Media day was last week for the Big East women's basketball. I know I'm not surprised with who the coaches selected as the #1 team but I am a little surprised with the rest of the league. But, I know one thing is for certain, this is going to be one HECK of a season in the Big East. Top to bottom, I think every team will play a role in shaking up the league standings. Clear cut winner: UCONN. But will it be that easy for them as it may have been in the past (or I should say, they MADE it look easy)? Nope.
West Virginia was voted as the #2 team with their team leader Liz Repella back for some serious senior year playing and winning! However, the third place team will sneak past West Virgina and take second place in the league: Georgetown. You can not stress enough the importance of having a top point guard to run your team. That top point guard is Sugar Rodgers. They have great players inside and outside and that is what will lead them to a second place finish.
But can we forget about that team from Indiana? You know, Notre Dame? Heck no! I think they will be better this year because of Skylar Diggins. So could it be that Notre Dame could make a run for one of the top 3 spots? Absolutely! Look for Notre Dame to take Georgetown, West Virginia and UCONN to the limit. Since they play UCONN twice, I wouldn't be surprised if they win one of their contests.
As for the rest of the league, St. John's, DePaul Rutgers, Louisville and Syracuse could all move around in their area but I suspect they will all finish in the top 10, just maybe not in the order predicted. Marquette, South Florida, Providence, Pitt, Nova, Cincy and Seton Hall finish out 10-16 in the rankings. The two I recommend watching: Pitt and Hall. Anne Donovan is an amazing coach and her skills of connecting with players and getting the best out of them when it matters the most is a gift. Pitt is...well...Pitt and I don't think you can ever count them out. Look for Cincy to finish higher then 15....let us remember where their coach went to school.
So really I see a challenging season for all of the Big East schools. Will UCONN be the season winner? More then likely, even without Caroline Doty (who I hope recovers healthy and ready for next season).
My rankings:
1. UCONN
2. G'town
3. ND
4. WVU
5. Rutgers
6. St. John's
7. DePaul
8. Marquette
9. Louisville
10. Syracuse
11. South Florida
12. Pitt
13. Cincy
14. Providence
15. Seton Hall
16. Nova
Monday, October 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Marion Jones
Why not...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=a2RIWbZ.FMS0
Weigh in with your opinion!
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=a2RIWbZ.FMS0
Weigh in with your opinion!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
You Play to the End....
The final game at the RAC last night was quite a game, at least for Rutgers fans. All season long we have waited, some not so patiently, for a complete game. A complete game where they rebounded, had minimal turnovers, scored on the fast break, played solid defense and actually made good baskets. Well, we got that to the expense of the Louisville Cardinals. Going into the Big East Tournament the ladies should feel great. This is the best I have seen them play this season. Thank you Seniors (BRay, Myia and Rah)
That being said, you always play the game until the final buzzer. With Rutgers up by 20 points, there was some shoving, a few technicals thrown and in the end RU inbounded the ball because of the foul call and two technicals (rule is the ball goes back to the team that had possession when the double technical was called. In this case Rutgers). So that sets up 00:00.5 left on the clock. April Sykes inbounds the ball off of the Louisville defender and puts up a shot. She misses, game over, teams shake hands (sort of) and we move on (I think). Rutgers plays great, so proud of them for finally pulling it together in the final game at the RAC this season.
I start to read the message boards this morning, which I take with a grain of salt on most occasions. However, this time I'm really annoyed. Why is April getting crap for playing the game until the final horn? This isn't Recreation Basketball, this is Division I basketball. You play until the end, always. That is the only way you will actually know what to do if you are in a tight game at the end. Why do you think UCONN plays until the end every game? They win by 30, 40, 50 points this year but they play until the end. Does this show a lack of class? Not in Division I, II or III. They are playing until the end. This is the game, it's how it is played. If you are afraid your feelings will be hurt, then play another sport. This is how it is done. April played until the final buzzer, as she should have!
During the Olympics the women's Canadian hockey team won their first round game over Slovakia 18-0 and they got a lot of complaints about "running up the score". Okay, since when do women have to play "nice" and be considerate? I don't understand that! I'm not saying that they should go out there and beat each other up (no team should do that) but it's just a score. Everyone wants "Equality" but by saying that women aren't playing "with class" when they shoot the ball up 20, or keep scoring when up by 15 goals, is creating a divide. And bottom line, both teams (Rutgers and Team Canada) played the game how it should be played. If I were a coach of a Division I team or an Olympic team I would make sure my team played the game until the end. Period. Call it ruthless but since when do women have to "play nice" and be considerate of the score? Where in their DNA does it say that? They are athletes playing at the top level in their sport for where they are in their career. Play until the end, period. Let me ask you this: Do people say this about men's sports? Ummm, no. How many times did the NJ Nets get blown out of the arena this season? Did anyone say anything about that?
It's Division I basketball, if you can't handle the fact that teams play hard until the buzzer then go watch tennis. I have no bones about teams playing until the end, regardless of the score.
Oh, and side note to a previous post (entitled :14.4) nice of the fans to leave with :00.5 seconds left ON SENIOR NIGHT when the ladies played awesome. Again, show some love fans...they played their hearts out and the least we can do is show some love to them.
That being said, you always play the game until the final buzzer. With Rutgers up by 20 points, there was some shoving, a few technicals thrown and in the end RU inbounded the ball because of the foul call and two technicals (rule is the ball goes back to the team that had possession when the double technical was called. In this case Rutgers). So that sets up 00:00.5 left on the clock. April Sykes inbounds the ball off of the Louisville defender and puts up a shot. She misses, game over, teams shake hands (sort of) and we move on (I think). Rutgers plays great, so proud of them for finally pulling it together in the final game at the RAC this season.
I start to read the message boards this morning, which I take with a grain of salt on most occasions. However, this time I'm really annoyed. Why is April getting crap for playing the game until the final horn? This isn't Recreation Basketball, this is Division I basketball. You play until the end, always. That is the only way you will actually know what to do if you are in a tight game at the end. Why do you think UCONN plays until the end every game? They win by 30, 40, 50 points this year but they play until the end. Does this show a lack of class? Not in Division I, II or III. They are playing until the end. This is the game, it's how it is played. If you are afraid your feelings will be hurt, then play another sport. This is how it is done. April played until the final buzzer, as she should have!
During the Olympics the women's Canadian hockey team won their first round game over Slovakia 18-0 and they got a lot of complaints about "running up the score". Okay, since when do women have to play "nice" and be considerate? I don't understand that! I'm not saying that they should go out there and beat each other up (no team should do that) but it's just a score. Everyone wants "Equality" but by saying that women aren't playing "with class" when they shoot the ball up 20, or keep scoring when up by 15 goals, is creating a divide. And bottom line, both teams (Rutgers and Team Canada) played the game how it should be played. If I were a coach of a Division I team or an Olympic team I would make sure my team played the game until the end. Period. Call it ruthless but since when do women have to "play nice" and be considerate of the score? Where in their DNA does it say that? They are athletes playing at the top level in their sport for where they are in their career. Play until the end, period. Let me ask you this: Do people say this about men's sports? Ummm, no. How many times did the NJ Nets get blown out of the arena this season? Did anyone say anything about that?
It's Division I basketball, if you can't handle the fact that teams play hard until the buzzer then go watch tennis. I have no bones about teams playing until the end, regardless of the score.
Oh, and side note to a previous post (entitled :14.4) nice of the fans to leave with :00.5 seconds left ON SENIOR NIGHT when the ladies played awesome. Again, show some love fans...they played their hearts out and the least we can do is show some love to them.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
I've been silent all season....
It has been a difficult season for Rutgers Women's Basketball, my team of choice. I have grown up going to Rutgers games, my first one was Wicks & Sticks era. Over the years I have watched good years and bad years. But every team over ever season had pride and passion while wearing the Rutgers uniform. This year is a little different....I just don't see the pride on their faces or in their play.
So many people have been asking for Coach Stringer's head on a platter. I have read the message boards that speculate that perhaps the coach has lost her touch. Who are we, Henry VIII? Do we just start chopping heads off if we become "tired" of someone? We'll let's try this take: it's not the kids, it's not the coaches. In my humble opinion, it's the adults who influenced the younger players on the team. This can be parents and/or coaches. Why do I say this? Simple: For all of their lives they have been told how wonderful they are and how they are the best players on the team. They are given the ball not only in clutch situations but all of the time, on every possession. When their teammates get the ball, they would pass to them and they would shoot. They did not have to play defense because there was no competition to what they could do offensively. Who can forget a recent transfer's mother's comments, "My daughter is trying to get the the WNBA and you can't go to the league sitting on the bench." Hmmmmmmm.
