I refuse to make a big deal out of the ending of the Tennessee vs. Connecticut regular season matchup. Everyone else is doing that for me in the media. It still would be cool to see them in the finals, and they are now one step closer with their respective victories over Notre Dame and ODU.
The stars played big in both games. Connecticut freshman phenom had 25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals, 2 assists and only 2 turnovers in her 40 minutes. Not to be out done, graduating Tennessee junior Candace Parker notched a career high tying 34 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals, 3 assists and three turnovers in 36 minutes. I didn't get to see the Huskies play, but Tennessee needed every bit of that play from Parker as they trailed by two going into the half. Apparently Pat Summit served up her signature, icy, blue stare in the locker room at half time and the Lady Vols came out with a mission for the second half. According the the ESPN2 announcers, Pat Summit (despite her protest of UCONN recruiting practices) voted for Geno for Coach of the Year.
Connecticut faces last years championship game runner up Rutgers in the Elite 8 next round due to be played tommorow at 21:00 (9 pm) EDT. Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer gave an excellent demonstration of how to drip sarcasm like acid during her press conference by thanking the NCAA for always making sure that Rutgers has the opportunity to face the "de-facto" NCAA champions each season early in the tournament.
Tennessee takes on Texas A&M at 19:00 (7 pm) EDT tomorrow as well.
On a side note, former Houston Comets and Olympic head coach Van Chancellor has advanced his LSU team to the Elite Eight in his first year in the NCAA since leaving the WNBA. Guess he wasn't that bad a coach after all, folks. They just never got someone to take ownership that third scorer spot when Cynthia Cooper retired and moved Sheryl and Tina up to options #1 and #2. The consolation is that I bet Van is going to make more money now than he did in the W.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Stormcasts
Karen Bryant steps in for an "international edition" of Stormcast with interviews of Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson. Sue warns Swin Cash to back off on the UCONN stories because she has all the really good ones. Sue talks about getting to play with Swin again and LJ talks about Sheryl. She is so humble and Karen pushes on her to give Bryan some advice. The site has had a guest writer who has been looking at former Storm players who have moved into the coaching ranks...definitely worth your time.
We are still waiting on the signing of Janell Burse who was cored by the Storm which means she will have a minimum of a one year max contract.
The draft is coming....but there is not much there for the Storm at number 22 in the second round...but anything is possible. Jen Derivjanek is a restricted free agent and has yet to be signed by Phoenix. She has made a solid backup guard for Connecticut and Phoenix over her young career. She is a reasonable choice for the Storm if Phoenix is passing on her.
If Anne Donovan were still coach I would be looking at Connecticut and Tennessee seniors since she has been drawn to players from those two quality programs in the past.
Shannon Bobbitt (5' 2") out of Tennessee will likely be available, but I don't think she is a good fit for the Storm given her size and lack of adequate defensive skills.
Ketia Swanier (5' 7") is a passing guard from Connecticut with good defensive instincts, but she is not much of a shooter. She will likely be available and would be worth a shot.
Sharnee Zoll (5' 7") played point for UVA, played well in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament and almost carried Virginia into the Sweet 16. She broke Dawn Staley's ACC assist record, but I don't have a feel for her defense though she was named as the best defensive player by her team in her sophmore year. She may be available and might be the best available point guard.
We will have to see what Coach Agler does, however, he remains a mystery to me.
We are still waiting on the signing of Janell Burse who was cored by the Storm which means she will have a minimum of a one year max contract.
The draft is coming....but there is not much there for the Storm at number 22 in the second round...but anything is possible. Jen Derivjanek is a restricted free agent and has yet to be signed by Phoenix. She has made a solid backup guard for Connecticut and Phoenix over her young career. She is a reasonable choice for the Storm if Phoenix is passing on her.
If Anne Donovan were still coach I would be looking at Connecticut and Tennessee seniors since she has been drawn to players from those two quality programs in the past.
Shannon Bobbitt (5' 2") out of Tennessee will likely be available, but I don't think she is a good fit for the Storm given her size and lack of adequate defensive skills.
Ketia Swanier (5' 7") is a passing guard from Connecticut with good defensive instincts, but she is not much of a shooter. She will likely be available and would be worth a shot.
Sharnee Zoll (5' 7") played point for UVA, played well in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament and almost carried Virginia into the Sweet 16. She broke Dawn Staley's ACC assist record, but I don't have a feel for her defense though she was named as the best defensive player by her team in her sophmore year. She may be available and might be the best available point guard.
We will have to see what Coach Agler does, however, he remains a mystery to me.
Monday, March 24, 2008
NCAA Tournament
I tried to catch a few games this weekend, but managed to only see part of the Connecticut game, part of the Purdue game and most of the Tennessee game.
Maya Moore looked fine, though she got the announcers gossipping in the first half about whether she was ready to play at this level. She really wasn't needed in the first half, though as her team blew Cornell out early. Maya did shut them up in the second half, finishing with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block.
The Purdue/Utah game was much closer than the other two I watched, which should be expected given the 8th seed/9th seed matchup, the selection team did a nice job with this matchup. Purdue finally took control in the last minute or so of the game. Unfortunately for them they have to face Pat Summit's team in the next round.
Last year Candace Parker set tournament firsts with two dunks in a game in the first round. This time she scored a little and sat on the bench a lot after getting in early foul trouble and then having the bench rout the competition. Still, she put up 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals and a block in 18 minutes of play. Freshman Anne Bjorklund filled the gap nicely, with 16 points, 7 rebounds and a block. Alexis Hornbuckle hit a number of open threes, but I am still not sure that she is a top 10 pick. Oral Roberts put up a good fight early, especially considering that they lost their leading scorer with a knee sprain on the opening tip when she slipped on a Tennessee cheerleader sign under the basket while chasing the loose ball.
I am looking forward to the next round.
Maya Moore looked fine, though she got the announcers gossipping in the first half about whether she was ready to play at this level. She really wasn't needed in the first half, though as her team blew Cornell out early. Maya did shut them up in the second half, finishing with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block.
The Purdue/Utah game was much closer than the other two I watched, which should be expected given the 8th seed/9th seed matchup, the selection team did a nice job with this matchup. Purdue finally took control in the last minute or so of the game. Unfortunately for them they have to face Pat Summit's team in the next round.
Last year Candace Parker set tournament firsts with two dunks in a game in the first round. This time she scored a little and sat on the bench a lot after getting in early foul trouble and then having the bench rout the competition. Still, she put up 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals and a block in 18 minutes of play. Freshman Anne Bjorklund filled the gap nicely, with 16 points, 7 rebounds and a block. Alexis Hornbuckle hit a number of open threes, but I am still not sure that she is a top 10 pick. Oral Roberts put up a good fight early, especially considering that they lost their leading scorer with a knee sprain on the opening tip when she slipped on a Tennessee cheerleader sign under the basket while chasing the loose ball.
I am looking forward to the next round.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Only $240 left to go!
We are 1.3 seats away from our goal of donating 20 full season tickets to kids for the Storm this season.
That is a mere $240.00.
Come on people, you can bridge the final gap...I know you can.
Go to Stormfans.org and find out how to support the new ownership, enrich the lives of underprivileged kids in the community, spread the love of this great game to new and open minds, and be a part of this great team.
