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Dawn Staley Position: G. Born: May 4, 1970 Height: 5-6 / 1,68 Weight: 134 lbs. / 60,8 kg. College : Virginia '92 |
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Dawn Staley ended her playing days as one of the most accomplished point guards in basketball history.
Besides becoming a five-time All-Star and a member of the WNBA All-Decade Team during her WNBA career,
the former Comets point guard is the only player in NCAA Final Four history to be named the NCAA Tournament's MVP without winning the national title and helped the U.S. women's national team collect three gold medals.
HoustonComets.com takes a look back at Staley's final season in a WNBA uniform -- in her own words. The following is Staley's blog that she contributed during the 2006 season:
08.22.06
I guess I knew by the middle of the third quarter. Sacramento had the momentum and they weren’t letting up. They countered any attempt we made at a run. They were relentless. Everything they touched was good. People who don’t shoot 3’s were making them. Post players were taking and making jump shots at will and they basically owned the paint. So, I played with hope, but in my heart I knew it was my final game…ever.
I was resolved until the final buzzer sounded. As we congratulated Sacramento, virtually every player said something heartfelt to me. I got a little teary-eyed, but quickly got it together. I don’t want to feel it yet. I don’t want to feel the loss I know I’m going to feel. I don’t want to hurt. I’m losing my first love. I think this is the love I will never get over. You know… “The one.” The funny thing is, from the beginning of the relationship, I knew there would be no happy ending. How do you just happily let go of something you love so much? So… I’m not happy. But I’m so tired; I know it’s time for us to go our separate ways. To go any longer would be disrespectful to the game. So, I pray- resolve will come in time. Like everything, it will take time. I’m going to give it time.
Everyone is afraid to call me. They don’t know what to say. Some of my players have text messaged me. Others have sent word through the text messages of others. My family calls, but will only stay on the phone for a minute or two. I’m ok. Of course, I wish our season had a better outcome, but when I think about it, we didn’t do too badly. We had to have the most injuries in the WNBA, but we held on anyway. Then, infusing players fresh off of IR into the existing line up was just hard. We just needed a little more time. We needed to make adjustments. Had we been able to push Sac into a game third game, we would have given them a run for their money… no doubt.
But honestly, championship or no championship, I have nothing to complain about. Along with Lisa and Sheryl, I have had one of the most decorated careers of all time. And truthfully, we are probably the last to have 20 year careers. I have been all over the world and have been able to take care of myself and my family… all while doing what I love. So, to complain about not winning a championship, after everything I’ve accomplished would be just plain selfish and ungrateful.
So I’m thankful.
I’m thankful to have ended my career here in Houston…happy. The city, the fans and the organization welcomed me from the day I arrived. And the team… the team was great. I loved this team. They were fun, silly, competitive and professional. I was able to show all of me. I had no reservations. I was able to dance, sing (loud) and be silly. But when it was time to work, I was taken seriously and everyone showed a tremendous amount of respect.
I am thankful to the coaching staff. They treated me as if I had been with the team since the start. Karlene was the voice of reason, Kevin was the constant (even with the rubber band he gave me every game) and Tom was the energy every staff needs. And Coach Chancellor… what can be said about Coach Chancellor? He expected my input but still allowed me to be a player. I never felt pressure. I was told what to do and I did it. I wasn’t asked to be something I’m not or to work miracles.
Miracles…
Finally, I have to thank God. My mother always says I’m in God’s favor and I believe her. There is absolutely no reason I should still be able to play with these knees. Yeah… the infamous knees everyone always talks about. The same knees that never allowed me to miss a game…not one. The knees God gave me as my one obstacle in this game…my test of will and my barometer for humility. The same knees I have never questioned and will never question because I know they were given to me for a reason. Just like basketball was given to me for life. Thank you God.
So now… I’m officially retired. But…if my girls at Temple are reading this… beware. I’m on my way back to Philly and I’m only a baby in coaching.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING HOUSTON!!!!
08.15.06
You can think and think and think about how you’re going to handle a situation. But, once that same situation you have given so much thought to arrives, it rarely ever plays out the way it did in your head. This was true for me this week. When I think about it, this, my final week of the regular season, was the most anticipated week of my WNBA career.
The week began with a loss to Connecticut. Then, we headed out to Charlotte. I can’t really explain how I felt to be in Charlotte again. To really understand the relationship between me and that franchise, just think about what Tina and Sheryl mean to Houston. My relationship with the Sting was very similar, only in a much smaller market. So it was tough. It was tough to leave, especially the way I left. Then, to have to go back in the last week of my final season, when the stakes were so high, was almost unfair. I guess I can say I was emotional. I actually didn’t think I would be.
