Time for the finals

The WNBA Finals are here and I'm both pleased and disappointed at the same time. Obviously, I'm ecstatic to see some new blood in the spotlight. San Antonio makes its first finals appearance. The Silver Stars are one of the fun teams to watch. They play outstanding team defense, actually run an offense and have outstanding individual talents that come together in a team concept.
On the downside, San Antonio's opponent is Detroit. The Shock have been in the finals in something-like four of the last five years. They were in the finals last year. I'm sick of the Shock.
Detroit's claim-to-fame is Badboy coach Bill Laimbeer, who has built an organization in his own image. I don't like Detroit. This is a team built on bigger, stronger, meaner.
They don't beat their opponents. They bully them.
Detroit has a deep bench filled with tough, hard-nosed, physical, nasty players. They foul. They foul hard. They foul all night long.
The Shock's style is simply beat on their opponents until they either submit or until the referees get tired of blowing the whistle.
In a way, this is a classic confrontation. San Antonio is finesse. Detroit is power.
However, the WNBA isn't known for its officiating. Watch and see, Laimbeer will complain, yell, scream and intimidate until he gets the style he wants.
That's not good for my Silver Stars. More than that, it's not good for the WNBA. It's not entertaining. This league needs an entertaining series in the worst way.
I think the games will be close and competitive, which is enough for me and the serious basketball fan. But, for the casual fan, this won't be a lot of fun to watch.
I hope I'm wrong. I'll definitely be watching.
Go Silver Stars!

I got the power

I was happy and quite surprised to see the powers that be at WNBA heeded my advice and moved their playoffs from NBA TV to ESPN2. It was a good thing I said something, too, because thanks to me, the world got to see another outstanding women's basketball game.
The Silver Stars beat the Sparks 76-72 Sunday afternoon in the third and deciding game of the Western Conference Finals. My girl Becky Hammon turned in one of the clutch performances in the league's history, scoring 35 points on 6-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.
Candace Parker is the real deal. Delisha Milton-Jones is woefully under-rated and Lisa Leslie is past her prime. I was a little disappointed in Michael Cooper's coaching as well. Badly in need of anyone to knock down a perimeter shot, he forgot about Sidney Spencer, one of the league's top shooters who never took off her warmups.
I was quite proud of my Silver Stars, though. In addition to Hammon, who single-handedly kept the team in the game in the first half, the rest of the team showed guts and grit until Sophia Young finally found her game in the fourth quarter.
I thought the game was good, although the play wasn't great. It was intense and competitive, though, which made it quite entertaining.
It could've been more entertaining if the announcing had been up to the standards of the play. I'm usually a Doris Burke fan, but not on this day. It seemed she was downright biased toward Los Angeles, often-times pleading with the Sparks to make shots.
Burke and her partner went almost the entire game before finally mentioning that two of San Antonio's key bench players were injured on Saturday and were not available for Sunday's finale. The Silver Stars don't have a deep bench to begin with so these injuries were huge. To not even mention it was simply a horrible job of announcing.
Also, I've heard Burke often point out how good officials don't blow the whistle late in tight games, allowing the players to decide the outcome. Yet, on this day, she was begging for the refs to call a ticky-tack offensive foul on Hammon.
She became frustrated and almost angry when Hammon wasn't call for a foul. The disappointment was still etched on her face when she was forced to talk about San Antonio after the game.
I don't know if she's doing the finals but hopefully she can turn some of her love for Candace Parker into at least appreciation for some of the other players in the league. Of course, her other love affair in the league is Detroit's Deanna Nolan.
Oh well, I won't let biased announcing spoil what has been a great playoff season in the WNBA. I'm just happy I was able to get it moved to national television.

Did you see that, probably not?

