Donovan is reprehensible

[UcMiami]

Thank you for the kind words, and your post is really good; with one possible exception.

What makes you think that Charles (and Lawson) didn't make it clear to people they wanted to be traded (and to specific places)?

People in the DiMauro thread are jumping on the Sun statement they were blind-sided like it was a ridiculous statement, that even they knew Tina wanted out.

Don't your think she told people (and Lawson too)?

That's the one thing I'm saying about the deals, was considering past I want to be traded deals, I thought the Sun brought in some good return.

I obviously have no idea of what was known by whom prior to the trade, but ... I think a GM as good as Bill would drive a harder bargain for a player that he knew would only play in NY. If that was in fact her stance and she had made it known to NY, the Sun would have been over a barrel and would have been lucky to get this years 4th pick and Bone or maybe Bone and next years #1. I think he thought he was bidding against someone like Mike in DC. (And for all we know he was.)
I think Douglas to IN was more clearly 'one team' and the Sun didn't get as much (even taking into account the MVP.)

 

[msf22b]

According to china.org (2004) Teams were required to max out the monthly salaries to foreign players at $60,000 per month.

We're a decade out from that and with guaranteed endorsements. TV deals, money under the table, special allowances…there's no telling how much a Maya Moore (for example) can make.

It's important and an honor to play in the WNBA, improves your market value, undoubtedly the fiercest competition, but the pay is one step up from reprehensible, especially as compared to what the men earn. Certainly you can't argue with ownership who don't want to lose a bundle but that would never happen on the men's side.

Tina's is merely making a business decision that suits her needs. She in unhappy (for whatever reason, not really germane to the argument) and is in a position to sit out if her requirements aren't met. She's not the first to make such a proclamation; D sat when she was exhausted after the OLympics, the Aussie gal on Tulsa took a season off, etc etc.

With the WNBA current level of pay, you're going to have a growing number of star players taking all or most of that season off, especially if foreign opportunities escalate and pay scales abroad continue to increase.

The next step in this saga is for a superstar to announce, she'll never play in the WNBA for that pittance, rather get more years out of her body in China, Russia, or wherever.

 

[Icebear]

At that point a big enough sample will exist that other options need to be explored.

Some would say that that sample already exists. At Seton Hall and her first year at the Sun. I trust Tina's heart and will given the totality of her work at UCONN, charitable causes, and for the Sun prior to last year.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Paco, that was just meant as a comical reply to someone else, but thanks for chiming in. Just to reply, I blamed nobody. I just said I don't like when athletes threaten things like sitting out or refusing to play. That's it.

Some would say that that sample already exists. At Seton Hall and her first year at the Sun. I trust Tina's heart and will given the totality of her work a UCONN, charitably, and for the Sun prior to last year.

I agree Ice, and especially like your use of the word trust.

 

[Woof 101]

I really like Chiney and hope Dovovan doesn't screw up her game, too, or waste her talents. I see Donovan as a coach whom the game has passed by. Someone who is fine when she has the majority of talent that she can send out on the court as at Seattle or the Olympic team but who really doesn't have real answers in a world where competition is tough.

Agree...

I could quit, but I can't just sit out. And who among us can afford to just not work for any extended period? Not me.

Understand that the WNBA is second fiddle to the better players. The staff had to fly to Russia not NY to court Tina, as this is where the better players actually make their living. I am glad she may have woke the franchise up...

 

[wire chief]

It's important to understand that Tina earned the right to do as she did. Between UConn and the Sun she turned herself into a superstar.
Now some mere mortals may feel a green-eyed monster about it, but that's your failing, not Tina's.

 

[ctkaiser]

Lot's of info on Tina's story, why did Kara leave ?

Bingo! That's the point. If it was just Kara or just Tina it wouldn't point to a problem. Plus with Aisha out all season Tina was playing without any help at forward. Sun basically threw away the season. Their roster last year was embarrassing.

 

[SWHuskyFan]

Tina Charles is a once in a decade or so player in the WNBA for any given team. My guess is that it takes a while for the Sun to recover from losing her. Maybe they get lucky and one of the draft picks turns into a star.

They should of fixed her issue before it got to this point. If that means firing the coach, I think you do that. This has happened in the NBA lots if times. It's simply much easier to replace a coach than a league MVP.

 

[CL82]

The Courant says that Charles' agent told them that she wanted a trade or she would sit out. I don't know anything about Donovan and it seems obvious that her and Charles aren't getting along, but to me there's no excuse for a player making those kinds of demands. That's the main reason I HATE Eli Manning. I can't do it in my work place and she shouldn't be able to do it there. You can ask for a trade, but you play your best until it happens.

Keep in mind the WNBA is kind of a part time job relative to the money that can be made by top players in Europe. Tina would not have the first player to decide to forego a season. Playing for about half the cash that you'd make it Europe in a hostile environment, might give anyone pause.

JMHO.

 

[AllAmerRedHeads]

while i think Mike was over the top, i do not like players pulling where they will play or they will sit. this includes nfl and the Mannings and anyone else.

20 years ago, we had only the WBA in the US. a league that was considerbly weaker than even the NWBL.

While Tina and the likes can do what they want, we are fortunate to have any league here in the US.

many women that came before them didnt have such opportunities and it ended at high school or college if they were lucky.

I didnt like it when Cappie did this a few years ago, and just because a player played for my favorite college team and is an awesome player, doesnt make it any better.

The WNBA is still fragile and with Stern retiring could be even more so. Situations like this imo do not make it any easier for the league.

i know i am in a very small minority on this board, but womens basketball at all levels is what is most important to me and no player is more important than the team. Tina included.

I do have concerns on current coaching and direction and have voiced them to the point where i even got a strong email from the Sun front office, but on this, I think the Sun front office did a pretty good job in making the best of a situation.

May it work out to both the Sun and Liberty specifically and the league as a whole.