The Chicago Sky: My Choice for Team of the Future

. Saturday, June 14, 2008
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The Chicago Sky is currently my favorite team to watch this season.

And it’s certainly not because of the team name (side note: the Sky??? Really??? The WNBA has cornered the market on singular team names in professional sports and this is among the worst…)

It’s not just because they’re so frequently on the webcast rotation either, though I think that helps.

Sylvia Fowles is certainly part of my reasoning – I think she’s going to become a dominant post player in a league that with predominately perimeter oriented stars.

But the main reason I like Chicago is because they have a balanced core of three young potential stars in Armintie Price, Candice Dupree, and Fowles that has as exciting a future as any team in the league.

Price is quickly becoming one of my favorite players to watch.

She's a tough, athletic player who is extremely good at slashing to the basket and finishing through contact. Occasionally I think to myself that she’s just out of control, but she knows how to draw contact and get to the free-throw line (though she needs to shoot better than 58% there). Defensively, Price plays the passing lanes well, ranking 8th in the league in steals. She’s steadily improving and she’s only going to get better. But most of all Price plays with passion and you gotta love that.

Candice Dupree has the perfect game to complement Fowles’ power game in the post– she’s a quick athletic player that can score inside and has a very well developed perimeter. She is very effective driving to the basket, though she sometimes gets over aggressive. She has good defensive instincts and uses her quickness well to stay with whomever she’s guarding. She’s also a solid shot blocker, averaging 1.5 a game and ranks 9th in the league.

Between these three young players, they have the essential elements of a successful basketball team.

If they could add a pass-first point guard to focus on getting the ball to Fowles and Dupree in the right spots, they would cut down on the long dry spells on offense. Establishing a strong post game would all make for better looks for their three point shooters like Cathy Joens and Jia Perkins (who also ranks 4th in steals) and spread the defense making it easier to drive.

Fowles could anchor a defense that is already second in the league in blocks with the help of her and Dupree. Then they would need a few tough defensive players off the bench to round out the team.

A cohesive unit built around Dupree, Price, and Fowles could play up-tempo or half-court basketball and match up with just about any team in the league. Having three stars would make this team extremely difficult to beat in the future. But right now they are young. Already, seeing Fowles making outlet passes to Price as she streaks down the court is a joy to watch.

As assistant coach Stephanie White said during last night’s loss to the Mystics, they need to tighten up the mental aspects of their game – moving the ball, cutting down on turnovers, making the right decisions. If they are given time to develop together, they could be a force to be reckoned with.

Transition Points:



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Tim Russert (1950-2008)

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What does Tim Russert have to do with basketball, not to mention women’s basketball?

As I spent some time perusing the many articles remembering Russert, I got the impulse to see if he had ever had a Meet the Press episode about the Don Imus incident.

I had forgotten that Russert was actually one of the more prominent figures tangled up in the Don Imus controversy as a long time friend and frequent guest on Imus in the Morning.

Two days after the incident, Russert chose to keep his scheduled appearance on the show -- on the same day of Imus’ apology – despite critics calling for Imus to be fired.

As I did more digging, it occurred to me that Russert’s response to the Imus incident – arguably a low point for both of their careers – speaks volumes about Russert as a journalist and a person…for better or worse. And I think one of the best ways to honor people in death is not to hide controversy, but find a way to represent their life as fully and honestly as possible.

High Praise

On the day of Russert’s death, journalists from across the political spectrum lauded him for passionately representing his Catholic, working class, Buffalo, NY roots in his work. He did his best to represent what people like his father, an old truck driver, wanted to know about politics.

He’s been described as persistent but gregarious, tough but fair, idealistic but the closest thing to objective in a world of sound bytes and spin. He was a well-intentioned man in the harsh and unforgiving world of television, a world where good intentions alone don’t get ratings.

Honestly, I was rather indifferent to Russert as a journalist. Some might complain that he booked more conservative guests than liberals, but to quote my dad while he watched the 2000 Republican Convention, “You must know thy enemy.” I also appreciated the way Russert challenged guests to face their own hypocrisy, although it occasionally felt like
cheap shots for some and enabling for others.

