Where The Dream Shops

If you haven't noticed on the Atlanta Dream website front page, there's an advertisement for RPM Motorsports in Atlanta.

Now granted, you might not be in the market for a used Maserati - but you might be someday. And there's no reason not to give love to the Dream's sponsors. Just remember: web hits count. So go to this link which takes you to the main web site, find the advertisement there, and click the link. That way, the clicks come from the Dream website.

As the person in the picture might say, "It's all good."

Atlanta Dream Playoff Locations Determined

(a tip of the hat to Scarab - this is assuming that we make the playoffs, of course)

Conference Semi-finals - Games Played 9/16--9/21

* If Dream's the low seed, play opener @ Philips Arena on 9/16
* If high seed, games 2 & 3 played @ The Arena @ Gwinnett Center "between 9/17 and 9/21"

Eastern Conference Finals - Games Played 9/23--9/26

* If Dream's low seed, play opener @ UGA/Athens, GA on 9/23
* If high seed, play games 2 & 3 @ Philips on 9/25; 9/26

WNBA Finals - Games Played 9/29--10/9

"The 2009 WNBA Finals will take place in Atlanta, GA. The location will be either Philips Arena or Alexander Memorial Coliseum @ Georgia Tech."


So it looks like we'll be playing in Atlanta at all. So there.

Heavy Traffic for Atlanta/San Antonio Game on Thursday?

11 Alive in Atlanta puts this on the traffic advisory in Atlanta for the upcoming week on Thursday:

7:30 to 9:30 p.m. - Philips Arena is where the WNBA's Atlanta Dream will host San Antonio. Expect traffic backups as folks pack the parking decks, but if you're going you can always take MARTA's East-West line to the GWCC Station which comes out right behind the arena.

Interesting sidebar: Philips Arena hosts Joel Osteen the following night. I guess they won't be showing Atlanta Dream highlights to the attendees.

Chamique Returns! (New Article at Sports Illustrated)

The new issue of Sports Illustrated should have an article about Chamique Holdsclaw. The article has been posted at the SI website; I don't know if this is the article in its entirety or not.

An interesting quote from the article:

After leaving the Sparks, Holdsclaw said she was finally diagnosed with chronic tendinitis. She underwent a new procedure known as "platelet-rich plasma,'' in which a person's own blood is used to treat the injury.

"It was painful as hell,'' she said. "Oh my God. They're basically pumping the tendon with blood. The pressure! Oh my God. I almost collapsed there one time.''

That was something I never knew before. It looks like Chamique really wants to play basketball, because who would go through something like that if they didn't want to play?

Another quote:

Chamique Holdsclaw has polished off the crab cakes and onion rings at Ted Turner's downtown restaurant when a fellow diner notices a tattoo on the inside of her wrist.

"Freedom,'' she says, holding up her arm proudly.

She got the tattoo shortly after "retiring'' from the WNBA, a tumultuous time in her life when she was called everything from star to selfish to head case.

That must be Ted's Montana Grill. I've not eaten at the one downtown, but the food is good. Chamique also likes the Flying Biscuit, and I've tried that too.

Marynell Meadors is a Woman on the Way

From Atlanta Business Media:

Who is a WOW woman? She is a woman who is in the pipeline of corporations and nonprofits; she has not reached the pinnacle of her professional career but is climbing the corporate ladder one rung at a time. Her career is on a trajectory upwards and she has been identified by her company as a future leader. She is a Woman on the Way.

Marynell Meadors made the list of twenty. Among the list are a 3-time Emmy Award Winner, a 2008 World Series Poker player, and several corporate executives.

Congratulations, coach!

Another Women's Pro Ball Team in Atlanta?

A website for the local American Basketball Association team in Atlanta - the Atlanta Vision - suggests on their website that they will have a women's team soon. Is the ABA moving into women's basketball?

There's a poll up on the front page:

Who will win more games this season, the Atlanta Vision Men's Team or the new Atlanta Vision Women's Team?

Vision Women's Team
Vision Men's Team
Both teams will bring home the championship banner


I can't find about anything about this hypothetical women's ball club, although I assume that if the team existed, it would be paid in American currency and sell tickets.

