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The question has no right or wrong answer. There are some who would say it should never be asked at all. Still, today – the sixth anniversary of the Storm laying claim to the first championship in franchise history – seems like the appropriate time to ponder which of the Storm’s two championships was more memorable.
The Argument for 2004
- The first time is always special. Every experience on the path to the 2004 championship was a new one for the Storm. The team had never even so much as won a playoff game at the beginning of the year. As the games kept getting bigger, the Storm never blinked, and by the end of the run the Storm had a championship that was somewhat unexpected for its efforts.
Additionally, the 2004 championship snapped a 25-year drought of major professional championships in the city of Seattle, which was overdue to bring home some hardware.
- Winning at home. While it is a good thing that the WNBA Finals have expanded to a best-of-five format, the nice thing about the old three-game series was that they ensured the higher-seeded team a chance to win on its home floor. The Storm did just that. Playing in front of a full house of 17,072 fans in both Game 2 and the deciding Game 3, the Storm fed off the crowd’s energy. When the final buzzer sounded on the Storm’s 74-60 win to clinch the series, confetti fell from the KeyArena rafters and fans celebrated throughout the arena. That same emotion could not entirely be replicated on the road at Philips Arena, though winning away from home provided the opportunity for a special welcome when the team returned from Atlanta the next day.
The Argument for 2010
- Bouncing back from postseason disappointment. The flip side of the unprecedented nature of the 2004 run was that players and staff had a tough time putting everything into context. The intervening five years, each of which ended in a first-round playoff exit, served as a reminder of just how difficult it is to win a championship. In that sense, getting back on top was sweeter than winning the first time. Sue Bird was asked about this a number of times during the WNBA Finals. Ultimately, when the series was completed, she admitted the difference.
“I guess now I can be honest, right?” Bird said. “Losing in the first round has been terrible. Having people write about it and talk about it, it’s something that I took very personally, a lot of us took very personally. I judge myself as a player based on winning, that’s how I judge myself, and to not win in five years really, really hurt. So with the playoff disappointment and the ownership change, everything that’s gone on, coaching change, player change, to sit here right now … I mean, I can’t even describe it.”
- Breaking ground for a new ownership group. As Bird referenced, a lot has happened off the floor between 2004 and now. The Sonics & Storm were sold, putting the team’s future in Seattle in jeopardy, and the Storm was purchased by Force 10 Hoops LLC before the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City. The possibility that there might not have been any WNBA basketball in Seattle, let alone championships, made 2010’s success more poignant. It was also ground-breaking. The Storm became the first independent franchise to win a WNBA championship and the first all-female ownership group to win a basketball title.
Ultimately, I would have to say the 2004 championship wins out in my mind. The 2010 season was probably more special because of all the milestones and the undefeated run through the playoffs. When it comes to the championship in particular, 2004 will be hard to beat. The circumstances surrounding the Storm’s Game 3 victory at KeyArena made it the most memorable moment for me in Storm franchise history.
Agree? Disagree? I’m curious to get fans’ take.
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Good post, Kevin. You cover all the reasons that I can think of in comparing one championship season with the other. The greatest factor for 2004 was being able to win it all at home. It was fantastic to witness it in person. For 2010, it was the vindication factor. The Storm earned the best record in the league after the regular season. Right there it became their championship to lose. No first round knockout this time. They march through with a perfect post-season record.
Let’s hope for a third championship to compare.
For me it would have to be 2010. Back in 2004 I would only watch the Storm games whenver they would show them on TV so I didn’t really get to experience all the excitement that I do now. I actually got more involved when Force 10 Hoops LLC bought the team in 2008. If I was at the Key to watch them win it in 2004 I would probably say 2004 but I didn’t so it’s 2010.
2010 is better: simply just because it’s the championship when LJ and Sue showed they earned and deserved the ring. 2010 was more personal for them, and is highlighted by both their stellar play. Not to knock Betty Lennox, but when people will remember the Storm in the future, they will remember Sue and LJ. This one was truly theirs. :)
2004 was yeah!!!!! look what we did and we won at home, but now in 2010 it is YEAH!!!! LOOK WHAT WE DID and WON ALL of it on someone else’s home court. In 2004 the comments about the win faded away. Now in 2010 I have people who never spoke to me about the STORM say Hey HOW ABOUT THE STORM and that would open up a bunch of comments from me.
It’s 2004 for me! Having been a season ticket holder since the beginning, and watching losing season after losing season, to actually win the CHAMPIONSHIP was huge. And to win it at home — the celebration and the feeling was just indescribable. 2010 was great because of the undefeated season at Key Arena — including the 2 Finals and the team’s relentlessness all year. But, like Kevin, 2004 was the most memorable moment for me in Storm history.
2010 wins for me, hands down. In 2004, I was trapped at Hilton Garden Inn in Boise, Idaho. This year, I got to participate, blog, meet other fans, be part of the whole championship experience. Plus, seeing Sue and Lauren (FINALLY!) get back to the top was just indescribable.
It was a perfect season.
