DC BasketCases

2012-01-28T17:51:00.003-05:00

Taking a Flyer

We bet the BCs aren't the only Maryland fans having a hard time trying to erase the memory of last Thursday's game from their psyches.

If only there were another Terps game this weekend. Maybe that might help us move past it. Alas, this was the Terps' "bye" weekend. No game. Nothing for fans to do but stew about that stunning upset until Maryland tips off against Boston College on Thursday. That's just too long to wait!

We admit it, by this morning (Saturday), the BCs were beginning to feel a little desperate . . . for some basketball, but mostly, for some distraction. Lucky us: a pop up on BC Eileen's Outlook reminded her that today was the day that her alma mater, Dayton, was playing . . . at George Washington, right here in D.C. The Flyers, one of GW's Atlantic 10 opponents, only make the trip to our nation's capital once every two years, so the timing couldn't have been better. BC Eileen was planning to go anyway, and this time, even BC Judith decided to tag along.

So this afternoon, we sat behind the Flyers' bench and cheered for the team in red. We're happy to report that Dayton beat the Colonials . . . easily. No tension; no drama; simply a tip-off-to-final-buzzer win, 74-56, for the Flyers.

Frankly, the only thing that upset us about today's game was . . . the pizza! At Comcast Center (not exactly known for inexpensive concession pricing), we can get an individual-size Papa John pizza for $8 -- big enough for one hearty appetite, two small appetites, or 1-1/2 average appetites. But at GW, $4 buys you a single (dry and chewy) slice of Domino's pizza, not even 4" on each side. The serving was so small it rattled around in the much larger triangular-shaped box in which it was served. It should've been billed as kiddie-size or a diet portion. (Just another reason to root against GW!)

This afternoon's game was fun. It was also a distraction. That doesn't mean it could completely erase the memory of last Thursday. But, fun and distraction are better than nothing.

Thanks, Flyers! And congratulations on a solid conference win! See you again ~~soon~~ . . . in 2014.

2012-01-26T21:55:00.001-05:00

Utterly Embarrassing

Tonight, at home, the Terps were beaten by Virginia Tech, 75-69.

Congratulations to the Hokies.

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Flip Side

Yesterday, the Washington Wizards announced that Head Coach Flip Saunders had been fired 17 games into the strike-shortened NBA season, after guiding the team to a 2-15 start.

Last summer, Mystics Head Coach Trudi Lacey led her team to a 6-28 record for the 2011 WNBA season . . . including a 3-14 record for her first 17 games.

The Mystics' owners, the same people who own and manage the Wizards, praised Lacey's performance at the conclusion of the Mystics' 2011 season, and made it clear that she would be welcomed back for the 2012 season.

2012-01-22T18:42:00.003-05:00

The Last Time Duke lost a game at home to an ACC opponent was way back on February 17, 2008. The opponent was Maryland, and that day just also happened to be the day on which Coach B's twin sons, Markus and Tyler, were born. What a great birth-day present!

With Coach B's father celebrating his 80th birthday today, the BCs were hoping that the Terps could deliver a similar present on the road at Duke again. But not this year, as the Blue Devils defeated Maryland this afternoon, 80-72.

It's tough to play in Cameron, and though the Terps played tough, it just wasn't quite enough. The Blue Devils outrebounded Maryland, 35-27 . . . and they put up more points. And so Duke won. It was hard-fought, but still a loss for the Terps (albeit only their second of the year and only their second of the ACC season). Today's game was not what we were hoping for, but it was exciting all the same. We're already looking forward to the rematch at Comcast on February 19th.

Since her team lost, we're pretty sure her individual stat line won't matter much to Super Soph Alyssa Thomas. She's all about the winning. However, it wasn't lost on the BCs that AT did.everything.possible to get her first win at Cameron. AT played the entire game, she tied her career high of 26 points (and led all scorers), she notched a double-double (10 boards), she stole the ball 4 times, and she dished out 3 assists. She did everything but hand out the water bottles. Unfortunately, she'll have to wait another year for a shot at beating Duke at Cameron.

Two other Terps also finished in double figures -- Tianna Hawkins (17) and Lynetta Kizer (12).

The Terps return home now, to face Virginia Tech on Thursday at 7 PM.

Go Terps! . . . Beat the Hokies!

2012-01-19T23:26:00.003-05:00

If All You Saw was the final score of Maryland's win tonight over Wake Forest at Comcast, 86-58, you'd probably never guess that these two teams had been tied at the half, 37-all. But they were.

The Terps played a somewhat uninspired first 20 minutes, on both the offensive and defensive ends . . . except for one player. Tianna Hawkins started the night by pulling down 15 rebounds in 15 minutes! You don't have to be a math genius to figure that averages out to 1 board per minute of playing time. Fifteen rebounds would be pretty ~~damn~~ darn good for a full game; 15 in the first half . . . that's great!

And Tianna didn't stop there. She led the Terps in a second half rout of the Demon Deacons, as Maryland outscored Wake Forest 49-21 in the final 20 minutes. Tianna played a total of (only) 27 minutes, finishing with a game-high 18 points and (drumroll, please) 24 rebounds! Yes, 2-4 . . . 24 boards! That's just, well, amazing!

Not only amazing, but a New Maryland School Record. Tonight, T-Hawk broke a Terps record that had stood for 35 years. Let's put this in perspective: if Tianna's record stands as long as the previous one did, it won't be broken until the year 2047.

Fantastic accomplishment, Ti!

As big a night as this was for Tianna, the Terps' 5th ACC win this year (and 18th win of the season) was far from a one-woman show. Tianna was pulling down boards all game long, but when we saw Alyssa Thomas break out her trademark smile early in the second half, we just knew this game was going to end well for Maryland.

After struggling against the Cavs, and scoring just 4 points in the first half tonight, Super Soph A-T finished the game just 3 assists short of a triple-double (16 points, 11 boards and 7 assists). It's hard to upstage an outing like that . . . but breaking a 35-year-old school record? Yeah, that'll do it. We give the nod to Tianna.

But this evening's second-half dismantling of the Deacons wasn't a two-woman tag-team performance either. It was a solid team win. At one point in the second half, the BCs looked at the scoreboard and noticed something you don't see very often: all 5 Maryland players on the court at that time were in double figures. 'Netta, Laurin and Bones each finished with 11 points.

The first half wasn't all that much fun, but the second half more than made up for it. A well-played 20 minutes of basketball. A great way to finish . . . particularly when the next time the officials toss the ball in the air, the Terps will be facing Duke, on the road at Cameron. It doesn't get any tougher than that . . . not, at least, in ACC play. From Demons to Devils, that's the ACC!

Congratulations, Tianna! You are now part of Maryland history!

Go Terps . . . Beat the Blue Devils!

2012-01-16T23:38:00.006-05:00

Yay, the Terps Won. But it's Really Late. . .

Thanks to the Comcast TV schedule, tonight's game against Virginia didn't tip off until the rather unusual time of 8:30 PM. Which meant it wasn't over till nearly 10:30 PM, which meant we didn't get home till . . . well, you get the gist. The BCs have day jobs, and we need to get up early tomorrow, like it or not. So by necessity, this will just be a quick post about the game.

Virginia always seems to play the Terps tough. Tonight was no exception. But at least Maryland won, 68-61, and is now back on track (after the loss at Miami). It wasn't pretty, but it was a W and that's what really counts. Laurin Mincy had a big game tonight, leading all scorers with 20, while Lynetta Kizer, off the bench, put up a double-double (10 points and 10 boards).

Yay, Maryland! Read more about the game, here from AP, here from the Washington Post, and here from the Washington Times.

Next up for the Terps is a home game on Thursday against Wake Forest, at the civilized hour of 7 PM.

Go Terps! . . . Beat the Demon Deacons!

2012-01-12T22:08:00.005-05:00

When the Terps Tipped Off tonight against the Hurricanes in Miami, it was inevitable that one of the teams was going to see a big winning streak come to an end. The Terps began the day as one of only 3 remaining undefeated teams in the NCAA (16-0), while Miami hadn't lost at home since the 2009-10 season . . . an impressive run of 33 straight wins at the BankUnited Center.

Unfortunately for Maryland, the 'Canes once again mounted a successful defense of their home court, handing the Terps their first defeat of the season, 75-63.

Remember back on December 21st when Miami played that dismal game at Georgetown, losing 71-46? Remember the BCs said that we were certain that the Miami team that showed up to play the Terps on January 12th wouldn't look anything like the Miami team that faced the Hoyas . . . a Miami team that, on that night, couldn't hit water from a boat? Well, sadly, we were right. Sometimes we'd rather be wrong.

Tonight, the 'Canes hit 13 of 28 three-pointers (ouch!), 8 of them by Riquna Williams, who torched the Terps with a game-high 34 points. Miami also out-rebounded Maryland (double-ouch!), 40-35. And that's pretty much the story of the game.

We didn't actually see it, but we listened on University of Miami radio (painfully, given how the announcers mangled the Terps' names). Early on it appeared as though the game was going to be a Miami rout, as the Terps quickly found themselves down 22-10, with Riquna Williams pouring in 15 points in the opening minutes. But the Terps found their stride, battled back, and by halftime headed to the locker room with a narrow lead, 27-25.

Maryland opened the second half with a run to widen their lead to 35-28, but Miami came back, and then, for most of the second half, it was anybody's game.

That "anybody" turned out to be Miami. Unfortunately for Maryland, Williams, who hadn't scored since hitting those 15 points early in the first half, came alive once again and started burying threes. After that, it was all downhill for the Terps.

Congratulations to #11-ranked Miami on their big win. There's a good reason they owned a 33-game home win streak (now, 34) and were the pre-season favorite to win the ACC.

The BCs try ~~not very hard at all~~ to avoid cliches, but tonight one is apt. Every end is a new beginning. The Terps have no reason to hang their heads. They have the toughest schedule in the ACC, and after 4 games (3 of them on the road) against 4 quality opponents (2 nationally ranked), Maryland returns home 3-1 in conference play.

They'll have a chance to begin a new win streak and improve upon their ACC record when they face Virginia at Comcast on Monday night at ~~the too late for us folks who have to go to work the next morning time of~~ 8:30PM.

Go Terps! . . . Beat the Cavs!

2012-01-08T17:16:00.002-05:00

Watching This Weekend's two televised Maryland games, we had to wonder if the Terps were trying to add an Emmy to their trophy collection, alongside their Natty.

After Friday's unbelievable comeback win over Georgia Tech, the BCs were expecting something today . . . well . . . less dramatic. We were wrong. A day-and-a-half after that big win, the Terps won another one . . . once more, in dramatic fashion. This time, it was a thrilling overtime victory over the Tar Heels, on the road in Chapel Hill, 78-72. More great TV!

Today's matinee wasn't particularly well-played, but it was so close throughout that nobody could possibly think about changing channels. In truth, Maryland played some pretty sloppy basketball during much of regulation. All those Terp turnovers . . . aaarggh! Some forced, but many unforced. 22 in total, and UNC scored bunches (and bunches) of points off Maryland mistakes.

Despite that, Maryland held on and kept the game close. With 10 minutes left in regulation, the teams were all tied up at 53. But Maryland turnovers, coupled with less-than-stellar shooting, plus fouls called against the visiting team, led to a 6-point advantage for the Tar Heels with just 90 seconds left. It was going to take some real heroics to pull this one out, and the BCs wondered whether Maryland's heroics quota for the week had been exhausted on Friday night.

Fortunately not! A 7-1 Maryland run in that final, thrilling, nerve-wracking minute-and-a-half, sparked by a huge 3-pointer by Laurin Mincy and wrapped up by a game-tying bucket at the buzzer by ice-in-her-veins Alyssa Thomas, and this game was headed to overtime!

Of course, everybody knows that overtime is ~~our~~ Terps time. That was true in 2006, and it was still true this afternoon, as those extra 5 minutes allowed Maryland to extend its undefeated streak to 16 games (3-0 in ACC).

Alyssa Thomas -- reigning ACC Player of the Week (and, unless the voters are crazy, this coming week's POW) -- led all scorers with 24 (and played 44 of the 45 minutes). Three more Terps also finished in double figures: Anjale Barrett (16 points, including several critical free throws late in OT), Laurin Mincy (12), and Lynetta Kizer (10). Besides those 16 points, Anj also dished out 9 assists (and would've had a double-double had her teammates been shooting better today). Anjale continued to show just how important her veteran leadership is to this team. Tianna Hawkins and Alicia DeVaughn did a great job cleaning the glass, grabbing 12 and 10 boards, respectively, as the Terps continued to dominate their opponents in rebounding.

The Terps will return to College Park today, but will be racking up more frequent flyer miles again soon, as they take on the #12/13-ranked Hurricanes in Miami on Thursday. The 'Canes were the preseason favorite to win it all in the ACC this season. So, another day in the Conference, another tough match-up.

Go Terps . . . Beat Miami!

P.S. Message to Maryland: Dear Terps, whatever it takes, please keep the wins coming. But if you can dial back the excitement just a little, that would be much appreciated. We're not sure our aging hearts can take a whole season of games like these last two. Sincerely yours, the BCs.

2012-01-06T23:58:00.007-05:00

Talk About Heart. Talk about a never say die attitude. Talk about an amazing comeback. Talk about the Terps!

Maryland's ACC home opener tonight against Georgia Tech (which the BCs could not be at in person but at least got to see from the comfort of our couch, at home . . . that is, during those few stretches when we managed to remain seated) was one UNBELIEVABLE ballgame!

If you were in the arena, you probably took comfort in knowing that Maryland games are staffed with EMTs (and defibrilators) . . . just in case. At home, we were screaming (and groaning, at times) so much we worried that our neighbors might dial 9-1-1, thinking maybe we were victims of a home invasion.

The Terps were down 11 at the half. Then, less than 3 minutes after the break, the Yellow Jackets extend their lead to (a seemingly insurmountable) 20 points. Groan.

Some teams and players would've quit. Not Maryland. And especially not Super Duper Soph Alyssa Thomas. Down 20? No problem! That's when heart and hustle take over . . . for some teams, and some players.

We assume you were watching (from the stands or on TV). So you saw how the Terps battled back, clawed back, willed themselves back from that 20-point deficit.

With 8 minutes left, the Terps narrowed the gap to just 2 points. But Georgia Tech is one tough, scrappy opponent. They hung in there and even stretched their lead again to 8. And then, with 4 minutes left to play, the Maryland Sophomores took over. In those final 240 seconds, the Terps outscored GT, 11-2. Nine of those 11 points came from the underclassmen. And when Alyssa put her team ahead with a mere 17 seconds left in the game (the first time the Terps led in the second half), the roar of the Comcast crowd was incredible (even listening on TV)!

AT's and-one was followed by a free-throw by Laurin in the final 2 seconds; Georgia Tech missed a Hail Mary three, and Maryland won!!! Final score, 77-74. After an amazing, roller-coaster of a ride, the Terps fans stood and cheered their team for a win that proved one thing: this team has HEART!

Not surprisingly, Alyssa led all scorers with 24 points (18 of them in the second half). She grabbed 11 boards for a double-double, and was perfect from the free throw line, hitting 10 of 10. (Overall, the Terps made an impressive 22 of 24 FT attempts.) Alicia DeVaughn also had a double-double (11 points and 11 rebounds), while Laurin Mincy (17 points) and Lynetta Kizer (10 points) also scored in double figures.

It will be hard to top this game for excitement this season. Next up for the 15-0 (2-0 ACC) Terps: a road game against the always venomous Tar Heels on Sunday at 1 PM (you can follow the action on Comcast Sportsnet in the DC area).

Go Terps . . . BEAT UNC!

Saturday Morning Update: Alyssa's go-ahead basket, with 17 seconds remaining, is #6 on ESPN's Sports Center Top 10 plays of the day! BTW, if you want to watch this "instant classic" again . . . Comcast SportsNet (RSN) is rebroadcasting it today at noon.

2012-01-04T21:29:00.002-05:00

Friday's game at Comcast (8:30 PM) between the Terps and Georgia Tech has been designated as Leukemia Awareness Night. Coach B and the Maryland program have joined forces with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Team Tyler Foundation to raise awareness of leukemia and also celebrate survivors of this terrible disease.

The Team Tyler Foundation, founded by former Terps players, is (as we suspect you already know) named for Tyler Thomas, son of Coach B and Mark Thomas. Tyler, who was diagnosed with leukemia in September 2010, is, from everything we've heard and seen, doing very well. It's been simply wonderful to see him, now more than a year after his diagnosis, enjoying basketball (and life) at the Comcast Center this season along with his twin brother, Markus.

Some victims of leukemia may not be so fortunate, however. And so the BCs encourage you, if possible, to donate to these worthy organizations. But whether you can donate (or not) we also want to tell you about another way that you might save the life of someone who has leukemia. Join the Be the Match Registry (formerly called the National Bone Marrow Registry)!

As you probably know and can read about in greater detail on the Be the Match web site, here, individuals suffering from leukemia and other blood cancers sometimes need a bone marrow transplant in order to survive. Basically, they need the stem cells that are found in bone marrow and that mature into new blood cells, and they need them from someone who is a suitable match in terms of marrow cell types. The closer the match, the greater the chance that the transplant will be a success.

Unfortunately, close matches are hard to find; according to the Registry, only half of all persons needing a marrow transplant receive one. Obviously, the more people who are listed on the Registry, the greater the chance that a person needing a transplant will find a suitable match. Every single one of us can increase that person's chances by joining the Registry. So if you aren't already on the Registry, sign up . . . and maybe save a life.

In the recent past, bone marrow donations were primarily done through a surgical procedure in which marrow was taken from the donor's hip bones (under anesthesia, of course). It sounds scary and very painful, but it really isn't . . . it's no.big.deal. Trust us, we know. Now, however, that type of procedure, in many if not most cases, isn't even necessary. Modern medicine has enabled stem cells to be collected and donated through a relatively simple procedure (called a peripheral blood stem cell donation) that is very much like donating plasma or platelets, for most people not much more difficult than a blood donation.

And joining the Registry is now very easy. You don't have to go anywhere. You don't need to have any blood drawn. You can join from the comfort of your own home. All it takes is a simple swab of cells from the inside of your cheek. All of the information to join can be found here. If you aren't already a member of the Registry, the BCs urge you to become one.

Someday, you just may be that one in a million who is the best "match" for a person who would otherwise die without your help. Wouldn't that be wonderful! Or someday, you or someone close to you might need one of those one in a million matches. Wouldn't it be wonderful if that match came from someone who responded to Leukemia Awareness Night and joined the Registry.

Donate and Register! Go Terps . . . beat the Yellow Jackets! Beat Leukemia!

2012-01-02T21:57:00.005-05:00

What Better Way to kick off the ~~New Year~~ ACC season than with a dominating win, over a good team . . . on the road!

That's exactly how the Terps opened their conference schedule tonight in Tallahassee. The 'Noles, who'd won the last two meetings with Maryland, were out-played, out-witted and out-lasted by the Terps, 91-70. As a result, the Maryland win-streak now grows to 14, and, more important, the Terps are 1-0 in conference play.

What a great team effort! Three Maryland players scored in the 20s: Super Soph Laurin Mincy tied for game-high scoring honors with 23 points, Super Soph (and reigning ACC Player of the Week) Alyssa Thomas finished with 21 points and 10 boards for a double-double, and Maryland Secret ~~Service~~ weapon Tianna Hawkins added 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds (obviously also a double-double). Anjale Barrett chipped in 12 to complete the Terps' double-digit scoring.

The BCs didn't see the game (we wish we had) -- we listened live, and thus were treated to the FSU announcers whining about the officiating, mixing up NCAA women's rules with men's rules, and checking football scores during timeouts, not realizing their mics were still on. (Not to mention comparing Lynetta Kizer in the paint to a "front end loader coming through a strip mine.") But this was still better than no live reports at all. With the Terps playing so well, we were just happy to hear the lead grow and grow and grow.

Up to now, Maryland's three real tests this season (Georgetown, Michigan and Delaware) have all come at home, which had us wondering whether there might be any drop off in performance when the Terps hit the road against a quality opponent. Well, certainly not tonight!

The last time that Maryland beat Florida State on the road was 2009, when Kristi Toliver's (way outside the arc) 3-pointer beat the 'Noles at the buzzer. Today's game didn't have that kind of drama, but that's OK with us. Buzzer-beaters are memorable and exciting, but there's no better way to start the ACC season than with a strong performance like the one the Terps delivered this evening.

Big Start. Big Win. Great way to open Conference play! Congratulations, Terps!

Next up: an 8:30 PM tip-off against Georgia Tech (who beat NC State in their ACC opener this evening) on Friday at Comcast.

Go Terps . . . Beat the Yellow Jackets!

2011-12-31T14:28:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year!!!

As 2011 draws to a close, Petey and the BCs wish all of our readers a very happy, healthy, and sparkling New Year!

If you're out celebrating tonight, and drinking, please do so in moderation, as too much alcohol can seriously impair your . . . ~~driving~~ spelling:

Stay Safe . . . and have a Great New Year's Eve!

And don't forget . . . the New Year also rings in the ACC season. The Terps play their first Conference game on Monday at 7 PM, on the road at Florida State. Fans should be able to listen live by following the FSU link found here.

Maryland will be back at home on Friday to take on Georgia Tech at ~~the absurdly late time of~~ 8:30 PM.

Go Terps! . . . Beat the 'Noles!

Photo Credits: DC BasketCases

~~Champaign~~ Champagne Credit: Veuve Clicquot

Sign Credit: High School Dropout

2011-12-29T23:55:00.003-05:00

Won and Done

Terps fans have seen more than a few cupcakes this season, but tonight, in the final game of the Terrapin Classic, with #5 Maryland playing #19 Delaware, there were no cupcakes in uniform . . . only some very talented basketball players. If you wanted cupcakes, the only place to find them was before the game, up in Heritage Hall, where the Terps hosted a holiday party for season ticket-holders, complete with a bake-off competition loaded with yummy entries. The BCs sampled plenty, so we can attest to their yumminess with full authority.

