Sparks throw out first pitch at Dodgers game

You throw, girl.

Over the weekend,  golfer Michelle Wie threw out the first pitch at the Dodgers Game.

Not sure how we missed the fact that last Wednesday, Los Angeles Sparks forwards and 2008 Olympians Tina Thompson and Delisha Milton Jones were similarly honored. The pair were featured during the Dodger’s Olympic celebration.

As part of the night’s festivities, Tina and Delisha also got a chance to throw the first pitch of the game.

Pics and video

Earlier in the season, Jackie Joyner Kersee, Sports Illustrated’s Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century and winner of three gold, a silver and two bronze Olympic medals and  Cammi Granato, who captained the U.S. Women’s Hockey team to the gold medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games threw out ceremonial first pitches at games in Chicago.

Nice to see these female athletes getting some attention.

Fave City: Chicago
Fave Food: Mom’s Lasagna
Fave Musical Artist: Jay-Z
Fave Celebrity Look: Rihanna

Check out what Parker has to say about beauty, basketball, and making it to the top of her game.

20 Questions with Candace Parker

The 6-foot-5 Southern California native first grabbed headlines when she scored 101 points for her Inglewood Morningside team in 1990. Leslie stayed closed to home for college, helping USC reach the final eight of the NCAA tournament twice, in 1992 and 1994.

Leslie, who has been a cornerstone of the league since its start, guided the Sparks to the WNBA championship in 2001 and 2002 and became the first woman to dunk in a WNBA game.

Leslie says she decided to retire as it became more difficult to balance her family life and her basketball career. She took the 2007 season off to give birth, then returned last season.

In other WNBA news, the Seattle Storm released three-time WNBA MVP and three-time Olympic gold medalist Sheryl Swoopes a day before her 2009 contract would have become guaranteed.

Coach Brian Agler says the move was made to clear space under the $803,000 salary cap.

Swoopes is 37 and might now pursue something she’s talked about since September — coaching and being a full-time mother. 

With these announcements, an era in women’s basketball comes to an end.

In 2008 Parker was selected the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, she was the first woman in the WNBA to win both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, she captured her first Olympic Gold Medal at the Summer Games in Beijing and last November she eloped.

Entering a new year, Parker confirmed she has a special first to look forward to. This spring, she and husband Shelden Williams of the Sacramento Kings are expecting their first child.

And the timing works out perfectly. Parker says she will continue to work out in preparation to participate in the 2009 WNBA season which kicks off for the Sparks on June 6th. Guess she won’t be playing in Russia as expected but she’s young and assuming there are no complications there’s no reason she can’t return to play quickly.

In a letter to fans, Sparks owners Carla Christofferson and Kathy Goodman write they “are delighted to be adding a new Sparks fan.” Boy or girl, this kid should be dunking in no time (as well as perusing sponsorship offers).

The former face of the Sparks, Lisa Leslie, announced on the same day that Goodman and her Christofferson bought the team that she would miss the entire 2007 season due to pregnancy so we’re guessing the news wasn’t a total shock to the owners.

Still, the health of the Sparks and the WNBA rests somewhat precariously on Parker’s shoulders so there must be added pressure. No male athlete has to account to the league or fans regarding child birth decisions – it’s unfortunate the same can’t be said about female athletes.

Congrats CP – Enjoy the moment!

December 17, 2008

A six-time league All-Star and Rookie of the Year in 1999, Holdsclaw shockingly announced her retirement in June of 2007 — just five games into the season despite leading the team with 15.8 points per game — and pursued an overseas hoops career.

With Holdsclaw back, here’s wishing her and Atlanta the best this season.

From a WNBA release:

The Atlanta Dream acquired the rights to forward Chamique Holdsclaw from the Los Angeles Sparks today in exchange for the 13th overall pick (first round) in the 2009 WNBA Draft. Holdsclaw, an eight-year veteran, is returning to the WNBA after a two year hiatus.