They’re in a new arena, so it didn’t feel real familiar. Most of the players are new, so although I know most of them, I didn’t have the opportunity to gain the closeness I did when I played with Allison Feaster, Tammy Sutton-Brown, Andrea Stinson and Charlotte Smith. Truthfully, it was the fans that got me. The fans wearing my jersey, calling my name and giving me a standing ovation. Now… that was emotional. I guess for the first time, I realized it was really over. Although I have been celebrated in other arenas and there have been dozens of articles on my retirement, being in Charlotte made it real.
What made it even more real was our final home game against Seattle. We put ourselves in a hole by not beating Connecticut, Charlotte or Phoenix. We had to beat Seattle in order to take third place as well as to stay in playoff contention. If we lost, we would need Phoenix to lose in order to get in the playoff run. So… not only was this my last home season game- ever, it was also a must win. To make matters worse, I was hosting a breakfast for grandmothers and two clinics on the Friday before the game. On top of that, I had about 30 people in town to celebrate my final game. It was just a lot going on before a big game.
The breakfast was great and heartfelt. The clinics were fun and intimate. But the highlight of the week (outside of our beating Seattle) was the post-game celebration for my retirement. I know it sounds selfish, but it’s true. It was really nice. Actually, it was more than nice, it was exceptional. I didn’t really have any expectations of the day. I knew I didn’t have history or tradition with the Comets and I just didn’t feel the organization would do anything special. But, being the upstanding organization they are, they put together a very special program.
The event began with a video of other players talking about me… all good things luckily. Then they introduced invited guests they flew in town. There was a special teammate from every team I have played on throughout my career. Sheryl and Tina started if off. Then, they brought in Shelia Hardgraves from my high school. Teresa Edward came to represent the ABL’s Philadelphia Rage and USA Basketball. Kathy McConnell Miller and Heidi Burge Horton came to represent UVA. Finally, Tracey Reid (where has she been) and Anne Donovan were there to represent the Sting. They each gave me a jersey from their particular team. They introduced my family, and then gave me the mic. The greatness of the event was that it was so me. It wasn’t a lot of glitz and glamour. It was personal and thoughtful. I loved it. And… I was really surprised.
The surprises didn’t stop there either. Raye Pond, my long time NIKE rep hosted a reception immediately following the on court presentation. She put together a video presentation of my life with NIKE and a book that you would swear was put together professionally. Then, a very special season ticket holder gave me a surprise party at Drexler’s place. The party started a little slow, then we started dancing and danced for hours.
After Drexlers, I did something I NEVER do; I went club hopping. About 12 of us went to some of the hottest clubs in Houston. I have never gone club hopping before… in life
(I know… sad). I can’t say it is something I will do again, but it was fun.
I am so grateful to Andrea Young and the Comets organization for appreciating me. I will never forget it.
We’re still standing!!! Playoff bound!
08.08.06
Sometimes I think I’m crazy. For the past few days I have been obsessed with WNBA standings. I have created my own cheat sheet with the standings of every team in playoff contention in the Western Conference. It would be normal to be relatively concerned, as we have not clinched a playoff spot. But I take it just a step further.
In this detailed list I have created, I have all records, all games to be played along with possible playoff scenarios. You know… if we win vs. if they lose vs. if we both win or lose. Yes…for every team. Sick right? It would be nice to just play and not concern myself with the things coaches should be concerned with. Goodness knows I have more than enough time to think about those types of things in my near future. But honestly, I can’t help it. I need to know where we stand. I need to know how long we have to hold on until we can get a few key players healthy, namely Tina and Dominique (Tameka and Tari just went down so I doubt if they have time to recover… which makes me sad). We’re in a race against time, and as usual, I want to win.
So… I’ve been trying to keep the team together and the morale high. Usually when we’re on the bus coming from shoot around everyone is occupied. Some people are listening to music and most are on their phones or texting. So, right before our Sacramento game, I stood up and walked to the middle of the bus and asked who wanted to talk. They all told me, almost in unison, to go back to my seat (I sit in the front). Not one to give up, I called Funk to come back (I have been calling Sheryl “Funk” for over a decade) to talk with me...and being my partner in crime, she came. So we made (almost having to use force in some cases- Michelle is in love with her phone) everyone get off the phone and turn off their music. We talked about the most obscure and random things we could think of. It was great.
