Hallelujah - Liberty Win

So it is written, and so it was done...

Liberty 71, Lynx 66

And thus, the Liberty awoke from their seven game slumber and smote the not-so-mighty Lynx with a strong defensive game and a spreading of the ball not seen since the early days of yore.

Plus, Martina played. Huzzah!

Janel McCarville had 14 points, Loree Moore had seven rebounds, and Tiffany Jackson kicked her sleeping pills to the curb and scored nine points in twenty minutes. The killer of the night was Kraayeveld, who led the Libs with 16 points and had a MUCH stronger defensive night.

The Netherlands have been liberated! Dutch has returned!

Major props to the Libs defense. The Lynx aren't exactly the early 90's Chicago Bulls, but the Liberty DID contain Seimone Augustus to 17 points...

A career low. Augustus vowed never to score less than 20 again...

...while keeping three reservists off the board entirely. Props to Patty for bringing Davenport in. While the Middle-Man didn't have a good offensive night (only 1 point), she did do good work on defense, posting three rebounds and controlling the lane nicely.

We were with ya all the way...

The Libs also shot over 40% in the field (although their 3-pointers continue to careen haphazardly), while letting the Lynx ALMOST come back into the game, but for the first time in a long time, they held off their advance and closed the door.

And don't come back now, y'hear?!

GAME NOTES

• First game with over 9K in a while...
• McCarville is a monster of mythic proportions. If she were playing on Detroit, she'd be a Goddess.
• Martina in the game for a little over a minute. Dammit.
• The Lynx never gave up. Kudos.

11-15. Not the best record in the world, but better than 10-16. We're also only half a game behind Chicago. If we win tonight, and Chicago loses, we'll be ahead and back in fourth.

Speaking of tonight...

GAMEDAY PREVIEW

The Liberty try to exorcise the Mystics and make sure that they don't fall back into last place.

It ain't that far away, ladies.

Truthfully, the Mystics aren't that bad, but they don't make the most of their opportunities, and that sinks them in most games. Since they're horrendous start, they've actually been mediocre (on par with the Sky)...

That's damning by faint praise...

Alana Beard is leading the team, averaging 18 points a game, with four other players posting double-digit point averages. Three players take over 6 rebounds per game, and their shooting percentage ain't bad either. Put that all together with a sub-.500 record, and what does that spell? Sing along, class...

BAD DEFENSE AND INEPTITUDE!

It's not like the Liberty are terribly better, but they can shine like a diamond when everything is clicking.

That's rarer than a Hockey Player's front teeth.

The Liberty will have to step up again. Not everyone is going to be a push-over like the Lynx. They're going to need to get an early lead, squeeze the Mystics tight, and hold the line near the end of the game. No more of this letting them get back in the game bullshit.

Cuz that's what it is; bullshit.

Patty, contain the ladies and make 'em play smart. Ladies? You all have jobs and you know that, despite playing last night, you are way more than capable of handling the Mystics. Keep it real, and keep it coming down hard.

Hard. Not Soft. Hard.

KEYS TO A NEW YORK VICTORY

• Play a strong defense. If the Mystics are stymied getting on the board, there defense won't be able to prop them up.
• Let players take outside shots. The Mystics play big around the basket, and it'll be up to our tallest to take that advantage away from them. Guards are going to have to put the ball in the air with quality shots.
• Move fast. The Mystics can't handle a lot of pressure. Break their back and keep them down.
  

It's showtime.

New York vs. Washington
730
MSG on MSG
Bring along your Bibles and help the Libs out.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Mercury 84, Silver Stars 79

San Antonio held control through the first half (they were up by 7 at the break), but Phoenix came out with a fire lit under them and stole the game away. Diana Taurasi had 24 points, while Pondexter (18) and Taylor (9 points, 8 rebounds) showed that the triumverate never sleeps.

Much like a Mountain-Dew drinking geek at a LAN Party.

