on Thursday (talk about ramifications), while each playing Connecticut once (Washington plays them twice). We play Chicago twice, meanwhile.

Revel in the victory for now, ladies. I still am, frankly. But let's not lose sight of our ultimate goal. This beating of Detroit will only ring soundly if we can manage to overtake the Mystics and hold off the Sky.

Speaking of which... Next Game?

Chicago Sky
Tomorrow, 8 P.M.
The UIC Pavilion
There's an "ICUP" joke in there somewhere. I know it.

Get 'er done, ladies. Every game's gotta be a win now.

AROUND THE LEAGUE...

FRIDAY'S GAME

Houston 83, Sacramento 75

The Comets still had life at this point, despite a razor-thin margin for error. They took a team that prides itself on their defense and scored 83 points against them, putting their backs to the wall and coming out swinging like Barry Bonds on steroids (a redundant phrase, I know). Tina Thompson scored 24 points, while Michelle Snow grabbed 11 rebounds, as the Comets, while allowing six Monarchs to score more than eight points, did not allow the Monarchs to score more than 20 points in any quarter. I'm glad that Houston could do this and prove to themselves that they had a bit of something left to give. Great stuff.

SATURDAY'S GAME

Detroit 74, Indiana 69
San Antonio 63, Houston 60
Connecticut 88, Chicago 66
Phoenix 100, Los Angeles 83
Seattle 91, Washington 68

Indiana finally played like they had some life, outplaying the Shock in the first quarter (in particular) and the first half (in general), but it wasn't enough as the Shock pulled another game out of their ass and made it six straight wins. Deanna Nolan scored 26 points and almost a dozen rebounds as the Shock held the Fever to just 9 points in the third and 28 points in the second half to win their game and removed the "almost-assured" from the phrase "almost-assured home-court advantage throughout the playoffs".

Yes, Becky Hammon rocks. She led her team to victory, despite some close calls (the game was tied at the end of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarter). Houston stuck with it, though, and played like a team desperate for a playoff spot. They couldn't pull it together, however, with only one of their starters scoring double-digit points and no player scoring more than Snow's 11. San Antonio is now a full game back of Phoenix, but have four games left to play, to the Mercury's two. It's going to be a photo finish.

Chicago is still technically in the playoff hunt at this point, being two games out with three games to play. However, with their decisive loss to Connecticut on Saturday, they must win their last three games (including their season's finish IN New York) and hope that both the Liberty AND the Mystics forget the game of basketball and instead take up Professional Bull-Riding. Or the Mystics and Liberty could COMPLETELY implode and hand Chicago the playoff spot. Considering that Jamie Carey of the Sun (a second reserve) scored more five more points than three of the Sky's starters COMBINED, that's a tall order.

The Mercury beat up on a bad team (Taylor- 28, Pondexter- 21, Smith- 16, Taurasi- 12). They scored 100 points in forty minutes. The Sparks (the SPARKS, mind you) managed 83 points against THE team of the Western Conference. This shows one of two things: 1, that Phoenix has come to grips with the fact that their defense is non-existant and 2, the Sparks' death has been GREATLY exaggerated.

Washington played Marv Albert and Betty Lennox (34 points) dressed up as a high-priced Manhattan call-girl as the Storm beat the Washington like they begged for it. Seriously, this game couldn't have gone worse for the Mystics had they just not shown up and forfeited the game. At least then they would have been well-rested. After this, they were shown up, humiliated, and left gasping for air as they took a plane-ride to take on Sacramento the next day. Huge victory for the Storm, who FINALLY secured their spot in the playoffs.

SUNDAY'S GAMES

Sacramento 86, Washington 82 OT
Los Angeles 89, Minnesota 80

Washington had to step it up. They needed this win, took Sacramento into overtime, and blew it with several turnovers. They could be a game and a half ahead right now, but instead, they squandered their chances and let Nikki Powell lead the Monarchs to a victory that both teams desperately wanted. I guess a Sacramento team wanting home-court advantage plays better than a Washington team fighting for it's life.

Minnesota's season ended about a month ago. They haven't won a game in so long that they'd throw stones at it if they saw it. Is anyone besides Augustus even bothering to show up to practice anymore, let alone games? Sure, they scored 80 points, but against the Sparks? They were basically spotted twenty at the beginning of the game. At least the Sparks have spirit. They were down and out about two weeks ago, and they're still trying, despite failing. This team, with a superstar and a stauncher defense, could definitely compete for a 3rd or 4th playoff spot. The Lynx? They just depress me.