Think about how many young girls you will introduce to the grace of Sheryl Swoopes on the court, the raw power of Lauren Jackson in the post, and the vision and precision passing of Sue Bird on the break. Many of these young girls may not have had the opportunity to see that beauty and power are both parts of being a woman. They may not realize that competitive fire, determination and toughness in women are respected, admired and adored.
Think about all the young boys who will see women atheletes competing with passion, fire and determination and being cheered for it. Think about how much harder it will be for them to grow up and fall for age old stereotypes, for Madison Avenue definitions of beauty, of feminity.
Think about how much fun they are going to have.
We get to experience this stuff every game.
Let's share it and continue to inspire the next generation of players, coaches, and fans.
That is a mere $240.00.
Come on people, you can bridge the final gap...I know you can.
Go to Stormfans.org and find out how to support the new ownership, enrich the lives of underprivileged kids in the community, spread the love of this great game to new and open minds, and be a part of this great team.
Think about how many young girls you will introduce to the grace of Sheryl Swoopes on the court, the raw power of Lauren Jackson in the post, and the vision and precision passing of Sue Bird on the break. Many of these young girls may not have had the opportunity to see that beauty and power are both parts of being a woman. They may not realize that competitive fire, determination and toughness in women are respected, admired and adored.
Think about all the young boys who will see women atheletes competing with passion, fire and determination and being cheered for it. Think about how much harder it will be for them to grow up and fall for age old stereotypes, for Madison Avenue definitions of beauty, of feminity.
Think about how much fun they are going to have.
We get to experience this stuff every game.
Let's share it and continue to inspire the next generation of players, coaches, and fans.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Bird Signed
Sue signs a new two year contract (she shared the length on KJR).
Burse is the last starter remaining to be signed and is expected to sign next week.
Agler says he needs to fill 2-3 more spots, but he may not be done reworking the lineup yet...he is still talking to teams.
I am still trying to figure out how the new core desgination rules work.
Bird and Burse were the maximum number (2) of core players allowed under the current CBA this season. Next year they are allowed a maximum of 1. Bird signed a two year deal and therefore counts towards the maximum of 1 next year. Now, either Burse can only be signed to a one year contract or the league allows a "grandmothering" clause (not specified in the CBA) while current contracts run their length. Trades remove core designations (which other than counting towards the max each year only matter during free agency) and when the original contract expires, allowing contracts to be extended without extending the core designation. For example, according to the CBA, Cash does not count towards the Storm's core count this season or any other under her current contract, despite the fact that Detroit cored her prior to the trade. The trade to Seattle removes the core designation and its impact on the limited number of core players allowed each season.
If you haven't checked out the Storm's new flash video....do so. It will fire you up.
Burse is the last starter remaining to be signed and is expected to sign next week.
Agler says he needs to fill 2-3 more spots, but he may not be done reworking the lineup yet...he is still talking to teams.
I am still trying to figure out how the new core desgination rules work.
Bird and Burse were the maximum number (2) of core players allowed under the current CBA this season. Next year they are allowed a maximum of 1. Bird signed a two year deal and therefore counts towards the maximum of 1 next year. Now, either Burse can only be signed to a one year contract or the league allows a "grandmothering" clause (not specified in the CBA) while current contracts run their length. Trades remove core designations (which other than counting towards the max each year only matter during free agency) and when the original contract expires, allowing contracts to be extended without extending the core designation. For example, according to the CBA, Cash does not count towards the Storm's core count this season or any other under her current contract, despite the fact that Detroit cored her prior to the trade. The trade to Seattle removes the core designation and its impact on the limited number of core players allowed each season.
If you haven't checked out the Storm's new flash video....do so. It will fire you up.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
NCAA Ball
It was a fun day for college ball.
Purdue beats Illinois in the clutch and Parker takes on Fowles in the SEC tournament.
I was torn. I have a strange draw to both Parker and Summit, but I wanted the seniors of LSU to take the game. In the end the Vols take it and Parker shows she has the real stuff. I am still impressed with the physical strength of Fowles, but Parker will look better in LA than Fowles will with the Sky because the Sparks will win more games.
I was still excited through both games. It is fun to get excited for basketball game, that has been lacking for me throughout the NBA season this year.
Purdue beats Illinois in the clutch and Parker takes on Fowles in the SEC tournament.
I was torn. I have a strange draw to both Parker and Summit, but I wanted the seniors of LSU to take the game. In the end the Vols take it and Parker shows she has the real stuff. I am still impressed with the physical strength of Fowles, but Parker will look better in LA than Fowles will with the Sky because the Sparks will win more games.
I was still excited through both games. It is fun to get excited for basketball game, that has been lacking for me throughout the NBA season this year.
Bittersweet Thoughts
I watched the 2007 season DVD that arrived in my mail from the Storm this week. It was a little jarring to see Coach Donovan, Betty and Izi, it made me realize how fast the recent excitement refocused my passion towards the upcoming season. It was particularly tough to have Izi tell us she looked forward to seeing us this season...we will only get to see her once in Key Arena. I will have to live with seeing Betty and Izi play only twice this year unless I watch some on the WNBA.com video feeds.
July 1st ESPN2 will air the Atlanta Dream hosting the 2007 champion Phoenix Mercury at 4 PM Pacific time.
September 2nd the Storm will play in Atlanta and the Dream will come to Key Arena September 12th.
It was clear the video was made before Bennett announced the 2008 season would be played in Seattle and obviously before the sale as both LJ and Sue express "hope" at seeing their fans this coming season.
For those that were wondering, Wendy made it fairly clear that she was not returning, thanking the fans for her two seasons and all the great memories. It sounded like she was planning to retire...we will have to see if she makes it official.
And kudos to Kevin Pelton for writing and producing the video which took the tug the heart strings approach to the emotional fan base. My only complaint was that the first segment seldom fit on my screen...noticeable mostly because of the text captions.
Sonics fans showed up in force to try to convince the legislature to authorize the $75 million in King County taxes to compliment the $150 million from private investors and the pledged $75 million from the City of Seattle towards the remodel of Key Arena. The city was looking at spending $35 million regardless and the additional $40 million was reasonable to them. The idea is that the private funds be targeted at the basketball part of the arena and the public funds be targetted at the surrounding infrastructure needed for other uses. It is the best public/private plan we have seen and it will be a shame if the legislature pushes it out until next year.
I am just glad that we have our Storm back and don't have to worry about those issues when it comes to them.
Stormfans.org needs less than $540 to meet their goal of buying 20 season tickets for underprivileged kids this summer. Get over there and fill the final gap!! They have already raised more than $3000. The biggest single donor has put up $600, but you can help out with just $10...the donations are being pooled together. Give whatever you can.
July 1st ESPN2 will air the Atlanta Dream hosting the 2007 champion Phoenix Mercury at 4 PM Pacific time.
September 2nd the Storm will play in Atlanta and the Dream will come to Key Arena September 12th.
It was clear the video was made before Bennett announced the 2008 season would be played in Seattle and obviously before the sale as both LJ and Sue express "hope" at seeing their fans this coming season.
For those that were wondering, Wendy made it fairly clear that she was not returning, thanking the fans for her two seasons and all the great memories. It sounded like she was planning to retire...we will have to see if she makes it official.
And kudos to Kevin Pelton for writing and producing the video which took the tug the heart strings approach to the emotional fan base. My only complaint was that the first segment seldom fit on my screen...noticeable mostly because of the text captions.