“We are very excited to bring one of the best players in Tennessee women’s basketball history to our roster,” said Team President & COO Bill Bolen. “The excitement this will bring to our fans is huge. We think it’s going to make a big impact on the Atlanta community and the entire southeast.”

The first overall draft pick in the 1999 WNBA Draft, Holdsclaw spent the first six years of her career with the Washington Mystics, averaging 19 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. In her first season as a pro, she was named WNBA Rookie of the Year and was a starter in the inaugural WNBA All-Star game. In 2000, Holdsclaw was named to the Olympic team and earned a gold medal in Sydney.

A WNBA All-Decade Team honorable mention, Holdsclaw most recently played for the Los Angeles Sparks, after being acquired in a 2005 trade for DeLisha Milton-Jones. She spent two full seasons in Los Angeles before announcing her retirement in June 2007. At the time, Holdsclaw was averaging 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. After her retirement, she continued to pursue her basketball career overseas, most recently in Poland where she is averaging 17.6 points per game for TS Wisla Can-Pack Krakow in Euroleague action.

“Coming back has been something that I have been thinking about for a while,” Holdsclaw said. “The only thing that was holding me back was my body and being healthy. I realized that if I had the chance I would like to play this summer.”

“I’m just happy that Chamique is back in the WNBA,” said Dream General Manager & Head Coach Marynell Meadors. “I just think she really misses the game. I am looking forward to having her. She elevates our team to another level.”

Holdsclaw had a legendary career at the University of Tennessee where she was a four-time Kodak All-American. She finished her collegiate career with 3,025 points and 1,295 rebounds, making her the all-time leading scoring and rebounder in school history (men’s and women’s), the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in SEC women’s history, and the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in the history of the NCAA Women’s Tournament. Holdsclaw won the Naismith player of the year trophy twice (1998 and 1999) and posted a 134-17 win/loss record during her remarkable career as a Lady Vol. In 2000, she was named Naismith’s Player of the Century for the 1990s.

University of Tennessee Head Coach Pat Summitt echoed the sentiments of Meadors. “I’m excited for her [Holdsclaw] and I’m excited for the Atlanta Dream,” she said. “Great players usually make everyone around them better and I see Chamique doing that for Atlanta right away. She will bring a different dimension to the court for her team. She is tremendously skilled, she knows how to win, and she is an exciting competitor.”

Each of us has a dream. Some of us dream big: we want to be a movie star, president, or a professional athlete. Some of us dream of being great: just like our mom, our dad, our big brother or sister, or our teachers and coaches. Whatever our dreams are, it is usually a special person in our lives who “sparks” those dreams.

Did watching Lisa Leslie hit a game winning shot inspire you to practice harder? Or maybe Candace Parker’s two dunks sparked you to reach heights you didn’t think possible? Perhaps someone in your family has inspired you to be great. This is your opportunity to tell who in your life has helped “spark” your dreams.

In 500 words or less, describe who in your life has provided the “spark” to your dreams. The winning submission will receive a visit from a Sparks player to their school, organization or workplace. Second and third place will receive four (4) red section tickets to the 2009 Sparks Opening Night game. Selected stories will also be shared on the LASparks.com. All entries must be received by 5pm PT on Wednesday, December 17, 2008.

For eligibility, rules and entry form visit wnba.com

btw: congrats to Sparks player Candace Parker who tied the knot with Shelden Williams when the couple eloped in Lake Tahoe last month.

October 4, 2008

The awards capped a big run for Parker, who was college player of the year for national champion Tennessee. Parker also was a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. team in the Beijing Olympics.

Parker was the only player in the league to pull down more than nine rebounds per game. Parker also led the league in double-doubles with 17 and ranked among WNBA leaders in rebounds per game (first), blocks per game (second), points per game (fourth), field goal percentage (fifth), minutes player (seventh) and assists per game (17th).

