Really Great Day for the WNBA

[psconn]

Just watched the whole All-Star game again (never bothered to do that before). Really entertaining exhibition with amazing moments for vets like Tamika, Sue and Angel, and the kids just rocked it out led by Shoni and Skylar. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face... a real showcase for the WNBA.

Well done players!

 

[JellyBean]

Well stated, psconn. Tamika played like it was a WNBA Finals game. It was just a great game altogether.

 

[rocky rococo]

An all-star game is in theory supposed to be a showcase for the league, and this one very much filled that bill.

 

[dtbtbtb]

All Star games are supposed to be fun and a showcase of skills and this one for sure did that. I don't think i had such a grin on my face just wathcing this game than in any other All Star game.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I was just going to post the same topic! It was great on so many levels:
1. Tamika Catchings at 1/2 time calling out her team mates for being down by 12 pts. and not playing any defense, saying "I don't want to lose this game"! You know she gave them HELL in the locker room! Then scoring length of the court winning basket and getting late steal on Diggins the diva!
2. Shoni Shimmel playing unbelievable BB, and she doesn't even start for the Dream! Becoming a legend for the Native Americans!
3. I can't stand the DIVA, Skylar Diggins, but you have to give her a lot of credit after last years downer year, she's having a great WNBA season and if Catchings doesn't win it for the East, The Diva is going to be the game MVP!
4. At the end of the game it was telling who WAS on the court at crunch-time for East & West and who WASN'T on the court!
For the East: Catchings, McCoughtry, Shimmel,Douglas & Charles (no Pondexter)
For the West: Diggins, Griner, Taurasi, Moore, Bird! (no Parker, Ogwumike, Whalen, Dupree)
5. With all the kissy sisterly talk about Nneka & Chiney, in last 2 minutes Nneka threw an elbow at Chiney to get a rebound!
6. Jessica Breland coming all-the-way-back from cancer to having a sensational season for the Sky!

The only downer for me is that the talking suits going nuts & keep making such a big deal about Griner and Parker dunking as if that finally gives a reason to
watch WBB because some can play above the rim! There's so much more to the WBB game than just dunking!

 

[Striper69]

Just watched the whole All-Star game again (never bothered to do that before). Really entertaining exhibition with amazing moments for vets like Tamika, Sue and Angel, and the kids just rocked it out led by Shoni and Skylar. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face... a real showcase for the WNBA.

Well done players!

I did the same thing last night.

I dvr'ed it and watched it Saturday night and was blown away by how great I thought it was. I missed last year's.

 

[Striper69]

All Star games are supposed to be fun and a showcase of skills and this one for sure did that. I don't think i had such a grin on my face just wathcing this game than in any other All Star game.

usually I don't bother watching All-Star games but I'm glad I recorded this one!

 

[Beemer]

Truly a great game & showcase for the WNBA. Was great seeing Sue, Diana & Maya doing their thing.

 

[Striper69]

What did Skylar and Candace mean by "cherry picking"?

 

[rford53]

What did Skylar and Candace mean by "cherry picking"?

Basketball parlance for an offensive player not playing in position on defense and standing under their own basket, so when their team gets a rebound they can score easily on a length of the court pass. That's called cherry picking !

 

[Jaydub]

What did Skylar and Candace mean by "cherry picking"?

One player either remains under their own basket, when their team goes on defense, or breaks down court before the play is finished. When their team gets a rebound or steal, they are ready for a long outlet pass and easy bucket.

 

[katiecrum1992]

It was a great game!

 

[easttexastrash]

One player either remains under their own basket, when their team goes on defense, or breaks down court before the play is finished. When their team gets a rebound or steal, they are ready for a long outlet pass and easy bucket.

A high school move...not expected in WCBB and the WNBA.

 

[easttexastrash]

The only downer for me is that the talking suits going nuts & keep making such a big deal about Griner and Parker dunking as if that finally gives a reason to
watch WBB because some can play above the rim! There's so much more to the WBB game than just dunking!

