Just the Facts, Ma'am: The New York Liberty started the game on a 12-0 run, but the Connecticut Sun finished on a 14-0 run to win the game 75-62 and the series 2-0. Tina Charles led Connecticut with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Asjha Jones added 20 points and eight boards; Kara Lawson filled the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Cappie Pondexter's 20 points led New York. Connecticut held a 44-28 rebounding edge.
For fond farewells, New York on a Saturday night, MOAR barbeque, indecision, high kicks, the end of all things, and slight exaggeration, join your intrepid and serene blogger after the jump.
So this might very well be it. And if this is it, I'm okay with that. We fought just hard enough to make the playoffs and just hard enough to look respectable in Game 1. If we win, we win. If we lose, then Connecticut deserves to advance.
The Liberty and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que hosted an all-you-can-eat for Liberty season subscribers. After yet more miscommunication with the poor unfortunate wretch detailed to handle our account, we did get our tickets and our wristbands, and then there was deliciousness. I think I'm going to be oozing barbeque sauce after the fifth day of BBQ, though- we're still working through the leftovers from Connecticut! Organized, it was not, but at least there was a little bit of camaraderie.
Oh, Essence's music video! This is interesting. Hey, there are kids here! I keep thinking she's got Cappie in there somewhere as an extra. Not sure if want. At least she's better than Angel McCoughtry in that respect. I shouldn't be thinking that I want the headphones that keep popping up, though. And we immediately MST'd the "I'm Sorry" message on the Garden marquee with "your game is in another arena".
The thundersticks are uninspired. They will not be going on the wall unless we need to fill the whole thing.
I'm really hoping attendance picks up, but I think it will. A lot of the Usual Suspects are probably still loading up on BBQ. Om nom nom.
There do not appear to be any shinies in the arena. No awards for you, Libs. Not that you deserved any.
Definitely not one of the usual stable of announcers. Could be worse. We'll have a better idea when the game gets going.
There's a lot of lost-looking people in the aisles. I think they're trying to get a lot of comps out.
The girl group that did the anthem has done a Garden performance before. They were just as awful the second time as they were the first time. Please, either coordinate your outfits or be completely different. A matching jacket does not an outfit make. I'd just generally prefer if they didn't perform at Liberty games at all.
Hey! We were promised the Shabazz band. Why are there guys on trampolines in the middle of the court? I want awesome high school band music, not jumping Canadians. If I wanted jumping Canadians, I'd be watching Indiana.
The first five minutes of this game, when the Sun didn't have a field goal and the Liberty were out to a 14-point lead, were the most energetic I've heard the Prudential Center in a while, possibly ever. The place was rocking. The energy dimmed a bit when the Sun counter-punched, but it feels like a playoff game in here. 33-27 at the half, and it was a patchwork of good performances. Kara Braxton started well, Kia was doing work in the middle, everyone was hitting. The Sun seemed a little frazzled, though the second timeout stabilized them a bit, and I don't know why Thibault stuck with McCray so long when she was in over her head.
The latecomers in this game are really starting to rub me the wrong way. Why would you wander in at halftime? Either get here on time or get out of my line of sight.
And that's the end of it. And I'm okay with that. I don't know if it's that I've reached serenity or if it's that we gave it all we had or if I want Connecticut to get closer to that elusive title or if I'm just tired of going to Newark, but I'm not angry, except maybe at PATH and this train that's terminating at Journal Square.
The Danielle McCray experiment ran entirely too long this game. She missed her shots badly, she missed passes badly, and generally just looked out of place and in over her head. I was surprised he kept her in for as long as he did. He usually doesn't give her that many chances to make mistakes. Tan White brought a little bit of theatrics and a lot of hustle. Mistie Mims found herself open at times I felt were a bit inopportune, and she took advantage of them pretty much every time. She mixed it up in the paint, as well. Renee Montgomery was mostly an energy player in this one, though I think part of how she fired her teammates up was by running her mouth and throwing her body at Liberty players. Someday, someone's not going to take her behavior well and is going to send her into the third row. She had one exchange with Leilani Mitchell where an elbow was thrown- not a full-fledged "would you like a side of concussion with your headache?" elbow, but the sort of nudge you give someone when they're attempting to steal your armrest in a tight airplane seat.
Allison Hightower just finds ways to get things done. She only had the one make, but it was a beauty. She just kept on keeping on, working the boards and playing D. Kalana Greene didn't play much- she got a little shaken up early, so maybe that had something to do with it, but it might just have been that Renee Montgomery was more effective and he liked what White was bringing to the table more. We kept leaving Kara Lawson open beyond the arc for no reason I could discern, and she kept hitting shots from beyond the arc for the obvious reason that she is a really good three-point shooter. She stole away a lot of rebounds, too. The assists were harder to notice. I think Asjha Jones maybe heard the whispers that she'd lost a step and wasn't the All-Star player she used to be, because she absolutely abused us from the free throw line extended area. Her turnaround jumper was on fire. All-around, she was solid- and solid may seem like an underwhelming word for what she did, but we're talking vein of granite reaching deep under the earth's crust solid here, the foundation on which the Sun built their game. And Tina Charles topped it all off by going into full beast mode. The guy behind us kept screaming, "Guard Patrick Ewing!" and I think he was talking about her. I don't know if the comparison beyond "dominating center who mostly plays in the paint" is accurate, especially since this was a bit of an anomaly in terms of Charles actually parking in the lane, but she was quite overpowering today. She played like an MVP and a #1 pick. But we just had to have Sidney Spencer...
We got to bring out the dive cards for DeMya Walker- if she's back in the league anywhere, in any capacity, next season, I'll put up the template and you too can have a set of DeMya Walker Dive-O-Meter cards to gauge your team's ability to hit the deck. She was using her body hard in the paint, but mostly to clear space and on defense. Leilani Mitchell was not as bad as she was on Thursday, but she was still in over her head, and I don't think there's much room for her with the Liberty if Pondexter's going to be the starting point guard and Carson's going to be the starting off guard. (Or vice versa.) Alex Montgomery gave us ten unremarkable minutes, with her only shot coming off a deflection by Lawson (we joked that Lawson should get credit for the assist). I'm looking at the plus/minus here on the train, and I just don't get it. It didn't feel like she was responsible for us being -12 with her in the game. Kia Vaughn worked hard on the boards- sometimes a little too hard, with fouls of questionable sense- and I'd have liked to see her be more aggressive trying to score. But she gave us a lot, and I appreciate it.
Cappie Pondexter, you don't have to be the hero all the time. She played well in the first half, but when Connecticut took over in the second half, she started panicking and taking long shots early in the clock. And throwing that interception into double coverage late in the fourth quarter was just ridiculous. She's been asked to do a little bit of everything, and I appreciate that she didn't have an Asjha Jones like Tina Charles did, but sometimes you can't do everything. Kara Braxton started both games like someone had lit a fire under her, going to the hole at one end and snagging passes on the other- I think both halves started with Braxton getting a basket and getting a steal in Connecticut's frontcourt on the ensuing possession- but wore down and got frustrated. It was nice to see Kara get going, but she doesn't have the stamina to keep up that kind of awesome. Or the stamina to keep up that kind of anything, really. That's an issue we're going to have to look at for 2013. I don't know what to think about Nicole Powell. She wasn't bad, per se, but she had a couple of bone-headed plays in the second half that looked like they were turning the tide. It also looked like Lawson had her number the way she had Lawson's number on Thursday. I think some of the close defense got to her. I also don't know what to make of Plenette Pierson. It might have been that she was working hard against Charles and especially Jones all night and therefore didn't have much left in the tank on the other end, but we didn't get to see nearly enough of that ridiculously high jump shot or that sweeping scoop. At least she didn't seem to be in as much pain as she was on Thursday. Essence Carson kept leaving shots in odd places on the rim, but her defense was better than it was in Game 1.
Wonderful, we've got a loud, crazy, racist woman on the train. I am so glad I'm not coming back from Newark late at night again for several months.
The officiating was uneven, a surprise for a crew that included Tom Mauer and Felicia Grinter. (Then again, it also included Roy Gulbeyan.) There was one play where three players hit the floor after someone got pulled down going for a rebound, and there was nothing called on anyone. They were also letting everyone get away with the NBA's extra step, which surprises me with three veteran WNBA refs. It could always be worse, but it wasn't great.
The crowd was loud and into it for almost all of the game- we really only ran out of steam when Connecticut took over. Been a long time since a Liberty game rocked that well. Reminded me a little of those Eastern Conference Championship years. Not completely- you'd need twice as many people in the arena and a better team on the floor- but it was nice.
I caught a t-shirt! But it was a medium, so I gave it to the girl two rows in front of me. Her parents were both appreciative.
It was hard to say goodbye to all the Usual Suspects, and that's the hardest part of the end of the season. The best part of having season tickets is fellow fans and good neighbors. We'll see many of them again in college season, I'm sure- if nothing else, the Maggie Dixon Classic in December will gather everyone up again- but it's not the same. There isn't the same sense of shared neutral ground, because people cheer for different college teams. There isn't the depth of history and knowledge that comes from fifteen years of cheering for the same team.
We gave it all we had and it wasn't enough. In the end, that's all you can ask for. You can only give what you have. Good luck, Connecticut. You deserve it.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
September 29th, 2012: Connecticut at New York
Thursday, September 27, 2012
September 27th, 2012: New York at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A 12-0 second half run broke a 45-45 tie and propelled the Connecticut Sun to a Game 1 victory over the New York Liberty. 17 points and four blocks from newly crowned MVP Tina Charles led the way for the Sun, with Asjha Jones just missing a double-double at 10 points and nine rebounds. Cappie Pondexter had 14 points for the Liberty on 3-of-16 shooting; New York overall shot only 26% from the field.
For questionable decisions, taunting leftovers, low quality towels, unexpected company, endless construction, large shiny objects, and tough decisions, join your intrepid and delinquent blogger after the jump.
True story: Tuesday afternoon, my supervisor and I are chatting about a day she needs to take off in October, and I mentioned that I'd give her one of my days if I could, since I probably wasn't going to use them. She encouraged me to take them, since I was entitled to them. I come home that night and my husband has Thursday off and Mohegan is providing comps.
"Hey, Angua, mind if I take Thursday off?"
So here I am in the bus lobby of Mohegan Sun, writing up notes on a game I didn't expect to either see or be so close. My leg's a little numb and there are a lot of Sun season ticket holders passing through. But it's okay. I'm surprisingly okay, all things considered. The music is good, and I think we covered the spread. Not that I gamble, but it's a good way to determine if your team was over or under expectations. And we did a lot better than I was expecting, given how we play on the road.