Then, in the boldest move of the day, I invited the whole team to the mall with Sheryl (who was on her way there). Tamecka tried not to come until I started doing the scene from the Color Purple. You know, the one where
Whoopi’s character, Celie and her sister play patty cake and say, “I’ll never leave you.” Well, that got her. She got off the bus and we all walked to the mall…together. All except Roneeka who had a prior commitment, but should have just come because she called every five minutes to see what we were doing. Once we arrived at the mall we sat and ate lunch together… as a team.
It was a good time. As we ate we talked about the season, what was in this bag Tari carries everywhere and about the little sayings coach Chancellor has. Most ate at Hot-Dog-On-A-Stick. Last time we eat that for pre-game. We played horribly. It had to be the food…lol.
At Minnesota the fans and the organization welcomed me. They put together a presentation, gave me a Lynx jersey with my name on back and handed me the mic to address the crowd. It was nice. Once the ball went up the ceremony was over; we needed the win. They forced us to overtime. Funk played like a MVP and Snow was a beast!!! She went 21 and 23… beast!! I loved it. And…we needed it.
We need this game tomorrow too. We play Charlotte at Charlotte and we’re still short handed. Four of our injured players didn’t even make the trip. We traveled with nine. And, of course, this trip is bitter sweet for me. But- that’s ok.
08.01.06
They say reading is fundamental and I believe it. I have always believed that reading opens the doors to the world. It helps you with comprehension, writing, and just basic understanding. If a child can truly grasp the fundamentals of reading at an early age, in my opinion, their lives will be so much richer.
So this summer, I did my summer book club with the Boy and Girls Club of Houston. The kids were motivated, lively and extremely funny. On Friday, we had the conclusion of the book club. We ate pizza, and then got to work. The kids were grouped and I randomly asked questions. I was amazed at the answers they gave; they were thoughtful and complete. At the end, we gave the posters and t-shirts and they gave me a thank you poster and a cake. It was a great day and an even better experience.
Truthfully, this has been a pretty good week. We beat Phoenix twice and helped ourselves in our playoff run. I love this time of year. Crunch time! The West is sooooo close in the standings. The only team from the West guaranteed to make the playoffs is LA. Everyone else is fighting it out. This is what basketball is about...competition. It’s so exciting…and tiring.
We have to be the most banged up team in the league. I can’t think of another team that has our number of injuries. The fact that we’ve been winning is exceptional. It speaks to our desire and our ability to play through our discomfort and pain. We just have to keep it together. It looks like Tina and Dominique are ready to come back. They have both been on the court and have stated to practice a little. They should be ready for the post season…I hope.
Right now we’re on a six day road trip. My teammates are sick of me. Every summer I pick a summer song. Once I pick the song, I learn every work and sing it as often as I can and as loud as I can. I think I can sing, my teammates don’t. This year my song is Beyonce’s new song “De Ja Vu.” I love it. I sing it to the group. I sing it to them individually. I sing it with Beyonce and without. I even know the rap…except for this one part I cannot seem to get. They make fun of me and roll their eyes at me. But I know they truth…they’re just jealous. Lol.
Big week coming up. Did I mention I love this time of year?
07.24.06
Do you remember how you felt when you were just about to graduate from high school or maybe college? You know the feeling that’s a cross between excitement, anticipation and fear. You’re ready to get out, but you’ve been in school so long, you really don’t know how life will be without it. So you’re conflicted. You want out, but you’re not exactly sure what that means or if you will like what comes with being out. Can you remember that? If you can remember how you felt then, you know how I feel now.
I am officially three weeks away from our last regular season home game...my last regular season home game-ever. Which means (assuming we go to the championship), I am about six weeks away from never competitively playing basketball again. Such a trip. Although I am ready to be done, I would be lying if I didn’t say it’s a little scary.
For so long, every year has revolved around getting my body ready for something…the WNBA, World Championships, or the Olympics. I literally have a routine. Every part of my life has been concerned with my body and staying in shape. For instance, the one vacation I squeeze in at the end of April every year has been completely devoted to my routine. I go on vacation equipped with a work out from my trainer, Tonya Holley, and test all my limits. I work out three times a day and max out on weights and cardio. In between work-outs, I lie on the beach for a while then do it all over again. Sadly, this is the only vacation I know.
Now what am I going to do?
I’m not going to think about it for six more weeks.