Parker joined some elite company on Friday as she became the first women’s basketball player and only the third basketball player ever to win Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same year – joining Wilt Chamberlain (1959-60) and Wes Unseld (1968-69).

In honor of being named the WNBA Most Valuable Player, Parker will pocket $15,000 and a trophy.

When asked by WNBA.com what she’ll do you do for an encore, CP laughed and answered “Win a championship.”

With that said, we can’t wait for next season!

September 19, 2008

Parker and the No. 3 seed Sparks begin the quest for their first championship since 2002 in a Western Conference home game against No. 2 seed Seattle Storm.

The Trifecta: Parker will be looking to add to this year’s accomplishments of leading the Tennessee Lady Vols to a second NCAA championship in a row and helping the USA win the Olympic gold medal in Beijing.

No woman has accomplished the college, pro and Olympic trifecta in the same season. On the men’s side, only Boston Celtics center Bill Russell can make the claim.

What do you think? Will she make history?

The league is also prepping for post-season awards with Rookie of the Year almost certainly going to Candace Parker who is also in the running for MVP.

To break down the match ups and read blogs by players such as Deanna Nolan, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Lindsey Whalen, visit at WNBA.com

This week in WNBA History
September 16, 2003: The Detroit Shock won their first WNBA title against the Los Angeles Sparks in front of a sell-out crowd and record attendance for the WNBA of 22,076.

August 28, 2008

When the league went on a monthlong hiatus at the end of July, three teams were vying for first place in the Eastern Conference and all seven teams in the West were in playoff contention.

The season schedule resumes tonight with five games, including the Seattle Storm hosting the Houston Comets and the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Sacramento Monarchs.  Teams have from seven to nine games remaining over an 18-day stretch.

The Shock entered the break reeling from a skirmish with the Los Angeles Sparks. Cheryl Ford was lost for the season with a knee injury, and Plenette Pierson was suspended for four games — the longest penalty among the 10 players on both teams that were sanctioned.

Pierson still has to serve two games on her suspension, but the Shock bolstered its frontcourt by acquiring six-time All-Star Taj McWilliams-Franklin from the Washington Mystics.

Will the Shock and Sparks meet in the play-offs? Will the Storm make the play-offs sans Lauren Jackson? With the resumption of the WMBA season, find out what to watch for down the stretch.

The game turned heated after a collision between LA’s Candace Parker and Detroit’s Plenette Pierson turned into a shoving match that saw players and coaches from both teams leave the bench. In the waning moments of the game, Parker got tangled up with Pierson and to many it was clear that Pierson intentionally baited Parker and took her to the ground “Piston style”.

Rookie sensation Candace Parker, the league’s poster child, scored 21 points and DeLisha Milton-Jones added 19 before both were ejected after the scuffle. The Sparks held on to beat the Shock 84-81 in WNBA.

Pierson and Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn (a former Pistons Bad Boy) were also ejected. The latter came off the bench as a peacekeeper but allegedly shoved Lisa Leslie to the ground during the incident. Pushing the star center may not have been the best idea to “protect the game” especially when Mahorn is twice her size. Suspensions and fines will surely follow for all involved.

The Shock’s Cheryl Ford, who also went down during the incident, will miss the remainder of 2008 WNBA Season with a knee injury sustained earlier in the game.

The brawl, which was televised (see below),  may have provided the WNBA with a much needed a shot in the arm to boost attention – albeit not the most positive kind. Now this may not have been on the same level as what happens in European Football (soccer) matches or between the Yanks and the Red Sox but it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise that a bunch of women lost their temper during an intense game. It’s exactly the kind of emotional stupidity that’s been known to afflict their male counterparts in a host of similar situations.

Anway, the rivalry between the Sparks and the Shock is firmly established and as a fan, a game between these two teams in the championship could definitely pique my interest.

What do you think?