Not a lot of Liberty fans made the trip, but there were a few scattered Usual Suspects. It's a Thursday night. Not much of a surprise. Fewer fans than usual in general, but again, a late night on a school night.
Anthem by an acoustic guitarist and Chubby Checker. He briefly flubbed one of the words and got a wee bit overdramatic for my liking, but heck, you've got Chubby Checker doing the anthem. Score. There was one adorable moment during a timeout when the PA blared "The Twist" and got him to come on the court to dance; Mistie Mims wore the age-old expression of "oh, God, my dad is doing something embarrassing in public, make it stop", though that might be because it looked like Jessica Moore was taunting her mercilessly about it. (Our seats, courtesy of Mohegan, were behind the basket that sits in front of the home bench. Got to see lots of facial expressions.) At the end of the game, he was adorably pointing her out, as if to say, "Yeah, that's my kid!"
I don't know how thrilled the Sun fans around us were at being presented with two be-hatted, lei'd, jersey'd, loud New York fans, but they held up pretty well, and I appreciate the courtesy. Also, my thanks to the patient usher who did let us keep the rally towels. I even asked, "Are you sure you want us to have these?"
It's kind of awesome- one of the guys who came up on our bus got comp'd for the game and was talking enthusiastically about it with us. He's more of an NBA guy, apparently, but they offered him tickets and he decided to take them. That's one of the nifty things about the Mohegan comps- the freebies get people interested in the league that maybe hadn't heard about it anymore, and since they're there anyway, what the heck. And we've got a reporter behind us on the bus- didn't see what outlet she was from- ah, she just gave me her card, hello WBAI- but I'm a little jealous of her press pass. But only a little. I like the fan experience. And I have a towel. It's bright yellow, and it sheds like a yappy little dog, and some Liberty fan graffitied theirs, but it's a free towel!
Leilani Mitchell continues to decrease in value and usefulness. I'm sorry, Leilani. It's not that we don't like you- I wouldn't still rock the lei if I didn't. But a small, slight, slowing point guard is a liability if she can't hit her shots, can't see over the defense, and can't stop committing holding fouls when she attempts to defend at the other end. I like her enthusiasm on loose balls and offensive rebounds, but with an eleven-player roster, everyone has to bring more to the table. Alex Montgomery played well- a lot of hustle, a lot of work on the boards, a lot of defense, good quick hands, one hard slip and fall that left her holding her elbow and out for a couple of minutes. She's not my first choice for the corner three, but she's not my last choice, either. Kia Vaughn was aggressive on the boards, and sitting five rows up under the basket let me see how hard she was working against the Connecticut posts. She tore those rebounds down. I like seeing that out of her. I'd like a little more accuracy on the chip shots, but there are days when I think we're cursed when it comes to those. DeMya Walker only came in for- as near as I can tell- defensive purposes, and she was so-so on that. I hate to say it, but I think she was mostly there as a goon- not in the full-on "hit somebody!" sense, but to body up and wear out the Connecticut posts so that her teammates would have an easier time of it.
I think someone messed with Essence Carson's glasses, because that's the only reason I can think of for her to suddenly play so completely awful in the second half. We had a chance when the game was tied, and Essence began fumbling and taking bad shots. She was just not right. I should never have to tell Essence not to do the Show The Ball Trick. (For those of you not familiar with Liberty history, the Show The Ball Trick is something Tari Phillips used to do, when she would inexplicably hold the ball out some distance from her directly in front of a defender. It's sort of an exaggerated handoff, only it's usually with no teammate in sight. No, I don't know what the purpose of it is either.) I also don't know whose idea it was for her to run the point when Leilani was on the floor. It's the only thing Leilani can do at this point- if you have someone else running point when she's on the floor, she's a fluffy little liability. Kara Braxton continues to be frustrating. Stop throwing the ball over the basket. Scoring doesn't work that way. I'd also like to see her hold on to the ball on the rebound instead of tipping it out- most of those tips did go to her teammates this time around, but that's as much a function of the laws of chance as it is skill and court awareness. They're not always going to work out. Nicole Powell actually shone in this one- she had her shot working from the outside, and it's not her fault her teammates couldn't or wouldn't find her when she was wide open in the corner and waving her arms like a drowning woman. (The short sharp word that flew out of her mouth was uncalled for, though.) I think she also brought the advantage of knowing Kara Lawson better than most of her teammates- she stuck very closely on her and anticipated her moves well. Of course, then you end up with a mismatch and someone ends up with an open shot. I think Plenette Pierson's knee was bothering her more than she's ever going to admit. She was a lot slower to react than usual, wasn't cutting as much, wasn't recovering as fast, and was flat-footed more than a few times. For all of that, she still fought hard for boards and on defense. (Cappie's foul upon Tan White's person was actually Plenette's. No idea where they got that one from.) The ridiculously high arc of her shot still thrills and terrifies me. I have random flashbacks of K.B. Sharp. I'd like to see her not have to take as many outside shots, because I love it when she makes that one long step into the lane for the finger roll or the scoop. Cappie Pondexter came down with a bad case of what Mike Lupica once termed "Wanna Be the Man Disease" in one of his novels and started taking mind-numbingly stupid shots. Hurried, off-balance- she's going to end up kicking someone in the crotch with that high kick on the fadeaway, I know it- early in the shot clock with no rebounders in position. She played hero ball when we needed team basketball. She took advantage of lackadaisical Sun ball-handling in the first half, nabbing a couple of quick steals.
Whiz, if you tie the game at 45 and then the other team keeps scoring, perhaps not waiting until the run gets up to 12-0 to call the timeout would be the course of wisdom. I'm also not sure why he went with Essence as long as he did when she was not providing anything that would be vaguely considered beneficial to the ultimate goal of scoring points and preventing the other team from scoring points.
Mike Thibault performed the Danielle McCray experiment again, bringing her in for one stretch, concluding that she would not be useful, and putting her back on the bench. I love watching him do that- not watching him mess with a player, but watching him try out personnel combinations. With him, I get the sense he's doing it for a reason, most of the time. Tan White hustled hard and hit the lane. Happy birthday, Tan. For your birthday you get to be knocked into the stanchion by Plenette Pierson. Isn't the life of a professional athlete wonderful? (Since they won the game, she might answer yes.) Mistie Mims gave as good as she got in the paint from DeMya, Kia, Kara, and Plenette, with hips and shoulders and elbows and things somewhere in the general vicinity of hips but a little further back. She cleaned up the boards well. It always feels like she's more of a presence on the offensive glass than she really is. I hate her when she plays against teams I like. I like her when I'm rooting for her team. Renee Montgomery brought the fancy, as she always does, but I don't think she took advantage of her match-ups as well as she could have. She's stronger than Leilani and faster than most of our guards- assuming she got a screen from one of the excellent screeners on her team, I'd drive to the basket every time and twice on Sundays.
Kalana Greene may have one of the fastest sprints to and from the bench in the league. Not that that's an official stat or anything, but when she comes on and comes off, she's ready. She didn't really play long enough for me to get an impression of her, other than generally being defensive and hitting her one shot very early in the game. She does that. Have I mentioned lately that I really like Allison Hightower. She plays great on defense and when she brings the offense, she can really bring the fancy stuff. Her spin move, which spun her defender (Carson, I think) into another player out of confusion, was the play of the game for me. Beautiful stuff. Tina Charles stifled the Liberty with her blocks, then got going in the paint and from the elbows. Seriously, guys, you just watched her get handed the MVP trophy, you could perhaps consider staying on her no matter what? She's a force of nature, and a well-deserved MVP. Asjha Jones makes things happen. She's not quite the scoring threat she once was, but she sets her teammates up well, whether it's with the right pass or the wicked screen. She's always been the player who does what her team needs her to do to win the game, and I think that actually shows more when she's not the first option. Kara Lawson continues to be a driving force- there was one drive where she was running for the basket like she was back in pee-wee football and if Plenette didn't get out of her way, too bad. She annoys players, she aggravates them, and then she scores on them.
Overall, Connecticut's quick ball movement against the Liberty defense was beautiful. The double came and the ball went. Wash, rinse, repeat until a score.
Can they please fix this stretch of I-95 through New Haven? My back feels like someone took my vertebrae and shook them around in a Yahtzee cup a few times.
The officiating was about average. I still don't know why they called Asjha Jones for that foul that sent Alex Montgomery to the line, though.
The crowd was well-pleased by the announcement of the 2013 All-Star Game. So am I. It doesn't conflict with my dad's birthday this time! An ongoing problem in mid-July.
My backpack smells so good right now. You have no idea. We went to Big Bubba's BBQ, and at the advice of the waitress, we ordered the Pigout. It's supposedly for two people. We walked out with three takeout boxes of leftovers that I hope won't kill me after three hours in bag check and four hours of travel time. But they seemed to still be at original temperature at the halfway mark, so I'm hopeful. If I don't report on Game 2, you'll know why. If I die, Nate can have my Kim Barnes Arico bobble-head.
Whoever did that cover of "Respect" that the Sun senior dance team performed to should not be allowed near a microphone. Whoever created the mix should not be allowed near a music studio. It was bad, and they should feel bad for doing it. The dance number wasn't too bad, but the performance of the song itself was awful.
Someday the folks who do the music for the Sun will remember to remove "Car Wash" from the rotation when they play New York. Either that, or they just like to hear the L! I! B-E-R-T-Y! chant that every Liberty fan will launch into automatically as soon as they hear that song. This time, they remembered until the fourth quarter. Then they played it, and we chanted.
I do like the Wheel of Mystery that selects autograph sections, and that it's one large slice of the arena both lower and upper. Hey, Liberty, remember when you guys used to have autograph sections? Instead of giving away thundersticks and a chance at a t-shirt?
I'm looking forward to Game 2 in Newark, and MOAR barbeque. I'm just glad we competed well and stayed close for most of the game. No shame in losing to a better team.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
September 23rd, 2012: Atlanta at Connecticut
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The Connecticut Sun wrapped up the regular season in emphatic fashion, beating the Atlanta Dream 92-72. Kara Lawson led all scorers with 21 points en route to setting a franchise season record for three-point field goals; she also had eight rebounds. Tina Charles added 17 points and nine boards for the Sun. Atlanta put five players into double figures, led by the 16 points of Lindsey Harding.
For free t-shirts, crashes, chips, salsa, whipping hair, friendly neighborhood hecklers, clipboards, and blessed legroom on the Flushing bus, join your intrepid and slightly swollen blogger after the jump.
And for our regular season finale, we headed out to Connecticut for their game with Atlanta, just to see who was going to get how much run. As usual, my memory of in-game events will be a little bit hazy, since my loyal laptop was forced to stay in bag check. This is a stupid rule, Mohegan, just saying.
