Or maybe, more accurately, “I’m off.” Gonna take a little pause here at the blog. Been doing this for 15 years, a hunk of that solo, and I’m a little tuckered out. Like to think that WHB has brought some diversity to the news feed, a little humor, some history and some activism salted with a little snark. May ponder something weekly. But we shall see. Lots of good folks doing news aggregating and creating original content. Follow them, amplify them, spend your money on them. No. Really. Spend your money on them. If you think WNBA players should be paid more, spend your money. If you think NCAA ..read more

NEW POETRY BY INDIGENOUS WOMEN In my Mojave culture, many of our songs are maps, but not in the sense of an American map. Mojave song-maps do not draw borders or boundaries, do not say this is knowable, or defined, or mine. Instead our maps use language to tell about our movements and wonderings (not wanderings) across a space, naming what has happened along the way while also compelling us toward what is waiting to be discovered, where we might go and who we might meet or become along the way. This feature of indigenous women is meant to be like those song-maps, to offer myriad ways of “poet ..read more

we shouldn’t let AP Doug fly places. THINGS HAPPEN WHEN HE’S IN THE AIR. Best of luck to the departing Prez Borders. WNBA president Lisa Borders stepping down WNBA President Lisa Borders steps down to become first-ever President and CEO of Time’s Up WNBA President Lisa Borders is latest executive to leave WNBA president Borders to step down Greater power and authority would help new WNBA president move the league forward WNBA President Lisa Borders Steps Down for Time’s Up Duke Trustee Lisa Borders steps down as WNBA presidency to become CEO of ‘Time’s Up’ I’m intrigued about who the W might ..read more

Rebecca Lobo is smart: @RebeccaLobo Of all the unsettling things we saw yesterday during the judiciary committee hearing, the thing that sticks with me most is the rage of the older white men. Ladies, we must raise our sons to be better. And raise our daughters to demand better. Supporting women’s basketball is a political act against sexism, racism and homophobia. Anyone who believes otherwise is not paying attention. Remember what Clarendon has said? Remember what Stewie has said? Believe women. Support women. Educate, educate, educate. Speaking of women…. there’s been a LOT of basket ..read more

Still recovering from a Friday work day, trip to the airport and three flights to get to Tenerife proper. Didn’t help that passport control in Madrid had lines so long that I missed my connecting flight. I made do.   Thanks to @Iberia (and NOT to @AmericanAir, who were 1-800-MissingInAction) did get to the island just after 11pm. Missed the US v. Senegal excitement, but was happy to have arrived. Learning to modify my Spanish to say “GraTHIas.” Everyone I’ve interacted with has been absolutely kind, patient and helpful. Sunday was a super-full day of basketball, starting at 11am with two ..read more

No pressure, friends, but this is national, not-cable, T.V.: ABC, 3:30pm. Mechelle, ESPN: Mystics must look to have an early answer for Storm in Game 2 It’s not that the Washington Mystics were unprepared for the intensity of Friday’s Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, Washington coach Mike Thibault said. But once things started getting away from them, it escalated fast. And in a building as full of fan energy as KeyArena was for their beloved Seattle Storm, it felt a little like an avalanche. Thibault said the Mystics have to make some X’s and O’s adjustments for Sunday’s Game 2 (ABC, 3:30 p.m ..read more

There’s a game today, btw. 7pm, NBATV Hartford Courant: UConn Alumna Jen Rizzotti Continues To Impact UConn Players Long After Leaving Huskies “It’s always special for me,” Rizzotti said. “Obviously I haven’t played with any of these guys, but I’ve been a part of their journey a little bit through USA basketball. … I’ve kind of seen them grow up through the game, and it’s really fun … just to see how much they’ve grown, how much they’ve matured, and the fact that they’ve been able to elevate their game so high that they’re still a part of this pool. And Napheesa (Collier), it’s just fun ..read more

Can the Mystics recover, or will the Storm continue to Whirlaway? Seattle Times: Storm puts it in cruise control to beat Mystics in Game 1 of WNBA Finals After Jewell Loyd lofted a three-pointer midway in the second quarter, the Storm guard turned and trotted in the opposite direction before the ball splashed through the net. The roar from KeyArena crowd and the screams from the Seattle bench let her know the shot was good, while simultaneously signaling the end to her four-game shooting slump. “It just felt really good regardless of if it went in,” Loyd said. “That was when I knew it mi ..read more

Michelle: Inside the W: Mystics, Storm Punch Tickets To Finals Legends have a tendency to do legendary things. Two hours after the Washington Mystics punched the franchise’s first-ever ticket to the WNBA Finals, the league’s oldest player – not to mention one of its most accomplished, respected and revered – made sure that she would get there to join them. (“Use your legs, Luuuke.”) Swish Appeal: Analysis: Mystics earn first-ever Finals bid, Storm finally get emphatic win to join them WaPo: Now that Washington Mystics made WNBA Finals breakthrough, Seattle Storm awaits Elena Delle ..read more

especially while zipping out to visit the Poppa for a post-birthday celebration. (Dad, btw, became a Liberty fan because I was a Liberty fan. No surprise, the thinks Dolan is a short-sighted putz.) Anyhoo – between train, walks and yummy food, there were four fab games to keep our basketball-high going strong. What was NOT cool, of course, was the clown show ESPN’s coverage was. High Post Hoops: Column: ESPN’s no-win situation over WNBA broadcast snafu Oh, well. Can’t wait for two game 5s to be on ESPN2 and *squints at notes* ESPNews. WTF. BUT, if you’re cranky about this and are using so ..read more