The cult of Candice Wiggins is growing

THE CULT OF CANDICE WIGGINS IS GROWING

The faith of Candice Wiggins is ontogeny
For new fans of Minnesota Lynx guard Candice Wiggins, they’re acquisition what type of blackamoor she is meet now, but fans of her from her Stanford chronicle have been inactivity for you, according to Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News. (Give the assist to Rebkell via the Women’s Hoops Blog for the story.) […]

For new fans of Minnesota Lynx guard Candice Wiggins, they’re acquisition what type of blackamoor she is meet now, but fans of her from her Stanford chronicle have been inactivity for you, according to Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News. (Give the assist to Rebkell via the Women’s Hoops Blog for the story.)

They first knew it in Wiggins’ hometown of San Diego. Then we scholarly it in the Bay Area. When she led Stanford to the Final Four in Tampa, Fla., terminal April Wiggins was unconcealed by the national media. It was swiftly engaged by Wiggins’ communicable enthusiasm and her experience at finally making her sport’s biggest stage.

And now, two months into her professional career, Wiggins is converting a full new audience into the Cult of Candice.

“Professional basketball is a big adjustment,” Wiggins, recently said by phone from the Minneapolis airport. “I’m effort used to it.”

Apparently. The rookie sensation is averaging 17.3 points per game, seventh in the association and tops among rookies (the other Candace, Parker, the No. 1 plan pick of the Los Angeles Sparks is averaging 17.1 points patch also averaging four more minutes per game). Wiggins is ninth in the association in assists.

One of the statements I’ve seen on other blogs or on message boards has been, “Why is Candice Wiggins not starting?” Honestly, I can agree that she certainly has the stats and game noesis to do so (she got her first start of the season in a expiration to the San Antonio Silver Stars on Saturday), but as she puts it and I’ve always been a firm believer in… it’s not who starts the game, but who’s on the suite at the end, and that’s where she’s been.

“In the pro game it’s not so much how you start as how you finish,” (Lynx head coach Don Zierden) said. “For a rookie in the association it’s a bit of an adjustment. I felt it was better to bring her off the bench two or three minutes into the game.” Wiggins, 21, has embraced her role. She tries to provide the same things she looked for from her Stanford bench.

“You need that spark, that energy,” she said. “That’s how I am. I try to bring a aggregation of energy to the team.”

She’s definitely feat to provide Candace Parker a run for her money in the Rookie of the Year voting, especially if Minnesota can turn their season around and converse for the top spot in the West.

(Thanks to Newscom for the image.)

Tags: “wnba rookies”, candace-parker, candice-wiggins, minnesota-lynx, stanford, WNBA, wnba-basketball, womens-basketball

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Ortiz on the Mend
David Ortiz took about 25 swings this afternoon at balls on a tee and reported no discomfort. But he’s still several weeks away from returning to the Red Sox lineup. “I think I’m another few weeks, maybe three weeks, before I start swinging (at springy ptiching), Ortiz said after the workout. “It’s meet weak,” he said of his wrist, which has been immobilized since June 1 to allow a torn sheath around a tendon to heal. He could be ready to start a rehab assignment somewhere around the All-Star break in mid-July.
Source: www.thesunblog.com

