Tune in to the Mystics! Read what our players, coaches and staff are sharing with fans (and each other) every day ...
Monday: Mystics Staff
Tuesday: Mystics GM Linda Hargrove
Wednesday: Mystics Staff
Thursday: Mystics COO Greg Bibb
Friday: Guest blogger
Wednesday, May 14 - Marty Lerner welcomes husband Alan and daughter Alexa home.
As I sit here bleary-eyed, I revel in the fact that I took my last late-night flight from St. Louis back to D.C. I’m happy to report that Alan (my hubbie) and Alexa make the permanent move to D.C. this weekend --- just in time for our home opener on May 25th.
So what’s new in the world of Partnerships, you may ask?
- This week is WNBA Cares Week. We’re excited to be visiting with our key partner, Sibley Memorial Hospital, on Thursday, May 15th. Alana and Taj will be meeting and greeting with Sibley Hospital employees. Be on the look out for pictures on our site.
- CareFirst – Community Three’s. This exciting program will benefit Girls, Inc. of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. With every three pointer in-season, CareFirst will donate $100 to Girls, Inc.
- Season Launch Block Party – Powered by Under Armour. This pre-game event will take place on F Street on Sunday, May 25th as we take on the Houston Comets. Bring your whole family to enjoy our fun festivities. Buy your tickets now to get in the action.
A shout out to Alexa who graduates on Friday from Pre-K. Her daycare in St. Louis really pulls out all the stops. There’s a graduation ceremony complete with cap and gown and handing out of diplomas. How quickly time flies that my little girl is now moving on to kindergarten in the fall.
I also want to give props to Alan. He has been an amazing partner throughout our transition back to D.C. He has been a doting father, an airport shuttle driver, move coordinator, one of my most fervent supporters – always there when I need a “pick me up”, a constant play date for Alexa, a surrogate mother and much much more. I could not have done this without him.
Until next time.
Do you BELIEVE?
Tuesday, May 13 - Linda Hargrove checks in.
Hey All ...
Can you believe that our 2008 season begins this week? It seems that so much happens in the off-season to prepare for this week, it is here, and the season will just fly by. We play our final preseason game tonight against Houston and then travel to Indiana for our first game on Saturday. I spoke with Lin Dunn last night and she still doesn’t have some of her key players in camp. It is so hard to prepare for the season when key parts are gone for most of the preparation period. You don’t have the opportunity to give players some time off after coming back to our teams from overseas and most of them are nursing some nagging problems and need the time off.
So far we have had a very successful preseason. The players that we brought into training camp were very hard workers and picked things up really fast. Some will make our team. Our draft was solid and a couple of those players will survive the final cuts. The off season trades have kept veterans in our line up and given us a chance to get another first round pick next year and the free agent that we signed in the off season has been solid. I still believe that our team may be a work in progress but I feel really good about where we are right now. The chemistry is really good and as we continue to mesh, get more comfortable with each other and gain confidence I see good things on the horizon for the Mystics and their fans.
I had a chance to go home for the weekend and spend some time with my Mom, kids and grandkids. Mother’s Day becomes even more special when you aren’t around your family on a consistent basis. I had a chance to cook, play ball with my grandkids, eat at my favorite Wichita restaurants, see a sick aunt and a niece who has cancer and hug my Mom. I lost my Dad about a year and a half ago and as we get older and watch our parents age these times together become so special. I love being with my Mystics family but everyone needs to cling to those special moments with our families, especially on holidays.
I’m looking forward to reconnecting with some of our fans tonight. We have such a great core group that has been with the Mystics for a long time and some who have just found women’s basketball. Your input is always appreciated and hearing what you think is important to me. Houston has put together a very experienced veteran group and it will be interesting to see how we respond tonight. I like the mix of vets and young players that we have and look for a lot of improvement as the year progresses.
See you in the gym ...
Linda
Monday, May 12 - Lauren Lafayette looks back on Mother's Day weekend.
Good Monday Morning Mystics Family and Friends!!!
First, let me wish all of the mothers a Happy Belated Mother's Day!! Staying within the Mother's Day spirit, I had a phenomenal past weekend with my own mother. While to many this may not sound like too eventful of a weekend, I recently relocated to the Metro DC area from Detroit. A native mid-westerner born and bred, I never really imagined myself trading my nine month Michigan winters for the fast pace and loud sounds of the East Coast. As adjustment has been difficult over the last few months, I have really learned to embrace the sights and sounds of the city.