Shay Doron is helping out with breast cancer. As a man, I can't possibly comprehend the terror of breast cancer for women, but I know prostate cancer, and it scares the shit out of me. Check out the site and bid on some of the things she's putting up for auction, if you're so inclined. It's a good cause.

There's an article up about the Australians in playoff contention. They're missing a few (like Tully Bevilac... Bevel... that one from Indiana), but it's a solid read that doesn't digress into the usual "love letter to Lauren Jackson" kinda stuff.

Sorry about not getting the game preview for Detroit up, but it was hell in the office and I couldn't do it at home.No games today. Which is nice for me, considering that I would have to research them all and I have NO TIME. But that's that for today. Liberty Belle up in the late afternoon. Until then?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Making our own Rope - Liberty Lose

(A picture-less post. Just to see what it's like...)

Phoenix 97, New York 86

It started off not all that bad for the Liberty. Sure, at the end of the first ten minutes, we were down by 3 (26-23) and our defense was looking a little shabby, but the game was still close, Phoenix is known to make the BEST defense's look bad, and there was still a lot of ball to be played. The game was really back and forth, and while Christon didn't come alive until the later parts of the quarter, the entire team was chipping in at the beginning. Unfortunately, it all slid downhill from there.

Davenport fouls Schumacher twelve seconds into the 2nd, setting up an easy point out of two for Phoenix (Schumacher's free-throw skills... eh). The Mercury score twice more to go up by 10, before finally, almost three minutes in, McCarville lands a lay-up and the game resumes. Phoenix controls the ball for almost the entire quarter, with the Libs shooting bad shot after bad shot (10 misses, 6-16 overall, including multiple missed foul shots), while turning the ball over at several horrible moments (seven points from turnovers, not to mention the rebounds).

At halftime, the score is 44-35. There is still hope for a comeback, but the Liberty aren't exuding any kind of confidence. Desperation has settled in, as evidenced by them trying to force plays into situations that just resulted in Phoenix grabbing the ball and shoving it back down our throats. Thorn just isn't coming up in big situations, and while McCarville and Christon are doing their part, very few others are stepping up.

The 3rd quarter starts off in the same old fashion, as Tangela smith makes three straight baskets, interrupted by a McCarville lay-up, to make it 51-37. The Mercs don't back down, and while the Liberty begin to surge late in the quarter, it's too little too late. Kraayeveld, who has been quietly racking up points, scores her 11th, but Thorn continues her struggles. Ten minutes pass and its 71-58 Mercury.

Thor, Marvel, and the Beatle take the game into their own hands for the Libs. The 4th sees only one other Lib score a basket (a lone free-throw from Moore), while Phoenix continues their onslaught. The closest that New York gets is six points with a minute left in the quarter, but then Pondexter, pissed from her performance in the last New York-Phoenix game, shuts the door with six straight points. The game ends, the Mercs high-five, and that's that.

Overall, the officiating wasn't awful on the court, but it wasn't spectacular either. The Mercs played hard and got away with a lot, while the Libs backed down and allowed themselves to be dominated for large stretches at a time. Add to this that they couldn't make key free throws at desperate points and it just allowed Phoenix to play the game their way without much interference.

As for the players, inconsistency once again proved deadly. Battle, McCarville, and Christon had the best games out on the court, while Kraayeveld also had a decent game, although she still was wobbily on defense. Thorn? On the court for over thirty minutes, but with only four points, while going 1-10 from the field with only 2 assists and rebounds. Patty played her regulars again, with only six players averaging over nine minutes of game time, and only one other player (Tiffany Jackson) receiving anything other than pity time.

Let's not just gang up on Patty... or Thorn, or anyone else for that matter. There's a lot of blame to go around this time. We can hem and haw until we're blue in the face, then argue about who's fault this is, and find a little bit of shit-pie to put on everyone's place, but there is only one, true conclusion. The Mercs outplayed us, and that pretty much sums it up.

GAME NOTES

• With Washington's win and our loss, that drops their magic number from 5 to 3. There is not much wiggle-room left for us.
• The Libs shot 30-70 from the field (almost 43%). Take out Marvel, Thor, and the Beatle and we were 9-36.
• Martina and Bowen weren't dressed, while Doron didn't get any playing time.
• Almost all stats are comparable to each team. Assists, turnovers, steals, blocks, etc. Except for Shots. And points from turnovers. Which were both WAY in Phoenix's favor.

Next game?

