Outdoor Basketball in the WNBA?

Picture a very hot mid-summer day in Phoenix, Arizona and the headlines in the local paper reads; “Mercury to host Sting under the Stars”. Possible, yes! A story out of Phoenix this week that Arizona State University would host Texas Tech in women’s basketball December 18th, may have sparked interested in the Phoenix Mercury marketing department as they look for new ideas to promote the team.

The college game is set for Chase Field, the Diamondback’s retractable-dome stadium in downtown Phoenix. The major college game will at least enjoy somewhat cooler temperatures than could be expected for the possible WNBA game in mid-summer.

Is this too hot to handle in Phoenix? I am sure the Mercury front office, with their new General Manager, basketball great Ann Meyers, want to give Paul Westhead another platform to showcase his run-and-gun style of women’s basketball spearheaded by Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter. Stay tuned!

Future WNBA #1 Draft Pick

While the rest of the country watches well-know players like Tina Thompson and Sheryl Swoops from the Houston Comets, Sue Bird of Seattle and Diana Taurasi of Phoenix lead the USA team in the World Championships in Brazil, I have spotted a diamond of a player that should be a top WNBA pick in the future.

It’s 20-year old Candace Parker a sophomore at Tennessee. Her numbers have been excellent and steady, 12 points and 5 rebounds per game. At 6-2, Parker can play every position on the flood excelling around the basket, but has also displayed a nice mid-range jumper that has the form to develop into a 3-pointer’s weapon with time and experience.

It may be too far out to get excited about her as a draft pick, but not too early to enjoy watching a future star in the making.

Opportunity Lost At West Virginia

The 2008 WNBA draft could include a tough, hard-nosed guard from West Virginia, 6-0 Meg Bulger. The question on Bulger will be her health. She re-injured her left knee before fall practice started and will have to sit out the entire 2006-07 season.

A teammate of Charlotte Sting center, Yelena Leuchanka at UVW, Bulger tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee during the 18th game of her junior season against St. John’s last year. At the time of her injury Bulger was the third leading scorer in the Big East Conference and in the top-ten in scoring in the NCAA averaging 19.8-points per game.

The former Big East “Freshman of the Year” also led the nation with 3.5 three-pointers per game, and currently holds the West Virginia record in single-game scoring after bagging 38-points against Cleveland State.

A pure jump-shooting talent ready to play in the WNBA next summer as a lottery pick, Bulger will now have to watch and wait her turn on the West Virginia bench.

-- Sam Smith | 3:58 p.m. 09/18/06

WNBA Champs Do It With Defense

In the past 5 years of doing the Charlotte Sting broadcasts, the Sting coaches have always stressed defense to win games. The Detroit Shock proved that defense is still a key to victory, as they turned on the pressure in the final two games of the WNBA Finals to win their second title in four years defeating the Sacramento Monarchs in the five-game series (3-2).

I don’t buy into the mindset used by the Shock coach Bill Laimbeer: “You have to hate your opponents to win”, but I do like to see players stay very focused for a full forty-minutes, and for Laimbeer maybe the “little-bit nasty” talk worked perfectly to accomplish that goal.

Sting Defense Showed Same Focus In Latter Season

Sting coach Muggsy Bogues used that same defensive mind-set, minus the trash talk, in the final fifteen games of the 2006 season, allowing the Sting to go 8-7 to finish the season. The defensive average came down more than 15 points per game from the first half of the year, while that defense also created more offensive opportunities for the Sting. Those additional offensive chances resulted in the Sting ended the year scoring ten-plus more points in 2006 than in 2005, so put that all together for a full season and the city of Charlotte could also be enjoying the year-ending rewards that belong to the Detroit Shock in 2006.

Patient Trade For The New Champions

Another factor in the Detroit championship was that the trade Laimbeer made last year in hopes of winning the WNBA title worked a year later than expected. Katie Smith was traded from Minnesota to Detroit in the middle of the 2005 season, but the Shock lost in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs to Connecticut. In 2006 playoff season Smith, the all-time scoring leader in the history of women’s basketball, gave the Shock the big shots outside that allowed Laimbeer’s game plan of total dominance inside to work in beating Connecticut in the conference finals and then Sacramento for the championship.

Smith scored 17 points in the final game but was certainly the reason Deanna Nolan had a big final game, 24 points and the MVP Award. Sacramento couldn’t afford letting Smith get off on a big shooting night and stepped up their premier defense trying to stop her, forgetting when Nolan wants to play she can be a one- person wrecking crew. On Saturday night she was just that in the series clincher.

Congratulations to the Detroit Shock, the new WNBA Champions.
Oh, you will recognize them next year - they will be the team with a bull’s eye on their back…as the rest of the league takes a shot at the Champs.

-- Sam Smith | 2:49 p.m. 09/12/06

On Their Way To Europe

With the close of the 2006 season many of the Sting players have finalized their plans to play during the offseason in Europe. This will not only allow the ladies a chance to hone their skills, but also to travel overseas and to make some good money.

Kelly Mazzante and Janel McCarville will travel together to Slovakia. Kelly played there last year and her development was excellent and resulted in a solid year for the Sting and notice from around the league as one of the most improved players. McCarville spent a short time in Spain last offseason and is looking forward to a full season after recovering from a lower back injury.

Ayana Walker, who has spent the past several years in Israel, will go To France this season and will be a good person to help first-year player Tye’sha Fluker, traveling to play in Europe for the first time.

Allison Feaster returns to Europe after missing last season due to the birth of her daughter, Sarah. Allison will be after her third EuroLeague Championship, after winning two titles while playing in France.

Tammy Sutton-Brown has elected to play in Turkey this offseason after spending the past few years playing in South Korea and Russia. Tammy will not report overseas until mid-October, giving her plenty of time to work with the Canadian National Team preparing for the World Championships in Brazil beginning September 12th.

