Fans like this Lynx advert, and ponder coming up with their own for the W.

You may remember us blogging about Howard Payne and their coach Chris Kielsmeier (turned around the program in 8 years, undefeated D-III National Champions this year).

Congrats go out to Coach K, who has just accepted the head coach position at Wayne State.

News and gossip from Sparkland: Lisa Leslie's book is out.

Marianne Stanley will return to L.A. as an assistant under coach Cooper (a job she held in 2000, before departing for DC).

Finally, and hearteningly: at least one June road game, on the East Coast, involving L.A. is reportedly close to selling out right now. That's hearsay, of course, but isn't it cool? (Have you heard similar rumors? If so, from where?)

Looks like Semeka Randall will become head coach at Ohio.

I guess the Gray Lady really has decided that women's sports matter: this Sunday's New York Times magazine cover story is all about girls, women, and ACL tears.

Michael Sokolove (and his editors) boiled the NYT mag article down from a new book about girls' and women's sports injuries, addressed primarily to young athletes' parents.

Why are there so many ACL tears? Will there be more? (Yes, there will.) Is it related to physiological differences between teen boys and teen girls? (In part.) Can coaches and parents do anything about it, especially at the high school level? (Yes, within limits: read the article.)

If you get most of the way through, you'll see blame laid: not on sex differences between meniscuses (though those play a role) but on overspecialization, too-frequent play, and year-round play in a single sport, in the teen years. Sounds familiar.

Sokolove: "The club structure is the driving force behind the trend toward early specialization in one sport — and, by extension, a primary cause of injuries."

If you've come here looking for more on ACL tears and women's hoops, the Times' own Jere Longman, who followed women's sports when the rest of that paper nearly ignored them, looked at the matter when Shea Ralph ended her career, back in 2001.

Brian McCormick, who thinks about such things all day, has his own practical advice for coaches, parents and players. (We'd love to know what he thought of the Times piece.)

Clay ruminated on ACL injuries in January, after UConn lost its second starter.

The WBCA has its own coverage of ACL-tear prevention programs; we hope to provide links to more such programs soon. (I'm pretty sure Helen has written about them somewhere, but I can't find the link yet!)

As for Sokolove's book, we'll be reviewing it (along with a few other women's hoops books) in this space sooner or later-- more likely later-- when we find the time.

The rather embarrassing fact is that I've not managed to haul my butt down to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

If not for a wedding, I would be there the weekend of June 13-14th.

On June 14, the women’s basketball community will be watching as six phenomenal women join an already prestigious group of inductees at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee.

While Induction is always a special time of year for the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the city of Knoxville and the entire women’s basketball community, this year marks the start of a year-long 10th Anniversary Celebration.

In order to be a part of this spectacular event, please call the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame at 865-633-9000 or order online at www.wbhof.com. Ticket packages range from $100-$5,000. Corporate packages are tax deductible.

This year’s inductees, Patty Broderick, Lin L. Laursen, Debbie Ryan, Jill Rankin Schneider, Suzie McConnell-Serio and Michele Timms, will receive the coveted Eastman Award during Saturday’s Induction Ceremony at the Historic Bijou Theatre.

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of women’s basketball history!

A little bit about the inductees:

Patty Broderick - Rock solid official. Rock solid coordinator of officials who's not only committed to building and improving the officiating pool, but is not afraid to be honest about its strengths and weaknesses.

Lin L. Laursen - Forget that I've blathered on about her on this blog and the fact that she's an extraordinary coach who has devoted her life to Junior College student-athletes. The woman is a HOOT!

Debbie Ryan - Not a Mighty Mac, but an opponent as Ursuline. If you're lucky, someone will convince her to tell her story about raiding the rotunda. Our, she could also tell you about her thirty years coaching players like former WNBA president Val Ackerman, new South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and that kid who broke Dawn's assist record, Sharnee Zoll.

Jill Rankin Schneider - She played for legendary Wayland Baptist Flying Queens before she transfered to Tennessee her senior year, playing on the 1980 championship team. Someone needs to ask her if she's the "Judy Schneider" on my list of AAU All-Americans. Most impressive? She is a high school coach at Monterey High School (TX) where she also teaches pre-calculus. (No one give high school coaches the credit they deserve.)

Suzie McConnell-Serio - My clearest memory of Suzie is her bright blue eyes sizing up the Liberty defense as she led the Cleveland Rockers. The first time I saw her play I thought, "Oh, oh. We're in trouble. BIG trouble." Those Rockers/Liberty games were something else, weren't they.

