e-Zine July 2005 by Mel Greenberg ™ INSIDE SCOOP … WNBA All-Star Game tips off July 9 The WNBA is about to hit the The starters were named by the midseason and the All-Star break fans and announced by the league in a way in which success has a on Thursday. Two of the all-time very strong Connecticut accent. UConn names will reunite in the starting lineup in the West in The All-Star game on July 9 will be second-year pro Diana Taurasi of held at the Mohegan Sun Arena in the Phoenix Mercury and Sue Bird the vast casino-entertainment of the defending champion Seattle complex run by the Mohegan Storm. Indian Tribe that took over the Orlando Miracle franchise three Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston years ago. Comets was again the top vote- getter for the fifth time in six all- In some ways, we have a star games in leading the West throwback to the era of the starters. No official all-star game defunct ABL in which the New was held a year ago when the England Blizzard, housed in Olympic team played other WNBA Hartford, was the marquee top players in an exhibition game franchise and the host for the first in Radio City Music Hall in New All-Star game in the winter of York prior to going overseas to 1996. win the gold medal in Athens. Incidentally, that all-star game The other two West starters are was noteworthy for the famous former league MVP Lauren punch in the chops to Cindy Jackson of Seattle and Yolanda Brown by former Texas superstar Griffin of the West-leading Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, who will Sacramento Monarchs. also be at this extravaganza. In the East, former UConn star No, she won’t be in uniform. She Swin Cash wins the “Rebecca happens to be the general Lobo” honor. manager of the San Antonio Silver Stars franchise in Texas. e-Zine Page 2 Like the previous former UConn It will be a travesty if former LSU star, Cash of the Detroit Shock star Tameka Johnson of the has made the team without Washington Mystics does not playing one minute of action. make the All-Stars. She leads the Lobo, you’ll remember, got hurt in league in assists with a 6.1 the first two minutes of the average and is a strong contender season opener one year but was for rookie of the year. voted on the team anyway, drawing strong support in the Meanwhile, the host Connecticut heavy populated New York Liberty Sun of the All-Star, which finished market. runner-up to Seattle in last season’s third and final But this time around, Cash, championship playoff game, is recovering from knee surgery, dominating league play, especially might play since she was recently Western opponents with one of cleared to resume practice with the best starts in WNBA history at Detroit. 12-2. Dawn Staley of the Charlotte That’s the kind of record many Sting, nearing the end of a expected of Los Angeles, which sensational playing career either now has former Washington this season or next, was named Mystics star Chamique Holdsclaw, the top point guard in the East and to have at this juncture. But was joined in the backcourt by the injures have plagued the Sparks Liberty’s Becky Hammon. Detroit and just last week they managed center Ruth Riley was also named, to embarrass themselves by as was the Indiana Fever’s Tamika blowing a 25-point lead and losing Catchings, receiving the second at Detroit, the first time a best overall total. turnaround of that magnitude has been recorded in WNBA history. The league coaches will vote on the rest of each roster, with some Attendance is somewhat near tough choices to be made overall where it always is at this time of before Tuesday’s announcement. year with some teams doing e-Zine Page 3 somewhat better and others up a fast food restaurant – Geno lagging behind previous marks. Auriemma’s Fast Break – next Washington, down a bit, might be year in the Mohegan Sun, a getting impacted by the new development that does not have baseball team, which also NCAA officials thrilled, although happens to be winning. they say no regulation exists barring his involvement. But don’t be fooled into think things are same ole, same ole. The geographical map goes into a shift this week with several New WNBA president Donna programs switching conferences. Orender has drawn rave reviews The Big East will grow to 16 from players as well as in the teams, largest in the nation. business community after meetings with her. The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductions were recently Having had a chance to get held with former Auburn coach familiar with all the cities, expect Joe Ciampi and former Kansas Orender to soon begin star Lynette Woodard heading the implementing her ideas, some of six honorees. The others were which will probably come to the former longtime Kodak executive front when she gives her mid- Hunter Low, who helped found the summer state of the league all-American program under his address to the media before the company’s sponsorship, former game tips off. AAU star Dixie Woodall, former High School legendary coach Edna Collegiate Happenings Tarbutton, and former NAIA star Some news of note is occurring in Kelli Litsch of Southwest the collegiate world where former Oklahoma State. longtime Miami coach Ferne Labati was surprisingly fired after That’s the news at the top of the the season and is in the early month. Active summer recruiting stages of preparing a lawsuit is about to begin and we’ll be against the Hurricanes. back next week from Connecticut with some of the happenings off All-Star weekend. Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma announced he will open e-Zine Page 4 Mel Greenberg Honored Long-time REAL SPORTS contributor and even longer-term supporter of women’s basketball, Mel Greenberg is about to make history of sorts on Monday in Philadelphia at the annual convention of CoSIDA. The Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America will present their annual Jake Wade media award to Mel Greenberg in recognition of his role in helping collegiate athletics. It is the first time a person associated primarily with women’s basketball will receive the honor. Mel, thank you for all that you do for providing outstanding coverage of women’s basketball. Congratulations! [RS] Get Your Own Gear at REALSPORTSMAG.COM.