Record ticket prices for Michigan vs Iowa Thursday night

[Sportsrmylife]

South Carolina with a monstrous edge in bench points, 37-0.

The Gamecock depth wore down the thin Hawkeyes.

Good game and a good pace for women's college basketball.

Two complaints about Caitlin Clark's game: 1) Please defend and 2) Don't launch wide-open 30-footers when wide-open 25-footers are available.

South Carolina did a great job of defending clark.

What clark missed in her game today was attacking the paint and using her step back for a midrange jumper.

She almost feels magnetized to the 3-point line and uses the step back from 25-feet.

She is going to bring more money into the wnba.

In 2-3 years the wnba might make a profit
Lol

 

[Sportsrmylife]

I'm guessing today's game did 18.3 in viewership

 

[Heim]

Nice tribute post game by USC coach.

Kaitlin is one of the


P.S. Exceptionally officiated game.

 

[John Kelly]

Iowa scored 27 points in the first quarter and only 29 points in the second half.

However, I don't care for Dawn Staley as an in-game coach.

She sat on her hands in the first quarter (slow start in the semifinal round, too) and allowed an undermanned opponent to gain a significant edge on her team.

I'm with HEIM on crediting Staley's postgame praise of Caitlin Clark.

And I also like Staley's defensive-minded coaching philosophy.

 

[Heim]

Some of these WNBA players, specifically Taurasi don't get it. Of course it's going to be a little harder for Caitlin next level but she won't be face guarded, doubled every touch etc, otherwise you leave other as good or better players open. Actually her style suits pro ball better.

 

[kane]

Taurasi said she would take Bueckers over Clark and it wasn't even close, if you like Bueckers fine, but not even close? C'mon man. where did Taurasi go to school?

 

[winkyduck]

Taurasi said she would take Bueckers over Clark and it wasn't even close, if you like Bueckers fine, but not even close? C'mon man. where did Taurasi go to school?

I agree with her on Paige >>> Caitlin. I don't think it is a "no-brainer" though.

BUT - if both were in the draft this year - you absolutely take Clark because of what she will do for ticket sales and exposure. She is turning an irrelevant WNBA team into The Beatles. Paige can't do that.

In a game of 1-on-1...........Paige wins

 

[John Kelly]

I agree with her on Paige >>> Caitlin. I don't think it is a "no-brainer" though.

BUT - if both were in the draft this year - you absolutely take Clark because of what she will do for ticket sales and exposure. She is turning an irrelevant WNBA team into The Beatles. Paige can't do that.

In a game of 1-on-1...........Paige wins

Respectfully disagree, WINK.

Caitlin dusts Paige in a game of one-on-one.

Don't like Paige's body.

Not strong enough and too light in the cakes.

She's already missed significant time at UConn with an ACL tear and ankle surgery.

No thanks.

 

[John Kelly]

Some of these WNBA players, specifically Taurasi don't get it. Of course it's going to be a little harder for Caitlin next level but she won't be face guarded, doubled every touch etc, otherwise you leave other as good or better players open. Actually her style suits pro ball better.

Bingo.

Caitlin will improve with better players around her.

Think Rick Barry and Steph Curry.

When Barry and Curry were competing at the college level, they were always double-teamed and triple-teamed, Barry at Miami-Florida and Curry at Davidson.

Show up at the professional level and there's hedging on the defensive end, but no selling out.

I once had a conversation with Rick Barry and he told me as much.

For Barry, the pro game was much easier than the college game.

One other note: Caitlin is not only an excellent shooter with incredible range, but she's also an elite passer.

Analyst Rebecca Lobo was smart to focus on Caitlin's ability to throw the "get-ahead" pass.

 

[John Kelly]

Rebecca Lobo's broadcast partner, Ryan Ruocco, made a glaring error at the end of yesterday's ABC broadcast.

Ruocco mentioned South Carolina's undefeated season and then said head coach Dawn Staley deserved credit for replacing five starters from last season's team.

That's true, but then Ruocco went one step further by saying, "No one expected this great season from South Carolina."

Ruocco obviously never checked the future odds for this year's WNCAA tournament.

I saw South Carolina priced at -200 to win the title at the start of the tourney.

Tsk tsk.

 

[winkyduck]

Respectfully disagree, WINK.

Caitlin dusts Paige in a game of one-on-one.

Don't like Paige's body.

Not strong enough and too light in the cakes.