As a WNBA fan, I must say yesterday's buzzer-beating playoff victory in San Antonio has to be one of the bright spots in the history of the league. Unfortunately, it's also probably one of the league's biggest disappointments.
The Silver Stars beat the Sparks 67-66 on Sophia Young's 18-foot bank shot at the buzzer. It was one of the better games you will ever see with big shots and three lead changes in the final 20 seconds.
Young gave San Antonio the lead with two free throws before LA went on top by one on a putback by Delisha Milton-Jones with 1.1 seconds left, setting up one of the most miraculous or lucky shots, depending on which team you were rooting for, you will ever see.
This was the game the WNBA would love to put on a DVD and send to each of its critics. This was the game that should've shut up all the naysayers who question the intensity of the league. This was the game that showcased how exciting women's basketball can be at the pro level.
The game the WNBA would love the world to watch was on NBA TV.
I get NBA TV, mostly because that's where the majority of WNBA games are shown. But, I'm in the minority, especially in Arkansas. Most folks don't get the channel, which means, unfortunately for the WNBA, most didn't get to see one of the league's best ever games.
This is a big reason why the league's popularity isn't any better than what it is. You can't have your playoffs on a channel that most people don't have. It's amazing how many of the best WNBA games have occured on NBA TV. Did you see that incredible Phoenix-San Antonio game in last year's playoffs?
Exactly.
If you want to watch the WNBA, you can find it. But, if the league wants to get the attention of new fans, it had better get its product on a channel where EVERYONE can see it.

Interesting reading

I hope you guys don't tell anybody. I borrowed a couple of articles from the Los Angeles Times that I thought you'd be interested in. The first is a column by Melissa Rohlin. She talks about being a basketball fan but not a WNBA fan. The second is a response by Phoenix Mercury All-Star Diana Taurasi.


Why this woman is a fan of basketball, but not the WNBA

Like most people, she watches sports to be entertained, and that means when it comes to hoops, it’s all about the NBA.
By Melissa Rohlin
September 20, 2008
An explanation from one woman basketball fan – not a women’s basketball fan – who did not plan on being at Staples Center for the Sparks’ opening game in the playoffs against Seattle.
I have played basketball my entire life and dreamed of playing in the WNBA. I did anything and everything to accomplish my goal – everything except watch the WNBA.
I was the first person to show up at practice and I was the last person to leave the gym. Basketball was my life. I was so obsessed with the sport that my parents would punish any perceived bad behavior by forbidding me from going to the gym.
During this period, I watched every Lakers game and studied Kobe’s dunks and leaping skills, but I never tried to learn the moves and skills of the women with whom I actually dreamed of playing.
I returned to my alma mater, Palisades High, and discovered that I am not alone. Of the 12 girls hoping to make the basketball team this fall with whom I spoke, only one says that she regularly watches the WNBA. The majority say they regularly watch the NBA.
I wish that I had more interest in the WNBA. The players have doubtlessly overcome gender prejudices and a lot of adversity to achieve their status. They are examples of discipline and focus and are advancing the cause of gender equality while simultaneously destroying gender norms.