FRIDAY

LA @ Houston
Detroit @ Chicago
Seattle @ Sacramento

Los Angeles managed to best New York, but Houston is definitely playing better than the Liberty right now. Add to this that the Comets are a decent home team and that the Sparks are horrendous on the road and you have a recipe for disaster.

Add two parts TNT, three parts terrorists, one part Bruce Willis, and allow to simmer for 90-minutes. DO NOT ADD LOGIC AT ANY POINT!

Comets by 7.

Chicago is all over the map. They win one against Sacramento, then lose to Houston, then blah ba blah ba blah. Detroit, on the other hand, has been rampaging across all fronts and is making it hard to discount them as favorites for the title. Expect them to whallop a fragmented Chicago. Detroit by 8.

Didn't we just play this game? Oh, that's right. We did. And Sacramento won that game. On the road. Meaning that Seattle will win here.

It's complicated. Don't ask.

I still think that Seattle can pull it off and that Sacramento hasn't had the goods since they started dropping the standings. They could still prove me wrong, however.
Storm by 5.

SATURDAY

Indiana @ Connecticut
LA @ San Antonio
Houston @ Minnesota
Phoenix @ Seattle

No jokes. Tired. Gotta get through this.

Connecticut by 7. San Antonio by 8. Houston by 4. Phoenix by 9. And that's the way it was.

Indiana's a mess and Connecticut's hot. LA is still horrible, and San Antonio had a blip but is ready for a comeback. Minnesota is the worst team in the league and Houston full of youth and vigor. Seattle is good, but they don't match up well against Phoenix. Any questions?

Moving on, class.

SUNDAY

Chicago @ Washington
Sacramento @ Indiana

This is Washington's huge chance to catch up with Chicago. If they want to have any semblence of hope over the next few weeks, they are going to have to hold off a sub-par Chicago team at home. Chicago is wiley, though, and are looking to solidify their lead. I will say that if Chicago loses to Detroit, they are going to come back and win this game. But if they beat Detroit, they are going to come in overconfident against the Mystics. Of course, if the Mystics win... or lose... or...

My head hurts...

For the sake of ease, I will pick Washington, but mark my words...

This is gonna be rough...

Mystics by 5.

Sacramento is a solid team that is chipping a bit, while Indiana has completely fallen apart. Sure, they have won a game, but it was against Washington and they only managed 66 points. If that's the best they can do against the worst team in the East, what do they expect to accomplish against a defense-first team that is jockeying for playoff position? Catchings better hurry back, because there might not be a post-season run for them if she doesn't. Monarchs by 6.

I'll try to update tomorrow to cover the game, but I can't make any promises. Have a good weekend, all!

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Basketball and the Universe - Essay

Basketball can prove that there is meaning in this universe. How, do you ask?

One has to look at the sport as a whole. There’s the game itself, the players, and the audience. All three are essential to each other, and essential to my point. Without the game, there would be no players. Without players, there would be no audience. Without an audience, there would be no game. One could easily argue in reverse (no audience, no players, no game), or in a completely different order (no players, no audience, no game). It is enough to know that they are all interconnected, and while some components are more important than others, they all rely on each other for the continued existence of the sport, and thus, a league.

Abstraction; the game itself proves that there’s a capacity for complex and abstract thought in human beings. Attack, defend, pass, change, run, walk, guard, shift. Quick, split second decisions that are based on both muscle-memory and the mind. Decisions require comprehension, comprehension requires true choice, and true choice, based upon thousands of ideas and experiences, requires a complex understanding of the world. This will all become important later, but keep it in mind for now.

Cooperation; the players themselves show that human beings can put aside competition and cooperate. A single unit cannot hope to compete against a collective. Look at our cells, each one worthless without a host. Five players on a court, each with their own capacity for thought, relinquish a little bit of control and self for a greater service. Why? Because at one point in the past, two organisms found it much more agreeable to live working with each other, rather than just competing. Competition is good and breeds a better tomorrow, but cooperation helps one get there. But what bridges the cooperation and the abstract?