Coach Chancellor graciously gave me two days to go recruiting over the weekend. I’m just getting back. I actually snuck up to Philly to meet with my freshmen in the middle of it all. They only know me as the cool coach that recruited them. I had to show them the other coach. They were up there having too much fun. So… we met and I explained how serious basketball is to me and should and will be to them. I think my seriousness took some of them by surprise. They’ll get used to me… God bless them.
I left Philly and went to Memphis to see some recruits. I returned to Houston this morning in time to make it to practice. Only six more weeks.
LA on Tues. We gotta’ get them!!!
07.20.06
Being voted as a starter in the 2006 All-Star Game in a small way reminded me of how I felt when I was voted to carry the US flag into the opening ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Game. It wasn’t something I expected, or even thought about for that matter. As with being the flag bearer, I felt I was an unlikely candidate. But somehow, like the captains of the Olympic team, fans saw my contributions to the sport as significant and worthy of such an honor.
So when I got the call from Renee Brown, the WNBA’s Chief Operating Officer, I was a little confused, a little overwhelmed, a little embarrassed and…honored. I had been playing well, but I wasn’t having what I considered to be an All-Star year. Then Renee reminded me that fans don’t vote on stats, but on whom they want to see. So it seems of the many, many gifts fans have given me over the years, this was their final gift; their goodbye.
Then I remembered. I remembered watching the NBA All-Star game every year when I was little. I would sit wedged between my brothers to participate in all the ooh’s and aww’s of the game. As soon as the last buzzer would sound indicating the game’s end, we would race to the blacktop courts, with what would seem like every young male in the projects, to have our very own All-Star game. We would pretend we were our favorite players and attempt to duplicate every move, cross over or hook we saw. Slowly, those moves would just become a natural part of our game.
Who would be watching out game that day? Whose game would we influence? Who would remember the 2006 All-Star Game when Michelle Snow dunked or when Katie Douglas won MVP?
It was opportunity, It was an opportunity to suit up with Lisa and Sheryl one final time. It was an opportunity to be a part of the best. But most importantly, it was an opportunity to be a part of someone’s history. Someone I don’t know, but who watched that day and will always remember.
I will remember:
• Suiting up with Lisa and Sheryl for the last time
• My peers having the sincerity and guts to personally tell me they respect me
• Tamika Whitmore asking for my game shoes
• Having an Olympic moment with Tina, Sheryl, Lisa, Sue, Diana, Yo…and ok…Lauren Jackson (why didn’t we win?)
• Winning the three point contest when so many were against me, even Coach Chancellor (Mrs. Chancellor had me though)
• Messing up the photo shoot with my Houston Comets teammates (I’m such a cornball at times)
• Madeline Albright’s candor during her speech
• The All Decade Celebration and popping out collars on our Harley Davidson Jackets
• The awesome t-shirt made by Mary Wooley (Director of Basketball Operations for Temple) with SuperStaley on the front and all of my accomplishments on the
back (she’s such a stalker lol)
• Blocking Candice Dupree’s shot (fouling her but getting a veteran no call) and having her post me up
• The entire 72 hours
In all sincerity, I won’t miss the travel, the photo shoots or the schedule. But will miss the smiles, the laughter, the competitiveness and the fight that comes with all the things I won’t miss.
What a great gift. For those who put me there…thanks, I won’t forget.
07.11.06
My mentor once told me she believes success is when preparation meets opportunity. The thought goes, if one is always ready and prepared, when the opportunity presents itself, success is inevitable. If her thinking is true, this was a week of success.
I don’t think any other player in the league experienced success more than Mistie Williams in our Detroit game. Mistie hasn’t gotten much time this entire season. There have been games where we were up by 20, sometimes 30, and she would only see the court two or maybe three minutes, if she was lucky. To her credit, she never lost confidence. Although rightly concerned, she stuck it out with a good and positive attitude. She always practiced hard, listened and just waited.
So... when her number was called late in the game on Sunday, opportunity met preparation. Mistie played and played hard. She gave us the energy and lift we needed to make a final run. In the end we lost our second home game of the season, but Mistie won some fans, and more importantly, the respect of her teammates and coaches.
We’re so incredibly injured and we have such a small bench. I’m not panicked yet, but I know we need opportunity to meet preparation a whole lot more to hold on. We need more Misties. We all have to step it up. I have to lead. Sheryl has to be a MVP. Tameka has to play like a seasoned vet. Michelle has to be an All-Star. And most importantly, Tari, Sancho, AK and Roneeka have to carry us. They have to be our Mistie.