While we enjoyed the pregame treats, we didn't need any sugar to get revved up about this evening's contest. Two ranked, undefeated teams facing off in front of a big, enthusiastic crowd; nearly 9,000 fans (including Lang, KT, Riss and even Alana Beard) . . . most wearing red, but with a healthy representation of Delaware blue. And the game itself did not disappoint. It was forty minutes of exciting, hard fought basketball, played in an atmosphere similar to that of ACC-rivalry games. In other words, it was great!

Early in the first half, the two teams were separated by no more than one or two possessions. Finally, Maryland began to pull away, only to see the Hens battle back. At halftime, with the Terps up by one point, it was still anybody's game. Maryland, and Alicia DeVaughn in particular, had done a great job helping to contain Delaware's Elena Delle Donne, the nation's top scorer (and a fixture on everybody's All-American list). EDD was held to to just 8 points, while Maryland's Alyssa Thomas put up 17 points in those first 20 minutes.

For the Terps, the second half was truly a team affair. If the first half was fueled by Alyssa's offense, then the second belonged to Laurin Mincy and Anjale Barrett. Although the Blue Hens took an early second half lead, it was short-lived, as Anj helped her teammates remain composed, and Laurin's fireworks helped light up the scoreboard. The Terps regained the advantage and never looked back.

Superstars almost always get their points, and EDD truly is a superstar. After an 8-point first period, she scored 24 points in the second half (for a game-high 32 points). However, it wasn't quite enough to pull out a victory for her Blue Hens, as Maryland won, 85-76.

Delle Donne played all 40 minutes, as did the Terps' Alyssa Thomas. These two players are warriors. Seeing them both giving everything they've got for their teams . . . that's what makes basketball such an exciting (and fun) sport. Super Soph Alyssa finished with 23 points (and 9 boards) and was named tournament MVP, but the Terps' team-high scoring honors went to (another Super Soph) Laurin, who put up 25 points (a career high . . . including 3 of 4 shots from beyond the arc), while Anjale also finished in double figures (16) and dished out 8 assists.

With tonight's game, the Terps are now done with the non-conference portion of their schedule, and what better way to bring this part of the season to a close --a big win against a tough opponent, to remain undefeated (13-0) heading into the ACC season. Conference play will test the Terps night in and night out. (There are no cupcakes.) We loved how the team rose to the challenge presented today by the previously undefeated Blue Hens. The Terps have the toughest conference schedule of any team in the ACC this season. Let's hope this important win provides some momentum to help Maryland continue its winning ways, beginning Monday, when they travel to Tallahassee to begin conference play on the road against Florida State.

Go Terps . . . Beat the 'Noles!

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases

2011-12-28T19:06:00.005-05:00

Won and Donne

Today was the first day of the annual Terrapin Classic, a two-day, four-team holiday tournament hosted by Maryland. Testudo (world famous Maryland mascot) came appropriately dressed for the occasion. The entree on today's lunchtime menu featured the #5-ranked Terps facing off against the Lafayette College Leopards. For dessert, the BCs got to sample the #19/20-ranked University of Delaware Blue Hens tipping off against the East Carolina Pirates in the second game of the double-header.

Before today's games, the Terps and the Blue Hens were among just a handful of undefeated D-I teams, and that was still the case after today's games as well. The two matches unfolded in similar fashion, as Maryland and Delaware each put their games away early (in the first half) against their weaker opponents. At halftime, the Terps led the Leopards, 51-13, while Delaware, at the break, was up 35-10 on the Pirates. The final scores, respectively, were 84-36 and 60-40, setting up tomorrow's expected -- and much anticipated -- showdown between Maryland and neighboring Delaware.

Every Terp played today, and every Terp scored, five of them in double figures. We were especially impressed, as we have been all season, with Tianna Hawkins, who's really elevated her game this year, on both ends of the court. In only 21 minutes today, T-Hawk finished with another double-double -- 10 points and 13 rebounds (as well as three steals, a block, and no turnovers). It's pretty well known that T-Hawk (a Criminal Justice major) aspires to join the Secret Service after college (and we think the President's security would be in excellent hands!), but as Coach B recently said in this ESPN article , if Tianna ". . . continues to work, she's going to put a lot of options on the table for herself." Secret Service? WNBA? A tough choice!

For the BCs, one of the most interesting parts of the afternoon was getting to watch Delaware's Elena Delle Donne. (We weren't the only ones watching . . . the Terps' coaching staff was sitting courtside, while the entire Maryland team was sitting in the stands with notepads in hand . . . not to mention sandwiches, water and boxes of Wheat Thins.) No doubt many of our readers will recall that Delle Donne was the #1-ranked high school superstar who committed to UConn but left Storrs after several days to return home to Delaware. She then enrolled at the University of Delaware, where she played volleyball for a year, a sport she'd also excelled at in high school. After a year of spikes and blocks, Delle Donne opted to join the school's basketball team. This year, her third back on the court, she's led her mid-major team to a national-ranking. This past summer, Elena and Lynetta Kizer were teammates on the USA World University Games team, which won a gold medal in China. Today, in the game against East Carolina, Delle Donne (to no one's surprise) led all scorers, with 22 points.

The last time Delaware played at Comcast (November 2007 in the pre-season WNIT), it was no contest. As we reported at the time, Maryland "sliced, diced, braised, broiled and fricasseed the overmatched Blue Hens." Tomorrow, the BCs are expecting a very different game. Two undefeated, nationally ranked teams going head-to-head. What happens when a Turtle meets a Chicken in a holiday tournament? Sounds like the opening line of a very funny joke. But tomorrow's game is no joke. Tomorrow's game (which tips off at 7 PM) is very likely to be one of the Terps' three toughest matches on their 2011-12 non-conference schedule. At the end of that game, we can say with certainty, there will be one less undefeated team left this season in D-I of the NCAA. Obviously, we hope (and believe) that remaining undefeated team will be Maryland.

Don't miss this one!

Go Terps . . . Beat the Hens!

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases

2011-12-21T20:22:00.003-05:00

'Canes Not Able

The BCs arrived at McDonough Arena this evening with every intention of cheering for the Miami Hurricanes in their game against the Hoyas. We are, after all, ACC fans, and we don't much like the Hoyas in any event. We were anticipating a good game, and a rare opportunity to cheer for a Conference rival.

But frankly, the 'Canes didn't give us much to cheer about. You know how every now and then, a team has a game in which absolutely nothing goes right? Well, that's the game Miami had today. Open jump shots that never made it to the rim, turnovers, uncontested layups that caromed off the glass. For most of the game, the 'Canes simply could.not.buy.a.bucket.

Miami's style of play is very similar to Georgetown's -- lots of pressing, a high-speed run & gun offense . . . not much post play. Today, the Hoyas did a much better job of executing their game plan, and did a much better job at maintaining their composure; as a result, they easily won, 71-46.

The 'Canes shot a breathtakingly low 21% today! The BCs are betting that won't happen again, particularly in the just-around-the-corner ACC season. In fact, we're certain that when the Terps play the 'Canes in Miami on January 12th, the 'Canes will look like a very different team. And you can be certain, on that night, the BCs won't be cheering for Miami.

2011-12-15T21:46:00.001-05:00

Bo Knows Christmas!

(A White Chocolate White House!)

This afternoon, the BCs were extremely privileged to have been invited to a Holiday Reception at the White House. Now, we know that basketball is President Obama's favorite sport. And of course, it's the BCs' favorite sport, too. Do we think that's why we were invited to the reception? Well, in a word, NO. Quite frankly, we aren't exactly sure how we made the guest list, but when you receive an invitation from the President and the First Lady to come to their home, you say YES. We always do. (That makes us 1 for 1.)

Normally, visitors are not permitted to bring cameras into the White House, but for today's reception, that rule was waived . . . so the BCs and the other guests could take photos of the holiday decorations.

Naturally, then, we brought our camera along with us to 1600 Pennyslvania Avenue, and we'd like to share a little of our wonderful afternoon with you:

Our visit to the White House began on the Ground Floor, where guests were treated to the beautiful voices of the Wilberforce University Choir from Wilberforce, Ohio. And we had our first sighting of Bo, who figured prominently in this year's holiday decorations.

Here's Bo again, in the Library. If you are on the Obamas' holiday card list, you'll recognize this homey scene.

Lady Bird Johnson looked down over the hearth in a small ground floor room containing portraits of other presidential wives. We don't know the official name of this room, but given the portraits, and given the fact that there was a women's room directly through this room, we think a good name might be the First Ladies Room.

Also on the ground floor, the appropriately named China Room. We were told that's Mrs. Calvin Coolidge.

From the Ground Floor, we made our way up the marble stairs to the State Floor, where parties, formal dinners, and receptions are held.

The first stop on the State Floor was the magnificent East Room, which was beautifully decorated. There were also tables filled with delicious food.

The desserts were yummy, too!

In fact, in keeping with the festive spirit, there were plenty of spirits on hand, and appropriately, they were "Made in America," including one of the BCs' favorite domestic sparkling wines, Domaine Chandon. We don't normally drink at two in the afternoon, but we were in the White House, after all, so how could we not? And see that egg nog? It was delicious. After sampling it (for research purposes only, of course), we concluded it was 1 part egg nog, 1 part vanilla ice cream, and probably 3 parts bourbon!

The beautiful White House creche and one of the (several) Christmas trees in the East Room.

Although there were Christmas trees virtually everywhere, this is the official White House Christmas tree, in the Blue Room.

Just in case guests hadn't had enough to eat in the East Room, there was plenty more food and drink to be had in the State Dining Room, presided over by Abe Lincoln.

A Marine Band played in the Entrance Hall, suitably decorated with a portrait of Bill Clinton, former Saxophonist-in-Chief.

Of course, every successful party needs a good host. And today's hosts, POTUS and FLOTUS, stopped by to welcome their guests. They made quite a grand entrance, hand in hand, down the stairs from the White House Residence.

The BCs wish all our readers could have been there this afternoon. It was a very lovely, enjoyable, and unexpected treat. We hope that all of you are having fun this holiday season as well.

Photo Credits: DC BasketCases

2011-12-11T18:22:00.005-05:00

House Guest

On a cold but sunny afternoon, the BCs, and plenty of other Maryland fans, made the trip around the Beltway to the Patriot Center to see the Terps take on the George Mason Patriots. Upon our arrival, we gave the smaller, older (compared to Comcast) Patriot Center the once over. And one of the first things we noticed was that the Patriot Center's scoreboard is too ~~ancient~~ low tech to show the actual name of the visiting team, so this afternoon Maryland was the "Guest" in the house.

We have to confess, however, that in the first half, the "Guests" were quite impolite to their hosts . . . dominating the Patriots by a score of 44-20 at the break. The Guests were somewhat kinder to their hosts in the second 20 minutes. The Terps played a somewhat lackadaisical second half, but more than enough to emerge with the lopsided win, 78-50.

Alyssa Thomas led all scorers with 18. Three other Terps also scored in double figures -- Laurin Mincy (15), Lynetta Kizer (14), and Anjale Barrett (13) -- while Tianna Hawkins (11) and Alicia DeVaughn (10) had double-digit rebounds.

Super Frosh Brene Moseley had an uncharacteristically low output today, nailing only one shot . . . a beautiful lay-up in transition. And since we caught it ~~on film~~ digitally, here it is:

Today's first half of basketball was just great fun, but the highlight of the second half -- for the BCs at least -- was a vocalist in the Green Machine (the GMU band) singing one of our favorite songs, Empire State of Mind (Part II). She may not have been as talented as Alicia Keys, but she did a heck of a job during a basketball game, and it was an enjoyable bit of entertainment during one of the seemingly endless number of (mostly media) timeouts.

This afternoon's final buzzer ended the game, but for the Terps, it also signaled the start of a 17-day break for exams and holidays before they resume play. Their next match-up isn't until December 28th -- at noon -- when they take on the Lafayette Leopards (from Easton, PA) on the first day of the annual Terrapin Classic.

That's a long layoff. We don't know about you, but that's just too long for the BCs to go without seeing some live basketball. So, in the meantime, we expect to visit (one of our least favorite venues) McDonough Arena on Wednesday, December 21st. On that date, another ACC team will be making a very rare non-conference appearance in the DMV, as Miami faces off against Georgetown, at the early tip-off time of 5 PM.

The 'Canes have been picked to finish first in the ACC this season, so this will be a good chance for the BCs to "scout" this formidable opponent, who the Terps will meet (on the road) just a few weeks later (January 12th to be exact). As our astute readers have figured out by now, we're not big fans of the Hoyas. So the game on December 21st also provides a chance for us to root for another ACC team, Miami, for a change.

Go 'Canes . . . beat the Hoyas!

Go Terps . . . beat the Leopards!

Photo Credits: DC BasketCases

2011-12-08T21:09:00.003-05:00

It's Well Known that, at some point during each Maryland player's career, Coach B tries her best to schedule a game in or near the player's hometown.

But what about the local players? Like Marissa Coleman, for example. Did Coach B just load the team on a bus, circle the parking lot a few times, then announce, "Marissa, you're home!"? We've always wondered about that.

This year's Maryland roster sports four "homers" who live only modest distances from Comcast . . . Lynetta Kizer (Woodbridge VA, 34 miles), Tianna Hawkins (Clinton MD, 22 miles), Brene Moseley (Burtonsville MD, 9 miles) and Sequoia Austin (~~Occupy College Park~~ Greenbelt MD, ~3 miles).

However, if there is such a thing as a special hometown game for any of these four, then tonight's Terps v. Delaware State game was definitely "it" for Tianna. Tonight, all four locals had friends and family in the stands, but Tianna actually had family on the court . . . her twin sister, Tierra!

6'3" Tianna (aka Big Twin) and 6'2" Tierra (aka Little Twin) are fraternal twins; Tianna is a few minutes older. Little Twin is a redshirt freshman for the DSU Hornets and leads her team in scoring and rebounding. Tianna and Tierra played together in high school at Riverdale Baptist, are very close, and before this evening had rarely faced off against each other on the court. In this pre-game article in The Diamondback by Josh Vitale, the twins shared their excitement about tonight's game. (**Fact check note to Josh: DSU competes in NCAA Division I, not II as stated in the article**)

In the Hornets' Media Guide, when Tierra was asked to name her favorite basketball team (excluding DSU, naturally), unlike most of her teammates who chose teams like the LA Lakers, Tierra listed her favorite team as the "Maryland Terps." Good choice.

After tonight's game, in which the Terps drubbed the over-matched Hornets, 108-33 (ouch!), we hope that Tierra will still list the Terps as her favorite team in next season's DSU Media Guide.

Next up for the Terps is an "away" game at George Mason on Sunday at 2 PM.

Go Terps . . . beat the Patriots!

2011-12-06T18:26:00.003-05:00

Going to the Dogs!

The 2012 ACC season hasn't even begun yet, but the BCs figure it's never too early to get excited about the Terps' 2012-13 non-conference schedule! Or at least one game in particular.

A short time ago, ESPN announced that Coach B's Terrapins and Coach Geno's UConn Huskies will participate in the 11th annual Jimmy V Classic on December 3, 2012. This game, which will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2, will take place in Connecticut (Hartford or Storrs, TBD). Road trip!

The 2012 Jimmy V Classic will be the first half of a Maryland home-and-home against the Huskies. Great news!

So the Terps are going to the dogs next season (2012). And then sometime in the 2013-14 season, the Terps will let the dogs in, playing host to the Huskies at Comcast.

We've heard from many Maryland fans that they'd like to see the Terps play a tougher non-conference schedule. Well, those fans just got their wish. UConn is currently ranked #2 in both polls and has the #1 ("historic") recruiting class in the nation arriving on campus next fall. So, yeah. Playing the Huskies definitely qualifies as a tough assignment. And we think that's just terrific!

Maryland is loaded with young talent and has a pretty remarkable 2012 recruiting class of its own. Huskies-caliber competition will challenge the Terps and make them better. And that's what it's all about.

Beat UConn . . . we kinda like the sound of that! You'll be hearing this refrain from us -- many times -- in the next couple of years. You can count on it.

2011-12-05T14:56:00.001-05:00

A Bagel and a Schmeer

The BCs were in the mood for a really good bagel this weekend, and if there's one thing you can't find in D.C., that's it. At least, not that we've ever found. Oh, we've sampled some round brown things that resembled bagels here in the DMV, but they just didn't measure up to the (high) standard we set for a really good bagel. Mostly they are missing that perfect chewiness. You know it when you've had it, and we pretty much haven't had it anywhere close to home.

We've also noticed that people selling "bagels" in D.C. ask if (or worse yet, assume) you want them toasted. No! No! No! A genuine fresh bagel should never be toasted. Never! It's like ordering a steak at Morton's and asking for ketchup. People do it, the restaurant obliges, but it's still just wrong!

So on Saturday, the BCs hopped a plane to Chicago in search of a good bagel. We could have gone to New York, of course, but since dear friends of ours happened to be getting married in Skokie (a Chicago suburb) that day, we decided on the Windy City for our bagel hunt.

We're pleased to report that the weekend -- including our bagel hunt -- was a complete success. First and foremost, the wedding ceremony was moving and beautiful. It was a perfect celebration of our friends' love and commitment, in front of their families and friends. It doesn't get any better than that. We are so grateful that we could be there. Thank goodness there was no early season Chicago blizzard to stand in our way!

The wedding was Saturday night, so that left all day Sunday for our search for that perfect bagel. We scoped out the area around Skokie, and zeroed in on a place called Bagel Country. It was located in a strip mall. The exterior was nondescript. There was nothing about it from the outside that screamed "perfect bagel." So we were a little skeptical. But when we walked in, all it took was one glance and we knew we had chosen well. Here's a tip: when you enter a bagel establishment and notice not only that it's crowded but also that every male customer is wearing a yarmulke with a hair clip, you know you have come to the right place. And indeed we had! So we ordered a couple of bagels with cream cheese and couldn't wait to try them. All it took was one bite into that perfect chewiness, and the BCs were in bagel heaven.

As we were finishing up, an elderly gentleman named Neil who appeared to be the owner was making the rounds with a tray of chocolate chip cookies, stopping at every table to talk to the patrons and offer cookies. (Free cookies . . . on top of perfect bagels!) When Neil got to our table, we saw that he was wearing a name badge proclaiming him to be the "Chief Schmoozer." He was aptly titled, and we thoroughly enjoyed our good long schmooze. We told Neil how much we loved the bagels, and tried to convince him to open a second location in D.C. -- a city not only in need of a good bagel -- but one that also values a good schmoozer. Neil looked at us with a twinkle in his eye and told us it would be much easier if we would just move to Skokie. Those bagels were so good, we're considering it!

Unfortunately, our Midwest ~~bagel~~ wedding sojourn did cause us to miss a Maryland game this weekend. In fact, while we were busy eating our bagels and a schmeer, the Terps were busy schmeering the Eagles at American, 76-42. But that's yesterday's news, and so we presume you already know it. In case you missed the AP story, it's here. The Washington Post couldn't even bother sending a reporter to cover a game between two local teams. (Shame on them.)

The Terps' next ~~victim~~ opponent is Delaware State, on Thursday at 7 PM at Comcast. The Hornets of Delaware State should not be confused with the #22-ranked Blue Hens of the University of Delaware, who Maryland will be playing on Dec. 29, the second day of the annual Terrapin Classic (assuming no upsets on day one).

Go Terps! . . . Schmeer the Hornets!

2011-12-01T21:59:00.005-05:00

ACC/B1G Challenge

The basketball gods were much kinder to the ACC on Day 2 of the annual inter-conference Challenge. On Day 1, the ACC spotted the Big Ten a 5-2 lead . . . Maryland and Ga Tech being the only winners for their conference.

But Day 2 was a different story. Duke won. UVA won. Miami won. And the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest seriously kicked some Golden Gopher glutei maximi. Except for Clemson's 11-point loss to Illinois, today was All-ACC!

Unfortunately, Thursday's big ACC day couldn't completely erase the B1G Ten's Day 1 margin.

When the CPAs tallied the results, the final score was: ACC 6, B1G Ten 6. So, the bad news is that for the first time in the 5-year history of the women's Challenge, the ACC did not win. But the good news is that for the 5th time in the 5-year history, the ACC did not lose! Or to say it another way, this year's Challenge ended in a tie.

The BCs consulted a couple of their basketball experts about the tie-break rules. Expert #1 told us that, in the event of a tie, the Commissioner's Trophy (is there such a thing?) is simply kept by the prior year's winner . . . that would be the ACC! Meanwhile, Expert #2 told us the tie was broken by Rock, Paper, Scissors. (LOL!)

In any event, the ACC made a great Day 2 charge. The ACC didn't lose. We can live with that. (Well, we have no choice, do we?)

See you next year, B1G!

2011-11-30T23:29:00.004-05:00

Still ~~Crazy~~ Perfect

On a night when most ACC teams succumbed to their Big Ten counterparts in the 5th edition of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, at least Maryland and Georgia Tech did their parts, defeating Michigan and Nebraska, respectively.

With these important wins, both the Terps and the Yellow Jackets maintained their perfect records in the Challenge. Five years, five wins. Plus, in doing so, they saw to it that there are no longer any undefeated teams in the Big Ten. Not Michigan, which had won each of its four prior Challenge games, and not Big Ten newbie, Nebraska, which was welcomed to its first Challenge tonight with a Big L, courtesy of GT.

To Michigan's credit, it wasn't an easy W for the Terps. For about the first 35 minutes, the Wolverines shot the lights out from beyond the arc, an offensive performance that saw the game tied at the half, and tied or nearly so for 15 minutes after that. The Terps struggled with their inside game, but fortunately, Alyssa Thomas had a big scoring night, putting up 19 points in the first half, and 24 overall, including her first 3-pointer! (Alyssa had to leave the game for about three minutes late in the second half, when she suddenly went down with what appeared to be a very painful leg cramp. Luckily, she was able to return.) Is it just us, or has anybody else noticed that Alyssa's best games are the big games? We love that about her. She led her team against Georgetown and led her team tonight. Against the ~~cupcakes~~ other opponents, not quite as much.

Lynetta Kizer, still coming off the bench, was a huge factor in turning the tide in the Terps' favor late in the game. She hounded Michigan on the defensive end, and helped Maryland get some much needed stops.