Connection; the audience shows that the species called homo sapiens requires connection. We work, we breath, we sleep, we die, and in between, we remind ourselves that there are other people out there besides ourselves. Watching this unfold before our eyes in a game reveals a simple complexity in the world; the duplicity of cooperation and competition, the need for both the concrete and the abstract. We watch, and either subconsciously or consciously, we understand that there is something MORE going on that just a random occurrences of events. We see these people on the floor, and know that there is Something, something that makes them do what they do.

All of these together form the foundation of our society and humanity as a whole. When one is focused on one’s own priorities, then everything can become distant. For a human being to survive, this gulf between people must be shortened, to remind a person that not only they have value, but that the things they are doing have value too. Actions are rendered meaningless without human interaction, judgment, and appraisal. But to have a connection, there must be cooperation – both people reaching out to each other – and to have cooperation, there must be the abstraction (and thus, realization) of achievement. This would all be worthless, however, if there wasn’t some reason behind existence.

Sure, we COULD be doing this as cogs in some giant machine, unaware of how our sports, and ultimately lives, are just some great facade. In that case, however, then ALL of existence is pointless. One must make a logical leap somewhere, and in the end, for me, it is the ULTIMATE jump.

Cognite, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. Existence is based upon my cognizance of its existence. It all comes down to this basic assumption. Either one believes one TRULY exists, or one doesn’t, and to completely deny existence is render all decisions moot. Simply by choosing to accept that the world is meaningless and that there is no purpose (personal or grand) makes any further discussion illogical, since any decision that one makes in this world will ultimately mean nothing. This first, wary step is the most important, as it will dominate all future branchings on the road.

There are many forks, jetties, and dead-ends, let me assure you, because from this tiny opening move, an infinite number of paths open up, building into a crescendo of being that we call Life. But we are still limited by our senses; our body could be pulling off a gigantic trick on our soul. So thus, we must make yet ANOTHER choice; either what is presented to us is real, or it is not. And beyond that, another choice. And another. And yet ANOTHER.

The progression, then? Do I exist? Yes. Is what I am presented with real? Yes. Is this “reality” complex? Infinitely so. Can I comprehend all of this? No. Is it important that I do not? No. Why? Because I have the capacity to understand this argument in the first place and thus realize that there are things beyond my grasp, thus rendering things that I can control more important. What can I control? My thoughts and actions, even if they can be affected by the environment. Proof? Basketball.

See how it works? One goes down to the foundation, then build one’s way back up again. Basketball equals meaning equals existence equals self equals existence equals meaning equals basketball. There are holes, here and there, because the universe is not something that can be explained by a simple thousand word essay typed in an hour and then posted, sans too much proof-reading, on a sports blog, but these are ultimately what make life worth living. Create idea, find something new that challenges this idea, rebuild idea or toss it out. Repeat. The world is vast, the mind vaster still, and existence infinitely more so, but that which we control ultimately does have meaning, simply through our actions involving it.

This is all some food for thought. Keep it in mind the next time you’re at Madison Square Garden, and remember that it’s not just a game in front of you, but the universe unfolding infinitely into the future.

Gameday - Minnesota Beatdown

Ignore that logo in the bottom righthand corner...

New York vs. Minnesota
MSG
730
Lynx Hunting Licenses to be handed out to the first thousand guests.

Look at that dumb animal. No, BEHIND the Lynx.

So, while our playoff hopes are rapidly diminishing, that doesn't mean that they are lost completely. We have a home game tonight, against the Lynx, and thank God for that, as Minnesota is hands-down the worst team in the league.

And this comes from a Liberty fan.

Minnesota is in the bottom half of the league in almost every category you can mention: FG%, Opp. FG%, Rebounds, Opp. Points, Difference btw Points For and Against...

Yup, about this easy...

Actually, no. Not that easy. Because one of the few categories that they do well in is total points.

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Hold on. Repeat that?