However, for my mother this is a different case. Although we have been on numerous family vacations and roadtrips around the U.S., my mother is still a native Michigander at heart. Riding the Metro, constant traffic, reckless driving and extensive undergroung parking was enough to exhaust my mother before we even reached downtown. Finally, once we arrived my mother who is a very active person was ready to call it a day before even having lunch. After re-fueling at a local eatery, she was ready once again to hit the city. The rest of our day was spent enjoying the local retailers (Yes!!! FREE STUFF) and museums.
All in all I can say this weekend was one to remember. While I still miss the shared camaraderie at the Big House and the Coney Dogs ( for all those not from Metro Detroit, chili hot dogs) from the local Coney Island, I am starting to love...or at least like DC.
Well, going to sleep now so hope to see you all during the season!!!!
The Newest Member of the Mystics Family,
~Lauren
Friday, May 9 - Crystal Langhorne checks in following a busy week in Tampa and New York.
This past week has been too long. We were in Tampa for training camp and it was great. We got some quality practices in and we also got to do other things. Our president Sheila Johnson had a dinner for us on Friday night. The food was excellent, the fish came out of the Atlantic Ocean less than 24 hours before we ate it. Her chef made us a great meal that night and also the next night. We had a bbq and once again the food was delicious. Those team outings were good because we got to know each other better.
We finished off our Tampa trip with a game against Sacramento. We won in overtime and it was pretty exciting. It was weird playing in that game because my old teammate Laura Harper was playing. After the game Laura and I got to hang out and that was great. It was good to see her.
We then went up to NY to play. Our trip was great because we take an Amtrak train to NY. It's so much easier than a plane because the seats are so comfy and we don't need to check in or anything like a flight.
Special Note: Hey Mystics fans! Be sure to come out and see Pax this Saturday May 10 from 12 - 2pm at Union Station for National Train Day!!
Thursday, May 8 - Greg Bibb checks in.
A Winning Start…
I recently returned from the University of Tampa where the Mystics played the team’s first pre-season game of the 2008 campaign. As you know by now, Washington came away with a 90-82 (OT) victory vs. the Sacramento Monarchs on Monday night.
The game in Tampa allowed the coaching staff the opportunity to look at some new faces while implementing the offensive and defensive schemes. For the players, the pre-season tilt provided the chance to compete against somebody from another team. Most importantly though, Monday’s game provided our young club with the opportunity to face, and eventually overcome, adversity.
I have to give Sacramento a ton of credit. They traveled across country and dressed just nine players, many of whom were either fresh faces or non-starters. Despite these challenges, the Monarchs absorbed a 13-0 first-quarter Mystics run, overcame a 37-33 halftime deficit, and were a few seconds and one big Taj McWilliams-Franklin basket away from winning the game.
On the flip side, I thought we played well at the start of the contest, poorly through the middle part of the tilt, and great at the end. I thought our pressure defense and timely shooting down the stretch were the two keys to the game. Moreover, we were a perfect 10 for 10 from the charity stripe in the extra session.
While I wasn’t overly impressed with our play for all forty minutes of regulation, I was extremely happy with the way the team fought back and then eventually put the Monarchs away. Pre-season is pre-season and at the end of the year no one is going to remember this game in Tampa; however, I think this victory was exactly what we needed to get our 2008 season off on the right foot.
From an individual perspective, I was most impressed by a trio of players…the aforementioned McWilliliams-Franklin as well as Nikki Blue and Krystal Vaughn. Taj did what Taj does...she played very efficient basketball, posting 16 points on seven of 11 shooting while hitting the big shot to send the game into the extra frame. Nikki logged a game-high 35 minutes, scored fifteen points and registered five assists. Most importantly, she joined Coco Miller in keeping us perfect at the free throw line during overtime.
Then there is Krystal Vaughn. Here’s a kid who has impressed everybody with her talent and work ethic during our training camp. Now the she’s been charged with learning a new position while fighting for a roster spot. While her performance on Monday left plenty of room for improvement (see two of nine shooting and five turnovers), her athleticism and her energy were two big reasons we won. The shooting and turnover numbers are what you would expect from a player tasting her first game action in a new position. Her game-high nine rebounds strengthened her case for making our team. Krystal has turned out to be the most interesting story of this year’s training camp.
I also thought Crystal Langhorne played a solid 16 minutes while doing some nice things, particularly at the defensive end of the floor. Finally, I thought Coco and Amber Jacobs had solid, albeit somewhat quiet, games.
Overall, we shot a decent 50.8% from the field as a team, which is a good start for a team that shot a league-worst 40.4% a season ago. Unfortunately, our field goal percentage was off-set by a tough night at the free throw line where we were a collective 11 for 23 in regulation before our 10 for 10 run in overtime.