Sunday, August 12th
Detroit Shock
4 P.M., MSG
Be There, At the Square

WEEK IN REVIEW

Washington 80, New York 68
New York 77, Houston 71
Phoenix 97, New York 86

This has been an interesting week, to say the least. Loss to Washington, beat Houston, then a beating from Phoenix. We're down by two games against the Mystics and a half a game above last place. It's not a good time to be a Lib fan.

Janel McCarville led the Libs with 57 points in three games, while Christon finally began to awake from her long slumber. Patty finally played Davenport a bit after someone moved the Gatorade cooler and revealed the Middle-Man still on the bench. Loree Moore had a couple of strong games (and a couple of big mistakes) and the rest of the Libs were all over the map. We're still searching for consistency, and we may not find it until the end of the season.

The Washington game was particularly bad. Bad coaching, bad playing, inconsistent offense... it was a true terror to behold. Had we taken that game (or at least shown up), we would be in a much better position than we are right now. We did manage to take the game from Houston, and while we lost to Phoenix, I was sadly expecting to lose to one of the hottest teams in the WNBA. However, this team is not playing like a team hungry for the post-season. While I have not give up all hope (not by a longshot), I am beginning to despair.

Sunday marks the last week in the regular season, and minus our 5-0 start for the year, we are 7-17, which is truly abysmal. Our team is definitely young. VERY young. A few players (Thorn, Willis, Farris) have been around for several years, but the majority of our team are players that have played in three campaigns or less. We're still gaining experience, and in a year or two (with good drafts, trading, and maybe ONE more solid player) we'll be a monster. Just you wait. I would be willing to chalk up this year as a learning experience if we can somehow come out on top for a long time to come.

In terms of this blog, I have radically shifted the site from something that was definitely humor and picture heavy to something drier and more sports-centric. I like the look of it now, and I still post some pictures, but this may change coming up, although how much change there will be is questionable. With five games left in the regular season, there isn't a huge amount that I would want to shift before the end of regular play.

Of course, two days after I discontinue hotlinking (today), I get an email from someone pissed off about one of my older posts (about a month or so old) that isn't on the front page anymore. I removed the picture, but it's definitely some bad karma that as soon as I decide to change, someone tries to bite me in the ass for sins of the past.

Anyway, this week has been all over the place. This weekend is going to be crazy, too, what with all of the games and all of the importance placed on Washington's next two outings. I will be in the South (Virginia, first, then North Carolina) starting Thursday night, so my posts will be a bit smaller than usual, depending on if I can get time and an internet connection at all. If I can't, I will try to have a friend fill in for me. No promises as to the caliber of their stuff. Not everyone can have stellar writing skills, a knack for seeing between the lines, and razor-sharp wit like me.

AROUND THE LEAGUE...

Detroit 97, Seattle 70
San Antonio 72, Sacramento 61
Washington 80, Los Angeles 75

I was pretty much of on these games for everything except Washington. I'm not going to go into too much detail because I haven't had the time to look over them, but it's quite obvious that Seattle is content to lose their way into the post-season (27 point loss to the Shock? They're good, but not THAT good). San Antonio obviously still has a lot of spunk left in 'em, and the Sparks are garbage. That's about it, really. Check the WNBA's official site for more info.

TODAY'S GAMES

Sacramento @ Houston

This will be the second game in two days for Sacramento, not to mention the flight. Houston, meanwhile, has had several days rest and still has a glimmer of a playoff hope. Sacramento is still the obvious choice to pull this off; they are a much more well-rounded team. I would like Houston to pull it off, but I don't think that they are going to have the gas in the tank to push them over the edge. Monarchs by 7.

SATURDAY'S GAMES

Indiana @ Detroit
Houston @ San Antonio
Connecticut @ Chicago
Los Angeles @ Phoenix
Washington @ Seattle

This would have been a much more interesting game had Tamika Catchings not left the Fever in a tailspin and Detroit, despite losing Cheryl Ford, begun to look like a team made up of Hero-Gods from the days of yore. A win for Detroit will secure them the top spot (and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs). An Indiana win? It still means that they'll have to win three more games and pray that Detroit loses their last FIVE. Detroit is so much hotter right now, and Indiana so much colder, that the choice is easy. Shock by 7.

Houston, once rising and breathing down Seattle's neck, has begun to fall back into their early season form. Rookies are taking stupid chances, Tina Thompsons's drama is dragging down the fans, and the schedule? Well, it's not the kindest one in the league. The Silver Stars have surprised many people this year, and with Hammon back, there is no reason to think that they shouldn't be able to take care of their cross-state rivals. I like Houston, but I don't think they can take this game. Bye-bye, playoffs. Silver Stars by 9.

