A Rant from Charlotte

#1
I'm currently on the S. East on vaction and made the trip to Charlotte for tonight's game. :eek:

I will say this right now....I want this team dismantled at the end of the season, whether they win a championship or not. They can still make the playoffs don't get me wrong...but losing these two east coast games now made it such that they need A LOT of help to get there. They need a Phoenix meltdown, a continued Houston meltdown and/or the expected Minnesota Katie-Smithless meltdown. Now they can get all of this said help, but I'm not freakin' sure this team can win out the rest of the season which they will also need to do to take advantage of the aforementioned wishful thinking help they need.

The first half was good, not great mind you but good. It was encouraging given their inability to control the game in Washington to see them controlling the game against Charlotte. They looked like they were doing what they wanted to do, they did a good job of keeping Charlotte off the boards and from scoring in the paint. The Charlotte fans sitting next to me were besides themselves at the officiating in the first half. They needent worry, thing would even up in the 2nd half. I'm not blaming the refs for the loss or giving the Monarchs any reason to excuse their poor performance, but the officiating swung noticably in the 2nd half as I guess the refs decided to even up the crappy officiating. Ticha by far was the one most affected by the weird calls that started going against the Monarchs but they all started ragging on the refs instead of focusing on the game.

I wasn't paying enough attention to have realized the M's had pushed their lead up to 12, I just got that pit of the stomach feeling when Mazzante hit the 3 that brought the Sting to within 1. It wasn't without reason, because the game was going to continue to slip away. But the turning point where the M's seemed to me to have deflated was when these boneheaded refs called a shooting foul against the M's. The Sting missed a shot, the rebound pinballed over several sets of hands and players got tangled in two separate scrums for the ball. Whistle blows. Okeeeeeeee, I'm not sure who you could have called a foul on on that 2nd scrum but these dolts all did. Okeeee, I could sorta live with that dumb decision, but in the midst of the call the refs decided that the Sting player who had allegedly been fouled while tangled with a few Monarch and Sting players at ground level (emphasis on the ground level part) WAS IN THE FREAKING ACT OF SHOOTING!!!!!!!!!!!!! The minute the ref holds up 2 fingers indicating that the foul was a shooting foul, Ticha goes ballistic, coach Whiz goes ballistic, Kara goes ballistic. The only reason why I can figure that nobody who was going ballistic got t-ed up was because these dunderheads knew they blew the call badly twice. Why none of them could figure out to ask the other if there was even remotely a possibility that anybody could have possibly shot the ball while they were in the bottom of the scrum. I mean words can't even describe how absurd that call was. The wheels appeared to fall off the wagon at that point.

(just a side note: I'm watching the studio show following the ESPN game and Nancy Lieberman and Geno Auriemma have made their playoff team predictions - when Lieberman's list went up first I asked out loud "was she smoking crack tonight and did not notice that Sacramento lost again?" then I see Auriemma's list and figured someone is slipping them mind altering substances in their drinking water because Auriemma had Sacramento taking the 3rd spot. I had to mute the tail end of the game because Ann Meyers was on a roll with her mentions of Lisa Leslie. I'm still riding an Olympic high as it relates to Lisa and thusly can fully appreciate the dominance she displayed in the game tonight but geeeeeezus, I can only listen to her name so many times Ann, daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn! And while I'm still pissed off and ranting... please tell me I am NOT going to have to suffer through Auriemma if Phoenix makes the playoffs. I swear to goodness I can see him and Meyers in a booth together doing Taurasi's games and him dropping her name while Meyers drops Leslie's and my head will explode. ).

Back to the rant...the M's perimeter defense still sucks, their late game execution still sucks. The game winning execution against the Silver Stars I'm afraid was a mirage. In the final possession of this game, when they needed a 3, I can't remember for the life of me if anybody capable of shooting a 3 ever touched the ball in a meaningful way after the first attempt they had went awry.

