You're giving me a friggin' migrane...

What a great game! I have to admit, I am surprised that Indiana was able to keep the pace set by Phoenix, but that held their own! Would have loved to see Indiana take the first game, and my stats say that they should have, but Phoenix did it again! Penny Taylor was rock solid! I'm fascinated by her ability to stay focused. Taurasi swears and throws temper tantrums. Cappie threw the ball at Douglas. But Taylor is steady. Focused.

As a die-hard Storm fan, I try to be realistic about how skilled my team really is. I honestly believe the Storm has some of the best talent in the league. I just don't see that talent being harnassed in order to be a championship team [bye the bye, that's your job Agler!]. The Storm, as they currently exist, could not have beat Phoenix last night. Could not have beat Indiana last night. Could not have beat LA in the semi's. May have been able to challenge Detroit in the semi's but I'm not 100% sure. So here I am...just another fan...begging Agler to get a bench and train them! Do whatever you have to in order to keep LJ healthy! For cryin' out loud Agler...you're giving me a friggin' migrane!!

But I digress. Pretty great game last night huh? Game 2 Thursday! Let's do some damage Indiana!

Full-on-old-school-behind-the-gym-ass-whipping...

Well ballers, as we thought, it all comes down to Indiana v. Phoenix. I SO wish Indiana would take the championship. It would be quite the Cinderella Story, eh? But every cent I have says Phoenix will take the series and take it BIG! Taurasi, Cappie, Penny... no question they'll crusify Indiana.

Now, if we were voting on who would win a full-on-old-school-behind-the-gym-ass-whipping between coaches, Corey Gaines v. Lin Dunn, my money's on Dunn!

So, who's it gonna be? Phoenix or Indiana?

Cappie took her earrings off and said...

Game 2 Western Comference Championship...I'm shocked! I really thought Phoenix would finish LA in 2 games, but alas, we'll have one more game tomorrow night. Cappie wasn't "on" tonight. Bonner wasn't "on" tonight. LA wins 87 / 76.

Did you see Cappie and B-Money [no one ever referred to her as Betty Big Buckets] go at it? Cappie took her earrings off and said "oh no you didn't" and B-Money said "huh?" and Cappie said "I'm-a-gonna..." and B-Money said "huh?" and, well, it didn't really go down like that, but Cappie did get up in B-Money's face. WOW...

See yall tomorrow night!

Vote for Rookie of the Year...

What a fantastic Rookie year! Vote for who you'd like to see whin Rookie of the Year and I'll post the results! Let's see if the WNBA gets it right!

1) Dewanna Bonner
2) Renee Montgomery
3) Shevonte Zellous
4) Angel McCoughtry
5) Marissa Coleman

Vote for Defensive Player of the Year...

It's time to cast your vote! Obviously the WNBA is asking us to vote for Defensive Player of the Year! I want to see if the baller who wins is actually who YOU want!! So, shoot me a response on who you'd vote for for Defensive Player of the Year. After the voting, I'll post who the PEOPLE want to win!

1) Alana Beard
2) Tamika Catchings
3) Erika de Souza
4) Lauren Jackson
5) Candace Parker

Do you kiss your mamma with that mouth...

One down, one (or two) to go! Great game between Phoenix and LA last night! Phoenix pulled it out, but it was a well matched contest.

Diana Taurasi, our soon-to-be MVP was on national TV dropping the curse bomb 5 times! I'm so proud! 3 - Mother Truckers, 1 - S%$#, and 1 - GD. What a fantastic roll model for our young boys and girls! Hey DT, do you kiss your mamma with that mouth?

Cappie and her crew...

We're getting down to it! The Western Conference Champtionship will be decided over the next few days! Tomorrow is the 1st game of the series and I'm crazy-excited to see Phoenix BEAT LA!

Who's going to take game 1? My money (and heart) is on Cappie and her crew...what about you?

Phoenix can clobber LA...

San Antonio v. Phoenix
Game 3

Here's the thing...normally, I'd rather see San Antonio beat Phoenix. Today, I'm not so sure. I honestly don't think San Antonio can beat LA and the winner of this game will play LA for the Western Conference Championship. If Taurasi is "on", Phoenix can clobber LA. I think you'll recall that other than the Storm, my favorite WNBA team is who ever is playing LA.

Let's go Phoenix!

Too bummed for a title...

Oh boy. What a terrible end to a pseudo good season. I'm really bummed and don't quite know how to articulate it, so I'm just going to say...tune in tomorrow. This blog will continue so don't stop checking in!

Finally, in case you're reading this Agler, here's a thought....ARob, Hypen, Katie...REPLACE THEM!

Jacking it up like a Spider Monkey...

I don't know about you but I'm still buzzing from last nights finish to the Storm v. LA game! It was amzaing, unbelievable, unexpected, and totally necessary! I've watched the replay of that last deflection play hundreds of times and all I can say is - wow!