Imus Discussion on Meet the Press

Eventually, I found that Russert did in fact dedicate 30 minutes of Meet the Press to the Imus incident and had a reasonable panel to discuss it. One of the panelists, Gwen Ifill, directly challenged Russert during that show. Russert’s response to Ifill says a lot about what he stood for and believed in (transcript here):

There were passionate, emotional debates within, within NBC...you were aware of that. And yet, I thought it was important and helpful because it was civil as people worked their way through it. I don’t think anyone felt that what Don said was defensible, including himself. I mean, I feel profoundly sad for the team. They went to the pinnacle of the basketball, into the finals, and this is what they had to talk about all week.

I also feel sadness for Don Imus and his wife and his family. I think he said a terrible thing. I think he regrets it. She’s a former college athlete. They’ve done a lot of good things for a lot of good people. And I think the discussion was not whether or not he said something terrible or offensive, but what should be the magnitude of his punishment, which I think is a fair discussion to have.

Whether we applaud or detest Russert’s response to Ifill’s challenge, that moment seems to capture the spirit of both the praise and the criticisms that he has received in death.

What I think we all have to appreciate about Russert is that he believed so strongly in the power of dialog to seek "truth" that he worked as hard as he could to create a public forum that he thought would benefit all of us. Throughout the interview, he wasn’t just playing devil’s advocate -- he was asking all the questions that mainstream U.S. society was wondering about but afraid to ask.

For me, Russert’s handling of the Imus incident demonstrates his faith in the democratic ideal and optimism that we can create a stronger democracy through dialogue and reconciliation. Rather than dismissing that idea as idealistic, I see this as an opportunity to re-examine that ideal in a society filled with injustice. And that includes working to make sure that the next generation of young women doesn't have to suffer the same type of indignity.

Was Russert overly idealistic? Of course. Did he represent the full spectrum of political positions equally? No, though he represented the mainstream consciousness better than anyone else, for whatever that’s worth. But were his beliefs, faith, words, and actions consistent? I say, yes. And not all of us who can claim the same. And when I look ahttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gift it that way, Russert's death is a major loss to society but a reminder to keep looking for ways make this a better society to live in.

Transition Points:

Gwen Ifill wrote an excellent piece posted on the Root (retrieved via The New Republic) about the Imus incident and her appearance on Meet the Press:
Tim remained a friend to the end. Even when we disagreed – as happened during the infamous Don Imus episode last year – he never stopped wanting to hear what I thought. Imus was his friend, and he had appeared on the radio show many, many times. So when Meet the Press producer Betsy Fischer called to invite me to participate in a Sunday roundtable focused on the controversy, I at first refused.

I felt compelled to call Tim and explain. If I come on your show, I told him, I will be forced to criticize the journalists who had enabled Imus over the years, leading up to his stunning insult of the Rutgers basketball team. Tim knew – and I knew – that Imus had insulted me too, years before. When I told Tim I didn't feel I could come to his house and insult him, he quickly assured me that he wanted me to come and say what I had to say. People needed to hear it, he told me.

So I went, and I told him to his face that I found his defense of Imus disappointing. I got a lot of kudos for speaking truth to power that day, but the real news was that Tim allowed me to say what I had to say, knowing it would not make him look good. That does not happen a lot – in life or politics.

Relevant Links:

NBC’s Tim Russert dies of heart attack at 58
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25145431/from/RSS/

Meet the Press Transcript for April 15, 2007
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18094428/

Whoa. Tim Russert Died Today.
http://www.bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2008/06/whoa_tim_russer.html

Gwen Ifill Calls Out Russert, Brooks For Their Silence On Imus
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/15/imus-ifill/

Tim Russert - The Other Side
http://peacelovesmusings.blogspot.com/2008/06/tim-russert-other-side.html

Martin: Imus might be spark for debate on sexism
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/13/martin.imus/index.html
Now is the time for this nation to undergo a direct examination of the depths of sexism. My media colleagues shouldn't go just for the easy target ­ rap lyrics. That is no doubt a logical next step, but sexism is so much deeper. It is embedded in our churches, synagogues, mosques, schools, Fortune 500 companies and in the political arena. We should target our resources to this issue and raise the consciousness of people, and expose the reality.