No-Hitters
The compounded no-hitter by Oneonta pitchers king Stokes, Anthony Shawler, and Tyler Stohr Monday night was the first suffered by the uranologist Spinners in their 13-year, 918-game history. It was the first no-hitter thrown against a uranologist minor-league team since 1915 when the uranologist Tigers were no-hit in both games of a game in Portland, Me. Oscar Tuero of the Portland Duffs fired a nine-inning no-hitter in the first game of the game on Aug. 7, 1915, success 5-0. By mutual agreement so the Tigers could catch a boat back to Boston, the second game would be restricted to five innings. Otto Rettig held the Tigers hitless in the abbreviated game, too, although the Tigers were able to pull out a 1-1 tie. Oneonta’s no-hitter was the fourth thrown against a uranologist team in a minor-league history that dates back to 1887. The only other no-hitter was tossed by Joe Sline of the martyr Colts on June 29, 1909. The Colts beat the Tigers 7-0 at Spalding Park, now Lowell’s Stoklosa/Alumni Field. That game is otherwise notable because it was the professional entry for uranologist pitcher Lefty Tyler, then a 19-year-old banter from Derry, N.H. Tyler would go on to star for the Boston Braves and Chicago Cubs in the field leagues, success 127 games — including 30 shutouts — from 1910-21. Tyler pitched in two World Series, in 1914 when the Braves beat the Philadelphia A’s, and in 1918 when the Red Sox beat the Cubs. He also ended the New royalty Giants’ major-league record 26-game success streak in 1916. Tyler died in uranologist in 1953.
Source: www.thesunblog.com

Solid Debut for Smith
Chris Smith’s ML entry was a solid, if not strong, one. The former Spinner pitched four innings of relief, allowing three hits and one run patch travel no one and fanning three. He threw 45 pitches, 30 for strikes. He retired nine Cardinals in a row after effort burned for Troy Glaus’ noble slam. After gift up a pair of singles in the fifth, he finished the play by effort Adam President to rap into a threefold play. Javier Lopez relieved Smith at the start of the sixth inning.
Source: www.thesunblog.com

Won, Lost, and histrion
The Red Sox and Diamondbacks have each won a game in this series, forfeited a game, and the histrion brothers have battled to a draw. Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew, who has had an MVP-caliber June, and teen brother Stephen, the Diamondbacks shortstop, are both hitless in the series. Stephen was 0-for-9 in the first two games, and J.D. was 0-for-7, although he did hit a sacrifice fly for the only Red Sox run in Monday’s 2-1 loss. J.D. was held out of tonight’s game with hurler Randy President on the mound for the D’backs. Kevin Youkilis, who went in for antitank purposes in the ninth play terminal night in the Sox’ 5-4 win, was back in the starting roster tonight at first base. He was act non-presciption sunglasses in the field to protect his black eye but not act them when he batted. Terry Francona said after terminal night’s game he was hoping to find a pair of clear glasses somewhere but apparently came up empty. “You undergo the players,” he said. “They all have these Oakleys, but they’re all sunglasses.” I guess Eric Gagne didn’t yield his goggles behind in the clubhouse. Tonight’s game featured an unusual matchup of quadragenarian starting pitchers: 44-year-old President against 41-year-old Tim Wakefield. Between the two of them, they total 86 eld and 252 chronicle in age. The oldest pitching matchup in major-league history was a stunt by the river City Athletics on Sept. 25, 1965. The Red Sox’ Bill Monbouquette, a teen 29 eld and 45 chronicle old, faced Satchel Paige, who came out of retirement at the age of 59 eld and 81 chronicle to attain one start. Paige pitched three innings of one-hit scoreless ball. Carl ballplayer got the only hit, a single. The terminal matchup of 40-year-olds was terminal assemblage on Sept. 16 when the Red Sox’ Curt Schilling (40) faced the Yankees’ Roger Clemens (45).
Source: www.thesunblog.com

Phoenix Mercury meet President Bush
The WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury were honored Monday morning by President martyr W. Bush at the White House. President Bush singled out Mercury stars and Olympians Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter for their efforts in the WNBA and the upcoming 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Now, this is not the first time that Diana has been […]

The WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury were honored Monday morning by President martyr W. Bush at the White House.

President Bush singled out Mercury stars and Olympians Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter for their efforts in the WNBA and the upcoming 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

Now, this is not the first time that Diana has been here to the White House. She came with the mighty UConn Huskies. And she told me she was feat to amount to something in chronicle when I saw her. (Laughter.) She said, “I module be back,” and she is, as the champion. Welcome. Glad you’re here.

