SUPER BOWL 2012

The Mystics' nightmare of a season finally ended last night, in San Antonio, where Washington lost to the Silver Stars, 82-74. There's not much to say about the game, except that Mo Currie started (the good news), the Mystics gave up two 12-point leads along the way to defeat (the bad news), and Marissa finished up the season in Trudi's doghouse (arf, just news). Riss played a total of only five minutes behind Mo and behind Kerri Gardin.

But if you were worried that Marissa was lonely in the doghouse, don't be. Vicky Dunlap kept her company most of the night. Vicky, whose rookie season started with a great deal of promise, saw her season end with just 1:50 minutes of playing time at the very conclusion of a game that had already been decided. Arf, Arf.

However the most significant news from last night's loss is that the Mystics finished out the season with a record of 6-28. 28 losses -- a staggering number for a 34-game season, and the most ever for the franchise. More losses than in the Mystics' 1998 inaugural season of 3-27.

We said the other day that we never expected to see 27 losses again in a single season. And now we have to say that we never, ever, ever expected to see 28! That this franchise record-setting number of losses came directly following the season of franchise record wins -- 22 (thank you again, Angela and Julie) -- makes it that much more astounding, and that much worse.

The absolute worst part of this horrific season, though, is that it didn't need to play out this way. Much of the damage to the team, and all of the damage to the franchise's fan loyalty and enthusiam (not to mention trust), was entirely self-inflicted.

First to Worst -- that single phrase sums up the story of the 2011 Mystics, a story of failure that is much more about The Sheila & Co. than it is about the players. One day soon, the BCs plan a separate post . . . a season wrap-up of our thoughts about all this. But today is not that day. Today, September 11th, is a day for thinking about and remembering more important things. So our Mystics wrap up will have to wait.

For now, all we can say is, thank goodness this season is over for the Mystics players . . . and for their fans.