I've never been a big ARob fan as those of you who have been following know. She's over-rated, under-skilled and THE absolute reason that the deflection happened last night. ARob was jacking it up like a spider monkey on that last inbound and because of that, LA had to pass upcourt. ARob, that's balls girl!

Little made it happen! She touched that inbound pass and created the bobble! T Wright, whom I believe should have been considered for most improved player this season, went into total instinctive play. Without even thinking...without even looking, she intuitively knew that her only option was a pass down court. Little caught the pass and without any nerves whatsoever, she took the dribble and laid it in. Nothin' to it!

This play will be talked about for years to come. Coaches will use this story to motivate their teams when all hope is gone. This play will go down in history as the defensive play of the world!! That's right, of the world! Well, maybe not the world, but it was a pretty great play!

From the island of misfits...

Storm v. LA
Game 2 Series 1

Instead of sitting in Key Arena screaming my guts out, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Victoria BC watching the game on a laptop computer! You know what? I'm ok with that. I was so disappointed initially, but here I am watching the game with my honey and eating noodles with black bean sauce and garlic...not a bad way to spend a Friday night.

We've been trailing throughout the entire game, but here we are in the 4th up by 8. Let me repeat that. Up by 8. The $100,000 girl is still out on injury and frankly, our players look like they're from the island of misfits, but we're holding our own.

Does this mean the Storm will win? I'm realistic enough to admit - it's highly unlikely. But I'm glad they are staying alive.

Well folks, we're down by 2 with 17.5 seconds left in the game. It's not looking good. 15.5 seconds left. Tina Thompson's at the line. Storm down by 3 with 14.3 left. Down by 4. Birdie with a 3! Storm down by 1 with 10.7 seconds left. Storm down by 1 with 3 seconds left. LA inbounds...deflected by Storm...T. Wright passes to Little. Little scores 2 for the win! OMG! Storm wins! Storm wins! Storm wins! Storm wins!

See ya Sunday for Game 3 of Series 1!

Shoots like a dude...

Phoenix v. San Antonio

As a Storm fan(atic), I'm hoping for San Antonio to win this game and the series!! Is that possible? Remotely, yes. Is that probable. Um, no.

Of course should the Storm with the series against LA, they will play the winner of this series. I'd rather play San Antonio than Phoenix any day of the week.

Besides, I think Becky Hammons is one of the most under-rated ballers in the league. People think she's good, but for the most part, she doesn't get the kudos of other ballers. Hammonds is a stud. At 5' 5", she can run the show as good as some of the "greats". Shoots like a dude...

A long night in Chi-town...

Storm v. LA: Game 1 Series 1

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Chicago watching the game on a smallish, bowed tube tv wondering to myself...why couldn't I be doing business in our LA office this week? Oh wow...after a very long 10 minute 1st quarter with the Storm only scoring 1 field goal (a total of 6 points, but only 1 field goal), I'm thankful I'm in Chicago and not LA.

I've never seen the Storm play worse. It's gonna be a long night in Chi-town...

Domo arigato, Ms. Bird...

Finally, during a time of bad news, worse news, and "you're kidding me, right?" news, Sue Bird signs a multi-year contract with the Storm.

Domo arigato, Ms. Bird...

$100,000 dollar girl...

LJ is my favorite baller of all time. She just is. I hope she spends the rest of her career with the Storm.

But the little devil on my shoulder keeps asking "how can you pay $100k for a player who only plays half the season and doesn't play in the playoffs?". I'm almost ashamed to even have this thought, but seriously?

Last year LJ had an injury that prevented her from playing in the 1st series of the playoffs and guess what...the Storm lost. This year, same story. Looks like LJ won't play the first round of the series against LA. Now, I understand LJ can't help being hurt. I get that. But at what point do we say enough is enough?

$100,000 would buy 2 young energetic players. Clearly, those 2 young energetic players couldn't replace LJ, but if LJ hasn't played in the playoffs the last 2 years, what difference does it make? We're talking about professional sports. The only purpose of the game is to win, right? So, why are we spending this kind of coin on a baller who hasn't been able to play a majority of the past 2 seasons? Swoopes is still out there unclaimed. A. Paris is still out there unclaimed.

Is the $100,000 dollar girl worth $100,000 if she can't play?

Whoever's playing LA...

Three days and counting until the Storm's first playoff game against...LA.

I had a personal struggle with the playoffs this year. See, before the playoff schedule came out, my family booked a trip for this weekend (2 games of the 3 game series are played at home this weekend!). Had I not been sucked in by that darn Priceline Negotiator, the trip would have been cancelled...but several hundred dollars later and that pesky little "no cancellation policy" nonsense put me in a bit of a pickle. Be at the playoff games vs. losing the money. Tossing and turning, crying and cursing, then POOF a decision was made. We made arrangements to return on an early flight so we'll make the 3rd game in the series (if that game will even be played), but we will be missing the 2nd series game. I'm a bit bummed, but we plan on finding a pub across the water and watching game 2 from afar. Making the best of it!