She's already missed significant time at UConn with an ACL tear and ankle surgery.

No thanks.

..............It looks like the "ward" for the DUMBEST MOVE of the 2024 WNBA season is going to: LA Sparks!

Because Staples Center (I know it is not called that any more - but it will always be that to me) is being worked on, the Sparks have to play their first 5 games away from it. Capacity at the Long Beach State Pyramid is about 4500. That is plenty for all of their games.

EXCEPT ONE!

Friday, May 24 is SOLD OUT! Wanna guess who they are playing?

The Sparks HAD to know this was going to happen ahead of time...........and move the game to a place like Pauley Pavilion OR The Galen Center - both places hold over 10,000.

The team will be relevant for ONE home game this season................and THEY BLEW IT!

Turning away about 8000 people from attending the only game they care about attending shows how stupid ownership is.

BTW - we can officially eliminate the Fever from any chance of winning the title this season.............for reasons only they know - they gave a MULTI YEAR DEAL to: Katie Lou Samuelsson! She missed almost all of last season because she was pregnant. She had the baby - and for the record - the baby is tougher than she is. I would say more but she blocked me on Twitter because I kept calling her soft and worthless (Hard to argue what she did). Her sister Karlie is much better than Katie.

Fever Sign Katie Lou Samuelson

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever announced today the team signed forward Katie Lou Samuelson to a multi-year contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky last played in 2022 with the Los Angeles Sparks. In...

fever.wnba.com

 

[Heim]

Rebecca Lobo's broadcast partner, Ryan Ruocco, made a glaring error at the end of yesterday's ABC broadcast.

Ruocco mentioned South Carolina's undefeated season and then said head coach Dawn Staley deserved credit for replacing five starters from last season's team.

That's true, but then Ruocco went one step further by saying, "No one expected this great season from South Carolina."

Ruocco obviously never checked the future odds for this year's WNCAA tournament.

I saw South Carolina priced at -200 to win the title at the start of the tourney.

Tsk tsk.

She utilizes the bounce pass better than anyone I've seen, men included.

 

[Viejo Dinosaur]

Fish MIA….

 

[Heim]

There was so much demand to see this game the Cubs put it on their big screens during rain delay.

 

[John Kelly]

She utilizes the bounce pass better than anyone I've seen, men included.

Interesting.

I recognize it now that you mentioned it.

And credit Caitlin's teammates for playing their roles.

They complemented Caitlin beautifully.

Unfortunately, Iowa featured an undersized post player AND an undersized point guard.

Additionally, no depth off the bench.

Something tells me the relationship between Caitlin Clark and her head coach (Lisa Bluder) became a little frosty by season's end.

When Caitlin left yesterday's title game in the final seconds, Coach Bluder expected a long hug and did not get it.

Clark saved her long emotional embrace for an assistant coach deep on the Iowa bench.

Not sure who it was, but I predict that assistant coach will be the Iowa women's head basketball coach in the not-so-distant future.

After all, Bluder is 62 years old and you know Caitlin will have a big say on the naming of Bluder's replacement.

 

[Heim]

I didn't notice, but astute observation.

If you listen to Caitlin post game, she sounds like a coach, she knows the game. I'm sure there was a clash how things should be done

 

[John Kelly]

Iowa's up-tempo offense helped create much of the attention for Caitlin Clark.

What two main factors helped Iowa lead the country this season with more than 90 points per game?

An efficient offense AND a leaky defense.

Caitlin did not exert much effort on the defensive end of the floor, thus saving her energy for offense.

The buzz surrounding Caitlin really accelerated late in the season when she was chasing all those scoring records.

 

[John Kelly]

If you're a quarterback in football looking to put up big numbers, it helps your cause if your team is defensively-deficient.

 

[winkyduck]

If you're a quarterback in football looking to put up big numbers, it helps your cause if your team is defensively-deficient.

Dans......Marino and Fouts............on Line 1!

 

[Heim]

One WNBA team has already switched to a bigger venue when Indiana comes to town...

 

[Heim]

Come on now, who's representing Caitlin? Her Nike deal, 8 years/28mil is peanuts.

 

[Sportsrmylife]

Come on now, who's representing Caitlin? Her Nike deal, 8 years/28mil is peanuts.

