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Comedy. The day women throw hands will def be the day..... all they about is arm flaying. 2 techs shoulda been the call
***WOMEN'S HOOPS THREAD*** CONGRATS, 38-0 S. Carolina! CONGRATS, NY LIBERTY!!
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by darthska,
- Start date
Comedy. The day women throw hands will def be the day..... all they about is arm flaying. 2 techs shoulda been the call
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JFC that's over the line saying that Russia ****.
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Yea this takes the cake!!!
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Do you see that with Chicago already shut down for the season
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It depends how badly Connecticut wants to duck opponents. Giving the team “rest” to get ready for the playoffs
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Wonder what the Portland team will be named. Or if there's a list of finalists for possibilities.
(seems like the Fire is the preferred option)
en.wikipedia.org
Love to see the expansion
(seems like the Fire is the preferred option)
Portland Fire - Wikipedia
Love to see the expansion
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Yea it gotta be on some sitting the whole starting 5. I guess we gonna see
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Alyssa Thomas not standing on business! The number one priority this offseason should be expanding whatever media training the team/league does. The women running straight to their mentions immediately after games has to stop.
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Backstory
www.espn.com
Excerpt:
"First, the WNBA needed to find a new Portland ownership group. Enter the Bhathal family, which already had been evaluating the area closely in preparation for its purchase of the Thorns.
"As we were pursuing the Thorns, we became very convinced that the Portland market was a great market for sports in general and women's sports," Alex Bhathal told ESPN. "Having seen the media reports that the WNBA opportunity was something the WNBA wanted to do, but there were some issues with the timing and potentially finding the right ownership group, it became an 'aha' moment that maybe this is something that we could do as well and create a multisport platform in the market and really cement Portland as the epicenter for women's sports."
From its end, the WNBA remained committed to Portland as a destination, even as another expansion franchise was awarded to Toronto in May.
"As I started to learn more about Alex and Lisa and their platform for women's sports," Engelbert told ESPN, "it wasn't announced yet on their Thorns ownership, but it seemed pretty interesting because we knew based on our data analysis, the data would show Portland would be a great market for the W."
The Thorns have been a flagship franchise for the NWSL, winning three championships and leading the league in attendance before the arrival of expansion franchises in Los Angeles and San Diego. Portland now ranks third behind those teams, averaging more than 18,000 fans per game this season.
"I think Portland has proven they'll show up for women's sports and definitely for women's basketball, so we're excited to be coming back to the market." WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, on the league's return to Portland
Women's college basketball also has drawn well in Portland, which hosted a regional in this year's NCAA tournament and will bring the Final Four to the Moda Center for the first time in 2030.
"My guess," Wyden said jokingly, "is it won't be very long before people start calling it 'Sportslandia.'"
The timeline of the Final Four was one of the complications to WNBA expansion. The NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, who operate the Moda Center, anticipate two summers' worth of renovations to the arena between the arrival of the WNBA team and the hosting of the Final Four. That work would force the expansion team to relocate, likely next door to the Trail Blazers' former home at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, although not until after it plays at least its first season at the Moda Center.
"The timeline is being determined at this point, and those are still subject to negotiations," Alex Bhathal said. "Our expectation is we'll be playing at the Moda Center. There could be a situation where we play on a temporary basis at somewhere else, the VMC, but because of the indeterminate nature of those negotiations, our base case is we'll be playing in Moda Center for the visible future."
The Fire played at the Moda Center during their three WNBA seasons. Despite never making the playoffs, the Fire had a higher average attendance in their final year (2002) than six other teams, including two current ones: the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm. Portland also played host to a women's franchise in the short-lived American Basketball League, the Power, who played at Memorial Coliseum.
Still to be determined is whether the expansion team will reclaim the Fire name or choose a new one. Bhathal Merage said "everything is on the table" and that the decision will be based on community input.
"It's an exciting time," she said. "It's fun to be able to create a new team from scratch. Our hope is by the spring we'll have an announcement, but we do of course have deadlines if we want to have more customized jerseys with Nike and things like that."
Another upcoming announcement will involve a practice facility for the WNBA team, which was a key component of the league's evaluation of potential expansion sites. Three teams now have their own exclusive facilities, with the Storm and Phoenix Mercury both opening them this season after the Las Vegas Aces did last year. Two franchises that don't share practice facilities with NBA counterparts, the Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings, have announced plans to build them.
"Plans are coming together, but that will be a follow-up announcement," Alex Bhathal said. "We will be investing in a training center for the WNBA as well as the Thorns. Those are commitments that we have made. They'll be first-class, state-of-the-art facilities."
Portland has slightly more time to prepare for its first season than the Valkyries, who were introduced as an expansion franchise in October and will begin play in 2025. The Toronto team, which will enter the league alongside Portland in 2026, has more lead time after a May announcement.
Engelbert said the WNBA is "on track" to add a 16th franchise in either 2027 or 2028.
"We'll look very hard at what Team 16 might look like," she said, "but on track for no later than '28 for Team 16."
WNBA adds 15th franchise with return to Portland
Portland's new WNBA team will be owned by RAJ Sports, led by controlling owner Lisa Bhathal Merage and her brother, Alex Bhathal -- who also are the majority owners of the NWSL's Portland Thorns. The team will play at the Moda Center.
Excerpt:
"First, the WNBA needed to find a new Portland ownership group. Enter the Bhathal family, which already had been evaluating the area closely in preparation for its purchase of the Thorns.