Tianna Hawkins played 37 minutes and made every one of them count! T-Hawk scored 10 points and added a game-high 16 boards. These double-doubles are becoming a habit for Maryland's (mostly unheralded) junior post player. Without T-Hawk's steady, determined presence, Maryland would never have been able to dominate the Wolverines on the boards the way they did (47-24).

Laurin Mincy (11 points) also finished in double figures tonight. And Anjale Barrett continued to dish out generous post-Thanksgiving servings to her teammates, notching 8 assists.

The BCs also want to give the Maryland crowd a shout-out tonight. With about five minutes left in the game, and the two teams in a virtual dead-heat, the 4,000 or so Terps fans in the house raised the decibel level markedly . . . and sustained the noise practically to the final buzzer. The Wolverines, at times, seemed visibly rattled by the noise. Their shots stopped falling. The Terps racheted up the defensive pressure and went on a run . . . finally putting the game away, 74-65.

The BCs are completely hoarse. Late in the game, we looked over and noticed that the gentleman next to us was wearing earplugs. Now we're not sure that was related to our screaming, but we wouldn't bet against it either. Our section gets pretty loud and "involved!"

So, a good night for the Terps. But a not-so-good night for the ACC. The Tarheels got embarrassed in (not-so) Happy Valley, where they lost to Penn State, 103-84. Florida State lost an OT heartbreaker (on the road) to #18 ranked Ohio State, 78-75. Meanwhile, Boston College, NC State and Virginia Tech also fell to their Big Ten opponents.

At the end of Day 1, with the Big Ten holding a 5-2 edge, we hate to admit it, but tomorrow the BCs will be rooting for duke, as well as Miami, Wake Forest, UVA and Clemson. To win outright, the ACC needs to sweep all five Day 2 games. A tall task, but not impossible.

Congratulations Terps . . . and Ga Tech!

Go ACC . . . Get out your brooms tomorrow, we need a sweep!

2011-11-30T08:45:00.000-05:00

UM v. UM! ACC v. Big Ten!

Both undefeated in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge!

Both with perfect 7-0 records this season!

7 PM at Comcast!

No excuses . . . BE THERE!

Go Terps . . . Beat the Wolverines!

Go ACC . . . Beat the Big Ten!

2011-11-27T15:13:00.001-05:00

Must See TV

The BCs have noticed that our basketball posts of late have received very few comments. That could mean one of two things: (a) our readers think we said everything there is to say about a particular subject (we're flattered), and they have nothing to add, or (b) our readers are getting bored with our writing and our blogging.

If (b) is the correct answer, then that's worrisome. Perhaps it's time we tried something new or different. You know, rebrand ourselves . . . branch out a little. But what could we possibly write about? Let's see . . . we love basketball, travel, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Wait, forget that, we took a wrong turn there. Hmmm, besides basketball and travel, we also enjoy watching television (selectively, of course.) That gave us an idea . . . we'd try our hand at becoming TV reviewers!

And we found the perfect show for our new careers as TV reviewers: Comcast SportsNet's "Under the Shell." The season premiere of this "reality show" aired this morning (Sunday) at 9 AM on our cable network. If you missed it, and our review piques your interest, (not to worry) CSN is rebroadcasting this first episode. So check your local listings for a rebroadcast, or watch the episode online, because (in the opinion of these two reviewers) you really missed a great show.

In case you're not familiar with this reality series, Under the Shell is in its seventh season. It provides an all-access behind-the-scenes and on-the-court look at the Maryland women's basketball team and the myriad cast of "characters" who are associated (officially and unofficially) with the Maryland program. The BCs have been fans of the program since it was first launched seven years ago. Back then, the show was produced by an experienced sports videographer, Mark Thomas. (Later he took a leave of absence from producing to concentrate on doing laundry.)

Since those early shows, the production has, at times, been somewhat uneven. Some years it's been really great; other seasons, enjoyable, but not really special. However, if this morning's episode is indicative of what we can expect for the rest of the series, then this season looks like it could be an exceptional one.

The producers, recognizing that the Terps have only played one game of note to date, wisely gave that game (MD v. Georgetown) its due, and then moved on to what might be called "human interest" stories. There are a good many humans associated with the Maryland Women's Basketball program. On the court and off, they are a pretty interesting bunch of people. So focusing on them makes for very entertaining and informative TV.

This week, we were treated to a fascinating glimpse of Trainer Matt Charvat's medical mission in Sierra Leone, as well as an amusing look at Ass't Coach David Adkins's efforts to milk his torn achilles tendon for all its worth when it comes to getting waited on hand and foot (so to speak) at home. The fun begins when Coach Adkins's wife sees a slightly different side of him at the Comcast Center.

Even the commercials were fun. Yes, Coach B is once again hyping a certain car dealership up in Maryland. (If we print the name, can we get a good deal on our next car?)

We'll stop there, because we don't want to fall into the trap of so many reviewers . . . simply reporting first this happened, then that happened, blah blah blah. No, we would rather you know we loved the show, without knowing every detail.

We want you to watch it yourself! And then catch Under the Shell when it airs bi-weekly through the end of the season. Ready ~~Set~~ Go Set your DVRs now!

2011-11-26T17:57:00.004-05:00

Cruisin', Part II

This afternoon, playing their second game in as many days, the Terps broke the 100-point-mark for the first time this season (in fact, with 4:16 left in the game), and then added a little more, defeating CSU Bakersfield, 114-83, to finish up their Thanksgiving holiday in Miami undefeated.

The Terps began today's game by racing out to an early 14-point lead (23-9) over the Road Runners. But as they did yesterday against FIU, Maryland then seemed to shift into cruise control and allowed most of their early lead to dissipate. Midway through the first half, the Terps' lead was only 34-33. But then, like yesterday, Maryland regained its focus and was comfortably ahead, 53-41, by halftime. After the break, as the saying goes, the Terps never looked back.

Maryland's triple-digit output was largely the work of six Terps who finished in double figures today. They were led by Laurin Mincy, who scored a game-high 23 points and was deadly from beyond the arc, nailing 5 of 7 treys. (Laurin scored 16 of her points in the first half!) She was followed by Tianna Hawkins (who had yet another double-double, with 19 points and 10 boards), Super Frosh Brene Moseley (17 points, including 3 of 5 three-pointers), Lynetta Kizer (15 points), Alyssa Thomas (14), and Alicia DeVaughn (11).

And all those double-digit scorers got plenty of help from Anjale Barrett. Despite playing only five minutes in the first half due to early foul trouble, Bronx managed to follow up yesterday's 10-assist performance with a staggering 11 assists today (and zero turnovers). Incredible!

The Road Runners are known as a run and gun type of team. They score a lot of points, but also give up a lot of points. Before today's meeting with the Terps, they averaged 87 points per game and allowed their opponents an average of 84. Maryland's 114-point explosion (with a 31-point margin of victory) obviously blew those averages away today.

So the Terps' Thankgiving holiday was a complete success . . . a beach vacation, a holiday meal, and two Ws.

The Terps' next game -- against the University of Michigan on Wednesday at Comcast at 7 PM -- should be no holiday. It's a big one -- the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge game -- and the 5th year of the Challenge. Both the Terps and Michigan enter this year's Challenge undefeated in the inter-conference competition. (The ACC's Georgia Tech is the only other undefeated team in either conference.) Of course, after Wednesday's game, only one of these two teams (MD or UM) will be able to make that claim. So this one is not only important for Maryland's season, it's also important for the inter-conference bragging rights. It's B-I-G! Be there!

Go Terps . . . Beat the Wolverines!

* * * * *

Program Note: The seventh season of Under the Shell premieres tomorrow morning (Sunday) on Comcast SportsNet at 9 AM. Can't wait to see Episode 1!

2011-11-25T20:34:00.001-05:00

Cruisin'

One of Miami's claims to fame is that it's home to a primo cruise port. Cruise ships heading to the the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, the Panama Canal and other more exotic destinations -- including across the Atlantic Ocean -- find a home in the Miami area.

So this evening, after the Terps had raced off to a 10-1 lead against holiday tournament host Florida International, apparently they decided to enjoy the weather, the party atmosphere . . . and cruise a little bit themselves. Bad idea. Before you know it, the score was tied 17-17 (about half-way through the first period).

Since the BCs weren't there and we were only following "the action" via live stats, we don't know for sure, but we suspect that didn't make Coach B happy. In fact, we suspect it made her somewhat unhappy. And perhaps Coach B and her staff reminded the players that they weren't in south Florida to cruise . . . but to play Maryland basketball.

In any event, whatever was said, it worked. The game didn't stay tied for long. About 5 minutes later, the Terps were leading the Golden Panthers by 13 points. The margin was 14 at the half (in Maryland's favor, of course), and when the final buzzer sounded, the Terps had cruised to their 6th win of the season, 84-52.

Although she didn't start today's game, Lynetta Kizer played the most minutes of any Maryland player, 28. Netta also tied with Laurin Mincy for team-high scoring honors, each finishing with 15 points. But possibly the most impressive stat-line of of the night belonged to Anjale Barrett, who dished out 5 assists in the first half . . . and then another 5 in the final period. 10 assists! In only 23 minutes. Wow. Obviously, the injury that forced Anj to make an early exit from the St. Joe's game didn't hamper her performance today. That's really good news.

Other Terps finishing in double figures: Tianna Hawkins had 13 points (all in the first half) and a game-high 9 rebounds, while Alyssa Thomas was close behind (in scoring) with 12. Brene Moseley came close to double figures, with 8 points.

No day at the beach for the Maryland team tomorrow, as they tip-off against CSU Bakersfield at 2 PM.

Go Terps . . . Beat the Road Runners!

2011-11-22T23:47:00.000-05:00

The Hardcore Maryland Fans who braved the miserable rush-hour traffic in the rain tonight to see the Terps take on St. Joseph's at Comcast were treated to Maryland's biggest offensive output of the season, as the Terps dominated the Hawks, 94-71. The normally earth-bound Turtles had no trouble eluding the St. Joe's birds of prey.

Playing in only her second game of the season, and her first at home, Lynetta Kizer, coming off the bench, posted a career-high and game-high 25 points (in only 24 minutes). Saturday may have been Netta's post-suspension debut, but tonight was definitely her coming out party!

In addition to scoring all those points, Netta should also be credited with one very much appreciated assist: Maryland's (talented) cheerleaders throw T-shirts into the crowd after every Terp 3-pointer this season. Well, thanks to a beautiful beyond-the-arc shot by Netta, the BCs netted a new Maryland Tee in the T-shirt-toss. (Thank you Netta! And thank you Cheerleaders!)

Several other Terps also had double-figure nights. Super-Soph Alyssa Thomas challenged the Hawks' defense in the paint (time and time again), either scoring or drawing the foul (or both) -- and finished with 21 points, 11 coming on free throws. Meanwhile, T-Hawk notched yet another double-double, putting up 17 points and pulling down a game-high 12 boards, a big part of the Terps' monster effort on the glass, as they outrebounded the Hawks, 57-22 (!). Laurin Mincy added 14 points (and 6 assists) and Alicia DeVaughn finished with double-digit rebounds (11).

Unfortunately, Anjale Barrett sustained a knee injury during the first half; she was helped off the court to the locker room . . . but fortunately appeared to be able to put some weight on the injured knee. We were heartened to see Anj return later to the arena -- though not to the game -- and we certainly hope that her injury turns out to be nothing serious.

As enjoyable as it was to watch all the scoring and rebounding, we have to confess that the game wasn't as much fun as some others . . . frankly, it lacked pace, as the whistle-happy officials interrupted play repeatedly, calling a total of 41 fouls. And they could've (and in some cases, should've) called more, if they had wanted to. There were quite a few trips, shoves and at least one obvious example of jersey-grabbing (by a Hawk, of course) that went unnoticed by the crew in black and white.

A good outing (and outcome!) by the Terps, but still a long night for fans and teams alike.

That's especially so since some of us still have an early workday tomorrow, and the Terps have an even earlier wake up call for their 5:00 AM flight to Miami. (However, if the BCs were headed for Miami in the morning, instead of to our offices, we wouldn't be complaining.)

Yes, next up for the Terps is Thanksgiving Day in South Florida. (Lucky them!) And after feasting on Thursday, the team gets to work off those holiday calories with back-to-back games at a holiday tournament on Friday and Saturday, first against tournament host Florida International University (6 PM Friday), and then against CSU Bakersfield (2 PM Saturday).

The BCs are very thankful for all the blessings and joy in our lives, including the joy of Maryland Women's Basketball. We wish every one associated with the program, and every one of our readers, a very Happy Thanksgiving. And to all those who are hitting the road this week, we wish you safe travels.

Go Terps! Beat the Golden Panthers . . . and then the Road Runners!

2011-11-19T22:05:00.000-05:00

$5.95

The BCs thought about road-tripping up to Baltimore tonight for the Terps' game against the UMBC Retrievers, but when we thought about the greenhouse gas effect of a round trip drive from Virginia to Charm City (not to mention the cost of gas), we decided it would be environmentally more responsible to spend $5.95 to watch the game on-line. Watching the game, though, we were happy to see that a healthy contingent of red-clad Terps fans had made the trip.

As things turned out, we wound up envying those fans (for a while, at least), as they did not suffer whiplash from 40 minutes of following the action via the herky-jerky movements of the Retrievers' video cam operator. If the BCs are wearing neck braces the next time you see us, don't ask, you'll know why.

The video wasn't the only thing off-kilter tonight -- the Terps weren't very steady, either. Although they won, 70-59, they struggled against UMBC throughout most of the game, and for a little while there, we thought the margin of victory might only be single digits. UMBC deserves a lot of credit for their gutsy performance tonight. The Retrievers were playing a team with more talent, and they pushed the Terps hard. The Dogs earned a moral victory, if not an actual "W."

Three Terps finished in double figures. Tianna Hawkins had another monster performance. T-Hawk posted a double-double by halftime, ending with a game-high 19 points and grabbing a game-high 18 rebounds by the final buzzer. Super Frosh Brene Moseley added 14 points and 5 assists. Lynetta Kizer -- back from her suspension -- played in her first game of the season, and finished in double figures with 12 points. Netta did not start either half. She entered the game with 11:45 left in the first half and played significant, but somewhat limited, minutes.

This was the Terps' first road game of the season. It's always harder to play away from home. We're sure the coaches have been telling them that all week. But sometimes seeing -- and experiencing -- is believing. Hopefully, tonight's harder-than-expected win will be a valuable learning experience for the young Terps team. Maryland will need to play a lot better on the road than they did tonight if they are going to have a successful ACC season. The BCs have every confidence that they will.

Next up . . . a game on Tuesday at Comcast against St. Joseph's from the Atlantic-10 at 7 PM. FYI, former Terp Natasha Cloud transferred to St. Joe's this summer -- a school very close to her home -- in order to support family members struggling with serious medical issues. Tash is redshirting this season, so while it's possible she'll be in the house on Tuesday, don't expect to see her take the court against her old teammates.

Go Terps . . . Beat the Hawks!

2011-11-19T05:17:00.000-05:00

The Terps Hit the Road tonight for the first time this season. Their opponent: the UMBC Retrievers. Tip-off in Baltimore is scheduled for 7 PM.

Not only is this Maryland's first away game, but (we have it on good authority) it will also signal the return of Lynetta Kizer to the Terps' line up.

We don't know (and frankly, we don't want to know) what earned Netta her 5-game suspension. We're sure that Coach B had a very good reason for benching her senior center. We respect the fact that no player (no matter how big a star) is given a Get Out of Jail Free card by the Terps coaching staff. And we did not fail to notice that, throughout her suspension, Netta was the #1 cheerleader for her teammates on the court. We were happy to see that.

Welcome Back ~~Kotter~~ Kizer!

Go Terps . . . Beat the Retrievers! Woof! Woof!

2011-11-18T10:50:00.000-05:00

R.I.P.

Women's basketball is a relatively small community. So when tragedy strikes, many of us -- not only the professionals who work in the game and who work in the media, but also those of us who are simply fans -- feel the loss as well.

Last night, the WBB community lost a couple of their own, tragically. A couple of good people: Oklahoma State Head Coach Kurt Budke and Assistant Coach Miranda Serna were killed when the single-engine plane in which they were traveling crashed in Perry County, Arkansas. The pilot and another passenger (neither yet identified) also died.

Coach Budke and Coach Serna were on a recruiting trip.

Our prayers and condolences go out to the families of all those who died, to the Oklahoma State community, and to the entire women's basketball community . . . who lost two of their own.

May they rest in peace.

2011-11-16T21:36:00.003-05:00

Beam Us Up to Comcast, Scotty

As Star Trek fans in our youth, the BCs were really hoping that by now (in our not-so-youth), teleportation would be a travel option. Alas, no.

So, with a work-related obstacle, we weren't able to make it to up College Park tonight to be eye-witnesses to Maryland's 3rd win of season . . . this one a complete romp over the Tigers from nearby Towson University, 82-46. ("A work-related obstacle" interfering with our seeing the Terps? Yeah, yeah, we know our priorities are a bit skewed. It happens. Fortunately, not too often.)

We did, however, make it home in time to follow the "action" on Gametracker. And from that (admittedly limited information) it looks like what we missed was a first-half tag-team beat-down by Bones Moseley and Laurin Mincy!

Bones was seemingly scoring at will (15 first half points on 5-7 shooting, including 3 of 4 from 3 point range!) and dishing out assists to her teammates, while Laurin chipped in 11 points for her team . . . all in the first period. So it should comes as no surprise that Maryland headed to the locker room up by 26.

No disrepect to Towson, but Maryland just had too many weapons. This game, for all intents and purposes, was over well before the final buzzer.

Every Terp saw action. Brene and Laurin led the Terps in minutes played (28), and Bones led all scorers with 26 points (didn't we say she was special!), while Laurin finished with 15. Alyssa Thomas (14) and Anjale Barrett (11) also recorded double-digit scoring. Bronx dished out 6 assists . . . more that the entire Towson team combined. Anj is really demonstating her senior leadership in so many ways! Whitney Bays and Alicia DeVaughn led all rebounders with 10 each.

Once again, the Terps were playing without Lynetta Kizer. Make no mistake, she's sorely missed, but fortunately her teammates are getting the job done in her absence.

Next, Maryland hits the road for their first "away" game of the season . . . all the way to Baltimore to face the UMBC Retrievers on Saturday at 7 PM. (BTW, the Retrievers are giving out free T-shirts to first 1,000 fans!) So it should be a fun, fan atmosphere.

Go Turtles . . . Beat the Dogs!

2011-11-13T20:25:00.014-05:00

The Washington, D.C. area is home to two strong teams -- Maryland and Georgetown -- from two of the country's strongest basketball conferences -- the ACC and the Big East. So when those two teams meet (as they did this afternoon), the winner comes away not only with a W, but also with bragging rights in the DMV. Last year, those bragging rights belonged to the Hoyas, who defeated the Terps during the regular season, at McDonough, and then ended Maryland's season by beating the Terps again (at Comcast), in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament.

But today was different. With memories of that embarrassing loss in March still fresh in their minds, the Terps dominated the Hoyas, 72-53. Maryland scored the first points of the game, and never trailed. Georgetown kept the game competitive through much of the first half . . . they were down only 8 at the break. However, after the intermission, the Terps quickly opened up a 10-point lead and continued to build on it. With 6 minutes left in the game, the margin had stretched to 20 points. The Terps' largest lead was 24. There were no last minute heroics or runs by the Hoyas -- Georgetown was unable to make any real dent in Maryland's lead. The only thing to be decided was the final score.

The Terps' win today was the result of a balanced team effort in which four of the starters finished in double figures. Super Soph Alyssa Thomas led all scorers with 19 points; she also grabbed 15 rebounds for another double-double. Tianna Hawkins was right behind . . . with a monstrous performance in the paint. T-Hawk also notched a double-double (17 points and 14 boards). And we were thrilled to see Alicia DeVaughn really raise her game this afternoon, contributing 14 points and 7 rebounds. Tianna's and Alicia's efforts were crucial, as Maryland was playing (once again) without senior center Lynetta Kizer (who remains on indefinite suspension).

Speaking of seniors, we can't say enough about the contribution today of senior PG Anjale Barrett! Her poise and veteran leadership were absolutely critical to Maryland's coming out on top. "Bronx" scored 10 points, dished out 5 assists, stole the ball three times, and started a highlight-reel play (of the game) on the defensive end of the floor that continued to the other end, finishing with a Maryland score. Anjale was the glue that helped hold this young, talented team together.

And as long as we're handing out well-deserved praise, let's not forget Laurin Mincy. The sophomore guard drew the daunting assignment this afternoon of defending Georgetown star Sugar Rodgers. Many players, from many teams, who've drawn that assignment haven't enjoyed it very much. But the relentless Laurin hounded Rodgers and simply Shut.Her.Down. Rodgers was held scoreless for the entire first half, and did not score until there were only 8 minutes left in the game. Rodgers fouled out just before the final buzzer, having put up only 4 points.

The (frequently ungracious) Hoyas Head Coach, Terri Williams-Flournoy, credited Maryland's defense with doing "an OK job on Sugar." Well, the BCs think the coverage of Sugar by Laurin, with terrific backup from Kim Rodgers (no relation), was definitely more than just OK. It was outstanding. (But no need to trust us; according to the Washington Post's Kathy Orton, Laurin and Kimmie took Sugar Rodgers "almost completely out of the game.")

We'd also like to mention that the Hoyas (known for their defensive prowess) pressed the Terps throughout the game. But today, their press was, in a word, ineffective. The Maryland players looked for their open teammates, and passed the ball out of the press . . . which occasionally resulted in easy baskets for the Terps. In a major reversal from last season, it was Georgetown (not the Terps) who earned the ignominious distinction of recording game-high turnovers (18).

That's what happened. How the game went. Who did what to whom. But, for us (the fans), how did it feel? It felt Great! Losing to the Hoyas twice last season was tough . . . on the players and on the coaches, most, but also on the fans. Today, practically from the opening tip, it became clear that something was different. Better different. What we saw during the first half (while the final outcome was still very much in doubt) was that this year's Terps were tougher, more balanced . . . and smarter. They would not be lulled into making costly mistakes. They would win or lose playing their game. And, as became patently clear in the second half, their game was better! Terps basketball, offensively and defensively, is quality basketball and F-U-N to watch.

