There's my amateur two-cents' worth again ... if you're reading this prior to tip, don't forget to tune into my friends Chris Denari and Jane Schott, broadcasting on 1070 The Fan, and sitting right beside me tonight. I'll be listening with you!
KM

By the time the skies had finally gone dark and the sunshine and pregame fireworks were a distant memory, the Indiana Fever had won the basketball game. Indeed, the Fever had, in a sense, spoiled the Liberty's party, arriving in The Big Apple early Saturday morning and leaving 12 hours later with a 71-55 win on the court.

But without question, the New York Liberty organization pulled off a great victory for its own franchise, it's wonderful city, the WNBA and the sport of basketball. The event was a great spectacle, and one of which I am proud to have been a part. From President & General Manager Carol Blazejowski and everyone at MSG Sports, all the way down to the team's ticketing, marketing and public relations staffs, equipment and facilities personnel, and of course the folks at the U.S. National Tennis Center --- job well done!

Most of us in this business - from PR personnel to players and coaches and other management officials - have attended and managed big events during the course of our careers. Certainly, some have drawn larger audiences and obviously, some have had greater impact on a national scale. But perhaps none might have been as unique and distinctive as last night's Liberty Outdoor Classic.

The weather was perfect. Had there been more wind, it might not have been as comfortable and it could have impacted the game. It didn't. It was breezy throughout the evening, and just about perfect. It even felt good. It was mildly humid and noticeable whenever walking to and from the locker rooms, but from a playing standpoint, I'm told the players didn't notice it too much. The sun wasn't any impact whatsoever. Conditions were ideal. It was pro basketball on an outdoor stage. It really was just another game -- without a roof.

I found myself throughout the night looking up to the sky, thinking, "geez, this is so cool." I wondered if it should feel more different. Oddly, most of the night, it was a game just like any other game. It almost felt natural - but for the occasional breeze that might kick a piece of paper from atop the scorer's table.

I know the Liberty didn't earn a win in the standings last night. And for me and the Fever, selfishly, I'm glad of course to return to Indianapolis this afternoon with the win in the standings.

But don't for a minute think that the Liberty didn't get a win of their own. Perhaps it is only slight consolation for the basketball Liberty who had been streaking and who hold a slim standings lead over the Fever -- but it was a win for the franchise.

Thank you to the Liberty for inviting the Fever to be a part of last night's historic event. I'm personally grateful for an experience I'll not soon forget. It was truly memorable and, for the Fever, a very perfect evening in a wonderful, remarkable setting.
KM

The Fever arrived in New York this morning, touching down at LaGuardia International Airport at roughly 9:12 a.m. After collecting bags, the Fever's charter bus rolled past Arthur Ashe Stadium and Shea Stadium, two Big Apple landmarks sharing the Queens landscape with their airport neighbor.

Past the stadium and into downtown Manhattan, the Fever arrived at its team hotel shortly past 10 a.m., providing opportunity for players and coaches to get a bite to eat - and rest. Most were able to nap during the bulk of their day, as most got only a few short hours of rest following last night's home loss to Seattle.

So here is where we'll breakdown tonight's game. The Fever needs a win to keep from falling two games below .500 for the first time since 2004. Here are 10 reasons why the Fever will not be considered a favorite in tonight's game:

1. The Fever's outdoor practice last week was good, and nice, but didn't properly simulate tonight's conditions.
2. Along the same lines, the Liberty staged an outdoor practice in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday.
3. The Fever will play twice in 24 hours, whereas the Liberty had a day of rest -- back-to-back games always favor the team with rest.
4. The Fever had early wake-up calls this morning. Meanwhile, the Liberty is well-rested and conducted a second practice in the stadium this morning.
5. The Liberty will play before a large, enthusiastic home crowd attending this historic outdoor event.
6. Dehydration is always a concern for athletes flying on game day, and the 90-degree heat and accompanying humidity won't help.
7. Tamika Catchings is still not 100 percent and Tully Bevilaqua is playing her final Fever game prior to the Olympics -- the Fever lineup remains out-of-sync.
8. The Liberty have added confidence against the Fever, ending Indiana's recent series dominance with a triple-overtime win at The Garden last month.
9. The Liberty and Fever both are streaking - in opposite directions.
10. Ebony Hoffman forgot her eye black in Indianapolis.

So forget the excuses and let's play ball! The Liberty will play beneath the same heat and conditions as Indiana in a few short hours, and so often in sports, it's just these types of odds that can provide the perfect backdrop for an upset.

Catchings should play tonight, and if her performance even remotely resembles her efforts on Wednesday in Atlanta, the Fever will battle to the finish. And perhaps Tully's last game will provide a little incentive for her, as well.

My amateur keys to the game:

It's nearly time to depart for the stadium. The Fever is currently engaged in its pregame walkthrough, in a hotel ballroom. It's time to go outdoors! [Hope I packed my sunglasses!]
KM

First, to address the Catchings situation once again, she didn't play tonight for a couple of reasons. First, as has been the case throughout her rehabilitation, she has not ever practiced or played when she was sore, or when there were signs of swelling or fatigue. Second, she typically has not endured full practices on days following games. Therefore, with the trauma she underwent Wednesday against Atlanta, and with back-to-back games tonight and tomorrow, it just made sense not to play her tonight. She was medically cleared, though it was probably not medically wise to have played her against the Storm.

On to those random thoughts ...

OK, so it's time to depart Conseco Fieldhouse for a few hours of rest. A 4:30 wakeup call and 7:30 flight to New York will come early. Tomorrow morning or afternoon, I'll examine the anticipated weather report in Queens, and take a closer look at the Liberty Outdoor Classic which, 24 hours from now, will already be history!
KM

Indiana needed some good news, and just knowing that she is healthy is good news enough. Whether she will play on Friday evening, or not, remains a valid question - and will depend solely on how she is feeling tomorrow night.

Indiana could use her on the floor, though a matchup with the Lauren Jackson-less Storm could provide interesting. Typically, Catchings draws Jackson on the defensive end of the floor because she is the Fever's best post defender. She gives up size to Jackson, but still is best at defending her. Lauren has returned to Australia, however, to prepare for the Olympics, so without Jackson on the floor it will be interesting to see the matchups.

And with Catchings remaining a game-time decision, we might have U.S. Olympic Coach Anne Donovan present for Inspiring Women Night, yet only two of the four Olympians on these teams actually taking part. Sue Bird and Tully Bevilaqua certainly will play. Hopefully Catchings will be joining them.

Not bad timing having Anne Donovan here just two weeks before the Olympic Break takes place. Many Fever fans will remember Donovan as the inaugural coach of the Indiana franchise in 2000. Most will remember her for leading the Storm from 2003-07 and winning the '04 WNBA title. No matter how you remember her, one thing is certain - Anne Donovan has been at the forefront of American women's basketball efforts for over 30 years. She was America's most dominant player during her playing days in the late '70s and early '80s. Now, she is the coach of the United States Olympic women's basketball team, and the first person ever to play and later be named head coach of the U.S. women's team.

Welcome back, Tamika. And good luck to Tamika, Anne Donovan and the rest of the American athletes in Beijing.

In the meantime, with Tamika's return, we've got back-to-back games this weekend to begin a 6-game, 10-day schedule prior to the break.
KM

OK, first things first, before I dive into the game. Regarding Tamika Catchings, she left the game with 6:46 left in the fourth period after being kicked in the right heel - in the same location as her Achilles' injury last fall. That doesn't mean there was any damage done, that is what is yet unknown. She experienced significant pain, and obviously did not return. Fever trainers were with her immediately. She saw doctors when they got her off the floor, and she will see more doctors on Thursday. The official report is this: "She got kicked and will undergo further examination for a possible strain of the right Achilles' tendon."

