Heading West II
WNBA All-Star Alana Beard, a free agent (cut loose by the Mystics at the end of the 2011 season), signed today with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Alana will join two other former Mystics -- Delisha Milton Jones and Marissa Coleman -- and another player well known to BCs' readers, Kristi Toliver.
Alana, who missed the last two WNBA seasons due to injury, recently returned to the court in Israel. (She scored 13 points in her first game back!)
The BCs are very happy for Alana. She has always been a true competitor . . . frequently playing through a great deal of pain. She's worked extremely hard to come back from her most recent injury, and we think it's great that she's going to have another chance to compete in the WNBA. We never like to see a player's career end because of injury.
There's only one negative we foresee for Alana in L.A. -- her old number, 20, is already taken (by Kristi).
Good luck, Alana!
Photo Credit: DC BasketCases
posted by BasketCases @ 7:51 PM
24 comments
24 Comments:
WOW, who would have thought that Miss "limp'n & pimp'n" would make it to the West Coast??? Last season, she was styling (pimp'n) with "shoes" on the next game she was styling(limp'n) with a "boot" on , now she is in SUNNY LA!!! Somebody got p-l-a-y-e-d and I'm not talking about that game of basketball... You Go GIRRRRL!!!
Best of luck to AB out west.
I think it was time for a change for her, and it opens up some space on the roster for the Mystics for someone that will be on the court.
I am not sure what the Mystics are doing? It will be a long season. Management needs to go!
Another player going to Mystics West! I agree with Anonymous 10:04. Management needs to go! This will be my last season as a season ticket holder.
-- Still a frustrated Season Ticket Holder.
I figured this was coming, even thought it would be LA that Alana signed with. And it's definitely good for her not to be in the Mystics mess. Still, I have this little twinge of sorrow that she's gone. Stupid I know.
It will be interesting to follow Alana in the future. I wonder how much longer she'll be playing without her owner guardian, and what she'll do after she stops playing. Does she still plan on Jamba Juice franchises?
Anonymous 10:04 & Anonymous 11:20 I guess you were not part of the overwhelming amount of comments on this blog stating that we were wasting time keeping Alana. That she should go. I also remember so many comments talking about how Marissa needed to be traded, sooner rather than later. That she wasn't worth keeping. I thrilled for both of them because maybe they will find a some love in LA. DC Fans used to have a great reputation as being the best, most supportive fans throughout the league. Now we have become the most negative against, of course, the management, but also the players. These kinds of fans are not needed. Please do not renew your tickets.
Dear Anonymous 9:26 AM,
We welcome your comment, even though we share no such recollection of any “overwhelming amount of comments” that Alana “should go.”
We do, however, agree that events in the last year or so have turned many previously supportive Mystics fans very negative. We count ourselves among them.
Nevertheless, when you move beyond expressing your opinions to telling other fans (and other commenters on our blog) that they are “not needed” and should not renew . . . well, now you’ve crossed over into message board territory. As we’ve reminded other commenters on several previous occasions, there are places for those type of dialogues, but this is not one of them. Our blog is not a message board.
--BC
I'm really happy for AB and hope she can actually play again but continue to be pissed at the Stics for paying her for 2 years and now getting nothing out of it. Feeling bad for Lang and Matee being stuck here.
I don't think we know how much the decision to retain the injured AB on the roster for two years was a coach or management decision versus an owner decision. Management doesn't have the last word - the owner does. Managers taking actions that the owners disagree with is a good way for managers to be fired.
Another sad day in Mystics' history. I was hoping AB would return to the team. She has always been my favorite player. She is a class act all the way and I wish her all the best.
Another Frustrated Founding Fan
I am going to miss Alana since she was always very nice and polite and professional the times over the years I have talked with her. Wish her all the best in LA. To those who argued to keep her as an unrestricted free agent: My understanding is the WNBA salary structure limits the max contract. So even if the Mystics did offer her a max, she could choose to go elsewhere, make the same or close to the same $$$, and play for a better team. Not like Marissa where she is from here, so no reason to stay.
Now hopefully the Mystics can use the cap space available to find some talent.
Actually Lang and Matee haven't signed contracts yet, so they still have hope. If Langhorne wanted to stay, I can't imagine the organization not wanting to get that deal done at the first possible opportunity, and making a big deal out of it. That time has now passed.