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Sylvia Fowles: The Next Generation of WNBA Post Play

. Friday, June 13, 2008
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If Candace Parker is supposed to take over Lisa Leslie’s role as leader of the L.A. Sparks and face of the WNBA, Sylvia Fowles is in line to take over Leslie’s role as the league’s premier post player.

In Fowles’ first home game against the Monarchs, Sky play-by-play announcer Eric Collins said, “She’s so strong she’s blowing bubbles with beef jerky.” I have yet to see her accomplish that feat, but from what I’ve seen so far it’s hard not to be excited about her future.

Unfortunately, that future is on hold right now after Fowles suffered a major injury during the big matchup against the Sparks. But the play that led to the injury speaks volumes about her potential to become a superstar post player.

Delisha Milton-Jones had received a pass on the break and was out in front of everyone on her way to an easy lay-up. Fowles caught up to her and swatted Milton-Jones’ shot against the backboard, before landing awkwardly and hurting her knee. She ended up recording the W’s first ever goal tending call, which says a lot about her potential to impact the WNBA game with “above the rim” play.

Before I realized she was injured, I was in awe. Fowles has shown an exceptional combination of agility, speed, timing, hustle, and strength that any coach would love to have on their team, not to mention from a post player.

I have to admit, that I initially began following Chicago’s games because I was expecting to see a dunk. Although we haven’t yet seen a dunk during a game, I think we’ve seen enough to say that Fowles could be as important to increasing the WNBA’s ratings as CP3.

To be clear, Parker is clearly the better all-around player. But Fowles brings a post presence that could contribute to changing the way people think about the WNBA the same way Parker’s “five-dimensional” game will.

A brief analysis of her game reveals that she is not quite as refined as Parker, but she has already become a presence on both sides of the court.

Summary:

Watching Chicago games, two things become clear – Sylvia Fowles has a chance to be one of the top five players for years to come in the W and even her own teammates have not quite acclimated to her style of play.


"In college, it's a whole system that might revolve around her," Key said. "Here, you have people who … are all very good players, but they don't know how to play with you yet. You need to communicate to them how you like to play and how you like to receive the ball. That's going to make them better and you better and eventually us better."

It’s likely that the team will have to resume learning how to play with her once Fowles returns from injury and then the Olympic hiatus.

But a large part of the adjustment problem is that Chicago is clearly structured as an up-tempo, perimeter oriented team. There are times when it seems like her Sky teammates are consciously moving and passing around Fowles despite her being open in the post. So a post-threat like Fowles often seems like an after thought instead of a threat.

Once they integrate her into the offense as a post up threat and consistently establish her on offense, her presence will open up the perimeter game. All perimeter teams eventually go cold, and Fowles should be able to get the team some much needed high percentage shots when the offense stagnates. She also complements Dupree’s finesse game extremely well – between the two of them Chicago has everything one would want from a post player.

There was a play in the second quarter of the Monarchs game where Fowles blocked a shot, turned and ran the court, and scored on a nice drive to the basket. She’s a rare player that has an impact on every facet of the game.

Once her team adjusts to her, she could change the way we think about WNBA basketball.

An Analysis of Sylvia Fowles

Defense: Fowles biggest impact thus far has been on the defensive end. Her statistics reveal her production on the boards, blocking shots, and getting steals -- she ranks #2 in the league in blocks per game, #9 in rebounds per game, and #13 in efficiency rating, which is impressive for a rookie. But she brings many other intangibles as well.
  • She’s strong and able to hold her own even against wider and stronger vets, which is important for holding her position and getting rebounds.
  • When she gets rebounds she does a very good job of keeping the ball high, turning, and initiating the fast break, which is huge for a team that loves to run.
  • Her quickness and leaping ability make her a pretty good help side defender.
  • Her size and presence in the paint as a help side defender makes it difficult for opponents to get anything going inside when she’s in the game.
  • When she’s not actually blocking shots, she does an excellent job of changing shots, and forcing her opponent to miss shots.
  • Her on ball defense is still a work in progress as she has had a tendency to bite on pump fakes, especially earlier in the season. From what I have seen, she’s already made progress on that front. Once she comes back from injury, the bigger issue will be re-adjusting to the physicality of the WNBA.