Dunking will always be a big deal in WBB until more women can do it. It is not necessarily for basketball purists, but it adds excitement to the game and many fans buy tickets to games in which Griner plays in hopes of seeing her throw one down. While at Baylor BG would increase the attendance for road games by about 4,500 fans over normal attendance for the host teams, and many were there to watch her dunk, either in warmups or in game action.

But I do agree that going on and on is silly. OK...she dunked. Show it a few times and move on.

 

[j66kicker]

Dunking will always be a big deal in WBB until more women can do it. It is not necessarily for basketball purists, but it adds excitement to the game and many fans buy tickets to games in which Griner plays in hopes of seeing her throw one down. While Baylor BG would increase the attendance for road games but about 4,500 fans over normal attendance for the host teams, and many were there to watch her dunk, either in warmups or in game action.

But I do agree that going on and on is silly. OK...she dunked. Show it a few times and move on.

ETT - C'mon now, you know you watch her dunk over & over again - no? Here's some good material for your enjoyment...



https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AxsU1M5PmgI

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U0BSbN3PjEk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QW7gOXZji_Y

 

[easttexastrash]

OK. So it's a little cool. (-:

 

[DaddyChoc]

What did Skylar and Candace mean by "cherry picking"?

Basketball parlance for an offensive player not playing in position on defense and standing under their own basket, so when their team gets a rebound they can score easily on a length of the court pass. That's called cherry picking !

One player either remains under their own basket, when their team goes on defense, or breaks down court before the play is finished. When their team gets a rebound or steal, they are ready for a long outlet pass and easy bucket.

we called it "camping out" back in the day

 

[Fightin Choke]

I was just going to post the same topic! It was great on so many levels:
4. At the end of the game it was telling who WAS on the court at crunch-time for East & West and who WASN'T on the court!
For the East: Catchings, McCoughtry, Shimmel,Douglas & Charles (no Pondexter)
For the West: Diggins, Griner, Taurasi, Moore, Bird! (no Parker, Ogwumike, Whalen, Dupree)

Your recall is flawed. Taurasi left the game halfway through the 3rd quarter and never returned. Her defensive intensity was extremely low, which is probably why she didn't get any minutes during crunch time.

So who played in crunch-time for the West? I guess that depends on how one defines crunch-time. If we consider it the last 5 minutes of regulation and the OT period, then there were 50 minutes available. Both Maya and Sue Bird played all 10 minutes, Skylar played over 8, and Nneka played over 6, and Griner played 6. Parker actually played 2.5 minutes in the OT period (replacing Griner). But Maya, Sue, Skylar, and Nneka played all 5 minutes of OT.

If you examine the +/- for each player, you can see why Reeve distributed the minutes the way she did:

+21 Diggins
+15 Moore
+5 Bird
+4 Nneka

Candice Dupree and Glory Johnson were the only other West players with a positive score (+7, +2) and they both played a bit in the last 5 minutes of regulation.

 

[Striper69]

Skylar and Bird was my personal DREAM/FANTASY backcourt...

 

[easttexastrash]

I really like that I get to see these players outside of the college ranks as I am more inclined to like them. We get to see their personalities and learn more about them personally, which makes them more relatable. Who knew that Dolson wanted to have purple hair? Or that Jayne Appel was such a supporter of gay equality. Or that BG was a lesbian? OK, maybe we all suspected that.

And seeing these players take their games to new levels is fun to watch. I was never a big Glory Johnson fan but she has turned my opinion in her favor with her hard work. Same with the O sisters...they are tremendous athletes who put in so much hard work. And Tiffany Hayes has turned into a really good player that I enjoy watching. Same with Diggins...I have grown to respect her because she is putting in the effort to become a better player. And I am really happy that Vickie Baugh has been given another opportunity to play. I can only imagine the lows she had experienced in dealing with multiple injuries.

There is no way to mention them all, but so many players have impressed me with their improved talents. If it weren't for the WNBA we would be missing out on seeing so much great talent. Can you imagine if all of Maya's and DT's play was in China or Europe? What a shame that would be.

 

[Striper69]

BTW- you can now get Shoni t-shirts..

@http://www.schimmel23.com/.

Free plug for Shoni. Hope she gets the money.