It would be lovely to be able to celebrate the beauty that was the Storm/Mercury game last Wednesday (as should we celebrate the handful of games that have been both high scoring and high quality basketball.)

But the post-game news of Diana Taurasi being cited for DUI has cast a pall over all that.

I mean, dammit, it was barely three months ago that a drunk driver took the lives of 22-year-old pitcher Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, Henry Nigel Pearson, a 25-year-old passenger in the car, and the driver, 20-year-old Courtney Frances Stewart. Why do people refuse to learn?

I'm sure the timing of Diana's DUI (after the Storm/Mercury game) has sent many minds speculating about what happened post-game and who was there. And the phrase, "friends don't let friends drive drunk."

And it should. I mean, it really, really should. There is simply no excuse for driving drunk.

I'm guessing that there will be people who'll say, "What, you're going to say you never got into your car a bit tipsy?" Actually, I haven't. But, when I was younger I know that I got into a car with someone how shouldn't have been driving.

I've gotten smarter, wiser, and braver. And I won't ever do that again. Ever. Nor will I let friends or acquaintances do so. And, if I get killed or maimed by some idiot who's too stupid or egotistical or ignorant to care about innocents on the road, I will be very, very, VERY pissed off.

Diana says this is "embarrassing and unfortunate for her family and organization." No doubt that's true. Diana is splashed all over the Merc site. But, there is, at the moment, no mention of her citation on the site or the .com.

Diana says "I'm going to have to do some things to make it straight."

Here's a dare: Make good on this pledge. Don't ever let anyone forget your actions. How, if you hadn't had the road-gods of luck on your side, you and your passengers could have become something that would have ripped out the hearts of your friends and family. And the thousands of fans who love the way you play and the ferocious joy you bring to the game of basketball.

Don't let anyone forget that. Don't YOU ever forget that. Because that will help prevent future tragedies.

It's great that deaths from drunk driving have dropped almost 50% since 1982. But 11,773 deaths caused by something totally, totally, TOTALLY preventable is so beyond "far too many."

Diana -- you totally screwed up. Make it straight.