End of the The BCs watched on NBA-TV as the Connecticut Sun scorched the Mystics, 79-48, at the Phone Booth today. All we kept thinking was how sorry we felt for all the Mystics' fans who had schlepped to the Verizon Center for this afternoon's final home game, aka "Fan Appreciation Day."
Hopefully, some in-arena entertainment or giveaways (or that generous deal of a large soda for the price of a medium) made it less painful for those fans actually present. As for watching on TV, this was one of those truly horrible, horrible, horrible games that leaves the usually verbose BCs at a loss for words.
The only enjoyable few moments for us came at half-time, when the TV broadcast showed a clip of DeMya and her daughter. That peek into their wonderful relationship provided a brief -- and sweet -- interlude in what was otherwise an unrelentingly depressing couple of hours.
As for the Mystics players, they have our sympathy . . . as they've had all season. Too bad they still have to play two more games -- both on the road. We have to believe that nobody wishes this season were already over more than they do. Unfortunately, the Mystics must now travel to face Conference-leading Indy at Conseco Fieldhouse on Wednesday at 7 PM.
posted by BasketCases @ 6:28 PM
28 comments
28 Comments:
They couldn't buy a basket. Lang even lost her cool and got a technical for saying something unspeakable, at least to a WNBA ref. A painful end to a painful season.
crystal is quite an even tempered player, this the end result of a culmination of all the bad calls she has experienced throughout the season
This loss is the most disappointing we have had all season long, and that is even considering the buzzer beater losses to Indy and Atlanta. This was the home finale and a chance to at least end the season on a good note. Even though there are two more games left after this, it is evident that the team's mind was on the offseason already.
Unacceptable, even though we share their pain.
So I guess the Gardin experiment isn't working out so well? And maybe you have really hurt your #2 pick's confidence in the process. Coleman might be a back up to Mo, but she isn't a back up to Gardin.
I'm ready for the season to be over. In spite of Trudy's coaching, maybe next season won't be half as bad with a healthy Mo, Lang, and Mattee.
what a miserable thing to watch.
Has anyone else noticed that our last two losses have been by 53 points combined?
53 pts--Like I said, I guess the Gardin experiment didn't work.... Even on the defensive side, not working.
The game was kind of sad to watch. I felt bad for the team. But there was a nice sized crowd there so at least they weren't playing to an empty house. The worst part of the game was reading the paper they hand out that contained yet another quote from Coach Lacey about how young her players are...uninspiring words from a losing coach who can't do much consistently but blame her players. The high point - we were sitting next to some visitors from Seattle who are STH for the Storm...and they knew one of the refs at the game - said he is the worst ref they've ever seen...and here I thought only the Mystics got stuck with some of the worst refs alive. Nice to know it is a WNBA problem. Well - despite this dismal season, we renewed and look forward to next summer. Thanks to the BCs for providing a forum where fans can vent!
The debacle really was a fitting end to the most disheartening season I've experienced since the team began.
The interesting thing is that I polled the other STHs around us, and every single one of them is renewing anyway, for the love of the players and simply for hanging out with good people on summer evenings. Our team's owner may be a short-sighted and petty-minded person, and our coach may be incompetent, but Washington DC has wonderful, charming, and LOYAL fans. I'm happy to be among them.
We aren't the youngest in the league so why use this constant excuse. And we aren't even the 2nd, 3rd, or.....so give it a rest Trudy. CT is the youngest and they just crushed you. I guess Mike T is a better coach.
It is too bad our last home game wasn't good. Perhaps well find a new coach for next year. Does anyone think Marianne Stanley will get that job? What players do you think we'll keep?
Ajavon is the question mark for me. Will the Mystics match the offers she will get. I hope so. They will for Lang, I think. Can Coleman accept a backup role to Mo and become a solid role player. That's another question mark for me.
I will be surprised if Crystal and Alana stay on as Mystics. Would think that the Mystics would match any offer Crystal gets but will she want to stay here? She may ask to be traded like Lindsey and Katie. They knew to get off the sinking ship. Looks like they made the right move even if their teams aren't in the championship game. Hope Trudie doesn't stay on as coach. Watched her and Marianne at Sunday's game. Both seemed like they had given up and just looked on most of the game. Never see Marianne doing much in the way of coaching anyway so hope they don't give the job to her. Wonder if by some miracle Julie would have this team back after the way Sheila did her and Angela?
Julie turned down the job. I think Lang comes back. If the mystics match the offer, she has no choice. Plus friends are here and she isn't far from home.
For the record, Julie *never* turned down the job of coaching the Mystics. She was ready, willing and eager to re-up as the Mystics' Head Coach. And the fans and players expected her back. She's not here now only because she was not eager to take on the different job of being the General Manager (on top of being the HC).
With Trudi, The Sheila has gotten what she paid for, someone willing to do both jobs . . . neither of them well.
I stand corrected BC's. :)
Did you read the last sentence in the Times article? I'm sure you did. Lacy has a lot of nerve. " There will be changes made next season" Hopefully the change will be her. Let's play the blame game Trudy.You brought all but a few of these players here and in my opinion ruined a couple already here. Why don't you dismantle 2010s team some more. Rant over.
