Women's Hoops Blog

Inane commentary on a game that deserves far better


Wednesday, June 28, 2006

A lackluster game at the Garden last night as the Liberty fell 73-67. An announced crowd of 7700, and I seriously doubt that many people were in the building to see the Liberty paradoxically put up a 16-point first half and a 34-point third quarter. Sheri Sam, too big and a little too quick for the Liberty, led all scorers with 19 points; Cathrine Kraayeveld had 18 points to pace the Liberty. The Sting end a dreadful road losing streak.

Lackluster coverage, too. At the Post, Becky Hammon is, um, edited: "We played like [garbage]." Amazingly, the Post was the best of a bad lot this time around, being the only ones who noticed that the Liberty actually took a lead in this game. Thank you, Dan Martin, for your observational skills.

The full AP story running in the Bergen Record has this notable quote: "You can't spot them a 15-point lead," Liberty coach Pat Coyle said. "We got rattled early and I'm not sure why. We didn't execute at all." (Try looking in the mirror, Miz Coyle.)

Cathrine Kraayeveld's spell-checked twin Catherine made appearances in Newsday and the News. As usual, the Times has run with an AP brief nestled in with news of the Booz Allen Classic and the NFL drug policy. Apparently Mr. Schmidt is too busy chronicling the lifestyles of Wall Street traders to cover the Liberty. sports@nytimes.com. You know you want to.

If not for that third quarter, I suspect fans would have demanded and placed Coyle's head on a pike. I know we were planning a "Fire Coyle!" chant up in the 200s if the deficit against Charlotte had remained 15 in the third quarter... of course, then the Liberty put up half their point total on the night.