While Seimone Augustus is having a tremendous year (averaging 22.9 ppg), Lindsay Harding and Nicole Ohlde are each scoring more than eleven points per game. The Lynx have solid starters, can definitely rebound when they need to, and don't mind spreading their bench. Their problems seem to stem from their absolute lack of defense and the lack of offense found in the reserves.

Can I blow up the fish yet? Pleeeeeease?

No reserve averages more than 4.7 points a game, their defensive system is a shambles, and really, when it comes down to it, three players average over three-fifths of their points (with one player averaging almost a third). Without Seimone this team could EASILY be 2-25. But they are coming off a win against Sacramento and their confidence could be at a high. They have nothing to lose, now that they are all but statistically eliminated from the playoffs. That can be a dangerous combination.

Like Mentos and Diet Coke.

We all know about the Liberty's woes, so we won't go into that.

It's just more depression in this cold world.

Let it be known that, however, that at one point, the Liberty were 5-0, and then later 10-8. We have the ability to beat and hang with some really good teams, but through a number of errors and parting of paths, been unable to convert close games into wins. Lynx fans are looking out our seven game losing streak as a pot of gold at the end of a shit rainbow.

"Damn straight."

The Liberty need to play up to their level and make sure that the Lynx know that they mean business. There is no room for error from here on out. We may creep into the playoffs thanks to the ineptitude of Washington and Chicago, but we'll have to win games to do that. We can't back into the post-season...

...our asses are just too big, for one thing...

...and if we want respect from teams, the league, and its fans, there needs to be hell to pay tonight. Dutch? You're on deck. Marvel? Keep playing hard. Muffin? You gotta be the anchor. Thor? Bring the thunder. Marlowe and Beatle? BE the Defense. Bruce? Time to yippee-ki-yay it to a victory. And Saint Patty? Don't just play someone because they had twenty points ten games ago.

BATTLE STATIONS! BATTLE STATIONS!

KEYS TO A NEW YORK VICTORY

• Contain Augustus. While it would be wrong to say that she is the only talent on the Lynx, she is by far the BEST player they have. Take her out of the game and the Lynx lose almost a third of their points.
• Hit the three. Minnesota is atrocious defending beyond the arc. Take a few long shots and get McCarville underneath for those rebounds.
• Pass. The Lynx have a nasty tendancy to scramble when their opponents begin to open up passing lanes. Force them to move, and a path will open up.
• Rest a starter or two. Don't bench them, but Minnesota is the one team that we play for the rest of the year where we can afford to let our regular corps play for twenty and leave the rest to the high reserves.
• Don't get overconfident. Minnesota has only won two of their last ten, but they have also beaten Phoenix, San Antonio, and Sacramento. They can surprise an opponent who doesn't take them seriously.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Phoenix @ San Antonio

Phoenix is, far and away, the best offensive team in the league (87 ppg, 7 points higher than the next team) while also being the worst defensive team in the league (84 ppg allowed, 2 points higher than the next team). San Antonio, despite being on top in the West, is thoroughly average throughout most of their point spreads. There is a key difference, however. San Antonio doesn't dazzle, but they DO outplay their opponents in almost every category, whereas Phoenix has no choice but to play hard, offensive ball.

I find it offensive.

Phoenix has won five straight and has three players in the top twelve of scorers for the league. San Antonio has one (although Sophia Young is number 13), but has won seven of their last ten games. Honestly, I feel that San Antonio is the better team, but Phoenix can break any opponent in the league with their bad-ass style. I would definitely TiVO this game if you get the chance. Silver Stars by 4.

Propoganda from League HQ. It's ostensibly about Tan White and how the Indiana Fever doesn't rely on Tamika Catchings... except they've gone into a nosedive since she's left (before beating the Mystics, they hadn't won a game without her since 2002, according to Women's Hoops Blog) and the article is really more about Cheryl Ford and others.

Is today opposite day or something? Has the world gone nuts?