Catchings will be listed as day-to-day until such time as she is determined healthy to go again. This is yet another reminder that while she's back and playing again, this still is a continuation of a very long journey -- she is still rehabilitating.

So, you may ask the question, "when does the rehab end?"

I'm no doctor, so I can't answer that definitively. However, I've been led to expect it will end at some point this season after she's gradually raised her game and gotten to the point where there is no pain, swelling or soreness after she plays and practices. And judging by the way she played in this afternoon's game, the rehab may well be close to concluded. Hopefully. Let's cross our fingers. Let's hope that today was not much more than a scare, rather than a setback.

She filled the boxscore again, just like days of old - 18 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, four steals and a block. Not a bad day's effort.

Initially, when she left, the Fever actually got a little lift and bonded together to regain the lead against the Dream. But during the final minute, unfortunately, her loss may have been felt heaviest when the team could not outshoot and outrebound and outdefend at crunch time.

I am at a loss to come up with the answers to our struggling Fever. What I do know is that we just don't score in a half-court offense. Frankly, this has been a symptom of Fever teams over the past 3 to 4 seasons. Indiana really has never had a knock-down shooter to bust open a zone. It's not Catchings, it's not Bevilaqua, and it's not even Douglas or Tan White. Catchings and Douglas are scorers, more than pure shooters. And Tan, while a capable shooter, is streaky. And while we don't possess that reliable perimeter shooter, we also are in need of a penetrating point guard to exploit the gaps in a zone. That's not Tully. It could be LaToya Bond, and it could be Sherill Baker. But we haven't seen it consistently from Bond, and Baker is currently on the shelf with a bone bruise in her right wrist.

The Fever struggles to score. And today, when defense mattered most, we didn't adequately defend. Three straight treys by Betty Lennox proved the Fever's undoing this afternoon, despite the defense called in the huddle to switch on screens, to defend against just that shot.

Is it a failure to score? A failure to defend? A failure to communicate? A lack of heart, even? The jury's out. And as I've said only a week ago -- yes, there is absolutely still time to right the ship. No question and I'm sticking by that thought. It's not near any time to panic. But when I'd used caution in previous blogs, it was to quell fans' concerns while we were in the midst of long road trips. This is the week to get better, and slap a little momentum on our back for the six games in 10 days that begin on Friday.

Practice on Thursday morning. Time to get back to the drawing board ... a Friday win would be big, and even bigger if it helps propel Indiana to an outdoor win on Saturday in The Big Apple. How would that sound - the only team in pro basketball history ever to win a regular season game played outdoors?
KM

This week's three straight home games against Chicago (7/12), Atlanta (7/16) and Seattle (7/18) represent the longest homestand left this season. And it leads into a 12-day stretch in which Indiana will play seven games in five cities prior to the Olympic Break. It really is just about essential that the Fever put together some wins this week for two reasons:

The Fever has not had back-to-back games yet this season, though it will face two such instances within the next two weeks. Following Friday's (7/18) home game against the Storm, the Fever flies immediately to New York for its much-anticipated Outdoor Game, the following night. A week later, Indiana plays a Saturday-Sunday back-to-back affair with road games at Sacramento and Phoenix.

It's also time to get Sherill Baker back into the lineup soon. First, she and LaToya Bond have been very beneficial this season in providing a more versatile offensive attack against different matchups. Even though she has played only 10 minutes per game this season, Baker's penetration has been missed in recent games. And, as the Olympic Break approaches, Indiana will lose the services of Tully Bevilaqua for a couple of games before the Break, as she returns late in July to train with her Aussie teammates. Indiana's depth at guard has been heralded this season -- it will play a significant role in the eight games that remain before August.
KM

What an afternoon yesterday. What a beautiful, sun-shiny day, a great-looking hardwood floor layed out in front of a gorgeous backdrop of Conseco Fieldhouse and the Indianapolis skyline. The weather was fantastic, hence the sunburn atop my forehead. There were a couple hundred fans on hand to support the Fever, and the Fever got media coverage out of the day's events, also.

From all angles, the Fever and Pacers Sports & Entertainment hit a home run yesterday. Pardon the baseball term, but we were outdoors and there wasn't any dunking!

If you didn't attend yesterday, or missed the photo on the front page of The Indianapolis Star sports page this morning, be sure to check out the FeverBasketball.com story and photo galleries. Each of the city's four TV stations had great coverage of the event, and The Star's Robert Scheer compiled a nice video, as well. It was a great achievement for Pacers Sports & Entertainment, and a wonderful showcase for the Indiana Fever.
KM

Tamika will appear before local media today between 3 and 4 p.m., yet it will only be the beginning to her day, as the Fever prepares for its first-ever outdoor practice - one block south of Conseco Fieldhouse at the corner of South & Delaware Streets.

Preparations are nearly complete with the hardwood floor and basketball goals having been moved across the street. It's a beautiful day to conduct this practice, though the heat could prove cumbersome at practice time. It's a great sight having the floor out there ... from one corner of the floor, the broad view of the floor has Conseco Fieldhouse and a nice landscape of the city behind it. And in the foreground, immediately in front of The Fieldhouse, is the Fever's 2008 promotional billboard. Nice touch. Good view.

Some of the preliminary concerns with finding a flat surface were not as significant as first thought - though there is definitely a small downward slope to one corner of the floor. Certainly that won't be the case for the Liberty Outdoor Classic next Saturday in New York, but for a local effort like this in an adjacent parking lot ... it's not bad. The bigger factors this afternoon will be the heat and varying levels of direct sunlight during the early evening practice.

It is such a nice day, in fact, that organizers also expressed a concern with the heat and direct sunlight's impact on the hardwood floor. As the floor was nearing completion, elevated tarps were being placed over the surface to protect from the midday direct sun.

It's an interesting day in Fever-land. For any fans that wish to view the outdoor court, practice is open tonight from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
KM

OK, so yes, Tuesday's night's loss was unfortunate, unanticipated and certainly unwelcomed. But just how costly was it?

I think that in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't have to be that costly. I think what is more important is how the Fever reacts to it, and responds and moves forward. There is still ample time left in this season. We're not only in the playoff hunt, but still looking to a conference title. We can't keep having this discussion and still be in the hunt for a conference championship, but there is absolutely time to get the job done.

Speaking of getting the job done! Wow, what a day in store ... as I sit at my desk this morning, Lin Dunn is currently on-air live on WIBC 93.1 FM, co-hosting this morning's show with Terri Stacey and I've already done a brief promo with WISH-TV, talking about tonight's big outdoor practice event. The bulk of the work, though, is being done as we speak -- the Facilities staff of Pacers Sports & Entertainment is beginning to move our playing floor and goals to the corner of South & Delaware Streets. The biggest challenge is going to be finding the part of the parking lot that is flattest, in order to properly place the floor. It will be a long day for those guys. And before anybody forgets ... it's absolutely imperative that the Fever and its fans realize how fortunate we all are to share the resources of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. I've been in the sports business for over 25 years now (wow, I'm getting old!) and the staff and professionalism of this company really is second to none. It's a great thing that they're doing for the Fever today and we all must be thankful for their efforts.

Later today, too -- as if there wasn't enough going on today -- we'll host a USA Basketball Teleconference and Media Availability here at Conseco Fieldhouse. It was reported by the Associated Press last night, and was in the Indianapolis Star this morning, that Tamika Catchings will be named later today as a member of the U.S. Olympic Team. I suppose the news must be true! Congrats to Tamika. More on that later today, too ...