The Sun and Sky? One last joke before the end of the season? No? Fine then. Connecticut is tearing up the court and Chicago has faded from semi-decent to semi-awful. They've lost four straight and are two and a half back from Washington, a game out of pocket, and thus all but statistically eliminated from the post season. If Chicago loses this game and Washington wins one more, they're out of the playoffs. Period. Connecticut, meanwhile, still has a shot at 2nd place, with a game in hand against the Fever and down by 2.5 with five games left to play. That would be a MAJOR benefit to them, and with the way they are playing behind Douglas, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't take this game. Sun by 9.

Los Angeles? The losers of 14 of their last 16 games? Against Phoenix? The highest scoring team in the league? Mercury by 10.

Seattle is trying their hardest to keep Houston in the playoff race, and with their game against the surging Mystics, I think they're going to instill even more false hope while backing into the playoffs. I don't like how Seattle's playing - on a team as talented as they are, they continue to lose close games and squander chances while giving up WAY too many turnovers - while Washington has finally coalesced. Look for Alana Beard to have a good night and for Bird, Lennox, and Jackson to try and lift the rest of the dead-weight around them. Mystics by 5.

SUNDAY'S GAMES

Washington @ Sacramento
Minnesota @ Los Angeles

With Sunday's game in Sacramento, Washington will have played three games in four days, all on the road, and all on the West Coast. Sacramento, meanwhile, will be coming off a day's rest and looking to try and either gain on Phoenix or solidify their second-place spot. Washington will have a great deal on the line (if they win on Saturday, there magic number will be 2) and with a win (and a New York loss), they will have clinched a play-off spot. Sacramento is damn-near impossible to beat at home, however, and Washington's energy has been awful at the end of road trips, bunched together or otherwise. Monarchs by 8.

The Battle of the Cellar Dwellars will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday. Minnesota seems to have given up on this season; they're still playing, but their starters just seem to be going through the motion. Honestly, a high draft pick would be a much better option than one or two more wins, especially on the road. Los Angeles is also done, and has been for almost half a month now. They can't get anything going and the stench from the Staples Center can be smelled from as far away as Berdoo. With Augustus, I feel that the Lynx are a better team than the Sparks at this point, but overall, and at home, I think Los Angeles can still throw a bit around. Sparks by 4.

ABC is going to have an insider's view for the upcoming Indiana-Detroit game, via half-time locker room views. Voyeurs, eat your hearts out.

Katie Douglas's husband was apparently ejected from the Suns' game against the Monarchs. Read up for the details (which are few and sketchy). Douglas was happy that her man stepped it up, apparently. Too bad the Sun couldn't get anything from it (they lost by 2).

That's it for me. I'm going to try to put up a Detroit game preview later in the afternoon. My home computer is fried, you see, so I'm not going to be able to update this weekend. I'll see you guys on Monday, when I post my game review. Until then?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

No Press Credentials

Yeah, so Casey Sherman (Communications Coordinator for the Libs) got back to me. Yeah, only the licensed press are allowed credentials, which is what I expected, but hey! I tried. Casey was very nice about it, and maybe that policy will change in the future. It's not like I'm not going to the game. I'll still cover it, and maybe I can snag a two-question interview with a player going down the hall.

ME: "Yo! Martina! Will you marry me?"
MARTINA: "(Unintelligable German)"
ME: "Can I quote you on that?"
MARTINA: "Ja!"

Word. Essay below.

Three over Two

One of the big digs against the WNBA that pundits occasionally trot out is the lack of dunking. Dunking has become such a part of the NBA (and men’s hoops in general) that it is hard to imagine the male game without it. Thus, when one sees a women’s game, with its near-lack of dunking, one could argue that because women can’t (or won’t or don’t)dunk, that the female version of basketball is naturally inferior to the men’s game. Dunking is a part of the sport; the women don’t dunk; thus, women aren’t playing the full sport. That’s, of course, picking and choosing what one wants to see. For me, dunking, while cool, has never had that much effect. What turned me onto the WNBA were the skills and precision used by the players, particularly when shooting from the arc, rather than the intimidation and pure-testosterone exhibited in the NBA. The three-point shot will always be more beautiful, to me at least, than the dunk.