Gawd...all I wanted was for this team to come out and play to its potential this year. They've got the talent, they've got the coaching staff. But they can't find a way to ever do it and do it when people expect them to do it. They can't play with the sense of urgency other teams seem to be able to reach back and play with. Sure, they make second half runs and all, but why do they always want to live this way? Their playoff life now rests in the hands of whether or not Phoenix can continue to beat the teams they are beating (notice how their ship righted itself after we opened the barndoor and let them taste victory after nearly going 0-fer their rugged road trip back in July?) We also are waiting to see if Minnesota can win enough games in the 2nd half with no Katie Smith. I'm sick of this. I'm sick of the pervasive mentality of this club that makes it such that we have to scoreboard watch as intently as we do.

Anybody not named Maiga, Griffith or Brunson would not feel comfortable about their future as a Sacramento Monarch if I had my druthers. Ticha maaaaaaaybe makes that list because its so hard to get someone who can handle the ball, but its getting to the point that I don't care about that much any more. Mendiola maaaaaaaybe makes that list too because from what I've seen of her in college, she's got that scrapper mentality I want to see this team have as I make it up from the inside out. I want people who will fight to win a game. I'm not suggesting this squad tonight did not want to win, I just did not see them fighting to do it, not as much as the Sting were. They were getting ****** with the refs, but the refs can't make them make their shots and rebound the ball and make a goshdarn layup.

Observations about Charlotte....if you take the attendance number the league reported for tonight's game and divide it by 100, I'm pretty sure that's the total number of people who physically had their butts in a seat tonight in the Coliseum. I hope Robert Johnson gets more on the ball and gets more people out to see this team. The other highlight of my evening, I'm pretty damn sure everybody in the arena got an autograph coupon. I wasn't going to use mine as I grumbled towards the exit. But I saw Jia Perkins was one of the players signing...ever since I saw her play as a freshman I invisioned her as a Monarch player and damn that Trudi Lacey for stealing her in the 3rd round. That and chatting up Koz and Krista after the game made the 2 hr drive back more tolerable.

May they please pull a win out of their proverbial... and beat LA on Sunday.
 
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#2
I'm just going to chime in on this rant, after a parenthetical sidenote to MBF -- you got mentioned twice during the radio broadcast! Early in the first half, Koz mentioned the Monarchs' fans were happy about something, then amended himself to Monarchs' fan. I knew it had to be you... he also mentioned your displeasure at that scrum call.

Anyway, I'm with you on the team dismantling -- Walker has finally frayed my last nerve. Sure she's a tenacious defender, but she's got to stay in control while doing it. And don't get me started on missed layups, and her inability to pass out of a double team.

I also think it is time for a different coach next year. Whiz is smart, he definitely knows the game, but I have a feeling he's too laid back and he's trying to accomplish too much with his sets for the limited training camp and season.

I don't see the Monarchs making the playoffs, unless Minnesota totally collapses down the stretch. Houston isn't mathematically eliminated, but will be with a Phoenix win or two.

And this may be heresy, but I didn't order playoff tickets. I'll buy the increased price tickets if they actually make the playoffs. There's no way there will be more than one game at home anyway.

Well, wait til next year. I'm in agreement with keeping Brunson, Maiga and Griffith, and for me the next keeper would be Lawson. After that, let's see what they can get for the others.

HoopMatron
 
#3
Hoopmatron, what is the big deal about DeMya and ur nerves?? :confused: Well I just wanted to know because it sounded like you really didn't like her. :mad: haha jk :) Well anyway let me know what ur thoughts are on her. thanks.
 
#4
MBF, sorry you had to go through that game with having to drive and all. I agree there's some major team changes that need to happen. Why did Whiz stay with the system that worked so well last year?!?!?! He then said he wanted to simplify the offense. But yet this new offense is more complicated, and the players all year have been saying we just need to get used to it. Well....it's now almost the end of the season and they're still as inconsistent as they were in May.

I'd like to see Maiga do more, I'd LOVE to see Rebekkah out there more. She just brings alot of energy. And I'd like to see Kara break out of that shell she's in right now. I'm guessing part of that is because of the offense. I hate to see her literally pass up the open shot.