Michelle Voepel has a new article up on ESPN. A little (deserved) jab in the middle about the Libs. "In a slightly related note, how 'bout that quick start out of the gate for the Liberty? Oh, never mind."

Haven't we suffered enough?

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that there are more and more male head coaches in the WNBA, and that's a good thing. While it would be hypocritical of me to say that only women should be head coaches of the WNBA, I would also note that this barely qualifies as news. Men aren't the half of the species that are fighting for recognition. If the NBA ever hires a FEMALE head coach, then I will be surprised.

That is, if NBA survives the tornado of wrath that is Tim Donaghy.

Essay to come in the late afternoon. I'm out of town from tonight until Monday morning, but I will definitely have a game review up either late night tonight or tomorrow morning. Other than that, I can't make any promises. Have a good un', all o' y'uns.

See ya, Space Cowboy...

Performance Piece - 3 Haiku

Just some short Haiku today...

Martina Weber

I missed her first game last night

Damn it. I need Beer...

So many losses

August is here, but Playoffs?

They're so far away

Doron, Davenport

Pat Coyle refuses to play them

Take a chance! Come on!

Around the League Update...

Awwww... I feel MUCH better now...

AROUND THE LEAGUE...

Connecticut 74, Chicago 56
Indiana 65, Washington 52
Detroit 81, San Antonio 78
Phoenix 75, Houston 71
Sacramento 78, Seattle 74

The Sun manhandled the Sky with surprising ease. It's so true that everytime I put a little faith in Chicago, they come around and bite me on the ass. Hey? Desperation? You're only a game ahead of Washington and New York? You're going to want to cut yourselves in penance if you miss the playoffs by one game. Are you even listening to me?

They can't hear me over the deafening silence from their hometown crowd.

I guess I shouldn't count Indiana out until they're out. They held the "door close" button on the Mystics and escaped with a 13-point victory that keeps them on pace with Detroit.

Detroit, despite a few surprises from San Antonio, proved why they are the team to beat in the league right now.

Bribes... er, heart.

The Silver Stars had a great game, but numerous lapses on defense cost them some key three-pointers, and late in the game, they just couldn't get it going when they needed to. The usual gang of idiots presided over the win. No need to dwell on specific players who could or could not be on the Liberty right now and helping them through this awful, awful slump.

I'll stop crying any day now.

Houston Defense = Decent. Phoenix Offense = Better. Phoenix didn't have their strongest game of the year, but it was good enough for a win. Houston sinks back to the bottom again, despite their mid-season surge (mid-life crisis?) that they had for a few weeks. Unfortunately, the realization that it just doesn't matter whether they win or lose from this point on has probably zapped any initiative that they have. Thank God there fans are still so forgiving.

Houston; it's not just a street on Manhattan anymore.

Sacramento, despite not playing their traditional game, managed to fend off the Storm and catch up a game on the Silver Stars in the Western Standings. If the Monarchs can do this throughout the rest of the season - forget their usual defense-first mindset when it isn't working - then there is no reason why they shouldn't be back in a strong way.

Performance Piece up late. Have a good 'un, lads and lasses...

Stay of Execution - Liberty Lose

Yup. No one executed tonight...

Los Angeles 73, New York 63

It took me a while to start this post. I simply don't have any words for this game. There is only one thing that I can say for the game...

MARTINA PLAYED AND I FUCKING MISSED IT!

Last night sucked so badly, it sucked out loud. My comedy troupe started an hour late, I was barely needed, and could have gone to the game and seen that German Goddess play on the court and rock it for two minutes. Instead? I sit around, waiting for people to show up, mutter under my breath, and later learn that the Libs got their asses kicked and that the first game of the season with Weber on the floor was being played only thirty blocks north of me.

And you thought the starving children in Africa had it bad...

Now, here's a picture (an official picture that I am not paying for so if the WNBA emails you, please don't turn me in...) that pretty much says it all about last night's game.

BOOM!

