THIS is why

we shouldn’t let AP Doug fly places. THINGS HAPPEN WHEN HE’S IN THE AIR.

Best of luck to the departing Prez Borders.

• WNBA president Lisa Borders stepping down
• WNBA President Lisa Borders steps down to become first-ever President and CEO of Time’s Up
• WNBA President Lisa Borders is latest executive to leave
• WNBA president Borders to step down
• Greater power and authority would help new WNBA president move the league forward
• WNBA President Lisa Borders Steps Down for Time’s Up
• Duke Trustee Lisa Borders steps down as WNBA presidency to become CEO of ‘Time’s Up’

I’m intrigued about who the W might look for. As part of a company who just went through the “new Executive Director” process, it’s interesting to think of what the W wants, not what I want. So, how about:

• Someone committed to social justice
• Someone with a strong business background, specifically with the ability to sell the brand to sponsors
• Someone who will take the time to understand that, as a niche sport, YOU CAN NEVER TAKE THE FANS FOR GRANTED, no matter how much sponsor money there is
• Someone who can wrangle the 12 franchises into accepting what “Best Practices in Marketing” are and execute get the teams to follow them
• Someone who is brave enough to share the financials of the league with the Player Reps and forceful enough to convince those players to keep that information internal
• Someone who recognizes that a strong, active social media presence is essential. (So, yes, fix the damn .com) and that elevating any and all media coverage out there is essential. Which means: do not be afraid of criticism.
• Someone who can commit to taking the league through its 25th year, ’cause the need to do a seriously good job of celebrating that
• Someone who hires a team committed to the WNBA and its fanbase
• Someone who will take the time to honor, preserve and celebrate the entirety of the WNBA’s history.
• Finally, (and I’m being selfish here), someone with connections to a New Yorker who will buy the Liberty/Knicks/Rangers, kick Dolan out of the City and return my Lib to where they belong: Madison Square Garden

Where do I want them to look?

• Former NCAA/W players or other athletes in other sports who’ve moved into the business world
• Athletic Directors
• ESPN executives
• NIKE executives

About that GOLD MEDAL!!!!

I’ll admit it – I was nervous. The US-Belgium hadn’t been easy. And, through the tournament, I was concerned about the play of the young guards, the lack of a perimeter defensive stopper, and Dawn’s free-for-all-yes-I-know-you’re-resting-folks-but-what-is-happening! substitution pattern.

The arena had been rocking for the Belgium/Spain game – damn, it was a good’un!! – and it was cool to see Diana congratulate some of the Spaniard’s after their bronze medal finish. But the crowed seemed emotionally exhausted when it came time for the US to face Australia, and the Americans made sure to keep them that way. No doubt, Liz had no legs for this game. And Griner was superb against her – smart, contained, deliberate. The arena didn’t forget Liz’s sass during the Opals game against Spain, so she was greeted with good natured whistles and hoots, but not eventhat attention could get her shots to fall. Steadily, relentlessly, almost dispassionately, the US dismantled the Aussies to earn the win. The group came together as a team in that final game, and it was really cool to see.

It was also really cool to watch all the different players interact during the awards/medal ceremony (coaches, too!). There are so many inter-relationships we fans no nothing about. Fun to bear witness.

Community was kind and welcoming. Loved the cohorts of young students they brought in. Volunteers and staff were amazing. Tenerife rocked it. Aaaand, I got to visit the volcano El Teide!

 

Final note: A nice moment from the prelims, Japan’s first win, there were 75-100 young’uns in attendance. All waving some sort of Japanese flag. (School project, maybe?) Japan’s Takada took time, post-interview, to visit with some of them and take pictures. THAT’s building the game.

AND: It’s time for North America to bid for the games. I’ll say it again: USA Bball should partner with Canadian Bball and co-host. Seattle/Vancouver, with the final rounds happening in the newly renovated Key Arena. It wouldn’t overly stress the Storm admin (unlike the ASG) and I’ve got to believe the many international fans would love to visit two great cities. Make it happen, folks!

• Inside The W with Michelle Smith: WNBA Stars Make USA Basketball History
• USA Basketball Wins Gold Behind Five Former UConn Women’s Basketball Stars
• Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi help Team USA strike gold again at World Cup
• FIBA World Cup: Team USA Wins Third Straight Gold
• Gold! Dawn Staley, A’ja Wilson capture World Cup title, qualify USA for Olympics
• Team USA Secures 10th Women’s Basketball World Cup Title And Qualifies For 2020 Olympics
• USA trounces Australia for FIBA World Cup three-peat; Breanna Stewart wins MVP
• Liz Cambage stifled as USA beats the Opals in women’s basketball World Cup final
• Queen Letizia attends final of Women’s Basketball World Cup
• USA women’s basketball team continues world dominance
• US women win 3rd straight World Cup
• Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi help Team USA strike gold again at World Cup
• Analysis: How Team USA defeated Australia for a third straight FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup
• Challenge grows for US to keep spinning gold in basketball
• Han Xu and Li Yueru improved draft status with World Cup play
• Kia Nurse is Just Getting Started
• Are the Las Vegas Aces the real winners of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup?

Can’t get enough of international basketball? Follow Paul! @basketmedia365

• The players and coaches who impressed me most at the #FIBAWWC
• Eight players to watch in the EuroCup Women Qualifiers

The Undefeated: WNBA All-Star Maya Moore wants to reward great coaches

WATN? Former WNBA and Andover Central star Tiffany Bias returns to Wichita

NCAA

• Lindsay Whalen settling in as Gophers women’s basketball coach
• New Gophers women’s basketball coach runs upbeat, intense first practice –
• Virginia Tech, Virginia optimistic at ACC women’s basketball media day
• Oregon Women’s Basketball Season Preview
• On deep Boise State women’s basketball team, off night means ‘go sit on the bench’
• Nebraska women’s basketball team doesn’t want to be one-hit wonder
• After three lost seasons, Claire Hendrickson out to contribute on court for MSU women
• Lobo women’s basketball appears deeper, bigger, more talented
• Arizona women’s basketball team starts practice with high expectations
• Crap: Ariel Stephenson to miss season for Wake Forest’s women’s basketball team

Finally

What I did while on vacation For the National Women’s History Museum, 2200 words on 22 years (Please excuse the typos. Hoping they’ll be fixed soon) “We Got Next!” The History of the WNBA

On June 21st, 1997, Lisa Leslie, center for the Los Angeles Sparks, and Kym Hampton, center for the New York Liberty, took the ceremonial “jump ball” marking the official start of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Leslie, 25, had just earned an Olympic gold medal as part of the 1996 US National team. Hampton, who’d graduated from Arizona State University in 1984, had spent the last twelve years playing professional basketball in Spain, Italy, France, and Japan. Between the two stood league president Val Ackerman. A four-year starter at the University of Virginia, in 1977 Ackerman had been one of school’s first female students to receive an athletic scholarship.

As the orange and oatmeal-paneled ball was tossed into the air, their names were added to the ever-expanding road of women’s basketball history.

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