Russia will still get a Sting player this season -- rookie guard LaToya Bond will play there in her first venture overseas.

Two other players, Monique Currie and Yelena Leuchanka will both be playing in Europe but have not committed to any of the several teams offering them a contract. Both should be signed by the end of the month.

Sheri Sam, Tangela Smith and Tasha Butts are all considering playing during the offseason but have not finalized their plans.

Helen Darling is expected to stay in Charlotte again this offseason working with Andrea Stinson in the Sting Community Relations Department.

Good luck ladies…see you next summer.

One Final Story From The Road

I can’t resist closing my year with one final travel story. It’s a tale of a short little trip to New York to play the Liberty. Short will not be used in the saga again.

Most of the players arrived at Charlotte Douglas Airport just after 2:00 p.m. last Thursday for a 3:55 p.m. flight. Upon arriving at the gate, the team was informed that there would be a weather delay and that we would get a status update at 4:00 p.m. Around 4:30 p.m., the counter attendant had news that the weather was expected to improve in New York and that we would be leaving shortly after 5:00 p.m. -- or at least pushing from the gate.

We pushed back around 5:30 p.m., but another airplane stalled on the Taxiway, and we were stuck until a truck could either push that plane or get it started again. At 6:10 p.m. we were finally on the move again, but lost our slot for takeoff. The good news -- we are number six to take off.

The flight to New York is only about an hour and 20 minutes If all goes well, but it didn’t on this trip. About 30 minutes into the Flight, the pilot told us that the weather was still bad in New York and that we would be in a holding pattern for a while until we received landing orders.

Another 40 minutes went by and the pilot returned to tell us we would have to land in Allentown, PA because the plane was low on fuel. We touched down in Allentown about 8:00 p.m. to get some aviation fuel -- that’s airline talk for “gas” -- but a process expected to take only a minutes, slowly turned into another two hours.

When we were finally ready to leave Allentown, the pilot informed us that the plane couldn’t move because one of the blocks used to put under the tire while it was at the gate was stuck and the plane would have to be pushed before we could continue. After yet another delay, finally it was wheels up at 10:00 p.m.

The flight to New York from Allentown is only 30 minutes, covering 72-miles as the crow flies according to the pilot, and we touched down at around 10:20 p.m. and arrived at the gate at 10:45 p.m. A trip that normally takes only a couple of hours took a grand total of 8 hours and 15 minutes. Add another hour to get baggage and make the trip to the hotel in midtown New York, and the ladies were trying to get to sleep by 1:00 a.m. Friday morning.

Well, that’s the last of the travel logs. I hope you enjoyed making a trip or two with the Sting -- some very good, some very bad, but all part of playing in the WNBA.

Thanks for reading Sam’s Open Mic this year. Let’s plan to do it again next season. We all have appreciated the support this year, and pledge to give you something very good to cheer for next year.

-- Sam Smith | 12:21 p.m. 08/14/06

Feaster Will Be Back

Watching Allison Feaster hit three-point jumpers in the latter part of the season certainly brings back memories of the great years she has had in Charlotte and makes me look forward to next year already. Getting limited time this season due to the birth of her daughter, Sarah Aleece Strong on February 3, 2006, Allison has worked hard to regain the level of conditioning that she has been known for in her eight previous seasons in the WNBA.

In talking to Allison, regaining the strength was more difficult than expected, and the fact that this was the first offseason she hasn't played overseas was also a major difference in preparing for the 2006 year. Add to the mix a sore knee, and Allison has made great strides in finishing the year on a positive note.

She will return to Europe to play this offseason, going to Spain to play for her third EuroLeague championship -- the other two were won while playing in France. Allison will be playing with Margo Dydek of Connecticut, Delisha Milton-Jones of Washington and several members of the Spanish and Brazilian National teams.

Husband, Danny Strong is expected to play in Italy this year, making the offseason for the two globetrotters a long-distance event, but one that both are excited about since little Sarah will be along for the ride this time around.

Allison has voiced strong feelings about returning to the Sting in 2007 and vows to be in excellent shape to regain her role as a 3-point expert. That will only add to the problems of other WNBA teams with Feaster on one side and Kelly Mazzante on the other.

Mazzante has led the Sting with 48 three-pointers this season through 29-games. Feaster holds the Sting record for treys with 79 during the 2002 season. She has more than 350 threes during her career at Los Angeles and Charlotte -- it sounds like there are many more to come.

Currie Returning To College Form

Monique Currie has re-gained the form that made her the third pick in the 2006 WNBA draft. She is back averaging over 10 points for the season with the slashing style she developed at Duke. Her aggressiveness to get to the basket has also produced headaches for opponents trying to guard her and end up sending her to the foul line, where she is shooting better than 83 percent in the last three games (24-29), and 80 percent for the year. Those regular trips to the foul line have helped produce three-straight double-figure scoring nights, while she has been averaging better than 16 points over that stretch.

Random Fact: Guess Monique’s favorite pre-game snack…
If she is near store that sells caramel corn, she’ll end up with a stash tucked away in her luggage for the next few game days. So here's to you Ms. Caramel-Corn eating basketball player.... whatever gets your motor started.

Is That Bird's Cell Phone?

It's fun on the road when our plane rolls up to the arrival city gate and you can listen to the cascade of sounds that are made by cell phones the airlines allow you to turn on once the plane is back on the ground. You hear the usual musical tones, beeps and regular rings. But when you travel with the Sting, the most unusual ring comes from the window seat in aisle 8.....it's a bird call coming from Ayana Walker's cell phone.

All together the team shouts...."Bird you've got mail!" Asked what kind of bird it was...Ayana just looked at me and said...”It's just a bird, Sam.” But as we all know, traveling with the Sting there is only one Bird...and that's our Ayana. Tweet, tweet.....Bird, you have mail!