It’s just a test. Nothing worth having will come easy. It shouldn’t. When things just come with no adversity or effort, it’s difficult to truly appreciate. Tina and Canty will get healthy in time for playoffs. The rest of us will play through all of our many aches and pains and we will hold it together. And on the very last game on the last day of the season…we will find success.
It’s unfortunate that Mistie has to get her chance through the misfortune of someone else. It’s hard to say whether or not Mistie would have gotten this opportunity if Tina were healthy. Who knows? But what I do know is that Mistie is proof that you have to stay ready because you never know when your number will be called.
Candice Dupree was ready. She got the call that she would be a 2006 All-Star on Monday afternoon. It’s unfortunate that Can gets this opportunity through the misfortune of Tamika Catching's injury. As the top vote getter, Tamika deserves to be there. But… because Can is playing on an expansion team that doesn’t get much national television time, this just may be the opportunity she needs to show the world what she is made of.
Opportunity, preparation and success. Fortune vs. misfortune. I’ve had so much good fortune in my life, for me to ask why things happen the way they do, seems ungrateful. So I won’t. But when opportunity comes… whatever that opportunity may be, you better believe… I’ll be ready.
This is All-Star break. It should be fun.
07.05.06
Basketball is God’s gift to me, of this I am sure. The game comes so easy for me. And as far as I can recall, I think it always has. It’s really not the physical aspect of basketball either. It’s really the comprehension of the game. Its movements and flow. I just get it. I remember old plays better than I can remember my most recent conversations. Some call it a high basketball IQ. Can’t say that about everything, but for basketball, it’s a certainty. I can see live play unfold as if I were writing it as it actually happens. It’s the weirdest thing.
So when reporters ask me why we don’t win on the road, I feel as if I should have a profound answer. I want to be able to philosophize about our strategy and flaws through player’s eyes, with real perspective. Only, the truth is our problem is really simple: we have no ball movement, which throws off our flow. Then, we individually attempt to solve our road woes by utilizing our strengths as veterans, professionals, all stars and Olympians to win, which of course, without ball movement, won’t work. So… there you have it.
Our 1996 Olympic coach would always tell us (or me rather) repetition of error is a lack of intelligence. I know we’re a smart team, so although we keep making the same mistakes, there is hope. And… I know it starts with me. I’ll do a better job.
But on the flip side, we’re awesome at home. We’re on a nine game home win streak and we aren’t looking back.
Part of our success at home has a lot to do with our bench play. Players like Tari, Roneka, Sancho, AK and Mistie make considerable contributions in practice and in games that can’t and shouldn’t go unnoticed. They’re always ready. And… they play hard and without complaint. It’s rare to find a team where everyone knows and accepts their roles. Usually, by now, a couple of disgruntled players will surface and small issues will become huge. Thankfully, this isn’t that team.
For instance, when Dominique went down, Dixon was just ready. She immediately filled a big void and has been playing excellent. Then, Roneka stepped in to relieve in the guard position. So although we really miss Dominique, we’re ok for now. It‘s unfortunate that opportunity sometimes comes through injury, but I think it’s just the nature of the sport. And… being ready when that opportunity arrives shows great professionalism. If nothing else, we’re professional.
This is really how a team should be. Everyone plays for the win. It’s a beautiful thing.
Next we have LA and San Antonio. The bad thing is we are on the road. The good thing is… we owe them both!! We’ll see.
06.26.06
For the past seven seasons of playing and coaching, I have been successful at compartmentalizing my careers. I have an assistant who handles everything outside of Temple when I’m coaching and I have a full staff that handles everything at Temple while I’m playing. On occasion, the two worlds intersect. During these times there are things that just can’t and shouldn’t be handled through delegation, and I have to step in. This was one of those weeks.
I need to hire for three positions at Temple, and two of the three positions were posted this week. This week also closed my foundation’s year long after-school program for the summer. And… to top it all off, we were coming off a loss on the road to Detroit and headed to LA. LA wasn’t exactly a must win situation, but since our two teams have a bit of a rivalry, they aren’t a team we ever want to lose too.
So there I was…at the airport trying to conduct telephone interviews and writing my foundation’s closing ceremony speech on an airplane. Although not exactly what I would consider ideal, it got done. Sometimes I think I missed my calling. I would have been an excellent juggler.