Sonics fans showed up in force to try to convince the legislature to authorize the $75 million in King County taxes to compliment the $150 million from private investors and the pledged $75 million from the City of Seattle towards the remodel of Key Arena. The city was looking at spending $35 million regardless and the additional $40 million was reasonable to them. The idea is that the private funds be targeted at the basketball part of the arena and the public funds be targetted at the surrounding infrastructure needed for other uses. It is the best public/private plan we have seen and it will be a shame if the legislature pushes it out until next year.
I am just glad that we have our Storm back and don't have to worry about those issues when it comes to them.
Stormfans.org needs less than $540 to meet their goal of buying 20 season tickets for underprivileged kids this summer. Get over there and fill the final gap!! They have already raised more than $3000. The biggest single donor has put up $600, but you can help out with just $10...the donations are being pooled together. Give whatever you can.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Swoopes...here she is.
Bad pun...forgive me .
Every time I have gotten on a plane since free agency began the Storm announce the signing of a former champion and all-star. I am looking with great intensity at how many more trips the team can afford me to take.
I just haven't been able to post on these transactions and various news points as fast as the organization has been generating them. I will see if I can do any better...but I have a new job (while being required to continue with my old one), am preparing to rennovate my home and trying to finish up my Master Scuba training all at the same time. Whining in the blog seems to help, at least it reduces the amount of time I whine to my wife. The biggest trouble is trying to plan my summer vacation travel and figure out where I live while my house is unavailable all while making sure I don't miss a single game this summer. It simply feels like there is something special in the air and I need to be there for every minute.
A few weeks ago I said here that I wanted the Storm to pursue a free agent like Sheryl Swoopes or Swin Cash. When they traded for Cash, I said that it looked like Cash was going to be signed and that I was happy though I would have been happier with Swoopes. I guess my level of satisfaction can now be described as borderline ecstatic. Signing a veteran rebounder/defensive post and a defensive, three point shooting, backup point will send me over the edge into fits of giddy laughter.
Wow.
I have visions of a stifling half court defense that locks up the post and forces a single perimeter player to make everything happen for the opposing offense. Swoopes, Bird and Cash are all great in the passing lanes but now we have length in the backcourt combined with experience and one-on-one defensive skill....something the Storm have never had. In addition, all three perimeter players can run leading to fast break potential.
On offense the options have increased as well. LJ can score from anywhere on the court, allowing offensive sets built on where we want her to be. Guard mismatches let her slide out to the wing to allow the guards to post up smaller players. Swoopes and Cash have midrange games and are savvy at sliding to open spots when Lauren is doubled. They can run backcuts when Burse posts up on the low block and LJ takes the high block leading to easy layups. Bird, Swoopes and Gearlds can hit open threes if the defense collapses.
The bench is the current concern. Robinson can back up either Burse or Jackson, but a quality insurance is needed, injuries will happen. Both Lauren and Janell have sat out games every season other than 2005. The Storm still need a backup point guard, I do not believe that Tanisha Wright works well enough at that position to carry the Storm through the playoffs like Tully Bevilaqua did in 2004 when Sue Bird went down for a game and a half. The draft is unlikely to produce any options for the Storm having given up their #8 pick for the #4 pick and the #4 pick for Swin Cash. Training camp allows greater flexibility under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement so the Storm will be able to invite and keep more players in camp this year and remain under the salary cap. This will be vital in determining the new bench.
The Storm started that process yesterday with a training camp contract offer to last year's reserve player Shyra Ely. She has the advantage of knowing SOME of the personnel, but it is a new system and a new coach, she has to prove herself all over again.
The Storm also announced a return to KKNW 1150 AM radio with Adia Barnes along with KJR's Dick Fein filling in for Alan Horton who to the job in Minnesota.
Finally, Karen Bryant was officially named CEO of the Storm.
I am sure there will me more news to come.
Every time I have gotten on a plane since free agency began the Storm announce the signing of a former champion and all-star. I am looking with great intensity at how many more trips the team can afford me to take.
I just haven't been able to post on these transactions and various news points as fast as the organization has been generating them. I will see if I can do any better...but I have a new job (while being required to continue with my old one), am preparing to rennovate my home and trying to finish up my Master Scuba training all at the same time. Whining in the blog seems to help, at least it reduces the amount of time I whine to my wife. The biggest trouble is trying to plan my summer vacation travel and figure out where I live while my house is unavailable all while making sure I don't miss a single game this summer. It simply feels like there is something special in the air and I need to be there for every minute.
A few weeks ago I said here that I wanted the Storm to pursue a free agent like Sheryl Swoopes or Swin Cash. When they traded for Cash, I said that it looked like Cash was going to be signed and that I was happy though I would have been happier with Swoopes. I guess my level of satisfaction can now be described as borderline ecstatic. Signing a veteran rebounder/defensive post and a defensive, three point shooting, backup point will send me over the edge into fits of giddy laughter.
Wow.
I have visions of a stifling half court defense that locks up the post and forces a single perimeter player to make everything happen for the opposing offense. Swoopes, Bird and Cash are all great in the passing lanes but now we have length in the backcourt combined with experience and one-on-one defensive skill....something the Storm have never had. In addition, all three perimeter players can run leading to fast break potential.
On offense the options have increased as well. LJ can score from anywhere on the court, allowing offensive sets built on where we want her to be. Guard mismatches let her slide out to the wing to allow the guards to post up smaller players. Swoopes and Cash have midrange games and are savvy at sliding to open spots when Lauren is doubled. They can run backcuts when Burse posts up on the low block and LJ takes the high block leading to easy layups. Bird, Swoopes and Gearlds can hit open threes if the defense collapses.
The bench is the current concern. Robinson can back up either Burse or Jackson, but a quality insurance is needed, injuries will happen. Both Lauren and Janell have sat out games every season other than 2005. The Storm still need a backup point guard, I do not believe that Tanisha Wright works well enough at that position to carry the Storm through the playoffs like Tully Bevilaqua did in 2004 when Sue Bird went down for a game and a half. The draft is unlikely to produce any options for the Storm having given up their #8 pick for the #4 pick and the #4 pick for Swin Cash. Training camp allows greater flexibility under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement so the Storm will be able to invite and keep more players in camp this year and remain under the salary cap. This will be vital in determining the new bench.
The Storm started that process yesterday with a training camp contract offer to last year's reserve player Shyra Ely. She has the advantage of knowing SOME of the personnel, but it is a new system and a new coach, she has to prove herself all over again.
The Storm also announced a return to KKNW 1150 AM radio with Adia Barnes along with KJR's Dick Fein filling in for Alan Horton who to the job in Minnesota.
Finally, Karen Bryant was officially named CEO of the Storm.
I am sure there will me more news to come.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
A Done Deal!!!
By UNANIMOUS decision, the WNBA approved the sale of the SEATTLE Storm to Force 10 Hoops. They were able to share the 1199 signatures from the petition, the loud show of political support from the city and state, as well as point to increases in ticket sales over the past six weeks.
Thanks to the fans of the team (the new ownership especially) we now are able to look forward to many more seasons of exciting WNBA basketball here in Seattle. I even got a special thank you out of League President Donna Orender during yesterday's live chat on ESPN.com. She thanked the people of Seattle for stepping up and showing the special kind of bond a WNBA team can have with its community.