Obviously, the point total sets the biggest difference. Three-points as opposed to two? Three skilled shots can close a nine-point gap when thrown from beyond the arc, as opposed to five dunks. Sure, it looks nice to hammer an opponent home after they failed to take you into account, but at the end of the day, it’s still just two points. Dunking and making a big deal out of it when one’s team is down by double-digits literally makes me laugh out loud; much like when I was a goalie for hockey and some guy would celebrate scoring a goal when we were up something like 7-2, it seems hollow. Great. You’re a real man. You just jumped really high in the air. Now get back and play defense.

The skill required for the three, however, is much more intense and precise. A dunk requires height and power. Shaq makes a dunk look like a child playing with a toy hoop. A soaring three-point, up in an arc that can be immediately judged on whether it will hit the basket or not, requires timing, patience, arm strength, precision, and a strong eye. Height can actually hinder a three-pointer; the angle at which the ball must be thrown is more precise. Thus, taller players can be at a disadvantage when throwing those in the air, and with the ever-increasing height average in the NBA, that means more emphasis on overpowering in the lane and less outside work.

Besides, Dunking is “manly.” Combatants jockey for position, sweating and grabbing and elbowing until one man throws himself into the air – much higher than anyone else can dare to go – and stuffs the ball down his enemy’s throats. Intimidate your man, make him pay, simplify the game and turn it into a one-on-one contest. THAT’S the way to win it the manly way. Shooting from the outside? It’s for pussies and women. See how the conversation shifts once again to being about strength (inherently manly) and grace (inherently feminine)? How can it be any other way?

The dunk is about power; the three-point shot is about skill, and that’s the difference between the NBA and the WNBA in today’s market. Many men want teams ripping each other’s throats out, bleeding rivalries, fights in the stands, and anything else that gets their blood pumping. The WNBA is happy to produce a game that has less single-match up battles and more team action, which can appeal to segment of the population that doesn’t like all-gung-ho-all-the-time or prefers something varied. As long as the WNBA caters to a more family-friendly environment – all-ages cheerleading, players from rival teams helping each other off of the floor, not pushing dunking or showboating – and as long as most sports fans desire something that is as close to gladiatorial combat as possible, the league will never reach the heights of the NBA.

Which is fine by me, because I don’t like what the NBA’s selling at the moment. If being a jackass and insulting another game to make myself feel better is what it means to be a man (or at least make myself safe within my sexuality), than I all too happy to buy into another paradigm, thank you. Obliterating one’s opponents and losing the finesse that can turn a game into a masterpiece is what can be lost if too much emphasis is placed on over-saturation of testosterone. I know where I stand, at least. Every time one of my friends would try to get to go to a game or watch on TV, it always turned out to be a disappointment. I am all for blood-lust, rivalry, and testosterone (I played hockey, after all). But for Basketball, I prefer the three to the dunk, and if that makes me or anyone else a “fag” then at least I’ll have a lot of good company at the Garden.

Gameday Preview - Thursday's Rock

The First Post of the New Age...

GAMEDAY PREVIEW - PHOENIX MERCURY

10 O'Clock
Phoenix, Arizona
It's over 100 degrees, but don't forget to bring the Heat.

The Phoenix Mercury are sitting pretty atop the Western Conference, having secured their entrance into the playoffs (following a win against BLANK) and a full game ahead of both the Monarchs and the Silver Stars. They're run-and-gun style gaming has finally begun to kick into a higher gear, as their absolute indifference to any form of defense has been tempered somewhat in recent weeks, lowering their average points per game (from 89.2 to 88.0) but INCREASING the difference between their points and their opponents (by almost three points).

What this all means is that the Mercs are the hottest team in the league right now, winners of 8 of their last 10, and by substantial point margins (their only losses coming against Seattle and Los Angeles... wait, wha?!?). Diana Taurasi, who in the middle of the season was a bit cool (by her own standards), has rallied her troops behind her, and with the help of Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor (not to mention Tangela Smith), the Mercury have become THE offensive threat of the WNBA.

How much so? The Mercs top five players (Taurasi, Taylor, Pondexter, Smith, and Kelly Miller) average, together, more points than all the Liberty (minus Doron, Bowen, and Weber) combined. But as their loss against Los Angeles proves, the Mercury are not some lumbering behemoth that cannot be circumvented.

The Mongol Hordes, they ain't.