Offense: Right now all of her offense is incidental – transition lay-ups, put backs, and cuts to the basket. But she also plays really strong in the post and has the ability to drive by slower players. She’s going to be very difficult to stop on the offensive end as she adjusts to the professional game.
  • The first thing I noticed about Fowles is that her speed running the floor is amazing. She will be a huge asset to Chicago’s early offense as she can consistently beat her defender down the floor.
  • She moves very well without the ball and looks to score quickly once she gets the ball in the paint. She definitely has a scorer’s mentality and knows how to get to spots where she can be effective. Her long arms make her shots difficult to block.
  • She showed a number of strong post moves again Minnesota, including a strong drop step. She finishes very strong through contact and should get a lot of three point play opportunities.
  • I was particularly surprised by her ability to drive by the basket. She doesn’t necessarily have advanced dribble moves, but has a quick enough first step that allows her to go by slower players.
  • She has decent form on her mid-range jumper but it hasn’t been falling thus far. If she can start making that, she would be almost impossible to guard.
  • Fowles has trouble with veteran players her size like Hayden Johnson (Minnesota) and Leslie, but she’ll probably adjust with experience.
  • Though her footwork is pretty good, she will probably get better at fighting for position when she can’t establish position on the first try.
  • Her ballhandling is not stellar, but is impressive for a young post player. She’s normally rather decisive with the ball so she doesn’t turn the ball over any more than expected for a rookie post player.
  • Another adjustment issue is that she sometimes struggles with double teams. When she can’t split the double team by using her athleticism, she occasionally gets forced into a bad decision. This also improved over the course of the season.
Transition Points:
  • I wondered if Fowles had suffered a major knee injury before. In fact, she underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee just last December
  • Fowles is not exactly wasting her time while injured– she’s started a new Free Hugs movement:
Relevant Links:
Sylvia Fowles told to keep playing hard
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-22-sky-chicagomay22,0,7801092.story


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The WNBA Will Need More Than Parker's Spark

. Thursday, June 12, 2008
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Candace Parker received so much hype before even playing a WNBA game that her debut against the Mercury was almost like a formality for her entry into superstardom.

“I liken Candace Parker to when the Lakers acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and then in 1979 we acquired Magic Johnson and then in 1983-84 we acquired James Worthy,” said former L.A. Laker and Sparks coach Cooper in a matter of fact tone in a recent WNBA.com video. “But we got all those three players in one on one day in one draft.”

(Whoa... in case you’re counting, Cooper attributed 5 championships, 9 NBA MVPs, 6 NBA Finals MVPs, 38 all-star appearances, and an unsuccessful talk show to Parker in one fell swoop.)

Parker has indeed brought a needed spark to the longest standing women's professional sports league. So maybe it’s understandable that she has already been labeled everything up to and including, “The Messiah”, here to save the WNBA from financial doom.

Thankfully, now that Parker has actually played a game, we can try to make a more realistic assessment of her potential impact on the WNBA. Parker is definitely, “…the kind of player women's professional basketball must have as it seeks to embed itself in the public consciousness…” as L.A. Times columnist Kurt Streeter wrote after her unprecedented WNBA debut. She’s a basketball player who can play any position on the court (even if it’s not the best idea to play her at point guard). She’s not just “great”, she’s unique, potentially dominant, and almost the stuff of basketball fantasy.

And yet, it’s completely unfair to call her the savior of the WNBA...because nobody can do that alone.


The Realist’s Perspective

The realists around the blogosphere have already presented some good reasons why we should hold off on anointing Parker the savior of the WNBA: it’s a burden, she needs to pay her dues, and it’s a slight to WNBA veterans that came before her. These are all solid points, but don’t necessarily exclude the possibility of her saving the league eventually.