And if I were a juggler, I would have moved the ball around a little more against LA. We lost. Like all offenses, at times, our ball movement gets stagnant. Our veterans are usually able to pull us through despite our stagnation. But once in a while, we’ll come up against a strong LA team or a youthful Detroit team and our experience won’t save us. Then again… if ball movement is our only problem, and it’s fixable… I love our chances.
Anyone who watches us knows we have moments of absolute brilliance. Beautiful basketball. We have the ability to completely destroy a team. Sheryl and Tina can just take over a game. When a player is able to come through, even when everyone in the arena knows the ball is going to them, that’s a sure sign of greatness. We are not short on greatness.
We didn’t destroy Charlotte, but we certainly hurt them. We allowed them to get back in the game and then took it back right at the end…that’s hurtful. When you get that close and fight that hard, you want to win. After the game, I was asked if I felt bad about beating my former team. I can honestly say I didn’t. I don’t know how I’m able to separate myself from a team and a place I loved for the majority of my professional career, but I am. I have no ill feelings toward my former teammates, and goodness knows I miss the Charlotte fans, but I’m a Comet now. I want to beat Charlotte just like I want to beat everyone else.
Speaking of beating… my poor little Candice. The Chicago Sky is on about a 14 game losing streak. Candice hasn’t had this experience before as we were fortunate enough to create a winning tradition at Temple. I usually talk to Can after every game, but lately I have intentionally not been reaching out to her. I think it’s important for her to get the full experience of professional basketball. Unfortunately, losing is a part of it. But…oh it breaks my heart to see her struggle. She’s a double double player in this league. She’ll see. Expansion teams need time to expand… that’s all.
Washington next- at home (June 29 @ noon). This ought to be good.
06.20.06
Basketball is a game of momentum. When the momentum swings in your team’s favor, be it in an actual game, or on a win streak, confidence is ever present. However, when your team doesn’t have the fortune of momentum, morale can be low and a regular game can seem like an entire season.
We don’t have that problem. We dropped two games this week and still feel as if we have the momentum. I think the advantage of a veteran team is that we know when we just played bad and when we should panic. In all of our losses, we just played bad. I can’t see us panicking any time soon if at all. We’re veteran led and savvy. I can honestly say I like our chances. And…I really like this team.
They’re funny. We have an unlikely mix of personalities that just work. Yesterday while we were in the airport waiting for our plane, Mistie was sleeping with the airport neck brace and I promise it looked as if she were sleeping on a Sealy Posturepedic. She was out. It looked so good; Dominique went to go get one. After about 10 minutes of watching Mistie, I got up and got one too. The funny thing is…I think I was the last one on the team to get one. We looked a mess…but we’re a team.
And… teams stick together. When we were in New York, I had 30 people come to the game. My teammates kicked in and gave up tickets to help accommodate my friends and family. Since Philly is just two hours away and it was my last time playing at the Garden, everyone came out. It was nice. My mother was mad because I didn’t shoot the ball. I keep telling her I don’t need to shoot on this team, but she doesn’t seem to listen.
I shot three times (missed two and one got blocked …bad). But…I had nine assists and we won by 20. I feel good about my contribution. And I feel even better about the win!!
We’re in LA on Wednesday. This ought to be good.
06.12.06
I started receiving calls for tickets for the Washington game the week before last. That game would mark my final time playing in the DC area. University of Virginia loyals, those who have followed my career since it began in their area, came out to see me for the last time. Those same faces, a little older now, sent me back to my youth. In seeing them I instantly remembered college and the joy that time in my life and career brought.
It’s funny how a certain song, movie or a familiar face can take you to places you’d forgotten. With just one look, I remembered playing for them. I remembered the feel of the crowd, the smell of the gym and all those loyal faces. In seeing them, I remembered all that youthful happiness. The pure kind. The kind that hasn’t been tainted or commercialized. It was nice.
I wish we could have played better for them. We got stomped. Four games in seven days didn’t help either. But rest assured, they’ll see me play again. Next time it will be in the playoffs, on television.
Although our short season has had big wins shadowed by big losses, I have no doubt we’ll make the playoffs. We just have to stay healthy. I think when our nucleus is together, we’re virtually unstoppable. Sheryl is of course a huge part of that nucleus and she’s been injured for the past three games.
With this shortened season, injuries are more hurtful in that players have less time to recover. Sheryl will recover though. She’ll come back strong as if she were never injured. That’s just how she is. She is truly amazing. I know her character. We were in the trenches together for over a decade and she never let me down. She won’t let me down now either. I think she wants to get the Comets back to their old glory days. If anyone can do it, she can.