The Liberty aren't in the best shape right now, but they could definitely take this game from Phoenix if the Mercs come in with the wrong mind-frame. The Libs took a close from the Mercury back at the beginning of the season, winning 82-81 off a last-minute basket (then foul shot) from Davenport (thank you, Middle-Man), in a game that was probably the most exciting of the season while also solidifying my interest in the team and the league. Their OT-win over the Shock was fantastic, but for my money, the Mercury game showed what this team can do when they put their minds to it.

It also doesn't hurt that, despite their increases on D, the Mercury are still not a solid defensive team. They give up the most points in the league (85.7), the highest 3-point percentage (38.6%), and the most rebounds (by far, almost five more than the next highest). If the Libs are looking for a team to awaken their offense, this the team to do it against.

In essence, the Liberty can adapt to any sort of team that comes their way, if they allow themselves to do so. With a strong system set up by Patty, the Liberty play like some kind of weird, pre-historical mammal, staying in the shadows at first and finding out weaknesses, and when a gigantic meteor smashes into earth (or their opponents begin to slow down), they race in to snap up what is rightfully theirs.

Like ninjas. Basketball-playing ninjas. Basketball-playing, Santa-Claus-stealing ninjas.

At the best of times, this works when different bits and pieces (a.k.a. the players) that aren't working are substituted for players that work better in that situation. Thorn would come out for Baker (later Willis), or Barbara Farris would play and allow McCarville to let the weight of the Libs off of her shoulders. Defense-first teams (Sacramento, Indiana) would find strong shooters attacking from the outside, while offense-first teams (Phoenix, Detroit) would find taller and faster players blocking lanes and getting key rebounds.

This has fallen by the wayside in recent games as desperation has set in. Patty has stuck to her regulars, despite any evidence that it just wasn't their day, in hopes that circling the wagons and instilling confidence would bring the team back to life. It has worked in some situations, but in others, certain Belles (all of them took their turn at some point) have played for over half the game and registered a net-minus to their worth.

There's a lot riding on this game. The playoffs, the season, dignity, and a chance to break .500 for the season. With a loss, we guarantee we can't finish any better than 17-17. With a loss (and a Mystics win), we drop a game behind in the race. With a loss, we continue our haplessness on the road (5-9 for the season, no back-to-back road wins since half-way through last season). We can't hope to possibly compete with Phoenix on an offensive-basis. Even if all of our starters somehow turn in quality games at the same time (which they have been unable to do up until this point...), the Phoenix offense is just too potent. Stick to the defense, take strong shots, and remember that we beat the same team back in the early season.

Time to show the Mercury how we do things downtown.

KEYS TO A NEW YORK VICTORY

• Play strong D. No offense in the world could possibly compare to Phoenix's. But a solid defense has been known to stifle their game.
• Take 3's. The Mercs have the worst long-ball defense in the league.
• Play clean, but play hard. Both Pondexter and Taurasi can let their game go to crap when someone gets under their skin. Fouls on their (and other Mercs') part will lead to easy free-throw points. Uh...
• Hit free-throws. Yeah, these are the easiest points in the game, and Libs can't make 'em (they're second-to-last in the league). Let's change that, ok?
• Listen to each other. Depending on if Patty only plays the regulars or goes deeper to the bench, this will shift or focus. I can't tell you how many times I've seen Thorn open at the top of the arc, waiting to set up a play or shoot, only to have a bad pass or shot lead to an odd-woman rush.

Take it to 'em, ladies. And don't give up.

AROUND THE LEAGUE...

Storm @ Shock

The Storm are essentially in the playoffs now (and stuck in fourth place), unless there something akin to a house-sized asteroid blows up Seattle but leaves the United States - and the Houston Comets along with it - intact. The Shock (up four games and with two games in hand against the Fever) are essentially going into the post-season as the number one seed, unless the bubonic plague rears its ugly head and takes out three-quarters of the team, thus forcing management to use Detroit Lions cheerleaders in their stead, which would be aesthetically pleasing while also giving those cheerleaders SOMETHING to cheer about, but would also mean significantly less quality basketball.

So, while this game will almost certainly feature all of both teams regulars playing it out, there isn't much on the line for both. The Storm have SLIGHTLY more to prove in this game, as their season is TECHNICALLY in trouble, especially with Lauren Jackson possibly still out and Houston still within screaming distance. But the Detroit are at home, or as it is known in the league, "The Place Where Streaks Go to Die". Just ask the then 5-0 New York Liberty.

I'd almost forgotten about that. Then some asshole at Recall uncapped my memory implant. MAN, that hurt. The memory, that is, although the cap itself was a... but I digress...

Shock by 8.