This type of "greatness bestowed on these athletes" did not translate to the Stringer Philosophy. The classic style of Coach Stringer is defense. Logically this makes sense, at least to this writer. If you don't stop your opponent from scoring, then it does not matter what you do on the offensive end. This is where the problem comes in: the younger players did not play defense to the level college requires to be a successful team. They do not know the fundamentals enough to let them flow naturally so they can learn the defensive sets. Certainly there has to be offense to win games and perhaps Coach should reevaluate some of the offensive sets but let's be honest, defense helps set you up to win a game. Look in the past at Rutgers successes, their big wins on their run to the 2007 National Championship game were won with their defense. In each game they held their opponent well under their season average. Duke was averaging nearly 90 points a game that season and they scored 52 points in that game. They held LSU to 35 points, in the entire game!
I think that this season has had a share of missed opportunities along with missed defensive assignments. I have not seen so many back door passes and easy layups scored against a Rutgers defense. And the "55" press? Forget about it! I think I've only seen it work once? And we were beaten deep several times on the press against Syracuse, that NEVER happens. What has happened is that the kids don't understand the value of solid defense. In other words: they have not bought into the Stringer Philosophy. Practices probably consist of constant defense because that is the philosophy. Then when they work on offense it is stressed as important but the players are so focused on defense that they can not think offensively. Who's fault? You can't blame the kids because they have been influenced by adults. The adults who were part of their lives are those that may not have instilled the value of teamwork, hard work and dedication. Personally I think that some of our younger athletes seem out of shape. Something I have not seen on a Rutgers team. It also seems that fundamentals are lost, and that makes it so hard when you are a college athlete. Who has time to learn many defensive and offensive sets as well as basic fast break techniques?
I do hope that the kids buy into the Stringer Philosophy because it has worked in the past. Defense leads to offense....steals lead to fast breaks which leads to points. Until the players get that and get the Stringer Philosophy then they will not have pride wearing the Rutgers uniform.
So many people have been asking for Coach Stringer's head on a platter. I have read the message boards that speculate that perhaps the coach has lost her touch. Who are we, Henry VIII? Do we just start chopping heads off if we become "tired" of someone? We'll let's try this take: it's not the kids, it's not the coaches. In my humble opinion, it's the adults who influenced the younger players on the team. This can be parents and/or coaches. Why do I say this? Simple: For all of their lives they have been told how wonderful they are and how they are the best players on the team. They are given the ball not only in clutch situations but all of the time, on every possession. When their teammates get the ball, they would pass to them and they would shoot. They did not have to play defense because there was no competition to what they could do offensively. Who can forget a recent transfer's mother's comments, "My daughter is trying to get the the WNBA and you can't go to the league sitting on the bench." Hmmmmmmm.
This type of "greatness bestowed on these athletes" did not translate to the Stringer Philosophy. The classic style of Coach Stringer is defense. Logically this makes sense, at least to this writer. If you don't stop your opponent from scoring, then it does not matter what you do on the offensive end. This is where the problem comes in: the younger players did not play defense to the level college requires to be a successful team. They do not know the fundamentals enough to let them flow naturally so they can learn the defensive sets. Certainly there has to be offense to win games and perhaps Coach should reevaluate some of the offensive sets but let's be honest, defense helps set you up to win a game. Look in the past at Rutgers successes, their big wins on their run to the 2007 National Championship game were won with their defense. In each game they held their opponent well under their season average. Duke was averaging nearly 90 points a game that season and they scored 52 points in that game. They held LSU to 35 points, in the entire game!
I think that this season has had a share of missed opportunities along with missed defensive assignments. I have not seen so many back door passes and easy layups scored against a Rutgers defense. And the "55" press? Forget about it! I think I've only seen it work once? And we were beaten deep several times on the press against Syracuse, that NEVER happens. What has happened is that the kids don't understand the value of solid defense. In other words: they have not bought into the Stringer Philosophy. Practices probably consist of constant defense because that is the philosophy. Then when they work on offense it is stressed as important but the players are so focused on defense that they can not think offensively. Who's fault? You can't blame the kids because they have been influenced by adults. The adults who were part of their lives are those that may not have instilled the value of teamwork, hard work and dedication. Personally I think that some of our younger athletes seem out of shape. Something I have not seen on a Rutgers team. It also seems that fundamentals are lost, and that makes it so hard when you are a college athlete. Who has time to learn many defensive and offensive sets as well as basic fast break techniques?
I do hope that the kids buy into the Stringer Philosophy because it has worked in the past. Defense leads to offense....steals lead to fast breaks which leads to points. Until the players get that and get the Stringer Philosophy then they will not have pride wearing the Rutgers uniform.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
:14.4
55-52 with 28 seconds left, Brittnay Ray puts up a three pointer, it's short. St. John's gets the rebound and the player is fouled with :14.4. The clock stops and the fans put on their coats and leave. What? You are leaving? You have got to be kidding me! Do you know something about the fate of the two free throws that Nadirah McKenith is going to attempt? Really? You are leaving?!
What is it with "fans" that leave a close game with seconds left? And I do not mean 10 or 15 people, I mean 1/2 of the crowd getting up and leaving. Most of the people leaving are those who have the opportunity to sit in the lower lever seats where you have to donate your life to obtain tickets.
I've been seeing this scenario unfold for many, many years at Rutgers University. Frankly, I'm sick of it. Granted yes, it's been a difficult year for every RU fan and I might just let this slide if it wasn't for the fact that this happens at every game. It does not matter if we are winning, it's a nail bitter or we are getting blown out....the fans leave. Really, how difficult is it to leave the parking lot when there are 3,667 fans in attendance? It's not like going to Yankee Stadium on Opening Day and trying to leave with 54,000 other fans at 4:00 in the Bronx!
How do you think it looks to potential Rutgers players to see fans dropping support with 14 ticks left? If I were a recruit I might shake my head at them and think "wow, they can't even stay a few more seconds and show support?" If your team plays well or not, you owe it to the student athletes to show your support. Being a Division I student athlete on a top tier program is a feat in and of itself!
Come on people, support your student athletes. The least you can do is to wait until the end of the game and applaud them for their effort (which they showed quite a solid effort Wednesday night). Don't get me wrong, the fan support is great and the RAC can get quite loud when it needs to....just hang in there a few seconds and applaud their effort. They appreciate that we trek out to each home game and show support, so why can't you just wait and applaud their effort? Why stop at support during the big moments of the game? Why not wait the last :14.4 and applaud their effort?
I guess the only upside is that it sames me some time exiting the parking lot.
What is it with "fans" that leave a close game with seconds left? And I do not mean 10 or 15 people, I mean 1/2 of the crowd getting up and leaving. Most of the people leaving are those who have the opportunity to sit in the lower lever seats where you have to donate your life to obtain tickets.
I've been seeing this scenario unfold for many, many years at Rutgers University. Frankly, I'm sick of it. Granted yes, it's been a difficult year for every RU fan and I might just let this slide if it wasn't for the fact that this happens at every game. It does not matter if we are winning, it's a nail bitter or we are getting blown out....the fans leave. Really, how difficult is it to leave the parking lot when there are 3,667 fans in attendance? It's not like going to Yankee Stadium on Opening Day and trying to leave with 54,000 other fans at 4:00 in the Bronx!
How do you think it looks to potential Rutgers players to see fans dropping support with 14 ticks left? If I were a recruit I might shake my head at them and think "wow, they can't even stay a few more seconds and show support?" If your team plays well or not, you owe it to the student athletes to show your support. Being a Division I student athlete on a top tier program is a feat in and of itself!
Come on people, support your student athletes. The least you can do is to wait until the end of the game and applaud them for their effort (which they showed quite a solid effort Wednesday night). Don't get me wrong, the fan support is great and the RAC can get quite loud when it needs to....just hang in there a few seconds and applaud their effort. They appreciate that we trek out to each home game and show support, so why can't you just wait and applaud their effort? Why stop at support during the big moments of the game? Why not wait the last :14.4 and applaud their effort?
I guess the only upside is that it sames me some time exiting the parking lot.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
The Husky Hurt
A brief hiatus.....but it's nearly March.
UCONN will win in San Antonio in the same fashion they did 8 years ago. Destroying anything in its path like Godzilla did to Tokyo. There is no question in my mind that UCONN will be Champions again. However, should Hawaii become the 50th state this winter to get snow, there is a chance they may stumble. Chances of either happening...no chance.