You can see those glory days peaking through at times. Coop is on the road with us as a commentator, so she lends us her energy. And…believe it or not she still has it. She participates in our shoot-around ritual called string. It’s a version of knock out. The other day Coop and Anastasia were the last two standing. They were going toe to toe. And if you know Coop, you know if she were to win, we would have to hear about it for the rest of the season. So…I sprung to action. When it was Coop’s turn to shoot I yelled out, “I’m so proud of you Coop!” in hopes of distracting her. It worked. She missed the shot, I saved the team a season of Coop’s bragging, and Anastasia got to put a win against a legend on her resume.
Speaking of legends…Tina is a legend in the making. She has to have the best footwork of any big-girl in the league. She is truly playing like a MVP.
Sheryl, Coop and Tina- they are the history makers of this franchise. And they are all back together again, even if it’s just in proximity. Maybe…glory days are here again.
06.05.06
My players started arriving in Houston on Thursday. I didn’t know exactly how many were coming; I just knew they would come. By Friday afternoon, four of my former players, my 10 week old grand player, and two of my staff members from Temple were all bunched up in my apartment like sardines.
I did offer to get hotel rooms, but they all wanted to stay with me. They’ve won me four A-10 championships…who am I to complain?
The match up between me and Candice Dupree (Chicago Sky), my former player from Temple, was a big deal for our Temple family. Players and staff alike had been talking about this game since Candice was drafted in April. All those who were able to actually come were there (with the exception of current players who aren’t allowed to miss class or workouts). All those who weren’t there watched the internet intensely and will try to make it when Houston plays in Chicago… unless they have class or a workout.
I must admit, I didn’t realize that the game would be such a big deal to the rest of the women’s basketball world. Candice and I both got several interview requests before the game and a few after. In all my interviews I rallied for Candice to get more touches. I think I was secretly hoping her coach would read some of the interviews. Of course I know I’m biased, but I think Candice is the Sky’s best offensive threat. And… like a proud mom, I want her to be the best.
During the game, I kept pestering Jia Perkins, the Sky’s point guard and my former Sting teammate, to get the ball to Candice. Jia ignored me as best she could. When I finally sufficiently got on her nerves and she passed the ball to Candice, she looked at me and said, “There, are you satisfied?” I laughed and said, “Of course not… get it to her again.”
Now don’t get me wrong, I wanted Candice to do well, but not at the expense of a loss to the Comets. When things got tight, all bets were off and Candice became just another competitor… until after the game. When the game was over, she went back to being one of my babies.
The girls didn’t get to spend much time with Candice after the game because she had a team function and left early the next day. A few of them stayed through Sunday to watch our game against Minnesota. We won… thank goodness. We thought we would be tested by the Lynx because they are so offensive-minded and we are just getting our defense working. Thankfully, I think our defense is running on all cylinders now. It feels good.
Everyone left this morning. I was a little sad to see them go. It was fun hanging out with them as friends and not players. They grow up so fast.
We’re off to D.C. If any team should threaten our win streak, it should be the Mystics. They are so athletic and they’re playing well. We’ve proven to be a good West Coast road team, let’s see if we can keep the same intensity in the East.
5.30.06
Ok… I’m not taking anything away from San Antonio, because they are much improved, but I knew we were a much better team than we showed on opening night. In my opinion, this road trip proved we are a seasoned team with the perfect mix of experience and youth.
It all started in the Seattle game. Our play was just instinctive. We shared the ball and above all we played TEAM DEFENSE. It just felt different. We were all on the same page. I guess the possibility of returning to Houston zero and three was the motivation we needed to get our stuff together.
Tina and Sheryl showed up... of course. But the person who I believe played the most outstanding was Dominique. She’s just solid. She does exactly what she is supposed to do. She doesn’t play outside of herself or do things that are not a part of her game. Every team has to have their star. In our case, it’s stars. But there is always that one unassuming player that really makes the difference. For us, it’s Dominique.
