[WNBA] Comments that don't warrant their own thread

[6th]

Full press release:
http://www.wnba.com/news/allstar_announcement_090203.html

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Wow, what a surprise!! The WNBA has chosen an East Coast team to host the All-Star Game this year. I am shocked!

On the topic of the All-Star Game, the WNBA makes me sick!!@!@@$#$!

 

[NothinButHoops]

I know what you mean 6th. As a fan that has been to every All-Star game except last year, I am dissapointed. Not even one West team stepped up?
Or is it just to benefit the league & save money? Too bad I really wanted the game to come back to the West

 

[StevenHW]

According to the Los Angeles Times, the L.A. Sparks will hold a press conference tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009). It is expected they will announce Lisa Leslie will retire after playing the 2009 season.

Here's the article that was written this afternoon:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-wnba-lisa-leslie4-2009feb04,0,3112471.story?track=rss

 

[StevenHW]

I know what you mean 6th. As a fan that has been to every All-Star game except last year, I am dissapointed. Not even one West team stepped up?

Or is it just to benefit the league & save money? Too bad I really wanted the game to come back to the West

I suspect it was about the money. The WNBA league office prefers to have the ASG in the East Coast, to save $$$.

If they had to have it in the East, I expected them to have it in Atlanta.

But since the ASG is a money-losing venture to the host city team, I guess it wasn't worth the trouble.

I also felt that, if they HAD to have it out West, L.A. would be chosen. You know that the WNBA front office wants CP3 on the airwaves as much as possible, and with the just-released news report that the '09 season will be Lisa Leslie's final season, having it in Staples Center would've been appropriate.

But, oh, well...

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

They are clearly cutting costs this year and it seems like this was the best option compared to not having one at all.

If it comes West (and I'm not convinced it will while the economy is down), I think they'll look LA for obvious reasons but it's not like Parker won't be on the team where ever the game is played so I don't think she's the reason. It's a bigger population base and you can turn a trip to LA into a Disneyland vacation for traveling fans/families. I keep hearing the Monarchs say they want to host one and Donna say she wants the Monarchs to have one, so it could happen. Not holding my breath tho. I think it stays in the northeast for a while.

 

[StevenHW]

Atlanta waives Betty Lennox

It's been mentioned already on the WNBA website and on RebKell, but for those who have not heard it yet...

http://www.wnba.com/dream/news/lennox_030209.html

Should the Monarchs take a chance on signing her?

 

[6th]

It's been mentioned already on the WNBA website and on RebKell, but for those who have not heard it yet...

http://www.wnba.com/dream/news/lennox_030209.html

Should the Monarchs take a chance on signing her?

NO! She is a cancer from all I've heard from every team she's been on.

 

[6th]

They are clearly cutting costs this year and it seems like this was the best option compared to not having one at all.

If it comes West (and I'm not convinced it will while the economy is down), I think they'll look LA for obvious reasons but it's not like Parker won't be on the team where ever the game is played so I don't think she's the reason. It's a bigger population base and you can turn a trip to LA into a Disneyland vacation for traveling fans/families. I keep hearing the Monarchs say they want to host one and Donna say she wants the Monarchs to have one, so it could happen. Not holding my breath tho. I think it stays in the northeast for a while.

They've been saying that for a couple/few years now. They still kept it in the northeast. Now they have the economy as an excuse. They do not care if the west coast fans can attend an All-Star game.

Steven, you mention that it is a money losing venture wherever it is held. Since they keep having it in the same cities over and over, it is not new or exciting for some of them to attend. Maybe, if they had one on the west coast, the newness alone would change that a bit. Couldn't hurt to try, but again, now they have another excuse.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I don't think the economy is a new reason, i think the reason they haven't moved it has been money all along.

 

[RDub21]

It's been mentioned already on the WNBA website and on RebKell, but for those who have not heard it yet...

http://www.wnba.com/dream/news/lennox_030209.html

Should the Monarchs take a chance on signing her?

Hmm...that's interesting. I can't even count the number of times I've watched the Monarchs over the years and just screamed and pleaded for someone to take a shot. While I'm sure Betty wouldn't have that problem, I think we take a chance with her. Betty can flat out score, and that's something we really need IMO.