Still 50x any previous women's bb shoe contract

I'm sure she will redo it after 2 years where she wins rookie of the year and mvp in the same season leading Indiana to a #2 seed

 

[kane]

A great game ruined by a ticky tack call, unbelievable that a ref would make that call in that spot and not let the players decide it, that type of screen is done many times during a game without being called, but for whatever reason the ref decided in that instance to call it, I could see if it was clearly a foul, but it was so close that it shouldn't have been called, a great game ruined by a ref's decision

Once again the ending of a great game turned into a ref show, another ticky tack moving screen helped the Knicks win the game, DiVincenzo with an Oscar worthy performance, it would be nice if maybe just once the refs would swallow their whistle and let the players decide the outcome, how about in the final minute of a close game they call the obvious ones and let the nickel dimers go, it's almost impossible for a player to be still as a statue when setting a screen, but all the defender has to do is flop like he was just shot, and the refs call it every time

 

[Heim]

Caitlin looked better than expected first time out in preseason game.

As expected she noticed a more physical game....nonetheless, that step back three still looked good!

 

[winkyduck]

The Sparks just caught a massive break. May 24 vs Caitlin got moved from 5000 seat Long Beach to 18+k Staples Center

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1787890457953128489

 

[Heim]

The Fever tix on the road are nuts. $25 are going for $125, face value. On court, $500

 

[Heim]

Hmmm.......all of a sudden with the resurgence of WNBA, now charter flights. Again, those retired dummies need to re-evaluate
their thinking of Miss Caitlin.

 

[Murphy’s Best]

They will talk shit about her publicly but love the perks she will bring quietly!

 

[howid]

and the WNBA expanding into Toronto…

 

[John Kelly]

Watched every second of Caitlin's preseason game last Thursday night against the Atlanta Dream.

Tough matchup for Caitlin facing an excellent two-way player in Allisha Gray.

The Dream starters were clearly superior to the Fever starters.

How did Indiana win its preseason debut?

Atlanta went 11-deep and no starter played more than 18 minutes.

Three of Indiana's starters played 30 minutes or more.

In fact, Indiana's starters were on the floor at the end of the game.

I had Indiana on the ML -135 for that very reason.

Glad it worked out.

The two teams play for real on the same court in mid-June.

Atlanta or pass.

 

[John Kelly]

The Atlanta Dream will surprise a lot of people this season.

The GM who built the Las Vegas dynasty is now working his magic in Atlanta.

His name is Dan Padover.

He once served as the video coordinator for the New York Liberty.

Love his career arc.

 

[John Kelly]

Here's a nomination for "MOTO of the Year" from journalist Andrew Holleran of The Spun reporting on cutdown day for the Indiana Fever:


"These two cuts puts Indiana's roster at 13; the Fever will need to make one more cut to get down to 12 by May 13. Second-year Fever forward Victaria Saxton was the only other available player that did not get in the game against Atlanta on Thursday night," the Indy Star reported.

Clark, obviously, is safe.

At least, Holleran used the qualifier "obviously" when writing Clark's position on the roster "is safe."

 

[Heim]

The Atlanta Dream will surprise a lot of people this season.

The GM who built the Las Vegas dynasty is now working his magic in Atlanta.

His name is Dan Padover.

He once served as the video coordinator for the New York Liberty.

Love his career arc.

Interesting path, similar to Spoelstra in Miami.

 

[Heim]

Disney is choosing to show Caitlin's opener on cable rather than national TV. Disney still starving for ESPN subscribers?

 

[John Kelly]

Good to see Caitlin Clark attract so much attention without a sexual element to her appeal.

Perfect for the Disney brand.

Angel Reese, on the other hand...

 

[Sportsrmylife]

Don't be a hater JK. Lol

 

[Sportsrmylife]

Disney is choosing to show Caitlin's opener on cable rather than national TV. Disney still starving for ESPN subscribers?

What is your guess Clark's true value to the wnba?

50m this year? 100m?

 

[Heim]

What is your guess Clark's true value to the wnba?

50m this year? 100m?

It could be between the two. We're talking international too including games on the NBA Pass subscription, jerseys etc...

The other day Tim McGraw came out in a Clark jersey opening his concert in Indianapolis....

Fever!

 

[Woodrow Wilson]

I knew this was along the horizon. So many black Americans cannot avoid dragging racism into every discussion.

Clark is always going to be Larry Bird wearing a bra to many of her black competitors.

MSN

 

[Heim]

I think her popularity, especially with mainstream media, is the fact she's hetero more than white.

She doesn't get all this as a known lesbian. No way....