We’re a comprehensive team. I mean, Sheryl and Tina are gamers. They’re our MVP’s. The majority of the offensive is and should run through them… no secret. Michelle is the force in the middle. She makes defenders have to make decisions- which is what you want. Do they collapse on her and leave the perimeter exposed? Or do they play her honest and take their chances? It’s perfect. If a defender is thinking…they’re distracted. You want to keep them thinking or having to make decisions. Dominique is the X-factor. She’s going to do all the little things. She’s going to cut at the perfect time, or pass to the open cutter with precision. She’s going in to hit the boards and it’s likely she will come down with the ball. I’m the general. I will happily sacrifice team popularity, individual stats or whatever…for the win. The only stat line I’m concerned with is the final score. I don’t have shoot. On a team like this… I shouldn’t have to shoot. I don’t even have to lead to the score. But… I do have to win. So I make sure everyone is doing what they should. I’m their eyes. If someone is open in the corner, I’m passing the ball to the person with the best angle to get it to the corner. But… the pass comes with directions. And if the directions are missed or ignored, I’m mad. I’m not mad because someone chose to do something different. I’m mad because we gave up an opportunity for a shot we didn’t have to work for. Basketball is easy. It’s a beautiful easy sport. And if it’s played right, you don’t have to work hard. You always have to play hard… you just don’t always have to work so hard.
Speaking of hard… After the televised Seattle game I was flooded with calls and emails. Apparently the commentators had some hard words for me that offended some people. I didn’t get to see the game, so I don’t know exactly what was said. And because I tend to take second hand information with a grain of salt, I can only respond to the reactions of those who contacted me.
I truly feel bad that the words of the commentators offended some…but they shouldn’t have. Commentators have the right to say and feel however they like. It’s their job to report some fact and some opinion. And sometimes their opinions just aren’t nice. It’s unfortunate that commentators don’t have the time to get to know each of us individually, because if they did, their reporting would be so much richer. But it’s really ok that they don’t have time. It’s really ok that they don’t know me… because this is what I know:
Fact: I am a 36 year old woman who has played basketball professionally in this country for 10 years.
Fact: I have chronic knee problems (that I am soooooo tired of hearing about and that have never kept me from missing a game).
Fact: I’m not as quick as I once was.
These are facts… all true. I’m 36 years old with knee problems. I shouldn’t be as quick. My game should change. It has to change to be effective. It’s true my play has become more intangible than tangible but it doesn’t make my value to this team (especially) less important…does it? I think I’m smart enough to highlight my strengths and hide my weaknesses… so I don’t become a “liability.” And please believe every player that plays this game is a potential liability waiting to happen.
So I’m not the Dawn Staley of the 90’s… thank God. If I were I would not have evolved, my contributions to the game would be fewer, and my overall game and life wouldn’t nearly be as rich… and that’s a fact.
05.22.06
My final season. I can hardly believe it. When you’re 22 years old just starting out you don’t think of the inevitability of the sport. You just want to play. But...with every beginning, there is and ending and mine has finally arrived. And believe it or not, I’m happy. I’m happy I get to say good bye on my terms as not many athletes are afforded that opportunity. And above all, I’m happy I’m really finally ready to say good bye.
I feel incredibility blessed to have had such a long career. I have played with the best athletes in the world for years with USA basketball, became an All-Star in Charlotte, and now I’m chasing a championship here in Houston. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t believe a championship will define my career. But… it sure would be nice to have.
My final season began with a late arrival to training camp. Let me explain. I had just finished my season with Temple and had to leave for Australia with the National Team. Once I returned from Australia, I had a few big awards in Philly, and then I was set to leave for Houston. I was all packed and ready to go but couldn’t resist this urge to just sleep. I don’t know if it was the time difference or just exhaustion, but I was really tired. I called Coach Chancellor and asked for a few days. Luckily, he gave them to me. I went out to the west coast to work out and bask in the sun. It was great. With renewed energy, I made it to Houston.
Training camp the Chancellor way is a blast. We literally just played. No two a days, no pressure, no problems. Just basketball. It was great for chemistry building. I guess Coach Chancellor believes that with a team of veterans we shouldn’t waste time on the little things we should already know. So we didn’t. We had intense competition. Just basketball. I remember thinking if I had arrived in Houston a few years earlier, I wouldn’t be retiring. I could have played until I was at least 40. Coach Chancellor is definitely a professional league coach.
Coach Chancellor is extremely funny and has a way of utilizing humor to get his point across. He says the damnedest things at the most appropriate times. It’s a gift. He uses all these little phrases that crack me up. I always look at Sheryl or Tina to see if they react to his phrases. They don’t even crack a smile. But I’m off in a corner somewhere cracking up.
The cool thing about him is that he does treat us like professionals. We don’t have any of the little rules that a lot of coaches take from their college training. He expects us to be professional and above all… he expects us to win.
Well… on my last home opener, we didn’t win. We actually lost… big. We were just never able to get into a flow. We will though. I have no doubt that when our backs are against the wall, we will come out fighting.