The New York Liberty will make professional basketball history tomorrow, Saturday, July 19, when the team plays host to the Indiana Fever in the WNBA’s first regular-season outdoor game.

In addition to making professional basketball history, the Liberty Outdoor Classic will be the first non-tennis sporting event to take place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, the largest public outdoor tennis facility in the world.

The Knicks’ court, brought over in 226 pieces, was laid out on the surface at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday. The baskets and scorer’s tables came over later that night after the Liberty’s win against Washington at the Garden.

Saturday’s activities include a FREE pre-game Fan Festival open to the public directly outside of the stadium from 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm, featuring New York Knicks stars David Lee and Nate Robinson with Knicks and Liberty greats John Starks, Allan Houston, Kym Hampton, Teresa Weatherspoon and Sue Wicks. Kids will have the opportunity to enjoy carnival rides, interactive games and win special Liberty prizes.

Following the game, Epic Record’s hot singing group, MENUDO, will perform a concert free for all ticket holders. Be part of sports history – tix available at Ticketmaster or NYLiberty.com

You can also join Liberty Legend Kym Hampton and the Torch Patrol on the CBS Early Show Saturday morning to promote the event. Show up at the corner of 59th and fifth at 7:30AM to be part of the live television experience!

In other news:

Soccer: The U.S. Women open the 2008 Peace Queen Cup with 2-1 victory over Australia.   Forward Natasha Kai scored in the first half and forward Abby Wambach added the winner 13 minutes from the end of the game. The Americans face Brazil next on June 17 at the Suwon Sports Complex.

Beach Volleyball:  Reigning Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh set a record for team gold-medal finishes on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour on Saturday as the U.S. beach volleyball tandem defeated Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China for the US$600,000 smart Grand Slam title in Berlin, Germany.

Waterpolo: The USA Women’s Senior National Team’s bid for a third straight FINA World League Super Final title was halted by Russia as Team USA lost 8-7 in the championship game.

Motocross: The third round of the Women’s Motocross World Championship saw Germany’s Steffi Laier take her second consecutive victory; once again it was a double moto win for the German, who topped the podium from Katherine Prumm and hometown rider Livia Lancelot. Laier moved up to fifth in the Championship.

May 18, 2008

Parker ended up two passes shy of a triple-double stat line. Going into its 12th season, no rookie in the women’s pro league has ever debuted with a triple-double. She racked up 34 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in her first game.

The Mercury was a stubborn opponent but Parker didn’t let anything get in the way of her superb debut, least of all an opener against the league champs.

Oh, and let’s not forget Lisa Leslie. The new mom added 17 points and 12 boards in her return to the game.

Good times. At least for LA fans.

The Naperville, Illinois native will not be with the Los Angeles Sparks tonight when they play against the Chicago Sky in a WNBA exhibition game. Instead, the league’s No. 1 draft pick will be picking up a diploma from Tennessee in sports management and psychology.

“I think it would have been harder [to miss] had it been a regular-season game,” Parker said. “I feel like it’s very important for me to be there to get my degree. It’s something I had been working toward for four years.”

Parker will be joined at the commencement ceremonies by Lady Vol teammates and current WNBA players Nicky Anosike, Alexis Hornbuckle and Shannon Bobbitt.

“The graduating student-athletes take with them college degrees that prepare them for a life of learning and opportunities,” said Dr. Ruth Darling, assistant vice provost and student success center director. “They also take a set of skills they have acquired though their athletics participation that will contribute to their success in future careers and professions.”

You can catch Parker at the Sparks’ season-opener on the road against defending champion Phoenix on May 17 and she will return to Chicago for a regular-season game on June 3.

In the meantime, kudos on graduating college Candace.

April 22, 2008

We knew the moment she started dunking rocks in high school and during college games that she was destined to shine in the WNBA. Earlier this month, she was the first overall pick in the WNBA draft, going to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Now, a week into her pro career, the endorsements are coming through. Gatorade was the first to sign Parker, who is also a member of the U.S. Olympic team,  to an endorsement deal.

