Unfortunately, Taurasi is not the first and will not be the last

Update: Taurasi’s statement

The diatribes have started regarding Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi’s DUI citation. Hand-wringing to follow. Team General  Manager Ann Meyers Drysdale spoke to local television station ABC15 last night after learning about the incident. That is certainly not how a GM with a superstar player on the roster wants to spend the evening, talking to the press about a player’s drunk driving and probably formulating a public relations strategy.

Meyers Drysdale told ABC15 that the team will not release an official public statement until more information is released. However, she does expect Taurasi to play in Sunday’s game versus the Sparks in Los Angeles. Taurasi is the Phoenix Mercury’s leading scorer, averaging 21 points a game and leads the league in 2009 All-Star balloting.

Historically, WNBA players who have received DUI citations, are suspended for two games (the same amount Taurasi received for cursing out an official in 2007). Detroit center…

How do you say….? Adventures in creative WNBA player name pronunciations

Some fans get really annoyed when TV and radio announcers repeatedly mispronounce player names. A few of the most common names that are botched are Nicky Anosike, Matee Ajavon and Cappie Pondexter. Believe it or not, the league prints an official pronunciation guide for the media that looks like it is updated throughout the season. Pondexter is not on the list, but there is no ‘i’ in her last name. And I guess they will add Anete Jēkabsone-Žogota to the list soon.

So folks, practice saying these names out loud so you can scream at your television the next time you hear someone say “Cappie Poindexter.”

2009 WNBA PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
(Updated June 5, 2009)
ALPHABETICAL (by last name)
A
Matee Ajavon – mah-TEE AJZ-ah-von
Nicky Anosike – ANN-oh-SICK-ee
Seimone Augustus – SI-moan
B
Suzy Batkovic-Brown – SOO-zee bat-KO-vic
Alana Beard – Ah-lay-na Beerd
Tully Bevilaqua – bev-il-AH-qua
Chante Black – Shon-TAY
DeWanna Bonner – duh-WAH-nuh
Jenny Boucek – BOO-seck
C
Dominique Canty – CAN-tee
Tamika Catchings – tuh-MEE-kuh
Iziane Castro…

Teresa Edwards named to 2009 U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) named five-time Olympian and four-time gold medalist Teresa Edwards as a member of the  2009 class to be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame presented by Allstate.

Teresa’s statement on being inducted:

For me, it’s the highest of highs because I’ve always looked at the Olympics as being the best that you could possibly get for women’s basketball. For me, it’s the most important honor ever. To be in the company of Muhammad Ali and Wilma Rudolph, that’s huge. It’s kind of like, pinch me, because I still can’t believe it.

There’s too many memories from the Olympics to pick just one. I think the greatest has always been my first. You can never top the first time. Even though I did return, you can never top that feeling of everything being so wonderful and being the first time. I think ‘96 was huge because…

2009 Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament field announced

The Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament kicks off in mid-November with a field of sixteen teams.

Eleven of the teams played in the postseason last spring: Arkansas-Little Rock, Bowling Green, Florida Gulf Coast, Georgia Tech, Marist, New Mexico, North Carolina A&T, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, and Winthrop. They will be joined in the Preseason WNIT by Chicago State, Eastern Illinois, Northern Colorado, Towson, and UTEP.

First-round Preseason WNIT games
2008-2009 team records in parentheses

Friday, Nov. 13, 2009
Eastern Illinois (24-9) at Ohio State (29-6), 5 p.m. ET
UTEP (18-12) at Florida Gulf Coast (26-5), 7 p.m. ET
Arkansas-Little Rock (26-7) at Oklahoma State (17-16), 7 p.m. ET
Towson (17-13) at West Virginia (18-15), 7 p.m. ET
Winthrop (16-16) at Georgia Tech (22-10), 7:30 p.m. ET
Chicago State (16-13) at Bowling Green (29-5), 7:30 p.m. ET
North Carolina A&T (26-7) at Marist (29-4), 7:30 p.m. ET
Northern Colorado (12-18) at New Mexico (25-11),…

Lisa Leslie on the red carpet at the BET Awards, Serena Williams wins athlete award

