Sparks Owner Writes About the Dream/Sparks Game

If you were unaware, Kathy Goodman - an owner of the Sparks - has a blog on the Los Angeles Times website, where she writes about the Dream's recent victory.

We did not play a good game on Thursday night against the Washington Mystics, so I was, not surprisingly, a little pessimistic coming into Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Dream, which is atop of the Eastern Conference. I took some time on Saturday to get a little perspective and inspiration by visiting the Martin Luther King Center and the Carter Center in downtown Atlanta. By game time, I was fairly philosophical and just wanted us to play some good basketball, win or lose. So why is it the Sparks had to start so strong and get my hopes up all over again?

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As the fourth quarter began, I was wondering whether I would have preferred it if I thought we had never had a chance in the game. Atlanta was first in the East; the Dream had scored over 100 points when we played them in Staples earlier in the season; I didn’t have a real reason to be hopeful. Except that first half. When we played the kind of basketball I knew our team could play. If they played like the first-half Sparks, we’d be good. If they played like the team that played the first three minutes of the third quarter, it would be hard. Although we started the final period by pushing the lead to four, in less than two minutes, Atlanta forced a tie. Philips Arena, which had been fairly quiet during the game, erupted. Within another minute, the Dream took the lead for the first time and never looked back. Castro Marques, who had been held to four points in the first half, exploded for 21 in the second half. Yelena Leuchanka, coming off the bench for DeSouza, scored six of her eight points in the fourth quarter, all in the paint.

Maybe Ms. Goodman needs to invite our owner, Kathy Betty, to a Sparks game in Los Angeles. Or failing that, I'll go. All I need is a round-trip plane ticket, c/o the Pleasant Dreams Blog.

Plenette Pierson Is Simply Misunderstood

Tulsa Shock player Plenette Pierson wants the world to know that she's simply misunderstood in her blog. Hey, it's even in her header:

"I'm known as a WNBA player, WNBA two-time champion, WNBA's inaugural Sixth Woman of the Year, but I'm perceived to be a thug and the Queen of the Detroit's 'Bad Girl' persona. Most people have no idea; simply stated: I'm misunderstood."

In her latest blog entry, Pierson writes about the troubles in getting from America from Israel:

On Thursday, March 18th I was given permission to leave Israel and go home (jumps up and down excited)! Here's where all the problems start, I call US Airways to change my flight they inform me that if I want to leave on Friday, March 19th the change fee would be $800(difference in the price of the ticket) plus $250(change fee), I had to sit back and think how bad did I really want to leave Israel! I decided that I would check out my other options, well my other options were slim pickings because the next time that I could fly on that airlines was on March 27th and I had to pay $400(difference in the price of the ticket) plus $250(change fee), decisions decisions! I opted out out of both those options and just decided to purchase a whole new ticket and leave when I wanted. So when all my plans were finalized, my roommates threw me a going away party at our apartment and quite a few people showed up! It was the nicest thing that has happened to me by my teammates overseas. I had a blast and was sad to leave those guys! We will meet again soon!!

I hope that Pierson blogs as frequently as she's able. If there's any doubt that Pierson would go to Tulsa, it seems to be dispelled in her blog.

Michelle Snow: Blogging About Motivation and Racism

Michelle Snow's blogging at MichelleSnowLive.com has suddenly come to life. There are three new recent posts by Snow.

One about the dangers of GPS:

The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then
used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain
entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football
game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so
they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would
appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.

Even though the above tale is a urban legend with elements of truth, GPS and other devices might give malefactors more information about you than you'd like to have known.

Another more serious post is about a personal incident that happened to Snow at a sushi restaurant while waiting for a train to Kursk: dealing with an obnoxious drunk whose behaivor escalates to racial slurs:

I said a silent prayer about how I really wanted to keep my spiritual center balanced. I knew this was only a test and if there was anyway possible I wanted to pass it. At the same time no man will ever put there hands on me and I just stand there and take it. Abusive men nauseate me so imagine my disgust at an abusive racial man. I turned my disgust towards good thoughts. That was not easy to do, but it was what had to be done. I just thought about the pain that he must be going through to even be that drunk at seven in the morning. I said a prayer for him and sent out several tweets for others to do the same.

The newest post is about Will Smith and how he uses fear as a motivational fuel. Attached in the post is a YouTube clip of Smith speaking.

Will Smith has no special powers or secret devices that are unavailable to any of us. He simply understands that we are all given certain talents yet some of us chose not to develop our talents. I would be a perfect example of this. I'm a beautiful 6'5'' woman who plays, professional basketball for the WNBA, yet if I had not honed my skills throughout my life there is a pretty good chance that I would not be playing professionally sports. My height is a talent given to me but that talent had to be developed properly in order for success to ensue.

There are some great posts and you need to be reading them. I just hope that Michelle Snow can keep up the blogging - but I don't want the blogging to get in the way of her game.