Tamika won't have long to celebrate her announcement, though. Soon after the Olympic Teleconference, she and her teammates will be moving outdoors. 1070 The Fan with Bob Kravitz and Eddie White will be broadcasting live from 5 to 6 p.m., from the outdoor practice site, also. Fun day all around.

For any fans that wish to join the fun, the practice is open to the public. Viewing space is limited, without the aid of any bleachers. Bring a lawn chair and a bottle of water, have some fun, relax and join the Fever from 6 to 7:30! See you there!
KM

How bad was it? I'll just let a few postgame quotes spell it out for you:

Ebony Hoffman on what happened in the second half: "They made us turn the ball over. They got on the boards - Taj [McWilliams-Franklin], [Monique] Curry, [Alana] Beard - they all went to the boards. That was the difference. Every game in this league is importand and this was a game we should have won."

Katie Douglas: "We played well in the first half and had things going our way. In the second half, they came out with alot of energy and got us on our heels. At times, we were playing not to lose. I think we should feel extremely sick about what just happened."

Lin Dunn: "I'm really disappointed in this loss. We had control of the game and I thought we relaxed in the second half. I thought their offensive rebounds (13) and second-chance points (14) were key factors. Those stats are going to keep me awake all night."

Enough said.
KM

I've been asked a few questions about Thursday's outdoor practice. Certainly, in the event of rain, no outdoor practice will be conducted. Thursday's date was selected, in fact, because it's not the day before a game and also because there is no rain in the forecast! Should rain be a threat, Pacers Sports & Entertainment officials won't be taking the floor outdoors! There won't be any tarps or rain delays - we're talking cancelation at even a threat of the wet stuff!

Should there be a threat of rain on Thursday, the Fever will move back indoors, likely to Finish Line Court, since the main floor likely won't be back in place yet.

The same question has been asked about the Liberty Outdoor Classic in New York on July 19. The Fever plays back-to-back that weekend, with a home date against Seattle on Friday evening, July 18. Indiana will arrive in New York City on Saturday morning, and if there's a threat of rain that day, it's likely that the outdoor game would be canceled. I'm not sure exactly when any decisions would be made.

If the outdoor game is canceled, the Fever would remain in New York for an extra day, playing the Liberty at Madison Square Garden at 4 p.m., on Sunday, July 20. As the schedule exists now, the Fever would be returning to Indianapolis on Sunday the 20th, and travel to Chicago the following day for a game on the 22nd. If the outdoor game gets canceled, the Fever would play the Liberty on the 20th, then travel straight to Chicago on the 21st.

Got all that? Shootaround continues ... I'll be back after tonight's game.
KM

But the big news of the day is the announcement that the Fever will be practicing with Mother Nature on Thursday evening. That's right, the Fever will conduct a practice outdoors, in anticipation of its outdoor game in New York, July 19.

Though viewing space will be limited, the practice is open to the public and fans are welcome to come and watch, from the corner of South and Delaware Streets, about a block south of Conseco Fieldhouse. As much as normal can be normal in this atmosphere, it will be an ordinary, everyday practice -- with birds and planes flying overhead. And the summer heat and humidity. And those nasty wind currents that can threaten a shot hanging in the air. Oh, and of course, don't forget rush-hour traffic driving past.

As much as possible, the Fever wanted any opportunity it could find, to try and replicate some of what will take place in New York in two weeks. I can see too distinct differences. One, is the rush-hour traffic, which we won't encounter in the middle of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The second is the direct sunlight. The Liberty Outdoor Classic will be played under the lights, with tip at 7:30 p.m. About the only way to have duplicated that scenario would have been to transport the Fever floor and hardware to the infield at Victory Field. I'm not sure the Fever floor would have fit into the IUPUI tennis stadium to take advantage of that lighting.

And so the closest way to replicate the July 19 atmosphere was to find a nearby parking lot.

There won't be any concessions or bleachers for the fans, either, so don't come to practice expecting the standard amenities that you find at Conseco Fieldhouse! But it should be fun. It will definitely be something new. Hopefully, it will give the Fever a little taste of what's ahead in two weeks. Practice will begin at 6 - see you there!
KM

I did blog. You just can't read it because I lost my wireless connection and everything I wrote within our website template got lost. Sorry. But there are plenty of things happening in Fever-land so I'm sure you won't miss yesterday's entry one bit.

What I had written about, though, was a reference to our Ask The Messenger segment, and a comment/question from Jess, from Australia. Fun reading. For any fans with questions, please feel free to send them along. And if you'd like to speak to the people that really matter, our players, they are also fielding questions when fans visit our Ask The Fever segment. Get in the game, ask your most pressing questions!

As for the Fever and basketball, it's interesting to note that, following the Bales-for-Mann trade that took place last Friday, both teams won on Saturday night. For Kristen Mann, it was her first win of the season, when the Fever beat Connecticut. For Alison, she appeared as a savior in Atlanta, scoring three points with five rebounds in the Dream's first win in franchise history.

More later from our nation's capital, where the Fever arrived this afternoon.
KM

Don't ask me what that means, I just know it's the fun little chant native to Australia that I hear whenever Tully Bevilaqua sinks a 3-pointer in Indiana, or when Lauren Jackson makes a big play in Seattle.

Tonight, it was Tully's night! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie --- Oy! Oy! Oy!

One evening after being officially named to her native country's Olympic Team, and shortly after being recognized in front of the homecourt fans for her honor, Bevilaqua matched her career-high for 3-pointers, three, just 3:23 into the contest. By game's end, she had remained perfect. She finished 5-for-5 behind the arc, and hit a pair of free throws late in the game to ice the Fever's second straight win.

Bevilaqua finished with 17 points, two shy of her career high. And her 5-for-5 3-point effort was one shot behind the WNBA record for 3-pointers without a miss, 6. That record, coincidentally, was established by Tamika Catchings while battling the same franchise almost six ago to the day. On July 3, 2002, Catchings drilled six straight treys against the Orlando Miracle, which later relocated to Connecticut.

Bevilaqua's night threw a wrench into the Sun's defensive plans. Usually, Tully is not regarded highly for her offensive prowess. And so if it forced Connecticut to defend her, all the better. In doing so, it opened the middle for Tammy Sutton-Brown to exploit a mismatch that allowed her to net 18 points with nine rebounds. It was an inside-outside opportunity that afforded Indiana a 2-0 series lead over the Sun this season, and clinched a tiebreaker against the Sun for later playoff scenarios.

Indiana, 9-8, has now crept within just two games of both the Sun (13-6) and the Detroit Shock (12-6), in the loss column of the Eastern Conference standings. With half the season complete and 17 games to play, there's a lot of basketball ahead of us.

Also ahead of us, at least for me, are the twice daily blogs I have promised through July 20, following the Fever's outdoor game at New York. Stay tuned for a mid-season feature that will run on FeverBasketball.com on Sunday.
KM

The Fever has (had, when I began writing this entry from the Houston airport) lost four straight road games and 4-of-5 games overall. Perhaps my blogging rate is a reflection of our recent won-loss results? No excuses folks, but in the name of Ebony Hoffman, it's time to get back on track!

OK ... now it's July 5 and we ended that streak with a win over Chicago three nights ago. A lot is happening now and I'm woefully behind in my updates. So from now through July 20, after the outdoor game at N.Y., be sure to pay close attention as I will commit to blogging twice daily!

