Let me tell you one thing - going to games can suck. I've started to try to lose weight and exercise yet again, and I was stiff all over when I went to the game on Sunday.
The good thing was that I met an old friend of mine who has covered the Dream before (and, obviously, is covering them now). He also covers the Hawks in Atlanta. It's tempting to think, "okay, I'll cover the Hawks - the other major writers are covering NBA teams, why not me?" but frankly I'm stretched from six days to Sunday. I don't know how people with children do this; it's enough for me to haul my bulk around.
We ended up losing this one in overtime, 82-77. The Dream have played 4 3/8 games on four days, and this was a back-to-back. Lin Dunn stated that she thought the Fever could take out the Dream due to back-to-back fatigue. The Fever had a whole day to rest, the Dream had come back from playing against a tough Chicago team (which might be a contender to repeat as regular season champs), and the Dream's throw-it-in-the-air-and-pray style of basketball might not be conducive to a quick recovery.
So some random observations.
* They have brought food back to Philips Arena. This is truly great. The last time members of the press got anything to eat was in the 2008 season. Ron Terwilliger's Dream provided nice meals, but there was a problem. Freeloading members of the print media (I'm looking at you, AJC) would go to Philips Arena basically for a free dinner, and then pretty much ignore the Dream. In 2009, Terwilliger closed the free chow wagon and it's been closed ever since.
Sunday's mean? Hot dogs. Which is better than nothing. The Dream currently have a secret plan in place to keep any freeloaders away. Namely, the assistant PR guy has the plates. I don't think this plan will work; print media will probably start bringing their own plates.
* Shoni Schimmel reverted to rookie form. I've heard a lot of chatter on Twitter about how Schimmel can't play defense and throws the ball away too often to be a successful point guard, but she makes things happen. Although on second thought, our perimeter defense was pretty much terrible. I'm supposing we're going to wait for Celine Dumerc to show up in June and show Shoni how it's done. If Dumerc can play better D, she has a shot at taking Shoni's spot.
* Angel McCoughtry looked a little weak handling/gripping the ball in the first half, but got better. I suspect that McCoughtry and Lyttle are both banged-up-till-doomsday. They basically play all year. My friend said that NBA players get about three months off, but even that much time really isn't enough to heal.
* Swin Cash is looking like a bust. The Fever went on an 8-0 run when she was on the floor while McCoughtry rested; Cooper put Cash back on the bench and she didn't appear again.
* Matee Ajavon looks like Matee Ajavon. As Cheryl Reeve said, "You can't change what you are." Why GMs/fans are high on Matee Ajavon, I'll never know. Although it would be embarrassing to think that the Sky got the better of the Swin Cash/Courtney Clements deal.
* Angel McCoughtry hit a three pointer during that interminable fourth quarter which briefly put the Dream ahead. I also saw a crossover dribble she made that - well, the last time I saw something like that it was Chamique Holdsclaw doing it. When your mind sees something amazing, it slows down. She's got handles, that McCoughtry.
Anyway, the three pointer. She had a look on her face that read, "Yeah! Take that bitches!"
* Talked to Lin Dunn real quick before the Fever ran to their plan. The last time I spoke to Dunn - last year, before a playoff game - she was in a "let's get this over with" mood. This time, she was positively buoyant. No wonder people love talking to her.
* The Michael Cooper interview took about two minutes. A lot shorter than either the Marynell Meadors or Fred Williams interviews. Cooper was bizarrely positive. I don't know if this is just an act he puts on. Something tells me he's not going to talk long when he comes out of the locker room.
Next time: Dream versus Seattle, on Friday. 6 pm. Ugh, means I have to leave work at 4 pm.
Showing posts with label shoni schimmel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shoni schimmel. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Sunday, May 18, 2014
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.
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.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
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.
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.
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