Michelle Snow Blogging

Atlanta Dream player Michelle Snow has a new blog up in Beta stage. She posts about her drug-testing experience while playing in Russia Superleague A:

I hold my breath as though that will keep the germs from getting on me. Don't ask me why. I really didn't have the luxury on thinking clearly at this point. I try to make sure I don't touch anything. I am really about to break down and cry. Is this really worth it? Do I need this job that bad? All of a sudden all of my mortgages for my investment properties began to flash. 8 K a month in mortgages alone is enough to make anyone gladly pee in a plastic cup in a moldy bathroom that is literally falling apart. I pee I cry I pee some more. I want to go home!

Wow. As Snow writes later, "I sit there quietly and begin a prayer of gratitude. Thoughts of all the luxuries we take for granted everyday. Things like clean water, toilet paper, life-size brooms, etc."

Lehning Blogs Again

Next stop: either the Atlanta Dream, or ESPN.

And this was a lonnnnng blog entry! The complete entry can be found at Dream Diary: The Atlanta Dream Blog:

To give you a little perspective on the magnitude of my injury, Sam Bradford, quarterback for Oklahoma, had a 2nd degree sprain in his shoulder and missed most of his season… I had a 4th degree separation. Doctors say my injury is the equivalent to an ACL tear in the knee. My original plan was to graduate in December from Kansas State and then go to Europe to play in January. It appears that God had a different plan for me.

...

So I’m sure all of you are thinking what happens now? My priority right now is rehabbing my shoulder. I plan to stay here at KSU to work out and rehab. I’m on schedule as it relates to my progress and we are shooting for me to be completely released to play full contact in February. As of now, my shoulder is recovering nicely. I’ve been out of the sling for almost two months and can do all normal daily activities just fine without noticing my shoulder holding me back.


(* * *)

And what would an entry about Shalee Lehning's graduation be without photographs? The Atlanta Dream website hosts three photos on their website...take a look!

Armintie Price Blogs Again

The second installment of Armintie Price's blog - "The A. P. Wire" - is up at Dream Diary: The Official Atlanta Dream Blog.

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving. My husband and I spent the week in Boca Raton, Florida with the Ole Miss team. We had a tournament at FAU (Florida Atlantic University) and we won the tourney!!

Athlete Blogs, and The Potential Failures Of

I just took a look at a new blog entry by Chamique Holdsclaw. If these are her words, Holdsclaw can definitely write. It also looks like Armintie Price is starting a mini-blog on the Atlanta Dream web site. Price is off to a good start, mentioning the fact that she is working as an assistant coach for Mississippi during the off-season. A few athletes have blogs at the WNBA site itself.

The blogs are of varying degrees of quality. The best ones are the ones that give some insight into the team itself. The next best are the ones that give the best glimpses of the life of an athlete. What's practice like? How many times/hours does a team practice a day? What are the travel and living conditions?

Following that are blogs with an insight into the personality of the athlete. What are their favorite foods, movies, etc? Below that are when the athlete writes about unrelated topics, but some writes (like Chantelle Anderson) can make even that compelling.

I was directed to a blog entry by Becky Hammon, one of the most popular players around. What astonishes me is how little insight is provided. I'm more interested in Hammon than I used to be, primarily because she's on the Ros Casares team where Erika de Souza plays. Instead, the blog entry is more a treatise about positive thinking; Hammon's time at Ros Casares in mentioned briefly and almost off-handedly.

Athletes face a few problems in creating blogs, and WNBA athletes face particular problems. The first is that not every WNBA player is a writer, far from it. Like athletes in any sport, some players are adept with a pen or keyboard, and for others every character on the screen is a testimony to illiteracy. If you read the messages of some WNBA players on Twitter, it becomes obvious that some of them have problems with basic grammar. True, some are typing on tiny, tiny phones but for others I doubt it is the case.

The other problem is that WNBA athletes don't make a lot of money. If LeBron James wants to post a blog, he doesn't even have to type it if he doesn't want to. One of his entourage can do that, or someone at the NBA head office can do it - and I'd be surprised if the thoughts expressed were actually his own. Even if James wants to put pen to palimpsest himself, there will be at least an editor to clean up the text - he can definitely pay for not just a proofreader but for a web site manager. (For athletes making $10+ million a year, that might be a wise investment.) Whereas many athletes in the WNBA don't make much more per year than a low level clerk at the IRS. Web site management is an esoteric discipline, and the learning curve is too steep for many not to make a mess of it.

For some athletes (Curt Schilling, Barry Bonds) one point of having a website is to get around the restrictions of the press. Instead of a Boston sportwriter botching your message (or a San Francisco sportswriter letting out what a surly prick you are) you just go to your own soapbox on the web and let the fans hear the truth from your ears. This model doesn't seem to work for the WNBA, since the WNBA controls its message very closely and I doubt the league front office would let anyone go off the reservation. Kristen Mann accidentally strolled off message when she Twittered about how much she hated season ticket holder functions; you can bet the WNBA won't be making that mistake again.

