Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird, a First Team All-WNBA selection in all three of her seasons in the league, spent the last four months playing overseas in Russia with Dynamo Moscow in the EuroLeague. She departed on January 1 and will be there with them through the completion of the Russian League finals, sometime in the next two weeks. She has been checking in and sharing her experiences with WNBA.com twice a month and this will be her final journal from overseas.
April 22, 2005, Moscow, Russia: So this is it ladies and gentlemen... Get out your Kleenex out put your Boys II Men CD on, as this is my final journal entry! I have to admit, when I look back at the last four months, I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. It feels like just yesterday that I first set foot on Russian soil and laid my eyes on the Red Square. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.
With that in mind, however, I'd be lying if I told you all I wasn't
extremely excited to be heading home. The thought of New York bagels alone brings
me a warm, fuzzy feeling, and that doesn't even come close to how I feel when
I think about my new condo in Seattle. This last month has been a test of patience
but luckily for me, I've had a lot to keep me busy.
Earlier this month,
a friend of mine from home came for a visit. He was only here for five days, but
we still managed to squeeze in all the "must sees" of Moscow: sushi, an American
diner, Red Square, a Techno Club, some basketball games and, of course, hitch
hiking. It was a quick visit, but it was great to have a close friend come out
here and see how I've been living on the other side of the globe. Before I knew
it, though, it was time for him to leave.
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| Brad and I at the Starlight Diner. |
Luckily for me, the 2005 WNBA Draft
was the following day. It was definitely an interesting Draft because a lot of
people said it wasn't as strong or deep as last year's. This may be true, but
I really feel like there are going to be a lot players that might sneak up on
you. I especially think the Storm had some great pick-ups. Obviously I'm a little
biased considering one of them is UConn alum Ashley Battle (Welcome to Seattle,
A.B.!!!). So I am very happy! Just hearing about the Draft as well as the other
players our team has acquired has really pumped me of for this summer. I literally
day dream about stepping off the plane at Sea-Tac airport, getting a tall mocha
at Starbucks and driving straight to Key Arena. But I also know that there is
much to be done here before I can get there.
The Russian League playoffs
have been under way for a little over two weeks now, and I'm happy to report that
we have advanced to the Finals. It was actually a lot of fun because everyone
involved with Dynamo was SUPER excited. Upon returning from Game One with a victory,
we were greeted with kisses and roses. We are not just playing for a championship,
I now realize, but we're playing for bragging rights as well. Our next opponent
will be Samara, who, right now, is the best team in Russia and all of Europe.
Similar to how the WNBA will operate this year, we will play them in a 5-game
series starting on April 29th. We are 1-1 against them this season, and you know
how the playoffs are. Anything can happen, so I'm sure it will be an interesting
series. Still, one of the best things about playing in the Finals is that it's
almost time to go home. Don't get me wrong, it is very exciting to be playing
for a championship but I just can't help but be reminded that this marks the end
of my time here in Moscow.
Yes, its been an amazing experience and I have the memories, stories and pictures to prove it, but I'm definitely starting to get an itch... and that itch has America written all over it! Lots of people ask me what it is I want to do when I first get back and, to be honest, the answer is that I have no idea! I'm starting to realize that it is the little things that I've missed the most. Driving my own car, being able to order on my own and not having to take 10 minutes to calculate the time (they use a 24-hour clock in Europe) come to my mind first, but its really just about the people for me. There are a lot of people who I just can't wait to see and spend time with, and that is what I've missed the most.
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| Mwadi's brother, Ted, and I. |