It's only the first weekend of the regular season, but a big game like this one, in the exciting, loud and well-attended atmosphere of Comcast Center, felt almost playoff-like. There were "oldies" in the house (we saw Lang, Riss and KT) and some soon-to-be-newbies (recent Class of 2012 signees). Everybody cheering for the Red, Black & Gold seemed to be having a good time. All in all, a really, really good day to be a Terps fan.

And to top it off, (for now) the DMV bragging rights belong to the Maryland Terrapins. No doubt about it.

2011-11-11T23:11:00.007-05:00

Today Was Special for a variety of reasons. Of course, there was that spooky numerology thing: 11-11-11. That doesn't happen very often. More important, it was Veteran's Day . . . when we honor those who serve and sacrifice for our country. That always makes it a special day.

Then add the fact that today was the start of the NCAA women's basketball regular season. 134 games today! Lots of teams in action all over the U.S. . . . and Maryland was one of them.

This evening at Comcast, the Terps played host to their neighbor to the north, Loyola. The Terps v. Greyhounds has become an annual affair, only the venue changes each year. But, fortunately for Maryland, the outcome didn't. Once again, the Turtles outraced the Canines --wire to wire. Final score: Maryland 84, Loyola 46.

So, to recap, on 11/11/11, Maryland played its #1 game of the regular season and recorded its #1 win. Whoa! That's a lot of ones! We still think this is kinda spooky.

But back to the game: In a contest like tonight's, when one (there's that number again!) team dominates another from start to finish, the fans (that would be us) have the chance to focus on some individual players and individual performances . . . since we're not overly worried about the final outcome. And what we saw tonight were a couple of very special people.

~~Number One~~ First, we couldn't help but notice that the player the BCs dubbed Super Frosh last season has miraculously morphed into Super Soph. Alyssa Thomas. Is she special? You bet. She's all that and more. Alyssa scored the first 6 points of the game, finished with 20 (game high), grabbed 7 boards -- and played only 23 minutes. She's truly something special to watch.

But Alyssa's not the only special player who grabbed our attention. It's still early, but the BCs now have a possible new candidate to take over as this year's Super Frosh. Not a stretch to guess who we might be considering for that title, since the Terps only have one true freshman this season, Brene Moseley. Is she special? So far, it sure looks that way. Tonight (and in the exhibitions) she played with the poise and skill of a player with far more experience. And playing the point is a tough position for a freshman (or any player, for that matter). Against the Greyhounds, Brene came off the bench to score 17 points (5-6 from the field and 2-2 from outside the arc!); she dished out 4 assists (should've been 5) and only turned the ball over 1 time (there's that number, again). Yes, Brene is a player we look forward to seeing much more of as the season develops. (BTW, TurtleSportsReport had a nice feature on Brene earlier . . . here. And this article by Gene Wang of the Washington Post makes clear how critical the play of Brene and the other guards will be to the Terps this season . . . here.)

We also liked what we saw from several other players . . . strong performances from Laurin Mincy (11 points), Tianna Hawkins (8 points and 7 rebounds), and Whitney Bays (6 points and a game-high 8 boards). The minutes were spread liberally (as you would expect against an overmatched opponent). And during her 6 minutes of playing time, Essence Townsend continued to show real improvement: 3 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block. Great to see.

Also great to see were some Maryland legends who had returned to College Park to cheer for those now carrying on their legacy. Crystal Langhorne, Kristi Toliver, Marissa Coleman and Jade Perry were all in the house tonight.

A good solid opening performance (for the still Lynetta-less) Terps. But the next game will be a much much tougher test. The Georgetown Hoyas, who ended the Terps' season last March in the NCAA Tourney, travel to Comcast on Sunday for a 2 PM rematch with Maryland. Don't miss this one! The Terps need all the support we can give them.

Go Maryland . . . Beat the Hoyas!

* * * * * * *

In other news, three future Terps -- Malina Howard, Tierney Pfirman, and Chloe Pavlech -- signed their Letters of Intent this week, and those players seem to be pretty special too. They'll all be arriving on campus next fall. We look forward to seeing them play!

2011-11-06T22:25:00.003-05:00

Holy Rollover II

The BCs may be shameless, but we're not dishonest. So, for the record, we "borrowed" the title of this post -- Holy Rollover -- from a loyal reader, Marcie, who used that term in a comment to our last post. It made us laugh.

We also laughed at her reference to the Terps' exhibition/early season opponents from the "WWJD conference." We thought that was pretty funny too . . . also pretty accurate: Messiah, Holy Family, Loyola, Georgetown. So we shamelessly "borrowed" that as well. Thanks, Marcie! If one of our (heretofore nonexistent) sponsors ever decides to invest in BasketCases Bobbleheads, you can be sure you'll get a limited edition set.

As for this evening's game, the Terps hosted the D-II Holy Family Tigers in their second (and final) exhibition at Comcast. The Tigers, ranked #18 in the preseason Division II poll, pulled out to an early lead over the #10/11 D-I Terps, scoring the first 1-point of the game. But the home team fought back, putting together a run of its own . . . 27 unanswered points. It wasn't until 10:23 remaining in the first half that Holy Family managed to score its first field goal of the game. Final score: Maryland 94-36. No disrespect intended, but this one really was a Holy Rollover, Batman. The Tigers did their best, but were obviously overmatched.

Alyssa Thomas led all scorers with 23 points . . . in only 19 minutes of play. Four other Terps scored in double figures: Bones Mosley (16), Alicia DeVaughn (14), Tianna Hawkins (12) and Laurin Mincy (10). Alicia and Tianna both notched double-doubles: Alicia grabbed a game-high 14 boards and Tianna added 11. The BCs also want to give a shout out to Essence Townsend, who blocked 3 shots, scored 6 points and pulled down 7 rebounds in 17 minutes of playing time. Essence looks a good deal more comfortable out on the court than she did a year ago.

For the second game in a row, the Terps were without the services of Lynetta Kizer, who remains on indefinite suspension. Netta was in warm-ups on the bench . . . cheering, encouraging her teammates, conversing with the coaching staff. In other words, she wasn't playing, but she was very much engaged. Kim Rodgers also got the night off, but not due to any suspension. Unofficially, the word was her knees could benefit from a little rest before the regular season begins. And that will be happening very soon, indeed.

Tonight's game concluded the games-that-don't-count portion of Maryland's schedule. From here on out, each W or L will become part of the team's record that determines where Maryland will be ranked when the NCAA committee meets in March of next year to fill out their all-important bracket for the Big Dance. Though ACC play is still a couple of months away, every game and every opponent -- whether they come from the Big East, Big Ten, Atlantic 10, Colonial or even the WWJD conference -- will have an impact on the outcome of Maryland's season. In other words, every opponent must be taken seriously and none of them should be "rollovers."

First up in the real season is Loyola, whose players and coaches will travel all the way from Baltimore to face the Terps Friday night (7 PM) at Comcast. Time to get this season started!

Go Terps . . . Beat the Greyhounds!

2011-11-01T22:35:00.003-04:00

Hallelujah!

It was only an exhibition. Really just a scrimmage between two teams with fans in attendance. But this evening, when ~~the~~ Messiah came to Comcast to face the 2011-12 Terps (minus one), it meant that the all-too-long (and all-too-depressing) off-season was finally at an end. College basketball is back! Hallelujah!

As expected, the D-III Falcons were no match for the #11 ranked D-I Terrapins. Even playing without senior star Lynetta Kizer (who apparently was a naughty girl -- suspended indefinitely for an undisclosed violation of team rules), the Terps dominated Messiah, 82-36. Props to the Falcons . . . they never looked intimidated or defeated. They played hard. This experience should stand them in good stead when they tip off against their own D-III competitors this season.

As for the Terps, four players finished in double figures (Anjale Barrett, Tianna Hawkins, Alyssa Thomas and Laurin Mincy). Laurin led all scorers with 17 points, and the BCs were impressed. We won't know for sure until Laurin faces some tougher opponents, but it looked to us like Laurin's game has really grown since her rookie season. Another player who caught our attention was freshman PG Brene Moseley. "Bones" dished out 7 assists in her debut. Not bad at all. Finally, with Netta in warm-ups on the bench, Tianna dominated the paint, finishing with a double-double (12 points & 13 boards).

This was hardly an edge-of-your-seat nailbiter, but we still had fun. And we look forward to many more opportunities to cheer on the Terps -- and have fun -- this season.

Next up: another exhibition at home, this one against Holy Family at 7 PM on Sunday.

2011-10-16T20:58:00.001-04:00

Open for ~~Business~~ Practice

It was a beautiful day in our Nation's Capital . . . perfect for a drive up the Baltimore-Washington Parkway to College Park. The leaves are just beginning to turn; the sun was shining. And, best of all, a chance to attend the Maryland Women's Basketball Team's annual Open Practice for the Rebounders! Although the Terps won't play an actual game until November 1, the BCs always look forward to the Open Practice. It's kind of like the start to the fan-season, our return to Comcast Center after far too many months away. As always, it was great to be back!

No, the Terps aren't practicing a dance routine to audition for America's Got Talent. UMd's Gymkana's already been there, done that. (Don't you love Gymkana?) What you see above is the work of Coach Kyle Tarp, the Maryland Women's Basketball ~~choreographer~~ strength and conditioning coach, who has the team warm up before every practice and every game with some unconventional -- but highly effective -- "functional movements." Just watching the players go through their paces is exhausting. (Not to mention, it vicariously stretched muscles and ligaments that people the BCs' age aren't sure we still have.) One thing was clear: every member of this year's Terps team looks to be in great shape!

Today's three-hour practice included three 12-minute (professionally officiated) scrimmages against the male scout team. This year's "scouts" look like a very quick and athletic group of guys. BTW, the BCs think it's terrific the way the scout team players work so hard, behind the scenes, to help the Women's team get better. (Thanks, guys!) But as quick and athletic, and as hard working as they were, the scout team still lost all three scrimmages to the women. No doubt, Coach B and her staff's coaching might've had a little to do with the outcome.

The Terps ended practice with some rhythmic clapping as they moved in for a final mid-court huddle, so the Rebounders began to clap too. Turns out, we didn't stop when we were supposed to (plus we weren't all that rhythmic, either.) So, Senior Anjale Barrett stepped up and tried a couple of times to explain how the clapping was supposed to end, but it was clear that the Rebounders are a bit clapping-impaired and still need a little more practice. Fortunately, no one made us run sprints on the floor for messing up (which is what the entire team had to do the few times someone missed a free throw during the final drill from the line).

As they do every year, the Terps ended the Open Practice by introducing themselves. Great to see, and hear from, each returnee. This year, the Terps have only two newbies: Freshman PG Brene (aka "Bones") Moseley. (FYI, "Brene" is pronounced like Renee, only with a B.) Brene is not only talented, but she already looked totally comfortable in the scrimmages. The other newbie is Katie Rutan. (FYI, "Katie" is pronounced like Katie.) Katie is a transfer from Xavier, and wow, can she shoot from long-range! Unfortunately, 2011-12 is her redshirt season, so we only get to see her skills in practice. But just wait till next season! And although, technically, she's not a newbie, Whitney Bays will finally get to make her debut in regular season games. We think she'll be a great on-court addition to an already terrific core group of players.

And with the toughest schedule in the ACC this season, the Terps will need Whitney and everyone else firing on all cylinders. Of course, the sad part of the introductions was hearing Lynetta, Kimmie and Anjale identify themselves as seniors. That means this is the last season we'll get to see them play at Comcast. While we are looking forward to great things from all three this season . . . we're starting to miss them already!

When Coach B talks about the Maryland program being one big family . . . this family photo gives a little indication of what's she's talking about: team, coaches (and twins) . . . fans, young and old. Today, as we have on so many days, we felt once again a part of one big happy family at Maryland! Isn't it great that the college season is finally about to begin? Go Terps!

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases

2011-10-02T13:17:00.001-04:00

Fun Again

Basketball hasn't been much fun in a while. (That’s hardly news to our readers.) But now, thanks to some exciting news out of College Park, we have a very good reason to smile again . . . finally.

As a couple of our readers reported in the comments to our previous post, 6’3” Malina Howard, the #1-ranked post player of the high school class of 2012, has verballed to Maryland. Malina, who’s ranked the #7 player overall in that class, tweeted yesterday, “It’s official I am a terp.” And the BCs – not to mention every other Terps fan who’s paying attention – couldn’t be happier.

If, in the last month or so, one of Malina’s teachers back in Twinsburg, Ohio had asked her to write one of those “What I did on my summer vacation” essays, the BCs have a pretty good guess how Malina’s would begin: I donned the red, white and blue uniform of USA Basketball, traveled to Puerto Montt, Chile, and helped win a gold medal for the United States of America in the FIBA U19 World Championship. Not a bad summer, all things considered.

Welcome, Malina! If only we didn’t have to wait another whole year to see you don the red, gold and black of Maryland! However, with Lynetta Kizer scheduled to graduate this coming spring, Malina’s arrival couldn’t come at a better time.

Though Malina’s considered an exceptional talent, she isn’t the only reason the BCs are smiling. The recruiting class of 2012 (that Coach B and her staff have worked relentlessly to assemble) is shaping up to be something very, very special. Maryland has already received verbal commitments from the #22 overall player in that class, 6’2” Forward Tierney Pfirman (from Pennsylvania), and from the highly-ranked (4-star) PG, Chloe Pavlech (another Ohio native). And don’t forget that Katie Rutan, a sharp-shooting 5’8” guard who transferred from Xavier to Maryland this year, will be eligible to play starting in the fall of 2012.

The talented 2012 newcomers will be playing alongside some very terrific veterans – Tianna Hawkins, Alyssa Thomas, Alicia DeVaughn, and Laurin Mincy, to name a few. All of those vets will still be on board during the 2012-13 season. A promising mix of youth and experience! And, looking ahead to the fall of 2013, Coach B has already received verbals from Alexis (“Lexie”) Brown, the #2-ranked PG in the class of 2013, and A’lexus Harrison from Digital Harbor, MD, the #14-ranked forward in that class.

The BCs were already excited about this year’s Maryland team (including the debut of Brene Moseley and Whitney Bays’s return to the court). Maryland Madness on October 14th! The team’s annual open practice for the Rebounders on the 16th. And then, the coming of ~~the~~ Messiah on November 1st! We can’t wait. But now, as great as we expect 2011-12 to be, we know it’s just going to keep getting better.

Great university. Great city. Great facilities. Great fans. The Best coaching staff. Is it any wonder all these phenomenal young ladies are attracted to this Great program? No. But the BCs are sure happy that they are.

2011-09-22T09:03:00.001-04:00

"I Never Made it This Far"

Mystics fans need no reminder that this is the first playoff season in three years in which Washington and its fans are on the outside looking in. But tonight, as the second round of the WNBA playoffs get underway, there are a few alumnae of the Mystics whose teams are still in post-season competition, and the BCs are enjoying watching them play.

In particular, we could not be happier for Nakia Sanford that -- for the first time ever -- she has the opportunity to play in a Conference final playoff series, after her Phoenix Mercury beat the defending champion Seattle Storm in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs on Monday.

Sitting in the locker room that night after the decisive third game, Nakia buried her face in her jersey, overcome with emotion. Teased by her teammates, Nakia said, "I never made it this far." (Video here). For the BCs, who have followed Nakia for her entire, improbable, WNBA career, it was also a very emotional moment.

Yes, Nakia's improbable WNBA career. Nakia graduated from the University of Kansas in 1999, having played for the Jayhawks on the team that won the first Big 12 title. But Nakia was not signed by any WNBA team, and she went overseas to play. Several years passed. No WNBA teams came knocking, and it is likely that Nakia thought she would never play professionally in the United States. Fortune, however, smiled. Nakia was playing one off-season on a team in South Korea with Chamique Holdsclaw, where she was spotted by the Mystics' then-Head Coach, Marianne Stanley. (Our recollection, in fact, is that it was actually Mique who told Coach Stanley she needed to come take a look at Nakia.) In April 2003, the Mystics signed Nakia as a free agent.

The rest, as they say, is history. Nakia spent the next 8 seasons with the Mystics, often as a reserve, although she was thrust into a starting role early in the 2007 season when the Mystics suddenly traded away starting Center Chasity Melvin to the Sky (in exchange for Mo Currie).

Nakia was always one of the most fan-friendly players. She has a great sense of humor, does wonderful charity work, and, maybe because of her improbable late arrival to the WNBA, she never seemed to take the fans or the experience of playing in the U-S of A for granted. Nakia may not lead the league in on-court statistics, but if we were ranking players on how they represented the league, their team, and their city . . . Nakia would be right up there at the top of the list.

During the past off-season, when GM/HC Trudi set in motion her "rebuilding with youth" strategy, Nakia was not re-signed by the Mystics. She found a new home in Phoenix (as a reserve). Bench player or not, tonight Nakia gets to do something she's never done . . . play in a Conference championship series.

The BCs could not be happier for her. Go Kia!

2011-09-15T22:05:00.002-04:00

First Among Worst

The BCs have been Mystics season ticketholders since the inaugural season of 1998. (Our names are inscribed on the Founding Fans wall in the Verizon Center.) In the 13 seasons preceding 2011, we thought we’d seen it all – all the coaching changes, all the front office changes, all the player drama, all the exciting and sometimes puzzling draft picks, and naturally all the ups and downs that have made up the gestalt of the Mystics experience.

Over the years, we’ve suffered through many a miserable season. But without a doubt, the recently concluded Mystics 2011 season was, for us, the very worst ever. Worse even than the 3-27 inaugural season? Yes. Having a women’s professional basketball team in our Nation’s capital was all new and exciting. There were large and enthusiastic crowds, and, most important, there was the promise of better things to come. We had fun. Worse even than the season of 2008, which we used to think of as the franchise’s low point? Yes. Because most of the misery and the failure of this season, unlike 2008, was the result of self-inflicted wounds. This season need never have happened this way, and should never have happened this way.

The October Massacre

The unmitigated failure of this season was brought on, first and foremost, by the October Massacre. In the history of professional sports, has there ever been another team that finished first in its conference, with a franchise-record number of wins, after years of mostly disappointing performances and multiple (mostly unsuccessful) coaches, which then turned around and effectively pushed the General Manager and Head Coach (who engineered the team’s turnaround) out the door? All because the team’s mega-wealthy owners decided to save a little money? If it’s happened before, the BCs have never heard of it. Maybe that’s why, nearly a year later, we still find it incomprehensible. And unforgiveable.

A Quick Hire

The stupidity and meanness of that October decision (let’s not forget, those were two very hardworking human beings who lost jobs that they loved that month) were then compounded by the quick hire of a cost-saving combo GM/HC. After Sheila & Co. reorganized the GM and HC jobs into a single position in order to save money, did they do a national search to find the best possible person for that redefined job? Not that they’ve ever said. Instead, they immediately promoted the previous season’s second assistant coach (you know, the one the WNBA didn't even allow to sit on the bench), Trudi Lacey, to the new job.

So what qualified Trudi for this new position? Well, as a matter of fact, Trudi had actually done the combo GM/HC job before. She served in that capacity with the Charlotte Sting beginning in 2003. Her tenure in that job went something like this: after Trudi inherited the Eastern Conference’s 2nd place team in 2003, Trudi’s team lost two more games than the team had lost the year before, but still managed to finish in 2nd place. The following season, 2004, saw GM/HC Trudi’s Sting finish with a losing record and drop to 5th (of 6 teams) in the East -- and miss the playoffs. And then the 2005 season arrived. That year’s Sting team opened the season with 3 wins . . . and 21 losses, under GM/HC Trudi’s leadership.

At that point, GM Trudi was left with no choice but to split the combo job, fire herself as HC and bring in another head coach, Muggsy Bogues, to finish out the season. (Muggsy’s record that summer was 3-7.) Not surprisingly, the Sting finished dead last in the East, with the worst record in the WNBA. One season later, with Trudi still at the helm as GM, and Muggsy still coaching, the Sting recorded a hardly spectacular record of 11-23, missing the playoffs again . . . and playing in a virtually empty arena. What followed was, literally, The End. After the 2006 season, the Charlotte Sting -- one of the 8 original WNBA teams – folded. Gone, defunct, dust in the wind.

That was the résumé -- and the legacy -- that Trudi brought to the Mystics’ GM/HC job this summer. Sheila & Co. were looking for a quick hire -- and for someone willing to do both jobs -- so Trudi got the nod. In the press teleconference that lives in infamy (Sheila: “Let me idiot proof this for you . . .”) following Trudi’s hiring, Sheila was asked whether Trudi had what it took. And Sheila famously replied, “everything is a crap shoot.”

Grade F on the 2011 Draft

The BCs don’t know how anyone could give GM Trudi’s 2011 draft anything other than a failing grade. Although Trudi had two first round draft picks, they were both for naught. First, as part of the Lindsey Harding trade, Trudi directed the Atlanta Dream to use their own first round pick to draft Ta’Shia Phillips and send her to the Mystics; Trudi then used the Mystics’ own pick to draft Victoria Dunlap. She used her second round pick to draft Karima Christmas. Trudi waived both Phillips and Christmas later in the season. Karima was picked up off waivers by Tulsa, and Ta’Shia by New York. Because the two players were waived, the Mystics got nothing in return for them. Meanwhile, Dunlap spent virtually her entire rookie season parked on the bench. We’re not really sure whether GM Trudi just isn’t very good at evaluating talent, or whether HC Trudi isn’t very good at using the talent she’s been given. In any event, the BCs rate GM Trudi’s 2011 draft an “F.”

What Strategic Plan?

Well before the WNBA’s free agent signing period began in January, and months before the college draft in April, the Mystics knew that Mo Currie was expected to be out for the entire season, recovering from her ACL injury. But what wasn’t known -- with certainty -- was how well Alana Beard would be able to play after returning from a potentially career-ending injury, having missed an entire year of basketball.