The Sun's fan appreciation shirts also came in an array of sizes, which is a refreshing change on general principles. (So did the Liberty's, a fact I appreciated. Certain parts of me require XXL.) It's a simple design, but simple is good.
Nice anthem by a woman with an impressive alto and a lot of bottom to that alto. She wobbled a little bit, and her breath control wasn't great, but she sang well.
Lots and lots of giveaways, but all in one shot- "this section gets blue bags! And this section gets orange bags! And this section gets grill kits!" That sort of thing. Nothing as extravagant as in previous years, but a lot cumulatively. I also like how they utilize the catwalks to drop t-shirts from above. A good use of the space you're in always makes me happy. It gives a place uniqueness.
Danielle McCray was not in uniform for this one. I like her brown pants. I like brown slacks, period.
Does Tiffany Hayes have some kind of personal beef with the Sun or something? She was getting into it with almost everyone like someone said something about someone's mother or something. She was very physical, and I don't think she was all that far from trying to take a cheap shot at someone. Whatever her issue is or was, she's going to need to get over it if she wants to be another successful Husky in the pros. She did well picking off rebounds, though. That's part of why she was in so many of the physical battles. Laurie Koehn, who the announcer kept calling Lauren, came in, attempted to do the one thing she's good at, and then attempted to make a play on the endline. Neither of these ended well. Cathrine Kraayeveld gave them some pretty decent minutes in the post, trying to do the little things like screens that we used to love her for in New York. She matched up a lot with Mistie Mims. Ketia Swanier came in for a couple of stretches, basically only if Williams really wanted a change of pace or needed to make a sub. Aneika Henry had the moves inside, just not the finishing ability. She's still rough around the edges.
Sancho Lyttle, stop shooting threes. Do you know why teams keep giving you those long twos and the three-ball? Because you hit them with approximately the same accuracy as a broken clock has about the time of day. Why not use that first step and those long arms and legs to go towards the hole? Maybe develop more of a midrange game instead of a long-range game? Because I love Sancho's quick hands and the way she can draw the ball to her, but her propensity for jumpers is making me crazy. (Oh, my. I think I wrote half this part about Plenette yesterday. That's not a similarity I'd even considered before.) Érika deSouza was, as always, a load inside. You can't really stop her if she gets position and is allowed to maintain position. You have to try and find a way to keep her from getting position, and that's a lot easier said than done, even for Tina Charles and Asjha Jones. I'd love to see them find her more. I really don't remember Armintie Price making much of an impression, except for one nice finish on the fast break. The box score says she did things, so I have to believe it. Angel McCoughtry played almost in bursts, as if the Dream were score-watching and making sure that she stayed ahead of DeWanna Bonner. She wasn't as strong defensively as she usually is, and she was all right at the offensive end, especially in the second half. The dramatics were going, too. Oh, Angel. Oh, Lori Ann. Lindsey Harding seemed to be going for a lot of loose balls, but otherwise didn't make much of an impression. I remember thinking she was doing a lot of scoring, but not how or why.
I don't know if I like Fred Williams's style or not. Atlanta seemed at times to be trying to, er, metaphorically, um, mark their territory, which is odd when they're not the first-round match-up.
Jessica Moore sighting! You know it was getting to be a big lead when Jessica Moore got minutes! She got shoved around like a poker chip on defense, but converted her only field goal to the wild roar of the crowd. Kelsey Griffin performed a lot of full-body sacrifice- I think her willingness to get physical kept Kraayeveld and Henry from doing anything stupid when it was clear that Atlanta was not going to come back. She cleaned the glass well. She's a useful sort of player to have on your team, but I don't know that you want that to have been the player you spent a first-round pick on. Tan White hit the deck early and often going for steals and loose balls. I remember she had one particularly dumb play that had our section groaning, but I don't remember what it was. Sorry, Tan. Mistie Mims was a physical presence who punished any Atlanta player who even looked cross-eyed at her. Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but she lay down the law and established herself both inside and with the midrange game. I like the role she plays for Connecticut. Renee Montgomery did that thing where we didn't notice her and then the box score credits her with seven assists. The offense seemed to be moving faster when she was in, so there might have been breaks where we were too busy looking at the shooter to see where the ball came from.
Allison Hightower had a bout of bad luck with the rims- she should have gotten a couple more of those shots to fall. She played good defense and kept the ball moving well. Kalana Greene also brought the defense and quietly racked up her points. She demonstrated the wonderful timing she liked to show off with the Liberty. Her shots always seemed to come at the right time, especially during the end of the shot clock. Tina Charles started off hot- she cooled down a little bit as the Sun backed off the pedal a bit, but still got the job done. I think she let deSouza back her out of the paint at times. It was nice to see Asjha Jones on the court again, though it's clear she's still shaking the rust off. For Connecticut's sake, I hope she's better prepared by Thursday. Not that they're really, really going to need her, but they're going to want her. Kara Lawson was the story of the day, though. She got the crowd going with her threes, and one shot that was a sweet kiss high off the glass. She was feeling it, and her team knew it.
Mike Thibault also got the crowd going, but for different reasons. He got the technical after a play where Tina Charles was called for a foul after doubling down with Montgomery on Harding in the corner with the clock running down. I blinked and missed the details of the play- the next thing I knew, Harding was holding her jaw and the arena was booing lustily. The refs convened to discuss the matter, chasing Montgomery off like a little kid at a parent-teacher conference, before giving the foul to Charles. Thibault did not approve. Vociferously. A play or two after the technical, as the ball went back down the floor, Thibault ran up the sideline exhorting the crowd to make noise. I know you're not supposed to do that, and I know he's probably going to get in trouble for it, but I loved it. He was mad, and they were mad, and everyone was mad together, and it was wonderful.
This was one of the more animated Sun crowds I've been a part of. They let McCoughtry have it when she picked up fouls, and when she tried to argue a call into an and-1. They let the refs have it on a block/charge that was eventually reversed (correctly, I might add; Griffin was outside the circle and set). It wasn't just generic crowd noise and cheering, but people who were into the game and wanted to make their voices heard. I liked it.
How they missed hands to the face, I will never know, but when your crew is Sue Blauch (there's a reason we call her Blockhead), Roy Gulbeyan (who does tend to be a bit of a snot), and Cameron Inouye (who's mediocre on her good days and worked a game yesterday in Newark), you really should know not to expect much. Gulbeyan did a good job of clarifying the aforementioned reversal for Fred Williams, though.
I still have no idea how that beer company gets away with a giant ad reading "Orange Pride" on I-95 in Connecticut. Kara Lawson must be involved somehow.
I do like when colors are actually presented at games. It makes it so much easier to figure out where I'm supposed to be staring.
We skipped watching Blaze's dance party with the kids at halftime, but at least they demonstrated proper organizational capabilities, unlike whenever the Liberty gather people in the general vicinity of the court.
All in all, it's been a pretty nifty regular season for our trips to the land of the Sun. My not-actually-Sun shirt has, I think, made a difference. I don't get as many odd looks. The husband did get hassled by one jerk who first insisted that he should stop wearing his Monarchs jersey (though the halfwit in question seemed to think he'd had it for six years, which would be a neat trick, because he originally bought it for me after the Monarchs folded, and it's been less than six years since then), then cottoned on to the fact that it's a Lawson jersey and tried to be obnoxiously helpful. Yes, we know Kara's one of the hardest signatures in the league to get, but after the fourth time, take the hint and stop offering.
As always, I cannot recommend enough the pork flautas at Sol Toro. A beautiful balance of sweet and crispy.
Here's to the playoffs, and a long run through the postseason for the Sun!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
September 22nd, 2012: Tulsa at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A 24-9 third quarter and a 44-26 rebounding edge gave the New York Liberty a 91-74 win over the Tulsa Shock in their final game of the regular season. Plenette Pierson led the way for New York with 19 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Ivory Latta's 16 points and six assists off the bench led Tulsa.
For distractions, misplaced small forwards, expressiveness, reincarnation, shirts in multiple sizes, and Cheerios, join your intrepid and photographed blogger after the jump.
This team is giving me a headache. Literally. There's a pulsing pounding pain on the left side of my forehead.
Once again, thanks to the help of the Liberty and the Twitters, we got our seats upgraded, this time to center court and seven rows up. These are nice. I envy whoever has them in Tulsa, though. Ivory Latta's facial expressions are priceless, and you get a full range of them.
Glory Johnson, think long and hard about whether it is a good idea to start beef with Plenette Pierson, who's so proud of her role that she's @DaEnforcer33. Reconsider your life and the choices you have made in it, or Plenette will likely rearrange your face. Likewise, Temeka Johnson, maybe stepping to Nicole Powell is not the smartest thing you have done in your life. I like the chip that Tulsa has on their shoulder, but it might get dangerous if they're not careful.
Kara Braxton has been very frustrating so far. And you can see it on her face when she loses the play. It's a strange sort of blank bewilderment. Like a lost puppy, or the mouse in the maze that's just taken a wrong turning towards the cheese. She just zones out and doesn't know what to do next.
Here in the third quarter, we had an issue with the ball during one of Cappie Pondexter's free throws. I think some air got out.
Riquna Williams was an absolute microwave in the first half. She's still too much of a gunner for her own good, but when she's on, she's a game changer.
Kym's anthem was a little too over-stylized for me, and she's starting to lose more of her breath control. For the first time in years, they didn't have the team gathered around her as she sang, either. I know there are going to be people who kvetch about it, but I'm glad. It was appropriate when her former teammates were on the team, but she never played with any of these Libs. When are the Libs going to kiss and make up with Tari Phillips already?
I approve of the Essence Carson bobble-head, though I still think it should come with removable goggles.
Props to the Tulsa fan in the custom jersey. Digital font means as old-school as Tulsa can get, and that's a lot of losing she would have had to put up with.
Kara, I know the huddle is not terribly relevant to your interests, but if you're going to spend it playing the shuffle game, at least get the right ball. Don't think I didn't see you flash that single finger at Kelley.
Sitting and waiting for the perfect attendance photo, and already you can tell the good old familiar Blaze-era cluster is going on. Melissa tells us that there's no wristband necessary. One guy in a polo doesn't know what's going on. The other guy in the polo hands us wristbands and tells us to sit in section 19. Blonde lady tells us that section 19 has to be cleared and everyone has to move to the right or to the left. Meanwhile, they're holding some kind of post-game shooting event for a group. Seriously, this is Blaze-era ignorance and idiocy. Get your facts straight, guys. We need someone's organized mother to keep everyone properly herded. They're missing even the basic concepts of crowd control.
Oh my goodness, we've lost Nicole Powell. You know it's bad when the team is leading the call to get her out here. Seriously, this is embarrassing. She just facepalmed as she came down the stairs... how did she even end up up the stairs?