As Scott said over at Stormfans.org, it is time to party.
We still need to sell 8 more seats to meet our goal of twenty season tickets donated by fans to underprivileged kids. Quit waiting and help us get there...
Thanks to the fans of the team (the new ownership especially) we now are able to look forward to many more seasons of exciting WNBA basketball here in Seattle. I even got a special thank you out of League President Donna Orender during yesterday's live chat on ESPN.com. She thanked the people of Seattle for stepping up and showing the special kind of bond a WNBA team can have with its community.
As Scott said over at Stormfans.org, it is time to party.
We still need to sell 8 more seats to meet our goal of twenty season tickets donated by fans to underprivileged kids. Quit waiting and help us get there...
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Swin Cash Trade
I was out all last week on vacation and had no internet access where I was staying. Blogging from a coffee shop with two screaming kids does not work too well, so I have been entirely offline despite the big trade of the number 4 pick in this year's draft for veteran Swin Cash from the Detroit Shock.
Lambier was smart and cored Cash to ensure that he would get something in return for a player he knew had market value, but that he no longer wanted on his roster. Seattle, on the other hand, apparently wants to win now and not wait for draft picks to mature.
This trade essentially means that Seattle got Roneeka Hodges and Swin Cash for Izi. That isn't too shabby of a deal. I like how Cash has the potential to compliment the Storm leaders like LJ, Sue and JB. She is an athletic cutter who can hit a nice mid-range jumper. As a result of her injury in 2004, she has lost some speed and some explosiveness that she utilized earlier in her career. She is still a lengthy defender who should fit in well with the existing offensive players. I consider her an upgrade to Izi. She doesn't shoot the three point shot, but we still have Bird and Gearlds for that. Betty needed the ball in her hands and Izi was a transition scorer or spot up shooter. Swin works well in a multi-star system and moves well off the ball. She will give Coach Agler different set of options offensively and will improve perimeter defense. Izi had better range and was a better overall shooter, but the benefits to the Storm will come in defense and the different look for the offense.
The numbers back up my initial thoughts.
Izi's three point shooting gave her a better overall Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) in both of the last two seasons, though their actual shooting percentages were fairly identical. Cash offered a significantly better Stop Percentage and Defensive Rating though we have to remember that the weakness of current defensive individual statistics means that Detroit as a team offered significantly better defensive ratings that would swell Swin's individual numbers. Last year was Swin's worst year, and it marked a year where Izi still only just produced as many points per game (with assists weighted into the equation) as did Swin. Swin also seemed to work better with a passer like Riley in the post rather than Ford and Braxton/Feenstra. Here numbers have dropped since Riley was traded. Both LJ and JB have shown the ability to pass from the high post, which is what Riley used to offer for Detroit.
When I look at the numbers for Swin in the past two seasons, however, I also try to look at them with the caveat that she was unhappy playing in a system that has made her less relevant over time. Swin was the centerpiece of the 2003 championship team with a rising Nolan and Ford and a declining Riley. After her 2004 injury, Nolan and Ford became the centerpieces of the franchise and Cash and Riley were slowly pushed out of the picture. I don't think we will see the Cash of 2003 next year, but I don't expect the Cash of 2007 either. I expect to see her play better than we have seen her play over the past few years and fit in well with her new team. There are a lot of things that Cash did that annoyed our players in the past, but thankfully, now she will be inflicting them on our opponents.
Welcome to Seattle, Swin.
Lambier was smart and cored Cash to ensure that he would get something in return for a player he knew had market value, but that he no longer wanted on his roster. Seattle, on the other hand, apparently wants to win now and not wait for draft picks to mature.
This trade essentially means that Seattle got Roneeka Hodges and Swin Cash for Izi. That isn't too shabby of a deal. I like how Cash has the potential to compliment the Storm leaders like LJ, Sue and JB. She is an athletic cutter who can hit a nice mid-range jumper. As a result of her injury in 2004, she has lost some speed and some explosiveness that she utilized earlier in her career. She is still a lengthy defender who should fit in well with the existing offensive players. I consider her an upgrade to Izi. She doesn't shoot the three point shot, but we still have Bird and Gearlds for that. Betty needed the ball in her hands and Izi was a transition scorer or spot up shooter. Swin works well in a multi-star system and moves well off the ball. She will give Coach Agler different set of options offensively and will improve perimeter defense. Izi had better range and was a better overall shooter, but the benefits to the Storm will come in defense and the different look for the offense.
The numbers back up my initial thoughts.
Izi's three point shooting gave her a better overall Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) in both of the last two seasons, though their actual shooting percentages were fairly identical. Cash offered a significantly better Stop Percentage and Defensive Rating though we have to remember that the weakness of current defensive individual statistics means that Detroit as a team offered significantly better defensive ratings that would swell Swin's individual numbers. Last year was Swin's worst year, and it marked a year where Izi still only just produced as many points per game (with assists weighted into the equation) as did Swin. Swin also seemed to work better with a passer like Riley in the post rather than Ford and Braxton/Feenstra. Here numbers have dropped since Riley was traded. Both LJ and JB have shown the ability to pass from the high post, which is what Riley used to offer for Detroit.
When I look at the numbers for Swin in the past two seasons, however, I also try to look at them with the caveat that she was unhappy playing in a system that has made her less relevant over time. Swin was the centerpiece of the 2003 championship team with a rising Nolan and Ford and a declining Riley. After her 2004 injury, Nolan and Ford became the centerpieces of the franchise and Cash and Riley were slowly pushed out of the picture. I don't think we will see the Cash of 2003 next year, but I don't expect the Cash of 2007 either. I expect to see her play better than we have seen her play over the past few years and fit in well with her new team. There are a lot of things that Cash did that annoyed our players in the past, but thankfully, now she will be inflicting them on our opponents.
Welcome to Seattle, Swin.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Swin Cash to replace Izi?
Swin Cash told the Detroit Free Press that she believes she will be traded on Tuesday to Seattle for "future" draft picks.
If true, the Storm would get a solid defender with speed and length who can score consistently. Swin has a nice midrange game and is a cutter, something Seattle has not really had in the past. The question is whether the future picks include the upcoming #4 pick in the draft or picks in coming years. It seems odd that Detroit would trade for nothing this year, but we will have to wait and see next week.
I had hoped to see a player of the caliber of Cash or Swoopes picked up in the offseason, (though I would rather have had Swoopes) so this marks a solid first step, and an upgrade for the Storm. As much as I loved Izi, Cash is a better all around player and has championship experience. She is also very familiar with Bird having played with her at Connecticut and with Team USA. She will make a capable second/third score for the Storm, meaning she can improve the three spot AND replace Betty's scoring. She can't play both positions at the same time, so we still need a two guard.
Hopefully the Storm still have room to pick up one more big player in free agency if they have indeed given up the #4 pick. We still need defense and length at the two guard spot. I think a player in the mold of Katie Douglas (UFA with the Sun) would be perfect, but I don't see her coming West. It is going to be an exciting week.
If true, the Storm would get a solid defender with speed and length who can score consistently. Swin has a nice midrange game and is a cutter, something Seattle has not really had in the past. The question is whether the future picks include the upcoming #4 pick in the draft or picks in coming years. It seems odd that Detroit would trade for nothing this year, but we will have to wait and see next week.
