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mb

Starting with a win over the defending champs would be nice.

Televised on ABC, starting at 1 p.m. local time.

aidtcp3 · Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 126

I am with you mb, but if they lose I won't be to mad as long as they put up a good fight. The Monarchs are the defending chaimps, they're crowd is gonna be nuts, they're probably going to be awarded their championship rings that night, it will be the first time the starting line up on our team is playing together, I mean almost everything will be going against the mercury on opening dai. I just want them to stay competitive, and if they pull out a victory I'm going to be ecstatic.

mranderso · Ring ceremony is at 12:15 pm, before the game.

Ring ceremony is at 12:15 pm, before the game.

mandih23 · Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 10:47 am Post subject:

ATTENTION MB: I AM POSTING IN THE CORRECT THREAD!!!!!!!!!!

Taurasi and Miller are game time decisions:

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=65895

Luv ya shorty!

mscfn · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 86

While I would love for the Mercury to be able to play DT and Kelly and perhaps have a good chance at winning the first game, I wouldnt want to further injur or inhibit the healing process of either or both by them playing too early!

mb · Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 1:23 pm Post subject:

http://www.wnba.com/mercury/news/season_preview_060519.html

Quote: As for the defensive end, that is where Sandora Irvin expects to make an impact.

“When somebody is talking about this team, I want them to say Sandora Irvin is a big part of this team, especially defensive wise,” said the second-year post player. “We have a lot of scorers, so I’m focused on getting after it on defense.

“I definitely can tell my teammates are expecting big things this year, even the rookie, Cappie, is giving me encouragement and staying on me. I have to take a second and reflect because last year I didn’t play much. Especially with this system, there is a big opportunity for me to step up and really show my game, and really be a big part of this team.”

As for the taking on the champs on Saturday, Irvin likes her team’s chances and thinks fans across the country will see a style similar to the Mercury’s NBA brother team.

“With this new system it doesn’t matter who we go against. We played against Detroit for instance, and you would think they would smash us, but with this new system (our opponent) has to be able to go,” said Irvin of Phoenix’s 85-84 preseason win over the Shock. “We can do our thing, like the Suns – they are running and no one can really beat them. So if we play the system, it should go our way.”

Glad to hear Cappie and Sandora are focused.

As stated before (by Cam and myself) Sandora is one of the keys.

In the past, rebounding and made free throws often decided games.

What we lose in rebounds, we should compensate for with steals.

We must get to the line and avaoid fouls.

Some thoughts:

DT must not let officials take her out of her game.

Sandora and Angelina (bummer) both have great athleticism...time to show their heart and desire.

Go trainers!

aidtcp3 · Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 126

So whats everyone's gut feeling about tomorow. Will DT and Kelly Miller be in the starting line up, and will the Mercury not repeat what has happened the past two seasons in losing it's season opener to the Monarchs.

gillomfan · Joined: 16 Jun 2002 Posts: 262

Is the booster club having a viewing party for the game tomorrow? I haven't seen an email about it.

CamrnCrz1974 · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 1689 Location: Central Phoenix

It is at Half Moon, Gillomfan...begins around 12:30.

mscfn · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 86

Well, ESPN is featuring the Mercury matchup with the big pictures etc, and a preview by Doris Burke stating Sacramento will win!

OK a funny thing someone can explain! The ESPN site lists probably starters as Diana, Kelly, Sandora, Pettis and Kamilla!
http://www.wnba.com/features/haveyouseenthem_060519.html

However--Here is all the lineups for all teams from that area link, and notice Phx is listing Sandora along with smith on the inactive or IJ, so can they still play her anytime they want? If this is correct?
http://sports.espn.go.com/wnba/preview2006/news/story?id=2451135

CamrnCrz1974 · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 1689 Location: Central Phoenix

Quote: However--Here is all the lineups for all teams from that area link, and notice Phx is listing Sandora along with smith on the inactive or IJ, so can they still play her anytime they want? If this is correct?

You can take a player off the inactive list one hour before game time.

cbibat · Joined: 14 Jun 2002 Posts: 232

is the Inactive list the old injured list? So they don't have to sit out 3 games?

mandih23 · Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 6:05 pm Post subject:

cbibat wrote: is the Inactive list the old injured list? So they don't have to sit out 3 games?