Many people have said that Julie turned down the job. My understanding was that she wanted to stay on as head coach but Sheila had a different vision which was to save money by making two jobs into one at the same salary as the one. After the success that Julie brought to this team, why would she not be expected to keep her salary as coach and maybe even get an increase if she made the product even better than it was? Plus, Sheila did the wrong thing to her friend Angela. Not sure if that was a factor in her decision to move on. Trudie should have also recognized the success of the Mystics under Angela and Julie and not agreed to Sheila's ideas either. Ater all,they did all three work together the two previous seasons.
After missing several home games this season for the first time ever, we went to the last game yesterday and it was so dispiriting...disheartening...dis-interesting. Crystal getting a technical proves she's human and tired of being beaten down by multiple opposing players, with no PLAN to deal with it.
I will probably renew my season ticket, but they will not get the amount of money they have in the past. Every year, even when the Mystics were losing, we still enjoyed the games. But this year, it has been awful. Just awful. I wouldn't invite people to the games and couldn't even give away the free tickets... Wouldn't blame any player for wanting to get the heck away. Wonder what this off season will bring.
Also at the game Sunday, they had a video of the league president thanking Mystics fans for support this season - not a word from Mystics management! Remember - what goes around, comes around.
I believe that Trudy underminded Julie Plank by accepting both positions. My understanding was that Julie had signed a contract to coach but not be the GM. How did Trudy move in on her??/ What a lossy person to do this. I hope Plank isn't speaking to her.
Why do you think Trudy moved in on her? That's just speculation or do you have some hard facts? Julie turned down the GM/Coach job and Sheila had no other move. and since Sheila has no respect for the game of womens basketball and coaching, trudy got the job.
Sheila got what she deserved...you dismantle the conference championship team and hire a known loser of a coach to save money...what did she THINK was going to happen?! We all predicted it, not because we're cynical or negative, but because we know basketball.
Sheila is sitting somewhere counting her dwindling pile of cash and getting a Salamander Spa treatment. Did she attend more than one game this season?
I have ZERO RESPECT for that woman. When she bought the team I thought she was smart enough to stay out of the way, but once she started tinkering herself, that's when it went downhill.
Get out, Dr J, and let someone who knows basketball take over.
So many people have been hurt by the fall massacre, not just Julie and Angela, but also Trudi and Sheila who have lost the respect of hordes of fans, players, other sports teams and coaches, sports announcers, bloggers, reporters, etc. All of this for Ted and Sheila's GREED, simply greed. It's so sad.
We all need to watch closely as Ted and Sheila meet (without GM Trudi) to evaluate and strategize for the future. Pretty much the only thing Sheila said that had even a shred of truth to it is that she said the ownership group told her to cut expenses, which forced her to combine the GM and Coach into one person. If they change tracks and hire separate people for GM and Coach, this last shred of truth will then be pulverized. Not that anyone here believes one word that comes out of either mouth anyway...
@Sue -- The cost-cutting move of combining GM and coach would have been more than offset if she had kept the team of Angela and Julie intact, which meant another playoff season, more butts in seats, and more merchandise and concession sales. I have lost so much respect for her over the last year. She'd gain it all back if she reversed course, admit her mistake, and start fixing the damage done to the team and mending the relationship between the organization and fans.
I lost my respect for Sheila Johnson after this happened in 2009.
The National Stuttering Association releases a statement condemning Johnson's remark.
"[We have] a question for Sheila Johnson, who ridiculed Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds' stuttering," the statement reads. "Do you also make fun of people in wheelchairs, or do you believe that stuttering is the only disability it's okay to ridicule?"
"We need someone who can really communicate," she said. "And Bob McDonnell can communicate. The other people that I talk to, especially his o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-opponent... could not articulate what needed to be done."
The video shows Johnson clearly mocking Deeds, whose stutter has posed an obstacle in various public forums during the campaign. After ribbing the Democratic candidate, Johnson lets out a slight laugh before insisting that, "communication is hugely important."
Whoa. Julie Plank did not turn down the job she was offered? I think that is inaccurate. Wasn't Plank offered the job of GM/Coach and turned that down? My understanding is that she wasn't offered the coaching job - no one was. She was offered the combo job and turned it down because she didn't want to be the GM which means she was given first crack at the position. I don't blame her for turning it down because she didn't want to be a GM. Knowing the Mystics they probably weren't paying well but that doesn't change the truth that she turned down the position offered to her and she got first offer. I know you guys dislike Trudi and Sheila but fact is fact.
Keeping separate the position of coach and GM really would not have offset the loss in revenue. Remember, many season ticket holders had already committed and even though they didn't come to games they still paid the money. The problem is not having a combo GM/Coach position. Half the teams in the WNBA do this and have been successful (ATL and NY this season). The problem is if the salary is not competitive you will not get a high quality person for that position. I think Trudi is a nice person but I don't think she has the skills required for this position.
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