Seeing Chante Black come into the game for Courtney Paris was definitely a change of pace. Her length did sort of annoy us when she was on defense. She wasn't good for much else. Scholanda Dorrell was in long enough to do a couple of stupid things, but that's about it. Riquna Williams has no fear of shooting, and sometimes that can be a good thing (when she hits) and sometimes that can be a bad thing (when she goes on a wacky streak or odd misses). That's what she's most effective at. I think most of the rebounds she ended up with were long ones. Courtney Paris used her size effectively against Kara Braxton, though disappointingly without any sound effects. But for the most part, she was a space filler. Jennifer Lacy did tend to do things that got my attention, whether they were good like the block she had on Nicole Powell, or bad like some of her less intelligent fouls. Ivory Latta played really well, even setting aside the fantastic facial expressions we got to see out of her. She made some very good plays. I'm glad she's found her niche and her groove.
Temeka Johnson played pretty stupid today. I liked her aggressive drives to the basket, but I didn't like her stupid fouls or her stank attitude. She deserved the technical, and might well have gotten herself another one if her teammates hadn't interceded. Kayla Pedersen barely played. Kloppenberg started her at center but then mostly used her as a rebounding switch. Maybe it's that she's still working her way back, or maybe he was thinking about the game against Indiana. I'm not sure. Glory Johnson really needs to work on her free throw shooting, though one of them wasn't really her fault. I like her moves to the basket, and I want to like that she has no fear, but at the same time I'm not sure that she shouldn't have a little fear. Hands to the face against Plenette Pierson doesn't generally end well. She's going to be a star, but she does need to have some of her rough edges filed off. Roneeka Hodges went bombs away from three, and it was not a good plan for the Shock. I think they were trying to counter the hot shooting from beyond the arc for the Liberty, but it just wasn't there, and at some point it might have been a good idea for her to just stop. Amber Holt did not impress me. I mean, I'm not sure what she was supposed to bring to the table, but whatever it was, she didn't.
Gary Kloppenberg looks like a younger, lighter-haired Van Chancellor. I half-expected him to start throwing candy to the fan in the red Tulsa shirt. I really like what he's got going on with the Shock. They react very quickly on defense, and had a couple of beautiful breaks on offense- I still don't know who threw Williams that pass that left everyone flat-footed.
Alex Montgomery got the bulk of her run late in the game when Essence Carson left with an injury. She made the most of her time. There's not much I can say about four minutes, other than it maybe should have been more. Kia Vaughn seems to have shaken off whatever malaise had gripped her for the previous month. She looked much more aggressive and into the play than she was before, and as a bonus, she brought her midrange jumper along for the ride. Yay, Kia! I love it when she smiles. Leilani Mitchell didn't take advantage of her height advantage on Temeka Johnson and Ivory Latta, and when that's a sentence that gets typed so rarely, she really needs to do it more. I like her, but she's starting to seem less and less useful as the season wears on. How long did we re-sign her for? We got to hear DeMya Walker call defensive signals, and she sounded like she was on the right track until Williams hit a three. Her age has become more apparent as the season's gone on.
Before the game started, Cappie Pondexter announced she had signed a three-year contract extension. And then she went out and had herself a lousy shooting game. She filled the other stat columns nicely, but her shot selection was questionable. Plenette Pierson got off to a slow start, and she has to realize that the reason teams keep leaving her open for long twos and threes is because she can occasionally hit that shot, but not consistently. She found her stride more in the second half, going towards the hole and ripping down rebounds. Essence Carson demonstrated fancy footwork and impressive control of her dribble, hanging on to the ball twice when she was knocked down. She was hot in the first half; there were points where she was the only offense we had. Kara Braxton couldn't get much of anything going, and she kept getting distracted out of the play. I swear, I caught her watching the entertainment twice. With Kia getting back in her groove and Kara looking scattered, we might see a change in the starting lineup for the playoffs. Nicole Powell receded back into approximate irrelevance.
The third quarter was the key. Everything clicked. The rebounding was nice too.
A lot of contact in this one that went uncalled, and a really blatant out-of-bounds on Glory Johnson that the refs missed, but otherwise not too bad. They did a good job of keeping order after Temeka Johnson lost her head.
The dance performance before the game scared me. I'm not even sure it's legal to view that kind of movement by prepubescent girls in many states.
We sat around some very cool people. I still love my neighbors and my section, though.
I'm not as psyched for the postseason as I know I should be. I'm sort of grateful the season's over. Is it November yet?
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
September 12th, 2012: Washington at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The New York Liberty took charge with a 19-7 fourth quarter and beat the Washington Mystics 75-62. Monique Currie's 24 points for Washington led all scorers, but she was the only Mystic in double figures. Cappie Pondexter led New York with 22 points, adding seven rebounds and six assists. Nicole Powell had 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting, and Kia Vaughn notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
For relief, opera, blinding pink, the revival of the dead, slight exaggerations, dishes, passes out of bounds, drunk flight attendants, and an Edna Campbell jersey, join your intrepid and wiped blogger after the jump.
Trust me when I say that you don't want to know what kind of day your intrepid blogger has been having. The real world is cruel to those of us who write thousands of words about basketball for naught but glory.
It's funny how the season starts to wind down and you notice things: the dwindling pile of tickets in the Wheaties box, the cleared dates on the calendar, the last weekday home game. It's a bitter sweetness, one made easier by the proximity of the college season. Midnight Madness is only a month away.
Right now, Leilani Mitchell's three-pointer with 2.4 seconds left in the half provides the margin. I'm not celebrating it, though; Jasmine Thomas went down the play before and the Mystics were four-on-five. Thomas had to be carried off the court by the trainer and Ashley Robinson, but she was walking by the time they left the court.
They're doing a live auction for breast health awareness tonight, with a real auctioneer. So far Essence's game used uni has gone for $650, Cappie's has gone for $1200, an honorary coaching stint for something like $700, dinner with John Starks and Larry Johnson (along with Knicks tickets) for $1400, and a weekend trip to Atlanta (first class, VIP) for $1300. (Trip winner, you got a phenomenal deal.) They should have gotten Ajavon or one of the Mystics to drive the bids up. Worked like a charm for the Mystics. No pun intended. But their auctions are legend.
So far my favorite play in this game is Kara Braxton's beautiful find of Nicole Powell cutting backdoor. I also liked DeMya Walker's over-the-shoulder fling. I do wish we'd stop throwing alley-oop passes to players who are not tall enough for them. That would be all of our players, by the way. Why is this game so close? Other than Jasmine Thomas's mastery of the laws of physics, I mean. Her first shot went high off the window and in; her second make went off the rim and in. How? HOW?
Beautiful soaring operatic anthem by a breast cancer survivor. Do your awesome thing.
That shouldn't have been nearly as close as it was. That shouldn't have been a battle. There's no way the Mystics should have had the chance to be in the lead. If the Liberty think they're a playoff team, they can't let a team like the Mystics stay in the game. I'm sorry, Washington fans, but that's the truth from where I'm sitting.
Natalie Novosel came in for defensive purposes at the end of each half, and that's it. Iziane Castro Marques played one stretch in the third, and that's it. Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton continues to impress me with her defensive intensity at the many and varied positions that Trudi Lacey attempts to insert her into. There's something about her body shape that doesn't pass the eye test- blocky in some ways and unbalanced in a way that I can't quantify- but she gets the job done. She wasn't able to get the basket on the offensive glass the way she usually does, but I still like her. (Why does she have to be stuck in Washington?) Shannon Bobbitt played a lot less than I realized, given that she was involved in two crucial plays- the grab from underneath that garnered her the technical at the end of the first quarter, and the reversed three that gave the Liberty back the lead at the beginning of the fourth. Her speed was useful, and it more than made up for her lack of height, but she was not an asset to the Mystics. Matee Ajavon came off the bench again and was actually better on defense than offense. She had the poke-check going tonight, unlike her shot. Washington's going to need her to be a lot smarter if they want anything out of her next season. Michelle Snow was more of an instigator and a defensive presence than an offensive option. You've never seen a shrug until you've seen a six-five stringbean throw her arms and shoulders up in a shrug. I like her expressiveness when it amuses me.
If I were a Mystics fan, I'd be quite relieved at the play of Monique Currie in this game. She attacked the paint with no fear, driving the lane and either drawing free throws or getting the lay-up. She was fierce and she was tough. She was pretty good on defense, too. Noelle Quinn was hot early, but I hope she's okay after she banged her shoulder pretty bad in the fourth quarter. I don't know if it was dislocated or not, but it looked like she was hurt pretty bad. Jasmine Thomas tried to do too much, and it cost her at the end of the game, when her wild drives came up short and her aggressive passing ended up in the hands of the other team. She didn't look like she was ready to be a starting point guard for anyone. Crystal Langhorne absorbed a lot of contact- hip, mouth, chest- and was sealed off marvelously by Plenette Pierson. She put out a lot of effort, and she did well cleaning up the Liberty's stupid passes. Seriously, what can I do to get you to New York, Crystal? We would cherish you and love you and lose a lot less than the Mystics. Ashley Robinson actually... well, impressed is a strong word. She did well the things that she does well, and she added a little offense to boot. I didn't realize she had that long elbow jumper. She still makes more than he rshare of boneheaded plays, but this was the first time I saw her start over Snow and felt that she deserved the start.
Trudi Lacey, when your team has made up an 11-point deficit to take a five-point lead, why would you not only make a sub, but make a three-woman line change? That being said, the Mystics played inspired defense and cleaned their offensive glass well.
Kelley Cain, you are by far bigger and stronger than Michelle Snow. Why were you letting her push you around like a puck on a shuffleboard? You can't just stand there and watch balls go by you! As you can tell, your intrepid blogger does not approve of Kelley's performance in this game. Alex Montgomery played in short spurts, mostly to change things up in terms of positions. She might have played more if she was paying attention to Whiz in the huddle instead of the Klondike dance promotion. Yes, Alex. We can see you, you know. Leilani Mitchell's three was her only make of the game, and at least she didn't do anything as stupid as most of her teammates did when it comes to passing the ball. I would have liked to see her post up Shannon Bobbitt, just once. I would have liked to see her not have to guard Ashley Robinson when things broke down. DeMya Walker had her mojo working in the paint and drew a foul on Washington that had us bringing up the perfect 10 card. But tonight's bench play was all about the return of Kia Vaughn to the land of the living. We roared as loud as we ever did when she pulled down the last rebound to get the double-double. She was being assertive and getting position on the boards, and her outside jumper was working, though I'd have been even more enthusiastic if her points had come in the paint.
Still! Yay, Kia! With that smile, how can you not cheer for her?