Correct

mb · Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject:

http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.aspx?theArt=79996&tid=26&t=1

Quote: STRENGTHS: Defense, chemistry. Sacramento led the league in scoring defense (61.6 points), 3-point shooting defense (30.1 percent) and turnovers forced (17.80). The Monarchs were also second in steals (8.9) and rebounds allowed (28.4), third in field-goal shooting defense (41.2 percent). Yolanda Griffith (13.8 points and 6.6 rebounds) and WNBA assists leader Ticha Penicheiro (5.7 points and 4.4 assists) are back for their eight and ninth seasons, respectively. DeMya Walker finished 10th in the league in scoring (14.1) and added 5.3 rebounds in 22 games. However, she gave birth last month and will miss at least the first month of the season.

WEAKNESS: Outside shooting. Although the Monarchs were tops in 3-point shooting accuracy (35.8 percent) - led by Nicole Powell`s league-best 66 3s made - they were ninth in attempts per game (10.6). Kara Lawson (36-for-81) was the only other Sacramento player to make more than eight. The rest of the team was 27-for-120 (22.5 percent). Lawson also missed the preseason due to a mysterious illness that is sapping her energy. Whisenant isn`t certain when Walker and Lawson will return, and how long it will take them to get in game shape.

Powell can be dangerous when she's hot.
However, the inside is what we should worry about.

Pack the lane?
Hopefully, they won't even cross halfcourt. 8)

Quote: STRENGTH: Backcourt. Diana Taurasi is back for her third year in the league and has moved over to shooting guard in first-year coach Westhead`s frenetic system. Phoenix has three new point guards - Miller, Jackson and Pondexter - whose primary responsibility will be to set up Taurasi. Pondexter averaged 21.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists and shot 49 percent on 3-pointers as a senior at Rutgers. Phoenix was third in the league in scoring last season at 69.4 points. With Westhead`s system, they`re expected to lead the league.

WEAKNESS: Frontcourt. Kamila Vodichkova (10.9 points and 7.0 assists) is the only proven inside player. Stepanova (10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks) is gone, and Wright had a season-ending injury at the start of preseason. Second-year center Sandora Irvin will be counted on to rebound from an injury-filled rookie season in which she played just 12 games.

aidtcp3 · Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 126

In your opinion, hoping and praying that everyone will be ready to go tomorow, how are the position by position matchups. Here's my break down. (starting line ups on wnba.com)
Point Guard: Kelly Miller vs Ticha Penichiro: This is very much a wash. The intangibles that Ticha brings to that Monarchs team is so invaluable, and her court vision is probably the best in the league. Kelly Miller however is definitely the better shooter, and scorer, and if healthy is one very pesky defender
Shooting Guards: DT vs Scholonda Dorell: definitely advantage Mercury. There's no way this rookie can handle DT defensively, and offensively she is not that dynamic. I feel that the mercury should exploit this match up by sending DT on the block and letting her back down and shoot her signature fade away all day long. I do feel that defensively they might switch and put penichiro on DT because she sometimes seems to get under her skin, especially when she plays her physical.
Small Forward: Bridget Pettis vs Nicole Powell: Definitely advantage Mercury.... just playing.... Nicole Powell is such a dangerous shooter, and really improved her game last year. She will be a handful for old Bridget Pettis but honestly I feel that the 37 year old will definitely be up to the challenge.
Power Forward Sandora Irvin vs Rebekkah Brunson: I'd say that it's really a wash. Both really have tremendous athleticism, and the ability to alter shots on the defensive end. Both can be productive on the offensive end if aggressive.
Center: Killa Kamila vs Yolanda Griffith: I love Killa Kam but it's almost unfair to compare her with the 2 time Olympian Yolanda Griffith. I hope we send a lot of double teams and traps to help Kamila or else YG will use her athleticism to her advantage and have a big game.
Bench: We have Cappie and they don't!!!!!!!!
What this all means: Not a whole lot if Kelly Miller and DT aren't playing, but if they are I think it will be an interesting game won by the team who exploits their mismatches more.

mb · Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 7:35 am Post subject:

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/mercury/articles/0520mercury0520.html

Quote: All-Star guard Diana Taurasi, who didn't play in two preseason games, was questionable Friday because of a strained quadriceps muscle. Forward Kristen Rasmussen, a free-agent acquisition who played last year with Charlotte and Houston, also has been troubled with a nagging leg injury.

If Taurasi can't play, Westhead said Bridget Pettis would start. If Rasmussen can't play, Jennifer Lacy, another free-agent acquisition, would take her place.

The good news for Westhead is that guard Kelly Miller, an Indiana starter last year, has recovered from similar nagging injuries. Miller, a reliable playmaker, will be in the starting lineup, Westhead said.

