The eve of the WNBA Finals is also a day that will always hold special meaning in this country.
Storm coach Brian Agler, Atlanta coach Marynell Meadors renew their rivalry – Jayda Evans, Seattle Times
So, when Agler needed Camille Little to help his depth in the post, Meadors worked a deal, ending up with a draft choice that landed coveted point guard Shalee Lehning. When Meadors wanted former Storm forward Iziane Castro Marques to complement Brazilian countrywoman Erika de Souza as the 2008 expansion team’s building blocks, she worked with Agler to pull together a three-team deal with Detroit so Agler could nab All-Star forward Swin Cash.
Buddies from the college hoops scene in the 1980s and hired by their pro teams in 2008, Agler and Meadors’ squads will play in the best-of-five WNBA Finals beginning Sunday in KeyArena on ABC (KOMO, Channel 4).
Storm raises their flag atop Space Needle for WNBA Finals – Jayda Evans, seattletimes.com Women’s Hoops Blog
“When people think of Seattle, they think of the Needle,” Storm PG Sue Bird said. “Everybody when they come visit, that’s the first ting they ask about and that’s the first thing you see, almost. ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ when they pan the city, what do you see? You see the needle. So, when Joe Schmo New York hears the flag is atop the Space Needle, they’ll understand the importance of that. Kind of like if someone put it at the top of the Empire State Building. That’s what’s really special about it.”
Cash helps carry Storm to Finals – Mechelle Voepel, ESPN.com
After knee problems, back problems and chemistry problems with the coaching staff in Detroit, Cash at one point had to wonder if she’d ever be in this position again: playing for a WNBA championship.
But she is, and once again she’s an integral part of her team. She is also expected to be named to the U.S. national team and take part in the upcoming world championship, playing again for UConn coach Geno Auriemma.
Le’coe Willingham On Her Move to the Storm – Mechelle Voepel, ESPN.com (Video)
Seattle’s Le’coe Willingham, who won a WNBA championship with Phoenix last season, is trying to repeat this year – but with the Storm.
Tanisha Wright On Her Role On the Storm – Mechelle Voepel, ESPN.com (Video)
Seattle Storm player Tanisha Wright talks about her comfort level in the backcourt during her WNBA career.
Sue Bird the Calm in Seattle Storm – Michelle Smith, Fanhouse.com
Not a reluctant one, exactly. But Bird definitely lives on the low-key end of the superstar spectrum.
She is even-keel. She is steady. She is reliable and calm and collected.
She is, she says, what she’s always been.
Swin Cash Back in the WNBA Finals – Frank Della Femina, WNBA.com
WNBA.com: The Dream has a similar style of play to that of the Phoenix Mercury. That fast, up-tempo style. Having played against Phoenix in the Conference Finals, are you noticing any similarities between the two?
SC: “For us, one of the best things that could’ve happened to us was playing against a team like Phoenix because to see their speed and their aggressiveness and their attack mentality on the offensive end is very similar to Atlanta. We were able to watch that game film and seeing what we did that was good and see what we did that we need to work on. Atlanta has a little bit more speed on the perimeter but their style of play is very similar.”
WNBA Finals notebook – Pierce W. Huff, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Those elements are why many people consider the Dream the underdogs as the teams start their series Sunday in Seattle, but Dream players and coaches don’t mind the label.
The Dream, who had the fourth and final seed in the Eastern Conference, swept top-seeded Washington in the conference semifinals and No. 2-seeded New York in the conference finals.
“I think everybody has overlooked us all season,” backup guard Shalee Lehning said. “We love that.”
Here’s Sue Bird on King5.com talking about the Storm’s flag being raised above the Space Needle. Visit King5.com for more video interviews from yesterday morning.
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