Kara Braxton played much less than I realized, though that may have had to do with her inability to hold on to the ball at any point in the game. Dropped passes, fumbled passes, rebounds off her hands, the wonderful ability to look completely lost on the court- this was the Kara of old. I didn't miss this Kara. Can we have Bill Laimbeer terrify the badness out of her again? Plenette Pierson was a hot mess for most of the game, with hard enough hands that I think moisturizer was in order, but she came through in the fourth quarter. That's when she started tearing down boards and getting her lay-ups to fall. Where her statistical impact isn't directly seen is in her shutdown defense on Crystal Langhorne. Everywhere Langhorne tried to go, there was Plenette. That is awesome. Quiet and somewhat careless night for Essence Carson. Not a lot to say about her. Cappie Pondexter did the things that Cappie is paid to do: she hit big shots, she found her teammates, she pulled down long rebounds. She also took a couple of shots from the general vicinity of Harrison, which is not a good plan. The best part of the night was seeing Nicole Powell look like a star again, for the first time in a long time. She picked her spots and she let loose. And while her defense suffered a little bit, I could deal with that. If we're going to do anything at all in the near future, Nicole has to be the star that we gave up Shameka Christon for, and the star that we passed up Rebekkah Brunson for.
All right, Liberty. Question. You have five post players. Two are 6-6 and have the jumping ability of a defective pogo stick. One is 6-4 with a history of knee issues. One is 6-2 with a history of knee issues. The last is Kia Vaughn. WHY DO YOU KEEP THROWING ALLEY-OOP PASSES? Especially when the other team has two 6-5 centers who are defensive specialists? And Crystal Langhorne? I think six or seven of our turnovers came under the basket on ill-advised passes.
The shot by Bobbitt that was retconned out of existence: right call on three different levels. She went up and down. She was over the line. And the shot was late. Other than that, it was perfectly kosher. All night the refs had issues with the three-point arc. Maybe the pink on some of the sneakers blended into the orange of the arc? A lot of contact went uncalled, and I can understand Nicole's frustration on her third foul.
Whatever that routine with the Timeless Torches and Maddie tearing off the bathrobe to streak across the court and take out one of the Torches... can we never do that again? Please? I shouldn't be trying to figure out if the flap over the robe is the bottom of Maddie's improperly tucked in head, chest hair, or cleavage. No. Just. No. Maddie is not Hugh Hefner. I do not want to see a large stuffed dog hip thrusting at a woman old enough to be my mother. No. Stop.
The Klondike dance-off was pretty good. Still, Alex shouldn't have been watching it.
I'm glad we came back in this one. I might have gone berserk otherwise. I could feel myself going nuclear at a couple of points. This team just doesn't have enough to go all the way, and this shouldn't have been a game that Cappie and Nicole and Kia all had to step it up in.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
September 9th, 2012: Los Angeles at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: A 23-7 third quarter run by the New York Liberty erased a 12-point halftime deficit and fueled a 73-71 win over the Los Angeles Sparks in a game that was closely contested in the end. Cappie Pondexter fell two assists short of a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. Plenette Pierson added 17 points and six rebounds (five offensive), while Essence Carson scored 10 of her 14 in the second half. Kristi Toliver's 17 points led Los Angeles, and Candace Parker registered 14 points and 15 rebounds.
For broken rims, nerves of steel, excellent fashion decisions, smuggled barbeque, the power of knowledge, numerology, illicit popcorn, and expert witnesses, join your intrepid and overjoyed blogger after the jump.
It's strange to be seeing Western Conference opponents this late in the season. Usually the last month is virtually reserved for conference rivalries. But I'll take the novelty where I can get it.
Happy birthday, Mom. I know you're reading these, or will read these, at some point. But next time, I think I'm going to schedule lunch for 1:30. :D
I still got there in time to claim some autographs. Jantel Lavender and April Sykes were very nice, though I wonder if Lavender appreciated someone not giving a damn about Candace Parker, or if she was hoping to use Parker as the screen. Penny Toler and Paula Madison are both here- I worked up the nerve to ask Toler for her autograph. I'm starting to think Year 15, instead of Season 15, is the year of the classics.
There's a lot of purple and gold in this building. It makes me very sad. A lot of Rutgers fans are also in their colors, so whatever. If you like April Sykes better than Essence Carson, then I'm not going to comment on your loyalties.
I'm hoping there's enough people watching the end of the Jets game and getting ready to come in here for the tip. Otherwise there's no excuse for a smaller crowd. Excuse my scatterbrains. I'm cross-talking three ways from Sunday.
It's a 12-point Sparks lead at the half, and really, it could be much worse. Of course, it could be better, if it weren't for the five separate shots that spun out of the basket in the first half. That's 11 points right there (one was Leilani's three). Candace Parker is quietly doing her thing, but all the Sparks are beating up on us. They're taking turns. And people are cheering louder when April Sykes gets a basket than when the Liberty are, and that bothers me. Nicole Powell's playing like DeLisha Milton-Jones talked smack about the Monarchs and her mama.
You know, people are going to get the wrong impression when you tell them you picked the finalists for your dance team in Atlantic City. That Chipmunked "Call Me Maybe" doesn't help anything. I'm trying not to watch the halftime show.
National anthem was very good. More impressive was who did it- Mae Ola Bolton. She played at Auburn, but you're a bit more familiar with her younger sister Ruthie. I have all the history squee right now.
Is this dance performance ever going to end?
The people in front of us were scared off. I don't know why. We weren't doing anything out of the ordinary. We didn't even do the Cheese Whiz poster yet. Sheesh.
This College Board promotion is adorable. As long as they don't mention that Cappie was a partial qualifier. Stanford's a good goal, though.
I like Iman Shumpert's Liberty-green shirt. He's a good guy, and I wish him all the best with the Knicks. I love how he got into the game, too. It's rare for someone on celebrity row to be that energetic, and I love it.
I didn't think we were going to win this game until it was Essence Carson who tied it, and until it was 55 that it was tied at. There's more Scarlet in my soul than I want to admit, and I believe in the numerology of 55. When the timeout came at 5:55... when it was Sykes and Carson and Pondexter and Vaughn making things happen... when I saw the swaths of red and heard the cheers for Sykes... I knew this was Rutgers style, and whoever could harness the magic behind 55 would win. And though Ross tried with Anosike, the Liberty prevailed in it.
So we're sitting in the Ice Lounge waiting for the postgame concert to begin, and I don't know who this woman in the Comets jersey is, but I simultaneously want to give her a shoutout and give her a smack upside the head, because seriously, Comets colors at a Liberty game? Not cool. This lady Toshi perfoming? Way cool. Sort of a Tracy Chapman vibe with a lot of call and response, and more cheerful, while still bluesy. And she's a Liberty season ticket holder, so her neighbors are here to cheer her on. Someone liberated the leftover popcorn, too, instead of letting it be thrown out. A friendly, neighborly thing going on right here.
Nicky Anosike played briefly, just long enough to get a foul, a rebound, and her name mispronounced by the announcer. April Sykes was a jolt of energy in the second half that Los Angeles was in dire need of, and I think Ross misused her slightly in the endgame. She was certainly popular among the gathered Cagers, and she had the long-range shot working today. I'm surprised at Ross's use of Jenna O'Hea near the end- I would have thought using her as the defensive switch for Toliver was a waste of her shooting ability, and the shots she did get were in the second half, on the damaged rim. I'd like to see her worked in a little more, though I know it's the end of the season and she was a late arrival. Marissa Coleman had one especially nice rebound that had me frustrated, but she made no mark otherwise. Except for mouthing cuss words and missing one hugely critical free throw, neither did Ebony Hoffman. Jantel Lavender had a burst in the first half where she was going to the hole and tearing down boards like nobody's business, but she seemed to fade in the second half.
Candace Parker was graceful to behold, with the lay-ups and the fadeaway shot working today. It was nice to see her rebound with authority, as a basketball fan (obviously, as a Liberty fan, I'm less than thrilled about that). But she does seem too willing to defer to her teammates, and she's got to realize that sometimes she's got to be the one who takes over. Kristi Toliver brought the long ball and the willingness to just keep shooting. She was more easily held in check than I expected, though. DeLisha Milton-Jones did that thing she always does where by the end of the game, every player on the other team wants her dead. She and Plenette Pierson went at it almost as enthusiastically as she and Nicole Powell did. She seemed to be a little too in love with the long ball, even though I know full well it's in her arsenal. I think she's still at her best when she gets closer to the basket. Alana Beard, whose first name kept getting mispronounced throughout the game (she doesn't answer to a-LAH-nuh, it's a-LAY-nuh), reverted to her Washington shooting ability. Her jumper just wasn't with her today. She still brought the phenomenal defense, but she was an offensive liability to the point where I wonder if her ankle was giving her agita. I would have played Nneka Ogwumike more if I were Carol Ross, since she was moving very well and looked like a veteran even among the veterans. She smacked some gorgeous blocks where she just came out of nowhere and BAM! Maybe they were confused at the mispronunciation of her last name.
Yes, if you couldn't tell, the guy who is not Mike W. managed to screw up Sparks' names every which way from Sunday. At one point he stumbled over Candace. Really, dude?
Maybe I'm wrong, since I don't follow the Sparks and don't know everyone's styles like the back of my hand, but I disagreed with several of Ross's moves in the endgame. If you need a three, why would you have either Toliver or O'Hea on the bench? Just for Toliver's foul count? That went well- she got the fifth foul chasing down a missed shot on offense. And if you need a three, why would you bring Sykes for DMJ? Sykes for Parker would have made more sense to me. But your mileage may vary.
Why would you even play Kelley Cain in this game? Unless Kia Vaughn is hurt, there's no excuse for bringing in a raw, slow rookie in a close game. She produced nothing. DeMya Walker also played briefly, but not long enough for us to get out the dive cards. (Yes, as a matter of fact, we do judge you. But only on a 10-point scale for artistry and results.) I think she helped get the defense back on track, though. It was nice to see Alex Montgomery continue to get decent run as a defensive stopper. I think they could have found her in the corner one or two times, but defense is her primary job, and she helped get it done. Kia Vaughn looked a little like her old self in the fourth quarter, and maybe that had to do with rest, and maybe that had to do with Rutgers. I don't know, but I hope it's a good portent for the future. I disagreed with drafting her, but that doesn't mean I don't want her to do well, be healthy, and be happy. Leilani Mitchell played out of her mind on defense. Any time the Fluffy Little Bunny can set a screen on D-Nasty that actually staggers D-Nasty back a step is a good time, except when Essence misses the open three it created. She was playing tough, good one-on-one defense on players much bigger and stronger than she was- Lavender, DMJ, Parker. It did mess up the rotations, since someone always came and helped, leaving a Spark open, but I love to see that heart from her.