Michele Timms - Before Suzie scared this Liberty fan, there was Timmsy. I distinctly recall sitting with a friend watching the Liberty play the Merc for the chance to go up against Houston (remember, in 1997 is was a one-and-done.) I knew we were going to lose. Miracle of miracles we didn't and to this day (sorry, Timmsy) on my fridge you can find the NYTimes photo of Rebecca and VJ (looking impossibly young) hugging after the game.

That team in green goes Green.

It's not the coaching staff, but Teresa Edwards will be involved with the Atlanta Dream this summer. She will be their analyst for telecasts on Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS).

Some rough cuts of the W's ad campaign have appeared.

Fans are underwhelmed.

Karen's Temple Owl heart is broken, so she's blogging about Dawn.

It’s hard to believe the three-time Olympic gold medalist would leave Philadelphia for another coaching job, given her protestations that she was attracted to the Temple job only because it gave her the chance to give more back to her hometown. She’d started the Dawn Staley Foundation to help inner-city youth years before, but she’d not considered coaching. Didn’t think she’d be good at it.

Nearly everyone else knew better. The best in the business have called her, well, simply the best. C. Vivian Stringer: “Dawn is just special.” Nancy Lieberman: She’s a “gem.”

Rebecca Gray, who's been writing about her freshman experience at UNC over at HoopGurlz.com, explains why she's transferring.

I am going back home because I miss my family and I miss having them around all the time. I am family-oriented and, in my book, family always comes first. They are the reason that I made it to the level that I am playing on right now. I want to be close to them so they can see me play in person and share my happiness with me.

Things that you discover when you're struck with a bout of insomnia and, as a result, you find yourself combing through fifty years of AAU women's basketball All-Americans:

Frances “Sonny” Dunlap was a three-time AAU All-American while playing for the Tulsa Stenos (1935-37). In September of 1936 she found herself in right field for the Fayetteville Bears (Arkansas) in their 5-1 win over Cassville (Class D Arkansas-Missouri League).

"She goes hitless in 3 trips but hits the ball hard. She is the first woman to play an entire game, and represents the 2nd and last time a woman plays in the minors."

It's now officially the Dawn of a new era....

A new role for Cheryl in Detroit:

With Swin Cash gone to Seattle, Ford has become the public face of the WNBA's top team, a role she only accepts reluctantly.

"I don't want to be the face of the franchise -- I just want to play basketball," Ford said Wednesday at the Shock's media day. "Bill (Laimbeer) asked me to do it, so I'll take one for the team, but I don't like it."

Also, a little news tucked in the article - Detroit has signed Sherri Sam. (h/t gopher5)

Daedra Charles-Furlow, who has spent the last two seasons as an Auburn assistant under Nell Fortner, will join the Tennessee staff.

Had seen this, but an email reminded me we hadn't shared it: Tamika Raymond is going to be an assistant at Kansas.

What?!?! You're in Houston in August and you don't have your tickets yet??

Lynette awaits!

Not So Black and White tells the tale of two referees: Mike Partlow and Joann Sather. From Sather's early years:

A contentious high school girls' basketball game just ended. Fouls played a major role in the outcome. The losing side heads to the locker room feeling slighted. This is no place for a referee.

But Joann Sather walks in anyway.

She has to. This being the start of her officiating career, there are no separate changing facilities for female referees, so Sather shares a locker room with the visiting team.

Tension rises. Accusations fly. Players are restrained.

Sather quietly changes her clothes amid glares and insults, foregoes a shower, and departs.

Random W mention of the day...

My outside-the-box pick is Michael Cooper.

The former member of the Los Angeles Lakers' "Showtime" era won five championships as a player and was a five-time All-NBA first-team defense selection. He knows something about how to play at the end of the floor where the Mavericks are most challenged.

He has been a successful coach in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks, which means he knows something about ... well, layup drills and set shots, I guess, but it also means he knows how to coach
fundamentals.

(Readers can feel free to insert a remark here about how coaching in the WNBA is a perfect training ground for coaching the Mavericks. I
won't stoop that low.)

Hey, but I'll insert this: Yeah, I know, 'cause dunks are so hard to coach...

As expected, Janell Burse won't play for the Storm this year.

From California to China?

Clare Bodensteiner, who graduated in 2007, and senior-to-be Jillian Harmon are on track for a trip to Beijing as members of the New Zealand national team, a scenario neither could have imagined just a few months ago.

The NCAA writes: "The Academic Performance Program is is creating positive behavioral change among Division I institutions."