So here we are preparing for the playoffs. Deja vu...same song and dance as last year, with a much different outcome we hope! Last year the Storm lost to LA in the first round of the playoffs. Tragic really. Home court advantage is a very good thing for the Storm. We just need LJ, Birdie and Cash back in action!

I'm often asked "who's your favorite WNBA player?". My answer..."that's a tough one because there are so many talented ballers in the league." The other question I get a lot is "who's your favorite WNBA team?". My answer..."that's an easy one...my favorite WNBA team is whoever's playing LA!"

P.S. All of you Sparks fans, I'm just kidding! Of course my favorite WNBA team is the Storm. My second favorite WNBA team is whoever's playing LA!

Beat LA!

Madam President, I ask you...

I was conflicted when Candice Parker brought home the MVP trophy in 2008. If the award had been BBP (best basketball player), I would have supported CP winning. She's the next generation of the WNBA. She will probably mature into the best women's baller of our time. So, why was I conflicted, you ask?

What is an MVP? It isn't simply an award for technique. Right? Isn't the MVP someone who shows technical saavy AND is a role model both on and off the court? If so, I question CP as 2008 MVP. Am I the only one who remembers CP thowing a punch during the 2008 season and getting suspended?

Flash forward to 2009. Diana Taurasi! Now DT is a players player. There is no one more consistent on the court. She is leading the race toward this years MVP award, and if I was a betting gal, my money would go on DT to win it all! WHAT? Are you kidding me right now? DT? The player who was arrested for DUI this season? The player who was suspended by the WNBA as a result of the DUI? Again, if the title was BBP, DT is your girl...hands down. She's an awesome player! But the award isn't BBP is it?

The WNBA has historically claimed to be an organizaiton promoting role models for young girls and boys. If Donna Orender [President of the WNBA who will be referred to as Madam President going forward] wants to pretend that the WNBA is about community and role modeling, how can she hand out MVP awards to fighters and drunk drivers? I'm no prude, but I am confused. I have no problem handing out awards to the best ballers in the league, but Madam President, how can you refer to the fighters and drunk drivers as "most valuable" while pretending to support community and role modeling.

In the Storm v. Mercury game a few nights ago, sadly the Storm lost in OT. I'd like to give you the play by play for the last 10 seconds of the game.

10, 9...defensive rebound for the Mercury...8, 7...pass to DT...6, 5, 4...DT dribbles...3, 2...DT protects the ball...1, 0...buzzer sounds...DT drops the ball, turns to the Storm fans, pumps her fists and shouts "M*&^%$ F@#$%^*&" (rhymes with Mother Truckers).

Madam President, I ask you, MVP or BBP?

It's not you, it's me...

With 3 starters out (who happen to be All Stars, MVPs, 1st Round Draft Picks, and overall Badasses), the Storm held their own AND THEN SOME against the Western Conference Champion Phoenix Mercury last night. Die-hard Storm fans were anticipating a 20+ loss, but after a tie that lead us into Overtime, the loss wasn't as bad as expected!

The flames that were spewing from my brain during the last 3 minutes of the game have fizzled out however the voices inside my head screamed a question that remains unanswered..."Hey Agler, what are you thinking?"

I'm no coach, and I'm no expert, but I know that if it aint broken, don't fix it! PeeWee, Tanisha, Little, Burse, Atkinson NOT BROKEN! ARob and Batkovic-Brown [Batkovic-Brown will be referred to as "Hyphen" going forward] BROKEN!

I love me some Aussie's but Hyphen, it just isn't working out! You seem lost...literally "where am I and what is this orange round thing in my hands" lost. That was a totally clean block in OT Hyphen, but I think it's over. It's not you, it's me.

I'm no mathematician, but on a scale of 0 - 10, with 0 being the worst and 10 being the best, a -14 (that's right...negative 14) for ARob is a bit less than the worst. "Oh, but ARob is a "big" you say? This "big" had a whopping ZERO offensive rebounds and ZERO defensive rebounds for a grand total of ZERO rebounds!

Here's where those voices in my head start getting louder. ARob, a veteran Storm player vs. Atkinson, a non WNBA player who we just picked up and never having played with the Storm before. Both played around the same amount of time. Both scored 2 points. Atkinson had a whopping 8 rebounds compared to ARobs 0. Atkinson had 3 assists to ARobs 1. Atkinson had 4 steals to ARobs 0. Rocket science? I think not.

So, why then did Agler put ARob and Hyphen in for the last 3 minutes of overtime? That, my fellow ballers, is the question. Anyone have an answer? The voices in my head would like to hear from you!