Kara Braxton should have been six of six from the field. All three of her misses were chip shots. One was so open that I could have made it. At the very least, if I missed, it would have been for hurrying it. She was not bright today. Not bright at all. Even less than usual. Plenette Pierson continued that thing where she comes out energized like a fresh battery at the start of the second half and hits a couple of lay-ups early. She played great. She did a great job of grabbing tipped balls on the offensive glass. So did Cappie Pondexter, whose shooting was not all we could have asked, but who played point brilliantly. She was energized and enthusiastic. She was getting the crowd back into the game, exhorting them while one of her teammates was at the line (which was not the best timing, but the only convenient moment, and since it was in the backcourt, it wasn't so bad). This is one of those games she helped steal. Essence Carson's revival in the second half also helped us get the win. She was quiet in the first, and throughout the game it did look like her ankle was bothering her slightly when she was leaving shots short, but she sparked the run that got us the game. And of course she was defensive Essence once again. Nicole Powell played the passing lanes well, and her defense was on point in the second half. She was less afraid than usual of getting physical, which is a change I like in her. If she can be the well-rounded player she was at Stanford, I can deal with losing some of the offensive potency she was known for in Sacramento.
Some of the officiating decisions were a bit questionable, most notably the charge that Alana Beard drew with one foot in the circle while moving under an airborne shooter. To be fair, I thought the double-dribble by Ogwumike was induced by contact. (And it was fun to consult with Ray on some of those calls. Referees are useful!)
Seeing Luis in a non-Liberty jersey was discomfiting. And was choosing the number 20 a subtle "take that" at the front office? The mind reels. I'm also not a fan of the "Luis Grande" segments- they seem so cheesy that I develop lactose intolerance.
(Needs must when the devil drives; one of our Liberty bookcovers is now being used as a mat on the E train. Look, kids, if you're going to puke, could you at least try to get to the station and use a garbage can? Or at least do more than drop two tissues on it before you run off the train?)
College Board sponsored a backpack and supply giveaway. I don't actually know what else is in the bag. I've been a busy little blogger.
Poor kid in the Hot and Cold contest. He almost wandered off the court. At least Maddie found him eventually.
We happened to see Plenette headed out after the game. Ankle-length, loosely-fitted, seafoam-green dress. I WANT IT SO MUCH.
In the long run, winning may be a bad idea. In the short term, I love it, and I wouldn't trade a win over LA for another five combinations in the lottery. The defense was amazing, and everyone played their hearts out. That's all I can ever ask of my team.
Friday, September 7, 2012
September 7th, 2012: Chicago at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: Epiphanny Prince's 30 points fueled the Chicago Sky's 92-83 win over the New York Liberty. Chicago never trailed, putting four players in double figures and shooting 50.8% from the field. Cappie Pondexter's 24 points led New York, while Kara Braxton posted a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.
For dicey decision-making, second place in a beauty contest, blasts from the past, E-Z Passing, a severe lack of ice cream, chicken wraps, sore feet, and a lingering sense of ennui, join your intrepid and sweltering blogger after the jump.
This is the season, right here and right now. This is the season, and we are letting Chicago drive.
Things I have learned, thanks to the antics of the Q59: from where I am, PATH and NJ Transit take the same amount of time, due to the differing MTA routes. This makes me sad.
If my notes are a little more up close and personal this time around, it's because your intrepid blogger and her dashing husband won second prize in a contest, and our reward is seats in the very front row. It would be a lot more fun if the people behind us weren't quite so shrill. Or weren't stunned to discover that Swin Cash went to UConn. Or if someone didn't keep calling Pondexter Cathy. It's an interesting experience. Not one I'd spend money on, but one I'm happy to win. I'm the one in the lei. No, the other one.
It's Faith and Family Night, so far too much gospel for my liking. It's not necessary to mangle the words of the National Anthem in order to melisma the living daylights out of the previous line. The dance routine is still one I don't understand.
I think I spotted Michelle Edwards. I suddenly wish I had my Braxton jersey. No, not Kara, Janice.
The big thing, as I see it, is that Sylvia Fowles reinjured her foot, and I haven't seen her come back yet, though that might be because my view of the Chicago bench is blocked by the stanchion. Essence Carson also twisted her ankle, but she seems to have walked it off. (Still, whose brilliant call was it to have the player who's hopping up and down on one foot take the shot? Really, guys.) The free throw differential has been ridiculous, but at the end of the half, the ridiculous calls started going against the Sky too. It's like the refs saw the player who got the worst of it and decided to call the foul on them. Also, Carolyn Swords is about to grow roots in the lane, and I'm about to tear off the leg of the person who's kicking the seat two to my left. Were you raised in a barn that you should put your feet on the seats?
O HAI, CAPPIE. Can haz moar drives and fewer off-balance jumpers nao?
It bothers me that we never had a lead in this game. It bothers me that Chicago was always able to keep a two-possession cushion in the second half. It bothers me that we badly, badly messed up at the end of both the second and third quarters and gave the Sky extra chances that they shouldn't have had. It bothers me that we had such unconscionable and unacceptable mental lapses in a game that could very well decide who's in the lottery and who gets to play Connecticut in the first round.
Ruth Riley was called upon for more minutes than usual, due to the Fowles injury, and she did her veteran thing. By the time anyone remembers she can hit that jumper from the free throw line, she's going to be coaching players to hit it. C'mon, guys. I've been blaring this since Tamika Whitmore wore black. Carolyn Swords was an immobile block in the lane, and she used her body well. And she survived Kara Braxton trying to get a piggyback ride from her, which is pretty impressive. She's not fast, she's not going to blow your doors off, but she's going to get things done. (I still maintain that my Johnny girls did as well containing her as WNBA All-Stars have.) Shay Murphy played limited minutes, mostly in the second half and mostly in relief of Tamera Young. She didn't bring the defense with the same intensity as Young, but she didn't mess up. Sometimes, that's all you can say about a player. Le'Coe Willingham couldn't get anything to fall, but she flashed back to her Connecticut days and started swinging her body around. I like seeing that out of her. It's the versatility of her game that made her such a key cog to the Sun. Sonja Petrovic was brought in for offensive purposes and did her job. I think she was surprised at being called for the foul that it looked like Vandersloot committed in the fourth quarter on the loose ball.
I liked Ticha Penicheiro's blouse- nice fit, and the color suits her. I seem to remember those pants from This Is Who I Am, though.
Sylvia Fowles left early after the bad foot came down on someone else's foot, but she was well on her way to establishing herself in the paint before she got hurt. Swin Cash was more effective from the left corner than in the lane tonight, but sitting up close, I was more struck with her protestations after every call. Deal with it, Swin. Courtney Vandersloot ended up on the floor a lot, both diving for loose balls and bouncing off Liberty defenders. She sliced through the lane like a hot knife through cheese. And we let her go through like an express bus in the HOV lane. I'll stop now; Detroit's the team to be making car puns about. Epiphanny Prince was the scoring star, of course. And those threes were beautiful and deadly. You just knew. "DE-FENSE! DE-FENSE! DE-Ffffffffff-swish." The player who actually impressed me most, though, was Tamera Young. For one thing, her impressive collection of tattoos is much more striking up close and personal. For another thing, it was easier to see how tightly she played Cappie Pondexter on defense, especially at the start of the game. She looked like a blanket. And then she started going to the lane for those swooping drives, and I sat there thinking, We're being pwned by Tamera Young. Really, guys? Props to her.
Chicago simply wouldn't be stopped in the lane. We let them drive through. Ridiculous.
Kelley Cain played one series, when Whiz thought he could get away with it against Riley and Swords. This was a bad plan. This did not go as well as he would have liked at all. She looked unconditioned and over her head. I know she's a rookie and that's to be expected, but she didn't even look like a first-round draft pick. Kia Vaughn continues to look down in the doldrums. I hope there hasn't been any kind of tragedy in her family or anything, and I hope she's not hurt, and I certainly hope she's not down at the thought of a lottery pick taking her place. Be okay, Kia! We heart you and your blocks! DeMya Walker also played sparingly, so I don't know if she's hurting or if Whiz has just not been impressed with her play. We even had the DeMya-approved dive cards out for judging, and she gave us no reason to use them. Alex Montgomery continues to show signs of improvement, which might have been the best part of this whole thing. She looks more comfortable on the floor. She's trying to make plays, even if her signals get crossed sometimes. She's growing on me. Leilani Mitchell was a defensive liability against the bigger and/or faster guards on Chicago (to be honest, mostly the bigger), and I do not know what she was thinking when she took that shot near the end of the third quarter. No clock awareness.
We're not sure why Whiz got T'd up, though it might have been protesting the Fowles substitution; our theory is that he thought Chicago should have been docked a timeout or something, because they were beyond the allotted time. Either that, or he was trying to impress one of his predecessors. But more on that later.
Essence Carson was in charge of defense again, and it did not go as well as last time. She got blown by a few times, even by Vandersloot. And why would you foul Prince on a jumper? You know better than that! I'll give her a partial pass for the twisted ankle, and it's partial because she came back later, though she didn’t start the second half. She tried to tough it out before an out-of-bounds got the sub in, but yeah, she shouldn't have been shooting on it. Nicole Powell was better than I expected- she did what we needed her to do and she took advantage of some of the batted balls in the paint to claim her rebounds. Seeing her rolling her eyes in frustration late in the third quarter was a sign that the game was lost, at least to me, though. Kara Braxton somehow managed to leave two lay-ups short. Kara, you are seventy-eight inches tall. You are six and a half feet tall. You are taller than everyone else on the court. How do you leave a lay-up right at the rim short? Twice? HOW? When she had space, she hit her shots, and she was able to get the boards, but it's frustrating to see her miss shots she should be making. Plenette Pierson demonstrated how to dance around the pivot foot in spectacular fashion, and she was solid all around. Cappie Pondexter turned on the scoring in the second half, so the numbers look good, but her shot selection was questionable at best. She tried too early to be the one who won the game, and that wasn't going to do it.
A "Fire Whisenant" chant started by the end of the game. We didn't start the fire, but we didn't try to fight it, either. He's got to reconcile the players he gets as GM with the players he has as coach, and I don't think it's working.
The refereeing continued inconsistent throughout the game, though they did at least confer and try to review their calls to make sure they had the right idea. There were a lot of bodies on the floor, and we're lucky no one took offense to Leilani getting chopped by the throat again.
Richie Adubato- "Mr. Tomato Head" to long-time readers of the Game Notes of Doom in their various incarnations across the interwebs- was in attendance, and it's nice to see him back again. I won't say I was sorry to see him go the first time, as I felt he had passed his use-by date with the team, but he's the coach who took us to three Finals. There's something to be said for that tradition. Someday they'll remember to put him in the Ring of Honor. (Along with Tari Phillips. C'mon, guys, you can do it.)
