With the end of the world championship today, we’ll take a break from games … although there’s still a ton left up in the air about the WNBA.
Coaching jobs open in Chicago, New York and San Antonio. What appeared to be (finally) a great GM/coach collaboration with ownership in Washington now broken up with Angela Taylor and the Mystics not reaching agreement on a new contract … or maybe the Mystics just deciding they really do prefer a lack of stability. It was nice while it lasted, I guess.
The continual expansion talks about certain cities, which at this point still seems just talk to me. Some concern about Chicago as a franchise. And the official start of college practice is right around the corner, of course.
So, I will continue to do the weekly ESPN.com chat on Thursdays at 1 p.m. Central time. I also will soon be starting a new duty at ESPN.com, which is planned to be a twice-weekly look at college sports outside of football and basketball. That will be on ESPN.com’s college sports page, which has expert contributors such as Graham Hays (women’s soccer), Dave Reed (women’s volleyball), Sheldon Shealer (men’s soccer) and Brion O’Connor (hockey).
And I’ll continue to post things on this blog … although, they won’t always necessarily have to do with sports. But somehow, I usually make a connection.
I have commented before that woman’s basketball never ends in Connecticut. That is not quite true. We have this 3 week gap until the Super Show – the start of U Conn practice. Then another 3 week gap from the final four to the start of CT Sun practice. Although it might be a little longer this year, since the league did say they will delay the start of the season to coincide with the end of the European championships.
As much as Kelsey Griffin contributed in hustle and defense as well as shooting, I’ll bet the Sun wish that they had the draft pick back and a shot at Maya Moore. But who knows, maybe they will pull off another trade.
I’d be really sad to see the Sky go. And I think that the move out to Rosemont, while that is a fine arena, is taking them away from the city and away from many fans. You now have to take the Blue line almost to O Hare, where they used to be just a station away from the Loop. The UIC pavillion was not the fanciest gym I’ve ever been to, but with the drum line behind the basket in the upper deck, it sure got loud.
I think that UConn will be strong, but I have difficulty imagining another perfect season. Without Tina Tina, there will be an interior mismatch against some teams. And Without Sweet Caroline, they will have to rely on freshmen for immediate scoring. That is not Geno’s formula. But we still have Maya – and that may rule the day in Indianapolis.
That’s great that you’re giving some other sports the benefit of your talents. But, just to be clear, does this mean that (other than your chats) you won’t be covering WBB this winter?
Note from MV: No, it just means I will fit in the other sports along with what I always do for women’s basketball.
Whew…I am relieved to know you’ll still be with us for this upcoming WCBB season!
As for other sports…how about Rowing? Do you know any other sport where someone ended up in the Olympics and was last year’s USA Rower-of-the-Year who never even tried the sport before his University’s Crew coach approached him at Freshman registration and said, “Hey, how would you like to learn to row?”
I know…so many sports, so little time.