The overall APR, which measures student-athlete performance based on eligibility and retention, rose slightly, with increases in both eligibility and retention and a decrease in the number of student-athletes leaving school while academically ineligible.

Of course, who doesn't meet the needed standards and how they are punished is executed in a classically NCAA-speak way because

“We want to change the behaviors of the teams and the institutions and the athletic program so we’re all headed toward the success of student-athletes on the field and in the classroom,” said Dr. Myles Brand, NCAA head honcho.

You can check out individual school's reports here and the teams, as penalized by sport, here (10 women's basketball teams, including Oklahoma State).

Dawn Staley is heading south - to South Carolina.

Edit - It's not a done deal yet.

I've said Amber Holt is one of the quietest people EVER. And you thought I was kidding:

Tamika Raymond, the Connecticut Sun's resident social butterfly, was sitting on the bench during the second half of her team's preseason game when she tried to engage rookie Amber Holt in a conversation.

Getting Holt to talk can be a challenge, even for a motor mouth like Raymond.

”I said, 'Man, you haven't said a word,'” Raymond said.“'Are you one of those people that has to get to know people before you talk?'

”She said, 'Yup.'”

And that was that.

Another Junior College success story (Southeastern Illinois College to Middle Tennessee State University, majoring in business), she's letting her game do her talking for her.

Karen saw what the rookies are being taught and got grumpy. BLOG grumpy:

Can't make it up: WNBA's marketing tool is makeup

Mel says the conversation between Dawn and South Carolina is getting verrrry interesting.....

Marcy Weston is highly respected within the NCAA ranks.

Currently Central Michigan University Senior Associate Athletics Director, Weston was a women's basketball official from 1964-84. She then served as the NCAA National Coordinator of Women's Basketball Officiating, a position she held until 2005. She was also the secretary-editor of the women't rules committee from 1984-97 and an active supporter of the "Blow the Whistle on Cancer" initiative in support of the Jimmy V Foundation.

Weston was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and was recognized by the NCAA as one of the nine major contributors to the first decade of the NCAA women's basketball in 1991.

In honor of her service and dedication, she's been named the recipient of the National Association of Sport Officials' prestigious Gold Whistle Award. (She is the first woman to receive the award.)

Weston says, of receiving the award,

"when I received the phone call from Barry Mano, the President of NASO, I was shocked, yet humbled at the same time, I'm extremely proud to be honored with the Gold Whistle Award. As an official, I wanted to get better every time I took the court. I spent two-thirds of my life in officiating - 20 years on the basketball court and 21 with the NCAA and I was always working to manage the game so student-athletes could compete on a level playing court. I was always passionate about the game and wanted to motivate other to feel the same."

Flahback moment: Weston reflecting on the changes in the relationship between officials and coaches:

Gone are the days when, recalled Weston, the two worlds mingled freely and officials all but donated their services. Schools saved money by having the officials ride the team bus, coaches all but picked their referees and thought nothing of going out for dinner after a game. “Did anyone say you cheated?” asks Weston. “No. They hired you because they thought you were the best around. They thought you were relatively fair, not perfect.”

OutSmart.com talks with Tot:

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1973, Latasha Byears began her WNBA career with the Sacramento Monarchs in 1997, moving on to the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001. By 2003, she ranked among the top ten rebounders in league history.

Despite her expertise on the court, Byears was becoming more famous for her aggressive style of play, including throwing a ball at the face of an opposing player during one game. In 2003, she told GQ magazine that she was the toughest player in the WNBA.

Five years later, when asked if she is still the toughest player in the league, Byears presents a much different image.

“Hmm,” she ponders the question. “I'm not tough. I'm the smartest now.”

In the land of the Sun, coach Thibault and coach Gaines of the Mercury talk about uptempo offense.

The Sun had theirs going in the preseason matchup; the Mercury, not so much.

Speaking of that game, Jolene's fans back in Madison want you to know how she did (3-7, two assists), but the remarkable news in that preseason box score concerns other players new to the league: Swanier 0-10 from the field, with no points, but Amber Holt 7-11, with five boards.

Janell Burse is hurtin'. "She still has some lingering issues with her shoulder and she's had a constant Jones fracture," says coach Agler.

Will she play for this year's Storm at all? Don't get your hopes up. Agler again: "We're probably going to make an announcement in the next couple of days."

In better news for Storm fans, Swoopes-- who hurt her neck in a preseason game-- will probably be good to go.