I'm wondering if they have just gotten complacent with each other?? Anyone have thougths on that? Everyone assumes Yo will take over the game. And she certainly can, but this is a TEAM. So others should step up to their potential as was mentioned earlier. DeMya was just a monster last year, and this year she's just not the same. I have seen her seem almost disinterested or just not moving around much. This is just an observation, so Dwalkfan, so don't take it personal.;) Could she be another casualty of this offense? Aaaannnndddd.....Ticha's assist numbers are down as well.

OK, so now what??? And HoopMatron, I was just thinking, should I buy the playoff tickets or not....so don't feel bad...I'm trying to continue to be positive and hope they can all work through this. I can't even imagine what's going on in that locker room....And honestly, don't really want to know.

Well, let's go team.....They always seem to get "up" for LA, so that should be a good game.
 
#5
For DWalkFan -- I really do like DeMya. I've talked with her a few times, and she's a blast! I am glad she stopped flopping as much as last year, which was my major gripe with her last season. However, it seems like she can't get out of a double team, or if she gets in too deep under the basket to make a shot she still tries to shoot. I've wondered, however, why the other players don't recognize she needs help and get around to where she can outlet to them.

As it turns out, regarding the playoff tickets, I'm volunteering at the LPGA Long's Drug Challenge the first weekend of the playoffs, so I can't go to any games that weekend, and the following weekend (said with fingers crossed that they might actually still be playing) my daughter is getting married. It was a tossup whether to attend the wedding or the basketball game ;), but I chose the wedding. Any games during the week will be out, too, as there are more wedding-related activities than I care to even think about right now.

Anyway, since Minnesota beat Seattle last night, and Phoenix is on a roll, the probablility of the Monarchs actually making the playoffs is nearly zip. They are two games behind Minnesota with four to play (luckily one is against Minnie), and a game and a half behind Phoenix. I don't think the Monarchs can win all four (LA, Houston twice and the above-mentioned Lynx), so they will have to rely on Minnesota and/or Phoenix meltdowns.

HoopMatron the glum
 
#6
I haven't done the math yet or thought this out fully, but I believe if Phx wins tonight, they can essentially eliminate Houston. The Monarchs however need the Shock to find some backbone in a HUGE way tonight. They got some help from the Sting tonight against Minny.

Oooooooo, that scrum call....I mean seriously. I got to the Coliseum about 15 minutes before the tip and walked up to the ticket counter and asked for a seat behind the visitors bench. That seat ended up being 2 rows behind the broadcast table. I think the displeasure Koz was referring to was my cheering on Whiz when he went flying down the sideline to catch the ear of a ref.

Maybe I'll question the wisdom instituting complex schemes with this team after the season ends. I still am not on that party train completely. Ticha's assist numbers are down because nobody wants to shoot the ball when they give it to them when they are open for a shot and two, they aren't finishing with much regularity the most fundamental of shots underneath the basket. If I were to venture a guess, I'd guess that DeMya's is the beneficiary of Ticha's decreased assist numbers. But as complex as the offense and defense appeared to be in May, it still does not explain why this team neither this year or essentially for the last 5 seasons can't play a full 40 minute game consistently. Or why this year they can ordinarily seem to execute this complex offense and defense nearly to perfection against some teams. When I would have most expected to see them struggle with both, opening night against Phoenix, they completely owned Phoenix (until their patented 2nd half collapse made the game much closer than it should have been).

::sigh:: I picked up my mail today and saw the playoff ticket packet, I haven't decided if I'll bite yet. I probably will. The M's came home after that miserable road trip a few months ago in a playoff spot when they had left Sacramento on the verge frustration. They can possibly have that happen again when they leave Houston. But who knows with this bunch.... ::sigh::


(btw, congratulations Hoopmatron!! Having the wedding ceremony midcourt @ Arco wasn't an option huh? ;))
 
#7
Having the wedding ceremony midcourt @ Arco wasn't an option huh?

Dang it! Why didn't I think of that? Soon-to-be son-in-law has been dying to be allowed onto the court. So what if the bride wouldn't be so wild about having 12,000 guests at her wedding? Maybe they'd all bring gifts! :D

Anyway, we've been very busy with this wedding lately, even though the date has been set since last year!

HoopMatron