That was indeed Michelle Edwards at center court in the front row, and I finally screwed my courage to the sticking point and asked for her autograph, the way I didn't have the nerve to in 2009 at the draft. She seemed genuinely surprised to be recognized, or that a Liberty fan in full regalia would want her autograph. I miss the Cleveland Rockers. They were a worthy opponent, and what Gordon Gund did to them will land him in a special circle of the Inferno. She broke our hearts too many times, but her teams were always classy. Except for Mery Andrade.
The folks to our right won the Liberty's contest and the pre-game pep talk appearance, but since theirs was much more sponsor-friendly, while ours was much more Liberty-oriented, I'll claim the moral victory. And we didn't even include the poster on the door of the utility closet!
Courtside is a lovely place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. I'll be happy to be back in section 9 come Sunday, behind the Liberty bench but up enough to see the play develop, in front of boisterous friends and friendly neighbors, near the Ice Lounge and its handy outlets. Sunday will be a good day, no matter what. (Happy early birthday, Mom.)
And if the game ultimately doesn't matter, so be it.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
September 5th, 2012: Phoenix at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: The New York Liberty opened the game on an 11-0 run and never looked back in a 87-59 win over the Phoenix Mercury. All eleven Liberty players played at least fourteen minutes and scored at least three points, with Plenette Pierson leading the way with 17. DeWanna Bonner led Phoenix with 20 points, while Alexis Hornbuckle and Diana Taurasi each had 10; they were the only three Mercury players in double figures.
For shame, ball movement, ice cream, the chairmanity, angry turtles, balance, cheering for bench players, tall Virginians, and the jig being up, join your intrepid and hungry blogger after the jump.
Halftime at the Prudential Center, and this excuse for basketball being played by people in Phoenix Mercury uniforms is an insult to the franchise. Jennifer Gillom, Michele Timms, Bridget Pettis, and the rest of the fine, classy players who have played for the Mercury ought to rise up in protest- and those fine players do include Diana Taurasi, who looked like the only Mercury player who wanted to give winning the game a shot, or at least get some style points during it.
The PATH was messed up, and the crowd is sparse, for a given value of crowd. I think too many people got the memo that Taurasi was out most of the season, and decided not to show up; the balance are getting ready to watch the Giants. (Or they're my mother, who's on a business trip. Hi, mom!)
There are young people dancing during the halftime show. I'm hiding in the Ice Lounge so as not to be mistaken for someone watching people too young for her.
It's a bad sign when the Twitter widget that the Liberty use retweets one member of the media, one season ticket holder, and the COO of the Phoenix Mercury. (Who did y'all think MercuryMaven was, guys?)
Mercury at Liberty was my first-ever game; this revisiting of it is sad.
I missed the anthem, as well as what was apparently step-dancing by one of the dance troupes. I regret nothing. The little timeout sideshows were amusing, but who's going to clean up all the popcorn from that staged little show with Maddie chasing the vendor? Or the Silly String that he went after the guy in the Prahalis jersey with?
It's hard to talk about this game, because there are so many people I believe have merited a good whack upside the head.
Avery Warley made disappointingly little impression in her limited minutes, as Gaines decided this would be a great time to give Kizer and Sanford their run. I was expecting a little more out of someone wearing #23 for the Mercury, even in response from the Liberty. Lynetta Kizer was aggressive to the point of anger management issues. She looked like she was trying to get into it with any former ACC player she could get an arm on. DeMya Walker gave as good as she got; Alex Montgomery was not so fortunate. She couldn't shoot straight, though. This was a problem for most of the Mercury players. Nakia Sanford was getting into it a lot with Kia Vaughn in what we dubbed the Battle of the Kias (clearly we needed Kia Wright as guest referee for that match). She threw her body around quite a bit. Charde Houston went on a little run in the fourth quarter, but then resumed taking bad and often contested shots. It's hard to yell at her for being a non-factor on defense, though, since most of Phoenix was. I'm fairly certain Michael Price gave her the benefit of the doubt on an out-of-bounds call because he felt kinship to her hairstyle, though. (Which is not to say I don't think Houston's decision to honor her mom is awesome, but I have to make fun of Price somehow.) Briana Gilbreath got the bulk of the minutes at the guard spots, and she didn't look like a raw rookie out there. I liked her hustle after loose balls, though her shooting form leaves something to be desired. I understand why she's getting so much love recently, but I don't know if she's a high rotation player for a full-strength WNBA team.
O HAI DIANA TAURASI. How are ya? Nice to see you! She played the few minutes she was granted with her usual panache and her usual will to win. During this whole debacle for the Mercury, I have never doubted that Taurasi wants to be on the court and wants to win the game when she's on the court. She looked a little more bothered by Essence Carson's defense than I would have expected, but she was starting to solve it by the time she was pulled out of the game. Samantha Prahalis played very briefly before being pulled in the first half and never seen again- post-game research says she had a shoulder injury, but I might have missed it. I'm not surprised; it got physical and ugly fast. She did not look good in those brief minutes, though. Had her shot rim out and her passes batted away like butterflies. Maybe she would have gotten her feet under her as the game went on, but that didn't happen. At halftime, I was ready to commend Alexis Hornbuckle for being one of the only Phoenix players who looked like she was playing to win the game. And then she got an arm into Leilani Mitchell's throat and cross-checked Alex Montgomery into the Phoenix bench, and I didn't like her anymore. There's a difference between playing hard and playing stupid, and she crossed that line at ludicrous speed. As a paying fan of basketball, I appreciated her willingness to attack the lane and crash the boards, but as a Liberty fan, I would have appreciated if she stopped beating my team up. Krystal Thomas didn't exactly make any friends in New York, either, and she appeared to have missed the memo that the ball must enter the cylinder from above, not below. There was one play where she appeared to be trying to bat it up through the net. It doesn't work like that, Krystal. Poor DeWanna Bonner is going to end up either broken or tied in a knot by the end of the season if she's not careful- there was one second-half play on defense where it looked like she was trying to entrap a Liberty player in the Gordian Knot. She warmed up more in the second half, but it still came as a surprise to look up and see her mounting point total.
Corey Gaines looked like he didn't care. I've seen more animation from Whiz. I've seen more animation from Vulcans. I'm genuinely not sure if he's calling plays. He's certainly not keeping an eye on the game enough if he starts pulling his team back to the bench for a timeout before it's actually been granted. If this team isn't trying to tank, then Gaines needs to be shown the door before he can wreck any young players' careers.
Katelan Redmon! Nice to meet you! We realized this was going to be an embarrassment when we saw her come in during the first quarter. She's not a rotation player, but she plays good defense, she gives chase to every loose ball, and she finds her way to the rebound, even if her teammates aren't expecting her to be there. Her shooting form could use a lot of work, especially her footwork, and she can be a little too aggressive sometimes, but I understand why Whiz thought she was worth drafting and why she was worth bringing back. Kelley Cain also got some good minutes, and she mixed it up inside to get some baskets and pull down the boards. I'm worried about her hands, though; she's not a great catcher of passes. Also, watching a rebound go out of bounds is unacceptable. Alex Montgomery got extended run, much to the gathering's delight. She brought the defense and finished on a beautiful over-the-shoulder pass from Cappie Pondexter. The yen for three-shooting in the second half to get her into double figures was weird, but either that was Whiz trying to not run up the score or Alex wanting to work on her shot. I'm not sure, but I'm glad she hit double figures, and I'm glad she got quality minutes. Leilani Mitchell played well off the bench- I think my favorite of her plays was the one where she darted into Bonner and came away with the steal like she was escaping the minotaur's labyrinth. I like it when Leilani can fire things up, and when she gets imaginative with the left hand. Kia Vaughn spent most of the game banging with Nakia Sanford, but she doesn't look like herself- about the only negative that can be found in this game for the Liberty. I'm worried about whether she might be hurt or something. Be okay, Kia! DeMya Walker played sparingly, and was mostly unremarkable, except for the fouls that displeased her and the one odd dancing dive that resulted in her going to the line. We only had to get out the dive cards once. (They're DeMya approved. We have proof.)
Nicole Powell's three-point shot has returned! She kept getting called for strange fouls, though; I didn't realize that running alongside a player was now considered a foul. She was being especially careful with her left hand on the bench, to make sure she didn't do anything else to those bandaged fingers. Essence Carson got the start again, and spent most of her first half energy hanging on Taurasi like a favorite blanket. Her stats won't show it, but she played well. Cappie Pondexter didn't have to be the star of the show, but I think she wanted to prove something to the Mercury. She had a little more flash and style to her game than usual tonight. Maybe it was because it was her former team, maybe because it was a team that didn't care, but she was able to whip up some beautiful passes, especially the one to Alex. Plenette Pierson also had a pretty play with a nifty pass with DeMya Walker. She tore the Mercury up in the first half, then scored two more baskets to start the third. It's nice to see her intensity up again. Kara Braxton was a force to be reckoned with in the middle. She found her spots, got the ball, and finished, for the most part. Starting seems to agree with her. And for all that it seemed she shot the ball whenever she got it, she did rack up a few assists. Pardon the bad pun. It wasn't even intentional, though she was using an old Andrea Stinson trick of distracting offensive players with, er, moving objects. If, um. You know what I mean. I can't go any further, this is a family show!
I should be happy with the amount of time that the bench players got to develop and show what they had, but it bothers me a little that Whiz was able to go to Kelley Cain and Katelan Redmon in the first quarter. It bothers me that the Liberty could treat this like a preseason game or a scrimmage, like something that doesn't matter. There are only 34 games in a season. You shouldn't be able to take 3% of your season for granted.
Refereeing was merciful to the Mercury. Hornbuckle's lucky she didn't get tossed.
A moment of silence for the half row of chairs that Alex knocked over in one of her pell-mell loose-ball plays. Our cohort at SportsPage snapped a picture.
Klondike bar eating competition. The prize? More Klondike bars. That's just evil. I still want a Klondike bar. It's hot on this train.
Anne Donovan took in the game, and chatted with Taurasi afterwards. Taurasi is a very chatty sort- she was talking with Laura Ramus during the mess that eventually became a timeout. Husband o' mine also spotted Quanitra Hollingsworth getting credentialed up.
To the person who was attempting to disconcert Katelan as she went for her first point of the game at the line: someday, you will be doing something very important to you, and someone will wreck it for you, and at that moment I will cackle with laughter without knowing why. And the universe will be balanced once more.
Phoenix is a really loud team. Between the lack of crowd and the lack of crowd noise, we got much more of the on-court sound than usual. Hornbuckle is especially loud.