Meanwhile, early in the off-season – after the October Massacre – word spread in WNBA circles that Lindsey Harding no longer wanted to play for Washington. Katie Smith was a free agent and her return to the Mystics was also uncertain.

So in light of all these off-season developments, what was the Mystics’ strategic plan going into the 2011 season? GM/HC Trudi announced that she was rebuilding with youth. No veteran free agents; not a mix of young and old; the strategy was to focus on youth. Thus, Nakia Sanford was not offered a contract (she signed as a free agent with Phoenix) and Chasity Melvin was cut in training camp. GM Trudi stacked the team with rookies and traded her 2012 first round draft pick to Minnesota for Nicky Anosike, a player with 3 years of WNBA experience. GM Trudi executed her plan, assembling the pieces for the future of the franchise.

But then, right in the middle of the season, GM Trudi totally abandoned her plan. She cut two of her four rookies, including first rounder Ta’Shia Phillips. Then she replaced them with an 11-year veteran, DeMya Walker, and a 4th year player, Kerri Gardin, both of whom had been cut by the Connecticut Sun (Kerri before the season began, and DeMya after 10 games). Of the two remaining rookies, GM/HC Trudi then left one of them – Victoria Dunlap -- on the bench, while Crystal Langhorne finished in a virtual dead-heat for most minutes played per game in the WNBA (Sylvia Fowles edged her by 0.3 minutes). Lang continued to play 30-plus minutes per game even after the Mystics were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. And Vicky continued to sit on the bench.

Plan A, rebuilding with youth, obviously wasn’t working.

Management Failure

We’re hard pressed to find a credible argument for retaining the services of a coach who loses 28 games in a 34-game season. As Mechelle Voepel recently wrote of the Mystics, “the lion's share of the blame for this season's woes is not on the players.” That said, if Sheila & Co. fire Trudi, they’ll be scapegoating her in a way. Why? Because, quite frankly, with her track record, Trudi should never have been considered for the job in the first place. In the BCs’ opinion, the greatest failure of the recently concluded season is not Trudi’s. The greatest failure is the utter lack of good stewardship of the Mystics franchise by Mystics management.

When you are an owner who is fortunate enough to have two consummate professionals like former GM Angela Taylor and former HC Julie Plank on your team, who – by your own admission – produced positive results, and ahead of schedule (we were at the airport)-- then you MUST find a way to keep them on board. You do NOT allow what, to you (a person of incredible wealth), is for all intents and purposes an inconsequential amount of money, to undermine the stability of the prior two seasons and derail the strategic plan. Yet that’s exactly what Sheila & Co. did. They failed miserably as owners and managers. They failed the players. And they failed the fans.

Big and Biggest Losers

Of course, the players suffered a great deal: emotionally (losing night after night takes its toll), physically (playing league-leading minutes can wear a player down), and, financially (for the first time in 3 years, no playoff money in their paychecks). We count them among this season’s big losers . . . and we’re not referring to their win-loss record.

In our opinion, the biggest losers, though, were the fans. Mystics fans have been loyal to a fault. Mystics fans harbor a deep emotional attachment to their team. They are used to being disappointed, but they are not used to being blind-sided or betrayed. And that’s how the BCs felt (and still do) and how many other loyal fans felt (they’ve told us) about the bait-and-switch that Sheila & Co. pulled on all of us last October.

Then, to add insult to injury, Mystics fans had to suffer through watching their team lose a franchise-record number of games. And the in-game experience that used to be so much fun, this year was mostly depressing. Empty seats. Little to cheer about. Plenty of formerly die-hard fans just opting to stay home and watch online or on TV, or simply not watch at all. It just wasn’t fun anymore, so it wasn’t worth the time and expense to attend anymore either. Sheila & Co. stole something from all of us.

Where Do They Go From Here?

As sad as we feel to say this going into the 15th season, the franchise needs to start over. Sheila & Co. need to acknowledge the huge mistake they made last fall. They need to acknowledge it to the fans. Most important, they need to acknowledge it to Angela and Julie.

Then Mystics management need to do exactly what they did after the 2008 season, which resulted in Angela and Julie being hired. They need to do a careful and considered national search, and they need to find the best possible person to become the new GM, and that person needs to be given carte blanche to find and hire the best possible HC. (And, in this process, in our opinion, Angela and Julie deserve the right of first refusal.)

The franchise also needs to make a real and serious commitment to a long term plan. And, when it comes to basketball operations, that includes treating the GM of the Mystics the way the GM of the Wizards is treated. As Aretha would say, it’s all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T. That means the Mystics’ GM (whoever she or he may be) should NOT be reporting to the head of business operations (Greg Bibb). Ernie Grunfeld does not report to Greg. Why not? Because Ernie (like Angela) has spent his entire career immersed in The Game of basketball -- its players, its coaches, every nuance and every aspect of The Game. His job is to achieve on-court success. Running the business side of things is extremely important to a professional franchise, no question about it. But Ernie, for good reason, doesn’t answer to Business Operations, and neither should the Mystics’ next GM. The person with the most experience in basketball, the person making the player personnel decisions, should be reporting to the owners. If that’s how men’s basketball is run, that’s how women’s basketball should be run too. Anything less is disrespectful, and sexist.

It won’t be easy for Sheila & Co. to repair the damage this last season has done. It won’t be easy to regain the trust and support of the fans. But Mystics management are the only ones who have the power to start the rebuilding process. The BCs challenge them to swallow their pride and do whatever it takes to make this right.

2011-09-13T22:15:00.005-04:00

It's Been a Long Dark Mystics Season, but finally, the BCs have something to look forward to . . . the Terps!

As our readers surely know by now (you do follow Coach B on Facebook and Twitter, don't you?), the ACC finally released their 2012 schedule today. So that allowed the Terps to finally release their 2011-12 schedule too.

In case you haven't put the dates in your Outlook calendar yet, you can find the complete schedule here.

Notably, the ACC has added two games to the in-conference schedule this time around. For the Terps, this means more home-and-homes with some pretty tough teams.

In fact, at first look, the in-Conference portion of Maryland's schedule looked so grueling that the BCs called on our research department to do a little statistical analysis for us this afternoon. And our first impression was confirmed! If you add up the number of last season's in-Conference wins of each team's opponents, and multiply by the number of times each team must face that opponent this season, guess who has the toughest schedule in the ACC this season? (Hint: this university also has the coolest football uniforms, not only in the ACC, but in the . . . World!) If you guessed Duke, you're reading the wrong blog. Yes, of course, as our analysts discovered, the Terps-have-the-toughest-schedule. Period. That is -- collectively -- the Terps' opponents this coming season had more ACC wins last season than did the collective opponents of any other ACC team. (Did you follow that?)

While we didn't actually ask our researchers for more, you know how those spreadsheet-geeks are. They had another revelation for us: of the top 5 teams in the ACC last season, guess how their 2012 ACC schedules stack up?

Duke and Miami, who finished tied for the regular season title, get the 11th and 9th toughest schedules respectively (of 12 teams) this season. Florida State, who finished third, has the 10th toughest schedule. And Georgia Tech, who finished with the same record as the Terps last year, has the 12th (out of 12) toughest ACC draw. So, in summary, the Terps get the #1 toughest and the other top four teams get #11, #10, #9, #12. Hmmm. (As a certain actor on the old Laugh-In show used to say . . . verrrry interesting.)

Heck, we're not complaining . . . a tough ACC schedule could be a great thing for the Terps come . . . post-season.

But speaking of revelations, we can't help but notice that the very first team that Maryland faces this year (albeit in an exhibition) is Messiah College (PA). So, are the BCs looking forward to the coming of ~~the~~ Messiah? After the Mystics' season we've lived through . . You Bet We Are! The Terps season -- and ~~the~~ Messiah -- can't get here soon enough for us.

(FYI, we still plan a Mystics wrap-up. But can you blame us for wanting to write about something exciting and fun for a change? We knew you'd understand.)

2011-09-11T07:55:00.005-04:00

Most. Losses. Ever.

The Mystics' nightmare of a season finally ended last night, in San Antonio, where Washington lost to the Silver Stars, 82-74. There's not much to say about the game, except that Mo Currie started (the good news), the Mystics gave up two 12-point leads along the way to defeat (the bad news), and Marissa finished up the season in Trudi's doghouse (arf, just news). Riss played a total of only five minutes behind Mo and behind Kerri Gardin.

But if you were worried that Marissa was lonely in the doghouse, don't be. Vicky Dunlap kept her company most of the night. Vicky, whose rookie season started with a great deal of promise, saw her season end with just 1:50 minutes of playing time at the very conclusion of a game that had already been decided. Arf, Arf.

However the most significant news from last night's loss is that the Mystics finished out the season with a record of 6-28. 28 losses -- a staggering number for a 34-game season, and the most ever for the franchise. More losses than in the Mystics' 1998 inaugural season of 3-27.

We said the other day that we never expected to see 27 losses again in a single season. And now we have to say that we never, ever, ever expected to see 28! That this franchise record-setting number of losses came directly following the season of franchise record wins -- 22 (thank you again, Angela and Julie) -- makes it that much more astounding, and that much worse.

The absolute worst part of this horrific season, though, is that it didn't need to play out this way. Much of the damage to the team, and all of the damage to the franchise's fan loyalty and enthusiam (not to mention trust), was entirely self-inflicted.

First to Worst -- that single phrase sums up the story of the 2011 Mystics, a story of failure that is much more about The Sheila & Co. than it is about the players. One day soon, the BCs plan a separate post . . . a season wrap-up of our thoughts about all this. But today is not that day. Today, September 11th, is a day for thinking about and remembering more important things. So our Mystics wrap up will have to wait.

For now, all we can say is, thank goodness this season is over for the Mystics players . . . and for their fans.

2011-09-07T22:20:00.010-04:00

For the Second Time in two seasons, the Mystics were on the court -- on the road -- playing in a game that decided the regular season Eastern Conference champion. But unlike last year, there won't be any quickly-organized flash mob of ecstatic fans to greet the Mystics at the airport upon their return. No, unlike last year, the Mystics will end their season in the Eastern Conference cellar. First to worst . . . how sad.

Tonight in Indy, playing their penultimate game of the season, and their 7th since they were eliminated from playoff contention, the Mystics were kicked to the curb by the Fever, 87-69, as Indy clinched the top spot in the East.

This evening, the Mystics, despite a slow start, twice battled back from double-digit deficits, even taking a short-lived lead at the half, 37-36. After that, they fell behind again in the third period, closed the gap early in the final period to 66-63 . . . but that was all they had left in the tank. The Fever went on a 21-6 run . . . game, set, match -- and Eastern Conference regular season title to Indiana. Last season that accomplishment belonged to the Mystics.

As she's done all season long, the always reliable, never say die, Crystal Langhorne led the Mystics in scoring (18 points), and also pulled down 15 boards for a double-double. Off the bench, Mo Currie, just returning to the line-up following her ACL surgery, played a surprising 24 minutes and put up (a not surprising) 12 points (as did another no-quit player on the Mystics' roster, Matee Ajavon).

The Mystics are now 6-27. 27! The BCs lived through 3-27 the first year of the franchise, but we never, ever thought we'd see that many losses again . . . in a single season. Certainly not in the 14th year of the franchise. And especially not following the season in which the team notched a record number of wins, 22. But, not for the first time -- and certainly not for the last time -- we were wrong.

And, unless the basketball gods take pity on the Mystics, it could get worse. The Mystics still have one more game to play, Saturday in San Antonio (8 PM ET). They could, if the ball doesn't bounce their way, set the franchise record for most games lost in a season. At the risk of repeating ourselves . . . what a difference a year makes.

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Thursday AM Update: Yesterday, Mechelle Voepel posted another must-read article on ESPN.com (link here) about the 4 WNBA teams feeling left out of the post-season. In discussing the Mystics, Mechelle says, ". . . the lion's share of the blame for this season's woes is not on the players." The BCs agree. There's plenty more MV has to say about the Mystics. This is definitely worth reading.

2011-09-04T18:28:00.002-04:00

End of the ~~Road~~ Home

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.

2011-09-03T08:18:00.003-04:00

Crushed

The same two teams that played on Thursday in the Phone Booth played each other again a day later (Friday) in Atlanta. But a different day and a different venue led to a very different result. This time, the Mystics were crushed by Atlanta, 95-73.

In the second half of the ATL-WAS back-to-back, the Mystics fell behind early, trailing by as many as 20 points in the first half. The Dream extended their lead to 24 points in the third period before the Mystics -- led by rookie Jasmine Thomas -- mounted a ferocious charge to close the gap to single digits early in the fourth. But then, well, Washington ran out of gas, or Atlanta switched to a higher gear, or some combination of the two. In any event, the last 9 minutes of the game were all Dream, all the time. A 22-point loss for the Mystics, their 25th loss of the season. (That ties the franchise record for second highest number of losses, with 3 games yet to play.)

Jasmine has really impressed the BCs this season . . . she continues to compete whether the going is easy -- or rough. And there's certainly been plenty of the latter. Last night she led the Mystics with a career-high 19 points. Lang, who also competes no matter what, chipped in 15 in the losing effort. And (newly released from the doghouse) Marissa added 12 off the bench.

One of the highlights of last night's broadcast was LaChina Robinson's half-time interview of the Miller Twins. Both have played for the Mystics, both have played for the Dream, and now one plays for each. Both are painfully shy, but LaChina (one of our favorite WNBA broadcasters) managed to pry a few words out of them. (Fortunately LaChina didn't bring up that painful episode from years back when the Mystics flew off to an away game, leaving Coco behind in the airport. Ooops.)

The Mystics return to the Verizon Center on Sunday for their final (thank goodness) home game of the 2011 season. They will tip-off against the Connecticut Sun at 4 PM in the annual fan ~~Depreciation~~ Appreciation Day game. Hmmm. (The BCs know a bunch of fans who would still appreciate an answer to the emails and calls made to the Mystics' front office after the October Massacre. Still waiting.)

2011-09-01T22:59:00.008-04:00

Tonight at the Verizon Center, the Mystics finally put an end to their 9-game losing streak, as they upset the Atlanta Dream, 85-81.

The Dream, currently in 4th place in the tightly contested (that is, if you exclude the Mystics) Eastern Conference, arrived at the Phone Booth hoping to solidify their playoff position (and possibly gain some ground on the teams ahead of them in the standings). Instead, the Mystics played the role of spoiler.

In front of a sparse but enthusiastic crowd, Washington pulled ahead late in the final period, and sent the Dream home to Atlanta with another loss.

The fans at the Phone Booth had another reason to smile . . . the return of Mo Currie. With about 2 minutes left in the first quarter, Mo made her first appearance since last season. As our readers know, Mo tore an ACL playing overseas during the WNBA's off season, and underwent surgery early this year. She was greeted with cheering and a standing ovation when she entered the game. Mo played only 10 minutes, but given that she was playing her first WNBA game in nearly a year and playing on a surgically repaired knee, the BCs -- and others in the arena -- were impressed. Mo scored 8 points and pulled down 3 rebounds during her brief stint on the court.

Of course, without Old Faithful, Crystal Langhorne, the Mystics' losing streak wouldn't now be in the rear view mirror. Lang led Washington (once again) with 25 points and 10 boards. (She never ceases to amaze us!) Crystal got significant help this evening from Matee, who scored 19 points off the bench, 11 of them in the final period. And the aggressive play of rookie Jasmine Thomas (12 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds) also contributed greatly to the Mystics' win.

For the second game in a row, GM/HC Trudi tried a different starting line-up. Tonight, Trudi started Jasmine and Kelly, along with Kerri Gardin, Lang and DeMya. Matee subbed in along with Mo, but played extended minutes, while Mo's minutes, by necessity, were limited.

Speaking of limited . . . what the heck's going on with Marissa? As she did in Minny, Marissa spent most of tonight's game on the bench in her warm up suit. She entered the game late in the 3rd period, played a total of 8 minutes, missed one shot, committed one foul, but otherwise recorded zeros in her stat line. Is she hurt, sick . . . or just in Trudi's doghouse? In any event, she was pretty much a non-factor in tonight's victory.

The Mystics and the Dream will both be catching a flight (hopefully not the same one) to Atlanta tonight or in the morning. The same two teams play each other again tomorrow in Philips Arena. (WNBA scheduling drives the BCs nuts!) This means the Mystics will have another chance to play spoiler, and the Dream will have another chance to keep their playoff hopes alive . . . just in another venue, tomorrow (Friday) at 7:30 PM.

2011-08-31T09:12:00.002-04:00

The Mystics Arrived at the Target Center in Minneapolis last night -- in sole possession of the WNBA's longest losing streak (8 games) -- to play the red-hot, league-leading Lynx. Not surprising, that losing streak was extended to 9, as Minny routed Washington, 73-56. Also not surprising, Crystal Langhorne (13 points) was the Mystics' leading scorer in yet another losing effort.

The only real surprise last night was that GM/HC Trudi shook up her starting line-up -- giving the nod to Gardin, Thomas, and Walker in place of Coleman, Miller, and Anosike. That change made watching the first half of the game marginally more interesting, that and the fact that the game was fairly close for most of the 20 minutes played before halftime. But the second half was a different story. The Mystics completely fell apart, scoring just 6 points in the third quarter. Ouch. In the final period -- mostly playing against Minny's bench -- the Mystics were somewhat more respectable, putting up 17 points (versus Minny's 20).

The Mystics' 9-game losing streak is not only their longest of this season, it's also their longest since the Vortex of Doom season of 2008. Who can forget that season of despair? It was horrible. But there was a silver lining; that abysmal season finally brought about real and positive change to the Mystics in the form of Angela Taylor and Julie Plank. (We keep looking for a silver lining to this abysmal season . . . but all we can see at the moment are more dark clouds.)

About the only thing we enjoyed last night about the Minny game was that Alan Horton, the Minny announcer, repeatedly commented on how successful Angela and Julie were in Washington. Although Horton was off-camera, you could almost see him scratching his head in bewilderment, trying to make sense of why they are no longer with the Mystics. (In terms of bewilderment, Alan, you're not alone.)

It's hard to believe, but the Mystics (5-24) still have 5 more "garbage-time" games to play this season. How discouraging it must be for the players. And we know it's discouraging for Mystics' fans. The Mystics' next game is at home on Thursday against the Atlanta Dream. The Dream have won 8 of their last 10 games, including consecutive victories over the Eastern Conference-leading Fever. Atlanta, which got off to a slow start this season, is seeking to solidify its claim on the fourth and final playoff spot in the East, and possibly move up to 3rd or even 2nd place. In other words, Atlanta is playing for something, while the Mystics are playing for . . .

2011-08-28T20:28:00.005-04:00

Today was the Mystics' annual Breast Health Awareness game, and many of the fans in the arena were breast cancer survivors. The BCs and the rest of the fans in attendance only managed to survive an earthquake and a hurricane this week, something that pales by comparison to the challenges faced by those other survivors.

On court, however, the Mystics (despite another monster game from Crystal Langhorne . . . 27 points and 12 rebounds!) could not manage to survive the Phoenix Mercury, losing 86-79.

The Mystics have now dropped to 5-23. Their losing streak of 8 games is their longest of the season, and is currently the longest losing streak in the league. The Tulsa Shock not only snapped their losing streak earlier this week with a win over L.A., but, shockingly, followed that up today with a victory over the Connectcut Sun. This means that the Mystics are now the only team in the WNBA that has yet to win consecutive games. With only 6 games left, Washington may also be running out of time and chances to erase that ignominious distinction.

The Mystics' "reported attendance" for this afternoon's game was 11,614. Those of us actually in the arena would guess the number actually in attendance at a fraction of that. (Hurricanes, losing seasons, and unwarranted coaching changes do tend to depress attendance.) Perhaps the front office was counting all those pink flyers on the many thousands of empty seats. Or maybe they multiplied the number of nuns garbed in blue and gray habits, who filled the Courtside Club today, by a factor of 100 . . . or maybe 250.

The Mystics now travel out to Minnesota to face the Lynx on Tuesday night. The Lynx are enjoying a franchise-record setting season, having broken the 20-win-game barrier this summer for the very first time. Today, they locked up first place in the West. We know how good that feels. (What a difference a year makes.)

2011-08-27T13:24:00.009-04:00

Garbage Time

When the Mystics lost to LA on Tuesday, they were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, yet they still had 8 games left to play, nearly a quarter of the season. That's an embarrassingly early out for Washington. There's no good way to say this (and it may sound a little crude), but for all intents and purposes, the rest of the Mystics' season is garbage time . . . a bunch of essentially meaningless games.

Last night in Chicago the Mystics lost the first of those meaningless games, falling to the Sky, 80-67.

In this situation, some coaches might use these games to experiment a bit. Gain something positive from an unfortunate situation. They might give rookies and bench players more opportunities to play. They might experiment with some different starting line-ups or combinations. When games don't mean anything, what better time to try something new? Let's face it, the Mystics wouldn't be in this situation if what they had done during the meaningful part of this season had been successful.

But last night we saw the same old, same old from GM/HC Trudi. The same starting line-up; the same veterans playing big minutes (even though the game had turned into a rout); and the same rookie riding the pine for 39 of the game's 40 minutes. The same script the Mystics followed last Sunday against the Fever and last Tuesday against the Sparks was repeated again last night against Chicago.

As TV commentator and expert analyst Debbie Antonelli noted at the start of the Mystics' game against Indy last Sunday, the Mystics had only won 5 games in the entire season (as of that date, and as of now), and yet Trudi had used only two starting lineups all summer (then and now). And with Lang missing several games due to her bad back, one change in the starting 5 was a necessity, not a choice. The implication of Antonelli's remark was obvious -- if what you're doing isn't working, try something new.

Interestingly, new is what we saw from Sky Coach Pokey Chatman last night. With her team fighting to stay alive in their quest for their first ever playoff berth, Pokey made some adjustments to her starting lineup, and the ultimate result was a blowout win and a season shut-out of the Mystics, 4-0.

We also saw some new -- and very interesting -- behavior from the Sky coaching staff during a time out. After watching the Sky give back its entire 15-point lead midway through the third quarter (at which point the score was tied at 49), a visibly furious Pokey called a timeout. First she threw some paper in disgust, and then she and her coaching staff walked away from their team and did not speak to the players for the entire break in play. For the Sky players, it really was a "timeout." And did they ever get the message! Oh yes, loud and clear. When play resumed, the Sky went on an 8-0 run and never looked back.

