The BCs admit it. We're cranky. On top of relentless triple-digit heat, a massive oak tree on our neighbor's lawn was snapped off at its base by the winds of The Derecho on June 29th, falling onto our property, taking out our power line, our phone line, our internet access, our cable TV . . . and the rear end of our car.After nearly a week without utilities, we got our internet access back just in time to watch the Mystics take on the Shock in Tulsa this afternoon. And if we hadn't been cranky before then, we sure would have been after watching that debacle. What an embarrassing, pathetic game. It was absolutely, hands down, some of the worst basketball we've ever seen. But even in this battle of the WNBA bottom feeders, one team had to win, and today it was Tulsa, 78-62.
With today's loss, the Mystics are now 3-12. And, nearly halfway through the season, they remain winless on the road, at 0-6. (The only other team in the WNBA to hold that distinction this far into the season is -- you guessed it -- Tulsa.) And, 49 games into Trudi Lacey's tenure as the Mystics' Head Coach, the Mystics have never even put together consecutive victories. That's right, not once has Trudi's team won back-to-back games. Not a single 2-game winning "streak," extending all the way back to the start of the 2011 season. Did we mention "embarrassing" and "pathetic"?
We learned on Friday during the Mystics' loss to San Antonio that Trudi had recently brought the team together for a class in yoga. Yoga! Undoubtedly, that was Trudi's followup to the team's pre-season Navy Seal Training, another of Trudi's inspirational ideas. Call us crazy, but we suspect that practicing basketball might make more sense in terms of improving a basketball team's performance than having players fold themselves into a downward facing dog.
And how about those line changes that Trudi employed in the SASS game? Five-player substitutions, as though it were a hockey game. (It worked for the Caps!) We've never seen that in basketball before . . . except on rare occasions when a coach is so disgusted with the performance of the starters that she/he yanks them all out to send a message. But as a pre-planned substitution strategy, as Trudi did? No, that's a new one on us. In any event, that novel approach didn't help. The Mystics, playing at home (in a nearly empty arena), couldn't beat the Silver Stars (who were on the second half of a back-to-back, on the road), losing to San Antonio, 78-73.
Watching today's game against Tulsa, it struck us how frustrated the Mystics players seemed to be. Flagant fouls, technicals, fatigue. Why wouldn't they be? We feel sorry for all of them, stuck in this mismanaged mess. And we feel sorry for the fans who still care about this mismanaged mess.
What can be done now? Well, the BCs have made no secret of our opinion that Trudi did not have the qualifications for her current jobs and should never have been hired in the first place. And any Facebook follower of the team knows that the fans who post there are virtually unanimous in wanting to see a coaching change . . . the sooner the better. But that isn't enough. This disaster was set in motion by the Mystics' management. The buck doesn't stop with Trudi. The buck stops with Monumental Sports. Monumental -- not Sheila Johnson--owns the Mystics. If true change -- for the better -- has any chance, then Monumental needs to move the Mystics' top management -- Sheila Johnson and Greg Bibb -- to different responsibilities, and put a new management team in charge of the front office.
The tree that stood so majestically just over our property line for perhaps a hundred years looked all lush and green . . . until The Derecho revealed that it was hollow at its base. It fell. In this case, replacing a losing coach would merely be cutting off a dead limb. It would not address the root of the problem.
The Mystics' franchise is "celebrating" its 15th Anniversary this season. How very, very sad, 15 years into the franchise, that this is what has become of women's professional basketball in our nation's capital. Isn't it time for a change?
posted by BasketCases @ 9:23 PM
19 comments
19 Comments:
PEACE! Thanks for your comments. I know you love the Mystics basketball team. Sorry things have gotten so bad. :( I have hope that change for the good will come.
BCs - Who would you like to see coaching the Mystics? Is there anyone available who you think would do a better job?
Marianne Stanley and Jen Gillom come to mind.
Thank you BC's for telling it how it is. In addition if the Mystics look bad, it also makes the entire league look bad too indirectly.
So sorry about the tree, power-loss etc.. got ours back on the 4th of July. We had to take our 11 year old boxer dog and stay at a friend's house because he's not good with the heat. He thought it was a grand adventure!!
We renewed our season tickets to support the WNBA and Crystal, Monique and Matee, but we've been to about two games. I totally agree with the "Monumental" sports management being responsible for this. Fifteen years of frustration, firings, and foolishness. This founding fan is finished!!
Hello BCs. I'm so sorry to hear about your way too long power outage and damage caused by the fallen tree. I hope things get better soon.
