Ruth Riley

Second installment: Oct. 17, 2003
Russia has truly been an experience so far. We were delighted to see that the Renaissance Hotel we are staying in is brand new; it even meets Cheryl Ford's standards (she previously played in Russia for a high school USA team with Kara Lawson).  The chemistry on our team is great.  The competition doesn't stop on the court, as there have been many games of Scattergories, spades and other card games to pass the time. 

LaToya Thomas, Michelle Snow, Marie Ferdinand and Cheryl Ford show how happy they are to get a little tast of home at the local McDonald's. WNBAE/Getty Images

Our games have been a learning process.  Since we haven't had much time together, we are learning a lot as we go.  The two wins against Korea and Brazil have put us in position to be in the championship round.  There has been a lot of talk between the WNBA players from different teams -- one wouldn't expect anything less. It definitely makes for a great tournament!

If you've been watching the games on NBA TV or checking the scores on the WNBA.com or FIBA.com, you know that we lost to the UMMC-Ekaterinburg (Russia) team in Game 3 — but you can bet that we would love to play them again!  Pool play is finished, and now we match up against an experienced team from France in the semifinals (which boasts former Cleveland center Ann Wauters and Allison Feaster from the Charlotte Sting).

Everyone went dancing on Thursday night, and it gave everyone an opportunity to show their skills (or lack thereof in some cases) on the dance floor!  Today was our one day off since we've been here.  Our generous hosts planned a trip for all the teams to go to the Russian Circus. Most of the circus is on ice, which I'm truly amazed by since I can't skate. They even had polar bears there that had to be taller than Shaq on ice skates! It's kind of sad when I get shown up by polar bears.  Then, it was back to the American way for dinner, as the USA team invaded the McDonald's in Samara.

Now we are preparing for the final two days, and then we head back to the States!

First installment
Training in New York is over, and we are off to take our talents to the hardwood floors of Russia. It is an honor to be a part of the first Women’s World Cup team, representing the WNBA. I have had the opportunity to play in many different countries, but my heart will always be with the WNBA — the league that allows us to play at home in the United States.

Ruth Riley and the WNBA Select team works out in New York. WNBAE/Getty Images

As a player going into my fourth year in the league, I am one of the older members on this team. It’s an exciting experience for me to play with the young players of our league. This team demonstrates how our league is evolving, the talent of the youth of today is better than that of yesterday and will only be surpassed by that of tomorrow.

On another note, our team is working hard and having fun. The days have gone by quickly, and we only had a few days of practice before we left. One of those days consisted of a trip to the mall. With a team full of girls, it’s to be expected. The main reason for that trip was to stock up on all the snacks that we could fit into our bags. From cookies and chips, to candy and Power Bars, we have every major snack food group covered. [WNBA Director of Basketball Operations] Tracy Ellis-Ward was nice enough to have us over to her house for a farewell dinner, and, yes, this white girl eats soul food! Catfish, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, you name it. Cheryl Ford said that it was a little cruel, because it would be a while before she would be eating that food again. Either way, it was a great last meal.

Upon returning to the hotel, we heard what sounded like some hip hop music coming from one of the meeting rooms. You can bet that sparked our team’s interest. Come to find out someone was celebrating their 16th birthday, and we kind of crashed the party. When I say "we," that means Coach Cooperas well as some select players.

I’m sure my next entry will have some lovely updates from our experiences in Russia. As always, we appreciate the support of all our loyal WNBA fans, especially in the offseason!