Let's take this apart bit by bit. McCarville is there, playing the game hard, but shying away a bit, shoved out of the way by LaToya Thomas. Thomas is willing the ball to her, using some until-now-unknown powers (akin to the force), while Battle is knocked out of the way. The best part? Moore's face in the background. One more time, for the road??

That sound you hear is a dove crying.

The Libs come out flying and show the Sparks just who's boss here at MSG. When the dust settles after the first ten minutes, the Liberty lead 23-14. The defense is solid, the offense is hitting, everything seems to be going well. Hopefully, the 2nd quarter would be a sequel to this, along the lines of "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me." You know; song and dance, a little bit of drama, but at the end, everything's okay.

Instead, it's like Empire. Everybody's pissed, Christon loses her hand in a fight with Darth Vader, and Erin Thorn is frozen in carbonite.

2 missed shots and the 2 turnovers by the Libs lead to a nine-point roll by LA in a little over two minutes. The Libs won't score a basket until four minutes into the quarter, and will miss a total of twelve shots. The Sparks, led by Mwadi Mabika, go on a tear, scoring 27 points in ten minutes and limiting the Libs to a paltry 8 to end the half at 41-31, Los Angeles.

That's like winning the lottery and then dying of a heart attack at the news.

Maybe Patty will take the ladies into the locker room and explain that the season is on the line, that there are only nine games left in the regular season and that if there is any hope of trying to make a run, it has to start here. Maybe she'll leave Weber in? Or play someone else to punish the starters for that awful, awful quarter (possibly the worst ten minutes they've played all year)? Or maybe she'll light a fire under the ass?

MWAHAHAHAHAH!!! :::vomits from laughing so hard::: Oh, that's a GOOD one!

Oh, to be sure, the Liberty came out MUCH better than they were playing in the last quarter, though to be fair, they couldn't play much worse.

Not even if they played the game in wheelchairs.

I'll skip all the intervening moments of the third quarter and skip to the important parts. The stuff you need to know? Davenport comes in, comes out, and the rest of the eight regulars are played with regularity. But who's going to show up and play their hearts out?

But Janel? You're great EVERY night. Leave some awesome for the other girls.

Okay, now the Liberty are doing a bit better. They're outscoring the Sparks and have a little spring in their step. It came a little late, but at least it shows that they can still do stuff when they choose to. Then, it happens. Tied 62-all with a little under four minutes left in the game, the Libs start sucking and the Sparks score a basket. Patty calls time to discuss their gameplan.

Thorn? Score. McCarville? Score. Doron? Get me some water.

What happens next? The usual. The Sparks grab the lead and the Libs are forced to foul. Again and again, and the Libs can't make a shot. 11 points for the Sparks, 1 for the Libs. The Buzzer sounds, and we're put out of this misery.

Its cruel, but it has to be done.

The Liberty lose the game, go 7 straight in the hole and ten games out. Is there any kind of silver lining to this?

Thank GOD the Sky still suck...

GAME NOTES

• Can't get nine thousand people for a game against LA? For shame...
• Playing Davenport and Weber for a combined four minutes doesn't get Patty off the hook. She still didn't play anybody other than her regulars.
• Kraayeveld? Nine points in twenty-four minutes. A significant improvement, but still not up to her usual level.
• Only two Libs with more than ten points. Four such players for the Sparks.
• Liberty shock only 30% from the field. Ouch.

WEBER-UPDATE...

Martina played for 2 minutes and 2 seconds, missing her only shot and making one rebound. I can't make too many claims for her skill on the floor, as I didn't witness it first-hand, but I can assume that she blazed a path of glory that forced Patty to bench her again, in fear that the other Belles might look upon her triumph and weep.

Or something like that.

Around the League to come later, before the performance piece. I don't have time and I'm too pissed with the Libs right now. Instead, take this picture of two kittens playing.

Awwww... this warms my cold, cynical heart...

Until then?

See ya, Space Cowboy...