won’t prevent me from bringing you a little this and that:
From the New York Time’s Cheering Section (?): Savoring the Small Victories With My Two Little Girls
As the often-perplexed father of two girls, Ella and Sylvia, who took sports as second nature, I have been smitten with everything they have done on the court, the field, the track, the pool and assorted other places. In the age of the controversy over Tiger Mothers, I resolutely stand as the Pussycat Dad of sports parents.
When I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s in suburban New Jersey, I wasn’t sure how girls got around to playing sports. Even when they did, it was of a different form. Girls basketball was six on a side, only two of whom could play the full length of the court, presumably because girls had no stamina. They played softball, with 10 players and the squishiest ball they could find, so no one could possibly get hurt. Lacrosse and field hockey had so many penalties, the whistle seemed to blow at every turn to save them from even the tiniest welt. They always had to wear skirts, not practical pants or shorts.
But when my girls turned 5, they were in the vortex of T-ball, biddy basketball and the inevitable soccer.
From Jodie Valade at the Plain Dealer: WNBA’s new commissioner, former Shaker Heights resident Laurel Richie, maintains her father’s pioneering spirit
Well, that’s one! Tulsa Shock gets its first win of the season (Enjoying your season, Sheila?)
Tulsa (1-5) relied on big performances from veterans Ivory Latta, who scored 22 points, and Sheryl Swoopes, who had her best outing of the year with 13 points.
“I thought that for 40 minutes (Saturday night) we brought the energy,” Swoopes said. “I think that every player on this team refused to lose.”
The NY Times spends 30 seconds with Penny Toler.
How much does having coach Dan back mean? Well, I dunno. But Mechelle notes: Rookies, Becky Hammon off to hot start
San Antonio coach Dan Hughes, traversing the hallways of old Municipal Auditorium during the Big 12 tournament in March, was sure of something he’d been watching. But not so sure of something else.
As he talked about it, you could tell he was really wrestling with it. It wasn’t a case of “Go with your gut,” because that was conflicted, too.
Hughes was there in Kansas City doing one more scout on players he was already very familiar with as he contemplated the following month’s WNBA draft. He had picks No. 6, No. 20 and No. 30. He has been around the league long enough to know there was a possibility — regardless of how much time was put into scouting — none of the selections ultimately would pan out.
Did you miss Mechelle’s chat? Read all about it!
Sigourney (LV-426) Tell the truth . . . about thirty minutes into Tuesday’s Shock/Indy game, were you beginning to wonder where you could buy some Tofu-Crow?
Mechelle Voepel Do they make Tofu-Crow? Maybe it’s one of those fancy East Coast dishes that a vegetarian can’t get here in cow country. Actually, I thought, “Maybe I ticked off the Shock enough that they are now going to be a good team!” No, I didn’t really think that. The Shock doesn’t care what I write. But I *did* think I would need to write something congratulating them on making me look like a fool. And I would have been happy to do so. The last thing I want is for any WNBA team to struggle the way Tulsa has. I really want the franchise to succeed there.
What that game showed, though, was the essence of their problem – and we saw this last year, too – they can play well enough in stretches to be “in” games. But the fourth quarter does them in, even in those games where they are playing well. They get worn down, and the more experienced talent on other rosters gets in gear. Plus, they have to deal with the fact that every team is super aware of not wanting to be the team that loses to Tulsa. I do hope things start getting better for the Shock, and if you know of where I can get that Tofu-Crow in the Midwest, let me know. I’m always looking for new ways to eat tofu.