-- Sam Smith | 5:09 p.m. 08/03/06

Scoreboard Watchers

Before the Sting won four of their last five games, the ladies were just casual scoreboard observers, but now they have become avid scoreboard watchers. With Washington losing Sunday night to Seattle (73-71), the Sting (7-17) will begin the final 10 games of the season five games behind the Mystics (12-12) for the fourth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Connecticut (17-6), Detroit (16-7) and Indiana (15-9) all have a single digit “magic” number to clinch a playoff spots barring a total collapse in the final three weeks of the regular season. While in the Western Conference, Los Angeles (20-6) and Sacramento (16-8) should be locks for the top two spots. Houston (14-11), Seattle (13-12), Phoenix (11-12) and San Antonio (11-13) will all be battling for the third and fourth playoff positions for the postseason.

Back To The Race In The East

Both the Sting and the Mystics have 10 games left, both have five games left at home and five on the road, and both have to go West one more time. The Mystics play Seattle and Sacramento on the road, while the Sting will be in San Antonio, Phoenix and Seattle next week.

With three winnable games this week against Minnesota (twice) and at home with New York, the biggest game left on the schedule must be next Sunday (July 30) when the Sting travel to Washington to play the final game of the four-game series with the Mystics leading two games to one.

One of the biggest difference in the schedule for both teams is the number of games left against the five playoff locked teams listed above.(Connecticut, Detroit, Indiana, Los Angeles and Sacramento)

Washington - 5, Charlotte - 0.

Are Miracles Repeatable?

Now, I have always been a “the glass is half full - not half empty” kind of a guy, but even I recognize the fact that the Sting has to have some help to make the playoffs. Any combination of Washington wins or Sting loses totaling six and the race for the fourth spot is over.

So cheer for the Sting to play well, and the rest of the WNBA opponents for Washington to play even better, and who knows the “miracle” of 2001 when the Sting started 1-10 and made the WNBA Finals against Los Angeles could be revisited this season.

Stranger things have happen! There I go again with that “glass half full” again. See you at Bobcats Arena, or on WMIX-106. Enjoy the ride.

-- Sam Smith | 12:35 p.m. 07/25/06

I Could Get Used To This

This past Friday and Saturday had the feel of the good old days of the Sting. Facing two teams that will be challenging for a playoff spot in their respective divisions, the Sting not only beat them, they dominated San Antonio and Indiana. They did it with the same players, but they had a clear-cut focus on one thing -- winning!

Getting the best out of the inside game with All-Star Tangela Smith and Tammy Sutton-Brown, the Sting out-shot and out-rebounded two teams on the stats sheet that were better than Charlotte in both categories. Smith averaged 21 points in the two games, including a season- high 25 points against San Antonio. Sutton-Brown, playing like her All-Star year of 2002, collected her second double-double of the year against San Antonio (14 points, 11 rebounds) and added a solid 13-point, nine-rebound game against Indiana.

The inside game was not limited to Smith and Sutton-Brown, as Coach Muggsy Bogues took full advantage of the bench for frontline minutes for Janel McCarville, Tye’sha Fluker and Ayana Walker. McCarville, the number one WNBA pick in 2005, may have played the best overall game of her career, collecting nine points and six rebounds in 12 minutes of play. Both numbers are below her career highs (11pts and seven rebounds), but her intensity is felt by her teammates, and that increases the effectiveness of the second unit to compete on an even footing and making them better than their opponents’ reserves.

Defense Is Getting Better

Over the past nine games, the points allowed by the Sting have dropped nearly six points. That doesn’t sound like a bunch, but opponents had been scoring nearly 83 points before the improvement. Why? Communication! Coach Bogues uses a switching man-to-man defense that can be very effective if the ladies are all on the same page and recognize when to switch and when to stay with their man.

Along with that communication comes dedication to work hard on the defensive end of the floor. Defense is hard, but the Sting feed off their defense to create opportunities on the offensive end. Many times getting steals and having the “bigs” run the floor to create mismatches that result in layups or free throws.

Rebounds, Rebounds, Rebounds

The Sting also proved that drills do work. Assistant coaches Earl Cureton and Shelly Patterson have been working hard to instill a simple rebounding mindset for the Sting, “box out”. That means knowing where your man is and staying between them and the basket while the ball is in the air, even if that means getting physical. The front line starters of San Antonio got only six rebounds compared to 18 for the Sting front line of Smith, Sutton-Brown and Sheri Sam. In the Indiana game the numbers were closer, but still a 21-15 advantage for the Sting starters. Overall, the Sting enjoyed a 78-56 rebound advantage in the two weekend wins. So remember that ladies – “box out.”

Bench Help

I mentioned three bench players above, but two others had a great deal to do with the back-to-back wins over San Antonio and Indiana. Kelly Mazzante tallied 15 points, including three three-pointers that helped open the inside game for Smith and Sutton-Brown. And the point guard play of rookie LaToya Bond made a big difference, giving starter Helen Darling some rest along with quickening the defense. Bond also took care of the basketball against the pressing guards on both teams and had only one turnover in the two games.

Big Assist In The Stands

The final piece of the winning combination this past weekend was in the stands where more than 13,000 fans came to give their support and enjoy some WNBA basketball. WNBA President Donna Orender attended the Indiana game and noted that Charlotte Bobcats Arena was alive and made for a perfect setting for the effort she saw from the Sting. She even predicted that the Sting would be a force the rest of the season, and she didn’t rule out the playoffs. In her words, “anything can happen.” We certainly hope so Madam President.

The Sting organization has taken great efforts to salute the Season Ticket Holders from year one. There at 65 total from that first season in 1997 that have renewed their tickets every year. To these special people -- all of us associated with the Sting are proud to officially name you to our WNBA All-Decade Team. Thank you, and congratulations.

