In the first regular season game of the year, the Mercury will take on the defending champs before a sold out crowd in Sacramento in a nationally televised game.

New Mercury coach Paul Westhead is not sure how his team implementing his trademark style of play will match up against the Monarchs. "I don't know the answer to that yet," said Westhead, "That's part of the intrigue of why I came here in the first place."But I can simply say that this is not an easy task for men or women. Who knows? I may find out that women are better at it."

Injuries to players like Diana Taurasi and Kristen Rasmussen may slow the implementation.

The Monarchs will receive their championship rings today, but Yolanda Griffith says "What it's going to take to win this year is to act like we didn't win last year."