(By the way this type of rookie hype is not unheard of in professional sports – Lebron James had a Nike commercial showing his first game before he played it.)

Parker has superstar talent and superstars are necessary to elevate a sport. More importantly, in addition to the talent and vibrant personality, she knows she’s a superstar and she is used to handling the spotlight. She’s dealt with high expectations since middle school and always met them, including her history making victory in the Slam Dunk contest at the 2004 McDonald's High School All-American Game (when I first heard of her).

"I try to play basketball and whatever happens happens," she said in a Chicago Tribune article. "All that other added pressure is unnecessary."

I agree she has to pay dues – in fact, I normally hate it when these young athletes come in and gain instant stardom before actually accomplishing anything. The WNBA definitely has other great players. But really now, how many 6’5” players in the W can play 5 positions? The fact is, Parker is just on a different level in terms of her skill set so it makes sense that she’s getting this kind of media attention.

Without taking anything away from those who came before her, Parker has already had a massive impact on people’s perceptions of women’s basketball. But saving a league is a much taller task that takes more than one talented player.

An Historical Perspective

I dug up an April article from COSELLOUT that asked whether Parker and Candice Wiggins could do for the WNBA what Magic and Bird did for the NBA. It is worth revisiting now that we are watching a revival of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry in the current NBA Finals:
Can "Candace vs. Candice", the Olympics, and a new young talent pool propel the WNBA to new heights? Can men with old notions about women’s basketball realize that the quality of the game has steadily improved while they weren’t looking. Can the 2008 NCAA Women’s Finals have a similar impact (relatively speaking!) as Magic over Bird in 1979?

This does in fact seem like a unique moment in the history of the WNBA – the Candace vs. Candice NCAA finals, the Olympics, and Parker’s rise to superstardom make this an ideal moment to “propel the WNBA to new heights”. It seems like an almost perfect convergence of new talent, media exposure, and a major stage, to shift perceptions of women’s basketball. It would be foolish not to take advantage of such an opportunity.

With the Lakers and Celtics currently playing in the NBA Finals, even casual basketball fans have probably heard plenty about Bird and Johnson’s rivalry from the 1980’s. So it makes for an interesting case to consider in thinking about Parker’s potential to save the WNBA.

How Bird and Magic Rescued the NBA from the “Dark Ages”

When they entered the NBA in 1979, they brought the energy from a rivalry that began with Magic’s Michigan State team beating Bird’s Indiana State team for the NCAA championship. Prior to that, most teams were losing money due to a low public opinion of the game. Disputes among owners, drug use, and – by some accounts – negative attitudes about the increasing numbers of black players all hurt the league’s image.

Though they each one titles early in their careers, 1984 was probably the tipping point. ESPN columnist Damien Cox wrote a nice article about the potential for Sidney Crosby to save the NHL in which he also examined the impact Bird and Magic had on the NBA:
“Most agree, however, that the 1984 Finals that went seven games before the Celtics prevailed provided a powerful gravitational force that pulled the rest of the NBA upward. Stern saw the power of promoting the stars and the globalization of the game, franchise values skyrocketed and the NBA entered a golden age.”

(It’s worth noting that a sophomore phenom from the University of North Caaaaarolina was also drafted in 1984.)

But there’s more to this story: having two equally talented players leading teams with distinct styles of play was just the start. The key element of the NBA’s revival – and what Stern captured with an increased focus on marketing the athletes instead of teams – was the drama that this individual rivalry brought to the NBA.

Although it might sound overstated, the Boston – LA rivalry tapped into a number of underlying social dynamics that struck a chord with the public consciousness. It was about East vs. West, the blue collar ethic of Boston vs. the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, and an outlet for post-civil rights racial tensions. Along with their contrasting personalities and distinct team identities, it made for great drama.

It was the drama created by the rivalry – not solely their superstar talent – that marked the transition of the NBA from just a game to great entertainment. For better or worse, as the entertainment value and interest in the individual stars increased, casual fans began to take interest in the NBA and set the stage for increased ratings. Drama created intrigue. Intrigue attracted the casual fan.