“It’s only fitting for me to announce Gatorade as my first partner as I begin my professional basketball career because they have been part of my life since the day I first picked up a basketball,” said Parker. “It still means a lot to me that in high school I was honored as a two-time Gatorade High School Basketball Player of the Year and as a college athlete at the University of Tennessee, Gatorade was always on the sidelines.”

Candace has also signed an endorsement deal with adidas, who was battling with Nike to grab the budding superstar. Young girls relate to her and someday may be able to lace up a pair of Parker basketball shoes. We’re sure these deals are just the first of many so stay tuned!

The honor, announced Thursday, was based on the results of national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program, now in its 32nd year.

Parker was the No. 1 overall pick at the recent WNBA draft. She led Tennessee this year to its second consecutive NCAA championship and was recognized for the second time as Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four, only the fourth player ever to do so.

We love you Candace!

April 9, 2008

You’ve heard the hype: Candace Parker, Candice Wiggins and the deepest class in WNBA history.  It’s a given that both will be star players at the next level, in their own special ways.

As anticipated, Parker submitted the appropriate paperwork renouncing her remaining intercollegiate eligibility to be available for selection in today’s WNBA Draft.

The Los Angeles Sparks had the first draft pick and as expected they chose Parker. (Since we’re based in LA, we couldn’t be more excited!) The number two pick went to the Chicago Sky who added LSU’s Sylvia Fowles to their roster. Rounding out the top three was Wiggins who’s heading to the Minnesota Lynx (though there may well be a trade in her future). 

Detroit Shock had the fourth pick and chose Tennesse guard Alexis Hornbuckle. Fifth pick was Houston who selected Rutger’s guard Matee Ajavon. Next up, the Washington Mystics picked Maryland’s Crystal Langhorne who is a local favorite. Congrats to all the picks and you ladies looked great in your glam outfits and high heels – way to show off those pretty tough attributes.

See the full Draft Board here  and get the latest news at WNBA.com

March 23, 2008

According to a recent USA Today article, Parker has been the Next Big Thing since eighth grade. That’s when she was featured in a Chicago Sun-Times spread about a youth sensation expected to take the high school scene by storm.

It was the same when she was ending her career at Naperville (Ill.) High School with two state titles and two USA TODAY Player of the Year awards. The anticipation turned to her collegiate influence at Tennessee. After all, she was the girl who beat the boys in a high school dunk contest.

Now, of course, Candace’s hoping to finish her Tennessee run with a second consecutive NCAA title. The All-American forward (and redshirt junior) will graduate at the end of this season to participate in the summer Olympics and pursue a professional career.

The No. 1 seed Lady Volunteers open today against No. 16 Oral Roberts in West Lafayette, Ind. This is the first meeting between the schools, with the winner advancing to play eighth-seeded Utah or ninth-seeded Purdue on Tuesday. Be sure to catch Candace on the court as she wraps up her collegiate career.

ATLANTA, Jan. 23, 2008 –

The Atlanta Dream’s color scheme is red and sky blue. In the logo, Atlanta is spelled out in red capital letters above Dream which is penned in sky blue capital letters and shadowed with a red and white. Three light blue stars surround the A of Dream with one star in the middle and a basketball propelled out of the star.

“The support in Atlanta has been tremendous and we look forward to seeing the Dream grow and prosper throughout the Inaugural 2008 Season and beyond.” said WNBA President Donna Orender.

The Atlanta WNBA team will begin play in 2008 at Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta. The team will tip-off in its first regular season home game on Friday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. against defending Eastern Conference Champions the Detroit Shock. For information and to purchase season tickets for Atlanta’s 2008 season, fans can call (404) 604-2626 or visit www.AtlantaDream.net. E-mail inquiries should be sent to tickets@atlantadream.net.