Unfortunately, I watch basketball to be entertained. I do not watch it to support a cause. And, quite frankly, men’s basketball is far more entertaining than women’s basketball. Simply stated: Men jump higher, run faster, and hit harder than women.
The celebration and media hype that ensued after Candace Parker’s first dunk in the WNBA emphasizes the difference between men’s and women’s basketball. Could you imagine if each player in the NBA received that kind of attention after a dunk debut? It would be comical. Dunking is practically as much of a requisite for playing in the NBA as dribbling is for the WNBA.
I am not trying to understate the significance of Parker’s feat. Her dunk was historic because she is a woman. But, why would basketball fans want to watch the WNBA where something generic is considered historic?
Not everyone feels the way I do. One Palisades varsity basketball hopeful, Dominique Scott, finds the WNBA more exciting than the NBA because she can better relate to women’s moves and tactics. She thinks that the showboating and dunking of the NBA detracts from the purity of the sport.
Unfortunately, most people do not agree with Dominique’s perspective, and since there is not much fan interest in the WNBA, there is also not much media coverage. “Studies have shown that men’s sports receive as much as 90% airtime as compared to a mere 7% airtime for women,” said Stephanie Sweet, who has a master’s degree in kinesiology from Long Beach State.
We are constantly bombarded with advertisements for the NBA. Even though my grandmother thinks that the Lakers are a football team, she still knows the dates and times of their games.
The WNBA, on the other hand, is virtually absent in the media. People have to actively research and seek out game times. Leora Sheily, a 16-year-old Palisades basketball player, said, “If I knew about Sparks games, I would watch them.”
Another reason the WNBA is underappreciated is the lack of male interest in the game. Very few of my friends who are girls share my passion for basketball, but most of my guy friends (even those who have no interest in playing the sport) love watching it. These guys only have an interest in the NBA. The WNBA is as foreign to them as cricket is to most Americans.
Another Palisades player, Ksenya Schvchuk, said: “Half of the fun of watching basketball is debating the games with my guy friends, and since none of them watch the WNBA, I have lost interest.”
Sweet explained that most guys accept women competing only in feminine sports such as volleyball and tennis. Men do not like watching women clad in baggy, long shorts competing in contact sports. This image directly opposes the prototype of the feminine woman who is revered in today’s society, and, as Sweet says, “Sports is a reflection of society.”
A lot of young female basketball players also shy away from watching the WNBA because of its reputation of having a large homosexual fan base. Some heterosexual girls are afraid that they themselves will be considered gay if they associate with something reputed as gay. Unfortunately, this discourages many young women from watching and talking about a sport in which they would otherwise have interest.
Even though my dream of playing professional basketball evaporated in high school, I still love watching the sport. Well, I love watching guys play the sport. The WNBA is for me, as it is for the majority of the potential Palisades varsity basketball players, nothing but an afterthought.
If the WNBA hopes to survive, it must at least pique the interest of female basketball players. I want the WNBA to survive. For now, by discussing our lack of interest in the WNBA, we are at least bringing it some attention.
Rohlin is a freelance writer who frequently contributes to The Times