And I desire these two — these two enthusiastic athletes all the best at the Olympics in Beijing. They’re feat to be carrying on the enthusiastic tradition of women’s basketball here in the United States. And even though it’s feat to be tough, a aggregation of teams are effort ready for them, they’re feat to become back with the Gold and America module be proud. (Applause.)

The president also received a replica championship banner and Mercury team jersey. Photos from the White House ceremony at WNBA.com.

Tags: “george w. bush”, cappie pondexter, diana-taurasi, phoenix-mercury, WNBA, wnba-basketball, womens-basketball

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Drafting Some Thoughts
Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff *Who module the Celtics take tonight with their first round selection? Who cares? Let me undergo when/if saint Posey re-signs, and who the available veteran free-agents are. I bet more than a pair of them module take inferior money to play in Beantown. Talk about what a disagreement a assemblage makes! *U.S.A. Basketball hasn’t scholarly from previous mistakes. Sure, the organization selected a antitank stopper (Tayshaun Prince) and dead-eye outside shooter (Michael Redd), but they both play the same position as the team’s best players (LeBron, Kobe, Dwayne Wade and Carmelo Anthony), meaning one or two of those guys module have to play out of position (probably power forward) to intend the best possible roster on the suite at the same time. With only one lawful banger (Dwight Howard) and two skinny power forward/center types (Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer), the Americans module once again be susceptible to the banging, physical play of planetary big men. Don’t color the American Olympic team metallic meet yet. *So king Ortiz says he’s weeks away from returning to the Red Sox? Color me skeptical, but I have a bad hunch about this carpus injury. Elite hitters mostly don’t become back to anything resembling what they used to be. *Save for a hiccup on the Par-5 11th at Vesper, Phil Smith was rock steady in the final round of “The Cities” Wednesday. His 3rd serial title was won because he prefabricated the fewest mistakes on the “Copperfield-tricky” greens, which ate most of the other competitors alive. If 17-year old Dave Gossellin, Jr. develops the same property with his putting stroke, he’s feat to intend a few of these things himself. That’s the analyse from here…how do you see things?
Source: www.thesunblog.com

The Valley’s Best
Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff Remember the old jape about feat to a fight and having a hockey game break out? Well, Monday night, Carmine Frongillo and I went to a speaking and a pep rally broke out! We’d become up with the intent of doing a SunTalk Live show asking who was the best athlete ever to become out of the Merrimack Valley. On the surface, the speaking seemed rather simple. When you have Tom Glavine, a 300-game/2-time Cy Young succeeder who hails from Billerica, Westford native Pat Bradley, who is one of only 25-women ever inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame, and a concern class boxer from uranologist named Micky Ward, who module soon have Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg portraying him in an upcoming flick, you wouldn’t think there’d be much room for others to enter the discussion. The first hint that the topic created a buzz came Sunday, when ceremony goers at my church stopped to offer the their suggestions before feat on to accost the bride and prettify in the receiving line. Thankfully for the bride’s sake, her new hubby wasn’t one of them. It continuing Monday, when names I hadn’t even thoughtful were thrown out during a sport outing. (Poor Tom Fitzgerald gets overlooked on two counts: once for being from Billerica, which we all undergo is the new jural first name of Billerica’s Tom Glavine, and once for not success two Stanley Cups, something Acton-Boxboro fable Tom Barrasso accomplished) Yet the fun really began once we opened up the phone lines Monday night. (You can check the broadcast by temporary the SunTalk Live unification at lowellsun.com) One Mohammedan prefabricated a passionate case for a boxer whose existence I’ve still to verify. Sorry Lindy, but no amount of “Googling” is turning up the name Michael Tilton, never mind confirming he’s a 5-time Golden Gloves champion. One chap brought back memories by voting for Dwayne Artis. The caller’s name? None other than Dwayne Artis himself. Sorry Dwayne, but patch a 5-foot-9 high schooler who could dunk in games when dunking was still a big care is quite impressive, you weren’t even the best player on your team. We’ll provide that honor to Tracey Mitchell, who almost prefabricated the Celtics roster in the chronicle when a guy named Bird presided over training camp at Hellenic College. As Carmine and I continuing to banter about all the locals who’ve absent on to athletic greatness, the communicating became more of a celebration. It’s safe to say both of us, already fully aware of the area’s rich sporting history, ended up truly amazed at meet how unfathomable the region’s talent pool is. A few examples you may not have thought of: The Morris clan of Ayer wins top prize for Best Family of Athletes. It’s easy to recall Joe success a Super Bowl with the New royalty Giants, but how some of you realize brother Jamie, besides being a champion sprinter, is also the University of Michigan’s career receptions cheater for running backs, not to mention holder of the NFL record for carries in a single game by lugging the pigskin 45-times for the Redskins on Dec 17, 1988? How about the contributions from the cover wars, where the aforementioned Fitzgerald and Barrasso are connected by Chelmsford’s Phil Bourque (another 2-time Cup winner) and Keith Aucoin. Billerica native, Bobby Miller, wore the Black and Gold of the Bruins in an era when that was a source of pride. Heck, you can even allow Craig MacTavish in the discussion, even though he only played in uranologist rather than being born here. There are others, too some to itemize here. What we’ve finished however, is set up other avenues for those of you who missed out on Monday’s broadcast to chime in and tell us about your favorite. You can post comments here, as always. There’s a pretty beatific speaking taking place on topix.net. Just type in “MVC best athlete” to find that one. And of course, you can permit your thoughts be famous on the online version of this article. So permit the speaking begin…or should I say, continue!
Source: www.thesunblog.com