I had hoped to see a player of the caliber of Cash or Swoopes picked up in the offseason, (though I would rather have had Swoopes) so this marks a solid first step, and an upgrade for the Storm. As much as I loved Izi, Cash is a better all around player and has championship experience. She is also very familiar with Bird having played with her at Connecticut and with Team USA. She will make a capable second/third score for the Storm, meaning she can improve the three spot AND replace Betty's scoring. She can't play both positions at the same time, so we still need a two guard.
Hopefully the Storm still have room to pick up one more big player in free agency if they have indeed given up the #4 pick. We still need defense and length at the two guard spot. I think a player in the mold of Katie Douglas (UFA with the Sun) would be perfect, but I don't see her coming West. It is going to be an exciting week.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Support Our New Local Ownership!
This is your chance to take one more step beyond buying your own tickets and Storm merchandise.
Stormfans are trying to raise $3,600.00 to buy 20 season tickets for donation to children who wouldn't otherwise have an opportunity to see professional basketball.
Support the owners.
Support the kids.
DONATE!!!
Stormfans are trying to raise $3,600.00 to buy 20 season tickets for donation to children who wouldn't otherwise have an opportunity to see professional basketball.
Support the owners.
Support the kids.
DONATE!!!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Change in the Air!
Ack!
I spent last week in London, rushed back to the States to attend the Democratic Caucus on Saturday, all with a nasty cold that left me lying on the couch most of the day Sunday.
Today, I spent the morning trying to get caught back up with email and other unfinished work business. At lunch I finally settle down to get in the basketball news only to learn that my Storm were involved in the two biggest news bombshells of the last week in WNBA news.
Let me start with the emotional part. We lost two of our most consistent role players from last season, one of whom almost single handedly won the 2004 WNBA Finals for us. For this we got...well, nothing. We got the twin sister of a player who barely played for us last season and a draft pick which might or might not net us something valuable come April.
Now, if some of the mock drafts I have seen are right, and Candice Wiggins is available at the fourth pick...maybe this was not too bad. The Dream can let Betty be the go to scorer, and they needed an experienced guard to mix with their other, younger, expansion picks Haynie and Latta. The Storm could use the almost 6' shooting guard to compliment Sue Bird in the backcourt. The lack of backcourt length has been an issue for the Storm on the defensive end of the floor and this pairing would help quite a bit.
With Izi gone, that would likely move Katie Gearlds into the starting lineup unless Agler is able to woo a strong free agent along the lines of Swin Cash or Sheryl Swoopes. Either of those players would have to take lower pay than they made last year, but would be significant upgrades for the Storm at both ends of the floor. Both appear ready to leave their current teams and both are unrestricted free agents. I think it can work under the current cap to sign Sue and one of those two players in a championship bid. It would leave the bench with lots of youth, but rotations could work with a starting 5 of such great caliber. I could even live with Tanisha as the backup point under those conditions.
Burse, Robinson, New Player #1 (FA or 2nd round pick)
Jackson, Robinson, New Player #1 (FA or 2nd round pick)
Free Agent #1(Cash?, Swoopes?), Gearlds, Ely (?)
#4 Pick (Wiggins?), Gearlds, R Hodges
Bird, Wright
Wendy is done. I don't think Agler re-signs her. Ndaiye-Diatta was never going to be re-signed. Doneeka Lewis was not likely going to be signed either. Ely could be re-signed because of her ability to play the 3 or the 4 spot and her relatively small contract. The previous team had three max or near max players, with Betty and Izi gone, they should have enough for a third star to compliment Bird/Jackson. Defensive minded players who can shoot and cut are rare, but there are some out there in UFA land. Things could get really interesting.
I spent last week in London, rushed back to the States to attend the Democratic Caucus on Saturday, all with a nasty cold that left me lying on the couch most of the day Sunday.
Today, I spent the morning trying to get caught back up with email and other unfinished work business. At lunch I finally settle down to get in the basketball news only to learn that my Storm were involved in the two biggest news bombshells of the last week in WNBA news.
Let me start with the emotional part. We lost two of our most consistent role players from last season, one of whom almost single handedly won the 2004 WNBA Finals for us. For this we got...well, nothing. We got the twin sister of a player who barely played for us last season and a draft pick which might or might not net us something valuable come April.
Now, if some of the mock drafts I have seen are right, and Candice Wiggins is available at the fourth pick...maybe this was not too bad. The Dream can let Betty be the go to scorer, and they needed an experienced guard to mix with their other, younger, expansion picks Haynie and Latta. The Storm could use the almost 6' shooting guard to compliment Sue Bird in the backcourt. The lack of backcourt length has been an issue for the Storm on the defensive end of the floor and this pairing would help quite a bit.
With Izi gone, that would likely move Katie Gearlds into the starting lineup unless Agler is able to woo a strong free agent along the lines of Swin Cash or Sheryl Swoopes. Either of those players would have to take lower pay than they made last year, but would be significant upgrades for the Storm at both ends of the floor. Both appear ready to leave their current teams and both are unrestricted free agents. I think it can work under the current cap to sign Sue and one of those two players in a championship bid. It would leave the bench with lots of youth, but rotations could work with a starting 5 of such great caliber. I could even live with Tanisha as the backup point under those conditions.
Burse, Robinson, New Player #1 (FA or 2nd round pick)
Jackson, Robinson, New Player #1 (FA or 2nd round pick)
Free Agent #1(Cash?, Swoopes?), Gearlds, Ely (?)
#4 Pick (Wiggins?), Gearlds, R Hodges
Bird, Wright
Wendy is done. I don't think Agler re-signs her. Ndaiye-Diatta was never going to be re-signed. Doneeka Lewis was not likely going to be signed either. Ely could be re-signed because of her ability to play the 3 or the 4 spot and her relatively small contract. The previous team had three max or near max players, with Betty and Izi gone, they should have enough for a third star to compliment Bird/Jackson. Defensive minded players who can shoot and cut are rare, but there are some out there in UFA land. Things could get really interesting.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Another News Day for the Storm
After yesterday's HUGE news of the sale of the team to a group of local women who will keep the team in Seattle, today brings the announcement of our new Head Coach. Former San Antonio Silver Stars assistant and Minnesota Lynx head coach Brian Agler will take over both the head coaching and general manager positions.
I didn't become a women's basketball fan during Agler's head coaching days with the Lynx or in the ABL, so it is hard for me to form a useful opinion so I have tried to look at the statistics of his teams.
His Lynx teams had a defensive rating right around 96-97 points per 100 possesions, though his offense was rather poor with his best year being 2000 with almost 98 points per 100 possesions. Offensively I can't imagine the Storm dropping off too much if you look at the players on the roster. Defensively it will be interesting and we will have to see who he fills the roster with in terms of draft picks, free agents and trades.
1999
Lynx Offensive Rating: 93.74
Offense Compared to League: -3.30
Lynx Defensive Rating: 97.24
Defense Compared to League: +0.19
The Lynx were well below the league average offensively but only a little worse defensively in their expansion year.
2000
Lynx Offensive Rating: 97.81
Offense Compared to League: -0.33
Lynx Defensive Rating: 97.58
Defense Compared to League: -0.59
In their second season the Lynx pulled closer to the league offensively and actually climbed above average on the defensive end of the floor. This was Seattle's expansion year and they were much worse offensively (83.81) and defensively (99.86) than Minnesota.