I have a boatload of items to cover. Sunday, I'll prepare a midseason analysis that will run on FeverBasketball.com. And throughout the next week I'll touch on a variety of topics:

For now, let me address two items which I consider to be very related - the play of Ebony Hoffman and yesterday's trade with Atlanta.

When the Fever orchestrated the trade for Katie Douglas last February, the prevailing question for Indiana fans was, "Who will step into the role vacated by Tamika Whitmore?" That question has been answered in the form of the fifth-year "Big Dog" from USC - Ebony Hoffman. She has filled Whitmore's starting shoes quite admirably. With flying colors, in fact. In recent weeks, she has become a very viable go-to player. But what has also become evident during those recent weeks, and in particular after Hoffman was ejected in the game at Houston, 7/28, was that the Fever had not had a player step into the reserve role formerly occupied by Ebony, herself!

Hoffman has become a load for which opponents have had to contend. She is currently fifth in the WNBA in rebounding (8.7), and has three double-doubles. She has had seven double-digit rebounding games out of 16, and her scoring has come from a much wider range of opportunities. She can score down low, she has become virtually unstoppable with a short turnaround, and she's become dramatically improved with her mid-range jumpers. She even has six 3-pointers to her credit this year, compared to eight in her whole career leading into this season. Simply put, she is putting up great numbers and has tremendous confidence.

But play in her absence has been spotty. In theory, Bernadette Ngoyisa might have filled in behind Ebony, though Bernie is more naturally a post-up, low-block center. Catchings will play the "4" spot in a smaller lineup, too, but there still isn't another backup to Hoffman as part of the big lineup with Catchings at the "3."

Hence the 4th of July trade.

I like the trade for two reasons:

First, I think that Kristen Mann fits our team's current needs better than Alison Bales did. Kristen is a pure power forward, who's got an outside game. She can step out and shoot the ball, and she can play a backup to both Hoffman and Catchings at the "4" or the "3." She's got an inside game and she's an assertive player who can be active in the interior. Alison, however, was either a pure post on the interior who rarely asserted a presence on the block, or a European-style post who preferred to step out and shoot on the perimeter.

In neither scenario was Ali going to be a viable backup to the physical, bruising Hoffman. Behind Tammy Sutton-Brown in the post, while it was good to have a different skill set and a post player that can shoot a jumper, she had not become a valued contributor in the paint - where she was needed most.

That's my take on the trade, and on the play of Ebony Hoffman. Now it's time to turn up the energy on the court. If the Fever can secure a win tonight against the Sun, Indiana is just two games out in the loss column, behind Connecticut and Detroit, who each would have six losses. There's a lot of games still to be played.

I'll blog again after tonight's game.
KM

Indiana may well have fallen to the Sparks without Big Bernie. And a loss could also have resulted without the bench play of Ms. Baker. We're glad to have both on the squad, and once again acknowledging the front office for its patience and diligence in continuing to add pieces to the championship puzzle.

Indiana is 4-2 without "All-Everything" Tamika Catchings this season. And heading into tonight's game with San Antonio, high praise for Katie "KT" Douglas is certainly deserved. Without question. But tonight I want to further my comments awhile ago about another pair of veterans whose performances might be equally responsible for the Fever's start without Catchings.

Both of these players were first-round draft picks by the Fever, one year apart from one another. Neither came from a storied program like UConn or Tennessee, and neither came to Indiana with great fanfare. In fact, both, while having great strengths, often have been known as much for their shortcomings. Both, however, have proven their draft value, and both are highly responsible for the team's early success.

I'm speaking of Ebony Hoffman and Tan White. Ebony has often been regarded as much for being undersized at center, than for her energetic play and productive minutes. Tan has often been characterized by turnovers, as much as for her electric play and sensational athleticism.

As the Fever prepares for tonight's matchup in San Antonio, Ebony is third in the WNBA with 9.0 rebounds per game. Tan, meanwhile, averages 14.7 points and 3.5 assists. Once Catchings returns to the starting lineup, one of them will likely return to her post as "super sub," but so long as those two former first-round picks continue to produce, so, too, will the Fever produce victories.

Hats off to Ebony and Tan. And hats off to the six-game Catchings-less Fever. "4-2 without Catchings" is an unprecedented statistic in this franchise's history.
KM

I never saw the rout coming at Connecticut. But after I saw the team begin to gel a little bit, I'll be honest, I predicted a win to several people on Thursday afternoon before the Sparks game. Now we're 3-1 and playing well. Remember, Indy, this is a Fever team without Tamika Catchings. This franchise has not ever been able to utter "29-point rout" in any conversation without Catchings being on the floor; nor has it ever beaten a Lisa Leslie-led Sparks team - with or without Catchings.

I won't over-emphasize the point, but yes, Katie Douglas has made a very, very significant impact -- that goes without saying. She's scored 20 or more in four straight games and only the aforementioned Catchings has ever done that while wearing Fever colors.

KT is not the only participant in this week's list of contributors, though. Tan White was big in both wins so far this week, as has been Ebony Hoffman. So long as both former No. 1 Fever draft picks continue to excel, so, too, shall the Fever.

But wow, what a difference did Ms. Ngoyisa (pronounced GOY-suh) make! She's got size, power, good footwork, a soft touch ... and an interior post presence the Fever hasn't seen in awhile. She is Ebony Hoffman or Natalie Williams (2004-05), only 2-3 inches taller. She's not intimidated by the names of Leslie or Parker, and she was downright impressive on the low block Thursday night. She was efficient offensively (14 points, 7-of-8 shooting including the Fever's final six points of regulation); she rebounded (nine boards), she defended (two steals, two blocks) and several times helped to deny Leslie in the paint.

In the very simplest of terms - the Fever does not win that game without the contributions of Bernadette Ngoyisa.

Prior to the game, Fever Coach Lin Dunn had frequently cited the Sparks' superior size and length at every position. Who'd have guessed that the Fever would outrebound the Sparks 48-45? Who'd have guessed that on a night with a WNBA-record 27 combined blocked shots, it would be the Fever whose 15 blocked shots set an all-time league record for single-game blocks by a team?

It was a great crowd, and every one of the 9,235 spectators was treated to a double-overtime thriller with multiple twists and turns as the game wound to its dramatic finish. It was a great evening for the WNBA.

Round 2 of this year's Detroit series comes to Conseco Fieldhouse tomorrow night (Saturday). See you there!
KM

Fast-forward to tonight, and the prevailing storyline on ESPN2 will be the anticipated return of KT to Mohegan Sun Arena, and the Fever playing head-to-head against Tamika Whitmore. To date, Douglas and Whitmore both have led their clubs in scoring, with Indiana taking a 1-1 record against the 3-0 Sun.

That will be the national storyline in tonight's game, but I'll present another in today's blog. And, with respect to Tamika Catchings and Katie Douglas; and to Tully and Tammy and all the other Fever stars -- this storyline might well become a bigger key to Fever success throughout 2008. Yeah, I'm a little excited about this player's debut tonight. Realistically, her minutes tonight will be limited. And maybe she won't evolve into as big a presence as I'm thinking (hoping), but the arrival of Bernadette Ngoyisa could well become quite the hidden surprise Indiana has been seeking.

Let me tell you, this lady could become a commanding presence for the Fever. She's slightly taller than the 6-4 at which she has been listed throughout her career. Physically, she is a cross between Ebony Hoffman and Tammy Sutton-Brown, and in the two practices and 24 hours in which I've seen her, she moves very well, has a pretty soft shooting touch, and she's in great shape. I had a conversation with Assistant Coach Jim Lewis last night, and he raved about her presence. His thought was that she now gives the Fever "one of everything" in the post.