I’m sure the win at home was great in ‘04 but I wasn’t there so I unfortunately have no memories of it. I was never interested in basketball (men’s or women’s) before I won tickets from Shellie Hart back in July. Now I’m hooked. I’ve been to every game since. Therefore, 2010 was the best for me personally, however, I’m sure to the long time fans 2004 was AMAZING! I’m actually quite sad I missed it, and all the previous seasons I wasn’t on the Storm train. Oh well, one game is all it took. I’m here now and after adamantly following the Storm, I just have to drop a quick “THANK YOU” to Force 10, Karen B. and the rest of the staff that work so hard to make the Storm games such a wonderful experience. I look forward to my season tickets (already bought) next year and every year to come. I will be a Storm fan for life! Congrats again to all involved with bringing home the championship!!!
It isn’t even a contest for me. 2010 without a doubt was just special in seeing how focused the team was all year, how resilient they were in that it wasn’t that they couldn’t be beaten, but they refused to be beaten. The league today is too good and there is much more talent compared to 2004. In 2004, there was some disappointment in not making the playoffs the year before, but the Storm were just trying to improve – to make the playoffs and maybe win a series. It was a great run to the finals that featured a young LJ and Sue with some good veteran support, but I thought more so they were more generally talented than they’re playoff opponents. This year was special in that yes, we were talented, and health was a major concern given the last two LJ-less playoff exit, but it was the maturity of the team with the stars leading the way and everyone filling in their roles perfectly. I just loved seeing LJ return to MVP form, Swin back at the top of her game, Camille and T doing all the little things -defending, hitting key buckets, getting key rebounds, Svet and Lecoe making major contributions off the bench, Jana making good plays, Brian drawing up great plays and Sue hitting clutch shot after clutch shot. And everything that this franchise and Sue and LJ had to go through in between with the ownership change, coaching change, personnel change, injuries, etc, seeing them make this special, improbable run of 28-6 in the season with a 7-0 playoff record, and 21-0, I don’t know if there will ever be more of a magical season.
The 2010 championship was better because year after year the Storm suffered through heart breaking losses to the Sparks. But, this year they gave all they had and were awarded with a wonderful season. They achieved milestones and set records. LJ and Bird are on the same page and have played expectational. LJ had a phenomenal year racking up points assisted by Bird. 2010 by far although it was great to win a championship at home in 2004.
Kevin, like you said, the two championships shouldn’t be compared. But since you are asked…I have been a season ticket holder from the beginning. I was there in 2004 when we were thankful that Sacramento beat out LA so we didn’t have to play them to get into the Finals. I was there in the finals when we, the crowd, yelled our hearts out so that we could help the team win. And when we did, we felt like a piece of that championship trophy was ours because if we didn’t have home court advantage I don’t believe we would have won in 2004. I was there when the confetti rained down on us and it was so SWEET to be champions!
I was there this season to witness us beating our playoff nemesis LA in the first round! I was there when we beat last year’s champion Phoenix! We didn’t take any shortcuts to this championship! We beat the usual best in the West to get to the finals. While in the finals we didn’t have the full sellout crowds at home as we did in 2004, but the team was more mature! They didn’t need our yelling as much as they did in 2004. We won on the road just as readily as at home. The Storm was more of a team this time around! All the players played their roles and played them so well that we won with Sue, LJ and Swin leading the way and everyone else filling their part exactly as they needed to. Every team member made a difference! AND, we were undefeated in the playoffs! How amazing is/was that! Unbelieveable!!!
2010 has my vote just because of the maturity of the team! Then in addition we went undefeated in the playoffs. Also it was the first time for women owners, first time for independent owners, and because it confirmed we have the best coach/general manager in the league!
Bring on 2011!
I vote 2010. Don’t get me wrong, being in Key Arena when they won in 2004 was truly fantastic, but it wasn’t as satisfying to me for a couple of reasons. First, we didn’t play LA in the playoffs in 2004. LA was kind of the Storm’s “white whale” of that season, and with them not having to go through LA to get to the finals, I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if Sacramento hadn’t been the spoiler. Second, the Storm conquered all their demons this year, and how freaking awesome was that?! Their play was more consistent than in years past, they gutted out more close wins, and they weren’t plagued by catastrophic injury. It made their resulting dominance over the league ever so delicious.
I vote for this year, yes 2004 was special, being there with over 17,000 fans was one of the best memories I have, but 2010 is beyond amazing; battling year after year only to be knocked out. I wish it good have been at home, but the airport greeting along with the Key celebration, oh and dancing in the street after the win. I don’t know of this season can ever be repeated, or even improved upon because the competition is huge and teams are filled with all kinds of talent. I guess you can’t really compare, each has been special in it’s own way. We will treasure them always and hope the next one doesn’t take 6 years (-:
It is hard to compare the two as they were two totally different experiences for me. They were both incredible, but if I had to choose one I have to go with 2004. I will never forget it; the sound in the Key was incredible. Yes, 2010 was a great year all around. It helps to have a healthy team. But 2004 was a scrappy team that overcame much and won in spite of it. 2010 was finesse & talent; 2004 was guts & talent.