2001
Lynx Offensive Rating: 92.86
Offense Compared to League: -2.13
Lynx Defensive Rating: 96.39
Defense Compared to League: +1.45
In their third season (the final under Agler) the Lynx fell below the league average in both categories which likely led to his firing. The Storm in their second season improved their offense (89.78) but still trailed Minnesota, while significantly improving their defense (95.71) to a better rating than Minnesota. Lauren Jackson's rookie addition likely led to both improvements.
In 2002 Seattle continued its growth with a huge boost on offense (98.93) to a better number than Minnesota ever had under Agler, and the defense got even better (94.99) giving Seattle better than average ratings at both ends of the floor. This was Sue Bird's rookie year.
Once Anne Donovan took over in 2003 the Storm continued their offensive improvement but began to backtrack on defense. 2004 was Seattle's best defensive year under Anne Donovan (95.06) , but other than that the Storm were fairly poor defensively giving up between 98-101 points per 100 possesions.
If the Storm were able to maintain their offensive strength under Agler but also reach his average of around 96 points per 100 possessions defensively they would be as strong as they were in their championship season.
The key to improving Seattle's defense has to lie in its perimeter play. They must find a way to limit penetration and improve their defensive field goal percentage. Agler's 2001 Lynx team limited opponents to 39% shooting from the field, Seattle never did better than 41% under Anne Donovan including their 2004 championship season. This leaves room for hope, and I am looking forward to seeing Coach Agler's next steps.
I didn't become a women's basketball fan during Agler's head coaching days with the Lynx or in the ABL, so it is hard for me to form a useful opinion so I have tried to look at the statistics of his teams.
His Lynx teams had a defensive rating right around 96-97 points per 100 possesions, though his offense was rather poor with his best year being 2000 with almost 98 points per 100 possesions. Offensively I can't imagine the Storm dropping off too much if you look at the players on the roster. Defensively it will be interesting and we will have to see who he fills the roster with in terms of draft picks, free agents and trades.
1999
Lynx Offensive Rating: 93.74
Offense Compared to League: -3.30
Lynx Defensive Rating: 97.24
Defense Compared to League: +0.19
The Lynx were well below the league average offensively but only a little worse defensively in their expansion year.
2000
Lynx Offensive Rating: 97.81
Offense Compared to League: -0.33
Lynx Defensive Rating: 97.58
Defense Compared to League: -0.59
In their second season the Lynx pulled closer to the league offensively and actually climbed above average on the defensive end of the floor. This was Seattle's expansion year and they were much worse offensively (83.81) and defensively (99.86) than Minnesota.
2001
Lynx Offensive Rating: 92.86
Offense Compared to League: -2.13
Lynx Defensive Rating: 96.39
Defense Compared to League: +1.45
In their third season (the final under Agler) the Lynx fell below the league average in both categories which likely led to his firing. The Storm in their second season improved their offense (89.78) but still trailed Minnesota, while significantly improving their defense (95.71) to a better rating than Minnesota. Lauren Jackson's rookie addition likely led to both improvements.
In 2002 Seattle continued its growth with a huge boost on offense (98.93) to a better number than Minnesota ever had under Agler, and the defense got even better (94.99) giving Seattle better than average ratings at both ends of the floor. This was Sue Bird's rookie year.
Once Anne Donovan took over in 2003 the Storm continued their offensive improvement but began to backtrack on defense. 2004 was Seattle's best defensive year under Anne Donovan (95.06) , but other than that the Storm were fairly poor defensively giving up between 98-101 points per 100 possesions.
If the Storm were able to maintain their offensive strength under Agler but also reach his average of around 96 points per 100 possessions defensively they would be as strong as they were in their championship season.
The key to improving Seattle's defense has to lie in its perimeter play. They must find a way to limit penetration and improve their defensive field goal percentage. Agler's 2001 Lynx team limited opponents to 39% shooting from the field, Seattle never did better than 41% under Anne Donovan including their 2004 championship season. This leaves room for hope, and I am looking forward to seeing Coach Agler's next steps.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Thank you, Clay Bennett
I hope it is not the last chance I get to utter those words.
If you haven't figured it out yet, Bennett sold the Seattle Storm to a local ownership team of four women, known as Force 10 and who are commited to keeping the Storm in Seattle. This is the first thing Bennett has done since he purchased the teams that actually benefits the city of Seattle and its basketball fans.
Thank you to Karen Bryant, who I am 100% certain was the driver of this event.
Thank you to the NEW OWNERS of the Seattle Storm! You have saved our team, made my day and made my three year old son's day.
I just ran upstairs to tell him that LJ and the Storm were staying in Seattle and he ran across the house, leaped into my arms screaming YAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!
The news, leaked by Jayda Evans last night on her blog and published in the morning paper say that local ownership has purchased the team with the intention of keeping them in Seattle.
I guess this answers the question of why the coaching/gm selection went silent and perhaps why Sue Bird swung through Seattle on her short break from Russian play.
We Storm fans need to become the new owners' best allies and drum up additional ticket sales, help with marketing and do whatever else we can do to promote the team and drum up revenue for the new owners. Let's get to it! They have done their part, it is time for us to step up and do ours.
If you haven't figured it out yet, Bennett sold the Seattle Storm to a local ownership team of four women, known as Force 10 and who are commited to keeping the Storm in Seattle. This is the first thing Bennett has done since he purchased the teams that actually benefits the city of Seattle and its basketball fans.
Thank you to Karen Bryant, who I am 100% certain was the driver of this event.
Thank you to the NEW OWNERS of the Seattle Storm! You have saved our team, made my day and made my three year old son's day.
I just ran upstairs to tell him that LJ and the Storm were staying in Seattle and he ran across the house, leaped into my arms screaming YAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!
The news, leaked by Jayda Evans last night on her blog and published in the morning paper say that local ownership has purchased the team with the intention of keeping them in Seattle.
I guess this answers the question of why the coaching/gm selection went silent and perhaps why Sue Bird swung through Seattle on her short break from Russian play.
We Storm fans need to become the new owners' best allies and drum up additional ticket sales, help with marketing and do whatever else we can do to promote the team and drum up revenue for the new owners. Let's get to it! They have done their part, it is time for us to step up and do ours.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Durant Outs His Inner WNBA Fan
I remember a stink that arose back before the NBA draft last summer when an online user posed as Kevin Durant and said that he was going to buy the WNBA after he got drafted so that he could shut it down. Before it was exposed as a "fake" a number of people (journalists included) took it to be actually Kevin Durant's words. He never made a formal statement, but he did attend a Storm game this summer while he was in town (he stayed for the whole game which is often a rarity with the NBA guys, Ray Allen and Johan Petro being the others who actually appeared to enjoy the games) and hung out with Sue Bird for a joint interview with an airline magazine. Kevin Pelton points out this week in an interview about playing his first game at the Verizon Center this week, for his professional debut in his home town he talks about going to Bullets, Wizards and Mystics games while growing up. Even before he was tied to a WNBA team he was going to games just to watch, a true fan of the game of basketball. (The Stormtracker blog's text doesn't show up unless I highlight it, but it is there!) I hope this puts to bed any doubts people had about Durant and the WNBA.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Off-Season Reading
I am finding it just as hard to write this off-season as I did the last, despite the exciting things like the change in coaching. I will have more to write about once the coaching/GM decisions are announced.