Meanwhile, for the Mystics it was business as usual. Lang (despite a tricky back) continued to play lots of minutes. (Lang actually leads the league in average minutes played per game at 34.8! Matee is number nine.) In last night's ~~garbage time~~ blowout loss, Lang played 34 minutes. By contrast, Trudi's number one draft pick, Victoria Dunlap, has hardly been playing enough to break a sweat. Last night was no exception. Trudi finally put her in with 1:12 left to play. What was the point of that? How much learning can be gained by a rookie in that brief appearance in the garbage time of a blow-out? We have to wonder how Victoria is feeling right now about her WNBA debut season.

At the start of this year, Trudi made rebuilding the team with youth a point of emphasis for the season. In practically every post-game presser (even now) she reiterates that the Mystics' youth and inexperience play a major role in the team's struggles. Yet, as the BCs watch game after game, except for Jasmine, we're hard-pressed to identify any youthful or inexperienced players on the floor.

With last night's game being the first real garbage-time game of the season, we thought that might change. What better time to give your number one draft pick some actual in-game experience? What better time perhaps to try a new starting combo? But nothing changed, and now we don't expect it to.

The Mystics' loss last night was their 7th in a row, a season high, dropping them to 5-22. Phoenix (a team still very much in the midst of a meaningful playoff race) is the next scheduled opponent for the Mystics. Nakia Sanford and her new teammates on the Mercury survived a long, crowded, and uncomfortable trip by Amtrak to DC last night. So they're here -- despite Irene -- and the 4 PM game at the Phone Booth tomorrow (Sunday) is still scheduled to tip-off as planned.

* * * * *

As we write this, the first minor gusts of wind and bands of rain from Hurricane Irene have arrived in the DC area. We hope that, by now, all our readers have secured their garbage cans and anything else that could get blown away. Let's hope everyone in Irene's path stays safe and dry. The BCs have been lugging sandbags, filling water bottles and buckets, charging cellphones, Kindles and iPads. Flashlights and candles are strategically placed around the house. And, perhaps most important of all, we've stocked up on non-refrigerated essentials like peanut butter, canned tuna, bread, cookies, crackers, nuts, granola bars, and, of course, Nutella. How are you all doing?

Take good care, everyone! We'll catch up with you (if we have power) once we all say Goodnight, Irene.

2011-08-24T10:28:00.003-04:00

Tumbling Down

What a day. Tuesday started off with a root canal for Matee Ajavon, followed by an early afternoon Earthquake that sent thousands of people all over the DMV scurrying out of office buildings, Metro stations, museums, and monuments. And all this was quickly followed by the gut-wrenchingly terrible news of Pat Summitt's pre-Alzheimer's dementia diagnosis (*see links below). So should we be surprised that the Mystics' day ended badly, with yet another tumble down the standings . . . this time from an overtime loss to the visiting LA Sparks, 86-82? No, nothing surprises us anymore.

With their 21st loss (their 6th in a row, a season high), the Mystics have now been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Not that any Mystics fans, this late in the season, expected anything different. But now it's official. The Mystics' streak of play-off berths ends at two: 2009: yes. 2010: yes. 2011: no. All that remains this season for the Mystics is to play for pride.

Frankly, as we sat there in an almost empty arena watching last night's game (reported attendance 8,441), it was hard to understand how the Mystics could lose yet another close, winnable game, at home no less, to a struggling team. The BCs have never claimed to be great basketball minds, but that doesn't mean we weren't at times scratching our heads over some of GM/HC Trudi's substitutions. For example, in the first quarter, we wondered why Marissa Coleman was sent to the bench just after (following a bumpy start) she seemed to find her groove. Then later, Kelly Miller seemed to have a hot hand from beyond the arc, hitting two big 3-pointers midway through the 4th Quarter. Yet, in the final minute of regulation, Kelly was parked on the bench, where she remained for most of the OT period. Less than a minute after re-entering the game (at the 2:00 mark), Kelly nailed her 3rd three to give the Mystics a short-lived OT lead. (For the record, Victoria Dunlap was again a DNP; we're beginning to think GM/HC Trudi has given up on her first round draft pick.)

The BCs kinda feel like yesterday's was the second earthquake we've experienced in the last year. After the October massacre, Mystics fans (the BCs included) felt like the earth moved under our feet. We were completely thrown off balance by the decision of Sheila and her cohorts that GM Angela and HC Julie no longer figured in the Team's plans. And then we were rocked again by the aftershocks of Lindsey and Katie deciding that they no longer wanted to play for such a franchise. But even after all that bad news, we didn't anticipate that the Mystics would tumble down all the way from first to worst in the East. Even we couldn't imagine things being this bad.

There are so many people to feel sorry for here. We feel sorry for the long-time, long-suffering Mystics fans. And we really feel sorry for the players. How can we not feel for Crystal Langhorne, who's proven herself to be a consummate professional and competitor, carrying the Mystics on her (aching) back all season. Last night, she played all 45 minutes, put up 28 points, pulled down 9 boards, dished out 3 assists . . . and still her team lost.

Ironically, the Mystics' front office began their season ticket renewal campaign last night. Good luck with that.

* * * * * *
*Links to articles about Pat Summitt: Here, here, here, here and here.

2011-08-21T20:27:00.001-04:00

It Had To Be Hard for the Mystics to put last night's loss behind them. It had to be even harder to have to play the 2nd half of a back-to-back . . . about 21 hours after that devastating defeat. And to make matters worse, the Mystics had to travel from Washington to Indianapolis the day of the game.

Is it any surprise that the Mystics came out flat? No, at least not to the BCs. A 14-2 Indy run to open the game? No, not surprising either. Overall, a pretty bad performance by Washington (on the road) against the conference-leading Fever . . . ending with another loss, 83-51. Nope, nothing surprising about that.

About the only thing that did surprise us (although by now, this late in the season, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised) is why the Mystics' first-round draft pick, Victoria Dunlap, played only 4 minutes in what was obviously going to be an Indy blow-out. Is she not in GM/Coach Trudi's plans for next season? Because if she is, this seems a strange way to develop young talent.

Anyway, all in all a very tough weekend for Lang, Matee, DeMya (whose daughter starts kindergarten tomorrow!) and all the Mystics players (and their fans).

Assuming the Mystics fly back tonight, the good news is that they will have one whole day at home before they face the (struggling) LA Sparks on Tuesday at the Phone Booth. Travel safely.

2011-08-20T22:21:00.005-04:00

Just When the BasketCases Thought the Mystics were finally gonna win a close one, the Un-Believeable happens, and the Mystics lose to the visiting Chicago Sky, 71-70.

We're still slapping ourselves upside the head, trying to make sense of how tonight's game ended. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! If you Google that phrase, don't be surprised if a video of the last few seconds of this game pops up . . . it ought to.

OK, so here's what happened: the Mystics go up by 3 points with 20 seconds left in the game. Chicago ball, and the Sky are clearly looking for a 3-pointer, but the Mystics do a good job of defending the arc. So with only 4 seconds remaining in the game, they settle for a Sylvia Fowles 2-point lay-up. Mystics ball; Mystics lead by 1 point. The Sky are then forced to intentionally foul Matee Ajavon. The bad news is that she missed the first, then intentionally missed the second. The good news is that Chicago is out of time outs, and with only 2.5 seconds left on the clock they must go the full length of the court! A couple more seconds of "D" and this one belongs to the Mystics. The Phone Booth fans are cheering, the Mystics bench is all smiles.

But then the Un-Believable happens. The Sky inbound the ball. It ends up in the hands of Epiphanny Prince, who (running full speed down court) launches a long, desperation, 3-point attempt from a couple of steps past the half-court line. Does it go in? NO! It's blocked . . . cleanly, by Nicky Anosike, as time expires.

But WAIT!!! Was that a whistle? Yes, it was! But it was a clean block! Yes, it was. BUT, the replay showed that it wasn't Nicky who fouled Piph. No, it was Matee, coming from behind, who appeared to have have reached out and made contact as Prince was launching her shot. So yes, that was the refs' whistle you heard. And yes, they awarded 3 shots to Prince, and put 0.7 seconds back on the clock.

Of course, Piph steps to the line and makes #1 (scored tied at 70), then #2 (Chicago up by one), and then she intentionally misses #3 to run out those final .7 seconds. GAME OVER. Mystics lose #19.

What can we say about a game that ends like that? It looked like Trudi had a few choice words for tonight's officiating crew as they left the court. We don't know what she said, but we probably wouldn't print it here if we did (children might be reading.)

Another unbelieveable loss. Another unbelievable chapter in an unbelieveable season.

And tonight was just the first half of a back-to-back. The Mystics have to try to put this one behind them, and grab a flight to Indianapolis to face the conference-leading Fever tomorrow. That game tips off at 6 PM, and will be shown on NBA TV. No matter what happens, the ending of that one can't be any crazier than tonight's. Just not possible.

2011-08-18T22:24:00.001-04:00

Not What We Expected

The league-leading Minnesota Lynx came into the Phone Booth tonight on the heels of an embarrassing loss on Tuesday up in Connecticut. So we really expected to see them all fired up, right from the opening tip . . . but they weren't.

While Minny led the Eastern Conference cellar-dwelling Mystics for most of the game (no surprise), it wasn't until fairly late in the second half that the star-studded Lynx finally opened up a decisive margin, ultimately beating Washington, 81-62.

The BCs were, quite frankly, surprised by Minny's mostly less-than-dominating performance. Their list of starters reads like an All-Star game roster. Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Rebekkah Brunson, Seimone Augustus . . . aka superstars. Even at the other end of the bench, the Lynx are loaded with talent. Some of their reserves (Candice Wiggins, for example) would be starters on almost any other team in the league (especially the Mystics).

We didn't go to the game expecting the Mystics to win. We applauded every basket, block and steal the Mystics made . . . but, truthfully, we went to the Phone Booth tonight because we wanted to see Maya, Candice, Seimone and a few local girls . . . Becky Brunson (DC), Monica Wright (Northern VA), and Jessica Adair (GWU). The game, though, was somewhat disappointing. The "baby race" at halftime (see photo above), featuring a bunch of crawling (and crying) infants in diapers, was probably the most interesting and fun part of the evening.

With tonight's loss, the Mystics drop to 5-18, ensuring their tenth losing season in their 14-year history. (Not what we expected after 22-12.) They next play on Saturday at 7 PM, at home against the Chicago Sky, the first half of a back-to-back that will take them to Indy on Sunday. Both games will be broadcast on NBA TV.

Cell phone photo credit: DC BasketCases

2011-08-16T21:58:00.001-04:00

More of the Same

Tonight in New Jersey, the Mystics clawed their way back from a 13-point (24-11) first quarter deficit to take the lead by one point over the New York Liberty with 25 seconds left in the game. But once again, the Mystics could not finish, losing 69-66. Another big night for Crystal Langhorne (25 points), without a win. (Poor Lang.)

The loss drops Washington's record to 5-17, which means the best the Mystics can do this season is finish at .500, but that would require them to win all of their remaining 12 games.

Almost as painful as watching tonight's game on Live Access was listening to the New York announcers. Two hours of our lives we can never get back. (We kept hoping The Big White Whale would surface and put Kym Hampton and Tara Petrolino out of ~~our~~ their misery. No such luck.)

The Mystics return home on Thursday to host the league-leading Minnesota Lynx (who were on the short-end of a 108-79 blow-out in Connecticut tonight) at 7 PM in the Phone Booth. This will be the only opportunity for Mystics fans to see rookie Maya Moore play in person this season. That should make the game more interesting.

2011-08-14T09:46:00.009-04:00

Call Me Ishmael

Just because the WNBA scheduler ordered the Mystics to play a back-to-back this weekend didn't mean the BCs had to watch a back-to-back this weekend. So we didn't actually see the Mystics' play the Sun at the Casino last night. Instead, we opted to watch the second half of a ~~back-to-back~~ new, made-for-TV movie version of Moby Dick starring William Hurt and Ethan Hawke (which we recorded on our DVR a week or so ago).

However, during several of those long stretches when Moby was submerged, the BCs flipped open our iPad to the WNBA Center Court app, so we could check-in on how the two teams were doing. What we noticed was the same pattern that Mystics games have followed so many times throughout this season: Washington plays a tough, close game, only to falter down the stretch or in the final seconds. Last night, we'd say it was "down the stretch."

In the end, the Mystics' road trip to the Reservation turned out to be as futile as Captain Ahab's quest for the White Whale. No good came of either. (Hope we didn't spoil the end of Melville for anyone.) Moby Dick got the better of Ahab and his crew (well, except for Ishmael, who floated to safety on a coffin), while the Sun put another nail into the Mystics' coffin, as Washington lost, 82-75. Their record now ~~lies down~~ stands at 5-16, and the Mystics maintain the dubious distinction of being one of only two teams (and the only one in the Eastern Conference) without a single back-to-back victory this season.

The Mystics' next game is against New York (in New Jersey) on Tuesday. For the record, this will be Washington's third game against the Liberty in 11 days . . . just another example of fakakta scheduling in the WNBA. We finished the movie, so we probably will watch this one.

2011-08-12T21:53:00.002-04:00

Mystics (finally) Win a ~~Clothes~~ Close One

Tonight at the Verizon Center, the Mystics made it two in a row over the New York Liberty.

Unlike last Sunday's game, however, this one was no rout. Instead, it was a closely contested rematch. The Liberty made a couple of runs, but in each case, the Mystics countered and closed up the gaps. In the end, with the Mystics leading by one, it was New York (this time) who failed to finish, missing a layup as time expired. Mystics win, 64-63.

The usual suspects led the Washington win: Lang tied New York's Leilani Mitchell for game high scoring honors with 18 points. Matee added 13, and Nicky Anosike cleaned the glass with (game high) 11 boards. These players and the rest of the Mystics have very little time to savor tonight's victory as they head to Connecticut for a 7 PM match-up tomorrow against the Sun at Mohegan.

2011-08-10T21:50:00.001-04:00

Benched

The Mystics announced today that Alana Beard will not be able to play at all this season. While likely not a surprise to most Mystics fans, this is still very sad and very unwelcome news.

One thing the BCs know about Alana -- from watching her, for years, in a Mystics uniform -- is that she's a consummate competitor. She played hurt for good stretches of her career. When she couldn't play, because of injury, nobody attacked the job of re-hab with more vengeance than Alana did. And this off-season was no exception.

Last summer, Alana was forced to sit, watch and cheer her teammates as they won a record number of games; although she was a great cheerleader, not being able to contribute on the court had to be extremely tough for a competitor like Alana. But she stayed positive, and the effort that she put in, in an attempt to return to the court this year (following a severe left ankle injury) was impressive. We feel really disappointed -- mostly for Alana's sake, but also for Mystics and WNBA fans -- that she will now miss a second full season of play.

In the Mystics' release today, Alana is quoted as saying that she looks forward "to returning on the court in 2012." The BCs certainly hope to see Alana return, and play again.

Photo credit: DC BasketCases

2011-08-09T22:44:00.006-04:00

For A Short While Tonight it looked like the Mystics might actually put together their first genuine win streak of the season, albeit only two games long.

But it was not to be. Ahead by 5 points with just under 40 seconds left, Washington allowed Atlanta to reel off 7 straight points . . . and the Dream won, 72-70. The Mystics' win "streak" ended at one game, and the players and their fans suffered yet another heartbreaking loss.

How many close ones have the Mystics lost this season? The BCs have lost count . . . but we know it's quite a few. Tonight's loss might well have been the worst. Losing a lead in the last minute, at home, and your opponent hitting the go-ahead bucket with under a second left. That's a stake through the heart. Once more, Washington managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

With the Dream's win tonight and the Sky's loss to the Sun, Atlanta has now leapfrogged over Chicago into fourth place in the East, while the Mystics remain mired in last place in the Conference. The next chance for Mystics to change direction is Friday, when they host the Liberty at the Phone Booth. These two teams haven't played each other since, well, Sunday, when Washington recorded its fourth victory of the season.

2011-08-07T11:26:00.001-04:00

For A Change, last night at the Phone Booth, the Mystics not only beat the Liberty . . . but won easily and by a pretty big margin, 91-81.

The BCs weren't there, but we saw most of the game on NBA TV. After spotting New York a 6-0 lead, the Mystics took over about 4 minutes into the first period on a Kelly Miller 3-pointer and never looked back. Technically, this wasn't a wire-to-wire win, but it was pretty darn close.

The Mystics were up by as many as 22 points in the third quarter. They were led by Matee Ajavon, who had a career-night . . . she scored an amazing 32 points and notched her 1,000th career point along the way! "Old Faithful" Crystal Langhorne added 20 points, and Lang tied with Nicky Anosike for game-high rebounding honors (9 each).

For the Mystics, after going 1-9 during the month of July, August is already looking a whole lot better. This was, undoubtedly, Washington's best performance this season. They are now 4-14.

Next up: the Mystics meet the Dream at home on Tuesday and then host the Liberty again on Friday . . . in other words, they play two of the four teams they've beaten this season.

P.S. We are curious about one thing. The Mystics' 1st round pick, Victoria Dunlap, didn't play at all in last night's romp. She didn't play in the two prior games, either. What's up with that?

2011-08-04T08:53:00.001-04:00

Going for the Gold . . . in China!

Rising Maryland Senior Lynetta Kizer was so enthralled with the BCs' (and Petey's) Chinese adventure earlier this year that she couldn't wait to go over and see the country for herself. But with the Terps' planned trip to the Middle Kingdom (scheduled for June) put off until next summer, the ever-resourceful Netta had to find another way to get herself there.

So she tried out for, and was just named by USA Basketball to, the 2011 USA World University Games Team that will defend the USA's gold medal later this month at the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China.

This is a BIG and well-deserved honor. Congratulations, Netta . . . . bring home the Gold!!!

(P.S. Don't drink the water . . . seriously!)

Photo Credit: Maryland Women's Basketball

2011-07-29T21:53:00.005-04:00

With About Two Minutes Left in the ballgame and Washington leading the Indiana Fever, 59-57, Comcast's play-by-play announcer, Frank Hanrahan, verbalized the question Mystics fans -- in the arena and those watching at home (including the BCs) -- were asking themselves, "Can they close out?"

A 13-foot jumper by Jessica Davenport and a buzzer-beating lay-up by Shannon Bobbitt answered THE question. No.

Another hard-fought, close game for the Mystics . . . this time against the first place team in the East. But the result was the same . . . a disappointing, last minute loss, at home. Final score: Fever 61, Mystics 59.

We really feel bad for the Mystics players. Matee (19 points) and Lang (17 points) played their hearts out and outscored the Fever's All Stars. Still, it was not enough.

What more can we say? Four close games in a row (three of them at home). Four final-minute (or, in tonight's case, final-second) losses. Season record: 3-14. (Karma?)

Thankfully for the players (and their fans), the Mystics now have a week off to try to figure it all out.

Next up: the Mystics host the Liberty next Saturday (August 6, 7 PM) at the Phone Booth.

2011-07-28T22:23:00.003-04:00

No Finish . . . Again

For the third straight game, the Mystics came within inches of the finish line only to stumble down the stretch.

Tonight's failure took place at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, as the Mystics lost to the Liberty, 75-71, in their first meeting of the season. Another close, tightly contested, and winnable game . . . that the Mystics didn't find a way to win.

Of course it didn't help the Mystics' cause that a made basket was taken away on a very questionable charge call (on Kerri Gardin) in the final minute. Had the call gone the other way, that would've given Washington a one-point lead (plus the and-one) with about half a minute remaining. Still, the Mystics had another chance to finally close out a game. Down by 2, they got the ball back with enough time left (9 seconds) to tie or take the lead. But Jasmine Thomas threw the ball away, and that was the game. Turnovers happen, and Jas is a rookie. We understand that. What we have a harder time understanding is why Kelly Miller, an experienced veteran -- who had a hot hand tonight (17 points) -- was cooling her heels on the bench during the crucial final four-and-a-half minutes of the game.

The Mystics have now dropped to 3-13, and can no longer even equal their 2010 regular season record. Tomorrow (Friday) night, they return home for the second half of their back-to-back, and will take on the Indiana Fever, which has beaten them in the two games they've played this season.

2011-07-28T10:29:00.007-04:00

Some of Our Readers Were Wondering why the BCs didn't post about the Mystics' game Tuesday night against San Antonio.

Well, the truth is we actually started a short post, but we were so inspired after writing about paneling that we decided to paint part of our basement . . . and ran out of time for our blog. So, like the Mystics (against the Silver Stars and against the Dream before them), we just couldn't finish.

But in case you're interested, we can easily summarize what we would have written (if we weren't sidetracked by spackling, sanding and stringing blue tape everywhere): this was another close -- and winnable -- home game that the Mystics couldn't quite close out. The link to yesterday's Washington Post game report is here.

In case you do read the linked article, we feel obligated to call attention to what we believe, after nearly 14 full seasons of sitting in the Phone Booth and looking at the attendance numbers, is one gross inaccuracy: the statement by the reporter, Shemar Woods, that the Mystics suffered "a 73-67 loss in front of 11,331 at Verizon Center." Uhhh, 11,331 at Verizon Center? Utter and complete fantasy! (We were there.) While we do understand that the "reported" attendance is not the same as the "fannies in the seats" number, how the Mystics come up with these "attendance" figures reporting big increases in attendance over last season, we honestly do not know. Perhaps thousands of free ticket giveaways? And/or thousands of tickets given to corporate sponsors (which mostly are going unused)? Who knows? But the one thing we do know is that while the Mystics front office may have some rationale for what seems to us to be their (extremely) creative accounting of reported attendance, the Mystics team was not playing "in front of" 11,331 fans. Not even close. OK . . . end of rant. (Although we reserve the right to resurrect this one at a later date.)