Our neighbors were very pleased with this game, and a lot of people were jubilant at the 28-point margin. Me? I can't help but think that Chicago on Friday is going to be a lot more difficult, and I don't want them to gain false confidence. I don't want this to be fool's gold. I look at what's left of this Phoenix team, and I shake my head at the coaches and management that have let it happen. I bear no ill will towards their players, except for Hornbuckle's urge to play rugby and Kizer's unresolved issues with the rest of the ACC.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
September 1st, 2012: Washington at New York
Just the Facts, Ma'am: 20 points and six assists from Essence Carson powered the New York Liberty over the Washington Mystics, 79-73. Cappie Pondexter added 16 points and six rebounds, while Kara Braxton scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half. Monique Currie led Washington with 20 points. Crystal Langhorne added 19 points and eight rebounds, and Jasmine Thomas had 18 points; no other Mystic had more than six.
For pulled pork, missed screens, mismatched pre-game entertainment, a mission accomplished, lunch buckets, the roundup of the Usual Suspects, and the cruelest of green dresses, join your intrepid and barbequed blogger after the jump.
Hello again from the Prudential Center! Today is Downtown Dribble, so there are many, many basketballs around. Like any good Rebecca, no matter the spelling, I rebounded any loose balls I found.
We just finished a moment of silence for a New Jersey police officer who died (I presume recently). I applaud the courage and character of good cops; they inevitably seem to be the ones who die in the line of duty, and that's a shame.
Season ticket information for both the playoffs and the 2013 season is out by the Fire Lounge, along with a veritable gauntlet of police displays. That many officers and departments in one place is intimidating.
Nicole Powell, I saw you pass me up when I asked for the autograph. For the record, that card's going to a friend in Arizona in thanks for a gift. So thanks, Nicole. That was nice of you. We did get to talk about the Notre Dame-Navy game with Natalie Novosel, though. (That's a lot of capital Ns. Wow.)
If these game notes are truncated, it's because there's a family with a special needs son and a fiercely overprotective, neurotic father sitting in front of us; I warned him that my husband and I tend to be loud, and he said, "That's gonna be a problem." You're at a basketball game, sir, perhaps this is not the best place to take someone if loud noises are bad for them? (Update: he left in the middle of the second quarter and never came back. Not my problem.)
A few Mystics fans are here, but they seem to be local- family or friends of Ajavon, Langhorne, and either Bobbitt or Robinson. (Postgame update: they were Bobbitt's family- we saw her leaving with them.)
Really lousy anthem. And if you're going to have a color guard for a moment of silence, why wouldn't you keep them for the national anthem?
It's a 13-point game at half, and Whiz's moves of starting Kara Braxton and Essence Carson over Kia Vaughn and Leilani Mitchell are paying off. Kara is very involved on offense, and Essence is solid at both ends. The stupid turnovers have been somewhat reduced, but are still more plentiful than I'm comfortable with. Michelle Snow appears to be in Trudi Lacey's doghouse, and please behold my surprised face at that. If they get Langhorne more touches, we might be in some trouble.
If you were ever wondering what happened to Shanda Berry, she's now a cop in Maryland. (Which now makes at least the second WATN? that ends with that sentence, the first having been Kisha Ford.)
There's something incongruous about a guy in an "add Jesus" adidas ripoff shirt and an Oakland Raiders shirt. Mixed messages much?
The middle portion here is being typed during the season subscriber cookout, where Alex Montgomery, Kara Braxton, and Coach Whiz are circulating amongst the people. I managed to survive giving Kara the business card of my favorite bra shop (I'm not the only person who's suffered sympathy pains when she runs down the court, and if they can handle my L-cups, they can handle her), though this was because I did not voice my belief that a skintight dress that rides up indecently is not a good look for her. Dinosaur Barbeque does good stuff, but they made one major miscalculation: the primary entrée is pulled pork, with only grilled Portobellos as an alternative. Bit of a problem when you have both Jewish and Muslim fans in attendance. Otherwise, OM NOM NOM.
We attended the game with a friend, who was very disappointed in the officiating, which demonstrates how bad the average is, because except for one or two calls, I didn't think it was particularly egregious. I think Iziane Castro Marques might disagree, but that's just a guess.
(Why is Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton out here faster than half the Liberty? Seriously? No, she didn't go to the cookout, that would just be awkward.)
Iziane Castro Marques, despite what I'm sure was relief at hearing her name said properly (or at least the way I have heard it said by a Brazilian), didn't play all that well, and that one rebound was off one of her own missed shots. Lacey initially put her in at the end of quarters to get the three-point game going, but then kept her in longer than I would have expected. I'm not sure if that was just to curry favor with her, or just to change things because they're the Mystics and they have 20 losses already. Shannon Bobbitt played sparingly, and I think Lacey was expecting her to be more a factor on defense than she was- yes, I realize this is an odd statement to make about someone as tiny as Bobbitt, but she tends to make her moves close to the ground, and with our sketchy ballhandling, that's an asset. She had one gorgeous crossover, though- shame the shot was missed. Michelle Snow played so little that I couldn't tell whether she was hurt, fighting with Lacey, or both- given that this is Michelle Snow we're talking about, anything is possible. She looked to be screaming in Lacey's face once, but as that's not the bench I sit behind, I can't vouch for the truth of that assessment. She did well cleaning up one odd little mess of a busted play. Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, with one gorgeous screen that was wasted on a missed three. She does the clichéd little things, and she gets rewarded for them with minutes and baskets off offensive rebounds. Natalie Novosel was in the game and did nothing memorable in her short minutes. Matee Ajavon must have done something wrong, because she came off the bench and barely played. I managed to forget her existence for a while. I'm okay with that. I really don't like her.
(Kia Vaughn is looking exceptionally well put-together. The platforms go perfectly with the black-and-tan striped skirt.) (Yes, I'm a girl and a fashion critic, give me agita about it and I will go Elaine Powell on you.)
What would it take to get Crystal Langhorne on the Liberty? I don't know how much of my soul I haven't sold yet, but I'm willing to put it on the table. I love the way she works, I love the way she goes backdoor, I love how she hits the boards. She deserves better than the Mystics. New York would love her. (Plus, she'd know her way around!) Jasmine Thomas shouldn't be looking for her shot as often as she was, because most of those field goals went in by weird luck. I'll work my way to a Devils joke later, but I think she got four different lucky bounces. I don't know why Ashley Robinson got the start (though she did have one pretty pass to Langhorne for a score), and to be honest, any opinions I might have of her play are overshadowed in my mind by her hot pink bra, her sheer white blouse, and shorts that would have been a tight fit on Shannon Bobbitt. (She wandered out late, chatted with DeMya Walker, and generally hung around the edges of the cookout, in case you're wondering why I know what her street clothes were. I teased her about being a party crasher.) Monique Currie had a solid all-around game, though she was most displeased with the officiating. Mo, if you run into people like a bulldozer, you will get called for the foul. She mostly played to her strengths towards the lane and the midrange, instead of trying to become an outside shooter. Noelle Quinn left no impression on me, despite playing most of the game.
I really wish we'd see more of Alex Montgomery. She's solid when she's in, and she's a good defensive player. I was under the impression that that was a crucial part of the Whisenant system. Leilani Mitchell responded decently enough to her benching, though I do wish she'd posted Shannon Bobbitt up once, just once. This is a thing that Leilani needs to do the one or two times she finds a player smaller than she is! DeMya Walker drew a most excellent charge on Langhorne deep in the backcourt, and as always, spent a lot of time laid out on the floor. I don't know how effective arguing with a ref from the seated position is. Kia Vaughn did not look good today. I think her head's not in the game, and that worries me. She didn't seem like her regular self, and I hope she gets better soon, whatever is going on with her.
Kara Braxton played the first half very well- she lost a little steam in the second, but she looked much like the player Bill Laimbeer would occasionally terrify into appearing in the W. She has no excuse for not going after rebounds, though. Plenette Pierson continued to look out of sorts, though ironically enough, getting hit in the face seemed to revitalize her in the fourth quarter. But I think her knee is bothering her more than she's going to let on. I'd like to see her take slightly better shots and take it to the hole, but if she's not up to it, then we'll have to adjust, and then find someone who is. As charming as Plenette can be off the court- and this is not sarcasm, she works the room very well- if she's breaking down, we can't afford to keep wearing at her. Nicole Powell hit the shots she was asked to hit, always looked vaguely panicked and frustrated on defense, and committed some stupid fouls (plus one that was not much of a foul at all and should not have been called). Cappie Pondexter was great all around- the shooting numbers are slightly wacky because she had two heaves to end quarters. She did the job we asked her to do. Essence Carson was the woman of the hour, both on the court and after the game. She was electric on offense, making things happen beyond the arc and in the lane, not to mention running the point for a fair amount of the game. She was also her usual Essence self on defense. And then after the game she dealt with the mob of fans who wanted her to pose for pictures and sign things with class and poise. Seriously, it was crazy around her. This is what happens when you stuff the stat sheet; she was mobbed even before she got into the fenced-off part of Championship Plaza for the cookout.
Kia's really magnetic. She worked the room like nobody's business with her dazzling smile. Kia's one of those people who you can always spot in a crowd, and not just because she's six-four and likes tall shoes. Plenette's very charming. Kelley was sweet, and appreciative of my clipboard (of doom!). The team-signed jersey will now be framed and put opposite the other framed jersey, under the Hofstra poster, across from the Liberty posters, because we are done, because Quanitra Hollingsworth does not count yet.
Q was working the cookout as well, so we'll see if she's working out with the team long-term, if she's visiting to say hi, or if she just wanted to spend a weekend in the city.
Liberty, I am disappointed in your taste in quarterbacks. All of you prefer Tebow? And several of you were Tebowing? For the record, if asked to choose between Sanchez and Tebow, the correct answer is Eli Manning. Also, and I don't mean to harp, but Kara Braxton and skinny jeans probably don't work. I realize I'm harping in a most hypocritical fashion, but I'm not a paid professional athlete.
What would you do for a Klondike bar? One lucky row didn't need to do anything. And now I want ice cream and we are out of Klondike bars. I haz a sad.
Awesome gear: the woman behind me in her signed Sue Wicks jersey and the woman in Essence Carson's BHA jersey from last year that I hope she took off before enjoying her barbeque. Even more awesome gear: the woman I saw going into the bathroom in a home white, 2006, Ashley Battle jersey that, from the arch of the lettering, might have been Ashley Battle's jersey.
My season ticket rep asks about my mom almost as much as she talks to us. It's a little disturbing.
It feels a little like a letdown, but at the same time, if everyone does what they're supposed to do, there should be some satisfaction. Also, I got to have Dinosaur and finish my jersey, so I'm happy.