The biggest problem, however, with athlete blogs is that posting isn't frequent enough. My contention is that there is only one thing that drives blog viewership - content. You can have the best Wordpress platform and the newest web gadgetry conceivable, but if you only post every six months, what's the point of having a blog in the first place? A blog is a conversation with the world, and if one party isn't speaking then there's not much of a reason to continue.

So here's my question to the readers: which WNBA athletes have the best blogs? A good blog should be at the very least interesting or should have frequent posts. Is there any WNBA athlete who is truly an excellent blogger? Chantelle Anderson comes to mind immediately, but are there others?

McCoughtry Joins the Blogiverse

Angel McCoughtry has a new website at http://www.angelmccoughtry.com which has, among other things, a brand new blog.

McCoughtry is also looking for a name for her blog, so help her out.

Shalee Lehning: "Our Destiny is in Our Own Hands"

Shalee Lehning has a new entry under her blog for her hometown newspaper. Lehning first mentions the long road trip that the Dream have just finished:

We spent an extra day in between games so that time was spent in Sacramento. I didn’t explore much of that city. I spent my time doing homework so that was a pretty mundane city for me. However, Joy and Cherri Anne Jacquart made the trip all the way from Sublette again to watch. They had some family that lived close so their family came as well so it was fun to meet them. Two of the girls were in high school and they made an “Atlanta Dream” sign for me so that was neat to see. Joy forgot the famous “Sublette Loves Shalee” sign so they made a new sign that said “Sublette Loves 5” and supposedly a lady came up and asked who “Sublette” was because she didn’t see anyone with that last name!

Lehning also thinks that Phoenix is beautiful. So do I. My wife, who was raised there, has come to a different conclusion.

She also mentions tonight's game:

Now we are back in Atlanta for a week before we play our last home game against Connecticut. Right now we are one win away from making the playoffs. That is such an exciting thought! To think that in my first professional season my team is lined up to make the playoffs is pretty remarkable. However, we have to take care of business our last two games or we won’t make it. Basically, our destiny is in our own hands. We have played all season to be in this position so now we need to make sure that we don’t let this opportunity slip between our fingers.

To top off the excitement of the magnitude of this game, my sister and her husband are coming to watch!

We'll have to say "hi" if they identify themselves.

Chamique Holdsclaw: Mique's World

Chamique Holdsclaw has started a blog. And I think that if she doesn't become a coach she's going to be a great blogger:

This season has been a great one for me. I allowed the leader I have always been to shine bright and have done an amazing job. Guess it's true adversity builds character and I'm so proud of the woman I've become and wouldn't change anything. I feel so naked in a sense and comfortable about sharing my story knowing it gives someone else strength.

Go give it a visit.

Kathy Goodman and The Dream Mojo

Kathy Goodman, the co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks, wants to know what the hell is up with the Atlanta Dream:

I looked at the box score from Tuesday's game, and it took me a while to sort out what exactly happened, even though I watched every minute of the game. Parker ended up with another double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Leslie showed again why she could continue playing in this league for as long as she wanted to, scoring 24 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Tina Thompson shot 67%, and was two of four for three. Our field goal percentage was higher than Atlanta’s; we had more rebounds, more assists and more blocks. We had more of just about everything other than points. What is it about the Atlanta Dream that gets us so frustrated?

I don't think we'll be able to keep this win-every-year-at-Los-Angeles streak up forever, but for now, I have to grin.

McCoughtry Blogs Again

It's a red letter day for Atlanta Dream bloggers. Angel McCoughtry's newest blog entry can be found at WNBA.com.

An excerpt:

I build my endurance by lifting weights, maintaining a healthy diet, and exercise. I always pray and ask God to keep me healthy to continue my career; part of my endurance is my Faith. If I go on a junk food binge I can feel it when I'm playing. Eating healthy and exercise are key components in maintaining endurance.

Shalee Lehning Getting Schooled

Shalee Lehning writes a new blog entry for her local paper. As it turns out, when she's not on the court for the Dream she has plenty to occupy her time:

I am a little behind on my blog because I have started school now so my free time has been taken up with reading text books and studying. Doesn’t that sound like fun?! There is nothing quite like sitting down to enjoy a 32-page chapter out of a text book

Yep, Lehning is working on finishing up her degree from Kansas State:

Most of you are probably wondering how I am taking classes while I’m still in Atlanta playing basketball. My professors have been very helpful and understanding so they are allowing me to do whatever work I can from afar and when I get back at the end of the month I will work overtime to catch up. I am grateful for their willingness to adapt to my situation but they have acknowledged that they appreciate the fact that even as a professional athlete I am still concerned about coming back to finish my degree.

