If You Win It, They Will Come. As all long-suffering Mystics fans (redundant?) know, the team has seen a real drop off in attendance over the past few years. Gone are the Phone Booth-filling, record setting crowds. At some games last summer, it almost felt like we were in WNBA arena hell (also known as Charlotte). After the novelty of a new women's professional sports league wore off, most people who aren't BasketCases decided that their summer evenings were better spent watching reruns of Law and Order than going to see a losing franchise, year in and year out. So the BasketCases were pleased to see this issue addressed by team management in the Post today. As Coach Richie Adubato recognizes, building the attendance back up is not ultimately about dance teams or giving away cuddly stuffed pandas, "it will still come down to winning." On paper, GM Linda Hargrove has certainly put together what ought to be a winning team. In the ninth season of the franchise, after so much losing, this really is a make or break year for the Mystics. The season opener is tonight. Let's get it on!

--- Judith