The Mystic's will be putting a mediocore team on the floor. Outside of Langahore and Currie this team has nothing! And I don't see the Mystic's signing any free agent that will change that! All the free agents still left out there have already been the best they could be. Not much pickins left!
Best of luck to Alana!
Good luck AB! Even though she is a Dukie, I have much respect for her. She has always been very friendly and professional with fans. I hope she is very sucessful out in LA and can stay injury free.
The Mystics might not be too bad next year. Mo, Lang, and Mattee (hopefully). That's not too bad to be honest. I don't think we will be that bad.
So Michelle Snow is now a Mystics
Congrats Alana. I am happy for you. I hope one of the most resilient and hard working players in the WNBA is with a team where the fan base will appreciate her and have some patience while she works to get her game back in gear. I too remember negative comments being said about Alana right here on this blog. Folks accused her of stealing a paycheck for two years even though it was because she played while injured to try and move this team into the playoffs that she exacerbated the first injury causing her to miss making some real money overseas. I know fans are upset with this organization (rightfully so) but to hear fans turn on some of the players was disheartening especially one who represented this team so well. I'll miss seeing her as part of this team but am glad she will get to play somewhere else. I will definitely be wearing my Alana Beard jersey and cheering for her when the Sparks come to DC.
I too will miss AB, I liked her a lot. But I really regret renewing my season tickets, because I don't think I'll be seeing a real show this year.
Snow for Beard??? Michelle Snow has been passed around so much that she wasn't a catch for us. She is old news. I feel so sorry for Lang. She is stuck here forever. The Trudy/Gillom combo is also old news. Neither have been in any winning situations. We are really in a mess and need to probably fold our program. A new beginning won't occur until we start over with an Administrator, New Head Coach, and Different Assistance. The WNBA players view our program as somewhere not to go. We will continue to only attract the players who are not as talented but need a job. You can't build a program on that.
Sorry but true.
There is just so few teams for these players to play on. I really don't think the Mystics willl be that bad. I think Currie is that good. If Thomas can step up, again, maybe it won't be so bad. No doubt the organization's management is horrible though. Trudy is a not a good coach or GM and well, Sheila... Gillom is a losing coach also. But again, despite management, maybe because of the players (Mo, Mattee, and Lang), we won't be so bad this year.
A message from Alana to Mystics Fans.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-mystic-bids-farewell/2012/02/08/gIQAHmMw6Q_story.html
After recent excruciatingly frustrating years(due to management and coaches, not players) of supporting the Mystics,it came in a flash. Since more than half a starting Sparks team are former Mystics, we will now be LA fans. DeLisha, enjoy your new teammates! Alana and Marissa - here's to the winning season you deserve.
I'm happy for Alana Beard & also for the L.A. Sparks. AB is a special player that gave her all here in D.C. She was hurt while playing which is why she was paid the last 2 years. The injury was severe enough that she is just now getting back to being able to play. I hope she can play and play well & I feel sorry for all of the fans that are hating on her. SHAME ON EACH & EVERY ONE OF YOU. If you were injured on your job, wouldn't you expect to be paid. Wouldn't you hope to work again and hope that everyone didn't have an attitude against you when you returned to work? Alana should have been given a chance to return to the Mystics this year and likely would have lead the team in scoring. I hope she can play and play well in L.A. where she will be appreciated. I'm happy for Marissa Coleman also and hope she gets better. Maybe Washington, D.C. isn't a good place to play. We finally get a great General Manager in Angela Taylor and a great Coach in Julie Plank, and we send them on their way when they produce. The Mystics got rid of them because the Mystics were greedy. They would have kept them for less money. Who will do a good job and take a significant pay cut? Ted and others want to put a team on the court but don't care if it wins a championship as long as it pays the bills of the team and the Verizon Center. I don't think Ms. Lacey knows what she is doing but she is doing 2 jobs for one paycheck. They wouldn't change coaches every year or two and change players so much. I am also a season ticket holder but this year may be my last year. The Mystics owners, managers, and many of you spoiled fans who want the players (like AB) to play even if hurt. You want lots of play for little pay. I will pray for all of you and hope all of your days are blessed.
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