Submitted by | Leighway

Okay, due to lack of funds, (cause I bought the damn shoes at Nike Town) I could not sit behind the Merc. bench and give you all the juicy details of what went on over there.  I'm sure it was just a love fest on their bench (thanks for getting that word stuck in my head Trin).

I want to start off with the fact that I did wear a #10 Sue Bird shirt to the game this time because I was afraid I would get hurt wearing my #3 Taurasi shirt.  It must have been very good luck for Sue since she had a great game.

The girl was on fire! Smoking! And everything else having to do with burning the floor up.

But I digress... I got to the area just before the doors opened where I was harassed by Mr. and Mrs. Admin... more Mr.  than Mrs. on the fact they wanted a blow out game (I wanted a win by 2 or 3... more exciting that way). BJV had to join in; although she harassed me all day at work through email.  Yes, I am a Taurasi fan and yes I am a Storm fan and that is what makes these damn games so hard for me to watch, so do not tease me. I may bite.
I saw Jezzie and PW before the game to say hey! and to chat about VGM... ummm... Trin... never mind.
 
Shed... loved the Sam Rally Monkey! He was very cute with the headband and all.  Just don't ever let SF# put it on again... yikes.  Oh, and yes that was drool on my chin.
 
Note to fans in front of me; clappers, thundersticks, whatever they call them do not need to be used all 30 min of shoot around.  I swear I need to wear ear plugs for these games. When slammed together just right I do believe those things would blow your eardrums out.
 
The first half of the game was hard to watch, period.  I started to wonder if all televised games for the WNBA were going to be like this.  
 
The shooting for both teams was horrible in the first half, but much better for the Storm in the second. I don't know what she told them in the locker room but it put a fire under them and they really came out and played like they should.  It was good to see LJ putting the ball in the hole. I think she is hurt because she is just not herself right now and is getting beat to the basket. That's so not LJ.

Phoenix never could get into an offensive flow even though they had some pretty wide open looks. I think they were forcing it too much and when they weren't it was like the shots would just not fall for them.  They were very disruptive in the first half when the Storm seemed to TO on like four straight possessions.  
 
Fouls... come on refs! Stop calling the ticky tack fouls already!  Half the calls, both sides, were bunk. It just disrupts the flow of the game and makes for a very ugly game.  
It was interesting that Bird and Dee were really going at one another.  There was some serious hacking going on for both of them and it's a good thing they are friends or it could have gotten ugly.  
 
Tidbits:  
I think during the first half Sue got in trouble for talking to Dee.  What I saw was Dee walk over to Sue say something and Sue laugh.  Nothing big about that, but then I see AD yelling something to Sue, she shrugged, nodded and walked away from Dee like someone that just got detention for talking in class.
 
I would pay good money to get a copy of Bird doing that game of Horse where she does three shots and then a fan has to do the same three shots. That was damn sexy!  I had to call SiCko and give her the details on that one!  
 
Oh... I did get a little Jumbo Tron action last night from my Nike Town visit. What is it with that any way? I've seen myself more times than I care to.  Of course it only got worse when I found out I was on ESPN as well (sorry you spilled your Corona SiCko!)  Keep in mind the camera adds like 170 lbs. or something like that.  I'm sure I read that someplace before.
 
That is it for me. I was a little depressed even though the Storm won and Birdy had an awesome game I still would have liked to see Dee have a good game.

Submitted by | Gym.Rat.07

Big Lo, back in the Key yelling D biggie style up in corner of section 116.

Best Play of the Night: Goes to DT smacking the ball out of bounds… way out of bounds. Landed 20 some rows back. Major props to the person who threw the ball back down. Mama Gym.Rat was afraid they were going to hit Coach D (who was looking the other way) – that would have not been good.

Refs kept the game even to the extreme. Once there was a team fouls difference of 6-3 they called some quick fouls to even it up 6-6. Didn’t matter a whole lot cuz we got to the line a heck of a lot more than the Merc. I counted at least 3 make up calls by shorty  girl ref with the bangs so that was nice but I didn’t like the guy… no make up calls from him.

What’s the deal with the guy that sites visitor side courtside with the super long blue shorts? They are only like 3 inches above his ankle! Doesn’t he know those are pantaloons and not shorts?

Burse is awesome! She never gives up. Granted she missed like 3 shots in a row (she had at least 2 Merc players on her though) but she got those rebounds to put the ball back in.

What’s the deal with Tully and the free throws? I know this is the team that Starbucks built but come on Tully! (Aim for the back of the rim.)

I like Lennox bringing the ball down the court with the press. She dribbles right around the players in a circle so before they know it they fall over her back as they try to turn and run down court. Very sneaky, B-Money.

Where was Scowl?

Anyone else watch the game on tape as soon as you got home? The TV half time show was pretty cool.

I’m guessing 3 seconds in the key is actually more like 5 or 6.

Loved Bird's fast break after the jump ball when the Merc player's didn't bother running backcourt to get it. Hee.

Thumbs up to the Merc player on IR for alerting a girl that her sign was upside down.  
 
All in all – a pretty good game. I feel bad for them folks who left at half time or them peeps who wanted to see DT do some highlight plays. Wait, no I don’t!

Submitted by | JRod

Many more first halves like that and it may kill me.  Geez, we were ahead for most of it but both teams looked "sloppy!"
 
I thought that AD was going to pop a blood vessel, during one of the timeouts.  I have never seen her rip into the players like that before.  She was absolutely screaming at them and didn't seem to care who heard it.  Way to go, Coach!
 
As I told someone sitting behind us, last night, DT IS the real deal.  Yes, I actually said it.  But, here's the other part of the equation - any player can be taken out of their game and rhythm, on any given night, with the right kind of effort.  Especially rookies.  Later down the line, it will be tougher.
 
Now, allow me to gloat (just a little).  6 POINTS AND ONLY 1 REBOUND! Sorry, I just had to let that out.  
 
Now for the refs:  Somebody should fire Bob Trammell, Tina Napier, and Kim Watt.  Give me a break!  That was the tightest and worst called game I've seen in a long time.  Note to Val Ackerman:  These kinds of clowns are going to ruin all of the advances you've made.  Find some decent refs!
 
LJ's booty shakin' dance:  To borrow a cheer from high school days - DO IT AGAIN, DO IT AGAIN, WE LIKE IT, WE LIKE IT!  Not just the shake but the enthusiasm that led to it.  
 
From what I could tell, LJ said she got kicked where she's had some trouble with a stress fracture.  I am less worried, after hearing that, than I was at the time.  Heck, if you kicked me on either of my surgically rebuilt knees - I'd probably throw up and then pass out.  
 
Tully, well she's just Tully.  And, me loves me some Tully.
 
Adia looks much better.  Sam, Burse, and Lennox are looking good.  I just wish that Lennox would get the hot hand, before she tosses up a half a dozen bad shots.
 
KV, well all I can say is I'm glad that whomever took your game returned it.  
 
And, finally - Did anybody else hear the screech that Nikki McCray let out, towards the end of the game.  Sounded kinda like a screech owl (sorry Owl, no offense meant), but that was one yucky sound.

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