Why the freshmen left Washington by Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times:

One view:

"She was an old school, '60s, boys P.E., tyrant coach," said Chris Bennett, the mother of freshman center Kali Bennett.

Another view:

"A lot of people know that Coach J isn't on the lax side," said sophomore-to-be guard Sarah Morton. "But for me that's what a good team needs — a tough coach who demands almost perfection. Coach J pushes you to be stronger."

Sooooo.... how does Dawn Staley at South Carolina sound?

7,932 showed up for the Dream's exhibition against the Sparks.

Although the veteran Los Angeles Sparks won 86-80, the Dream sparked its own fire under fans with a feverish finish.

"I've been saying for years that if a professional team would come here, I would support it," said Karen Race, who sat in the first row wearing an Atlanta Dream T-shirt. "I don't care if the economy's tight, I don't care if I have any money, we're supporting them."

WNBA rookie orientation now includes training in deportment and makeup.

Donna Orender, no doubt sighing as she says it: "It's all contributing to how to be a professional."

Also via FIBA: UK sports site Sportingo has a new contributor, Jane Schonberger, who writes about women's sports.

In her first hoops-related contribution, Schonberger introduces fans (especially those overseas, who might get some WNBA games via satellite-- it's a small world) to the "this year's draft makes the WNBA better than ever" meme.

Schonberger-- a former Walt Disney exec-- also runs this company. I'm not sure what to think.

Clay has measured praise for new international rule changes, which will make the international (FIBA-sanctioned) rules much closer to the NBA's.

Two of note: first, the trapezoidal lane disappears; second, if you fall down while holding the ball, it may be a foul or a no-call, but it will no longer be travelling.

Dream fans check in about the Sparks - Dream open practice.

Jayda blogs.... is Betty going to retire?

Australia reshuffles its national team, which looked even worse in Beijing last month than the Americans did.

Team USA lost the championship game to China, but the Australians lost to New Zealand, which has never happened before.

So, asks after atalanta, is THIS what women want in sports?

Also from a.a., is a similar vein, the news that Yahoo is creating a page called Shine, Geared towards women 25-54. Seems that demographic isn't interested in sports.

Stuff while we wait for the regular season to start:

Yo goes green? Yo, No!

Did you know Whalen's in her prime?

Wiggins keeps on keepin' on.

Jolene Anderson is a Badger enjoying the Sun and her mom's glad she made a shot.

Is Krystal Vaughn the steal of the draft?

Some kid named Parker is making an impact in La-La land.

Rookies be bloggin' (like Essence). So is Megan Voegel. As is a Helen who can actually make a free throw.

Under coach Stefanie Pemper, Bowdoin College has become one Division III's powerhouses. 9 of 10 seasons the Polar Bears have been NCAA dancing, and this season marked the six straight time the team reached the Elite Eight. She leaves with a record of 235-48 (.830).

Noted an article in 2004:

They have done it without athletic scholarships and while balancing extracurricular activities and demanding classwork at Bowdoin, a liberal arts college of more than 1,600 students.

They have done it well. The team's cumulative grade point average of 3.35 is higher than the 3.27 average of the student body. They have done it that way because they wanted to.

"I had decided not to play basketball in college," said Pouravelis, a sophomore forward, who led her high school team to the Maine Class A championship, "because I didn't want it to get distorted into something I didn't love anymore. But right here is about as pure as it gets."

Oh, and in her spare time, Pemper was the Associate Athletic Director.

Next up? Division I at the Naval Academy.

Another "not an ACL but almost as bad" injury, this time for DeMya Walker.

Tough news for Lindsey Harding.

She is out indefinitely with a stress fracture in her left patella.

The bright side for the MN Lynx is they did win their exhibition opener earlier today over the Sun.

Candice Wiggins led all scorers with 18.

Merc fan's shoulders droops and opponents heave a sigh of relief: Penny news.

ESPN has a play-by-play of the Seattle-Sky preseason game: 27-25 Chicago leads at the... ouch... half?

And the .com has a courtside life thing -- why must one search three different sites to find out this stuff? They say the game's on the free audio pass but I'm getting nothing.

Cherelle George is playing basketball again after two years off the court:

The free agent pickup for the Indiana Fever says she’s responsible for Purdue spending two years on probation. That’s why she found it an odd coincidence that a team that plays just 65 miles from the West Lafayette campus would sign her.

“My mother was scared,” George joked. “She said ‘Don’t come out of your hotel room.”’

George’s joke hides the pain she said she still deals with after making an error in judgment that sent shockwaves through the Purdue athletic program.

