It's a Whole New Ball Game

The essential Ivory.

I'm still in shock over the waiver of Ivory Latta, so I had to write about it more. I can't say that I'm completely surprised by it, but it's just a fact of sports life. Heraclitus said that "You cannot step twice into the same stream." Nothing stays the same in sports. Nothing.

Last year, no matter what the outcome - whether it was one of the four wins or thirty losses - all eyes turned to two people - Betty Lennox and Ivory Latta.

For Betty, this was her fifth team. She had had some high points in her career - a Rookie of the Year award in 2000, a Finals MVP award in 2004 - but a lot of her career was characterized by spent promise and unhappiness. One explanation from Betty supporters is that Betty was a happy person when away from basketball, but put her in an arena and she put on a different personality. She was 100 percent business and to Betty, every team failure was a personal failure. And when the Dream lost those first seventeen games, the bad side of Betty could come out in the locker room.

Surly. Not wanting to talk to the media, and definitely not after some of those losses. The clashes with coach Meadors didn't help Betty's mood, either.

For Ivory, this was a new beginning. She was virtually lost on the Detroit Shock and there was no way that a rookie was going to work her way to a starting spot on Bill Laimbeer's club. Ivory ended up in Atlanta, where she started 31 of 34 games.

It wasn't the easiest task - it was a virtual trial-by-fire and a lesser person might have just crawled into a corner and quietly sobbed given Atlanta's horrible 2008 start. Ivory, however, somehow - through sheer willpower, I suspect - managed to keep a smile on her face. Even when asked the most pointed questions, Ivory's natural personality came through.

Lost today. But I won't let this get me down. And I don't plan on losing tomorrow.

If you ever spoke with Ivory, she was just an amazing, ebullient person. Joyously unrestrained. Bill Laimbeer might have used the word "caffeinated". Maybe Ivory lived on her own planet. Maybe the Atlanta Dream didn't need happy players in 2008, maybe the players needed attitudes more like Betty and less like Ivory. But Ivory was a pleasure to know and to meet.

I hate to speak about Ivory like you'd speak about a relative passing away. Frankly, I'm still in shock. Who is going to be the charming player for the public? Who is going to be the one with a quick quip that gets everyone laughing? The Dream might be able to replace Ivory's points...but they'll never be able to replace the living sparkplug that is Ivory Latta.

I suspect Ivory will land on her feet. I hope she does. Chantelle Anderson can tell you this is a cruel business. One day they say you're the greatest, the next day they tell you that they don't want you anymore. For fans, it's very hard, too. We feel like we've lost a family member.

So we put the reins between our teeth and press on. Ivory, all the best to you wherever you end up. "One Team, One Dream".