 

[StevenHW]

Yo Griffith signs a free-agent contract with the Indiana Fever!

http://www.wnba.com/fever/news/fever_signs_yolanda_griffith.html

 

[StevenHW]

Former Houston Rockets player Michelle Snow signs a free-agent with the Atlanta Dream!

http://www.wnba.com/dream/news/snow_signs_180209.html

 

[6th]

Yo Griffith signs a free-agent contract with the Indiana Fever!

http://www.wnba.com/fever/news/fever_signs_yolanda_griffith.html

Now, this is a move I really like. In spite of her move to Seattle, Yo remains my all time favorite female player. The Fever are my 2nd favorite team (#1 in the East). It will be good to see her play with Catch and the rest of the team.

I like it!! I really like it!!!

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

Yo Griffith signs a free-agent contract with the Indiana Fever!

http://www.wnba.com/fever/news/fever_signs_yolanda_griffith.html

Interesting...I thought she left here because she only had a year left and didn't want to spend it rebuilding...

 

[NothinButHoops]

Just happy to see she's still playing. At least she's in the East now & not on a rival team.

With all these moves, when Yo retires...Will the Monarchs retire her jersey?

Best of luck to Yo...she will still go down, as one of my all time favoirite players.

 

[kingsnation]

Good luck to Yo! I wish she could've retired as a Monarch..

 

[uncommonclay]

Interesting...I thought she left here because she only had a year left and didn't want to spend it rebuilding...

yeah, i remember those as more or less her words ... i think she had some issue with the younger than Yo coach boucek ... which she didn't speak about as a reason to leave ... as far as last year goes, she may have gone farther in the playoffs by staying in Sacto ...

 

[creative one]

How long can Yo deny the obvious? She's DONE. I hope she does herself a favor by making an announcement shortly after the beginning of the season. I'm not her biggest fan, but she does deserve a proper swan song.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

As long as GMs keep signing one year deals, she'll probably keep team hopping. According to her proclaimations in April, she was supposed to already be done, which not to belabor a point as a way to indicate how much I didn't believe it then, is why she said she had to split Sacramento.

 

[Purple Reign]

With all these moves, when Yo retires...Will the Monarchs retire her jersey?

Absolutely. The second Yolanda Griffith retire, is the day the Monarchs organization begins to plan her jersey ceremony.

I will say I am disappointed that she feels she needs to hop around. But with that said, I do not blame her for not wanting to hang around Seattle. Something is going on up there that screams dismantling. I don't know why, but everybody seems to want to jump ship all of a sudden. In my heart of hearts I was hoping that Yo was going to come back here. Oh well, wishful thinking.

 

[NothinButHoops]

Absolutely. The second Yolanda Griffith retire, is the day the Monarchs organization begins to plan her jersey ceremony.

I will say I am disappointed that she feels she needs to hop around. But with that said, I do not blame her for not wanting to hang around Seattle. Something is going on up there that screams dismantling. I don't know why, but everybody seems to want to jump ship all of a sudden. In my heart of hearts I was hoping that Yo was going to come back here. Oh well, wishful thinking.

I hear ya PR...I guess when she's done, she can sign & retire? Then I will give her a standing ''O'' as her Jersey is put up in the rafters of Arco pride.
Giving us a chance to reflect on our Championship & the Warrior #33

 

[Luv13fan]

I hear ya PR...I guess when she's done, she can sign & retire? Then I will give her a standing ''O'' as her Jersey is put up in the rafters of Arco pride.
Giving us a chance to reflect on our Championship & the Warrior #33

I Hope you all are right but I get the sneeking suspiction that MS&E won't be running to the Banner store all that Quick.
I am sure it will get done eventually but I have my doubts cause there was a bridge or two that got burned on the way out of Sac.
And the Longer she plays and the more teams she plays for, the less compelling having her jersey retired here will be. It would be like if she went to the Hall of Fame, which jersey would go.

Either way she has been great for the league and the sport for a long time. I hope she does retire in a manner that is dignified.