In research for this blog I decided to look at the stats for the team that I think could beat UCONN, the one that already has been beaten by them but played a good game against them, until the second half. That team is Duke.
We all know Duke is really good this year and we all know how good UCONN is this season. But then I looked at the stats and UCONN is in a class by itself, like the 2002 team. Here are some numbers I pulled:
Points Scored
1,812-Duke
2, 162-UCONN
Points Allowed
1,345-Duke
1,194-UCONN
Points per game
72.6-Duke
83.2-UCONN
Points Allowed per game
53.8-Duke
45.9-UCONN
Field Goal %
42.7%-Duke
52.0%-UCONN
3-Point FG %
30.1%-Duke
33.5%-UCONN
Free Throw %
67.6%-Duke
74.6%-UCONN
Score by Periods
852, 964-Duke
1200, 962-UCONN
Final Stat of interest....and just a side note...
All 5 starters (all 5!) are shooting over 40% in field goals (not 3-pointers) for UCONN. Let's break it down further: Maya Moore-52.8%, Tina Charles-62.6%, Kalana Green-59.1%, Tiffany Hayes-45.2%, Caroline Doty-41.8%. Most top caliber teams, including Duke would be lucky to have 2 hitting over 45% from the floor, UCONN has 4!
Bottom line, UCONN is a power and the National Championship will stay in Storrs for one more year. Player of the year will also stay in Storrs, but not a repeat for Moore as her teammate Tina Charles will walk away with POY and Wade trophy. If she doesn't, it's a travesty!
UCONN will win in San Antonio in the same fashion they did 8 years ago. Destroying anything in its path like Godzilla did to Tokyo. There is no question in my mind that UCONN will be Champions again. However, should Hawaii become the 50th state this winter to get snow, there is a chance they may stumble. Chances of either happening...no chance.
In research for this blog I decided to look at the stats for the team that I think could beat UCONN, the one that already has been beaten by them but played a good game against them, until the second half. That team is Duke.
We all know Duke is really good this year and we all know how good UCONN is this season. But then I looked at the stats and UCONN is in a class by itself, like the 2002 team. Here are some numbers I pulled:
Points Scored
1,812-Duke
2, 162-UCONN
Points Allowed
1,345-Duke
1,194-UCONN
Points per game
72.6-Duke
83.2-UCONN
Points Allowed per game
53.8-Duke
45.9-UCONN
Field Goal %
42.7%-Duke
52.0%-UCONN
3-Point FG %
30.1%-Duke
33.5%-UCONN
Free Throw %
67.6%-Duke
74.6%-UCONN
Score by Periods
852, 964-Duke
1200, 962-UCONN
Final Stat of interest....and just a side note...
All 5 starters (all 5!) are shooting over 40% in field goals (not 3-pointers) for UCONN. Let's break it down further: Maya Moore-52.8%, Tina Charles-62.6%, Kalana Green-59.1%, Tiffany Hayes-45.2%, Caroline Doty-41.8%. Most top caliber teams, including Duke would be lucky to have 2 hitting over 45% from the floor, UCONN has 4!
Bottom line, UCONN is a power and the National Championship will stay in Storrs for one more year. Player of the year will also stay in Storrs, but not a repeat for Moore as her teammate Tina Charles will walk away with POY and Wade trophy. If she doesn't, it's a travesty!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A few things to discuss
Pre-Season All Americans
Is there anyone surprised by the pre-season All-American list?
Maya Moore-UCONN
Tina Charles-UCONN
Jayne Appel-Stanford
Jantel Lavender-Ohio State
Monica Wright-Virginia
Moore becomes only the 7th pre-season unanimous selection for the All-American squad. Let's see the company she is in:
Chamique Holdsclaw
Diana Taurasi
Alana Beard
Seimone Augustus
Candace Parker
Courtney Paris
I will take Moore over 50% of them.
Monica Wright puts UVA on the pre-season All American map, first nomination since Wendy Palmer was selected for the 1995-1996 season. Jantel Lavender is the only the second Buckeye on the roster, Jessica Davenport was the first.
On another note: Elena Delle Donne was an honorable mention for the pre-season All American squad...without playing a Division I game and with having taken a year off. Hmm, road trip to Newark? I think so....
Skylar Diggins is the real deal
So it was only an exhibition game, but it was an exhibition game against another college team (Indianapolis, to be exact). But what she did in her first game, in front of over 7,000 fans, was score 17 points. And she made an immediate impact when she came into the game by forcing a turnover and getting an assist, no jitters for her! Okay, so you say that it's the home court, she can't play on the road. See, that is where you are wrong...this kid is the real deal and Notre Dame will win the Big East...not this year since they barely have any inside height...but next year, and the year after, and the year after. Notre Dame NCAA champs in 2011.
Is there anyone surprised by the pre-season All-American list?
Maya Moore-UCONN
Tina Charles-UCONN
Jayne Appel-Stanford
Jantel Lavender-Ohio State
Monica Wright-Virginia
Moore becomes only the 7th pre-season unanimous selection for the All-American squad. Let's see the company she is in:
Chamique Holdsclaw
Diana Taurasi
Alana Beard
Seimone Augustus
Candace Parker
Courtney Paris
I will take Moore over 50% of them.
Monica Wright puts UVA on the pre-season All American map, first nomination since Wendy Palmer was selected for the 1995-1996 season. Jantel Lavender is the only the second Buckeye on the roster, Jessica Davenport was the first.
On another note: Elena Delle Donne was an honorable mention for the pre-season All American squad...without playing a Division I game and with having taken a year off. Hmm, road trip to Newark? I think so....
Skylar Diggins is the real deal
So it was only an exhibition game, but it was an exhibition game against another college team (Indianapolis, to be exact). But what she did in her first game, in front of over 7,000 fans, was score 17 points. And she made an immediate impact when she came into the game by forcing a turnover and getting an assist, no jitters for her! Okay, so you say that it's the home court, she can't play on the road. See, that is where you are wrong...this kid is the real deal and Notre Dame will win the Big East...not this year since they barely have any inside height...but next year, and the year after, and the year after. Notre Dame NCAA champs in 2011.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Sad day in Russia...
Yesterday I talked about Pokey Chatman and how she coaches a team that many coaches would die for. The team with Diana Taurasi. Today I had intended on discussing a great article I found called "Rolling in Rubles" about the relationship between Diana, and the rest of the Spartak Moscow team, and their CEO/General Manager Shabtai von Kalmanovic. However, in researching for a little bit of information on him, I came upon this news article: Shabtai von Kalmanovic died a tragic and sudden death last night. After further research on the shock of this loss, I came upon this tragic article about the former KGB member. Okay, maybe he didn't lead the best life in the past but there is no denying what he has done for women's basketball overseas.
What I was going to discuss was how this man did not take a cut from any revenue generated because he gave out free tickets to the games. He spent millions of dollars to build a team of great women's basketball players, he considered it his hobby. What I got from the article was a man that was passionate about what he loved and he took care of his investment.
To read the great article on Diana and the running of Spartak Moscow, click here. Let me know your thoughts on the article and how it seems that many of the teams are run in Europe.
What I was going to discuss was how this man did not take a cut from any revenue generated because he gave out free tickets to the games. He spent millions of dollars to build a team of great women's basketball players, he considered it his hobby. What I got from the article was a man that was passionate about what he loved and he took care of his investment.
To read the great article on Diana and the running of Spartak Moscow, click here. Let me know your thoughts on the article and how it seems that many of the teams are run in Europe.
Monday, November 2, 2009
November is the Month of Fun!
November is my favorite month. Not because it's my sister's birthday (as much as I love her), not because it holds my favorite holiday (Thanksgiving)...but because it's the start of College Basketball GAMES. Yes, mid-October is grand for its "start of practice" but to me, it is only anticipation for November. This is the month of fun.
My Rutgers team starts their official play on Sunday, November 15th at the RAC against the team that made it to the Final Four and lost to UCONN in the semi-finals: Stanford. Stanford is also the team with a pre-season rank of #2, while Rutgers snuck in at #25. (Click for complete rankings)
What do I expect? Realistically: I can not help but feel that Stanford will be in the Final Four again this year while Rutgers will probably be in New Jersey. Noticed I said "probably". After years and years (25th year to be exact) of watching Rutgers play basketball I've come to expect the unexpected. If they are picked to finish high in the rankings, they stumble. If they are picked to finish low in the rankings, they succeed. They have one of the best motivators in the game as their coach. Her motto is simply, "It's not how you start but how you finish." Just look at the 2007 season, not supposed to be a great season (great I suppose is calculated by how many times, if at all, you are picked to beat UCONN) and they went all the way to the Championship game. But really, realistically: Stanford will win, probably by a lot (not like 2 years ago). But that's okay, Rutgers never really "shows up" until January anyway. The Big East is really tough this year and as we have seen in the past, playing in a tough conference only makes you stronger come the Big Dance in March. So this is why I love November, it's the start of the roller coaster ride that ends in April.