Sue Bird was in town last week. I found it odd that she would come to Seattle during any time she had off from playing in Russia, but she was courtside at the Sonics/Celtics game on Thursday. She is unsigned and they have no coach, so perhaps she was in town to meet the candidates? She won't sign until the CBA is finalized, but if she is looking at coaches she is not likely considering signing elsewhere. Let's hope the new coach/GM picks a solid defensive, point guard who can shoot an open three so that Sue can get some breaks this season.
In the off-season I have spent some time reading some older offerings on Women's Basketball that I found on the shelves of Epilogue Books in Ballard this fall. I turned in some old paperbacks and picked these up on the resulting credits.
Full Court Press by Lauren Kessler
This book was published in 1997 and covers the 1993-1994 seasons of the women's team at the University of Oregon. The basketball story is not all that strong, though some of the young women have interesting moments. The heart of the book is really the legal battle between second year coach Jody Runge and the adminstration of the U of O. She came in as the lowest paid women's coach in the Pac-10 and was determined to change the culture of the program, not only into a winning culture, but one that acknowledged and respected the atheletes who delivered those winning efforts. This is not a Cinderella tale of NCAA victory, the team does well, but not final four well. There are stories on the court, early season injuries, last minute Aussie signings, players seeking confidence. There are more stories about the late programs, no band support, sub-par locker rooms, limited marketing, and the complete lack of benefactor endowments. I did a little research after reading the book. Runge achieved almost all of what she was trying to achieve throughout the book. She coached there for eight years, setting a 87-19 home winning record and earned 100 career Pac-10 victories. She had her program ranked in the AP poll for 12 straight weeks. None of the players on the team went into the W (that I am aware of) but the two Aussies, Sally Crowe (became Phillps) played in the WNBL for Dandenong and Adelaide and is now playing for the Venom in Big V in Australia. Renae Fegent played for three years with the Capitals. The book is definitely worth a read.
In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle by Madeleine Blais
There is less politics, more basketball and a little slice of Western Massachusetts life in this 1995 book about the Amherst Hurricanes girl's basketball team from Amherst High School in Amherst Massachusetts. I grew up just south of Boston, but my Mom was a western Mass. girl and I know most of the towns they discuss in the story. The book digresses into the small town, New England life and wanders around a bit more than I normally like, but it is still a good read. It was originally an article in the New York Times magazine and later expanded into a full novel. It covers a single season for this team, digging into the emotional and intellectual lives of the players and how their remarkable season effected their whole community. The star of their team was Jamila Wideman who went on to Stanford, and played for the Sparks, the Sol and the Portland Fire in the WNBA. Her chief rival was Beth Kuzmeski who played in the WNBL with Betty Lennox, Rita Williams and Rebecca Lobo. This work is much more personal and has a more emotional style than the other book, I was really caught up in the whole story. It is another worthy read.
Sue Bird was in town last week. I found it odd that she would come to Seattle during any time she had off from playing in Russia, but she was courtside at the Sonics/Celtics game on Thursday. She is unsigned and they have no coach, so perhaps she was in town to meet the candidates? She won't sign until the CBA is finalized, but if she is looking at coaches she is not likely considering signing elsewhere. Let's hope the new coach/GM picks a solid defensive, point guard who can shoot an open three so that Sue can get some breaks this season.
In the off-season I have spent some time reading some older offerings on Women's Basketball that I found on the shelves of Epilogue Books in Ballard this fall. I turned in some old paperbacks and picked these up on the resulting credits.
Full Court Press by Lauren Kessler
This book was published in 1997 and covers the 1993-1994 seasons of the women's team at the University of Oregon. The basketball story is not all that strong, though some of the young women have interesting moments. The heart of the book is really the legal battle between second year coach Jody Runge and the adminstration of the U of O. She came in as the lowest paid women's coach in the Pac-10 and was determined to change the culture of the program, not only into a winning culture, but one that acknowledged and respected the atheletes who delivered those winning efforts. This is not a Cinderella tale of NCAA victory, the team does well, but not final four well. There are stories on the court, early season injuries, last minute Aussie signings, players seeking confidence. There are more stories about the late programs, no band support, sub-par locker rooms, limited marketing, and the complete lack of benefactor endowments. I did a little research after reading the book. Runge achieved almost all of what she was trying to achieve throughout the book. She coached there for eight years, setting a 87-19 home winning record and earned 100 career Pac-10 victories. She had her program ranked in the AP poll for 12 straight weeks. None of the players on the team went into the W (that I am aware of) but the two Aussies, Sally Crowe (became Phillps) played in the WNBL for Dandenong and Adelaide and is now playing for the Venom in Big V in Australia. Renae Fegent played for three years with the Capitals. The book is definitely worth a read.
In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle by Madeleine Blais
There is less politics, more basketball and a little slice of Western Massachusetts life in this 1995 book about the Amherst Hurricanes girl's basketball team from Amherst High School in Amherst Massachusetts. I grew up just south of Boston, but my Mom was a western Mass. girl and I know most of the towns they discuss in the story. The book digresses into the small town, New England life and wanders around a bit more than I normally like, but it is still a good read. It was originally an article in the New York Times magazine and later expanded into a full novel. It covers a single season for this team, digging into the emotional and intellectual lives of the players and how their remarkable season effected their whole community. The star of their team was Jamila Wideman who went on to Stanford, and played for the Sparks, the Sol and the Portland Fire in the WNBA. Her chief rival was Beth Kuzmeski who played in the WNBL with Betty Lennox, Rita Williams and Rebecca Lobo. This work is much more personal and has a more emotional style than the other book, I was really caught up in the whole story. It is another worthy read.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
A New Coach
For the time being the Storm have at least one more season in Seattle and they are without a GM, a coach, and enough players to stage a practice, let alone a game. Karen Bryant has a lot of work in front of her.
A lot of coaching names are being thrown around on the net. I have seen everything from a plug for Dennis Rodman (no thank you), to plugs for Michelle Timms, Carrie Graf (one of those was mine), Mike Thibault (I think the Sun might have an issue with that), Shelly Patterson, Nancy Lieberman (didn't that experiment already fail?), Rick Mahorn, Sandy Brondello, Van Chancellor (my son would develop too many cavities), and even Paul Westhead (he is busy with the high paying NBA gig right now.) There have also been a number of college and WNBA assistants mentioned, but I have no idea who most of them are.
My gut tells me that it will be a tough sell no matter who they try to nab. The uncertain future of the franchise, its star players and where/if the team will play beyond 2008 all make the job a high risk venture. The best college coaches have solid jobs with decent salaries and are not likely to take a risky leap to the WNBA. A strong WNBA assistant looking to make their own as a head coach is a possibility, they know they have a chance to go back to being an assistant or nailing a college job down the road if they do well. I wonder if an Aussie based WNBL coach might consider it if they don't have off-season GM type duties at home. The seasons are complimentary in schedule, and it would be a chance to coach Lauren Jackson against some of the best players in the world.
As I said yesterday, I still think the Storm need a strong perimeter oriented coach with a defensive focus. They would need to bring in a solid assistant for the "bigs," but I think Anne Donovan has left the Storm with one of the most talented and best prepared front courts in the league. LJ, JB, Wendy and Ashley can sustain their performances and continue to learn, but Sue, Betty, Katie, Izi and any young draft picks or holdovers from last year need some focused guidance.