 

[NothinButHoops]

I Hope you all are right but I get the sneeking suspiction that MS&E won't be running to the Banner store all that Quick.
I am sure it will get done eventually but I have my doubts cause there was a bridge or two that got burned on the way out of Sac.
And the Longer she plays and the more teams she plays for, the less compelling having her jersey retired here will be. It would be like if she went to the Hall of Fame, which jersey would go.

Either way she has been great for the league and the sport for a long time. I hope she does retire in a manner that is dignified.

I hear ya , that's why I think MSE & Yo would have to agree on her sign, then retire. It may be some obstacles lie in the path. We'll see? I just hope it happens.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I don't think they care how many jerseys she wears. Other things behind the scene may have to happen too, but the bottom line is, they can't retire her number until she does.

 

[StevenHW]

Praise for Joanne Boyle and her Cal team

I know we've talked often about Stanford, but how about some recognition for the California Golden Bears women's team? It seems that we rarely ever talk about them.

I don't following them all that closely, but Joanne Boyle has done a remarkable job reviving their program, ever since she took over as coach four years ago. She inherited a great freshman class (recruited by her predecessor, Caren Horstmeyer) and started to win ever since.

From the Wall Street Journal, here's an interview with Coach Boyle. I'm suprised the WSJ came out with the article, as they hardly ever mention women's sports!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123560321055576487.html

 

[Den-Den]

I know we've talked often about Stanford, but how about some recognition for the California Golden Bears women's team? It seems that we rarely ever talk about them.

I don't following them all that closely, but Joanne Boyle has done a remarkable job reviving their program, ever since she took over as coach four years ago. She inherited a great freshman class (recruited by her predecessor, Caren Horstmeyer) and started to win ever since.

From the Wall Street Journal, here's an interview with Coach Boyle. I'm suprised the WSJ came out with the article, as they hardly ever mention women's sports!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123560321055576487.html

Thanks for the article, you find the greatest tidbits!

 

[StevenHW]

Seems that the Indiana Fever/Indiana Pacers ownership group are having financial problems, and are giving the Fever one more year.

From Jayda Evans' blog in The Seattle Times:
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/storm/2009/03/11/indiana_fever_given_one_year_o.html


From the Indianapolis Star:
http://www.indystar.com/article/20090311/SPORTS04/903110367/1088/SPORTS04

...And it's not just the Pacers that [owner Herb] Simon is concerned about. The fate of the Fever seems tenuous at best.

Simon said he is committed to the WNBA team for just one more year. The team has lost "several million dollars," he said, and must double corporate sponsorships and attend ance if it is to survive...

 

[creative one]

That's why I don't understand the premise behind cutting out two roster spots per team. Cutting those spots isn't going to keep a team from losing "several million dollars". Who does the WNBA think they're fooling? There isn't much of a difference to the incredibly rich folks between losing 6.5 million and 6.3 million.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

This is sorta ominous news, I'm not so sure this is an isolated death knell.

I agree, the roster cutting move makes ZERO sense to me. It for sure never made sense to me given the financial reasons that kept being tossed around as the reasons why the league and the owners figured it was a smart business move they had to make. If most teams weren't carrying 13 to begin with, who the hell cares that some teams were and why are you penalizing teams that could.

It feels like now there is some other pressure percolating and if the Fever's CEO is saying this, others aren't sitting any rosier in their outlook on continuing to front a franchise. Let's see if his call of alarm to the business community and fan base makes a difference...

 

[kennadog]

That's why I don't understand the premise behind cutting out two roster spots per team. Cutting those spots isn't going to keep a team from losing "several million dollars". Who does the WNBA think they're fooling? There isn't much of a difference to the incredibly rich folks between losing 6.5 million and 6.3 million.

Just like everyone else, rich folks are not so rich anymore. Because they take out big loans and also have a big investments generally, most have taken a big hit financially in the banking and investment areas. If they having businesses losing money and/or real estate losing value, that just makes it their situation worse.

Owning any pro sports team is a rich person's hobby, not something they do because they expect to make much. Half the NBA teams are losing millions this year. The Maloofs estimate a loss of $25-28 million on the Kings alone.

I'm not happy about it, but I can understand it.

Anyway, just like everone, they have to cut their losses on things that aren't essential. Hobbies aren't essential needs, which most everyone is discovering.