Other News
Props to Diana Taurasi who quietly served her 1-day in jail sentence last week. Quietly is the key word: I had no idea until I checked the women's hoops news today. Complete article here.
The European league is getting ready to kick into high gear as many of the top American players are headed over, if they aren't already over there. Looks like the favorite in Russia is the team coached by former LSU superstar/coach: Pokey Chatman (who has a great twitter, btw). Spartak Moscow. They have a great roster that many teams in any country would die for.
My Rutgers team starts their official play on Sunday, November 15th at the RAC against the team that made it to the Final Four and lost to UCONN in the semi-finals: Stanford. Stanford is also the team with a pre-season rank of #2, while Rutgers snuck in at #25. (Click for complete rankings)
What do I expect? Realistically: I can not help but feel that Stanford will be in the Final Four again this year while Rutgers will probably be in New Jersey. Noticed I said "probably". After years and years (25th year to be exact) of watching Rutgers play basketball I've come to expect the unexpected. If they are picked to finish high in the rankings, they stumble. If they are picked to finish low in the rankings, they succeed. They have one of the best motivators in the game as their coach. Her motto is simply, "It's not how you start but how you finish." Just look at the 2007 season, not supposed to be a great season (great I suppose is calculated by how many times, if at all, you are picked to beat UCONN) and they went all the way to the Championship game. But really, realistically: Stanford will win, probably by a lot (not like 2 years ago). But that's okay, Rutgers never really "shows up" until January anyway. The Big East is really tough this year and as we have seen in the past, playing in a tough conference only makes you stronger come the Big Dance in March. So this is why I love November, it's the start of the roller coaster ride that ends in April.
Other News
Props to Diana Taurasi who quietly served her 1-day in jail sentence last week. Quietly is the key word: I had no idea until I checked the women's hoops news today. Complete article here.
The European league is getting ready to kick into high gear as many of the top American players are headed over, if they aren't already over there. Looks like the favorite in Russia is the team coached by former LSU superstar/coach: Pokey Chatman (who has a great twitter, btw). Spartak Moscow. They have a great roster that many teams in any country would die for.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Women Unequal Everywhere...
So the recent announcement that Phoenix, AZ is going to "do something" about Diana Taurasi's July DUI honestly made me shake my head. Here is the low down: Two weeks ago the Phoenix court dropped the "Extreme DUI" charge and the speeding charge against Taurasi if she pled guilty to "DUI slightly impaired". So she did that. Now, since she pled guilty she can get this: 10 consecutive days in prison, various fines, suspended license, probation and possible counseling. So in other words, since she's not Dante Stallworth she will have to do this? Here is the difference between the two of them: Diana honestly realizes she messed up, is remorseful, feels she let her family, friends, fans and teammates down. Dante barely apologized and oh yes, he killed a person while driving drunk and his BAL was nearly 3 times the legal limit. Fine, his career is in question but let's be honest, he'll be in the NFL next year, no question about it. So where is the justice? Just because she's not a HUGE star...which she totally is a HUGE star...she will have to pay the piper? I know this: she'll do it with dignity, whatever she is sentenced to. She'll take it in the chin and just keep going. And I bet this: she won't cry that she found herself while in prison like so many of the male athletes have said. Gee, didn't know that you were lost Michael, Dante, PacMan....amazing you were able to find yourself.
The blog by John Altavilla can be read here.
The blog by John Altavilla can be read here.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
No Picture Compares.....Yet....
Of the many "First practice" pictures I have seen, none equal this one posted on "govolsxtra.com":
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Other Champions from around the World
After a bit of a hiatus, I'll start this blog again....first topic of discussion: Champions!
The Phoenix Mercury won their 2nd WNBA title in 3 years a few weeks back. I'm sure most of you know this. Also, did you know that this series was the highest watched WNBA Finals. According to ESPN, the five-game Finals averaged 548,000 viewers, up 73 percent from 316,000 in 2008. The 13 postseason games aired on ESPN2 averaged 435,000 viewers, a 54 percent increase from the 282,000 last year. In all of the years I have watched the WNBA, this was the best series EVER. It created buzz, energy and people who may not have watched the WNBA could be fans for life. Great series!
So we all know about the Mercury, but what about some other Champions?
In China, PLA (People's Liberation Army) won their 7th consecutive Chinese National Games title by beating Liaoning 90-68 over the weekend. I'm impressed that this team can win all of the time, reminds me of Houston Comets and their run of Championships. PLA has a familiar WNBA player on their team: Chicago Sky's Chen Nan. Nan scored 16 points in the final. Liu Dan (an up and coming star for China) had 20 points.
In Africa, Senegal won the Women's Basketball African Championships with a 72-57 win over Mali. This is Senegal's first title since 2000.
In June, France beat Russia to win the European Championship. However, Russia is hardly concerned because they did not have one of their key players: Becky Hammon.
Congrats to those that won...or should I saw to those that I could find on the web. I'm sure there were countless other Championship games played around the world.
The Phoenix Mercury won their 2nd WNBA title in 3 years a few weeks back. I'm sure most of you know this. Also, did you know that this series was the highest watched WNBA Finals. According to ESPN, the five-game Finals averaged 548,000 viewers, up 73 percent from 316,000 in 2008. The 13 postseason games aired on ESPN2 averaged 435,000 viewers, a 54 percent increase from the 282,000 last year. In all of the years I have watched the WNBA, this was the best series EVER. It created buzz, energy and people who may not have watched the WNBA could be fans for life. Great series!
So we all know about the Mercury, but what about some other Champions?
In China, PLA (People's Liberation Army) won their 7th consecutive Chinese National Games title by beating Liaoning 90-68 over the weekend. I'm impressed that this team can win all of the time, reminds me of Houston Comets and their run of Championships. PLA has a familiar WNBA player on their team: Chicago Sky's Chen Nan. Nan scored 16 points in the final. Liu Dan (an up and coming star for China) had 20 points.
In Africa, Senegal won the Women's Basketball African Championships with a 72-57 win over Mali. This is Senegal's first title since 2000.
In June, France beat Russia to win the European Championship. However, Russia is hardly concerned because they did not have one of their key players: Becky Hammon.
Congrats to those that won...or should I saw to those that I could find on the web. I'm sure there were countless other Championship games played around the world.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The adventure of Delle Donne
I'd just like to start off by saying how happy I am for Elena Delle Donne. No, not because she's not at UCONN with the possibility of destroying my beloved Rutgers team...but because she made a decision for the most important person: herself.
This past Friday she started practice as a University of Delaware Blue Hen. Has she had any impact yet? You bet! Season ticket sales have tripled and she hasn't even played in a game yet. In an article on WQAD.com, she talks about how this is the first time she has had fun playing hoops since the recruiting started in High School. Please note the word "fun" in that sentence. Shouldn't that be what sports is all about? Fun? When did that change? I remember playing sports and having fun, I never found it to be a chore until my Senior year of High School. Do you know what I did? I stopped playing because it became a chore, work, extra stress, etc. I was burned out. I wasn't having fun anymore. I am so happy that Elena is having fun and I wish her the best of luck. Maybe I'll have to take a road trip to Newark, DE to see her play. I bet she is fun to watch when she is having fun playing. You can read the excellent article on Delle Donne by clicking here: Delle Donne Ready to Give Hoops Another Try.
This past Friday she started practice as a University of Delaware Blue Hen. Has she had any impact yet? You bet! Season ticket sales have tripled and she hasn't even played in a game yet. In an article on WQAD.com, she talks about how this is the first time she has had fun playing hoops since the recruiting started in High School. Please note the word "fun" in that sentence. Shouldn't that be what sports is all about? Fun? When did that change? I remember playing sports and having fun, I never found it to be a chore until my Senior year of High School. Do you know what I did? I stopped playing because it became a chore, work, extra stress, etc. I was burned out. I wasn't having fun anymore. I am so happy that Elena is having fun and I wish her the best of luck. Maybe I'll have to take a road trip to Newark, DE to see her play. I bet she is fun to watch when she is having fun playing. You can read the excellent article on Delle Donne by clicking here: Delle Donne Ready to Give Hoops Another Try.