The promising news, Westhead said, is that rookie Cappie Pondexter, the No. 2 pick in the last WNBA draft, is everything the Mercury hoped she would be. Pondexter looms as another star on a Mercury team dominated for two years by Taurasi.

Starters (hopefully)?: KM,DT,BS,KR,KV
Starters (likely)?: KM,BP,BS,JL,KV

Quote:
"His system is very methodical, even though it looks a little chaotic," said Taurasi, who was amazed to watch her teammates average 85 points in a preseason loss and victory while she nursed her injury on the bench. "There are rules we abide by on the court. To us, that makes it sane. It's really interesting how he's mastered the fast breaks.

"When people look at it, they might think: 'What are they doing?' But everybody on the court knows what's going on. It really is cool."

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=66002

Quote: Don’t expect high-flying dunks to become the norm, but the league reduced the shot clock from 30 seconds to 24, and wants officials to whistle hand-checking to increase scoring and cut down the physicality.

The league also has a bushel of talented young players it can readily market as providing inexpensive family entertainment during the slow days of summer: Seimone Augustus (Minnesota), Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson (Seattle), Swin Cash (Detroit), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix) and Lindsay Whalen (Connecticut).

After all, there’s more to basketball than hanging on the rim.

“It’s not about being fair, it’s about being realistic,” Taurasi said. “If people think we’re going to all start dunking in the next 10 years, it’s not going to happen. You just have to appreciate the game for what it’s worth. If you’re a fan of the game, you should love it because it’s played the right way, whether above or below the rim.”

*bold added for emphasis...hand checking rule (physicality) will hurt LA & DET???....careful on defense, Mercury...great quote and perspective by DT.

our season in a nutshell:
Quote: Why the Mercury will make the playoffs
1. They’re trigger-happy: Starting today, the Westhead experience begins. The former NBA and college coach doesn’t like to make comparisons to the Suns’ sprinting style, but there are similarities. In three preseason games, the Mercury attempted at least 15 more shots than either Minnesota, Connecticut or Detroit. If the team is as well-conditioned as Westhead would like, the Mercury can simply outrun teams for 40 minutes.

2. Diana Taurasi: She’s entering her third season and seems to be an ideal fit for the rapid-fire offense. Easily among the top five players in the league at age 23, she should be free of last season’s point guard duties, allowing her to run out on the fast break and be the all-around workhorse without having to constantly instigate the offense.

3. Point guard: Whether it’s Kelly Miller, Tamicha Jackson or rookie Cappie Pondexter, point guard play means everything to Westhead, pushing the ball up as fast as humanly possible and making the right decisions quickly. After helping Indiana to a 21-win season last year, Miller arrived in a trade for Anna DeForge. Pondexter, who was drafted for her ability to create shots for herself and others, averaged more than 16 points per game during the preseason.

Why the Mercury will miss the playoffs
1. They’re trigger-happy: Even while short-handed, the Suns sprinted their way to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, but they’ve also won playoff games scoring in the 90s. How will the Mercury respond when teams inevitably try to reduce games into a casual walk and parade of half-court sets every possession?

2. Defense: Westhead plans to use an equally up-tempo, full-court pressure defense with trapping. The Mercury forced a bevy of turnovers in the preseason, but if they don’t get a turnover off the pressure, they’re prone to surrendering layups on the other end. Not only that, can a team that wants to use less than 10 seconds of each shot clock still have legs and energy to defend each possession the same way?

3. The Interior: After being the team’s MVP until she left for Russia late last season, Maria Stepanova isn’t here. Kamila Vodichkova is, but she’s the only post player who has seen consistent playing time. The Mercury need Sandora Irvin, last year’s top draft choice, to continue her late-season development, and get some production from rookie Ann Strother. Without it, the team’s interior defense and rebounding will suffer.

mb · Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 7:45 am Post subject:

Remember, there is radio coverage as well as television. Go Mercury!

edit:
television: ABC, channel 15, 1pm
radio: ESPN 860 (today's broadcast delayed until 5pm)

mranderso · Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 11:59 am Post subject:

sandora not suited up

Sun Devil Mercury Fan · Joined: 13 Jul 2002 Posts: 154 Location: Phoenix, Arizona

mranderso wrote: sandora not suited up

What's wrong with her? I must have missed an injury update.

So, down by 19 at the half. ugh... and after such an impressive start.

I guess we'll see what the 2nd half brings.