WNBA players nominated for 2009 BET Best Female Athlete Award

Hoopfeed Daily Twitter Digest for 2009-07-02

• Eating tomato soup from Kroger. Store brand. Taste really bad but will keep eating b/c they helped bail out the Fever. #fluffsacrifice 12:31:02
• lmbao RT @janw75 How about the guy who always says "Vickie" Anosike and makes it rhyme? #thatsnothowyoupronouncehername 12:34:45
• RT @UTLadyVolsFan: How about Tully Bevilaqua or Erin Perperoglou. Also – Taurasi gets butchered, too. #thatsnothowyoupronouncehername 12:42:13
• Re: Jekabsone-Zogota RT @KinitaA: Call her Jay-Z. TOTALLY amusing nickname. I'm all for it. #latvianhova 12:48:14
• How do you say….? Adventures in creative WNBA player name pronunciations http://bit.ly/lcUrT #wnba 13:25:20
• RT @drsisms: Did anyone suggest Kraayeveld, Hamchétou Maïga-Ba, or Olayinka Sanni? And a shout out to Tye'sha Fluker. #thatsnothername 13:32:35
• RT @terpcj: ….Alana Beard, (generic last name) Christen/Christan/Christon #thatsnothername 13:33:30
• Storm vs. Mercury just has that panache – Mechelle Voepel's blog http://bit.ly/Uc9zc #wnba 13:56:33
• This week's No. 1 rookie is DeWanna Bonner RT @wnba: July 2nd Rookie Rankings: Zellous breaks in http://tinyurl.com/m7qlzg 15:11:38
• Three games tonight, Game 1 – Connecticut Sun vs Indiana Fever Preview (Yahoo! Sports) http://bit.ly/18P1LM #wnba 17:24:54
• Three games tonight, Game…

Hoopfeed Daily Twitter Digest for 2009-07-01

• USA Women Cruise To Easy 115-30 Win Over France To Open 2009 World University Games Play http://bit.ly/ei6qE 12:55:48
• RT @usabasketball: Guess who was elected flag bearer for tonight's Opening Ceremonies? None other than Alexis Gray-Lawson! 13:24:21
• RT @bjyork: Mercury/Storm Preview: Revenge! http://bit.ly/W7SKR #wnba 14:57:55
• Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer has been named one of Lifetime Television’s Remarkable Women http://bit.ly/itBv1 #ncaaw 15:10:00
• Kentucky hires Shalon Pillow as assistant coach, former Lady Vol leaves Hofstra http://bit.ly/CZVcu #ncaaw 15:45:05
• One WNBA game tonight: Seattle Storm vs. Phoenix Mercury – Preview (ESPN) http://bit.ly/h8xrI #wnba 15:54:58
• RT @HoopGurlz A sign of the times? The Tenn. Flight's multi-state approach could be the last of its kind: http://tinyurl.com/recruitflt 15:59:32
• Florida to play in Jimmy V Women's Basketball Classic for the 1st time vs. Rutgers in December http://bit.ly/FH6rT #ncaaw #jimmyv 17:06:51

Hoopfeed Daily Twitter Digest for 2009-06-30

• RT @wnba: RT @Candace_Parker: i'm bbbbaaaaacccccckkkkkkk!! headed to first practice! 11:21:50
• RT @SHEEX: Michelle Marciniak returns home to the Lehigh Valley for pre-U.S. Open festivities: http://tinyurl.com/mmrgad 11:22:47
• Kelly Faris adjusting to UConn life (Connecticut Post) http://bit.ly/4BBP1c #ncaaw 11:25:16
• UConn: Heather Buck Is There For Kelly Faris (ctnews.com) http://bit.ly/VVwgx #ncaaw 11:28:27
• 2009 Preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament field announced http://bit.ly/iQ2iX #wnit #ncaaw 13:24:44
• RT @wnba: Chamique Holdsclaw @CHold1 is Living the WNBA Dream (TV Guide Magazine) http://tinyurl.com/nge7qx 13:29:52
• About that Directors Cup? "Big picture not as pretty this year for UGA" (should Landers be wary?) (ajc.com) http://bit.ly/Vkbyr #ncaa 14:20:58
• Colleges in recruiting battle for Titusville's Astronaut High hoops star Deaundra Young (floridatoday.com) http://bit.ly/v5F6M #ncaaw 14:43:02
• Indiana, yes Indiana tops the WNBA.com Power Rankings: June 30, 2009 http://bit.ly/rrKPs 16:06:23
• Mississippi to give women's basketball coach Renee Ladner contract extension http://bit.ly/lveG9 #ncaaw #sec 16:21:22