As our astute readers noted in their comments to our previous post, not all the action in the last week took place on the court. Apparently GM/HC Trudi's commitment to rebuilding with a core of young players cracked under the weight of mounting losses. The Mystics waived rookie Karima Christmas (who immediately found a new home with the Tulsa Shock), and also waived 6'6" rookie Ta'Shia Phillips. Ta'Shia, as you may recall, is the player the Mystics instructed Atlanta to draft with their first round pick (number 8 overall), and ship off to DC as part of the Lindsey Harding trade. Fortunately for Ta'Shia, she also found a new home . . . instantly. She is now a member of the New York Liberty. Those two youngsters' spots on the roster have been filled with a couple of older players, 3-year veteran Kerri Gardin and 11-year veteran DeMya Walker. So it seems that Mystics fans can "waive" goodbye to the youth development movement.

Speaking of "New York": the Mystics face the Liberty tonight (Thursday) in the Libs' three-year temporary home: New Jersey's Prudential Center (WNBA Live Access at 7 PM). For the Mystics, this is the first half of a back-to-back. Tomorrow (Friday), Washington hosts the Indiana Fever at the Phone Booth. (Given that it will be a Friday night game against an opponent with a couple of popular All Stars --Tamika Catchings and Katie Douglas -- the BCs predict that the Mystics tomorrow will be playing in front of a (reported) crowd of 13 or maybe even 15 thousand. So arrive early and be prepared for long lines at the refreshment stands and the rest rooms!)

But we digress . . . returning to the subject of mounting losses: the Mystics, having picked up their 12th loss of the season on Tuesday, have now equalled the total number of losses they suffered during the entire 2010 regular season. In other words, just to finish with the same record as last year, the Mystics need to run the table, beginning with a win tonight followed by 18 more wins . . . in a row. Is that impossible? Not exactly. But if you asked the BCs which was more likely right now: a Mystics 19-game winning streak or the Tea Party advocating for a tax increase . . . well, let's just say we wouldn't be betting on the Mystics.

2011-07-25T15:35:00.002-04:00

Panel Discussion

The BCs have heard a lot of griping from fans about an event the Mystics are hosting tomorrow evening (Tuesday) prior to the tip-off against the Silver Stars. Frankly, we don't understand what all the complaining's about.

Fans have been invited to an hour of pre-game networking followed by a panel discussion with Mystics owners Sheila Johnson and Ted Leonsis, as well as new WNBA President Laurel Richie. The cost is only $70, and it includes a ticket to the 7 PM game. It's $60 if you purchase the event ticket in advance, and $40 if you are a season ticketholder.

So why are people griping? Well, it seems quite a few fans think the team owners and WNBA Prez shouldn't be charging for a fan event. But the BCs think the people saying this don't appreciate the value of the opportunity being offered here.

Perhaps because paneling was a major part of our decision to purchase our first home, we "get" how important a panel discussion really is. Way back then, we looked at a lot of townhouses of similar design. But the one in which the basement paneling had been painted white . . . that was the one we ultimately bought. It would never have occurred to us to paint over wood paneling, but you can't believe what a difference it made . . . how the white color just brightened up the room, and actually made the basement seem bigger.

So those of you who don't think tomorrow's event will provide enough bang for your buck, think again. Sheila and Ted are both fabulously wealthy. Who knows how many houses they own between them. In all those houses, collectively, how much paneling do you think they have? We don't know, but we're thinking . . . A LOT. So who better to discuss paneling than Sheila and Ted? (We don't know what President Richie's background in paneling is, but we're guessing, it's extensive . . . otherwise, why would she be part of this event?)

We know there are people out there who just like to complain, but the BCs are not among them. So take our advice: stop all the griping! If you have a paneling issue, or just want to learn more about paneling for future reference, ante up your $70. We guarantee you won't be sorry.

2011-07-22T20:52:00.007-04:00

Lions, Fires & ~~Towels~~ Squares . . . Oh My!

Back in those ~~dark and dismal~~ early days of the Mystics franchise, one of the constant bright spots for the BCs was someone whose name was never announced to those large and boisterous crowds in the MCI Center: teenaged "towel girl" Carolyn Malachi.

For several seasons, Carolyn was there, game in and game out, sitting crossed-legged on the floor right in front of our baseline seats next to the Visitors' Bench. Countless times every game, she jumped up and down . . . collecting and distributing players' warmups, handing out towels, passing out cups of Gatorade. We chatted with Carolyn quite a lot during those summers. Though still a teenager, she impressed us as a lovely, self-confident young lady. She was friendly, dependable, and a great representive of the Mystics organization. And like so many of the girls in the arena, she aspired to play college basketball.

Being a "towel girl" wasn't, of course, a career internship or resume-building summer job, but Carolyn did it well, and always with a smile. The BCs have seen a lot of towel girls -- and boys -- over the years, but Carolyn set the standard . . . she was our All Star at that position.

Eventually, Carolyn went off to college, and we lost touch. A decade went by. Then, sometime in the last year or so, we saw her on the local news . . . a would-be passenger (headed for Africa!) stranded at National Airport during a weather shut-down. There was "our" Carolyn . . . all grown up!

But imagine our (delighted) surprise, when back in February of this year, the BCs opened the Washington Post Style section and saw Carolyn again . . . this time nominated for a Grammy!! Yes, from Mystics towel girl to Grammy nominee!! Carolyn (whose web site is here) didn't win the Grammy -- this time-- but still, just to be nominated . . . how cool is that?!!

And then today -- in the Washington Post Weekend Section -- there's a big picture of Carolyn again and a full page article about her! Headlining tonight at Neo Soul Beat Night at Carter Barron. That Carolyn has come so wonderfully far since we first knew her makes us feel a bit old, but mostly it makes us feel happy . . . for Carolyn. Even when she was a high-schooler, we knew she was exceptional. Now we have proof! So talented. So special. Carolyn, the BCs are proud of you!

P.S. Back in those early days of the WNBA, when towels carried team logos and not the name of a sponsor like Gatorade, Carolyn's job included the daunting task of preventing fans (like the BCs and others in our row) from walking off with official Mystics-logo-branded player towels. Carolyn knew we would never do anything to get her in trouble. So our faux efforts to "steal" a towel were kind of a little game we all played with her. But at the last game of the season, after the final buzzer sounded (when those Mystics-logo towels were no longer needed for the players) . . . well, let's just say that certain limited-edition linens came into the BCs' possession, and no amount of coercion will get us to tell anyone ~~who gave them to us~~ how we got them.

2011-07-20T15:53:00.004-04:00

The Mystics Put on a Good Show for the kiddies at the team's annual lunch-time classic today. A highly competitive see-saw battle right up until the final couple of minutes. Nevertheless, after 40 minutes of hard work, the Mystics still found themselves on the wrong end of the teeter totter, losing to the Dream, 86-79.

The camp counselors had to be thrilled. The kiddies, well-equipped with red and white plastic clappers (made in China), did plenty of clapping, cheering and (of course) screaming. What they weren't doing was fidgeting or misbehaving. The game was exciting . . . and entertaining. Considering how truly disgusting the weather was outside today (mid-90s and humid), indoor air-conditioned Mystics Camp Day was manna from heaven for campers and counselors alike.

Once again, the game began with Lang carrying the Mystics offensively until her teammates managed to warm up. Crystal scored 14 of Washington's 22 first quarter points. The Mystics led by 3 at the end of ten minutes, and took a 1-point lead into the locker room at halftime.

In the second half, Marissa really heated up, scoring 11 points in the 3rd quarter, including three buckets from beyond the arc. But although Atlanta was playing the second half of a back-to-back and dressed only 8 players, the Mystics couldn't quite shake loose of Angel McCoughtry or the rest of the Dream. The teams were tied at the end of three periods, 63-63. More of the same in the final period . . . a tight see-saw contest. Finally, with under a minute and a half remaining, the Dream broke a 78-78 tie, and held on to claim the win.

Lang led the Mystics with 24 points (and 10 boards, for another double-double). Marissa wasn't far behind, finishing with 21. Nicky did the dirty work in the paint, grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds. But unfortunately for the Mystics and their fans, Angel McCoughtry had one of her all-too-familiar big games, leading all scorers with 33 points. Lindsey Harding added 14 for Atlanta in her first trip back to the Phone Booth after changing uniforms. (The BCs sure do miss her!)

At the risk of sounding a little like a broken record (for our readers old enough to remember vinyl), it was a good effort today from the Mystics . . . just not good enough for a W. With back-to-back victories over the Fever and the Mystics, Atlanta (at 6-9) is beginning to climb back into playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Mystics (at 3-11 after today's loss) have solidified their claim on last place in the Eastern Conference standings.

All of the Mystics (except for Lang) will now get a little time off before hosting San Antonio next Tuesday night. Lang, who was named yesterday to the 2011 WNBA All Star Team, will be traveling to San Antonio this weekend to play for the East in this season's showcase of the League's top talent. You can catch the game on ABC at 3:30 PM on Saturday. Congratulations and good luck to Lang! Go East!

2011-07-18T09:03:00.004-04:00

For The First Twenty Minutes of the Mystics' game last night in LA, it looked almost certain that Washington would finish up its five-game road trip without a single victory. During the first two periods, the Mystics played some of the worst basketball we've seen them play this season, allowing the Sparks to build as much as a 24-point lead. By halftime, the Mystics had managed to cut that lead by only two points, and so they entered the locker room at the break with the Sparks firmly ahead, 47-25.

The BCs guess that around that time many folks (oh you of little faith) turned off the game and called it a night. Those of you who did, well, you missed an amazing second half of basketball . . . and, no doubt, woke up to a big surprise this morning!

In the third quarter, the Sparks came out flat, while the Mystics, led by Lang and Matee, suddenly were able to find the net, and outscored LA in that period, 20-12. That closed the gap to 59-45 . . . a good effort by Washington, but still nothing to cause panic on the Sparks' bench. But in the final quarter, the Sparks simply imploded, scoring 18 points while the Mystics virtually scored at will, pouring in 32 points! The Sparks' entire 22-point halftime lead was history, and with the score tied at the end of regulation, 77-77, the teams were headed for overtime. For Maryland fans, the last minute of regulation was particularly sweet, as we saw a shoot out between Lang and Marissa on one end of the court and Kristi on the other, each of the three nailing a big bucket for her team.

With the game now going to "penalty kicks" as the LA announcer put it (perhaps he, like the BCs, had spent hours earlier in the day watching the USA's futile effort against Japan), the Mystics took over completely, outscoring LA 12-8 and ending their long road trip with a much-needed W, 89-85. According to the AP, the win was the largest second-half comeback in WNBA history.

Matee led all scorers with 29 points, while Lang added 24 points plus 14 boards (for another double-double) and 5 assists. (No wonder Lang's back has been hurting . . . she's doing a lot of heavy lifting these days!) Marissa was the only other Mystic in double-figures (10), with all of her scoring coming in the critical fourth quarter and in OT. Except for Jasmine (8 points), the Mystics' bench contributed very little last night. Kristi led the Sparks with 21 points (including 4 of 5 three-pointers) and tallied 7 assists in a losing effort.

The Mystics' win last night broke their five-game losing streak and improved their record (a little), to 3-10, still last in the East. They return home on Wednesday for the annual kiddie day game (aka Screamageddon) at 11:30am. The Mystics will be playing the Atlanta Dream, one of the only three teams they have beaten this season.

If you'll be one of the few grownups attending . . . don't forget your earplugs!

2011-07-16T10:08:00.000-04:00

We'll Be Honest . . . with the Mystics' game against the Mercury in Phoenix starting at10PM (ET) last night, at the end of a long work week, the BCs didn't stay up late to watch it all. In fact, we didn't see much more than the first quarter.

But it turned out to be a somewhat interesting first quarter: how often do you see a game begin with a star player (Candice Dupree) grabbing the opening tip and then running the wrong way down the court? (It was a first for the BCs!) Unfortunately for the Mystics, the hot-shooting Dupree (she finished the game leading all scorers with 20 points) passed the ball to a teammate before attempting an "own goal." Darn!

For the Mystics, the interesting (and unusual) aspect of the first quarter was that Lang scored 11 of the team's 12 points in that period (Nicky added a free throw). Yes, Lang was the only player in Mystics red who scored a field goal during the opening ten minutes. It doesn't usually bode well when only one player is carrying her team for an entire period, so it was no surprise that the Mystics trailed at the end of that period, 22-12.

The Mystics went on to lose, 78-64. From the box score, it appears that aside from Lang (8-17) and Jasmine Thomas (5-6), the rest of the Mystics would've had trouble hitting water from a boat last night. As a team, they a shot only 34.8% overall (23% if you exclude Lang and Jasmine's numbers), and a paltry 18.8% from beyond the arc (3 of 16). Ugh-ly.

With a third of the WNBA season now over, the Mystics' record stands at 2-10. And at 0-4, this 5-game road trip is not turning out to be much fun for the Mystics players . . . or their fans.

The final stop on the Mystics' road trip is LA tomorrow (Sunday), where Washington will tip off against the struggling Sparks (no Candace Parker, interim Coach Jellybean) at 8:30PM ET. The game will be broadcast on NBA TV.

But speaking of fun and no-fun, the BCs did catch all of the earlier game last night between the (not-having-any-fun) Tulsa Shock and the LA Sparks via Live Access. Tulsa led by as many as 18 points! Well into the final period, it looked nearly certain that the Sparks would be become the second member of the I-can't-believe-my-team-lost-to-the-Tulsa-Shock Club. Alas, thanks in large part to Kristi Toliver, the Mystics remain the sole member of that ignominious organization. KT scored a game-high 25 points (tying her career high), dished out 6 assists, grabbed 3 rebounds, and had only 1 TO, to lead her team in a ferocious late-game comeback. With 19 seconds left, KT nailed a 22-foot three-pointer to put her team up by 4 . . . a shot the Tulsa play-by-play announcer described as a "dagger" to the heart of the Shock. How many times have Maryland fans seen KT do that before? That was fun to see . . . in a WNBA season that (to date) has mostly been not much fun at all. Thanks, KT! LA won, 79-74.

* * * * * *

This is a big weekend if you're a sports fan. Besides WNBA games, there's the Tour de France, the Women's World Cup, and the British Open. If you are looking for the BCs today or tomorrow, we'll be in front of our TV. Enjoy the weekend!

2011-07-14T19:12:00.004-04:00

Family Comes First

The Maryland Diamondback has reported the sad news that PG Natasha Cloud, who just completed a very successful rookie season as a Terp, will be transferring to a school closer to her home outside Philly because of illness in her family.

One of Natasha's sisters has been diagnosed with stomach cancer, while their father continues to "struggle with dementia" that may be "leading to Alzheimer's disease." So this is certainly a time for Natasha to put family first. And it goes without saying that Coach B, as the Diamondback notes, is fully supportive of Natasha's decision to move back home.

Natasha will be seeking a "hardship waiver" from the NCAA. Normal rules require a transferring player to sit out a season at her new school before she may play. With a hardship waiver, Natasha could play right away. We hope and we expect that this waiver will be granted, since it's clear that Natasha's decision is not motivated by basketball considerations, but is all about her being there for her family.

Our hearts and prayers go out to Natasha and her family. We will miss her very much.

Photo Credit: University of Maryland

2011-07-12T23:17:00.009-04:00

It May Have Been Extremely Hot here in Washington today, but the Mystics' 3-point shooting in Seattle was even hotter. This afternoon (while "multi-tasking" at the office), the BCs (and others watching via Live Access) saw the Mystics shoot 58.8% from behind the arc . . . 10 for 17! Impressive.

With that kind of long-range accuracy, the visiting Mystics gave themselves an opportunity to knock off the defending WNBA champs in Key Arena. But, once again, they were unable to pull out the win, as the Storm prevailed, 79-71.

This time, it wasn't turnovers that sealed the Mystics' fate, it was their failure to knock down shots when they really needed them. With two minutes left in the final period, the Storm were up by only five points. The game was still winnable. But the Mystics missed five consecutive shots: four jumpers (including some good looks) and one drop-dead lay-up. So while Washington held Seattle to just three more points in those final two minutes, instead of closing the gap -- and pulling off the upset -- the Mystics fell further behind by the time the buzzer sounded.

Lang was back, that was good. But she didn't seem to be quite 100%. She finished with 10 points, but was shut out on the boards. (When has that ever happened before?) The player who led the Mystics today was Marissa. Playing 39 of the 40 minutes, Marissa put up a team-best 16 points (including 4 of 6 three-pointers), and also led Washington in rebounding with 9. Riss is now beginning to look like the WNBA player we Maryland fans thought she would be when she joined the pro league 3 summers ago. She's playing with a confidence that we haven't seen since those first few games of her rookie season, before she was hurt. Matee also finished in double-figures with 13 points, but needed 14 shots to get there. Not one of her best days.

Still, the Mystics were in the game today right up to the final couple of minutes. But despite a good effort, they drop to 2-9 on the season and remain in last place in the conference standings. Their next chance to reverse this trend comes on Friday in Phoenix, when they take on the Mercury at 10 PM ET.

2011-07-09T21:34:00.005-04:00

If Tonight's Game had ended after 30 minutes, the Mystics would not have lost to the Fever, 68-57. That's because Washington's young team led (or tied) conference-leading Indiana until the 31st minute of this evening's contest at Conseco.

But the Mystics' tougher-than-expected early performance -- still without Lang, Alana or Mo -- was undone by a final quarter in which they had as many turnovers as points scored (7).

Two Mystics finished in double figures: Nicky led her team with 12 points (plus 6 boards), and Marissa fell just short of a double-double, ending the evening with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Rookie Victoria Dunlap (again starting in place of Lang) chipped in 8 points and 8 boards (plus 3 steals, 3 blocks and 2 assists!)

A good effort, but still another "L" in the standings. The Mystics are now 2-8 for the season. Next up: a lunch-time game in Seattle on Tuesday (3PM EDT).

2011-07-06T08:28:00.002-04:00

The Mystics Lost to the Chicago Sky last night, on the road, 78-65.

Still missing Lang (as well as Alana and Mo), Washington was unable to contain the Sky's 6'6" Center, Sylvia Fowles. Big Syl put together a season-best 34-point, 16-rebound night against the Mystics' undersized and inexperienced frontcourt.

Marissa led the Mystics with 14 points, while Matee and Jasmine (off the bench) chipped in 11 points each. But it wasn't enough.

The Mystics have now fallen to 2-7 on the season. They next face the conference-leading Fever in Indianapolis on Saturday at 7 PM.

2011-07-03T18:12:00.006-04:00

When It Was Announced pre-game that the Mystics would be playing this afternoon without Crystal Langhorne (bad back), it didn't take a crystal ball to figure out that with no Alana, no Mo and now no Lang, this would be a tough game for the Mystics to win -- even though the Seattle Storm were playing without superstar Lauren Jackson.

The Mystics, who started Victoria Dunlap in Crystal's place, put up a good effort, but nevertheless ended their four-year home win streak over Seattle, losing this afternoon at the Phone Booth, 73-63.

With today's loss, the Mystics have fallen to 2-6. They now head out on a five-game road trip that begins on Tuesday night in Chicago at 8pm, with visits after that to Indy, Seattle, Phoenix and LA before they return home to face Atlanta on July 20 for the kiddie game.

2011-07-02T10:59:00.000-04:00

Not So Wise

It’s an unfortunate fact that the WNBA is often ignored by sportswriters. It’s also an unfortunate fact that when some of them do “mention” the league, it’s often not very flattering.

Even so, the BCs were pretty surprised that in the last couple of days at least two sportswriters, including the Washington Post’s own Mike "I am Tiger Woods" Wise, are casting blame on the WNBA for the NBA lockout. (Here and here.) That’s right – according to these two writers, if the NBA hadn’t supported the women’s league and other "bad business ventures" (Mike's words), well then, all would be right in the world of men’s professional basketball.

Really?

The WNBA’s salary cap per team this season is $852,000. That’s the maximum total combined salary for all 11 players on one team. (WNBA salaries are so small by pro sports standards that most players play overseas during the winter to earn their living.) The NBA’s salary cap this past season per team was $58 MILLION. The minimum a team was allowed to pay out in salaries was $43.5 MILLION. The average salary for one single NBA player this past year was a reported $6 MILLION. Kobe Bryant’s 2010-11 NBA salary was a reported $24.8 MILLION. Not to mention (but we will) that WNBA players fly coach, not plush private charters.

Oh, and then there’s the fact that only 6 of the 30 NBA owners also own WNBA teams.

But hey, when it comes to bashing women’s sports, why let the facts get in the way?

Now that two different sports writers have assigned blame to the WNBA for the NBA lockout, the BCs’ inside-the-beltway radar is giving off warning signals loud and clear. You don’t live in a political town like Washington as long as we have without learning to recognize “talking points” when you hear them. We can only guess that Mike’s been played by the NBA players union. Perhaps they told him these labor problems are the fault of the WNBA and he regurgitated that line without so much as a moment of reflection. (Makes us wonder if Mike's back spending too much time with "the fraternity for arrested development" instead of doing a little independent research.)

In any event, whoever came up with this notion (Mike, or the players union, or somebody else), it’s ludicrous . . . and it’s ugly. If highly paid, wealthy-beyond-imagination, and often badly behaved, spoiled male athletes want a raise, let them make the case on the merits why they deserve one. But leave the underpaid, overworked female athletes the hell out of it.

* * * * * *

FYI . . . Tomorrow (Sunday), the modestly-paid-not-locked-out Mystics take on the equally modestly-paid-not-locked-out 2010 WNBA Champion Seattle Storm at 4 PM at the Phone Booth. The game is also being shown locally on Comcast SportsNet.

2011-06-26T19:42:00.001-04:00

What we enjoyed most about today’s game were the smiles on the faces of the Mystics players as the clock wound down to 0:00 in the fourth quarter. It’s been a rough season thus far for the Washington players (and their fans), but it got just a little better this afternoon, as Washington posted a decisive victory in the Phone Booth over the cellar-dwelling Tulsa Shock, 83-63, who came to our Nation’s capital winless on the road, and are leaving the same way.

While the Mystics got major contributions from several players, it was the smile on the face of Crystal Langhorne that made us happiest. Following that embarrassing loss last week to the Shock in Tulsa, Lang sent the Shock a message early (and often) that today’s game wouldn’t be anything like that one. Lang scored the first bucket of the game, and by the end of the first quarter, she was already in double figures. Lang finished with 23 points to lead all scorers, and her team never trailed in the game.

