FullCourt - Link Looking for Comments - Link What do you think of Clay's Article? IMHO DT should play some or all of the remaining games for the Mercury. If DT does have an injury and is not at 100%, her play in the Olympics indicates she's well enough to play limited minutes. However, its up to DT and the Mercury to make that decision and accept whatever criticism that will come their way.
Of course, if she plays Thursday and beyond, this becomes a non-story. And second, if she doesn't, we fans don't yet have enough info to conclude.
Diana should play - if she's healthy. In her entire career, i've never heard of her missing a game for anything other than a legitimate reason. She's the best player on the planet. She puts butts in the seats. She will be back when she will be back.
Dee looked at least as healthy as anyone in London. I hope she feels well and plays soon. Phoenix is likely too far back to make the playoffs regardless of their lineup.
I had some dental work done on Thursday and it knocked me out for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as far as physical activity (working out, playing tennis, etc.). That I can understand. But if she does not play in the next game, then it is blatantly obvious the team is tanking. Look, the Mercury was going to take a step back with Penny Taylor injured. Dupree and Houston getting injured certainly hurt. But it is one thing to have legitimate injuries and quite another to tank. It is not that there is anything strictly forbidden about tanking; it just looks unprofessional in a sport clammoring for a fan base. All that being said, as a Phoenician, I would love to have Griner.
Taurasi, Taylor, Dupree, and Houston add up to about 60 ppg. That's a lot of talent to be missing. If they get healthy and get a great rookie, next year should be a very good one for them.
Cam from your perspective what are most of the Mercury fans saying or thinking. What are they saying in Majerle's. For those that don't know Majerle's is a sports bar close to the arena where the Mercury play and its a major hangout before and after the Mercury and Suns games.
In her own strange way , I think DT is doing exactly like the article stated.........She's 'Tanking' it. Not because she doesn't want to play , but I think she's deliberately trying to put Phoenix in the WNBA Lottery. Currently the Mercury (without DT playing) is in the running to get Griner , EDD , or Diggins in the next Draft. Phoenix at this point doesn't have enough firepower to compete with the Sparks , Storm , and Lynx of the world. But with a Griner or EDD in the lineup , along with a healthy (sic) DT , it could be back to the Championship circle. Without DT Phoenix has one of the worst records in the WNBA this season. With her , they would win a lot more games , but with a Griner/EDD/orDiggins in the lineup they could compete again for championships. Let's face it. She played HEALTHY minutes in London. Started even. So I think she is 'Tanking' it for the Mercury. Whether her reasoning is sound or not , or whether my theory is sound or not , I believe that's what she's doing. And whether I am right or not , her not playing effectively leaves Phoenix in the LOTTERY.
I feel for all of the WNBA US players - there is incredible pressure on them to play every year in the US while their main revenue is earned overseas. A player like Diana has played basically 12 months a year for 8 years with her only 'breaks' being when the false doping result came down, and the first half of this years WNBA season. I do not see anyone complaining about all the foreign players that took the first half off, or the fact that Lauren is busy touring Australia and doesn't report back until next week, or that Asjha is taking two weeks off after the Olympics with a continuation of the injury she had before the Olympics. That was a very intensive month for the Olympic team and being physically drained and emotionally drained is not a suprising result.
My comment: Kallam raises sensible questions. Why didn't he ask D or Mercury front office to answer them?
Not from Majerle's (I have not been going there in a few years), but the general consensus among my Mercury friends is that she should play if healthy, but only 100 percent healthy. But almost everyone wants Griner.
Because it was a piece designed to get people to go to their website. It said or did nothing. For a realistic, even handed look at it, go read Voepel's column today instead of this.
I have known Clay Kallam for years. Your point could not be any further from the truth. And what makes you think Taurasi or the Mercury front office would have answered those questions? For the record, I liked Voepel's piece a lot. But it is not like Voepel asked Taurasi or the Mercury front office those questions...
Cam, we are strongly going to disagree on this one. Full Court in its current form is not what it used to be. I have talked to Clay on many occasions and he has been a guest on Dishin & Swishin. How about the simple fact that NOT ONE PERSON can show me anywhere that there is a rule they are violating, or there is a basis for fining the team if she sits. Let me ask you this, what was the goal of the piece then, and what did he hope to accomplish? Followed by the "come join the discussion" piece that followed it on Full Court? I'll file this one alongside the "Geno is playing Maya because she went to UConn" stories. There to get readers to the site, no more, no less.
No one said there was a violation of any rule (at least they should not be). People have simply claimed it is "unethical." Personally, I have no problem with tanking; my only issue is tanking when you are trying to build a fanbase in a niche sport. It is easier in Phoenix, with two recent WNBA titles. It would be much harder to justify in another city. Clay's piece was an opinion piece; he was soliciting commentary and discussion. How is that different from you posting links on Rebkell to opinion pieces?
I'm actually encouraged by the tanking because it means ownership is actually committed enough to take the risk of not trying to squeeze every dime they can out of the present season and angering some of their current season ticket holders at least over the short term.
Two things: I seem to remember that at the Olympics they had an issue with tanking in badminton It's quite possible that the Mercury front office has said to D - Tank you very much for your fine play.
Cam the title says point blank she must play or both should be fined. How can you tell me that doesn't say anything about rules being broken? What else would they be fined for? It passes judgment that there is a rule being broken that deserves punishment, whn I still have found not one person to tell me what rule. Feel free to defend it all you want, but the headline itself clearly states his thesis. And it is a flawed one in that respect. I can think of no other purpose to put out a piece with that flawed a thesis other than to draw attention. BTW, someone asked why didn't Clay ask these questions to Mercury, you said what makes you think they'd answer. As a journalist, shouldn't he be asking anyway? Heck I had Gaines on the podcast and I asked him! I let people judge for themselves wha they'd like from hi response.