Diana Taurasi: Impassioned defense of the WNBA
11:59 AM, September 25, 2008

I had my appetite ruined on Saturday.
It happened right after I read Melissa Rohlin's piece "Why this woman is a fan of basketball, but not the WNBA." It's hard to tell what's worse about the commentary: a) that the opinion offered was so antiquated and un-evolved; b) that a woman would go out of her way to hate on such accomplished professional women; or c) that the reality is, there are people who actually share such a sheltered view.
Nevertheless, I can cosign on three sentiments conveyed by Ms. Rohlin: that the NBA does feature the best athletes and the highest level of basketball in the world, that women's sports receive far less media coverage than men's and that discussion is always healthy. Of course, those facts are as much of a news flash as word that an African American is running for president.
What may not be common knowledge, however, is that the WNBA features the world's best women's basketball, which was proven by the fact that 26 medals were awarded to current and former WNBA players. And, contrary to Ms. Rohlin's opinion, many think the WNBA is entertaining. She would've known that had she looked beyond the 12 girls "trying out" for the team at her alma mater.
Ratings, attendance and website traffic aren't up because it's boring. No offense to the caring progressives at ESPN, but the network didn't commit to pay millions for the right to exclusively televise WNBA games because it wants to, as Ms. Rohlin said, "support the cause." The WNBA, in its 12th year, is the longest-running, most-successful professional women's league in America because it IS entertaining.
Perhaps those like Ms. Rohlin who find us so boring are simply too close-minded to give the WNBA a chance, shackled by stereotypes, homophobia or an obsession with being accepted by men. Perhaps they aren't real basketball fans.
That's what makes the premise of Ms. Rohlin's commentary so absurd. It's not even possible to be a basketball fan and not be at least somewhat entertained by the WNBA. Sure, you can be an NBA fan and not have interest in our league. But basketball fans, real basketball fans -- who see the game as more than dunks and athleticism and personalities -- can enjoy all levels of basketball without being herded toward it by big-budget commercials. Yes, even varsity games at Palisades High.
Real basketball fans, like the NBA stars who watched our every game in Beijing, appreciate the game and its beauty, the athletes and their dedication, the competition and its intensity.
Will many think the NBA is more entertaining? Of course. How that means the WNBA is NOT entertaining is beyond me. That's what is disappointing, that when it comes to the WNBA, some people, even women such as Ms. Rohlin, (who can probably see Russia from her porch) still can only regard our league as the NBA's kid sister. Where was the NBA in its 12th season? Furthermore, the idea that if it isn't the MOST watched or MOST marketed that it isn't worthy is unfairly applied to women's sports. Such a rationale belies not only an ingrained sexism, but ignorance over the fact that NBA versus the WNBA doesn't have to be an either/or conundrum: we have different seasons.
Ms. Rohlin, are you a fan of college basketball, which doesn't feature Kobe Bryant or any of the world's best players? Is Serena Williams not entertaining because her serve isn't as fast as Andy Roddick's? Are you bored by sprint star Allyson Felix because women's 200-meter times haven't cracked the 20-second barrier like the men? What does Dara Torres mean to you?
The WNBA is celebrating its 12th season because women's basketball is proven entertainment, the league where the world's best come to play, and it's growing. The WNBA set a record with 46 sellouts this season. National TV ratings increased 19% over last year. Jersey sales jumped 46%.
Contrary to popular belief, men are watching the WNBA. Games on ESPN2 saw viewership among men ages 18-34 increase 28% (71% among women 18-34!). Attend a game and you'll regularly see NBA players sitting courtside.
Oh, and that lone player from the 12 Palisades varsity hopefuls you found that actually watched the WNBA? She just happens to be the best player on the team, the 23rd ranked scorer in Los Angeles' City Section.
It seems as if Ms. Rohlin and the L.A. Times are just late catching on. Fortunately, you still have a chance at redemption. I challenge anyone who calls themselves fans of basketball, or even just a fan of sport, to watch the 2008 playoffs. If you agreed with Ms. Rohlin, but teared up during the Olympics, pick a team and follow them through (Ms. Rohlin, I'll even get you some tickets to see it live. I already have Coach Brown bringing the Palisades team to the game Thursday). Or watch the WNBA Finals from start to finish. Media and sponsors? Lead the way and provide enhanced activation and coverage.
I guarantee you will be entertained.
-- Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi is a three-time WNBA All-Star with the Phoenix Mercury.

Seeing Silver Stars

Whew! I can now go to bed and enjoy a peaceful night's sleep.
My WNBA team, the San Antonio Silver Stars, flirted with disaster Monday night, going into overtime against Sacramento in the third game of the best of 3-series. But, thanks to hitting 15-of-16 from the free throw line in overtime, San Antonio prevailed and will meet the winner of tonight's Los Angeles-Seattle series.
San Antonio prevailed with defense and grit. It was not a pretty game, thanks to the Monarchs' effort and hustle. They made it ugly. They made every single possession ugly.
My girl Becky Hammon was held pretty much shotless throughout the first three quarters. She finally hit a reverse layup and a clutch 3-pointer late in the game. But, the girl who should be MVP connected on 9-of-9 at the line to finish with 14 points and six assists. It was the second game in a row she finished with 14 points on just eight shot attempts after opening the series with a sensational 3o-point effort.
The Silver Stars were the best team in the league during the regular season. They had the best record, went unbeaten against the Eastern Conference and own the homecourt advantage as long as they're alive in the playoffs.
If they had lost in the first round, it would've been a heartbreaker. It probably would've been tough on them, too.
But, they did what they had to do and will await, probably, former Tennessee standout Candace Parker in the Western Conference finals.
The Sparks have underachieved this season but I can't imagine them losing to a Seattle team without Lauren Jackson in a must-win situation.
If LA wins, it'll be my girl Becky against Steven Bridges' infatuation, Candace Parker.
I can't wait. Until then, I'm going to enjoy tonight's win and have a restful sleep.