The Shock to Tulsa?
Sad reality: It does not matter how many titles you bring to a city, if a city doesn't recognize your greatness.....you are moved. Unlike the Houston Comets, who had a fan base, the Detroit Shock have no large fan base. Frankly, Detroit is not willing to keep a women's basketball team (even they they are super good) in a city that doesn't care about them. Or at least that is what it seems like.
Looks like Tulsa, Oklahoma will not get the Seattle Storm....looks like the Detroit Shock are moving there. Three Championships, WNBA All-Stars and they are being moved to Tulsa. So close to being one of the original teams (1998). I think Tulsa is a good move for Detroit. The city seems excited to welcome a team there....just what the Shock need.
Good luck Tulsa! Complete article here.
Looks like Tulsa, Oklahoma will not get the Seattle Storm....looks like the Detroit Shock are moving there. Three Championships, WNBA All-Stars and they are being moved to Tulsa. So close to being one of the original teams (1998). I think Tulsa is a good move for Detroit. The city seems excited to welcome a team there....just what the Shock need.
Good luck Tulsa! Complete article here.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Playoffs....Round 2
Let the games begin!
Round 2 starts tonight and both match ups prove to be noteworthy!
Indiana Fever vs Detroit Shock
Game 1: Wed 9/23 - (Detroit) 8:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Fri 9/25 - (Indiana) 7:00 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Sat 9/26 - (Indiana) 7:00 pm (NBA TV, if necessary) <--and it will be This series is going to three games, I guarantee it. Even though Indiana won the series 3-1 during the regular season this Shock team is totally different then the June/July Shock team. Oh, and we can't forget that Detroit always plays better in the playoffs. They are a team that gets it, they get that it's "do or die" and they have the players that can "do". Deanna Nolan is key to the success of the Shock and I'm sure she won't disappoint. She is consistent and incredibly talented in the post season (and in general). Even with the hit to the head she took in Game 1 against Atlanta, she still dropped in 22 the next game. I think she is the most under the radar player in the league, not underrated but under the radar. There have always been distractions for the Shock or a great player named Katie Smith overshadowing Nolan. Now it's up to Nolan and I know she will not disappoint. I love watching her play because she gets such sheer joy out of playing the game, something that is lacking with so many players! Keys for Indiana
For Indiana to win it's very simple. Stop Deanna Nolan. If they can limit her to the 13, 16 and 4 points she had in the first three meetings the Fever won, then the Fever have a chance. Limit her looks, stop the transition game and get those rebounds. Tammy Sutton-Brown will have her work cut out with Kara Braxton (I can not wait to see that match up) so look for some heavy physical play in the post!
Keys for Detroit
Stop Tamika Catchings and feed the ball to Deanna Nolan. When Nolan is hitting, the rest of the Shock follow. When Deanna is on...look out. So, let her do her thing and drive to the hoop, hit pull up jumpers, set up the post players....get her rolling because when her confidence is high you can see the rest of the team getting confident.
Shock win the series 2-1 and go to their 4th straight WNBA Final.
Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury
Game 1: Wed 9/23 - (Los Angeles) 10:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Fri 9/25 - (Phoenix) 10:00 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Sat 9/26 - (Phoenix) 10:00 pm (NBA TV, if necessary)
This is another great series and one I'm really looking forward to. Phoenix is 3-1 against LA this season but again, like the Indiana/Detroit series, this is a different team then the 1 they beat in June/July. But so is Phoenix. If Phoenix plays the way they are capable of playing, there is no reason to evaluate the series (or the rest of the post season). But sometimes they just don't "show up". First game against San Antonio the Mercury looked almost star struck! It was odd to see confusion and frustration on the faces of the entire Mercury team. Nobody took charge and in the end, they dropped Game 1. Could that happen again? You bet. LA is going to be rocking, they get great attendance and this could be a Legend's last WNBA game in the city she grew up in. Emotion will be high and the Sparks will be determined to not let Lisa Leslie leave LA without a victory.
Keys for Los Angeles
Stop Diana Taurasi from getting pull up shots. Face guard her and always put a hand in her face. If you can frustrate her, perhaps you have a shot. Let Tina Thompson and Lisa Leslie pound the inside, that is where Phoenix might be "weaker". It's important for LA to win the rebound battle, if they can limit the second chance points and keep DeWanna Bonner in check then perhaps they have a chance to win the series. But doing both of these things will be tough to do for 3 games.
Keys for Phoenix
Slow down Candace Parker (I'm not sure she can be stopped so slowing her roll is important). It's important to always box her out so put your best box-er-outter on her at all times, no excuses for her to duck inside and grab easy rebounds untouched. But most importantly, get Diana Taurasi involved in every play in the first quarter, if she doesn't at least touch the ball then the confidence won't be there.
Phoenix wins 2-1
Round 2 starts tonight and both match ups prove to be noteworthy!
Indiana Fever vs Detroit Shock
Game 1: Wed 9/23 - (Detroit) 8:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Fri 9/25 - (Indiana) 7:00 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Sat 9/26 - (Indiana) 7:00 pm (NBA TV, if necessary) <--and it will be This series is going to three games, I guarantee it. Even though Indiana won the series 3-1 during the regular season this Shock team is totally different then the June/July Shock team. Oh, and we can't forget that Detroit always plays better in the playoffs. They are a team that gets it, they get that it's "do or die" and they have the players that can "do". Deanna Nolan is key to the success of the Shock and I'm sure she won't disappoint. She is consistent and incredibly talented in the post season (and in general). Even with the hit to the head she took in Game 1 against Atlanta, she still dropped in 22 the next game. I think she is the most under the radar player in the league, not underrated but under the radar. There have always been distractions for the Shock or a great player named Katie Smith overshadowing Nolan. Now it's up to Nolan and I know she will not disappoint. I love watching her play because she gets such sheer joy out of playing the game, something that is lacking with so many players! Keys for Indiana
For Indiana to win it's very simple. Stop Deanna Nolan. If they can limit her to the 13, 16 and 4 points she had in the first three meetings the Fever won, then the Fever have a chance. Limit her looks, stop the transition game and get those rebounds. Tammy Sutton-Brown will have her work cut out with Kara Braxton (I can not wait to see that match up) so look for some heavy physical play in the post!
Keys for Detroit
Stop Tamika Catchings and feed the ball to Deanna Nolan. When Nolan is hitting, the rest of the Shock follow. When Deanna is on...look out. So, let her do her thing and drive to the hoop, hit pull up jumpers, set up the post players....get her rolling because when her confidence is high you can see the rest of the team getting confident.
Shock win the series 2-1 and go to their 4th straight WNBA Final.
Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury
Game 1: Wed 9/23 - (Los Angeles) 10:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Fri 9/25 - (Phoenix) 10:00 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Sat 9/26 - (Phoenix) 10:00 pm (NBA TV, if necessary)
This is another great series and one I'm really looking forward to. Phoenix is 3-1 against LA this season but again, like the Indiana/Detroit series, this is a different team then the 1 they beat in June/July. But so is Phoenix. If Phoenix plays the way they are capable of playing, there is no reason to evaluate the series (or the rest of the post season). But sometimes they just don't "show up". First game against San Antonio the Mercury looked almost star struck! It was odd to see confusion and frustration on the faces of the entire Mercury team. Nobody took charge and in the end, they dropped Game 1. Could that happen again? You bet. LA is going to be rocking, they get great attendance and this could be a Legend's last WNBA game in the city she grew up in. Emotion will be high and the Sparks will be determined to not let Lisa Leslie leave LA without a victory.
Keys for Los Angeles
Stop Diana Taurasi from getting pull up shots. Face guard her and always put a hand in her face. If you can frustrate her, perhaps you have a shot. Let Tina Thompson and Lisa Leslie pound the inside, that is where Phoenix might be "weaker". It's important for LA to win the rebound battle, if they can limit the second chance points and keep DeWanna Bonner in check then perhaps they have a chance to win the series. But doing both of these things will be tough to do for 3 games.
Keys for Phoenix
Slow down Candace Parker (I'm not sure she can be stopped so slowing her roll is important). It's important to always box her out so put your best box-er-outter on her at all times, no excuses for her to duck inside and grab easy rebounds untouched. But most importantly, get Diana Taurasi involved in every play in the first quarter, if she doesn't at least touch the ball then the confidence won't be there.
Phoenix wins 2-1
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
An then there were Four...