A special note to PENNY:

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get your arse back to PHX!!!!!!!!

hollywood · Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 126

my first half thoughts....

i guess the argument if strother is a post is over because she is obviously a post which is a suprise because she is so bad at the things a post have to do.

someone has to make a shot other then taurasi, but maybe they should start by hitting the rim a little more often, when cappie got her third we were in trouble for the simple reason that Snell/Pettis got on the floor and both look in over their heads(just my opinion) 1-7 in the first half.

only got outrebounded by 12 in the first half but 3 of our rebounds came on one offensive possession which was a example of why some people don't like womens basketball(ten girls standing below the rim throwing it up there trying to make a layup and missing over and over and over and over.

post play is terrible. Kamila looked exhausted which was expected but at the same time lacy/stevenson/strother/rasmussen(who was it who was defending kr the other day when i said she wasn't very good???) gave 2 pts on 1 of 5 shooting and a total of 3 rebounds.

bad news on the season.....taurasi is special and still needs some help from someone. i am sure penny is on the phone right now talking about the non-cash perks she wants lol.

Sun Devil Mercury Fan · Joined: 13 Jul 2002 Posts: 154 Location: Phoenix, Arizona

hollywood wrote:

i am sure penny is on the phone right now talking about the non-cash perks she wants lol.

LOL!! Give Penny what ever she wants, Seth!!!!! :)

Good recap, Hollywood. We'll see what the 2nd half brings...

GO MERCURY!

aidtcp3 · Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 126

A disasterous first game is about to come to an end and I'm very disappointed with the team's performance on national television. Besides the quick start, there were barely any bright spots in todays game. Paul Ball looked extremely bad against the defending champs, and we can only hope there are some serious adjustments made before we play the champs of two years ago. Everyone was just so sluggish. The defense was simply attrocious, and I couldn't really put my finger on it. I just saw the press constantly being broken, and hoped that they would just fall back into regular man to man defense, but that never happened. The Monarchs simply got to many easy baskets. I know it's just the first game but I just don't like the philosophy of Paul Ball. I mean it's great to try and score all game but at sometime you have to defend, and at some time you have to try and play half court basketball.
Cappie did not play well today but I'm really not that worried. She had a ton of looks that I've seen her knock down constantly and her shot wasn't falling. As for Kelly Miller, I really hope that her performance was hampered by her injury. She just didn't play the way I envisioned her playing this season. She was careless with the ball, couldn't knock down open threes, and didn't really create opportunities for other players. DT played ok, not great but not too bad. She had some good passes to post players and they just seem lost. However I really feel like they didn't utilize her well on offense, which again leads me back to my original statement. Paul Ball may not be the answer to the mercury's problems.
The front line was not impressive, and the bench was even worse. Overall it just looked awful. Like the team didn't even look like they were playing at the same pace. T. Jackson was lookin to pull the trigger and fire quickly, whereas others were trying to slow the pace down...
I know I'm in pani mode but if today is any indication of how the season may turn out, we may have some serious problems.

SuziQ · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 288 Location: Phoenix

I feel sick.

Paul ball's kinda like "shock and awe". You get a great advantage in the beginning, because most teams don't know how to handle it. But then the teams will adjust. The most important part is for the Mercury to keep to their plan, keep pushing and running, and not allow the opponent to make you play their style.

We didn't.

You can't mix half-court w/ Paulball, if you do you get this kind of shit. :oops:

I think it can work, but we have GOT to get some more rebounds. I couldn't help but think that Sandora could've been a help in there today. I hope her being listed on the IR doesn't mean we'll be without her for a while.

And yeah, I'll say it - freak' refs!!!!!!! Am I just being a "blinders on" fan, or did they call a hella lotta ticky-tack on us and practically nothing on Sac? I mean, the Monarchs are good, but dayum, not that good.

Bridget needs to dye her hair blond again so I won't confuse she and TJ on the court.

I will scrub Penny's toilets with a toothbrush if that's what it takes for her to sign and come. She can help so much in the paint.

(PS - I noticed in the preview it changed my "f-bomb refs" into "freakin'". Profanity filter???? It might overheat from use this season.)

still waiting · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Phoenix

Two words:
Ann De Forge

still waiting · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Phoenix

Two more words
De-Fense

mscfn · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 86

Phx started out great, but then the greatness ended as Sac warmed up!
Defense is terible in the Post--dont know the answer as even Kamilla didnt do well and guess Ann is playing post, 4 or 5, but that isnt her position so dont understand it, but she may get better if she has to?? This is only my opinion but Ann needs to play longer and shoot more, as she clearly can shoot better then all the misses other Phx players had, as she went 3-5 from outside in the short time she got to play!