-- Sam Smith | 10:32 p.m. 07/17/06

An All-Star At Last

Tangela Smith was so excited when she saw me at the Sacramento hotel hobby on Monday morning as the Sting were on their way home after a three-game road swing that ended with a game Sunday against the WNBA Champions - Sacramento Monarchs. Tangela had just been informed that she was to play in the WNBA All-Star game on Wednesday, July 12 in New York.

A nine-year veteran of the WNBA, this will be her first All-Star game despite several excellent years at Sacramento, where she helped lead the Monarchs to three Western Conference Finals. During her career, she has scored over 3000 points, joining only eight others to accomplish that feat, and is listed as the number three shot blocker (350) in the history of the league. She has lead the Sting in scoring for two years, including 13.8 points last season and 12.4 points this year.

During the recent Sting game in Los Angeles, I was going to make the comment that the steady play of Smith would normally earn her an All-Star spot, but that the team record was working against her. I was thrilled for her and the team that the WNBA office and coaches looked past the standings and selected her for her excellent play on the court. Tangela has been in double-figures in scoring 11 of the last 14 games, including two double-double nights -- the last coming in Los Angeles on July 8 with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

In talking to Tangela for a halftime report in Connecticut on July 6, I was surprised when she told me I was the first person to ask about her feelings about Sacramento winning the WNBA Championship the year after she had been traded to the Sting. She said she was sad she couldn’t be a part of the championship season, but was very happy for former teammates Yolanda Griffith and Ticha Penicheiro, who had served as the backbone of the team for the first nine years of play in Sacramento -- seven of those years shared with Tangela. Sad. Yes! Gracious. Always!

No championship for Tangela yet, but for now an opportunity to play with the very best in the WNBA on their special night Wednesday in the “Big Apple”. WNBA All-Star Tangela Smith. That has a great ring to it, and in my mind long overdue for the Sting’s “go-to” player. Congratulations, Tan!

-- Sam Smith | 7:32 p.m. 07/11/06

Staying Put Behind The Mic

There are reasons some people are on the bench for a basketball game and others are just a couple of seats away on the radio. It’s called patience and total dedication. Now don’t get me wrong I am always dedicated to the work at hand, being your eye and ears for the Sting games on WNMX this season. However, the job of Head Coach has got to be the toughest job in sports when your team is so close to playing well, but has started the year with a 3-13 record.

Muggsy Bogues has voiced his displeasure with the team on several occasions at after-game press conferences, but the very next day is ready to work with the Sting to correct mistakes that caused pain on the scoreboard the night before. Muggsy is a very strong man and will work longer than anyone else to help improve this team, but again comes that tough 8-letter word…patience.

All Muggsy is asking for is hard work and to take pride in your work. Some players could never be faulted in either category while others have to look in the mirror every morning and decide if they are doing the things asked of them by coaches and fans alike. It has never been a question of talent, the Sting have the players to make a run for the rest of the year, and Muggsy Bogues and assistants Earl Cureton and Shelly Patterson will be doing their best to give them the information to challenge the teams left on the schedule.

The question is: “Will the patience run out before everybody gets on the same page?”

Here We Go Again

It time to start another portion of the Sting schedule that you sometimes feel has never been touched by human hands, just computers that don’t know their geography. The Sting will play the Eastern Conference leaders in Connecticut on Thursday night (7 p.m. on MIX 106) then fly most of Friday to Los Angeles to play the leaders of the Western Conference the L.A. Sparks on Saturday (10:30 p.m. on MIX 106) The three game road swing will conclude in Sacramento on Sunday, July 9th (9:00 p.m. - MIX106) with a re-match with the World Champions.

Hang on there is more. Starting on July 30th at Washington, the Sting with start another cross-country marathon journey the first week of August with stops in San Antonio (7/1), Phoenix (7/3) and Seattle (7/5). With this schedule could this Sting team may be most traveled Queen City team ever?

Oh, by the way! August 3rd in Phoenix….Has anyone got any heavy-duty sunscreen?

-- Sam Smith | 9:10 a.m. 07/05/06

What A Darling

The Sting are spending this week on the road with two more stops in New York and Chicago. The Sting dropped a 10-point decision (71-61) at Detroit on Sunday afternoon but gained a measure of stability with the return of starting point guard Helen Darling.

After missing five games with a strained hamstring, Darling started against the Shock and looked as if she hadn’t missed a minute of action. Her numbers in the game were above season averages for points and assists, getting nine points and three assists in 25 minutes of play.

The one big advantage of having Darling back on the floor was her leadership. Helen was barking orders and directing teammates into offensive and defensive sets, and didn’t hesitate get in their face if they didn’t respond.

It was very evident in her help with rookies Monique Currie and LaToya Bond. The top draft pick out of Duke, Currie, committed a turnover in a hectic third quarter run by Detroit and found Darling right on her hip heading for the huddle after a timeout. It was not a scolding but instead a “words of wisdom” meeting from the six-year veteran that seemed to settle Currie down and got her mind back in the game.

Darling’s work with Bond is even more important since the Missouri rookie is the backup at the point guard spot. Bond has a wealth of talent, but has the mindset to try and beat her defender with her talent and often finds out the hard way with turnovers that the talent in the WNBA is on a different level than anything she ever faced in the Big XII Conference.

Darling hasn’t quite found the right buttons to push with Bond yet, but if the rookie can pay attention and watch Helen’s leadership direct the team while waiting to get the call from Head Coach Muggsy Bogues, she will be a big lift off the bench.

Just A Thought

I was very disappointed in Houston last Friday night to see 10-year veteran Tameka Dixon turn her back to the American flag and tuck her head to her chest during the playing of the National Anthem. It was Kids Night for the Comets, and with the WNBA stressing a role model attitude by its players, Tameka took a step backwards to promote that image.

