The convention closes

Today is the last day of the Doctor Who convention in Minneapolis.  Aside from providing moral support from the audience during a friend's panel, my presence was not required anywhere.  Until I return to Atlanta tomorrow, I've basically got the entire time off.

The Dream went on the road and beat the Fever 90-88.  It bugs me a bit that we don't have a decisive, beginning to end victory yet, but I'll take a bad win over a good loss any day of the week.  Shoni Schimmel had like what, 10 assists?  The PR guy at the Dream front office stated that this was the best total of assists over the first two games of a career, tying her only with Suzie McConnell-Serio.  My understanding, however, was that McConnell-Serio was not all that great, so someone needs to be following Schimmel at all times, whispering into her ear, "Remember, thou art mortal!"

Another person needing someone to whisper that is Angel McCoughtry.  She's had a couple of good games coming back, although due to a reported hip injury, she didn't start the second game and just came off the bench.  Of course, there was someone on Twitter implying that it might have been a case of McCoughtry ending up in Cooper's doghouse just two games in - her reputation is so bad that people won't even give her the benefit of the doubt anymore.

If I were McCoughtry, I'd be concerned.  Part of McCoughtry's invulnerability comes from the fact that she's indispensable.  She's the player on all the billboards.  But if Schimmel - who looks more popular over the last two games than McCoughtry has been over the last two years - continues to shine, then McCoughtry's Atlanta pedestal might be a bit more shaky.

In Minneapolis with Doctor Who

Today is the third day that my wife and I have been in a Doctor Who convention at Minneapolis.  I haven't had the chance to see Stars @ Dream last night, because my outdated browser on my outdated Macbook (I've lost the disks and can't upgrade) will not show the game on Live Access.  I could see it on my iPhone if I wanted to, but that's a helluva way to see a game.  I won't be seeing Dream @ Stars tonight, either, and I miss it terribly.

Have read about Shoni Schimmel's performance.  Eleven assists is worth knowing about, although Griner dunked twice in her first game last year and never again since.  I'm hoping yesterday wasn't the high water mark of her performances.

If you're reading this, you've probably never attended a science fiction convention.  I wonder why science fiction fans dress in the schlubbiest way imaginable at conventions.  Thin t-shirts stretched over 350+ pound beer guts.  Neckbeards.  Suspenders that don't quite suspend.  Does this make me a shallow person pointing it out?  It probably does.

The high part of this convention - aside from meeting and being with old friends, which was our true reason for coming - was seeing Deborah Watling, a woman who played one of the Doctor's companions (Victoria) for one year in the 1960s.  She's a little wisp of a thing, a little old lady now.

I touched a Dalek (well, a home made Dalek).  I attended a panel on Doctor Who lost episodes which quickly devolved to the usual fan griping.  This should be expected, if you've had any experience with fans.

I've written a post at Swish Appeal about the success of women's basketball teams that manage to snag the #1 or #2 high school recruit in any given year.  It appears that the reception is generally favorable.  I'm glad.  Trust me, I know from years of fandom that all it takes is one bad experience to turn you off of something forever.  One critical comment drowned out by lots of positive ones?  I think I can live with that, that's better than you usually get in women's basketball fandom anyway.