Ask the Sun February 2006

Well, thanks for the head's up on Kayte. That said, while coaching is possible for players, giving them health is not. Kayte, while a great team player, has had recurring back problems that have plagued her career. While she could be an asset to a lot of teams, we feel there are 'better' fits for our team, names of which I can not divulge at this time. However, I appreciate your scouting report...do I owe you mileage??

Robin from North Granby, CT writes:
Is Jess Brungo still on the Sun roster?

Yes, Jess is on the Sun roster. She signed her option with the team for a fourth year, which takes her through the 2007 season. Currently, Jess is playing overseas.

Gabriella from Oakdale, CT writes:
Is it true that you are looking for people to sing the Star-Spangle Banner at the beginning of the games? And do they have to send in a DVD,VHS Or CD of them singing?

Oh say can you sing? I'm going to guess you are asking about yourself! SO, this is what you do: Send any of the above media to Bruce Cohn care of the Connecticut Sun, and he will have a look/listen. Assuming we have any openings remaining (very few exist), Bruce would be in contact with you to set up next steps.

Brent from Norwich, CT writes:
Is Scotty B coming back? We Love Scotty!! He is the best for crowd response. If so can we get more Wave action going this year. I believe the wave was only successful once. More audience participation means more fun for all of us. Thanks!!!

Is this Scotty B's dad? Well sir, even if you are not, I can assure you, plans have been set in motion to bring back this crowd pleaser. Lots of new things are happening this season, to ensure a fantastic fan experience! Different games, different activities, different video and a host of other 'stuff' to make Sun games even more enjoyable...as they say, 'wake the kids, phone the neighbors', good things are headed your way!

Carol from Niantic, CT writes:
What does it mean when a free agent is "cored" by their team? Thank you.

Carol - thank you for asking a basketball question! A "core" player simply means that the team in which this player is on the roster is now 'exclusively' theirs and in effect, takes away that players ability to be a free agent. Example, we 'cored' Taj last year. That gave us the ability to keep her on our roster (she was an unrestricted free agent)and not let her test the waters of free agency. Also, it gives the team the upper hand; instead of losing a player to another team, you could now trade her (with player's consent) and get a player (or more) in return.

Steve from Centerbrook, CT writes:
Just a comment. Great job to all of you that put on a great show. My daughter and i love to come and watch the sun. I also would like to say i think it would be great for marketing Idea to get Margo to go some dunk shots. That will bring the people in. GO SUN GO

Thanks for the nice comments! Regarding Margo, if I had a dollar for everyone who suggested she dunk, I would be well-off. The reality is, that is not Margo's style or personality - according to her, dunking would be 'showing up' your opponent. Hopefully, the view on this has changed over time and dunking becomes a possibility for 2006! Our cameras are rolling, fingers are crossed...will she?

Bill from Madison, CT writes:
Question: I had the distinct pleasure - make that thrill - of meeting Lindsay Whalen and chatting briefly with her during Lindsay's High School Jamm appearance in Old Saybrook. Lindsay is an amazing warrior on the court, yet very approachable, pleasant and down-to-earth off of it. What is the Sun's timeline for Lindsay's rehab and recovery following her recent foot surgery?

Bill, you hit the nail on the head, Lindsay is a heck of a kid on and off the court! We are very pleased that she is a part of our organization and hope that she convalesces her foot quicker than the docs expect. That said, it is our expectation that Lindsay will be on the court practicing by May, however, she may not be ready for game action until a few games into the season....as they say, time will tell!

Garry from Pompfret, CT writes:
Since the sun pick relatively late in the draft (28&42),yet have two players drafted last year that haven't played yet, are you likely to trade down for a pick next year?

The draft is not too deep. That said, in my opinion, for a 'quality' player, you need to trade to get a player of value with a good chance of making the team. However, other teams still need utility players and there are always hidden gems. What we do is assess all our options and do not discount anything. Hopefully, as we approach draft day, we will have some offers on the table that solidify what to do with those picks. However, sometimes the best move is to make no move at all.

Deb from Chicopee, MA writes:
Hi - I noticed in the online poll that most fans thought the Sun needed quality back-ups for this season. Yes, we did suffer in the post-seson without Lindsay, but Jen and Jaime did a solid job in her place, especially considering their lack of playing time in the regular season. Asjha did a fantastic job in Margo's absence when she was in Poland. My opinion is that we HAVE some quality back-ups - they just need some more playing time. If you look at the way some of our non-starters are doing overseas this off-season, we look to be in great shape this year. Is there a plan to rotate the bench in more often this year to allow them to be of more help in case of injury or absence of our starters?

You have made some good observations about our team and the quality of players on the roster. We do feel that we are strong and deep on the bench. However, rotation is based on game situations. Understanding the need to get experience to these players, you also need to rely on the starters - it is a catch-22 of sorts. All this said, the way that we are shaping up the team, we will be even more solid and it could create more opportunities to spread out more minutes. The key is health at all positions, starter or off the bench.

Rose from Middletown, CT writes:
We love the Connecticut Sun. This will be our 4th year as season ticket holders. It would be nice if the Sun offered banners we could display outside our home to show the pride we have in the Sun. Do you think this will be forthcoming?

Hmmmm. I like the way you think! I will pass along your thought to the merchandising folks to see if that is a possibility. I am all for branding of the team (I have to put a marketing spin on it!) and getting people to show their support. I will work on the banners, you work on getting all your friends to join you at our games, deal?