End Of The Road -- For Now

Well, got to run now. We are at the end of a one-and-a-half hour bus ride north of New York City for Monday’s practice. This is a beautiful facility for the New York Knicks/Liberty but a couple of trips to White Plains, NY should certainly make the Bobcats and Sting be very happy with their workout and playing setup at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

-- Sam Smith | 4:42 p.m. 06/26/06

Travel Woes

When the Sting arrived back in Charlotte on Monday afternoon, they had just finished one of the most hectic weekends of travel most of the players and coaches had ever been through. A fire drill, a car accident, lost bags and playing short-handed against one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference was all part of a weekend to remember -- or maybe forget.

It all started on Saturday morning at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena practice court. Scheduled for just one hour, Head Coach Muggsy Bogues found his time cut short due to a fire drill in the arena. A minor kitchen fire had prompted the drill, and what had been scheduled for the one hour turned out to last approximately half that time.

Then it was off to the airport for a short flight to Indianapolis. In an unfortunate situation while leaving the arena, Sheri Sam lost control of her vehicle and ended up on top of the protective ramp at the entrance of the loading dock. Sheri suffered an injured shoulder and a stiff neck that required medical attention, and the flight to Indy left without the team’s starting small forward. Sheri arrived in Indianapolis later Saturday night, and despite a sore shoulder and neck, she played on Sunday night against the Fever.

Now, back to the flight to Indianapolis. Upon arriving at the airport, Sting Trainer Monica Murrell had one of her bags missing which caused a 45-minute search through baggage areas and matching bag tags with the other 25 bags on the trip. This delayed the Sting more than an hour in getting to the downtown hotel -- just another bump in the road.

Game Day

At the Sunday morning shootaround at Conseco Fieldhouse, The Sting had planned to watch a video prepared on the Fever, but technical problems forced them to change their routine and practice and then watch tape. Sounds like a small matter, and the way the weekend was going, just part of a weird WNBA road game.

As for the game, The Sting were without two starters, Tammy Sutton-Brown and Helen Darling, and a third, Sheri Sam, was playing with pain. It was a game time decision on Sutton-Brown, but the knee was too sore to play, while Darling knew she would be a cheerleader Sunday with a strained hamstring.

It was tough losing to the Fever 92-85 in overtime after enjoying a 10-point lead with 6:15 to go in the fourth quarter and shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Unfortunately, a 12-3 run by the Fever triggered by Tamika Cathings (27pts) and Tamika Whitmore (career high 29 pts) cut the lead to one point and the race was on to the finish.

Tangela Smith forced overtime, tying the game at 80-80, and finished leading the Sting with 18 points, while Sheri Sam collected 14 points followed by Kelly Mazzante’s 13 points.

The weekend trip to Indianapolis ended on a wrong note, but just getting to the point of challenging the Fever (8-4) for 45-minutes was still sign that the ladies are more than ready to face adversity and give it their best shot. Oh and just think, starting Friday the Sting will play seven of their next eight games on the road. Surely none of those road trips can be more challenging than the trip to Indy last weekend.

-- Sam Smith | 6:26 p.m. 06/20/06

Injury Bug Biting

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the WNBA water and make some waves of your own… the Sting get bit by the injury bug.

Tuesday night in Washington, Tammy Sutton-Brown went down with a knee injury just six minutes into the game with the Sting leading the Mystics 12-7. Tammy was on the break and was run down from behind by former NC State player Chasity Melvin. Tammy left the game and did not return, other than to cheer her team on from the bench.

Tammy was limping on the injured right knee at the Washington airport Wednesday morning, but had the high hopes that a trip to the doctor would not show any real problems. Her final words were, “I’ll be alright!” And I hope so.

Sutton-Brown wasn’t the only Sting player to get hurt Tuesday night. Point guard Helen Darling pulled a hamstring in the second quarter, and left the floor in tears with Trainer Monica Murrell shortly after hitting a three-pointer that gave the Sting a six-point lead. Helen was also hobbled Wednesday Morning, but until her visit to the doctor, we won’t know the full extent of her injury.

Both hope to play Thursday night in the rematch with Washington at the Bobcats Arena. Their status is up to the medical team now.

Stepping Up Their Minutes

With Sutton-Brown and Darling possibly out of action, rookies Tye’Sha Fluker , LaToya Bond and last year’s No. 1 pick, Janel McCarville, could get even more minutes this week against Washington and on Sunday at Indiana. McCarville and Bond logged 17 minutes each at Washington on Tuesday, while Fluker played nearly 13 minutes.

Coach Muggsy Bogues will also have to look at Sheri Sam more at the point guard spot and minutes for Kelly Mazzante and Allison Feaster will also increase. Feaster may be close to resuming her full-time role following the birth of her daughter in February, and with injury problems looming, I know she will do her best.

Adding to the front line woes for Bogues is the injury to 6-5 rookie Yelena Luechanka, who should be out of action for at least 2-4 weeks longer after having knee surgery. Leuchanka had shown signs she could share backup minutes with Fluker and make Sutton-Brown even more effective with some much needed rest in tough battles inside.

Keep your fingers crossed that this injury bug delivered just small bites, and not knockout problems just when the Sting seemed to be getting ready to make an early season move on the Eastern Division leaders.

-- Sam Smith | 12:22 p.m. 06/13/06

Good vs. the Bad

Let's weigh the good against the bad in winning a WNBA game and losing one. Against Connecticut, the Sting fell into a hole in the third quarter created by a 16-0 run by the Sun. The result: The Sting never recovers and loses by 18 points (89-71).

Against Indiana, the Sting started poorly, but used a 10-0 run to start the second quarter to help erase a 14-point deficit and take a two-point halftime lead. They built an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter by outscoring the Fever 23-13 in the final 10 minutes. The result: Win number two of the year (70-59).

Why the difference? The Sting players answered the challenge of Coach Muggsy Bogues to either focus on details needed to win, or continue to help their opponents with costly Sting turnovers and missed shots.

