[Donna Orender, who took over as president of the WNBA this year from Val Ackerman, challenges Swoopes's observations, noting:] If anything, the league has more momentum than we've ever had. Our attendance is flat, but we've generated at least 10 new sponsorships in each of our markets and we're holding our own with regards to television. At the end of the day, we will have drawn more than two million fans. ... The key to growth is getting more games on television. |
Everything has to go right for you to come back from a deficit like that and it almost did, |
I came in with the idea this is what our team is all about - big guards. A lot of overall size, you can switch a lot. But sometimes you're dealt a different hand. |
I know Detroit lost to Charlotte so we have our own destiny in our hands. We still have a chance. We're still alive. |
I said it back then, that those early losses at home were going to come back and haunt us because we knew we would be playing five of our last seven on the road, ... I just knew that those early losses were going to hurt us and they have. In this league, with how even the teams are, it's critical that you win those home games. |
I thought Detroit played very good defense, ... They picked up our picks and screens, and then, once we got behind, I think our players were just trying to do too much by themselves. |
It was an Alana Beard show tonight, ... Our goal is to get 10 steals a game, that's the entire team. So if someone gets seven, that's a phenomenal show. |
It was the Alana Beard show tonight. Her performance was unbelievable. Our team goal is to get 10 steals per game, and Alana almost did that on her own. She was phenomenal. |
It's been a really tough time for Temeka, ... She tried to go, but it was obvious that she really was not herself. We're just trying to support her as she goes through a real emotional time. |
Now we're facing a four-game road trip. We have to steal one very shortly. |
Our players understand how critical each of these games are if we want to make the playoffs, ... Tonight [at New York] is probably the biggest game of the year. I thought [Sunday's game at Connecticut] was the biggest game of the year. They keep getting bigger. With the way Detroit is playing, we have to get a win, no question. |
She has been in the starting lineup from the beginning. When Alana (Beard) was out early, she carried us. I think that puts her above everyone else. |
She is going to be a star here. She lived in the shadow of Lisa Leslie because Lisa is such a great player, ... Now she's going to have a chance to come out of that shadow. |
Sometimes the momentum changes when you are pressing and hustling around, ... We were ice-cold most of the game and then we obviously got on fire right near the end. |
Tamika Catchings proved she is one of the best, ... She made the big, clutch plays. |