Monarchs @ Silver Stars

This is going to be one of the biggest games of late summer (unless the final playoff spot must be decided in the New York/Chicago game at the very end of the season). Sacramento, after stumbling a bit with their defense, has rallied around Brunson, Lawson, and Powell (combined average 35 points, leading the team) and begun to stretch their offensive legs (almost atrophied to the point of uselessness after months of defense-only basketball).

The Silver Stars, after surgig to first in the latter-half of the season, have gone 5-5 in their last ten and lost 3 in their last four, despite securing their first post-season appearance in franchise history. This is helped by the fact that, according to the poster "Rebecca," "Hammon has a sprained foot. Vickie Johnson has a balky Achilles. Sophia Young is playing on a sprained ankle." Really, it's a miracle that the Silver Stars haven't imploded into a dense black-hole of losses, from which nothing, not even light, can escape. San Antonio still have a decent team with all of that going against them, but with the Monarchs finally beginning to fulfill a bit of their promise, I can't pick the Hammon-less Stars without my gut clenching up in a fit of anger and dyspeptic acid. Monarchs by 6.

Mystics @ Sparks

No one needs to be told that this is a huge game for the Libs to watch. Obviously, we need to take care of our own game first, but it would help if the L.A. Sparks (who, despite all evidence to the contrary, still apparently exist) could take themselves off all of those milk cartons and show up at the Staples Center for the game.

The Mystics are decidely hot, winning 7 of 10 (with wins against San Antonio and twice against Chicago in that span, putting themselves in good late-season position). It's true that most of those games have come against sub-.500 teams (Minnesota, Houston, :::cough:::New York:::cough:::) and those losses have come against the usual suspects (Detroit twice, and Indiana), so it could be argued that they haven't had such a great streak so much as really convenient scheduling. Alana Beard and Monique Currie are still sick, so let's not count them out of this game just yet...

...especially when they're dealing with the Sparks, who have DOA or MIA, depending upon which acronym you prefer. Taj MacWilliams-Franklin is the only Spark to average over 10 points a game (11.5), which shouldn't come as a surprise if anybody realizes that the team has two wins in their last fifteen games, one of which was against the Liberty.

Permit me a moment to scream...

This is almost a sure-bet, the only thing being if the Sparks are going to rally a bit at the end of the season in front of a hometown crowd. With that ace in hole, as well as their propensity to astonish (they have lost by less than three points in five of their losses, while also beating Phoenix), there is no telling what they can do. I'm sticking with my guns, however, and picking Washington to win. I hope that they don't, but the Sparks? How to be polite... um, not so good. Very, very, very not so good. Mystics and their Satan-Worshipping ways by 8.

An article is up on the WNBA's official site about the Lynx. It's pretty much about how there is lot's of young talent on the team (duh) and that there's lots of room to grow (double-duh). It kinda smells like desperation, as in "Please don't abandon this team, Minnesota!" I can understand that. But a better switch would be to put a team in a Western market and shift the Lynx into the East, allowing them to play closer (and more traditional) rivals while cutting down on costs.

Also, these informal rankings are up on the MVP race on the league's site. At this point, I don't see how any player can make a strong case over Lauren Jackson for MVP (except for maybe Becky Hammon), even Nolan or Taurasi. Both are having monster seasons, but if they were to have disappeared before the season started, their respective teams would have made the playoffs. Without Jackson, the Storm would have NOT done so.

This article about Janel McCarville was up a few days ago on Newsday. Enjoy McCarville while you can. She's going to get great for a few years, then be traded for a first round draft pick who will then be benched halfway through the season. McCarville will then spark an MVP-caliber run with the Minnesota Lynx while the Libs struggle to make the... you know, I'm just going to stop there.

A USA Today piece about the season-ends awards, with a little piece about McCarville and Moore, including a quote from Patty. Interesting stuff, with side-by-side comparisons. Honestly, if we don't make the post-season, the awards aren't going to mean much to me.

As a side-note, I requested press credentials for Sunday's game against the Shock. I am almost certainly NOT going to get them, especially if the team thinks that my oaths of love are a bit... (creepy... illegal... stalker-ish...) ...er, much, but as I am going to be out of town for the last two games and would like to finish this season with a bang (both for myself and this blog) I figured "What the hell?" and emailed Casey Sherman (PR for the Libs). I promise to get an interview with a baller should I get them and report it in its entirety here on the site. Wish me luck!

