Post Exhibition Game Pic (Damned Small)

Another picture of the Dream, this time taken after practice. Someone got on the bus!

(Note: in order to see the picture full size, you have to quote the link. Yes, I hate these teeny-tiny pictures probably as much as you hate them, but that's how Twitter wants to work the system. Twitter wants the hits, so you have to click on the picture.)

More Training Camp Pics

A couple of pictures from the Atlanta Dream training camp (posted by @AtlantaDream on Twitpic).



First, see the Dream recover from practice at Cookville High School. See all of the Dream players recovering, and see if you can find out who they are...because the org won't release a training camp roster (grumble).



Second, see Shalee Lehning take on a future WNBA fan in a practice drill. A lot of blowhards like to talk about how they'd score 50 points against a WNBA'er, but I think Lehning can take this guy.

Iziane Castro Marques and the Player Mailbag

Iziane sent us this picture, but I don't think she took it herself.

The Atlanta Dream website asks Iziane Castro Marques a few questions while she's in Poland:

An excerpt:

What are you looking forward to about returning to Atlanta this summer?

I am definitely looking forward to seeing my teammates, coaches and staff and of course the fans back at Philips Arena! I know that we have a long way to go and a lot of work to accomplish our goal this year, but we are capable of doing great things and picking up where we left off last season.

Iziane also sent some pictures from her games. Take a peek!

Dream Season Ticket Holder Event at Georgia Tech

Holdsclaw and Orender at tonight's game. From @chold1 on Twitter.

There was a STH event at tonight's Georgia Tech-Oregon game. A lot of WNBA connections there. Paul Westhead was coaching the Oregon Ducks - you might remember him as the coach of the 2007 WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury if you don't follow men's basketball.

Also at the event were WNBA President Donna Orender, the new Dream owner Kathy Betty, and Chamique Holdsclaw. Since I've had the chance to meet both President Orender and The Claw, I wanted to track down Betty - but she was always where I wasn't. Dang.

Betty gave a speech at halftime. The first advice I'd give the owner is to hold the microphone closer to your mouth - coliseum acoustics don't pick up soft-spoken sound that well.

As you can guess, I was at the game. I'm exhausted. This will probably be the last blog post tonight.

A Night at the Opera

Atlanta Dream fan Scarab asks the question: "How many WNBA ballers, current & former, can u recognize?" I believe the pictures were taken at Opera Atlanta, a popular nightclub.

(I think I can only recognize four....)

Fun in the Sun (?)

This snapshot was taken a few days ago during the Dream's west coast swing. The Atlanta Dream's caption for this picture is "Erika and Izi enjoying the west coast sunshine!"

Then why don't they seem to be enjoying it?

Little Smooth Working on that Ankle

If you ever wanted to know what Tamera Young's ankle looks like, this is it.

By the way, Exodus 20:12? One of the Ten Commandments. From the King James Version: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."

Incidentally, Tamera was at the Dream game last night. If you didn't recognize her, this is what she looked like.

Keeping Up: Dream Win in Connecticut and Other News

Contains all of Little Smooth's daily nutritional requirements.

It's a pretty nice Sunday, and one that was made even nicer with a 67-62 win on the road in Connecticut. It was our first regular season victory ever against the Sun, and the fact that it was a road win made it all that much sweeter. I wasn't able to watch the game, but you can bet I'll be writing about it!

Other news: Mechelle Voepel, premiere women's basketball reporter, turns her reporter powers to Atlanta Dream point guard Nikki Teasley in an interesting article from ESPN.

We also have some new pictures. Big Smooth critiques the neatness of Iziane Castro Marques during mealtimes. And Little Smooth proves that the foundation of a road win is a good breakfast, as we can see above. (Don't tell Connecticut!)

Dream Lose in Chicago on Friday Night

The Associated Press already has their story, along with a gallery of pictures. The Chicago Tribune also reports.

Obviously, I'll be writing more about this and about my Chicago Sky Network/NBA TV experiences.

Dreaming (Literally) On the Way to Chicago

"zzzzzzzzzzz"

There's a "veritable plethora" of pictures posted by Tamera Young and Chamique Holdsclaw. You can't stop their cameras! You can only hope to contain them!

1. Izi and Erika share a moment. (Chamique "Big Smooth" Holdsclaw is the phootgrapher.)
2. Mining nose candy? (Big Smooth took this one.)
3. Shalee Lehning, down for the count? (Another Big Smooth production? - posted above)
4. Michelle Snow can't stay awake either. (From Little Smooth.)
5. Angel can't stay off the phone. (From Big Smooth)
6. Jennifer Lacy catches up on a movie at the airport, but we know how it ends. (From Little Smooth.)

More Dream Pictures: The Season is Upon Us

The Atlanta Dream staff are twittering away and putting up some great pics:

1. Angel McCoughtry, Tamera Young, and Sancho Lyttle at the Verizon Center.
2. Izi moves the rock. (above)
3. Sancho Lyttle doin' work against the Fever.
4. Big Smooth all kissy-faced.
5. Angel up, up and away.
6. Erika de Souza passing out souvenirs.

Big Smooth also adds the following picture of Nikki Teasley and Jennifer Lacy at the Washington airport. It was probably taken after this morning after a night's sleep to forget that lost. Big Smooth also takes some film of Tamera Young catching 40 winks at the airport.

Rub a Dub Dub, Rookie in the Tub

Another picture from the Atlanta Dream training camp, copyright Big Smooth Productions:



I ain't gonna identify who is in this pic. After the Tamera Young fiasco, y'all on your own.

Second-Hand Training Camp Notes: May 18 2009

All Eyez on Me

(via Twitter)

* We have two new nicknames for Dream players. Chamique Holdsclaw is known as "Big Smooth" and Tamera Young is known as "Lil Smooth". You have to watch out for that "Smooth/Smoove" nickname. Ivory Latta nicknamed Kristin Haynie "K-Smoove" last year, and look what happened.

* Some more pictures from Big Smooth.

** The beginning of the long day.
** Tales of the sleeping rookie.
** More snoozin'.

* From Chantelle Anderson: "Media day is taking 4ever. I just want to go home and lay down! :)"

* More from Big Smooth (I think Chamique Holdsclaw might become the Designated Twitterer.):

"Our rookies are great! They have been awesome on the first 2 days of rookie duty. They had donuts and bagels waiting for us this morning!" I think this horrible rookie hazing is inexcusable and should be reported to the WNBA, Chamique - but I'll keep my mouth shut for a donut.

* Another reason to follow Big Smooth: two "Bubble Tweets" of a sleeping rookie waking up.

The First Training Camp Picture

The photographer? Chamique Holdsclaw.

The source? Twitter. Chamique shared her shot with the world.

The location? Dream Training Camp, May 17th 2009.

My question: who is the subject?

Update: The second picture, this from Chantelle Anderson. Even a soopergenious like me was able to figure this one out. Also: thanks to all the commenters for identifying the subject of the picture above. My only comment: I feel really stupid right now.

Candid Moment

It looks like some of the Atlanta Dream players decided not to wait until training camp to get in shape. If you don't know the names, it's Jennifer Lacy, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamera Young from left to right.

(Source: Chamique Holdsclaw, better known as @CHold1 on Twitter.)

We Need More of This

What basketball fandom looks like. A picture from Gydnia, Poland, during their Euroleague 8th Finals Game against Turkish power Fenerbahce.