No Respect = No Pressure. There was a famous comedian (well, famous if you're Coach Richie's generation) whose tag line was always "I get no respect." A typical Rodney Dangerfield joke . . . "I get no respect --- I could tell that my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and a radio." Well, the BasketCases think that the Mystics are being treated like the Rodney Dangerfields of the WNBA. Every sportswriter, every poll, every TV commentator. . . even the Las Vegas oddsmakers, not to mention (but we will!) the players on the Sting (ahem, aside to Charlotte: we're still playing and you're not!) have picked Connecticut to sweep past the Mystics into Round 2 of the playoffs. We get no respect!

But, being the kind of bloggers who always see the glass as half-full, not half-empty (unless beer is involved!), the BasketCases have concluded that No Respect = No Pressure . . . so it's all good! In a post-NCAA-tournament interview, Terps Coach Brenda Frese said "We were that 'Honorable Mention' team." Going into the NCAA tournament, those same sportswriters, polls and commentators were already awarding the championship to UNC, Duke, or possibly Tennessee as the dark horse. Maryland??? No, the Terps were the "honorable mention" team that no one --- except its players, coaches and fans --- took seriously or gave any respect.

The Mystics are not letting that bother them. In today's feature about Alana Beard in the Washington Post, Alana talks about how committed this year's Mystics team is: "At Duke, everyone was disciplined and was committed to winning a championship . . . . Just like this year's [Mystics] team is." While the BasketCases have nothing but the utmost respect for Alana, we feel it's imperative to point out (in the most mature way possible, of course) that perhaps a more fitting example would be the Maryland Terrapins. (BasketCases to Alana: Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na . . . the Terps have a Natty and the Dukies don't!) Like Maryland, the Mystics are entering tonight's playoff game (7 PM at Verizon Center or 7:30 PM according to the Post's Sports Section) as the clear underdog. But Maryland showed why they play the games. And, tonight, while the Mystics have no pressure . . . they do have an opportunity to prove a lot of people wrong and an opportunity to earn some respect! It's Playoff Time, Baby!

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WEAR WHITE!