Sutton-Brown is the tall, lean, athletic gazelle of a center that can outrun and out-finesse most post players in the WNBA. Hoffman is the outspoken, emotional leader who can bang with anyone and take a taller center to the perimeter, despite being undersized in some matchups. Alison Bales is the 6-7, European-style center who can rebound and shows surprising range for a player her size. And Ngoyisa is the biggest of them all, taking up space and moving powerfully in the lane. She can become a commanding presence offensively and defensively, and allows the Fever to matchup well with just about anyone.

OK, so there is my optimistic point of view. And I don't anticipate being too far off in that assessment ... but what I find to be most interesting, and the storyline I'm providing today, is my introduction to the new dynamics of welcoming the French-speaking star to the Fever lineup.

English is clearly not her native tongue, though she understands it well enough when spoken to in basketball terms. She speaks French, and fortunately for Indiana, so does Allison Feaster. For the past 24 hours, Feaster has served as Ngoyisa's translator. Monday's practice at Connecticut College included frequent pauses for Feaster to translate to Ngoyisa as she learned the Fever's offensive and defensive sets, and inbounds plays. For the most part, basketball is a universal language and most coaching systems will be similar. But for a first practice, there were frequent stops for translation. I enjoyed to watch her learn, and I enjoyed to watch her smile and display gradual animation as she became more involved with her new teammates. She can definitely play the game, and she definitely takes up space in the post. I'll be very interested to see how quickly it takes for her to become comfortable.

If the language barrier and communication are Part I of the Introduction to Ngoyisa, Part II is learning more about her ... I'll call this one educating the fans. I know that her presence is going to draw some questions ... so here is a small notebook of facts to begin the education process. Trust me, as you can tell, I'm learning these things for the first time, myself!

How's that for a cultural geography lesson?

Tonight's game will be the first in a Fever uniform both for Ngoyisa and newly-acquired guard Sherill (pronounced shu-RELL) Baker. For those watching on ESPN2 and for most casual observers, tonight's game will be about Katie Douglas vs. Tamika Whitmore, and a renewal of a fierce Eastern Conference rivalry between the Fever and the Sun. But for those watching the growth and development of a hopeful championship team in Indiana, tonight's game marks the first time it will have played with a full roster. It is the beginning of the maturation process with a full roster, which, with Ngoyisa and Baker, is much deeper than when the Fever began the season 10 days ago.
KM

Case in point, today, the Fever signed Sherrill Baker who was released last week by the Los Angeles Sparks. Since the start of training camp, Indiana has added, via trade or free agency, six different players that weren't with the club on the first day of camp. During my six years with this franchise, that's unprecedented. Obviously, not all of those players were kept, in fact, most have been waived again. But it shows that player evaluation is difficult during a three-week training camp in which none of top players are present. Every team seems to be juggling with this so far. I anticipate things to settle in about a week.

Baker is a nice addition. Effectively, she has replaced Laine Selwyn on the Fever's regular season roster. Selwyn was released on Monday. Baker will practice with the club beginning Friday, and joins LaToya Bond as backcourt reserves. Both played their first seasons in 2006, and both should give the Fever pretty good quickness and adequate scoring and ballhandling off the bench. Bond hit a big 3-pointer in last night's game, and certainly plays with poise. Having both of them will give Lin Dunn some options in the backcourt.

The loss of Kasha Terry today is perhaps unfortunate, in that she really is a good athlete for a player her size, and one day perhaps she can develop into a nice WNBA player. She could get picked up by another team looking for help in the post. It was not a significant surprise, though. She hadn't played overseas this year (another trend, in which most players come back better, or at least in top condition), and I think the writing was on the wall, when 6-4 Bernadette Ngoyisa was acquired in last week's trade. Once Ngoyisa is signed, that gives Indiana four "bigs" with Tammy Sutton-Brown, Ebony Hoffman, and Alison Bales. Khadijah Whittington is turning into a really, really nice player for a second-round pick, also, and she will play some of those minutes at power forward - effectively the fifth "big" on the Fever roster.

Last night's game, looking back, wasn't a bad one. The Fever came out very slow, without a lot of energy. Add to that 19 first-half turnovers, and the recipe for a big-time loss was being scripted. But to the Fever's credit, they came back with an 11-0 run early in the second quarter, and cut the gap to three. From that point forward, it was a nip-and-tuck game that Indiana actually led. That we're playing without Catchings is not an excuse. But given our opponents between now and next Saturday, I stand by my assessment that a 3-2 start for this club will be a solid beginning.

Looking forward to next week, we're at Connecticut on Tuesday (7:00 p.m., ESPN2), with home games looming against West favorite Los Angeles and East favorite Detroit, on Thursday and Saturday. That's three very big games in five days. We'll need the homecourt fans out to the Fieldhouse next weekend!

It's early. Very early. With 32 games to go and an ever-evolving roster ... there is no better time than the present to take things "one game at a time."
KM

A week ago, I wrote about the arrival of Katie Douglas, Ebony Hoffman and Tammy Sutton-Brown ... and 72 hours later, the hometown girl Douglas blitzed the Mystics with 24 points as the new-look Fever obliterated its late preseason performances.

The addition of the three overseas champs was huge for the Fever last Saturday night. Hoffman and Sutton-Brown, though they weren't at their best after arriving from Turkey late on Friday night, allowed Ali Bales and Kasha Terry both to come off the bench. In my opinion, Bales and Terry both can be excellent role players in this league, and with regular starters in front of them, they both filled those roles admirably against the Mystics.

Douglas, herself, was just what the doctor ordered. Nevermind just the 24 points. Yes, they were nice and I'll take 'em every night. But what fueled the Fever that night was her presence; her confidence; and her multiple roles as ballhandler, rebounder, defender, penetrator and passer. She teamed with Tully Bevilaqua to defend; she drove and dished into the post; she moved the ball in transition. As I'm writing this, I feel like I'm calling her the WNBA's best player. No, I'm not. But on that night, she was the Fever's best player. And with a roster still minus Tamika Catchings, and with still a handful of rookies and free agents and youngsters embarking on the first game that counted -- her performance was certainly well worth the anticipation.

Looking forward, let's keep a few things in perspective. Douglas will play a fantastic complement to Tamika Catchings when she returns. Until then, she'll be double-teamed, and the primary object of opposing defenses. And over the next four games, let's keep in mind our opponents -- at Detroit (tonight), at Connecticut, vs. L.A. and vs. Detroit again. The arrival of the final three from overseas will make Indiana competitive no matter its opponents, but against presumably the league's best, I'm hoping for a 2-2 split over the next 10 days.

I'm asked often about Catchings' return. There is no timetable, as I talked about in my last blog. But I've seen her practicing more and more. She is working in half-court drills daily, though nothing full-court, yet.

Lastly, I was asked a question about Bernadette Ngoyisa, which I've addressed in my Ask The Messenger feature. Let me know what's on your mind and I'll try to address all topics between the blog and Q&A.
KM

Wednesday was an active day in Fever-land for another reason, also --- the trade of K.B. Sharp to Chicago, in exchange for 6-4 center Bernadette Ngoyisa. That's pronounced nuh-GOY-suh for those of you trying to pronounce it. Good luck to Fever public address announcer Kevin Cole on game nights!