I really believe the Storm need separate GM and coaching positions right now. The two need to be on the same page, but the responsibilities need to be split. Anne seemed to trade well, but I was not thrilled with her draft picks over the past few years.
The Storm are in DESPERATE need of a defensive oriented, back-up, point guard. Tanisha Wright is simply not the answer. There are too many talented guards in the college ranks to settle for a player playing out of position. It would be nice to have a consistent, perimeter scorer off the bench, but I am not sure who is ready to step into that role.
This could be a really exciting time for Storm basketball. A change like this can reinvigorate the players (if they come back) and force teams to scout the Storm all over again. On the other hand it can also be mortal wound to a franchise with as much off court drama as the Storm face this season. I don't envy Karen Bryant, but I am certainly keeping my fingers crossed for her.
A lot of coaching names are being thrown around on the net. I have seen everything from a plug for Dennis Rodman (no thank you), to plugs for Michelle Timms, Carrie Graf (one of those was mine), Mike Thibault (I think the Sun might have an issue with that), Shelly Patterson, Nancy Lieberman (didn't that experiment already fail?), Rick Mahorn, Sandy Brondello, Van Chancellor (my son would develop too many cavities), and even Paul Westhead (he is busy with the high paying NBA gig right now.) There have also been a number of college and WNBA assistants mentioned, but I have no idea who most of them are.
My gut tells me that it will be a tough sell no matter who they try to nab. The uncertain future of the franchise, its star players and where/if the team will play beyond 2008 all make the job a high risk venture. The best college coaches have solid jobs with decent salaries and are not likely to take a risky leap to the WNBA. A strong WNBA assistant looking to make their own as a head coach is a possibility, they know they have a chance to go back to being an assistant or nailing a college job down the road if they do well. I wonder if an Aussie based WNBL coach might consider it if they don't have off-season GM type duties at home. The seasons are complimentary in schedule, and it would be a chance to coach Lauren Jackson against some of the best players in the world.
As I said yesterday, I still think the Storm need a strong perimeter oriented coach with a defensive focus. They would need to bring in a solid assistant for the "bigs," but I think Anne Donovan has left the Storm with one of the most talented and best prepared front courts in the league. LJ, JB, Wendy and Ashley can sustain their performances and continue to learn, but Sue, Betty, Katie, Izi and any young draft picks or holdovers from last year need some focused guidance.
I really believe the Storm need separate GM and coaching positions right now. The two need to be on the same page, but the responsibilities need to be split. Anne seemed to trade well, but I was not thrilled with her draft picks over the past few years.
The Storm are in DESPERATE need of a defensive oriented, back-up, point guard. Tanisha Wright is simply not the answer. There are too many talented guards in the college ranks to settle for a player playing out of position. It would be nice to have a consistent, perimeter scorer off the bench, but I am not sure who is ready to step into that role.
This could be a really exciting time for Storm basketball. A change like this can reinvigorate the players (if they come back) and force teams to scout the Storm all over again. On the other hand it can also be mortal wound to a franchise with as much off court drama as the Storm face this season. I don't envy Karen Bryant, but I am certainly keeping my fingers crossed for her.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Storm Dance Troupe Shines, Donovan Pines
The Storm Dance Troupe was featured during the Sonics/Warriors game last night, and were the only Seattle element of the evening on fire other than the JumboTron. As reported in the news, a lighting instrument in the JumboTron caught fire early in the first quarter. Perhaps the flame was due to the heat generated by Golden States' hot shooting. Regardless, the only other fire shown by anyone from Seattle was the talent and passion the Storm Dance Troupe showed in the first half. They got the fans riled up and received the loudest cheers of the evening with a performance that should have embarrassed the rather lackluster and boring Sonics dancers. The kids looked great.
In more important news, Anne Donovan finally bailed on the team. I can't say that I am surprised, but I am disappointed. I really wanted to see Anne get a GM to help with talent evaluation and the draft and I wanted to see her pick up an assistant with a REAL focus on perimeter defense, lost when Jenny Boucek fled after the championship.
Having followed the turmoil in the papers this past summer and reading about AD's emotional moments while being heavily critisized early on, and then seeing her ripped for Team USA by a number of national writers, I suspected she might call it quits in Seattle which has its own set of issues regarding location and ownership. Anne brought us the new and improved LJ, JB and Izi, and led the team to the first professional championship since the 1970's. Her stony glare and her imposing height will be missed on the sidelines. Having first learned about women's basketball via Old Dominion University where both my brother and sister were educated, I felt a bizarre and misplaced set of kinship with Coach Donovan. Frankly, I just liked her.
She had a rotten track record in the WNBA draft. She seemed unable to inspire her youthful role players to the heights needed to win in the league. Her substitution patterns at times defied understanding. I got the sense that Anne was a superb planner but a poor adapter. She seemed to set up perfect game plans but was never able to adjust to changes made by other coaches in the flow of the game.
I wish her the best of luck with Team USA and whatever she chooses to pursue next. It was a wild and emotional ride and I feel like I have lost a close relative that I never actually met.
Thanks, Anne.
In more important news, Anne Donovan finally bailed on the team. I can't say that I am surprised, but I am disappointed. I really wanted to see Anne get a GM to help with talent evaluation and the draft and I wanted to see her pick up an assistant with a REAL focus on perimeter defense, lost when Jenny Boucek fled after the championship.
Having followed the turmoil in the papers this past summer and reading about AD's emotional moments while being heavily critisized early on, and then seeing her ripped for Team USA by a number of national writers, I suspected she might call it quits in Seattle which has its own set of issues regarding location and ownership. Anne brought us the new and improved LJ, JB and Izi, and led the team to the first professional championship since the 1970's. Her stony glare and her imposing height will be missed on the sidelines. Having first learned about women's basketball via Old Dominion University where both my brother and sister were educated, I felt a bizarre and misplaced set of kinship with Coach Donovan. Frankly, I just liked her.
She had a rotten track record in the WNBA draft. She seemed unable to inspire her youthful role players to the heights needed to win in the league. Her substitution patterns at times defied understanding. I got the sense that Anne was a superb planner but a poor adapter. She seemed to set up perfect game plans but was never able to adjust to changes made by other coaches in the flow of the game.
I wish her the best of luck with Team USA and whatever she chooses to pursue next. It was a wild and emotional ride and I feel like I have lost a close relative that I never actually met.
Thanks, Anne.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Netflix adds more Women's Basketball Options
I wrote about the "Watch Instantly" options for Internet video rental outfit Netflix a while back but they have added another title.
Swoopes on Hoops is a basic basketball video by one of the greatest to play in the WNBA.
On another front.
Yes, I am one of the people named in the class action suit against the Seattle Sonics.
No, I won't talk about it here until it is all over.
Get out and support basketball in Seattle. Go see the Sonics play. No matter how we feel about the owners or the way they are treating the fans in Seattle, we need to show the NBA and the media that Seattle fans care about basketball.
Swoopes on Hoops is a basic basketball video by one of the greatest to play in the WNBA.
On another front.
Yes, I am one of the people named in the class action suit against the Seattle Sonics.
No, I won't talk about it here until it is all over.
Get out and support basketball in Seattle. Go see the Sonics play. No matter how we feel about the owners or the way they are treating the fans in Seattle, we need to show the NBA and the media that Seattle fans care about basketball.
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