Survivor Washington[Note: If you are following the link from womenshoops to this site, the BasketCases would like to remind you that Clay Kallam, who is now blaming Linda Hargrove for all the Mystics' woes, is the very same Clay Kallam who condemned Maryland Coach Brenda Frese for alleged recruiting violations, only to later issue a retraction and an apology.
While no one is perfect, and that includes the BasketCases, Linda Hargrove, Richie Adubato, and obviously Clay Kallam, these Mystics fans think his attack on Linda is over the top.]
Previously on Survivor . . . Last week, each tribe had to select one of its players to send to another tribe. The Sky Tribe sent Monique Currie, a talented but still young and relatively inexperienced player, over to the Styx Tribe, while the Styx got rid of their starting center, Chasity Melvin. The Styx's selection was made by Tribal Leader Linda Hargrove, reportedly without the involvement of Tribal Floor General Richie "Mr. Tomato Head" Adubato.
Shortly thereafter, the league held the next reward challenge, in which the Styx Tribe lost to the Shock Tribe, thereby falling to 0 and 4 in reward challenges . . . meaning that the Styx Tribe was still playing without fire. This apparently prompted Styx veteran Crystal Robinson to abandon the game althogether.
Meanwhile, Styx Tribal Floor General Adubato was apparently so upset at losing two veterans that he just up and sent himself to Exile Island (permanently!) the morning of the Styx's upcoming reward challenge against the Sky. The Styx Tribe tried to rally around the Big Tree in its home camp, but later that evening, in the next reward challenge, the deflated Styx Tribe looked to be in disarray -- they forgot basketball fundamentals, including boxing out, rebounding, shooting, and taking care of the ball. As a consequence, they lost their fifth straight reward challenge, this one to the Sky, and are still playing without fire.
Tune in next week and see Who Will Be the Next to Be Voted Off the
posted by BasketCases @ 5:21 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
Great Stuff Guys!
I would like to offer some constructive criticisms of this blog post, and also a majority of the comments that have been posted in the past few days.
If our players were to read this site, they would be devastated. Their character and integrity as professional athletes is being called into question. It is one thing to suggest that their individual talents do not mesh together as well as they could, or that they don't have enough experience playing together to make a playoff push this year. But it is quite another to say that they don't want to win very badly, or that they don't have what it takes to compete at the professional level at all.
People need to remember that our players, along with everyone else in the Mystics organization, have dedicated their lives to demonstrating that women can do anything in this world as well as men can. They are making enormous sacrifices trying to prove that the women’s game can be just as good as, if not better than, the men's game. In doing this, they're subjecting themselves to an enormous amount of ridicule from analysts on ESPN radio and sites like this one and this one. Our players want to do everything they possibly can to prove these critics wrong.
I believe that calling the players' commitment to the game into question is also calling their commitment to this ideal into question. Hearing this accusation come from Mystics fans, some of whom have also dedicated their careers to this ideal, must have the players feeling absolutely crushed. If there's one thing that could completely break their spirits, this is it.
I would like to see more people on this site treat our players, and everyone else in the Mystics organization, with more respect. They've put an enormous amount of time, money, and energy into putting this team together and preparing for this season. Let's keep that in mind.
Jeez, Michael. Is this the first time you've read this blog? I, for one, think it is the most clever, non-threatening and yes even SUPPORTIVE blog on ANY women's basketball team I have EVER READ! (And I read an awful lot of them) The BC (IMHO) have always supported the Mystics and UMD women's basketball in a respectful manner, while at the same time making me smile and wishing I had their sense of humor and creativity. Get over yourself!
The ladies are talented. Now they just have to learn to play together as a team which they are. I am glad that Richie is gone. His style just does not fit his players. I know nothing about Tree. I hope he works out. GO MYSTICS!
from mikej (not Michael)
To Anonymous:
I'm not objecting to the content of the blog overall. I think it's outstanding that the authors are doing such great work to market the team. In fact, seeing such great pictures from the team's community service functions was a major reason that I started following the team again.
I'm just objecting to this individual post.
I've reread this post about a dozen times, and I don't find it to be witty or funny. In fact, I find it to be mean-spirited and ad hominem. It's very clear that the players are hurting, and management feels that the organization is letting the fans down right now. Posting material that ridicules them isn't going to make them feel more confident about what they are doing.
I interpret the line "Who Will Be the Next to Be Voted Off the Hardwood?," to imply that, if someone isn't getting the job done (for whatever reason), they should just be thrown away like yesterday’s garbage. If I'm misinterpreting this, then I invite the authors to correct me.
I personally have been laid off before, and know exactly how that feels. If they're going to release someone, they should at least wait until the end of the season. If they're considering throwing people out in the middle of the season, they need to think about how the organization will be perceived by potential coaching candidates they want to interview, or free agents they want to sign.
I don't think any of our players should be treated like yesterday's garbage. I don't think it's appropriate to imply that suddenly kicking them to the curb is okay, satire or not.
Michael,
Yes indeed, you are misinterpreting the last line of our post. What this suggests is that you are not particularly familiar with the tv show, Survivor. The intro to each episode begins with "Previously..." and segues into the current program by asking "Who will be next...". As 10-year (loyal to the core) Mystics STHs, we have seen quite a bit of drama over the course of 9+ seasons and this week provided more. The losing streak, losing a coach, losing two players and adding a new player..this wasn't just any typical week. No doubt it was disturbing to the team, but it was also disturbing to the team's fans. We chose to describe this week's unusual events through a tv-show parody. It's unfortunate you took offense at that.
We don't normally respond like this to comments, because this is our blog, not a message board, and we prefer to write our piece and let it stand on its own. However, when you characterize us as implying we are ready to kick the Mystics to the curb, we feel you've done us a real injustice. Anyone who's been reading our blog for the last year knows we are homers. We generally don't single out individual players for criticism, and any criticism of the teams (Terps & Mystics) is usually very gentle. So while you were offended by your misreading of our post, we were offended by your characterization of it. Some people found it funny, we're sorry you didn't.
Go Mystics!
--BC
Michael, here's how I see it. This is a Blog (a web log). It is the BCs online personal thoughts and expressions which they have graciously share with us. Even more gracious, they allow us to comment on the thoughts they express.
But it is first and foremost THEIR personal form of expression. Like most diaries, you capture the thoughts you are feeling at the time.
I suppose that since they allow comments, then you (or anyone else) are free to express your disagreement with what they say and how they say it. But it is THEIRS.
I know the BCs personally. I know they are passionate about women's basketball, and especially the Terps and the Mystics. But I also know they are not afraid to administer some "tough love" when it’s warranted. They are long time Mystics season ticket holders, and probably as frustrated as many of us.
Finally, this is professional sports. These women are pro athletes and not little girls. The women play for pay and are public entities. As with any public entity - and especially entertainers who accept money in exchange for displaying their crafts - they should always expect public criticism. Some warranted, some not, some harsh. As Super Chicken (I’m dating myself) used to tell his sidekick, “You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Fred.”
To the BCs, I say “write on!”
BCs,
Loved the parody. Keep up the entertaining blog. No offense taken here.
Another 10yr STH
Love your blog. Keep up the good work!
GO MYSTICS!
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