As a reminder, you can still get tickets for the USA Senior Women's team against Australia. Sunday, Sept. 16th they play down in Trenton (online or charge by phone at 800-298-4200). Wednesday, September 19th, they're up at the Casino in Connecticut (tickets online). The US is preparing for the FIBA 2007 Americas Championships that start September 26.

Cool story: When the Casino date was officially released, an announcement was made during the Sun game that night. Seems anyone who wanted tickets could get "early access" and purchase them that night. Spoke with a couple of people who thought, "Great! I'll just grab a couple right quick," thinking not many would take advantage. Wrong! Line at the box office snaked all over the place...

Cool story. And *exploding light bulb* Smart Marketing.

Wonder what any of the other W teams have done to celebrate and support their Team USA players? Heck, with the W offices being in New York, and Val Ackerman having been the prez. of the W, and now a big mucky-mucky in USABBall, can you imagine if someone had had the foresight to send out an email to Liberty season subscribers, maybe inviting them to a game, organizing a bus with, say, T-Spoon as our "USA Basketball guide?"

Heck, PRACTICES are being held in Manhattan -- how about an open practice, like last October (read all about it!) down in North Carolina. I mean, heck, Jess Davenport IS still listed on the USA roster....

One can dream, can't one? Heck.

Oh, and hey, if you wanted to play this year's edition of "Count and Compare with the New York Times" coverage of the women's and men's national team, it's already Men: 957 words, Women: 0.