So the sports marketing lesson learned from the NBA’s rise in the 80’s is simple: drama sells. But the NBA’s drama was created by a combination of good talent, good strategy, and perhaps pure coincidence…or fate, depending on your worldview.

Unfortunately, the WNBA has a much more difficult path to establishing the type of drama that just seems to “embed itself in the public consciousness”.

Why Parker is Not Quite Enough to Save the WNBA

First, it’s becoming clear that the Candace vs. Candice rivalry has not had the same impact as the Magic vs. Bird rivalry because, well, Candice is not (yet) in the same stratosphere as Candace. The Magic and Bird rivalry was great because they were both able to carry their team to NBA championships. Each season brought another chance for one of them to establish themselves as the best in the league.

Aside from the fact that Candace dominated their NCAA championship meeting, Candice hasn’t had near the impact that Candace has had. There shouldn’t even be a conversation about rookie of the year…though someone will probably try to start it just to be controversial and manufacture suspense.

(I promise not to use “Candace” and “Candice” that much in a paragraph ever again)

Second, the WNBA is not the same as the NBA. Not to mention that it doesn't have near the established tradition that the NBA had when Magic vs. Bird arrived. That wouldn’t be a problem, except that people always want to compare the two and label the WNBA “inferior”. People just need to accept that the WNBA is a different type of basketball that needs to be appreciated on its own merits. It may seem obvious, but it’s a difficult challenge to overcome when the NBA marketing machine has done such an amazing job of embedding a particular brand of basketball in the public consciousness.

Even if Parker and Wiggins (or Sylvia Fowles, for that matter) could create a measure of drama, they’d still have to deal with this problem.

The third challenge is what I believe to be the core motivation behind the “Expect Great” campaign. Every single WNBA marketing campaign seems to illustrate the need to overcome a troubling social reality (…or construction): that people struggle with the notion that “womanhood” can include “athlete” without including “sex object”. Not to mention further stigma associated with racial identity or sexuality...

The WNBA has the burden of overcoming the typically unspoken assumption that an “unsexy” woman who plays basketball is not worth watching. It’s hard to ignore that the double standards that women are held to frame expectations about the WNBA. The casual fan will not consider the WNBA valid as long as it’s acceptable to publicly demean the athletes, regardless of the product on the floor.

This society is still not free from the double standards of sexism, men aren’t the only ones guilty of perpetuating it, and Parker is not going to save us from that alone.

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers…

Die-hard fans will love Parker because they can genuinely appreciate her mastery of the game. The most successful leagues -- right now the NBA and NFL – have found ways to appeal to the casual fan in order to increase their numbers. But what do casual fans want? Drama – the same thing that makes reality TV so appealing.

Put simply, a league’s success is not measured by excitement or hype, but numbers -- attendance numbers and television ratings. It takes a long time for a league to establish itself – even the NBA, National Football League, or Major League Baseball – and the WNBA probably has even more challenges.

Therein lies the challenge for the WNBA – creating a drama that appeals to the casual fan AND overcoming all the other barriers that women’s sports face. Parker, nor any other individual human being, can do that alone.

In the meantime we should just enjoy her rookie season because she’ll only have one of those (I’ll assume she’ll get multiple championships).

Related Links:

Inside Candace Parker’s Historic debut
http://www.youtube.com/v/51Nr4BxfAFA&hl=en

The Magic Hour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1N9ykVr2GU&feature=related

Nike Commercial “Pressure” – a dramatization of Lebron James’ rookie debut…before he played it…
http://www.youtube.com/v/Rv3niQ-w3y0&hl=en

Sparks rookie Candace Parker is exactly what the WNBA needs
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-streeter18-2008may18,1,3357271.column

Candace Parker: A Special Player, But Not the WNBA's Savior
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/23959-Candace-Parker-A-Special-Player-But-Not-the-WNBA-s-Savior-180508

Storm Blog: TV Alert
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/storm/2008/06/tv_alert_1.html

Parker's dunk title a win for women's hoops
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/columns/story?id=1771877

WNBA asks a lot, and Parker delivers
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/sky/cs-080602-candace-parker-chicago-sky-wnba,1,3667676.story

Can “Candace vs. Candice” Become Magic vs. Bird for WNBA?
http://www.cosellout.com/?p=256

Some expect Crosby to elevate NHL in first Cup finals, but is that fair?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2008/columns/story?id=3407695

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Why am I "Rethinking Basketball"?

