From ESPN's HoopGurlz (will gurlz still be in vogue during the next decade?): Pro stars give back to aspiring players

The first time Alana Beard traveled 1,700 miles across the country to play basketball, the guard from Shreveport, La., got so homesick that she cried herself to sleep.

But Beard, now with the Washington Mystics, didn't have much of a choice. The club team she played with in Shreveport didn't have the money to travel extensively. If she wanted exposure, she would have to go elsewhere.

And from ESPN's Mechelle: Next stop: Tuesday's doubleheader

So here we are a week into the WNBA season, and everything is working out precisely as we all thought it would to this point, right? Not entirely.

Chicago's struggles? Not very surprising. But Atlanta's hot start? I admit I wasn't expecting the Dream to race to a 4-0 record.

What about Los Angeles being winless? Well, not a huge stunner, considering the Sparks' opening three games were on the road. But with six of its next eight at home, L.A. has a chance to effectively negate the slow beginning. Still, this might be an intense week at practice for the Sparks. Because there were moments in Saturday's loss at San Antonio where Sparks coach Jennifer Gillom looked ready to really go Vesuvius on her team.