Iam not impressed with Kelly or Cappie that much, but maybe Kelly is still hurting and Cappie of course is a rookie, and simply needs to settle in moreso, and playing the best WNBA team from last yr proved as difficult as some figured it would be?? Diana did Ok, but clearly wasnt her normal self today, but as said, she didnt have much help--hope she didnt aggravate her injury any more?

Lots of work for PaulBall looks like--he said it might take 5 or 6 games to see if it will work?--Time will tell! Anxious to see a box score but know it wont be pretty for Phx?

still waiting · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 8 Location: Phoenix

OK.. just two more words

Trade Seth

hollywood · Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 126

here is my postgame recap now....

first...PLAY STROTHER(i know i knocked her in the first half as not being a post) she played the three in the second and scored 12 pts on 4-6 behind the line....snell needs a plane ticket home take smith of the inactive/injured list NOW.

I dont' know what the deal with lacy and stevenson is but there have to be better players somewhere who are free agents...give kayte a shot atleast she'll compete.

Obviously kelly miller will play much better(i hope) but she like cappie isn't a point guard so thats a problem but not a huge one when you compare it to the front court problems.

Kamila can be a good player but she has to post up to score she has to back people down and go at them so how she is ever going to fit into "paul ball" is beyond me.

player grades:

dt: A, she hurt and is still easily the best player on the team

kelly miller: C, i give her credit because she's hurt but the next game is thursday against seattle so I am not sure she's going to get a real chance to get healthy.

Lacy:C+, i think thats all she's got but she could've atleast boxed out once that may've helped her grab more then 3 rebounds all game

Cappie: B-, fouls...fouls...fouls but you can tell from the preseason games she can score once her shots fall.

Kamila: B, "paul ball" wasn't built for her but she played tough considering she only landed a few days ago.

As for the bench:
TJ:B
AS:B
BS:C-
BP:B-
MS:D
KR:D

TJ does what she does take the good with the bad. If he plays ann at the three she can play in the wnba but as a post she's terrible. Snell....give her a plane ticket(i'm not talking about one back to phoenix either), Pettis played well she's still mixes it up out there. MS/KR...plane tickets different flight then snell but plane tickets just the same.

final report...we're going to run bad teams out of the gym but the good teams monarchs/storm/sun are going to kill us. We will set a record for scoring though...as in giving up points.

aidtcp3 · Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 126

still waiting wrote: Two words:
Ann De Forge
She definitely was missed out there. But she's definitely a two guard, because she creates for herself and not for others. I was hoping KM would be more of a facilitator but she just couldn't make plays out there. However she was injured, and played hard which is all i can ask for. I think it's easy to say that Merc's postgame was non aparent, and I feel this is where they needed DT to play a lil bit more in the post. I hate when she's just on the perimeter all the time. It's important for her to score in different waiz because it puts that much pressure on the defense. She needed to play more like..... Penny Taylor

Keegan · Joined: 13 Jun 2002 Posts: 977

Well that was shit, but it's the first game of the season, so I don't think I'll pronounce the end of the world just yet.

I think Mr Paul Ball has to realise though that sometimes you have to fit the system to players and not vice versa.

hollywood wrote: here is my postgame recap now....

I think demanding players be waived based on ONE regular season game is a tad premature to say the least :roll:

hollywood · Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 126

i realize your defending your aussie buddy but she looked bad in preseason and she looked terrible today,her statline only tells part of the story. One thing i do like about her is that last season she was 5'11" and this years she's 5'9" lol.

Yes I am overreacting but trust me it was an UGLY beatdown today.

Keegan · Joined: 13 Jun 2002 Posts: 977

Bad preseason? I daresay other posters on here would disagree with you.

Snell's always been listed as 5'9" on the Mercury website for some inexplicable reason.

First games are first games. If we're like this at midseason, then you can hit the panic button.

SportsFan48 · Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1138

I agree with Keegan. Don't take too much from this game.

One thing I think you all need to keep in mind is we were playing a Sacramento team with very few changes in their line up from last season. And the have people in key positions who have played together for several seasons now.

OTOH, the Mercury have two starters from last years team and a couple of others who didn't get much playing time (and one of those started on the reserve list).

And Sacramento is one of the most difficult places to play in the WNBA.