So pre-season game one is in the books as a win. Now we head to New York today to face the Liberty. The current roster will be joined by some familiar faces in Alana Beard, Monique Currie, and Laurie Koehn. Unfortunately when more veterans return, some others must go and we say goodbye to Sarah-Jo Lawrence, Rashida Suber, and Jillian Robbins.
In conclusion, I like where we are heading. I think we have a talented, athletic, and hungry team. I thing our chemistry is right and I believe everyone understands their role and purpose. It’s on to NYC. We’ll see what happens.
Until next time,
Go Mystics!
Wednesday, May 7 - Nicole Jones make gift suggestions on this Mother’s Day.
Hey Mystics Fans!!!!
It’s me again. So many things are going on right now that it’s not even funny. It’s May, the season is literally heading into full swing, and I just bought my first car. So what do I talk about today? I’ve got it! Sunday’s Mother’s Day. How do you express your love and respect for someone that literally gave you life? How do you make it different and special from every other day? Any suggestions are appreciated.
Well I know that for me, I normally find a card that seems to say exactly what I would say through every word. Then, I may have some flowers sent to the house and either cook dinner or take Mom out somewhere. Of course there’s always the gift route. But again, what do you buy someone that has everything? Or at least everything you can afford to buy. I’ve always heard mothers say that they don’t need anything special. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on them. But come on. Just try to get away with not buying or giving Mom something special on Sunday. You’ll be the talk of the town---and not in a good way.
Just in case you’ve dropped the ball or are trying to do something different, here’s a suggestion for you - Washington Mystics Season Tickets. They make a great gift. We’re just 18 days away from the official start of the season. There are a plethora of options if 18 home games seem to be too much of a commitment. There’s a six-game package, three-game package, and Family Packages available. Mystics games provide great entertainment and are the most affordable option on a professional sports team level.
At the very least, treat Mom to at least one game this season. Ideally, the Mystics home opener on Sunday, May 25th against the Houston Comets at 4pm. There will also be a Season Launch Block Party presented by Under Armour in front of the Verizon Center on F Street, NW, between 6th & 7th Streets, from 12 - 3pm! Don’t miss out! Call 202-527-7516 or email njones@washmystics.com today for tickets.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Until next time,
Nicole Jones
Monday, May 5 - Rebecca Hunt checks in.
Happy Monday Mystics fans!!!!
Hopefully everyone had a great weekend and got to enjoy the nice weather. I know I had a “novel” idea to head to Home Depot on Sunday afternoon to get some plants and things to spruce up my deck. $85, 2 hours and severe whiplash later (seems like everyone had the great idea to head to Home Depot and the garden center was a freefrall with everyone snatching plants and attempting to operate extra large flatbed carts by running into other patrons in their haste to get the last hanging pot of pink begonias) I was home again happily planting. My roommates can attest I am no green thumb; in fact I am the best person I know at killing anything green. So this weekend is as good as the deck will look (at least until my mama comes for a visit ;) ) After a hard day of gardening I was able to top off the evening with a cookout and a cocktail.
I was not the only one working hard this weekend, the Mystics players are busily preparing in Tampa for the preseason game today. All the training camp invitees and draft picks are working hard to earn a spot on the 2008 roster. With more of the veterans back in town things are really heating up! The season is officially here. As I was leaving the Verizon Center on Friday night I stopped to talk with some of the building employees and with the Wizards being knocked out of the playoffs they tell me they are ready for the Mystics season, no rest for the weary with those guys!
Well, I hope everyone has a great Cinco de Mayo and be sure to check out the website tomorrow for a recap of our first official preseason game!
Friday, May 2 - Crystal Langhorne talks about her first week in Camp.
The first few days of training camp for me have been going ok. It's taken me a while to get adjusted because I flew in from China the day before I came to camp. There is a twelve hour difference between China and the east coast and it was like I was practicing at midnight when I came back to the states.
The coaches and players have been very welcoming to me and helped me out with a lot of the plays since I came to camp a week late. It is all a lot to take in, but everyone is making it a lot easier for me. Practices have been very intense and I was pretty sore my first three days. Now I am getting more adjusted because I am finally getting used to the time and I am feeling less sore.
We just flew out to Tampa to finish off training camp and it is beautiful here. The weather is great and it's a great place to train. However, our coach told us this isn't a vacation and we need to focus on basketball and I think we all agree. We have our minds focused on practicing hard and getting ready for Sacramento on Monday night.
Thursday, May 1 - Greg Bibb checks in.
Happy May Day! This month means a bunch of things to me. Growing up, May always felt like a long Friday as the school year was coming to a close. May also means warmer temperatures and longer days. Finally, May means game time is here as the Mystics prepare for a slate of pre-season contests and tip-off to the 2008 regular season.