Bogues can issue the challenge but in this case it was the players that made the move in the right direction. Four tough days of work, and a “players only” meeting solidified their resolve to play like a contending team in the Eastern Conference, and not stay in the company of the bottom-feeders.

Is it for Real?

Big question for the Sting: Will a solid game against one of the top teams in the WNBA like Indiana be an ignition of their firepower or does two games against Washington this week and a rematch on Sunday at Indiana bring back the problems of the first five games?

My answer…It full speed ahead! Because for the first time this season I saw a fire in the Sting that sent a message around the Charlotte Bobcats Arena and to a road opponents that you can bring your game in here, but nothing is going to come easy.

Heard it on the Radio

Working on the Sting Network broadcast of the Indiana game, analyst Stephanie Ready made a comment very early in the game that the main focus for the Sting should be to get the ball inside and win tough man-to-man match-ups as called for in Coach Bogues’ game plan. After falling down 15-1 in the first 10 minutes, that’s exactly what the Sting were able to accomplish with Tammy Sutton-Brown enjoying her best game of the year with 18 points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots.

Tangela Smith also made it tough inside for Indiana scoring 16 points while grabbing 11 rebounds, her first double-double of the year. Sheri Sam collected seven rebounds and scored only nine points, but her defense helped hold All-Star Tamika Catchings to just nine points and five rebounds, roughly half of her season average in both categories.

The final numbers were excellent for the front line of the Sting against Indiana. The starters (Smith, Sam & Sutton-Brown) outscored the Fever frontcourt 43-30, outrebounded them 25-14 and Sutton-Brown’s five blocked shots helped the Sting set a club record with 10 blocks for the game.

Coach Muggsy Bogues will be all smiles if the good out-weighs the bad more often than not the rest of the way, and if it takes “players only” meetings and some extra hard work every day…. my money is on the Sting. Winning tastes a lot better than the other side.

-- Sam Smith | 5:29 p.m. 06/10/06

Feels Like A Real Season

With the Memorial Day holiday behind us, the WNBA season seems to be starting for real...and that means hitting the road with the Sting. That first trip to Connecticut comes on Saturday, after the Sting meet the Sun on Thursday night at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Playing five of the next eight games at home will be a blessing if Coach Muggsy Bogues’ Sting can take care of their home court with tough gutsy wins like last Thursday’s over Washington. After those five home games, concluding with the Detroit on June 22, the Sting will embark into the "making of a season" top-heavy road schedule.

The Sting will play seven of eight games from June 23 until July 9 on the road in six different states...and in three different time zones. One trip includes flying to Houston, continuing to Detroit, then to New York and finishes in late June in Chicago. After the Fourth of July, the next trip starts in Connecticut and jumps across country for back-to-back games at Los Angeles and against the defending WNBA Champion Sacramento Monarchs.

Being Prepared For Travel

While all this traveling can be fun, it can take a toll on the Sting, unless the development of the depth of this team can stay on course. Being able to play eight to 10 deep every night not only creates problems for the opponents, but also continues to form the basis for Coach Bogues’ style. Much of which will be spearheaded by pressure defense that will create scoring opportunities, just like the second half of the Washington game on May 25, a 73-63 Sting win.

Rookies Shine

In checking the box scores around the league, no WNBA team has had four rookies contribute as well at the first-year players for the Sting. Monique Currie starting two of the three games so far, LaToya Bond playing major minutes at the point, while Tye’Sha Fluker and Yelena Leuchanka have combined for around 16 minutes of relief for Tammy Sutton-Brown at the post.

Veterans Are Making Their Move

I have been asked several times this past week if this was the passing of the torch for the Sting, and the veterans were going to start seeing less and less time. My answer…”Absolutely not!” Injuries have slowed two starters in Tangela Smith and Allison Feaster, but more rest over the Memorial Day holiday was just what the doctor ordered. Every day you can see a marked improvement of the movement on sore knees for both ladies, and the broken right hand of Helen Darling is still painful but growing stronger each practice and therapy session. Tammy Sutton-Brown can be one of the best inside threats in the league when foul trouble can be avoided, and create success when she uses her ability to trigger the break with a strong outlet pass.

Sheri Sam is getting very close to regaining that “tougher than nails” form that made her a sure-shot, go-to player in must-score situations. She seems to thrive on physical play, and you can see in her eyes how much she wants to make the best of her playing minutes which have averaged more than 33 per game, tops on the team.

Maybe the very best sign that the Sting will be deeper and more athletic is the return of the aggressive play of Kelly Mazzante. The three-point sharp-shooter has mustered 23 minutes per game, and is coming off screens firing the deadly jump shot that earned her the honor of leading the Big Ten in career scoring (2,919 points) while at Penn State. That scoring record still stands for both men and women basketball players in that conference.

So, Let the Challenge Begin

Playing at home, developing more depth and having a roster of ladies that understand that nothing comes easy will be key to making the home games at Charlotte Bobcats Arena more enjoyable and the tough road schedule ahead something special, instead of just getting by. “The making of a season” could be just ahead around the corner and for sure in the next six weeks. Hold onto your hats, this ride is going to be fun, and don’t forget your radio.

-- Sam Smith | 11:54 p.m. 05/30/06

What Could Have Been

Saturday night at Charlotte Bobcats Arena had all the makings for a “very special night” in Sting history. New season, new arena, new coach, veterans back, rookies galore, Andrea Stinson’s jersey retired and playing an expansion team in your home opener.

The only problem with this perfect picture -- someone forgot to tell the Chicago Sky to read the script. Dave Cowens brought a group of players to Charlotte that had something to prove after being shunned by their teams and left unprotected in the 2006 Expansion Draft. Plus, the addition of one of the best rookies in the league, Candice Dupree of Temple, who scored 19 points in the 83-82 win over the Sting, spoiling the final chapter in this season opener.