However, I have found about about the American Basketball Association - you should reconsider any emotional connection you have with the old ABA of Dr. J. It appears the only connection is the red-white-and-blue ball.

Columnist A. J. Walling of Canada's TSN.ca has some harsh words for the league:

Chris Munson is a freelance sports writer who lives in Vermont and has followed the fortunes or misfortunes of the ABA.

"Needless to say, this is a league that has some serious issues. Since the rebirth of the ABA in 2001, over 170 teams have folded, disbanded or fallen into other state of disrepair. As far as the Halifax franchise goes, I may not agree with the timing of their departure from the ABA, but I cannot argue with their decision to leave the league," is what Munson told TSN.ca.

We furthermore get this wonderful news about Vision Management from Gracie Bonds Staples of the AJC:

The co-owner of the minor league Atlanta Vision basketball team is being sued by two former business partners, who allege he cheated them out of $200,000, according to a lawsuit filed in Gwinnett County Superior Court.

So will there be a second women's pro basketball team in Atlanta? I give it a five percent chance. Even if it falls through, it's pleasant to think that women's pro ball is being look at as a potential money maker, even if the money makers are under threat of lawsuit.

Lisa Leslie Coming to Atlanta?

...okay, it's not what it sounds like. Don't get your hopes up.

This isn't an Atlanta Dream thing but for Atlanta readers of the Dream Blog, this was posted at the Atlanta Dream Fan Message Board by "zelda 19".

- WBNA star and recent Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie will appear at Atlanta's feminist bookstore, Charis Books & More, on Thursday, October 30 at 7:30pm to discuss and sign copies of her book, Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You: The Making of a Champion. Leslie will be joined by her husband, Michael Lockwood, who will be discussing & signing his book, Women Have All the Power: Too Bad They Don't Know It.

While they are at Charis, the two authors will give brief readings from their books, take questions from the audience, and will then devote the majority of the evening to signing books for their fans. Books are available for purchase now at Charis Books and More and will also be available the night of the event. This event is free and open to the public. There will be limited seating available.

Here's info from the store website.

Prose and Cons

Just got back from a visit to DragonCon, Atlanta's science-fiction convention. Some old friends are visiting from Tennessee - they visit each year - and this is one of my rare chances to see them.

I have walked so much that I am sore all over. I was forced to forego listening to the Dream on the radio when they played the Fever. Then again, seeing as how that game ended, that was probably a good thing.

I attended the Friday night game in person. You'll get writeups and comments on both games tomorrow evening.

God, I am so tired. Did I tell you how physically sore I am? I could write an entire article about the convention itself. Maybe we need DreamCon, a convention devoted entirely to love of the Dream. (Did I tell you how sore I am? Or how much my feet hurt? Did I?)

Mystics vs. MARTA

Crystal Langhorne of the Washington Mystics talks about her trip to Atlanta at the Pass the Ball blog of the Washington Mystics.

Now we are in Atlanta and last night I felt like we were on a school trip. A few of the players took a train ride to the mall and that was a journey in itself. No one could figure out how to get the tickets out of the machines ... we looked like foreigners. The guy who worked there had to help us out. We finally got our tickets and then for some reason Nikki's didn't work, luckily the guy was nice enough to let us through. It was kind of sad because we were a bunch of adults that were completely clueless.

The mall trip wasn't as successful as I had hoped. I just got a blazer from a store, I didn't really find anything else that I liked. We went to a restaurant called Houston's for dinner. We had seven people and they sat us at this table. So we find out that Crystal Smith is also coming and we ask can she squeeze in and have eight. They told us no and we had to go back in the waiting area and wait until they had two small tables for us. I felt like we were getting kicked out when they made us go back and wait (lol). At least the dinner was a good, quality meal.

Crystal, the MARTA machines perplex most newcomers. However, we despise you for beating us last night...well, okay, we don't despise you personally; we just hate every Mystic for 40 minutes at particular times of the year. At least you're not with the Monarchs, who have moved to #1 on my hate list for laughing at Ivory Latta after knocking her tooth out.