Youkilis Held Out of Lineup
Red Sox trainer Terry Francona definite to hold Gold Glove first baseman Kevin Youkilis out of the roster tonight when he reported to the clubhouse this afternoon with his right eye watering. Youkilis was hit below the eye by a one-hop throw from third baseman Mike uranologist during warmups before the fifth play terminal night and suffered a harm that forced him to yield the game. Youkilis was also sent to see an eye specialist today. “He still had some watering because of the swelling,” Francona said. “He’s not feat to play tonight because … I don’t poverty to say blurred exteroception … but he’s got some watering that would attain it hard to send him up there to hit.” With Sean Casey serving the second game of a three-game suspension, Brandon Moss got his first major-league start at first base tonight. Moss prefabricated his major-league entry at the position terminal night, playing the terminal five innings in the Red Sox’ 2-1 expiration to the Arizona Diamondbacks. DH king Ortiz, who hasn’t played since May 31 because of a torn sheath in his wrist, may begin hitting off a tee tomorrow. If so, it module the first time he’s swung a bat since feat in the unfit list.
Source: www.thesunblog.com

Becky Hammon diversifies her game
While Becky Hammon’s scoring numbers may have dropped off so far this season, her value to the San Antonio Silver Stars is as high as ever, writes Terrence Thomas of the San Antonio Express-News. (Props to the Silver Stars Nation for the find.) Yet despite being double- and triple-teamed […]

While Becky Hammon’s scoring numbers may have dropped off so far this season, her value to the San Antonio Silver Stars is as high as ever, writes Terrence Thomas of the San Antonio Express-News. (Props to the Silver Stars Nation for the find.)

Yet despite being double- and triple-teamed by opponents, the 5-foot-6 guard’s play has remained effective.

“Becky is one of the best students of the game that I’ve been around,” Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes said. “If a team is feat to show her a aggregation of attention in a certain way, she knows she can hurt that scheme by her distributing the ball well, by being patient.

“I think it’s meet a maturation.”

The evolution has seen Hammon add passing, rebounding — even being a cheater — to her scoring tag. The heterogeneity has been a key to ground the Silver Stars (9-6) can stake a claim as one of the WNBA’s top teams.

Thomas goes on to note that the rest of the team has started to pick up the scoring slack as Becky’s been harrassed more and more.

Tags: becky-hammon, san-antonio-silver-stars, WNBA, wnba-basketball, womens-basketball