Also in the blog: Lehning's search for pizza on the tough streets of Detroit.

Angel McCoughtry Taking Questions

Angel McCoughtry has a new rookie blog entry up at WNBA.com:

So I want to ask the fans out there. How do you feel about the Atlanta Dream so far?

And if you have any questions for me feel free to ask and I will respond as much as possible.

Well...you've heard the call! Go click the link!

Lehning, Bird, and a Big Hunk of Rock

Shalee Lehning has a new blog post from her hometown paper.

Some comments about the recent Storm game:

On Thursday I was matched up to guard Katie Smith from Detroit and on Saturday I guarded Sue Bird from Seattle. Both of those players are Olympians so it was an honor to be able to play against them. I’ve watched Sue Bird play since she was at UCONN and I’ve studied a lot of film on her game attempting to learn different things from her, so when I found out I would be guarding her I got a bit nervous! My team is really playing well right now and with those two wins we secured 2nd place in the league so if we keep this up we will hopefully make the playoffs.

Among other things, Lehning got to see Stone Mountain:

Whitney and Kim stayed on Sunday so our group went to see Stone Mountain. I didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into but it turned out great. We rode a gondola to the top of Stone Mountain and walked around the top of the mountain for a while. It was such a beautiful view from the top of the mountain looking down over the city. Then we rode a train around the mountain and learned a lot about the history of the park. There was also this ropes obstacle course that Whitney and I went through. We put harnesses on and dangled in the air while climbing through different obstacles. It was so fun! I sure am glad I’m not afraid of heights. That would definitely put a damper on my adventurous side.

Shalee Lehning: Relaxing in Atlanta

Shalee Lehning is blogging again.

Lehning is with her family, and seeing some of the sights Atlanta has to offer:

Friday was a super fun day with the family. After practice, we all loaded up in our minivans (I made fun of my brother because he said he would never drive a minivan but now with two kids he does) and we went to the Georgia Aquarium. That was my third trip to the Aquarium this summer! The kids absolutely loved it. I felt like a tour guide because I basically have the aquarium memorized at this point. It was just a perfect afternoon for the whole family. Everyone enjoyed it and the kids were happy so it was a successful trip. That evening we went to eat at Joe’s Crab Shack which is an experience in itself.

Just remember that the Joe's Crab Shack experience isn't complete until you buy the shirt.

But will Shalee Lehning be playing overseas in the off-season? Possibly, no.

As soon as the season is over I will be going back to Manhattan [Kansas] to finish my degree. I only have one semester left so I will graduate in December.

McCoughtry Blogs About Receiving Key to Baltimore

Angel McCoughtry blogs about receiving the key to the city of Baltimore from mayor Sheila Dixon at her blog at WNBA.com:

I’m glad I’m one of the females to get the award. I think I might be the only female athlete to get the award in Baltimore. So it means a lot to me because a lot of male athletes have received the award, people like Carmelo Anthony and Juan Dixon. It’s great for a female athlete to be able to inspire other females and get the key to the city.

Another Satisfied Customer

I don't know if it translates into increased attendance, but I am running into a lot of blogs writing about how much families have enjoyed the WNBA experience.

Next up is The Clan McLeod Blog, where the McLeods attended the Atlanta Dream/Phoenix Mercury game.

We watched both teams warm up and took in everything that was going on around us. A quick run to the concessions and we were ready for the game. And what an exciting game it was! The Atlanta Dream is phenomenal! Basket after basket. They made it look so easy! And they ran circles around the Phoenix Mercury. In the end, the Atlanta Dream had scored a franchise record and won the game 106 - 76!

So, what did I think of my first WNBA game? Awesome! Would I take the family again? You bet! The girls had a blast and we were all into the game, never losing sight of the ongoing action. WNBA games are great alternative to overcrowded, overpriced and exceedingly hot theme parksand are a great source of entertainment for the whole family.

Hope to see you back soon, Gina!

The Dream/Mercury Game - a Family Speaks Out

Peapod Squad Stuff writes about a family taking their son to his very first WNBA basketball game. There are a bunch of pictures at the blog, so you should be taking a peak at them.

If there's a WNBA game near you, you should definitely check it out. It was a great family event. And I love the message of the WNBA. I appreciated the wonderful opportunity to show my daughter that she can dream big.

And speaking of dreams, now Snap Pea doesn't want to be a basketball when he grows up. No, now he wants to be a cheerleader. A new conundrum indeed.

Haters are now shrieking in horror. Quiet down, fellers. There are male cheerleaders, this isn't 1947.

Shalee Lehning: Back to the Court

Shalee Lehning writes her newest blog entry for her hometown paper.

Much more blogging of a family nature than about anything Dream-related, but you get an idea of the things players do on their breaks.