Game 1's Five Cool Things

The Last Sun Team Bean?
Dippin' Dots Ice Scream
Ballon Artists
No. 1 Fan
Dance Team sister tandem

Casting Their Votes

When Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo placed a call to Montville, Conn. Mayor Joseph Jaskiewicz (left) recently offering him a friendly bet over which politician's local WNBA team would win the Finals, Jaskiewicz didn't even hesitate to accept.

After all, his Connecticut Sun posted the league's best regular season record. And, along with Montville Council Deputy Chairman Patrick Dunion (right), he remained confident at Game 2 about their squad's chances despite a 1-0 deficit.

"You don't make a bet and expect to lose," said Jaskiewicz, sending those seated around him into a state of laughter.

Let's hope not. Should he indeed lose, Jaskiewicz will have to wear a Monarchs shirt for a day; should the reverse occur, Fargo will do the same with a Sun shirt.

Movie Star

Ruthie Bolton was in the house for the second consecutive night. Bolton played eight years in a Monarchs uniform before retiring this season in favor of a front office job in fan development. The two-time Olympic Gold Medalist was elated to see her team finally make it to the Finals.

"It feels awesome," she said from her seat behind the Sacramento bench alongside Lady Grooms. "Being a part of an organization eight years, we got stuck for three years in the West Finals."

Although Bolton admits it was hard to walk way, she's said she is glad to pass on the torch to the team's young players. And even though she would have liked to have won at least one WNBA Championship in her playing career, she'd prefer her efforts be judged by what she did off the court.

"I want people to remember my basketball but it's more rewarding when a fan says 'What stands out is your loyalty and your character,'" she said.

Despite her retirement, Bolton is continuing the involvement she had as a player in working to enrich the lives of children. For the last three months the production company Hooks and Taylor has been making a documentary telling her story. Once it's completed, Bolton promised to fill WNBA.com in on the details. Stay tuned.

There She Is...

Having honed her craft since the age of five, Miss Connecticut Dianna Baitinger performed this evening's National Anthem. The Berklee College of Music graduate beat out 19 other young ladies to earn her title after competing in local pageants the previous five years.

The role of Miss Connecticut is a fulltime job, with Dianna making appearances all over the state over the course of the year. Her issue of concern is Youth Suicide and Prevention, and she'll participate for the title of Miss America in January.

Most recently she spoke and sang at the Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN) event in Washington, D.C.

Gettin' the Party Started

In-game host Scotty B. energized the crown all night with promotional contests at the whistles and yells of "Show love for your teammmmm!!!"

In his third year with the Sun, the former hip-hop dancer for the WNBA's Orlando Miracle also works Orlando Magic contests. He performed at both the NBA and WNBA All-Star games this season, and says there's a difference between the crowds of the respective leagues.

"WNBA fans are more free-spirited," Scotty B. remarked.

Dream Come True

Seated at Mohegan Sun's lower-level was none other than WNBA.com Triple Threat Fantasy Challenge winner Linda De Palma. The New York native won a trip to The Finals to see Game 2 but managed to find a seat on the upper level for Game 1 on her own.

De Palma has been playing WNBA fantasy basketball ever since its start, and says she saved her best picks for the end of the Fantasy week. "Everyone would pick the best players at the beginning of the week and would start out on top of the standings," she said. "As the week went on, they dropped and I went up."

DePalma was a regular at New York Liberty games before transplanting to Florida 10 months ago. Before she made the move, however, she made sure she'd still be able to get her WNBA fix by confirming that the local cable company carried NBA TV.

Now that's a fan.