The trade for nuh-GOY-suh was a simple one, really. The Fever sought another quality post player. Chicago owned her rights, but she was leading her team to the Italian League championship and hadn't reported to camp yet. She didn't play in 2007 (I'm not sure why), and with the Sky landing Sylvia Fowles out of LSU, she became expendable. Prior to '07 though, she had played back-to-back seasons in the "W" as a very serviceable and sometimes very quality center. She led the Sky in rebounds in '06, and was second in scoring with 10.4 points per game. She should fit in nicely as a backup to Sutton-Brown, as one of possibly six post players, including Hoffman, Alison Bales, Kasha Terry and Khadijah Whittington.

With three players left to be waived before final rosters are submitted on Friday, it is possible that one of those posts might draw the short straw.

[OK, and before I switch topics, let me tell you about my geography lesson for the day! Ngoyisa is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire. While updating my rosters today, I had trouble fitting the entire country name in the small space allocated, so I asked the obvious question, "can I just list it as 'Congo?'" And here is what I learned! No, you can't just say "Congo." Why? Because located to the immediate west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is another country called the Republic of the Congo. It's true. I'm not making this up. What I want to know is, why did it change from Zaire? That would have been so much easier! Ahhh ... another lesson for another day ... ]

Gone from the roster, however, is K.B. Sharp, one of my personal favorites, actually, and always a good personality around the Fever camp. But overall, the loss of a reserve point guard is not as daunting when you consider the need that was filled, and the fact that a few others including Douglas, can handle the ball. Tully Bevilaqua is obviously entrenched as the club's starting point guard. And just as obvious is the team's interest in developing an heir to that position.

It was hoped that K.B. might fill that role. But if Fever coaches felt she was not going to ultimately take over the starter's role, it probably was in their best interest to develop help elsewhere. In the meantime, the club still will likely keep one of two point guard free agents - either LaToya Bond or Laine Selwyn. LaToya and Laine have dramatically contrasting styles and personalities, and guessing which might be kept would really be futile. If you're a fan trying to make that guess, pull out a quarter or nickel, and see who wins best two-out-of-three.

As I signoff for the night, we're less than 72 hours from tipoff!
KM

K.B. Sharp arrived in Indianapolis on Sunday evening, her first practice was Tuesday. Three players have yet to arrive, though we'll dub May 14 as "Championship Wednesday" in their honor. Katie Douglas plays a decisive Game 3 in the Spanish Finals on Wednesday. Teammates Ebony Hoffman and Tammy Sutton-Brown play a decisive Game 5 in the Turkish Finals, Wednesday, too. It was one year ago that Sutton-Brown played head-to-head with Sheri Sam in a Turkish Game 5, and both arrived just in time for the WNBA opener. It looks like all three players will arrive late in the week again, just in time for Saturday's tip with the Mystics.

Bidding for the extra roster spot are guards LaToya Bond and Laine Selwyn. Bond's strength is dribble penetration and getting the ball to the rim. Selwyn, meanwhile, is more of a pass-first point guard who plays pretty aggressive defense. Angelina Williams also remains among the players vying for a spot. She is a versatile small forward who has a nice left-handed shot and two years of experience with Phoenix and Detroit. Newcomer Kristen Newlin, a 6-5 center, could push Kasha Terry or Alison Bales for playing time. Terry is easily the best athlete of the three, and has had the best preseason scoring production. She has also been plagued by foul trouble in every game, and it's unlikely to imagine any long-term results if she doesn't stay in games. That's my two-cent opinion.

Four days, three cuts and three arrivals still remain before Saturday's opener!
KM

The good was in Tan White's late flurry of 3s, her first offensive flurry of the year. The good was also in Allison Feaster's efficent debut. While playing nearly the entire contest, it was easy to see the veteran in her, among all of Indiana's young rookies. She shot 3-of-6 for the game, hit a couple of threes and, despite participating in just two practices with her new team, was a stable leader. Good also comes in the fact that this was not the real Fever team. The reality is that probably five of last night's 10 players won't be in uniform when the Fever opens the regular season on May 17.

The bad was merely a by-product of the WNBA preseason in general, with veterans overseas and draft picks attending college graduations.

(Speaking of graduations, congratulations to Khadijah Whittington who attended her commencement at NC State, and to Fever equipment manager and basketball operations assistant Ashley Floyd who graduated from Purdue on Saturday. Floyd did not travel with the club, either, as she usually does. She also deserves recognition as being one of the very few people employed by the franchise since the team's first season. Floyd, a former ball kid since the Fever's inaugural 2000 season, has faithfully served the franchise every summer. Two years ago, she assumed a full-time seasonal position with the Fever. The only other full-time staff members with that distinction are Kelly Krauskopf, Holly Heitzman and Chris Denari.)

OK, back to basketball and last night's game!

For the third straight game, the Fever was outmatched, despite the efforts of its youngsters.

Former Pitt guard Laine Selwyn was the starting point guard last night and her efforts were notable, even valuable. She contributed three points with a wide-open 3-pointer, and added three assists and five boards, and was an aggressive on defense. She pushed the tempo and her three turnovers weren't a big factor. For a point guard, that's not terrible. She was one of six young rookies or free agents, though, and it was evident that, despite the surprisingly close game, Indiana really was outmatched. Even though four of its starters - Bales, Feaster, Terry and White - were veterans, they're not yet the Olympians or All-Stars the Fever anticipates in its lineup.

With the exception of the frequent turnovers, the Fever rookies and free agents didn't play all that poorly. But that was part of the problem -- it was all they could do to keep things close. To their credit, they did.

One of the biggest problems with the structure of the WNBA preseason is that, with veterans arriving so late and with players in and out of camp so frequently, it's very difficult on the players to learn new systems, new coaches and new teammates. Let's face it, Allison Feaster and Kristen Newlin had exactly three combined practices with their new teammates -- including Friday afternoon in Seattle where Newlin first met her team. So, if execution has been lacking, there is a built-in reason.

This year has been the most topsy-turvy for the Fever since I've been with the franchise, and this is my sixth season. I compared last year's preseason starting lineups with Lin Dunn at yesterday's shooting practices, revealing the fact that our whole team was intact for final two preseason games, with the exception of Tammy Sutton-Brown and Sheri Sam. As Lin put it, it's like being with an expansion franchise all over again.

Sunday (Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, by the way), the Fever and Storm will scrimmage. It will provide a final evaluation against another team. It will provide possibly one final chance for one of these six rookies and free agents to make the Fever roster.

Uncertain of any late moves by Dunn and Kelly Krauskopf, I'll pose a simple mathematical equation. The seven absent players (Bevilaqua, Catchings, Douglas, Hoffman, Sharp, Sutton-Brown and rookie draft pick Whittington) are presumably secure. As are the four veterans that started on Saturday. There are 11 players. By rule, that comprises an active roster. The Fever may carry 1 or 2 additional players, and typically have had one, for a total roster of 12. That means that, barring any further trade or free agent acquisitions, one of those six remaining rookies and free agents (Bond, Humphrey, Jinks, Newlin, Selwyn, Williams) should make the final cuts.

Scrimmage at 1:00 PT/4:00 ET. More later.
KM

The Fever will dress 10 players for Saturday's matchup at KeyArena, though only three are returning Fever players. Two, in fact, have been with the club for fewer than 24 hours, one of which met her new teammates only an hour ago at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport!

Alright Fever fans ... here's your news scoop of the day. In part because of partial Internet access here at the Furtado Training Center, and in part because we couldn't make the announcement until this afternoon, I am making this announcement in the blog before I even issue the press release! Let's just say that in a couple of hours when I check in to the hotel after practice, we'll announce the signing of another player to camp - former Stanford center Kristen Newlin. Newlin graduated from Stanford in '07 and was drafted and waived by Houston last spring. She played overseas last winter, was signed by Phoenix, then waived last week. She met the Fever in Seattle about 60 minutes ago.