Brighter Side

When the Sting outscored the Sky 30-19 in the fourth quarter to reverse a 17-point deficit (77-60) into an 82-80 lead, on a three-pointer by Missouri rookie LaToya Bond with 2.5 seconds left, they played the game on both ends of the floor. Most notably they took better care of the basketball, committing nine turnovers in the second half compared to 16 in the first 20 minutes.

The Sting also showed in the fourth quarter that they could stretch the defense with full-court pressure, and with the sprinkling of rookies with young legs to make things happen. It was particularly evident when Chicago committed seven of their second half turnovers in the final 10 minutes, and on numerous times were forced into wild shots due to an expiring 24-second shot clock following tight Sting defense.

New Day - Different Challenge

It will take that same kind of play this week against Los Angeles on Tuesday and Washington on Thursday at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Both teams normally score in bunches, and can make a game a run-away in a hurry if you are not focused on controlling the basketball and committed to defense.

Arguably the best player ever in the WNBA, Lisa Leslie of Los Angeles, creates big problems for the Sting frontcourt on Tuesday night. A 6’5" center with long arms, Leslie can play with her back to the basket or bring her defender away from the hoop when she faces the hoop. Add 6’2" Chamique Holdsclaw and 5’11" Mawadi Mabika to the front line and the Sting have plenty to be concerned about.

On Thursday night, former players who honed their basketball skills in the state of North Carolina poise the major problem in playing the Washington Mystics. Duke’s Alana Beard is one of the best young players in creating off the dribble, while Nikki Teasley of North Carolina is more of a player that reacts to your mistakes and makes you pay with an easy basket. The third North Carolina connection is 6’3" Chasity Melvin from North Carolina State that has caused the Sting headaches inside…and usually in the form of foul trouble for center Tammy Sutton-Brown.

Are They Back?

Kelly Mazzante could be one of the big keys to making the Sting better in the open court. She seems to be looking for her shot more quickly than last year when she played very tentatively, earning very few minutes. Kelly knocked down 2-of-4 three-point shots against Chicago…but also grabbed five rebounds and added four assists. The long ball threat by Mazzante will be much needed by the Sting while three-point specialist Allison Feaster returns to shape following the birth of her daughter in February. And in special situations, Mazzante and Feaster together firing three’s can change a game in a hurry. Hey Kelly… It's nice to see you and your game again.

Another bright lift that has been missing is the “spirited” play of Sheri Sam. Against Chicago, she topped the Sting with 17 points, while collecting six rebounds, two assists and three steals. Visibly upset by close calls by the officials had her steaming, drawing a technical foul in the third quarter. Had it not been for teammate Tangela Smith physically restraining her later in midst of a fourth-quarter rally, Sam could have received her second technical and an earlier shower. I think a bit more controlled Sheri Sam, but with the same fire and enthusiasm, is going to be the spark that will light the fuse for the Sting. Welcome back Sheri.

Rookie Nerves

It will be fun to watch how the Sting rookies react this week after their first taste of WNBA action last Saturday. One look and you could tell number one pick Monique Currie of Duke was very nervous and a little tentative in her play. Still with all of the high power games she has played in college, Coach Bogues will not hesitate to give her good minutes.

LaToya Bond, with four turnovers in the first six minutes she played, made the best recovery getting only one turnover in her final 18 minutes, plus adding 15 points including the go-ahead basket in the closing seconds. Starter Helen Darling is still struggling with a broken right hand, which could result in long minutes by Bond this week.

Tye’Sha Fluker of Tennessee really didn’t get enough minutes to show where her game is at this earlier stage. She has the size to defend inside, but will find that she will be faced with playing against a veteran a majority of time and will have to be careful to avoid fouls and preserve playing time.

-- Sam Smith | 9:37 p.m. 05/22/06

Charlotte Sports Hall Of Fame Salutes Muggsy

Long before Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues was selected as a 2006 inductee into the Greater Charlotte Sports Hall of Fame, he had proven he was a winner. And as the coach of the Charlotte Sting, I have a feeling that his new challenge in life will bring even more accolades.

Saturday night at the Charlotte Convention Center, Muggsy and four other men who have help shape the sports personality of Charlotte were joined together as the Class of 2006. Being inducted with Bogues were: John M. Belk, former Charlotte Mayor and retired CEO of the Belk Department stores. Jerry Richardson, owner of the Carolina Panthers and former Baltimore Colts receiver. Tommy Helms, two-time Gold Glove and All-Star second baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. And the late Clayton Heafner, 7-time PGA tour winner and two-time Ryder Cup champion.

All of these gentlemen had great accomplishments to lead to their selection into Hall of Fame, but the road to this pinnacle of his life for the 5’3 Bogues continues to shine as a real success story.

Dell Curry Shares Special Night

His long-time friend Dell Curry did the honors of the introduction, calling Muggsy one of the truly great point guards in the history of the NBA. Not so much from stats, always near the top of league in assists and steals, but more for his leadership and desire to make other players on the floor better players. Teammates in the early days of the Hornets, Curry talked about the “little guy” from Baltimore that just wouldn’t quite, delivering the perfect pass for what turned out to be another perfect three-pointer for the home team.

Hundreds of people in attendance at the Convention Center listened to Muggsy explain that more than once was he told that he couldn’t play this game because he wasn’t tall enough. But from the projects and Baltimore Recreation Center came a determined player that was not hampered by the critics’ comments. Coach Bob Wade at Baltimore Dunbar High School was the driving force that molded this raw talent into the highly-acclaimed point guard leading three other future NBA stars, Reggie Lewis, Reggie Williams and David Wingate, to city and state titles and national high school rankings.

Even after accepting a scholarship from Wake Forest, Muggsy still heard the old cry, his size will be a big drawback in the ACC. Man did he prove them wrong. Becoming the first college graduate in his family, Muggsy completed his four-year career with the Demon Deacons as the all-time ACC leader in assists and steals (since broken by Chris Corchiani and Bobby Hurley). And his number 14 jersey was retired to honor his accomplishments.

