I agree with MBF. It really wasn't Carrie Graf's fault, even though she had some undoubtedly talented players (Anna DeForge, Vodichkova, Penny Taylor, Maria Stepanova (while she was there), and some kid named Taurasi.
) But there never seemed to be much chemistry or cohesion in the team, mainly because of scheduling conflicts with players overseas who had to complete their season by the time the WNBA regular season had already started.
The most notable example of this was when Maria Stepanova return to the Merc after a three-year absence playing in Russia and giving birth to a boy. The Merc started off the season badly, but after Maria joined the team in July, they went something like 9-3 or 10-3. When Maria left the team again in mid-August to qualify for the Russian National Team, the Merc's fortunes started to sink again. Coincidence? I think not!
I am not going to pretend that I follow the Mercury that closely, I think they need to draft a dominating center with the same build and height like Maria. The Merc should not count on Maria returning back to the team next season.
As for Nancy L. reporting, I think it was telling that she was the one who broke the story out on ESPN, instead of their own regular wire service. And her relationship with Anna is not exactly a secret --- Nancy coaches the NWBL's Dallas Fury team, for whom the Anna plays for --- and goes back to her days when she coached the Detroit Shock and "groomed" Anna to be the Next Big Thing.
It will be interesting to see what the team's coaching search will be like. But I can only just imagine that Nancy couldn't wait to report the news of Carrie leaving the Mercury, though she doesn't want to publicly say of her own coaching desires, at least not until after the WNBA Finals. But with DeForge on that team, how can she resist?
And that is why I mentioned that possibility! It could happen!
Now if only Ann Meyers can get a job coaching the Sparks next year, there would be TWO less mouthpieces-with-a-screw-loose-in-the-brain to put up with!