Go Phoenix! I admit, I fell asleep at half time only to wake up to a rerun of poker on ESPN2 (sometimes I wish I lived in the middle of the country). Anyway, I could tell before I nodded off to sleepy land, that this game was going to be a dual between Becky Hammon and Diana Taurasi. And apparently, I was right. Hammon hit for 29 and Taurasi hit for 30. Both excellent players, both deserving of the MVP nod. Great games played by both but the Mercury free throw shooting proved to be too much for San Antonio as they were sent packing. Tomorrow night, the Final Four start their series of games. Preview tomorrow....
This does, sadly, end the WNBA career of one of the great WNBA players: Vickie Johnson. She rocked the house in NY, that smooth shooting lefty that would drop in 20 before you realized it. Great player, great person...you'll be missed. Be a great coach, pass your knowledge of the game onto the younger generation....best of luck!
Cappie Pondexter
Did you all see the new hair on Cappie? Well, shorter hair with funky design I should say. Comments? I love Cappie and her expressive personality....how can you not? (okay, so I also love her because she put RU on the map...but still...she's just so likable!)
Should we really care?
Okay, what is the big deal with Alysa Auriemma (aka, Geno's daughter) writing a blog for a local Connecticut newspaper and being paid for it? Are you serious? Apparently, according to the Hartford Courant, Alysa was paid for blog posts in July and August. I guess everyone was in a tizzy because it was a conflict of interest....how? It's a blog, it's not writing a news article and personally I think a lot of the writers in Hartford are so bias for UCONN that they are all in a conflict of interest. Read the articles and let me know what you think...
Latest article
Original Note on the situation
This does, sadly, end the WNBA career of one of the great WNBA players: Vickie Johnson. She rocked the house in NY, that smooth shooting lefty that would drop in 20 before you realized it. Great player, great person...you'll be missed. Be a great coach, pass your knowledge of the game onto the younger generation....best of luck!
Cappie Pondexter
Did you all see the new hair on Cappie? Well, shorter hair with funky design I should say. Comments? I love Cappie and her expressive personality....how can you not? (okay, so I also love her because she put RU on the map...but still...she's just so likable!)
(wnba.com)
Should we really care?
Okay, what is the big deal with Alysa Auriemma (aka, Geno's daughter) writing a blog for a local Connecticut newspaper and being paid for it? Are you serious? Apparently, according to the Hartford Courant, Alysa was paid for blog posts in July and August. I guess everyone was in a tizzy because it was a conflict of interest....how? It's a blog, it's not writing a news article and personally I think a lot of the writers in Hartford are so bias for UCONN that they are all in a conflict of interest. Read the articles and let me know what you think...
Latest article
Original Note on the situation
Monday, September 21, 2009
WNBA Action Heats Up!
Tonight is Game 3 of the Phoenix vs San Antonio series. I'm not sure what happened to Phoenix last week, did they forget to show up at the arena? Did they forget it was the playoffs? Alas, that game is in the past and Phoenix (and my keys to winning) showed up and dismantled the Silver Stars on Saturday to set up a Game 3 showdown in Phoenix.
San Antonio Silver Stars vs Phoenix Mercury (10:00 pm, ESPN2)
Los Angeles Sparks vs Seattle Storm
I'm tired of hearing that people are surprised by how well the Sparks are playing. Of course they are playing well! Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker are on fire and Betty Lennox is totally under rated! Parker and Leslie missed a good portion of the season so they are just in mid-late season form now. Tina Thompson plays well when others around her play well so, guess what, she's on fire too. Best pickup in the off season for them was Thompson, one of the few remaining originals (Tameka Dixon is the other one). So yes, I'm not surprised LA won the series against the Storm. LA frustrated the Storm and took the win. Swin Cash was pretty much a no show in their two losses so guess what, the Storm lost. Maybe next year...
Detroit Shock vs Atlanta Dream
Experience and veterans got the best of the Dream this year. Their first playoff spot but they'll be back. Angel McCoughtry is the real deal and she'll help lead the Dream to a WNBA final one day. Holdsclaw was back but not 100% and de Souza ended up being a non-factor because Kara Braxton played liked the world was ending tomorrow. Great series, look for the next series to be just as entertaining!
Indiana Fever vs Washington Mystics
I think this was the best series so far. Indiana should've lost both games that they won, period. But, they came back like the veterans that they are (Tamika Catchings was unbelievable in Game 2) and won both games. What amazed me was that in Game 2 the Mystics had no excuse to not win that game! They led the ENTIRE game...up until the very end. Washington needs to find that desire to put a knife in their opponent, they just can't seem to finish.
So depending on what team shows up tonight for Phoenix, it could be a very interesting remainder of the playoffs. If the real Phoenix team shows up, I don't see how anyone can beat them. But, they showed that they can be defeated because San Antonio really rattled them on Thursday night. Should prove to be a great game, lots of emotion flying as this could be VJ's last game in the WNBA!
San Antonio Silver Stars vs Phoenix Mercury (10:00 pm, ESPN2)
Los Angeles Sparks vs Seattle Storm
I'm tired of hearing that people are surprised by how well the Sparks are playing. Of course they are playing well! Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker are on fire and Betty Lennox is totally under rated! Parker and Leslie missed a good portion of the season so they are just in mid-late season form now. Tina Thompson plays well when others around her play well so, guess what, she's on fire too. Best pickup in the off season for them was Thompson, one of the few remaining originals (Tameka Dixon is the other one). So yes, I'm not surprised LA won the series against the Storm. LA frustrated the Storm and took the win. Swin Cash was pretty much a no show in their two losses so guess what, the Storm lost. Maybe next year...
Detroit Shock vs Atlanta Dream
Experience and veterans got the best of the Dream this year. Their first playoff spot but they'll be back. Angel McCoughtry is the real deal and she'll help lead the Dream to a WNBA final one day. Holdsclaw was back but not 100% and de Souza ended up being a non-factor because Kara Braxton played liked the world was ending tomorrow. Great series, look for the next series to be just as entertaining!
Indiana Fever vs Washington Mystics
I think this was the best series so far. Indiana should've lost both games that they won, period. But, they came back like the veterans that they are (Tamika Catchings was unbelievable in Game 2) and won both games. What amazed me was that in Game 2 the Mystics had no excuse to not win that game! They led the ENTIRE game...up until the very end. Washington needs to find that desire to put a knife in their opponent, they just can't seem to finish.
So depending on what team shows up tonight for Phoenix, it could be a very interesting remainder of the playoffs. If the real Phoenix team shows up, I don't see how anyone can beat them. But, they showed that they can be defeated because San Antonio really rattled them on Thursday night. Should prove to be a great game, lots of emotion flying as this could be VJ's last game in the WNBA!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
WNBA Playoffs Day 2
Great games last night, Detroit comes back to win and LA wins, perhaps, Lisa Leslie's final game in LA (which it won't be, sorry Seattle).
Los Angeles vs Seattle
Los Angeles, 1-0
Detroit vs Atlanta
Detroit, 1-0
The match ups tonight will be good too, well one of them will be.
Indiana Fever @ Washington Mystics (7:00 pm)
Phoenix Mercury @ San Antonio Silver Stars (9:00 pm)
Indiana Fever vs Washington Mystics
Game 1: Thu 9/17 (Washington) - 7:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Sat 9/19 (Indiana) - 7:00 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Mon 9/21 - (Indiana)-8:00 pm (ESPN2, if necessary)
Both teams are banged up which should prove to be interesting. All season long I've heard how Indiana can't win on the road (and I've thought that too). But they were almost .500 on the road, NOT bad. I'd take that. For Indiana both Tammy Sutton-Brown and Katie Douglas are still recovering. Tamika Catchings left the game early on on Sunday after her head collided with Connecticut Sun's Tan White's head (ouch).
For Washington, Alana Beard is recovering from a sprained ankle. Even with Beard though, the Mystics didn't win one of the four games they played against Indiana. Another issue for the Mystics; the game will not be played at the Verizon Center because some dinosaurs are marching around the Verizon Center floor. If you've read my blogs, you'll remember me talking about this before (or click here).
So some notes:
-Both teams average 77 points per game
-Washington allows 77 points per game vs Indiana's 71
-Both are very close on rebounding (for and against): Washington 35 for, 33 against; Indiana 33 for, 33 against.
-Indiana has 2 double figure scorers (Katie Douglas and Tamika Catchings) while Washington has 3 (Alana Beard, Lindsey Harding and Crystal Langhorne). But the rest of the Indiana starting 5 is nearly at double figures where Washington has a pretty big gap.
Keys for Indiana: STAY HEALTHY. Enough said....