Newlin joins veteran free agent Allison Feaster to the Fever's camp. Feaster, a nine-year vet who starred previously in Los Angeles and Charlotte, and was overseas in Spain until this week, arrived in Indianapolis just yesterday. She did not play in the WNBA last year in part because of the birth of a daughter. She still resides in Charlotte with her husband, Danny Strong, who played college ball at NC State. Women's hoops fans will remember Feaster's name as much from NCAA Tournament lore as from her WNBA career. Feaster was the star player on the 16th-seeded Harvard team that stunned top-seeded Stanford in the 1998 NCAA Tourney first round - still the only No. 16 seed ever to win a men's or women's tournament game.

Enough for trivia ... but now you know the two newest players to join the Fever camp. That brings our total number to 17 players, however, seven players are not with the team in Seattle:

Saturday's matchup with the Storm will prove interesting. Seattle is playing a lineup that includes longtime WNBA vets Swin Cash, Yolanda Griffith and Sheryl Swoopes - though does not include Sue Bird or Lauren Jackson. Indiana, meanwhile, will counter with perhaps the youngest and most inexperienced team in the league at this point with its band of rookies and free agents joining Bales, Terry, White -- and Feaster.

At this point, wins and losses are secondary. That doesn't sound right, ordinarily, but in the grand scheme of things, winning Saturday's preseason game is secondary to finding out who can play, and who can play with whom. Lin Dunn and her staff have one week remaining to cut probably five players. It is likely to expect that each of those five players will be among the 10 to see playing time tomorrow. That means that each will have ample opportunity to play and prove themselves ... and Dunn will have ample time to evaluate each of them.

My own personal evaluation has Whittington making the squad. She is a player that coaches and teammates have raved about. And from an athletic standpoint, I think she is clearly the best conditioned and most skilled all-around player among all the rookies and free agents in camp. I've also been impressed recently with Constance Jinks, the guard from UNLV who is in her third training camp. She has not only scored points in both preseason games, but she attacks the basket pretty well and has shot for a good percentage. And I've liked LaToya Bond, as well, but she has found herself in foul trouble or plagued by turnovers in the two games thus far. But how many guards will the Fever carry? I think their status will fall largely on numbers and a coaching preference as they balance the final roster.

I have also liked Angelina Williams as an all-around player with good size and some experience. Jennifer Humphrey has remained until the final week of camp for the second straight year, and the arrival of Newlin so late in camp means that the Fever staff either really likes her and felt fortunate to grab her, or they're still searching for a big youngster to play behind Sutton-Brown when she arrives.

As always, I don't know which direction Dunn and Kelly Krauskopf will go when it comes to decision-making. I really never do. But there's my take on things with eight days left in camp.
KM

Back to blogging again.
KM

This is about Ebony and Katie again. Or is it KT? Ah, herein lies item No. 1!

Kathryn Elizabeth Douglas, born and raised in Indianapolis and known through the early stages of her career as Katie, now is married to Vasilis Giapalakis and prefers to go simply by KT. Not her initials K.D., but just the letters KT -- as in emphasizing each syllable of KATIE.

How has the transformation occured? Well, I asked her through an email exchange recently, and I'll let her tell you the story:

"So, the introduction of KT came to be at Purdue. It was actually started, I think, if I recall, by Ukari Figgs and [coach] Carolyn Peck. I definitely want to give them the credit as I know they will give me an earful if not! They were trying to give me a nickname and I wasn't fond of KD, my initials, so they said how about KT? ... and it sorta stuck and that was my name all throughout my career at Purdue! Then when I got drafted to Orlando, there was Carolyn Peck again as my coach and referring to me as KT. So then KT was exposed on the professional level, and all of my teammates and coaches have ever since referred to me as that. It is extremely rare for them to call me Katie. It just has stuck and it's what people have gotten used to. How does that sound? Its not really exciting its just how it happened."

So there you have it. In print and in formal publication, I will continue to refer to Katie Douglas -- taking a page from my PR colleagues in Connecticut. However, informally, in the arena and verbally -- KT has arrived!

Married in 2005 in Greece, Douglas keeps her maiden name while playing basketball. For one, it is the name with which she has "made her name." Second, its easier for us Americans to pronounce and, third, can you imagine Douglas-Giapalakis draping the back of her jersey?

That brings us to Ebony, married one year later with the able planning assistance of winter teammate KT Douglas-Giapalakis. In my last blog, we discussed the keeping of the No. 32, and of course KT's new digits, No. 23. In the same announcement, Ebony indicated her desire to change neither her number, nor her name. Certainly proud of the name Cass, or even Hoffman-Cass, she will also play by her maiden name -- Hoffman.

Good luck to the teams and athletes in the upcoming Big Ten men's and women's basketball tournaments here at Conseco Fieldhouse. There are 57 days remaining until the opening of WNBA training camps!
KM

Tamika Catchings, who has worn Fever No. 24 since 2001 and made it one of the most popular jerseys in the WNBA, signed a four-year pact with the Fever to keep her in Indianapolis through the 2011 season.

A teammate and friend of Douglas since their youth, Pacers Sports & Entertainment staffer Courtney Howell was first in line to wear the new "23" jersey!

I don't need to tell Fever fans the significance of re-signing the All-Everything forward. But I will share two stats with you ... yes, the PR/stats guy in me can't resist throwing out a few really good nuggets such as these:

Translation - she does everything. Literally. Reigning MVP Lauren Jackson is ranked highly in most of those categories, but not assists. WNBA legends Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes are ranked in most also, but not 3-pointers. Longtime stars Mwadi Mabika and Vicky Johnson are ranked in most, too, but not in blocks or rebounds. Catchings, very literally, does it all.

Plus, she's a great teammate. She's the president of the player's association. And she runs the Catch The Stars Foundation which grows locally each year -- helping at-risk children with reading centers and mentoring programs, and donating scholarship money to worthy Indianapolis Public Schools student-athletes.

The Fever is fortunate to acquire No. 23, blessed to re-sign No. 24, and excited to have them both! Which jersey will you wear to the games?
KM

Numbers are funny things. Sometimes they seem useless, sometime monotonous, sometimes trivial. Often, though, they have meaning, and often they take on identities of their very own! Let's talk about jersey numbers, for instance. Why do those athletes choose their particular numbers? Or, do they really get to choose?

Alas, with last week's trade for KT Douglas [that's Katie to most of you ... tune in for another blog later this week about names!], jersey numbers have become a topic of discussion in the Fever's offices at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Douglas, if you recall, wore No. 32 while playing for the Connecticut Sun. And most of her family, friends and fans from Indiana also remember wearing the same No. 32 while helping guide Purdue to NCAA and Big Ten titles. So, she'll obviously wear 32 with the Fever again, right?

Not so fast.

This is where it gets tricky. And this is where you realize the meanings of the jersey numbers. You see, Ebony Hoffman has worn 32 for the Fever the past three seasons. Hoffman actually wore No. 34 as a rookie, because Bridget Pettis was wearing 32 before Hoffman arrived.

Hoffman, like Douglas, wore 32 throughout her college career and so strongly identifies with 32 that she made an immediate switch from 34, once Pettis retired, prior to the 2005 campaign. Thirty-two belonged to Hoffman, and she was posed with a significant obstacle when asked by Douglas to negotiate for rights to the "3" and the "2" ...