I like many of you have some concerns, but I will say that the Mercury are going to be better than this game showed.

Anyone who thinks Snell needs to go is not looking at the intangible benefits she adds to the team. And while Keegan may have some motivation to defend his "aussie buddy", he has proven that he knows how to evaluate skill and knows what he is talking about.

To those of you who don't think we got much from our bench, they scored 38 points to the starters 40. I don't think we have had any time in Mercury history when the bench has contributed that much to a game. In fact, there are very few teams who get that much from the bench. You may argue that they didn't do much on defense and I would argue that the entire team did not do much on defense.

We wil see better days..... :)

mb · Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 8:45 pm Post subject:

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/mercury/articles/0520mercury-ON.html

Quote: Bothered by quadriceps injury, Taurasi played 26 minutes and led the Mercury with 14 points. Tamicha Jackson also scored 14 points and Ann Strother made four 3-pointers and had 12 points.

Quote: "They take you out of your stuff and you know they're the number one team in the league and they did a great job," Taurasi said. "You know, we didn't quite do what we were capable of and that's why you play another game."

mb · Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 8:52 pm Post subject:

hollywood wrote: i realize your defending your aussie buddy but she looked bad in preseason and she looked terrible today,her statline only tells part of the story. One thing i do like about her is that last season she was 5'11" and this years she's 5'9" lol.

Yes I am overreacting but trust me it was an UGLY beatdown today.

Snell in preseason: 19.5 mpg, 8.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 3apg, 0to.

Yeah, those are terrible preseason stats. :roll: :roll: :roll:

librarygeek · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 176 Location: Central Phx

hollywood wrote: i realize your defending your aussie buddy but she looked bad in preseason and she looked terrible today,her statline only tells part of the story. One thing i do like about her is that last season she was 5'11" and this years she's 5'9" lol.

Yes I am overreacting but trust me it was an UGLY beatdown today.

Oh for god's sake. :roll:

You are correct, it was an ugly beatdown. Yes, you are overreacting.

No one needs a plane ticket based on one game. Against the championship team, with a returning coach and returning players.

CamrnCrz1974 · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 1689 Location: Central Phoenix

Five great minutes of basketball, 35 minutes of crap.

The turnover is there; the continuity isn't there. Yo and Ticha have been playing together since 1999. This is Lawson's 4th season with the team, Maiga's 5th, Walker's 4th. Having your point guard and post position set for so long, it is easy to fit in complementary parts.

We have nothing to show for the 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 drafts except Diana and Sandora and the rights to Maria. And only Diana played today.

mb · Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 1:00 am Post subject:

If we had players with more talent, that had played together for some time, our system would work better? :idea:

Brilliant! Lets wave our magic wand and fix that by Thursday. :roll:

This is our team, and this is our coach's system...may as well embrace them and pray for the best.

Here's hoping DT, KM, KV, and KR were less than 100%.
Here's hoping Snelly's shots fall like normal.
Here's hoping Cappie plays intense defense w/o fouling.

Here's hoping we get a flippin' rebound!

The sytem will take some time, and unfortunately we start with SAC and SEA four out of our first five games.

CamrnCrz1974 · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 1689 Location: Central Phoenix

Quote: If we had players with more talent, that had played together for some time, our system would work better?

Brilliant! Lets wave our magic wand and fix that by Thursday

You missed the point, on here and Rebkell.

There were plenty of years to fix it. EVERY WNBA champion, with the exception of Detroit, has had tremendous continuity. Even CT, which hasn't won a title, has that continuity. The talent isn't the issue; it is the lack of cohesiveness. And when the roster is turnoved over time and again, in the name of getting better, the cohesiveness is gone. And then the players aren't given the time to reach the level of continuity other teams have.

Did you know this? There is only ONE player on the active roster this year who was on the active roster in 2004, when the team went 17-17 (Diana). Only one player from just two years ago?

This rebuilding project has been in place for quite some time. Phoenix has not made the playoffs since 2000, the longest spell in league history.

Quote: This is our team, and this is our coach's system...may as well embrace them and pray for the best.

I don't think anyone isn't praying for the best. But there is no need to play Pollyanna, either.

mandih23 · Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 4:05 am Post subject:

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/mercury/articles/0521mercury0521.html

"If anything, it was a good first game in a weird way," guard Diana Taurasi said. "You don't ever want to lose a game like that, but it showed what we can do."

:? - hmm... yep, thats what we can do... lets not do that again.