Winning ain't everything

I understand being the coach of any team is not easy. I understand that teaching life lessons, as a coach, is just as important as winning. With that being said, I still don't get what's going on with the El Dorado tennis program.
El Dorado has one of the state's top players in Irene Jadic. As a 16-year-old, she's ranked in the top three in the 18-and-under division in Arkansas.
Jadic travels and competes on the junior tennis circuit in the spring, summer and fall. She has her own tennis coach and her own practice regiment.
The Romanian is, clearly, the best girl player in South Arkansas. No one is even close.
However, she is not and has not suited up for the Lady Wildcats as a tennis player.
I don't understand why a coach who has a premier player at his disposal, wouldn't figure out a way to get her on the team. It's not like she doesn't want to play for the Lady Wildcats.
Jadic has said she would love to play for El Dorado. She competes for the school in track and field, winning state titles last year in the 1,600 and 3,200. She's going to compete in cross country this season, also.
But, for some reason, she can't compete in high school in her number one sport.
Jadic, you see, practices tennis in the mornings before school. She has full two-hour sessions each day. The high school team, practices in the afternoons for two hours each day.
Clearly, there's a conflict. But, tennis is an individual sport. It's not like she's sitting on the couch eating Cheetos. Jadic's practices are probably a lot more difficult than anything the Lady Wildcats are doing. And, since there isn't anyone on the team who can compete with her, as a coach, I wouldn't see the problem.
Unfortunately, this is just another shining example at El Dorado, where winning is only important in boys sports. If this was a male athlete, some allowances would be made and that player would be suiting up for the Wildcats.
Girls sports at El Dorado aren't about winning. They're about making friends, being polite and not doing anything to take attention away from the boys sports.
What else can you say about a school that has one of the state's top players, but won't let her play because it could hurt a lesser player's feelings?

Why I'm bent out of shape

To all my loyal readers, I want to apologize to both of you for not posting anything for awhile. As you know, football season just kicked off and, to be honest, I had my hands full last week with our football section.
I'm in a pretty fired-up mood, right now. I'll explain what happened and you tell me if I'm justifiably angry or just too uptight for my own good.
Okay, the football tab is divided into two 12-page sections. The first 12 pages are for El Dorado football with the next 12 for all the other county schools combined.
As the sports editor, I feel it's only right for me to do more than my fair share. As usual, I took it upon myself to fill up the first 12 pages of the section - all by myself - with no help from anyone.
I gave the other 12 pages to my TWO sports writers. I gave them no instructions other than, "you two guys get these 12 pages done."
Are you still with me? Let's recap, just in case. I'm doing 12 pages - half of the section. My TWO sports writers are to split the other 12 pages - presumably six pages apiece.
Due to rain, El Dorado pushes its scrimmages back a week. They only do two scrimmages in the preseason and the second one is a couple days before the football section is due. I always wait until the scrimmages are done before I talk to the coaches about the upcoming season so, as you can imagine, I'm running way behind to get my 12 pages done.
Of course, being the stud that I am, I get it done. That's what I do. I get stuff done. I was in the office until 3:30 in the morning, but I got my job done.
After I finished my 12 pages (half the section) I ask my TWO sports writers how their section was coming. I was assured by my TWO sports writers that everything was going well and the entire section would be finished by deadline.
I slept well that night, secure in the knowledge that the section was finished on time.
The next day, however, I received calls, emails and texts from the boss lady about the section. The pages were on the press being printed but, low and behold, there was no page 23.
Since I did the first 12 pages, page 23 would be in the section my TWO sports writers were responsible for. I immediately called both gentlemen and was surprised to hear that neither of them knew anything about Page 23.
Let me ask you this. How can TWO college-educated professionals put together pages 13-24 and neither of them know anything about Page 23? How exactly does that happen? How do you do Page 21, Page 22, Page 24 and not realize that something is missing?
Pardon my French by WHAT THE HELL?
Anyway, I race to the office, on my day off, and throw together a Page 23 for the section to get it finished.
Now, I ask each of you, is it me or would you be a little bent out of shape, too?