"As we were pursuing the Thorns, we became very convinced that the Portland market was a great market for sports in general and women's sports," Alex Bhathal told ESPN. "Having seen the media reports that the WNBA opportunity was something the WNBA wanted to do, but there were some issues with the timing and potentially finding the right ownership group, it became an 'aha' moment that maybe this is something that we could do as well and create a multisport platform in the market and really cement Portland as the epicenter for women's sports."
From its end, the WNBA remained committed to Portland as a destination, even as another expansion franchise was awarded to Toronto in May.
"As I started to learn more about Alex and Lisa and their platform for women's sports," Engelbert told ESPN, "it wasn't announced yet on their Thorns ownership, but it seemed pretty interesting because we knew based on our data analysis, the data would show Portland would be a great market for the W."
The Thorns have been a flagship franchise for the NWSL, winning three championships and leading the league in attendance before the arrival of expansion franchises in Los Angeles and San Diego. Portland now ranks third behind those teams, averaging more than 18,000 fans per game this season.
"I think Portland has proven they'll show up for women's sports and definitely for women's basketball, so we're excited to be coming back to the market." WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, on the league's return to Portland
Women's college basketball also has drawn well in Portland, which hosted a regional in this year's NCAA tournament and will bring the Final Four to the Moda Center for the first time in 2030.
"My guess," Wyden said jokingly, "is it won't be very long before people start calling it 'Sportslandia.'"
The timeline of the Final Four was one of the complications to WNBA expansion. The NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, who operate the Moda Center, anticipate two summers' worth of renovations to the arena between the arrival of the WNBA team and the hosting of the Final Four. That work would force the expansion team to relocate, likely next door to the Trail Blazers' former home at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, although not until after it plays at least its first season at the Moda Center.
"The timeline is being determined at this point, and those are still subject to negotiations," Alex Bhathal said. "Our expectation is we'll be playing at the Moda Center. There could be a situation where we play on a temporary basis at somewhere else, the VMC, but because of the indeterminate nature of those negotiations, our base case is we'll be playing in Moda Center for the visible future."
The Fire played at the Moda Center during their three WNBA seasons. Despite never making the playoffs, the Fire had a higher average attendance in their final year (2002) than six other teams, including two current ones: the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm. Portland also played host to a women's franchise in the short-lived American Basketball League, the Power, who played at Memorial Coliseum.
Still to be determined is whether the expansion team will reclaim the Fire name or choose a new one. Bhathal Merage said "everything is on the table" and that the decision will be based on community input.
"It's an exciting time," she said. "It's fun to be able to create a new team from scratch. Our hope is by the spring we'll have an announcement, but we do of course have deadlines if we want to have more customized jerseys with Nike and things like that."
Another upcoming announcement will involve a practice facility for the WNBA team, which was a key component of the league's evaluation of potential expansion sites. Three teams now have their own exclusive facilities, with the Storm and Phoenix Mercury both opening them this season after the Las Vegas Aces did last year. Two franchises that don't share practice facilities with NBA counterparts, the Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings, have announced plans to build them.
"Plans are coming together, but that will be a follow-up announcement," Alex Bhathal said. "We will be investing in a training center for the WNBA as well as the Thorns. Those are commitments that we have made. They'll be first-class, state-of-the-art facilities."
Portland has slightly more time to prepare for its first season than the Valkyries, who were introduced as an expansion franchise in October and will begin play in 2025. The Toronto team, which will enter the league alongside Portland in 2026, has more lead time after a May announcement.
Engelbert said the WNBA is "on track" to add a 16th franchise in either 2027 or 2028.
"We'll look very hard at what Team 16 might look like," she said, "but on track for no later than '28 for Team 16."
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It’s good for the league and its on brand. It happens in the men’s league, no need to make an exception
aepps20
Supporter
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Any trainer will focus on that on day 1. Wildly swinging and not attacking in a composed way will get you knocked out. Rickea used excellent footwork to get some distance to assess.
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The men’s league is decades in with an established wotldwide platform.
This would be like MJ, Bird & Magic “clapping back” at fans when the NBA finally broke through on the brink of the influx of money.
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Conflict along with great play is part of the reason why the league is growing. If angel doesn’t do the Tony yayo, we’d be a year behind schedule.
Interaction with the fans as long as isn’t physical isn’t going to be a problem. Fans been wilding before 2024. Engagement drives growth and as long as the line isn’t crossed, I’m good. Also can’t say “they need media training” when the commissioner herself danced around the trolling problem
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Yea I agree with this. Telling the women you need “media training” is basically saying shut up and dribble.
Players engaging with fans on SM is fine. Yes the line gets crossed far too often than it should (see BG and Russia stuff) but at the end of the day it’s fair game. KD does this **** all the time and it’s good for business no matter how you shake it
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this is good for growing the game. you rather get some sort of reaction, than no reaction.
bet this fan continues to tune in and tweet
i prefer the ladies not deleting the tweet
bet this fan continues to tune in and tweet
i prefer the ladies not deleting the tweet
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The Russia thing is one thing, but the Rickea fans kept calling BG a man in those comments too 
Hopefully Rickea and Cathy come out and denounce that kind of talk
Hopefully Rickea and Cathy come out and denounce that kind of talk
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Public Enemy
how you think it's gonna play out on Thursday. It's crazy cuz all the deciding games are at 7p tomorrow. Connecticut should beat chi...lib should be atlanta..... what is Mystics beat Indy. What's the season series between Atl and Wash... cuz they'll be tied if those events happen.
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Mannnnn Mystics need the impossible. "A Washington win combined with an Atlanta loss and a Chicago win would send the Mystics to the playoffs."
So in other words, it aint happenin for the Mystics. Too little too late.
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Why the necessary Chicago win?