. Wednesday, June 11, 2008
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About the Blog

I was sitting around chatting with a friend about the WNBA’s “Expect Great” commercials when I was first inspired to write this blog. Since the league is set to come out with a new set of these commercials, I actually decided to get organized and start writing.

My friend and I were trying to figure out if these “Expect Great” commercials were effective and whether we liked them. After some deliberation, the verdict was “no” on both counts.

The tone was probably too gloomy and it was just uninspiring. I also have a hard time getting over the grammatical incorrectness of “Expect Great”. I guess it grabs attention because it’s so awkward….but whatever…

So after thinking about what the commercials needed to communicate, here’s what we came up with: in order to appreciate the WNBA people have to stop comparing it to the men’s basketball as inherently “inferior”.

People have to be able to envision basketball without 300 pound 7-footers and highlight reel dunks. Somehow people need to redefine their own conceptions about what basketball is and how the women’s game fits under an umbrella that includes many distinct variations: the NBA, FIBA rules, And1 Mix Tapes, NCAA basketball, and everyday streetball.

Hence the title of this blog – Rethinking Basketball.

This summer I decided to add the WNBA to my routine. And since I’m included in the WNBA’s latest target demographic, I thought it would be interesting to start up a blog. While watching the games available via webcast (when it’s working), I’ve been writing down my general thoughts about the league, players, and other random basketball thoughts. My goal is to put my ideas about the WNBA in writing and see how my own thinking shifts over the course of the season.

I’ve loved basketball since I was a kid, spent hours shooting on the playground after basketball practice, and spent too much time dreaming up my wannabe NBA career. I eventually gave up on that dream after not even starting on my high school team. But I remained an avid NBA fan. During the NBA off-season, I usually spend (or waste) my time watching NBA summer league games and imagining that my Golden State Warriors might actually be a contender someday…

By no means would I argue with people who don't want to watch the WNBA -- that's their business (I choose not to watch hockey, Nascar, and baseball's regular season). But it's the way people talk and think about it that I want to explore.

About Me:

I am...

  • ...a longtime NBA fan and rookie WNBA fan who started following more closely after watching Candace Parker.
  • ...very interested in the development of the WNBA, it's effort to empower youth, and how they might accomplish that.
  • ...a Bay Area native who wishes we had a home team.
  • ...a washed up high school player who never got over his obsession of the game.
  • ...a former middle school boys basketball coach.
  • ...a disillusioned graduate student looking for new ways to channel his writing energy.
  • ...constantly looking for new ways to understand the game.

Q.

Relevant Posts:

Chuck Daly, Bill Laimbeer, and the formation of a basketball (junkie's) consciousness
http://rethinkbball.blogspot.com/2009/05/chuck-daly-bill-laimbeer-and-formation.html

Why I Like Statistical Half-Truths
http://rethinkbball.blogspot.com/2008/07/why-i-like-statistical-half-truths.html

Related Links:

The game you're missing
http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/bob_ryan_blog/2008/06/the_game_youre.html

Jackson, Bird to appear in "Expect Great" TV spots
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/storm/2004472205_stormglance12.html

New WNBA ad campaign addresses male disrespect
http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/news/Article/Article.asp?sID=42&NewsID=88916

What’s Wrong with the WNBA?
http://dimemag.com/2008/05/19/dime-mag-whats-wrong-with-the-wnba/

Why the WNBA’s New Marketing Campaign Might Work…For Some
http://www.womensbasketballonline.com/articles/wnbaexpectgreat.html


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. Tuesday, June 10, 2008

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