So, how do you guys like the new format? Too wordy? Not funny enough? Not serious enough? Should I go to a meta-format, in which I talk about talking about the WNBA? Should I drop the "Around the League..." section? Should I stop trying to woo Martina Weber by setting traps baited basketballs and spaetzel?

Really, any help in that last question would be a plus.

The poster "m3" suggested a few places that I could go to "transload" images so as to side-step hotlinking (major props for the help, by the way), but if you guys like this more content-heavy site, I could stick with it.

Thanks to m3 and Rebecca for their thoughts and suggestions, and a giant tip o' the hat to the anonymous guy who emailed me to tell me that I was a "fag" and that I should take my site down because "thoes (sic) dikes (sic, although maybe he WAS refering to water canals) should get off the cort (sic) and suck myt (sic) cock." His words - though poorly spelled and absent of grammar, punctuation, purpose, intelligence, or, really, any glimmer of humanity - reminded me of why I do this blog in the first place.

Essay up in the afternoon. Until then?

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Discontinuing Hotlinking

Performance Piece to come later. This is something on a different note.

As a new blogger, I am unaware of a lot of protocol (both literal and figurative) for what goes and what doesn't go on the web. Due to this, I have stepped on a few toes here and there, but most of the people who I have crossed were gracious enough to point out what I was doing as a mistake of a newb and let it go at that. I've removed a few images, edited a few things here and there, and things are at a good point.

However, I only recently became aware of the term "hot-linking." For those not in the know, hot-linking refers to directly linking a piece of media (in my case, images) from another site while bypassing the original site. I did not know that what I was doing was specifically called "hot-linking" nor that it pisses so many people off. However, I now am, and must consider the ramifications.

The reasons for the anger on the part of many are two-fold. One, it steals bandwith from another site. It's not that big a deal on Blogger, where it's all free as long as one doesn't exceed a certain limit, but on other sites that people pay for (usually in terms of monthly usage), it can place an unasked burden upon the webmasters. Two, it bypasses what a person may be saying about a certain image as well as possibly infringing on their copyright.

This was purposely designed by the creators of HTML. They wanted the internet to be a forum for knowledge, where one can give and receive information for the purposes of advancement, amusement, and betterment, without specific ideas of profit forced upon it (the internet has evolved to a different point, but that's an argument for later). Because of this, I am not sure that I entirely oppose hot-linking, in that the internet is supposed to be about the free exchange of ideas and that what is posted is free game. Few amateur websites "own" the photos they place on their website (in terms of copyright), but copy and paste them for their own purposes. This certainly (to me) makes calls of intellectual property theft (problem number two, above) ring hollow.

However, I do not like the idea of making people spend more for their hobby (in bandwith usage) so that I can be funny and lazy. It takes a lot longer (and is more involved) to post one's own uploaded images on Blogger, which is why my early posts (before I learned about hot-linking) tended to be more concise. I simply didn't (and don't now) have the time to find, save, crop, and upload a huge amount of images. I found out how to directly link to images, I discovered that my productivity could increase several fold while actually cutting down on time posting. As a Christian (a Friend, specifically), however, I am uncomfortable with the idea of stealing and making people angry when I am perfectly capable of an alternative means. I am not worried about being sued, but I don't want to cost people money without compensation, both monetarily and intellectually.

Henceforth, then, I will discontinue hot-linking. Images I post will now come directly from my own bandwith allowance from Blogger. My posts will thus be more wordy, shorter, and without pictures, but I cannot, in good conscience, continue my practice of this term until something a little more permanent (legally and ethically) comes about. I will not take down older posts with hot-linked images in them at this moment, but I will allow them to scroll off my front page until one can only view them via the Archive. This will decrease bandwith usage for others without making a scar on the site. When the season is over (only a few weeks away), I will decide between taking down all of the images (when I have the time to do so) and either replacing them with jpegs of my own or leaving them off the site permanently. If this site continues in the next season (and with the amount of people viewing, there's a strong possibility of that occuring), I might chalk this season up as a learning experience, wipe it all from the site, and start over again.

I will continue posting, so don't worry about that. My site will evolve, however, to meet this new format. Based on what I am now allowed to do, it could become more serious (something the Liberty desperately need, as mainstream coverage is slim), or it could stay funny, but in a more text-based (and thus, dry) way. It could be something completely different, but that's neither here nor there. As the season is almost over, it doesn't matter much in the short term, but in the long term, it means (at least, to me) a great deal.

Once again, Performance Piece up in a bit. Until then?

See ya, Space Cowboy...