Keys for Washington: Monique Currie has to step up for Washington to have any chance to win. If Beard is "good to go" she will not be 100% and not having her athleticism at full tilt could hurt them against a quick Indiana team. I know Monique can play, she's proven her abilities in playoff type games before. But she's also shown her ability to falter. Lindsey will have a nice series but she needs to get Langhorne the ball a lot more and pound Indiana's forwards. She has the athleticism to do it. Washington has the athletes to succeed, they just need to put it together and stay consistent for a full 40 minutes.
So the series will end up with Indiana winning 2-0. Washington allows opponents to shoot nearly 44% from the field, if you keep allowing that you are going home early. I think the games will be tight since Washington is very athletic and strong but I just see them falling short...barely but it's only a 3 game series and the track record is well, not there.
Phoenix Mercury vs San Antonio Silver Stars
Game 1: Thu 9/17 - (San Antonio) 9:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Sat 9/19 - (Phoenix) 10:00 pm (NBA, TV)
Game 3: Mon 9/21 - (Phoenix) 10:00 pm (ESPN2, if necessary)
Phoenix is healthy and ready to bring another Championship to Arizona. Phoenix heads to San Antonio tonight to begin the quest. They bring with them the best road record in the WNBA (11-6), WNBA scoring leader Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter is the 4th highest scorer this season and the league best average points per game at 93. So San Antonio has their work cut out for them.....hope they prepared well!
The Silver Stars are pretty healthy too but they just don't have the same kind of players Phoenix has. But, anything can happen. Becky Hammon is averaging more assists this season then any other season and she has always played well come playoff time. She also set a career high with 19.5 points per game this season. So she might be playing her best ball right now. There are just some players that can play their best in the playoffs and she's one of them. Plus she's an awesome leader that can get her team fired up.
Some notes on the teams:
-Mercury score 92 points per game BUT allow 89 points per game.
-Silver Stars score 77 points per game and their defense allows 78 per game (that's the wrong way you want that stat to be!)
-Mercury average 35 boards and allow 35 boards per game.
-Silver Stars average 31 boards and allow 35 boards per game (wrong way stat again!)
-Mercury have 5 players in double figures for scoring
-Silver Stars have 3 players in point per game averages
Keys for Phoenix: dominate the boards and protect the middle. That little one (aka Becky Hammon) loves to drive the lane. As long as Pondexter and Taurasi are playing well, Phoenix should be fine.
Keys for San Antonio: stop the perimeter game of Phoenix. If they got hot from behind the arc, forget it. Rebound, rebound, rebound! Win the boards and limit second chance points for Phoenix, stop the transition game. Let Sophia Young do her thing and let her be free in her decisions, she's a great athlete that can match the athleticism of the Mercury.
Phoenix wins the series 2-0.
Los Angeles vs Seattle
Los Angeles, 1-0
Detroit vs Atlanta
Detroit, 1-0
The match ups tonight will be good too, well one of them will be.
Indiana Fever @ Washington Mystics (7:00 pm)
Phoenix Mercury @ San Antonio Silver Stars (9:00 pm)
Indiana Fever vs Washington Mystics
Game 1: Thu 9/17 (Washington) - 7:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Sat 9/19 (Indiana) - 7:00 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Mon 9/21 - (Indiana)-8:00 pm (ESPN2, if necessary)
Both teams are banged up which should prove to be interesting. All season long I've heard how Indiana can't win on the road (and I've thought that too). But they were almost .500 on the road, NOT bad. I'd take that. For Indiana both Tammy Sutton-Brown and Katie Douglas are still recovering. Tamika Catchings left the game early on on Sunday after her head collided with Connecticut Sun's Tan White's head (ouch).
For Washington, Alana Beard is recovering from a sprained ankle. Even with Beard though, the Mystics didn't win one of the four games they played against Indiana. Another issue for the Mystics; the game will not be played at the Verizon Center because some dinosaurs are marching around the Verizon Center floor. If you've read my blogs, you'll remember me talking about this before (or click here).
So some notes:
-Both teams average 77 points per game
-Washington allows 77 points per game vs Indiana's 71
-Both are very close on rebounding (for and against): Washington 35 for, 33 against; Indiana 33 for, 33 against.
-Indiana has 2 double figure scorers (Katie Douglas and Tamika Catchings) while Washington has 3 (Alana Beard, Lindsey Harding and Crystal Langhorne). But the rest of the Indiana starting 5 is nearly at double figures where Washington has a pretty big gap.
Keys for Indiana: STAY HEALTHY. Enough said....
Keys for Washington: Monique Currie has to step up for Washington to have any chance to win. If Beard is "good to go" she will not be 100% and not having her athleticism at full tilt could hurt them against a quick Indiana team. I know Monique can play, she's proven her abilities in playoff type games before. But she's also shown her ability to falter. Lindsey will have a nice series but she needs to get Langhorne the ball a lot more and pound Indiana's forwards. She has the athleticism to do it. Washington has the athletes to succeed, they just need to put it together and stay consistent for a full 40 minutes.
So the series will end up with Indiana winning 2-0. Washington allows opponents to shoot nearly 44% from the field, if you keep allowing that you are going home early. I think the games will be tight since Washington is very athletic and strong but I just see them falling short...barely but it's only a 3 game series and the track record is well, not there.
Phoenix Mercury vs San Antonio Silver Stars
Game 1: Thu 9/17 - (San Antonio) 9:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Sat 9/19 - (Phoenix) 10:00 pm (NBA, TV)
Game 3: Mon 9/21 - (Phoenix) 10:00 pm (ESPN2, if necessary)
Phoenix is healthy and ready to bring another Championship to Arizona. Phoenix heads to San Antonio tonight to begin the quest. They bring with them the best road record in the WNBA (11-6), WNBA scoring leader Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter is the 4th highest scorer this season and the league best average points per game at 93. So San Antonio has their work cut out for them.....hope they prepared well!
The Silver Stars are pretty healthy too but they just don't have the same kind of players Phoenix has. But, anything can happen. Becky Hammon is averaging more assists this season then any other season and she has always played well come playoff time. She also set a career high with 19.5 points per game this season. So she might be playing her best ball right now. There are just some players that can play their best in the playoffs and she's one of them. Plus she's an awesome leader that can get her team fired up.
Some notes on the teams:
-Mercury score 92 points per game BUT allow 89 points per game.
-Silver Stars score 77 points per game and their defense allows 78 per game (that's the wrong way you want that stat to be!)
-Mercury average 35 boards and allow 35 boards per game.
-Silver Stars average 31 boards and allow 35 boards per game (wrong way stat again!)
-Mercury have 5 players in double figures for scoring
-Silver Stars have 3 players in point per game averages
Keys for Phoenix: dominate the boards and protect the middle. That little one (aka Becky Hammon) loves to drive the lane. As long as Pondexter and Taurasi are playing well, Phoenix should be fine.
Keys for San Antonio: stop the perimeter game of Phoenix. If they got hot from behind the arc, forget it. Rebound, rebound, rebound! Win the boards and limit second chance points for Phoenix, stop the transition game. Let Sophia Young do her thing and let her be free in her decisions, she's a great athlete that can match the athleticism of the Mercury.
Phoenix wins the series 2-0.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
WNBA Playoffs
So with the playoffs kicking off tonight (and the games actually on TV...WOW!) it's time for some predictions.
Tonight's games:
Atlanta @ Detroit (8:00 pm, ESPN2)
Seattle @ Los Angeles (10:00 pm, ESPN2)
Atlanta Dream vs Detroit Shock
Game 1: Wed 9/16 (Detroit)- 8:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Fri 9/18 (Atlanta)- 7:30 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Sun 9/20 (Atlanta)- 3:00 pm (If necessary) (ESPN2)
It's reality time for Atlanta and their first round games are going to be the toughest games they have played all season. Why? The Detroit Shock are a.) on a tear b.) no WAY are the defending Champs going to bow out in the first round (a-la Tennessee Lady Vols). On paper, Atlanta is a more balanced team but that doesn't take into account the factor of the playoffs and what it can do to a team (good and bad). Some notes:
-5 Double figure scorers for the Dream compared to 3 for Shock (1 for each team might be out).
-Katie Smith and Chamique Holdsclaw are doubtful to play in Game 1, perhaps the entire series.