Lang may have led the way, but she got plenty of help from the other starters. Marissa and Nicky each finished with 13 points and a double-double; Riss grabbed 12 boards, while Nicky got 10. It was good to see Riss finally find a bit of a groove.

Two of Marissa’s points came on the receiving end of a highlight-reel behind-the-back pass from Matee. That one was definitely worth a second look on the Jumbotron. As for Matee, she finished just behind Lang in the scoring department, with 21 points. And she was her usual high-energy self . . . 6 assists, 4 steals, and 5 boards in addition to all her scoring.

All in all, a happy day for the players and their fans, in what to date has been a less-than-happy season. It was definitely good to see them smile.

2011-06-25T20:49:00.003-04:00

Turning the Other Cheek

On Friday, the Mystics announced that they had received another medical hardship exception from the WNBA, allowing them to add an additional player to their 11-woman roster. Upon receiving that exception, the Mystics signed Joy Cheek from -- big surprise -- Duke University! Which means that on what is now a 12-person roster, the Mystics have 5 players from a single college. And three of them played together.

We have absolutely nothing against Joy Cheek. By all accounts, she’s a really nice person. And heaven knows, Lang – who’s been playing far too many minutes, in the BCs’ opinion – could use the help of another PF (like Joy) coming off the bench.

Joy was drafted by the Indiana Fever in the third round of last year’s draft. She’s a 6’1” Forward who played in 7 games for Indy last season. We welcome her to the Mystics and hope she does well here in D.C.

The problem we’re having is that regardless of what school she’s from, it just strikes us that 5 players from the same place are too many. Our readers know, of course, that the BCs are die-hard Terps fans. During the college season, we have no love for the Blue Devils. Period. The End. But as our readers have also probably noticed, when it comes to the WNBA, how we feel about any particular player has very little to do with where she went to school.

Yes, we hope all the Terps do well in the pros. That goes without saying. But we don’t root against the Dukies in the WNBA and we don’t cut a WNBA player too much slack (if she’s not performing) just because she went to Maryland. (Best example: we loved having Lindsey Harding on the Mystics, and miss her terribly.)

And another thing . . . call us crazy (we aren’t named the BasketCases for nothing), but come summer, we like our pro basketball to provide some variety from the college basketball season. So we really enjoy watching players from non-ACC schools, precisely because they are not players we saw a lot of during their college careers.

As a side note, as far as we know, Alana and Mo are the only Mystics currently unable to play, which means that 9 players were still available to suit up before yesterday’s hardship addition. Indeed, the only injured players cited in the Mystics’ announcement yesterday were Alana and Mo. To the best of our knowledge, teams have only been allowed to exceed the 11-player limit when they were down to 8 uninjured players. So was this an exception to the exception? Or is another player injured that the Mystics haven’t mentioned? Or have we missed something in the history of exceptions?

At any rate, whether this was an exceptional-league-exception or just a routine-exception, once the Mystics were granted the exception, we would still have been happier with a little variety. Nothing against Joy or the Dukies (at least until the college season rolls around). But -- 5 players from the same school on the Mystics -- we’re not overly excited about this. Oh well, guess we’ll just have to turn the other cheek.

2011-06-21T21:40:00.002-04:00

Falling

The Mystics fell to the Indiana Fever at home tonight, 89-80. With this loss, Washington's regular season record fell to 1-5. And with Atlanta's win earlier today, the Mystics fell into last place in the Eastern Conference standings.

2011-06-18T22:31:00.004-04:00

A Shocking Development

Before tonight, the Tulsa Shock were generally considered to be the worst team in the WNBA.

Tonight, in Tulsa, the Mystics lost to the Shock, 77-59.

2011-06-16T21:57:00.004-04:00

Sun Burnt

Prior to tonight, in the last 8 meetings of the Washington Mystics and the Connecticut Sun, the home team has won . . . every time.

That streak was broken this evening at the Verizon Center, as the visiting Sun defeated the Mystics, 79-71, in front of what appeared to be (on TV) a very sparse hometown crowd.

As they have in each of their three previous games this season, the Mystics fell behind early. At the end of the first period, the Sun led by 12 points, 23-11. The Mystics, once again, were forced to play catch-up. Which they did (somewhat), cutting the Sun's lead to 6 by halftime.

Nevertheless, for the fourth time in four games, the Mystics allowed their opponent to score more than 40 points before the break. And while Washington battled back during the second half to take the lead for a single possession late in the game, they couldn't hang on, and have now dropped to 1 and 3 on the season.

The Mystics' next chance for a "W" comes on Saturday . . . and it's a good chance, as they hit the road to take on the winless and hapless Tulsa Shock. This is a "must-win" for the Mystics . . . a loss to Tulsa would be really embarrassing.

2011-06-14T09:40:00.000-04:00

From Knoxville . . . Vicky Bullett being inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday:

Congratulations again to Vicky, and many thanks to Donna Parry for the photos!

2011-06-11T22:29:00.009-04:00

The Chicago Sky Spoiled the Mystics' home opener tonight, beating Washington, 84-77.

The Mystics dug themselves a very deep hole in the first half, allowing the Sky to score 51 points (to Washington's 33). Ouch. And while the Mystics put on a ferocious charge during the second half -- narrowing the gap to a single possession -- they just could not get over the hump and now drop to 1-2 on the season.

Matee Ajavon (one of the trio who had BIG games in Atlanta on Thursday) had another BIG game tonight. The relentless Matee led all scorers with 24 points in the losing effort. Kelly Miller and Crystal Langhorne put up 15 and 14 points, respectively. And Marissa Coleman finally broke out of her slump, scoring 13 points -- all in the second half. Marissa was a major contributor to the Mystics' not-quite-but-almost-comeback.

While the second half of tonight's game was exciting, it might be better to see a little more defense early in the games, even if it means a little less drama down the stretch. In the first half of their three games so far this season, the Mystics have given up 45, 47, and 51 points, respectively. That's just too many! If they are going to win more games than they lose this summer, the Mystics need to turn up the heat defensively on their opponents . . . well before halftime.

Next up for the Mystics: a rematch with the Connecticut Sun on Thursday at the Verizon Center. Washington lost to the Sun on the road last Sunday in the season opener. Thursday's game will give the Mystics an opportunity to avenge that loss and even their season record.

A final comment: before tonight's game, the Mystics unveiled their 2010 Eastern Conference Regular Season Championship banner. It was a bittersweet moment for the BCs. We were there last season, just as we were for each of the prior 12 seasons. And we cheered for the team that earned that banner. We were thrilled for the players for that franchise-record-setting accomplishment. And we were happy for the longtime fans, like us, who had supported this team through thick and thin. But as we watched the spotlight illuminate the new banner tonight, we could not forget that the two people who led the Mystics to that great success, Angela Taylor and Julie Plank, were not there to celebrate as well. And that . . . well, it made us profoundly sad.

2011-06-11T09:26:00.001-04:00

HOFer Vicky!

Tonight in Knoxville, Maryland's own Vicky Bullett will receive the most well-deserved of honors when she is inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

As many of our readers undoubtedly know, Vicky was an All-American at Maryland in the 1980s who helped lead the team to three ACC titles and an appearance in the Final Four. Vicky played on two USA Olympic teams (winning gold and bronze medals), and went on to a distinguished career in the then-fledgling WNBA that eventually took her to the Mystics, first as a player and then as an assistant coach. These days, Vicky is back home in Martinsburg, West Virginia, where she teaches special needs students and has recently joined the coaching staff at Hagerstown Community College.

As anyone who has been fortunate to talk with Vicky knows, she is not only an elite and decorated athlete, she is also one of the nicest people on the face of the earth. And the students she teaches and the players she coaches now are as important to her as winning a basketball game ever was. We can't think of anyone more deserving, personally and professionally, of being called a Hall of Famer.

Congratulations, Vicky!!!

Read more about Vicky and tonight's Hall of Fame induction here, here, and here.

Photo Credit: DC BasketCases

2011-06-09T22:30:00.005-04:00

The Mystics Beat the Atlanta Dream tonight -- in overtime -- 98-90, on national television, to gain their first win of the 2011 season.

If you're reading this, you probably watched the entire game on ESPN2. However, if you're writing this, you actually only saw 10-15 minutes of this 45 minute nailbiter. Why? Because the BCs lost our electricity . . . not once, not twice, but three times this evening!

Fortunately, we had power for the last few minutes of the crucial 4th quarter and all of the extra period. So while we didn't see much of the game, we saw the most exciting part. And we did listen to Rebecca Lobo's wrap up at the end, so we have a pretty good idea what we missed.

Here's what (we think) happened: the Mystics got absolutely phenomenal performances from their new post duo, Lang and Nicky. Lang finished with 30 points and Nicky added 29! Plus, they each pulled down 13 boards! Wow! And Matee poured in 24 more points! That's 83 points from just 3 players. Amazing!

But it wasn't offense alone that made the difference. After the Dream put up 22, 25 & 28 points in the first three quarters, respectively, the Mystics pulled the plug on them in the 4th quarter, holding Atlanta to a measly 10 points. That defensive effort allowed Washington to pull even at the end of regulation and then put the game away in overtime.

So the Mystics have evened their record at 1-1, and have momentum as they look forward to their home opener on Saturday, when they host the Chicago Sky at 7 PM at Verizon Center.

One final comment: in the piece of the game we actually got to see, we confess we were quite impressed with the Washington debut of Kerri Gardin. For a player whose only practice with the team was today's pre-game shootaround, she put on quite a performance. In 21 minutes off the bench, Kerri recorded 6 steals, 2 boards and a block, plus 3 points. From what we saw, she seemed to be a major contributor to the defensive effort that turned the tide in the Mystics' favor. Welcome to Washington, Kerri.

2011-06-09T16:31:00.001-04:00

After Losing Their Season Opener in Connecticut, the Mystics returned home for practice, only to face another "loss" -- even before tonight's tip-off in Atlanta.

Yesterday, Steve Yanda of the Washington Post reported that Alana was still sidelined with her foot problems and, to make matters worse, rookie Center Ta'Shia Phillips suffered an ankle/tendon injury during Tuesday's practice. Today it was confirmed that neither will play this evening against the Dream.

With Mo, Alana and now Ta'Shia all relegated to the bench, the Mystics were left with only 8 active players. So, invoking a WNBA rule for just such an "emergency," Trudi Lacey applied to the league office for a hardship exception to the 11-player limit.

The good news for the Mystics is the league office approved Trudi's request. And so, this afternoon, the Mystics announced the signing of former Connecuticut Sun 6'1" Forward Kerri Gardin.

No reflection on Kerri, but frankly, the BCs were hoping that Trudi would give last season's first-round draft pick, Jacinta Monroe, another opportunity to perform in the WNBA. Having spent so much time injured last season, Jacinta's never really had a chance to show what she can do. Plus, at 6'5", Jacinta could provide the Mystics with some height . . . and that could be very important tonight and down the road.

In any event, once either Alana or Ta'Shia is reactivated, Kerri (or some other Mystics player) must be released. So this is a temporary, emergency roster move only. But it means that the Mystics will at least have 9 players capable of playing tonight when they meet the Dream in a nationally televised game (ESPN2) at 7 PM.

2011-06-04T21:54:00.002-04:00

If This Evening's Performance was any indication, it looks like the newly redesigned Mystics still need some work, as they lost their season opener to the Connecticut Sun, 89-73.

With Alana in her all-too-familar spot on the bench due to a sprained foot (and Mo out for the season), the Mystics' backcourt struggled to generate any offensive output. In the early going, the young frontcourt tandem of Langhorne and Anosike kept the Mystics in the game, as the two combined for 19 first quarter points. However, the Mystics' guards didn't score a single field goal until about 12 minutes into the game.

Without backcourt production, and with less than stellar defense, Washington trailed at the end of the first 10 minutes. Connecticut increased the margin in each of the remaining three periods to claim the victory by 16 over the Mystics.

With their next game on the road Thursday against the Atlanta Dream, the Mystics need a healthy Alana, and they need improvement in a number of areas if they are to avoid an embarrassing loss on national TV (ESPN2). The team we saw tonight sure didn't look ready for prime time.

2011-06-03T13:57:00.007-04:00

We Got Next

The 15th season of the WNBA kicks off tonight when Maya Moore and the Lynx tip off against Candace Parker and the Sparks in L.A. at 11 PM ET. We can hardly believe it’s been 15 years!

We still laugh when we recall talking with a couple of friends – not sports fans – who (15 years ago) saw the ads for that inaugural season, and spent time parsing the new league’s slogan -- (“We”-“Got”-“Next”) -- only to conclude this combination of easily-defined, recognizable words made no sense whatsoever when linked together. (We educated them. LOL!)

That summer, the BCs were fans of the NY Liberty; there was no Mystics team yet. We still remember “Every Friday Night” on the Lifetime Network. How we looked forward to those games! Webcasts didn’t exist. As for basketball bloggers? What’s a blog?

We’ve grown old and gray (or grayer) in the 15 years since (and this most recent Mystics’ off-season certainly didn’t help). We still love the WNBA; and we still love women’s basketball. But we have a confession to make: we don’t love the Mystics quite as much as we used to.

So you, our readers, should expect some changes in our blog this summer. A blog is a labor of love. Maintaining it at the level we have for the past five years requires a great deal of “labor” (and a lot of love to justify all the labor.)

Specifically, this means we’re not planning to attend all the Mystics home games. So you won’t get as much “eyewitness” commentary. This also means we may not stay up several extra hours after an evening/late night game to post about the game. And, as you may have noticed already, we haven’t blogged about every piece of Mystics or WNBA news that has crossed our path. But that doesn’t mean we’ll be ignoring the Mystics altogether, either. It just means our blog won’t be business as usual.

That being said, we do have some observations we’d like to share with you about the 2011 Mystics. So let’s get to it . . .

The Mystics just finished the preseason a very promising 2-0, but obviously that slate is now wiped clean, as every team starts the regular season (the games that really count) at 0-0. The Mystics open their 2011 season on the road: first up, they face last year’s Eastern Conference 5th place team, the Connecticut Sun, tomorrow (Saturday) at 7 PM. The game isn’t being televised, but (like all WNBA games) should be available on Live Access. Then it’s on to Atlanta on Thursday for a game that will be nationally televised on ESPN2, followed by the home opener at the Phone Booth on Saturday, June 11, against Chicago.

The Washington team that plays Connecticut at Mohegan tomorrow has a very different look than the team we all watched last summer. In addition to the (unwarranted) coaching/GM changes, the roster has undergone, while not quite a complete makeover, nevertheless, a significant one.

How significant? Well, of the 11 players, six are new to the team. And one of the returning five, Mo Currie, is out for the entire season following ACL surgery. Which leaves four returnees suiting up. And one of those four, Alana Beard, didn’t play at all last summer. So that means that only three players (and only one starter) return from the team that finished the regular season 1st in the Eastern Conference last year. That’s pretty significant!

Here’s how the newly redesigned Mystics stack up: At the 1, veteran guard Kelly Miller (twin of the much-loved former Mystic Coco) will be running the point in place of Lindsey Harding. Jasmine Thomas (rookie from Duke), who interned for the Mystics last summer, will back up Kelly at the PG spot.

At the 2, the good news is that Alana is back. But the bad news is that she’s struggled somewhat in the preseason. It’s possible it may take a little time before she’s the Alana we knew pre-injury. Alana’s back-up will be returning reserve Matee Ajavon. At the 3, look to see Marissa Coleman get the starting nod . . . not to mention another opportunity to display her talents at the pro level. With Mo unavailable, Marissa’s back-up will probably be G/F Karima Christmas (another rookie from the Blue Devils).

The Mystics frontcourt also has an extremely different look. Veterans Nakia Sanford (signed as a free agent by Phoenix) and Chasity Melvin (waived this week) are gone, as is last season’s first-round draft pick, Jacinta Monroe (traded to Seattle and later waived by the Storm). The only returning frontcourt player (and the Mystics’ only returning starter) is (BCs favorite) Crystal Langhorne. Lang will be joined by the talented 6’3” PF/C Nicky Anosike (4th year player from Tennessee) and two rookies (both first rounders), 6’1” PF Victoria Dunlap from the University of Kentucky and 6’6” C Ta’shia Phillips from Xavier University. A very young frontcourt, indeed.

Actually, with the exception of veterans Kelly and Alana, the entire Mystics team is young compared with most WNBA line-ups.

With so much youth and so many personnel changes, we view this team as a work in process. And the process begins tomorrow at 7 PM at the Reservation. We’ll be watching (if Live Access cooperates).

But, win or lose, the BCs aren’t expecting tomorrow’s game, or any one game for that matter, to answer the question that’s been nagging us as we’ve seen the most successful Mystics team ever be pulled apart over the last eight months. And that question is -- “Will the reinvented 2011 Mystics build on the success of last season, or will they slip backwards?” It’s possible it may take 34 games to answer, but that’s the question we’ll be asking all season.

Meanwhile, congratulations to the WNBA on reaching the 15-year mark. As fans of women’s basketball, we look forward to 15 more . . . and then some. So glad that we got next.

2011-05-31T18:43:00.010-04:00

Travels With Petey

We're back. And in case you're interested in what the BCs were up to during our little catnap from blogging, here's our story (and we're stickin' to it) . . .

For some time now, our buddy Petey has been wanting to visit his ancestral homeland in China. And since we were planning to take a break from blogging anyway, he asked us if we'd like to accompany him on a trip halfway around the world. Our answer? "You bet!"

So we all filled out our Chinese visa applications, kept our fingers crossed that the Chinese authorities would not be concerned that Petey might cause some panda-monium in their country, and breathed a big sigh of relief when our visas came through. We set off in mid-May on a tour of China that would start in Beijing and take us on a 4,000-mile loop through the country, ending up two weeks later in Shanghai. It all began with a 14-hour, nonstop flight from Dulles to Beijing that took us over the North Pole; we think we even saw Santa waving up at us. (Or perhaps that was the effects of the ~~Ambien~~ altitude.) In any event, we all arrived safely in China, and late in the afternoon checked into our hotel several blocks from Tiananmen Square.

Our first evening in Beijing, we walked over to the Square to watch the daily flag lowering ceremony at sunset. It was a very impressive event. A platoon of soldiers marched over from the Forbidden City, and the flag was lowered and meticulously folded. Even more impressive, the moment the ceremony ended, the soldiers from the People's Liberation Army immediately ushered the thousands of onlookers out of the Square, and locked it down for the night. Welcome to China.

A few days later we returned to the Square in the daytime, and then headed across the street to the gates of the Forbidden City. Is there a more iconic symbol of Beijing than this? It was a pretty amazing sight for a couple of baby boomers. Chairman Mao is revered in China, and we're told that young people are taught very little about the Cultural Revolution from Chinese history books. According to our guide, international news networks like CNN and BBC are not allowed to be broadcast in people's homes, and the nightly news on Chinese TV consists only of "happy news."

Inside the gates, the Forbidden City looks like this.

As impressive as those sites were, our visits to the Great Wall were a dream come true. Petey and the BCs first climbed the Great Wall at Mutianyu, a couple of hours outside Beijing. It was a spectacular day!

And then a few days later, we climbed another section of the Wall, at Badaling. Here, the Wall was so steep in places you literally had to pull yourself up using the handrail. But the views -- and the experience -- were definitely worth the effort!

Another stop on the Beijing part of our itinerary: the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests inside the Temple of Heaven Park, where only the Emperor could worship. The wood building was constructed without a single nail.

Each morning, scores of retirees gather throughout the Temple of Heaven Park. They can be found singing, dancing, practicing Tai Chi, stretching, playing chess, doing calisthenics. So very unlike any park in America. It was a very happy place; we joined in a line dance, and we could easily have spent the day there. Beijing is a fascinating city, with lots of green space and water.

Though Petey's a vegetarian, the BCs are not. So while Petey ordered room service, we enjoyed Peking Duck . . . in ~~Peking~~ Beijing. Delicious!

As much as the BCs aren't fans of flying, we still managed to get ourselves on a flight from Beijing to Xi'an in order to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. Petey was pretty amazed by the 2,000 excavated figures in Pit 1 (as were we, of course).

Archeologists believe there are 5,000 or more Warriors still buried. (Xi'an itself, unfortunately, is a depressing and terribly polluted city where, even on a "sunny" day, you cannot see the sky, just a thick grayish haze.)

From Xi'an, we flew Sichuan Airlines (really) to Chongqing, where we boarded a riverboat for a five-night cruise down the Yangtze, the world's third longest river. (Bonus points if you can name the two longer rivers without using a search engine.)

Along the way we visited old pagodas . . .

. . . and met young children at a local elementary school.

Our river cruise took us through the five step locks of the Three Gorges Dam, in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain (our only rain-day of the entire trip, fortunately). It was awesome!

We sailed through the spectacular Three Gorges of the Yangtze, shrouded in classic "China mist."

Life along the river was fascinating; so much to see . . . gorges, towns, cities, commercial shipping, dams, people fishing, people doing laundry.

The river is a very vital part of life in this area of China.

Meals on board were served family style at large tables. Here's Petey with some of his new friends, enjoying boiled milk and beancurd.

Petey didn't get to see Tai Shan on this visit, but he did visit a Chinese panda nursery.

Our trip ended in Shanghai, along the beautiful Huangpu River. Shanghai is a city of modern skyscrapers, so very different than all the other cities we visited in China.

On more than one occasion, our guide described his country as "complicated." After our brief, but exhausting, introduction to his homeland, we'd have to agree. A handful of pictures can't even begin to tell the story of everything we saw and learned about this complicated super-power and its friendly -- but complicated -- people. What an extraordinary experience! We couldn't be happier that Petey invited us along!

Photo Credits: DC BasketCases

2011-05-10T17:38:00.001-04:00

Blogging Is Hard Work

Even the BCs occasionally need to take a break from the constant demands of keeping our loyal readers up-to-date on all things Terps and Mystics.

This is one of those times.

But as the saying goes, "We'll be back!" Exactly when . . . remains to be seen. Not too soon, but not too long either.

Catch you later!