After a week of overseas emails and text messages between Indianapolis, Spain and Turkey (and wherever else the players happened to be when their Blackberrys received the messages), Ms. Hoffman has chosen to retain her digits. Some of us here in Fever-land thought that Ebony -- who just got married and whose wedding planning was actually helped by Douglas (her former Lithuanian teammate) -- might wind up switching both her name and her number this year! [Here is another plug that aforementioned, soon-to-come blog on names.]

And so the email chain continued between KT and the Fever staff, to determine her new digits. I am happy to be the first to break the news that KT will wear No. 23 in 2008.

Why 23? As always, yes, there is a story behind this number.

KT, you see, while growing up on the south side of Indianapolis, was also a softball star and she loved the Chicago Cubs. Her favorite star was No. 23, Ryne Sandberg. She wore 23 as a high school basketball star, but upon arriving at Purdue, was confronted by another conflict with her digits as Boilermakers teammate Tiffany Young wore 23. Her dad suggested reversing the numbers, hence 32.

Sound familiar? Tamika Catchings wears No. 24 because her dad, former NBA star Harvey Catchings, wore No. 42. She reverses her dad's digits. And now, with all of those digits reversed, the Fever will start 23 and 24 right beside each other this summer!

That's it today's lesson on numbers! I have been told that those new Douglas jerseys will be available in the Home Court Gift Shop just in time for upcoming IHSAA and Big Ten basketball tournaments at the Fieldhouse. Stay tuned for the "Name Game," later this week.
KM

How does all that relate to the Fever? Except for the interaction with Jane? Well, it doesn't , not directly anyway ... except that the annual hoops madness in the month of March serves much like a window looking straight into the WNBA Draft, training camps and into the season! The WNBA Draft is conducted the day after the NCAA women's national championship game, and serves as a springboard into the season. Needless to say, after last week's excitement with trades and free agency, the WNBA season really is just around the corner!

First, consider that with the Atlanta expansion draft, the Fever roster currently has just 10 returning veterans. So, there could be a spot for a second-round pick to land. Second, consider that two of Indiana's returning veterans, K.B. Sharp and Kasha Terry, both were No. 26 selections in 2004 and 2006, respectively. Third, consider another former Fever star and No. 26 pick, Jurgita Streimikyte, who fared pretty well during her years in Indy. Lastly, consider Tamika Whitmore -- she was the No. 30 pick in the 1999 draft.

My take is that Katie has a little more length and therefore, is perhaps a better defender, even though Anna was always among Fever steals leaders, herself. Katie is also three years younger, and obviously brings a local fan base, both positive attributes.

Offensively, Katie averaged a career-high 17.0 points per game last season, compared to 8.7 for Anna. Essentially, the difference is that Katie is more of a scorer, where Anna might be labeled as more of a shooter. While Katie is obviously regarded as a 3-point threat, DeForge finished ninth in the WNBA with a 41.0 percent clip behind the arc. Katie shot 33.8 percent behind the 3-point stripe.

That's it for a Monday. If you've got any questions or specific interests, don't forget to Ask The Messenger to voice your own concerns!
KM

Free agency began fast and furious on Tuesday, and continued through this afternoon with the announcement that Kelly Krauskopf had re-signed Ebony Hoffman, in addition to the club naming Jim Lewis as its final assistant coach. The big news, of course, was the blockbuster trade that sent Tamika Whitmore to Connecticut, and brought Katie Douglas to Indiana. And in between was the announcement that All-Star center Tammy Sutton-Brown was returning in '08, also.

My thoughts on the Douglas trade? Obviously a slam dunk for the Fever. On the court, I'd rate the trade pretty close to even. Off the court and in the box office, it presents a great business opportunity for the franchise, which could bear fruit for several more years to come.

On the court, Whitmore and Douglas are very different types of players. It's hard to make a direct comparison. If you look strictly at their numbers, it's easy to see that Douglas is a more versatile player, though Whit could be a potentially more explosive scorer. Certainly the Fever gains a better perimeter player, while losing an interior force that won't be easy to immediately replace.

Then, consider their ages and at what stages they are within their respective careers. Douglas is two years younger and in the prime of her career. Whitmore, while certainly in her prime also, may not have the same longevity to her career. The constant years of banging for Whit, and the styles that they play factor into this consideration. In terms of long-term value on the court, as well as off the court, I think Douglas gets the nod.

That is also why the Sun insisted on including the Fever's first-round draft pick this year. This potential deal had long been discussed. And long been shelved by the Sun who insisted on fair and equal value if they ever were to consider unloading Douglas. And rightly so. In the end, if the Fever got the best end of the deal in terms of long-term value, the Sun can recoup that potential loss in the form of an additional first-round pick when the draft rolls around in April.

What is the value of a No. 12 selection in the draft? Short-term, probably not hugely significant. Long-term? That depends on the pick. That's now up to Connecticut to make that part of the deal flourish. The Fever has already secured its long-term piece of the pie. From my standpoint, I'm not sure who is happier -- Douglas? Krauskopf? Or the Fever fans?

It's all good.
KM

Since my last blog, the biggest news items in the WNBA were the signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the expansion draft for the Atlanta Dream. I'll touch on each of those topics in a moment.

For the Fever, it's time to lean forward in your seats in anticipation of the free agency period which is about to begin. With the signing of the CBA, teams are approved to sign free agents, beginning February 19. Teams began negotiations and talks with prospective free agents two weeks ago. For Indiana, that means that Kelly Krauskopf is active in the market, just as she always is.

A primary task, initially, is to re-sign three key starters who are all free agents - Anna DeForge, Tammy Sutton-Brown and Tamika Whitmore. Ebony Hoffman and Tamika Catchings also are free agents, though Catchings will be a "core" player at the league's maximum salary. And Catchings and Hoffman both recently bought new homes in Indianapolis, so those players are secure. [Speaking of new homeowners, Tan White recently moved to Indy, as well, with a westside home of her own.]

And so if signing those three free agent starters is the Fever's priority over the next few weeks, the other consideration - whether via free agency or the draft, may be the acquisition of another point guard, for sake of depth and its future. Tully Bevilaqua will have another year, or maybe two, and that means that Krauskopf and Lin Dunn will need to be wary of depth at that position. K.B. Sharp will be back and may continue to be groomed as an eventual starter, but that position may become a priority - if not during free agency, possibly during the annual WNBA Draft, April 9.

Speaking of the draft, the Fever had three picks for 2008. Those were whittled down to two, when the ever-crafty Krauskopf dealt a second-round selection to the expansion Dream, for the consideration that they not choose specific non-protected players during the Feb. 6 Expansion Draft. Each team was allowed to protect six players. Krauskopf then brokered a further deal that effectively "protected" a few others. The result is that, while eventually losing versatile guard Ann Strother, the Fever's uppermost tier of players was untouched.

After various trades a year ago and the loss of the 24th overall pick to Atlanta, Indiana has first-round and second-round picks remaining in the draft. The Fever will draft 12th overall, and 26th.

The draft will be among the deepest in years, with Tennessee's Candace Parker and LSU's Sylvia Fowles anticipated to highlight a rich class of talent. But who will be available at No. 12? What will be the Fever's needs following the free agency season? And with the Fever's roster depth, who might be available and who might fall to the 26th selection? For more on the upcoming draft, visit WNBA.com's Countdown to 2008 WNBA Draft.

I'll finish today's thoughts with comments about the CBA, and what it means for the stability of the WNBA.

When I first entered this league in the spring of 2003, there were suggestions of a player's s