Camp Chatter
We are now well into week two of training camp and slowly our veteran players are arriving from their overseas playing commitments. Despite the presence of more and more established players, several of our newcomers continue to shine. This list includes all three of our draft picks.
I also wanted to give a shout-out of gratitude to the Washington Post and our 2008 beat writer, Katie Carrera. Katie has maintained a consistent presence at our camp and has produced some outstanding stories during the early part of our season.
Now it’s off to Tampa to train for several days before playing our first pre-season game vs. the Sacramento Monarchs on Monday night. We’ll then be back in town on Tuesday prior to heading to New York to face the Liberty in a pre-season tilt on May 8. We’ll conclude our pre-season slate at home vs. the Houston Comets on Tuesday, May 13. Tip-off is 7pm.
Finally, I wanted to give a big thank you to the good folks at Trinity University who once again proved to be outstanding hosts for the opening leg of our training camp. We appreciate all you do for the Mystics and hope you’ll have us back again next year.
The Big Game Rewind
By now you know the Mystics enjoyed a pretty decent showing against the DC 101 FM Elliot in the Morning Show last Thursday. After taking an early 21-4 first quarter lead and pushing to a 42-4 advantage at the half, the ladies eased to an 83-23 victory. What you may not know is we had a blast doing it. Elliot and his crew were fantastic hosts who were very gracious in defeat. In fact, they even presented us with a trophy to commemorate our victory.
I would like to thank the University of Maryland for their hospitality. The Comcast Center is an awesome venue and we were treated great during our stay. Finally, please remember to tune into Elliot’s morning show all summer long as he talks Mystics basketball…after all, the Mystics won and it’s time to pay up!
Tip-Off Package
If you are new to Mystics basketball, or if you are a fan who just can’t commit schedule-wise to a full season ticket package, the team has something new for you. We have just launched a “Tip-Off Package” which provides tickets to the first three games of the 2008 season…May 25 vs. Houston, May 27 vs. Atlanta and May 31 vs. Los Angeles. Through this offer, you’ll be here for the home opener, the first appearance of the expansion Atlanta Dream and the Washington introduction of Candace Parker. Moreover, the package includes discounts off the gate ticket price and a meet-and-greet when LA is in town. For more information, give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1.
Sharing the Joy
We hit another milestone at home with Adelyn this past week. Much to dad’s surprise and pleasure, Adelyn offered to share her food. Addy made the gesture for the first time on Sunday night and then followed-up by extending the offer again on Monday evening. For some reason, this really impressed me. I feel as if her interactivity and awareness has moved to a new level. Over the past month or so, she has really developed into a little person, rather than an infant. Tara, who gets to spend all day with Addy, was equally impressed but counseled me to manage my expectations and stop with the baby genius talk.
MISL Reunion
I had the opportunity to travel to Milwaukee this past weekend to watch the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) Championship Game and catch up with a bunch of old friends. I spent 10 years working in the MISL and over that time I developed a great love for the indoor soccer game and a tremendous amount of respect for the people who play and work in the sport. Baltimore beat Monterrey, Mexico to claim the team’s fourth title in six seasons while I re-connected with some of my very best professional friends. Good luck to the MISL as it works towards a 2008-09 campaign.
Birthday Bash
Adelyn has been invited to her good friend Elise Espenshade’s second birthday party this weekend, so on Saturday we’ll make the trek to Lancaster County, PA. The party should be a blast as there will be horses to ride, sheep to feed and games to play. I have a funny feeling that this is the official start to my service time as my daughter’s official chauffer and social life enabler.
Website of the Week
Looking for a fun and educational website for your little one? Visit Noggin.com. This site serves as the online home for Noggin, the only commercial-free educational channel dedicated to preschoolers. Noggin.com gives show schedules and information as well as videos from all the channel’s programs. There’s also a parents section that provides a bounty of insight in helping you raise a smart, active, and healthy young person. Check it out and if you like what you see, contact your local cable or satellite provider to find out how you and your family can add the channel.
Quote of the Week
“Success is falling down nine times and getting up ten.”
Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts
• The Lakers looked really good in dispatching the all-offense, all-the-time Denver Nuggets. Could Kobe and crew be poised for a return to the NBA Finals?
• As a Steelers fan, I love the team’s first round pick, Rashard Mendenhall. This University of Illinois running back will make a big splash in the NFL.
• Speaking of the NFL Draft, what are the chances of the first two picks sharing the same last name? It happened this year with Michigan’s Jake Long going number one overall to Miami and the University of Virginia’s Chris Long being selected second overall by St. Louis.
• Mother’s Day is just 10 days away…be sure to do something nice for Mom this year.
• We are just 16 days away from game number one in Indiana! Do you BELIEVE?
Until next time,
Go Mystics!