NBA Welcomes Bogues

Taken as the # 12 overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets, Muggsy’s size suddenly became a mute point….the” big enough to play guy” was here to stay. The big break for Charlotte basketball fans came when Bogues was selection by the Hornets in the Expansion Draft of 1988. He carried the team through the tough early years, and was a big reason the team enjoyed such great success later, as he became the NBA’s all-time leader in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.69.

Saturday Bogues didn’t talk about his later years with Golden State and Toronto, because his heart was always in Charlotte. He has become an active member of the Charlotte community, and even with his busy schedule on the sideline with the Sting he can’t resist a chance to continue making numerous guest appearances to talk…”what else but basketball”. Muggsy has also added his own basketball camp to be held at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Bogues Carries Work Habits Back To The Court

Okay, that’s the Bogues of old, but what about the Bogues that will lead the Sting this year. Same stuff that we saw on the court in the NBA. He will run the sidelines never passing up a chance to get a word or two in with an official. Yes, that’s Muggsy always using whatever tactic it takes to get his fair share. But again keep in mind he’s looking most of the WNBA officials eye-to-eye.

Bogues demands work on the practice floor. It’s not a dictatorship, but in his playing day style it’s a firm request to use this time wisely and give your team every chance to win a game. If that’s being in better shape, better prepared or being mentally tougher to challenge for the title in the tough Eastern Division and return the Sting to the WNBA playoffs.

I have been associated with a host of outstanding coaches over my years in professional and college sports, but Bogues is the first that bring a turning of the head every time we walk through an airport. The Sting players will always draw a stir or two, but it’s Muggsy that they know and admire. Muggsy has signed autographs on just about everything you can imagine, and as long as we not running to catch a connecting flight he’s got time spend with the fans.

Tyrone ‘Muggsy” Bogues had the largest group of friends and family member at the Greater Charlotte Sports Hall of Fame induction on Saturday night. They took up more than three tables, but really they took up every seat in the ballroom. All of the Class of 2006 felt the love from the crowd, but as usual it was the ‘little guy from Baltimore” that stole their hearts….. just one more time.

-- Sam Smith | 9:48 p.m. 05/15/06

Ready To Tip Things Off

As a sportscaster, there are times of the year that you get an extra adrenaline rush, and this is definitely one of those times. A new Sting year is here, and based on talent and the work at the preseason practice sessions, Muggsy Bogues’ Sting squad and their fans are ready for a fun ride in Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Bogues has committed to playing a large group of rookies and new players added to the training camp roster early in this preseason, giving him a chance to evaluate each player’s “stay ability.” These players have all had streaks of excellent play; however, veteran teams Houston and Indiana stuck with their top players in both preseason games, and their experience gave the young Sting players a lesson in finishing games.

New Face

In watching the Sting’s No. 1 pick, Monique Currie of Duke, it has become evident she has the ability to play Bogues’ up-tempo style. She is a slasher to the basket that can run the floor, but also has improved her range on a soft jumper -- something she admits was a key project as she fulfills a lifelong dream to play in the WNBA.

Making A Point

After getting Currie in the college draft, a key need for General Manager Trudi Lacey and Bogues was a backup point guard to compliment veteran Helen Darling. Second-round pick LaToya Bond has shown the maturity and dependability she developed at Missouri and will give Bogues the confidence to stick with his up-tempo attack when he has to go to the bench. Bond has scored well from the point, averaging 11.5 points, while dishing out 3.0 assists in preseason. The Sting also traded a 2006 third round pick to Houston for veteran point guard Edwige Lawson, making the competition at the point the strongest on the court.

Rebound Help?

It was no secret Coach Bogues needed to improve rebounding and adding two 6-5 centers to the roster should help greatly. Second-round pick Tye’sha Fluker of Tennessee has a5.0 rebounds early in the preseason, while free agent Yelena Leuchanka has matched that and is scoring at a 15.0-point clip. Leuchanka, a native of Belarus, was a junior college All-American before finishing her college career at West Virginia.

Another aggressive free agent, the 5-11 Tasha Butts from Tennessee, could also lend a helping hand in the rebounding solution.

If all six of these new players make the roster, it could make for a brighter season ahead, and I’ve only mentioned only one veteran starter -- Darling at the point. She will be one of the five starters intact for Bogues when the team opens at Charlotte Bobcats Arena on May 20 against the Chicago Sky.

Inside Starters

Last season’s leading scorers, Tangela Smith (13.6 points) and Sheri Sam (11.4 points), both played sparingly this offseason and feel they are as healthy as ever to start the new year. Tammy Sutton-Brown is coming off another solid offseason in Russia and, with the help listed above at center, could be even more effective in the up-tempo style knowing she can get a break from time-to-time with decent depth behind her.

Outside Starters

New mom Allison Feaster appears to be getting her game condition back following the birth of daughter, Sarah Aleece, this past February, and her always-dangerous three-point range will again create problems for defenses that elect to sag in the middle. And at the point, Darling rounds out the expected starters. She has been hampered by a broken right hand she sustained in a pick-up game this offseason. Despite having pins and screws inserted in the top of her left hand, Helen will always compete.

More Help

Returning veterans Kelly Mazzante, Janel McCarville, Ayana Walker and the injured Caity Matter will make things tough for these young rookies to rest on their press clippings. After all, by opening night only 11 of the 17 players on the roster as it stands right now will be able to play.

More talent, more depth and more wins are all ingredients that have me chomping at the bit to get behind the microphone for my fourth year of Sting basketball. So drag up a chair and join us on WMNX-Mix 106.1 FM. Sting basketball could take us back to the 2001 WNBA finalist team that could run or wear you down in the half court game. There is nothing wrong with stepping back to make a strong step forward, and from where I sit…

I think you’re going to love it!

-- Sam Smith | 8:00 a.m. 05/09/06