From the NCAA website:

It’s no secret that one of the goals for those who administer the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship is to increase attendance at preliminary-round sites.

The 2008 tournament was a step in the right direction, as 25,497 more fans attended first- and second-round games this year than in 2007, an increase of 22 percent.

Total attendance for the tournament was 236,464, an 18 percent increase from the 199,932 fans who attended the event in 2007.

Can you hear that loud ticking?

That's the countdown to tonights first W preseason game: Seattle at Chicago, 8pmEST.

Most likely no Big Syl on the court (tho the SkyInsider suggests different). Hopefully DePaul grad and 2nd round pick Allie Quigley will get some time in front of her peeps.

Looking at the Sky schedule it's kinda sad - one ABC game and no listing (yet) for local radio/tv? No radio listed for this game on Seattle's page, neither.

Sheesh -- not even a gametracker?

In no particular order, SI offers some photographs of landmark moments for (US/Canadian) women's sports (h/t psheehy):

1926 - Gertrude. A no-brainer for SI: She's wearing a swimsuit!

(17 years of nuthin'? How about d'em Red Heads?)

1943 - A League of their Own. As good as the movie.
1947 - Babe. They mention her 1932 Track and Field AAU blitz, but she was also an AAU All-American in basketball in 1932. And '31. And '30.

1957 - Althea. 'nuff said.

(15 years of nuthin'? How about Diane?)

1972 - Richard - Maybe the wrestlers should blame him?
1973 - Billie Jean - Wonder what ever happened to that little piglet
1977 - Janet - She's in the brick. House.
1978 - Aiie! It's a Girl! - And 22-years later it was, Aiie! It's Lisa Olson!

(14 years of nothin'? How about Joanie?)

1992 - Manon - Kick save and a beaut!
1996 - Oh, Atlanta! - But will they be saying, "Dot's all folks?"
1997 - Kym and Lisa - Sigh. I miss the black Liberty road uniforms....
1998 - Cammi - Can't we check now?
1999 - Brandi - Oh, those abs of steel

2001 - ESPN - Imagine missing Marist.
2003 - Annika makes like the Babe
2006 - Effa - Force 10's inspiration?
2006 - Pat - Nothin' rocky about what she tops.
2007 - Wimbledon - Finally even-steven
2008 - Hayley - O, Canada!
2008 - Danica - Yes, mine is bigger than yours.
2008 - Ashley - Didn't get the play Danica got, but there was nothing funny about beating dad.

From the USOC: "Amazing Awaits" the virtual Olympic-networking site.

As part of the USOC's efforts to promote and support the U.S. Olympic Team on the road to Beijing, AmazingAwaits.org connects supporters to their favorite athletes in an interactive celebration of the Olympic journey. Fans can show their support by making a connection with their favorite athlete and cheering them on via this digital forum.

Not that I'm being wbbal-centered or nothin', but I wonder how long we have to await a video shot of a women's basketball player? Or a wbball player to "link" to -- I mean, if Jennie and Abby can be listed, why not Lisa or Diana?

100 days to the start of the Games. YIKES!

Another story -- not about women's hoops, but about women's sports -- that inspires.

Umpires confirmed that the only option available under the rules was to replace Tucholsky at first base with a pinch runner and have the hit recorded as a two-run single instead of a three-run home run. Any assistance from coaches or trainers while she was an active runner would result in an out. So without any choice, Knox prepared to make the substitution, taking both the run and the memory from Tucholsky.

"And right then," Knox said, "I heard, 'Excuse me, would it be OK if we carried her around and she touched each bag?'"

Mechelle takes one last look back at the 2007-08 season (and a little forward).

Next season, as mentioned, Tennessee will be a very young team. And it's a real shame that Vicki Baugh -- who was having one of the most effective performances of her rookie year -- suffered a torn ACL in the title game.

But the Summitt Factor remains. Even if she was forced to coach five raccoons she found on her back porch, Summitt likely could at least make the Sweet 16.

Then again, word is raccoons steer well clear of that place now.

She has a second piece about college coaching changes, coaching mysteries, coaching messes and coaching challenges.

...athletic departments would be wise to have periodic conflict-resolution seminars for their employees and student-athletes (without disdain, eye-rolling or foot-dragging from coaches).

Another plus would be a workable, fair system that allows players to talk to school officials about legitimate problems with coaches before they reach crisis situations.

And departments must try to foster an atmosphere where coaches feel that they can ask for help without fear that will undermine their authority or jeopardize their careers.