I am continuing to support The Mystics as a Founding Fan and will continue to do so. I DO NOT approve of how management has run this team into the ground and I am very disturbed by what's happening. My opinion is if we all stop going to the games, the ony change that will happen, is the Mystics will fold. I have a feeling that may still happen and it will be an even sadder day for women's sports. I am a pre-Title IX athlete that never got the chance to play sports beyond the recreational level and I just want to see this Franchise succeed. I can only hope that after last night's game the blinders will be taken off in the front office and something positive will happen over the Olympic break.
One other note: At the last game I attended a week ago, I was talking to another season ticket holder and mentioned Marianne, as a possible HC replacement, since she was somewhat successful, here before. This person said she had it on good authority that Marianne did not want to be a HC, only AC. I don't know if this is true but, knowing how the media ran her through the ringer over and over, her last go around here, as HC, that wouldn't surprise me.
The above message is my opinion. I only want what's best for this team.
A few Mystics memories that are as clear as day for me:
1) When the blacked-out photo of Katie Smith was posted on the website as a teaser for the BIG free agent signing. I was so thrilled. I think I told everyone I talked to that day about it. I was giddy and bouncy at the thought of getting to watch KATIE SMITH play ball here.
2) When it was announced that we lost Angela and Julie... I was deflated. Defeated. In shock. I searched for email addresses. (Interestingly, Sheila's email couldn't be found.) I wrote Ted an angry, depressed email. He replied that Sheila thought this was best for the franchise. Sigh.
There's gotta be something that we can do....
Wow BCs, so sorry to hear that you were one of the homes without power for so long. Your long awaited utilities sure weren't put to good use with the game.
I keep flashing back to Sheila saying she didn't need to share "every little thing" and wondering how hard it could be to coach a team.
So okay, both can do what they want in their positions. But as a season ticket holder I have choices, too. And I'm done unless both are reassigned. It's just too depressing to watch the players fall apart game after game.
I'm skipping my first camp day game ever. It's just too painful.
I'm skipping my first camp day as well. Why should I leave work or take off the day to see them lose? I just wish the pain will stop sometime soon!!!!!
Yes, Monumental is/was responsible for this mess but that was their plan....make it such a bad product that nobody will miss it or care when gone! Dont overthink things...they got rid of coaches/GM, hired a nobody to do both, traded/cut fan favorites and do ZERO publicity = no fans, no media coverage, no interest. Who will miss it when they fold? Exactly.....
What's is Trudy's record as a head coach with the mystics? It must be pretty bad. Time to go. Somebody else can't do worse. Too bad Sheila can't go also. Mystics fold sooner than later.
Through yesterday's loss to the Sun, Trudi's overall record with the Mystics is 9-41. (She was 6-28 last season).
To date this season, Trudi has not won on the road. And during her entire stretch of 50 games with the Mystics, her longest winning streak is . . . 1.
-- BC
Wow. I came to the Mystics when Marissa Coleman was a rookie, so I'm late to the dance, but games have gone from a fun addition to summer to a miserable experience. It's not just that we're losing (I and my fellow lifelong Bills fans still love the team), it's the blatant disrespect for players and fans. I know Washington has had a troubled history with this team, but I didn't experience most of it first hand. Is this the worst it's been? Or does it just feel that way because we were doing so well then Sheila pulled the plug?
Also, I keep reading about how Trudi is a very nice person who means well. Well at some point shouldn't she realize what a disaster this is and just resign even if Sheila won't fire her? Does she really still think she can do this job--when she never has? At least last year the games were close. The more she makes the team her own the worse they do. (Based on today's Post I think Matee would agree).
I sure would love to know what sort of bubble Ted and Sheila are living in.
If, a big IF, we have a team next year, I hope Gillom, Stanley, Bibb, or even Zierdon are not considered for the coaching job. Yes, Gillom has a very similar losing record as Lacy; Stanley is a crabby coach/person who is washed up; Bibb is a liar; and Zierdon needs Flip Saunders. Let's get Plank back. She worked hard; won games; and brought life to the Verizon Center.
Are we playing for the right to get the #1 draft pick and choose Griner?
Per the story about the Mystics in this morning's Post, Sheila Johnson backs Trudi Lacey all the way.
The Sheila hasn't learned anything, not a damned thing.
I'm sooooooooo depressed.
Me, too. I sure thought this would be the time she went. Like the basketcases, I'm done. At least we have the Terps.
I honestly feel that it is their intentions for the Mystics to fold. It would really be an embarrassment, and would hurt the league. Maybe they could be moved to another city close by like Baltimore or Philly. A city with a commute that wouldn't hurt us. I don't want those poor girls to have to play for monumental anymore.
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