-Atlanta scores average 84 PPG and allows 82 PPG
-Detroit scores 78 PPG and allows 77 PPG
-Rebounds are close: Atlanta 37, Detroit 36
-Rebounds allowed (this is where Atlanta will suffer): Atlanta 37, Detroit 32
Here are some keys for Detroit to win: If Cheryl Ford remains healthy and dominates Erika de Souza (who is averaging 2 more boards per game then Cheryl), the Shock will win. If Katie Smith can play in the series, they will win (right now it's unclear if she will play in the first game or at all).
Keys for Atlanta to win: Limit the number of second chance opportunities for the Shock and perhaps, Atlanta can sneak out the win....but I just don't see that happening.
Detroit wins the series 2-0. (I'm sorry Atlanta, I love you, but first playoffs against Detroit? Sorry ladies!).
Seattle Storm vs Los Angeles Sparks
Game 1: Wed 9/16 (LA) - 10:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Fri 9/18 (Seattle)- 10:00 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Sun 9/20 (Seattle)- 5:00 pm (if necessary) (ESPN 2)
Seattle will be without All-World player Lauren Jackson for this series BUT they get many of their other players back. Swin Cash, Sue Bird, Tanisha Wright and Katie Geralds should all be in uniform and ready to play tonight. Geralds is still pretty hurt from her injured PCL but just having her on the floor for a few minutes will create some positive vibes for the Storm. The Sparks, on the other hand, have as much playoff experience as the Storm and are flying high with emotion. Nobody on that teams wants legendary Lisa Leslie to retire without a WNBA title this season (heck, how storybook would that be...a-la David Robinson?). The Sparks are playing really good ball right now and they are healthy. Some notes:
-Both teams have 5 players scoring in double figures but Seattle is down one
-Both teams average 74 points per game and allow the same 73
-Sparks have the edge in rebounds: 37-32
-Sparks have the edge in allowed rebounds: 30-32 (but close enough)
For Seattle to win: One name-Swin Cash. If Cash plays BIG (boards and points) Seattle could win the series. What is going to hurt them is no Lauren Jackson in the playoffs. Sure, they are playing great ball without her but LA is on a mission and they know how to win and they know how to use emotion effectively (loaded with successful NCAA and Olympic Champions).
For LA to win: Rebounds, rebounds and rebounds. Stop Swin Cash and limit the assists Sue Bird gets (in other words, protect the low block) and LA can win this series.
This is the series to watch...arguably the best one of the playoffs.
Los Angeles wins 2-1.
Tonight's games:
Atlanta @ Detroit (8:00 pm, ESPN2)
Seattle @ Los Angeles (10:00 pm, ESPN2)
Atlanta Dream vs Detroit Shock
Game 1: Wed 9/16 (Detroit)- 8:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Fri 9/18 (Atlanta)- 7:30 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Sun 9/20 (Atlanta)- 3:00 pm (If necessary) (ESPN2)
It's reality time for Atlanta and their first round games are going to be the toughest games they have played all season. Why? The Detroit Shock are a.) on a tear b.) no WAY are the defending Champs going to bow out in the first round (a-la Tennessee Lady Vols). On paper, Atlanta is a more balanced team but that doesn't take into account the factor of the playoffs and what it can do to a team (good and bad). Some notes:
-5 Double figure scorers for the Dream compared to 3 for Shock (1 for each team might be out).
-Katie Smith and Chamique Holdsclaw are doubtful to play in Game 1, perhaps the entire series.
-Atlanta scores average 84 PPG and allows 82 PPG
-Detroit scores 78 PPG and allows 77 PPG
-Rebounds are close: Atlanta 37, Detroit 36
-Rebounds allowed (this is where Atlanta will suffer): Atlanta 37, Detroit 32
Here are some keys for Detroit to win: If Cheryl Ford remains healthy and dominates Erika de Souza (who is averaging 2 more boards per game then Cheryl), the Shock will win. If Katie Smith can play in the series, they will win (right now it's unclear if she will play in the first game or at all).
Keys for Atlanta to win: Limit the number of second chance opportunities for the Shock and perhaps, Atlanta can sneak out the win....but I just don't see that happening.
Detroit wins the series 2-0. (I'm sorry Atlanta, I love you, but first playoffs against Detroit? Sorry ladies!).
Seattle Storm vs Los Angeles Sparks
Game 1: Wed 9/16 (LA) - 10:00 pm (ESPN2)
Game 2: Fri 9/18 (Seattle)- 10:00 pm (NBA TV)
Game 3: Sun 9/20 (Seattle)- 5:00 pm (if necessary) (ESPN 2)
Seattle will be without All-World player Lauren Jackson for this series BUT they get many of their other players back. Swin Cash, Sue Bird, Tanisha Wright and Katie Geralds should all be in uniform and ready to play tonight. Geralds is still pretty hurt from her injured PCL but just having her on the floor for a few minutes will create some positive vibes for the Storm. The Sparks, on the other hand, have as much playoff experience as the Storm and are flying high with emotion. Nobody on that teams wants legendary Lisa Leslie to retire without a WNBA title this season (heck, how storybook would that be...a-la David Robinson?). The Sparks are playing really good ball right now and they are healthy. Some notes:
-Both teams have 5 players scoring in double figures but Seattle is down one
-Both teams average 74 points per game and allow the same 73
-Sparks have the edge in rebounds: 37-32
-Sparks have the edge in allowed rebounds: 30-32 (but close enough)
For Seattle to win: One name-Swin Cash. If Cash plays BIG (boards and points) Seattle could win the series. What is going to hurt them is no Lauren Jackson in the playoffs. Sure, they are playing great ball without her but LA is on a mission and they know how to win and they know how to use emotion effectively (loaded with successful NCAA and Olympic Champions).
For LA to win: Rebounds, rebounds and rebounds. Stop Swin Cash and limit the assists Sue Bird gets (in other words, protect the low block) and LA can win this series.
This is the series to watch...arguably the best one of the playoffs.
Los Angeles wins 2-1.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Angels, Wiggins and Leslies...oh my!
Tonight is a pretty important night here in WNBA land. Minnesota Lynx play at Los Angeles Sparks and Connecticut Sun play at Atlanta Dream. It's important because....
-the Atlanta Dream can start to complete their turn around from last season by clinching a playoff spot in their friendly confines of Philips Arena. If they beat the Sun (which I think they will) the Dream will certainly be living a dream.
-The Minnesota Lynx can keep their hopes alive by staying alive in the playoff hunt with a win at Los Angeles. IF the Lynx can win and win again on Sunday (saying the Silver Stars beat the Storm Saturday) they are in the playoffs. How can they be if they are tied with the Silver Stars? You know, that recreational head-to-head thing....Minnesota has the edge over San Antonio.
Check out the games! The more viewers the better...
Connecticut Sun @ Atlanta Dream (7:00 pm)
Minnesota Lynx @ Los Angeles Sparks (10:30 pm, NBA TV)
Washington Mystics
So if the Mystics make the playoffs the "Walking with Dinosaurs" show will kick them out of the Verizon Center. They will have to go 30 minutes north to College Park, MD...where there is train service but it's kind of a pain to navigate. Of course this is not the first time a pro team has had to reschedule a playoff game. Just this past NHL season the Pittsburgh Penguins had to reschedule their game with the Washington Capitals because of a Yanni concert. Not like it mattered because my Pens won but still...dinos and Yanni kick pro sports out of their own arena? Who exactly has banners hanging in the rafters? I rest my case....
-the Atlanta Dream can start to complete their turn around from last season by clinching a playoff spot in their friendly confines of Philips Arena. If they beat the Sun (which I think they will) the Dream will certainly be living a dream.
-The Minnesota Lynx can keep their hopes alive by staying alive in the playoff hunt with a win at Los Angeles. IF the Lynx can win and win again on Sunday (saying the Silver Stars beat the Storm Saturday) they are in the playoffs. How can they be if they are tied with the Silver Stars? You know, that recreational head-to-head thing....Minnesota has the edge over San Antonio.
Check out the games! The more viewers the better...
Connecticut Sun @ Atlanta Dream (7:00 pm)
Minnesota Lynx @ Los Angeles Sparks (10:30 pm, NBA TV)
Washington Mystics
So if the Mystics make the playoffs the "Walking with Dinosaurs" show will kick them out of the Verizon Center. They will have to go 30 minutes north to College Park, MD...where there is train service but it's kind of a pain to navigate. Of course this is not the first time a pro team has had to reschedule a playoff game. Just this past NHL season the Pittsburgh Penguins had to reschedule their game with the Washington Capitals because of a Yanni concert. Not like it mattered because my Pens won but still...dinos and Yanni kick pro sports out of their own arena? Who exactly has banners hanging in the rafters? I rest my case....
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