SUPER BOWL 2012

Some of Our Readers Were Wondering why the BCs didn't post about the Mystics' game Tuesday night against San Antonio.

Well, the truth is we actually started a short post, but we were so inspired after writing about paneling that we decided to paint part of our basement . . . and ran out of time for our blog. So, like the Mystics (against the Silver Stars and against the Dream before them), we just couldn't finish.

But in case you're interested, we can easily summarize what we would have written (if we weren't sidetracked by spackling, sanding and stringing blue tape everywhere): this was another close -- and winnable -- home game that the Mystics couldn't quite close out. The link to yesterday's Washington Post game report is here.

In case you do read the linked article, we feel obligated to call attention to what we believe, after nearly 14 full seasons of sitting in the Phone Booth and looking at the attendance numbers, is one gross inaccuracy: the statement by the reporter, Shemar Woods, that the Mystics suffered "a 73-67 loss in front of 11,331 at Verizon Center." Uhhh, 11,331 at Verizon Center? Utter and complete fantasy! (We were there.) While we do understand that the "reported" attendance is not the same as the "fannies in the seats" number, how the Mystics come up with these "attendance" figures reporting big increases in attendance over last season, we honestly do not know. Perhaps thousands of free ticket giveaways? And/or thousands of tickets given to corporate sponsors (which mostly are going unused)? Who knows? But the one thing we do know is that while the Mystics front office may have some rationale for what seems to us to be their (extremely) creative accounting of reported attendance, the Mystics team was not playing "in front of" 11,331 fans. Not even close. OK . . . end of rant. (Although we reserve the right to resurrect this one at a later date.)

As our astute readers noted in their comments to our previous post, not all the action in the last week took place on the court. Apparently GM/HC Trudi's commitment to rebuilding with a core of young players cracked under the weight of mounting losses. The Mystics waived rookie Karima Christmas (who immediately found a new home with the Tulsa Shock), and also waived 6'6" rookie Ta'Shia Phillips. Ta'Shia, as you may recall, is the player the Mystics instructed Atlanta to draft with their first round pick (number 8 overall), and ship off to DC as part of the Lindsey Harding trade. Fortunately for Ta'Shia, she also found a new home . . . instantly. She is now a member of the New York Liberty. Those two youngsters' spots on the roster have been filled with a couple of older players, 3-year veteran Kerri Gardin and 11-year veteran DeMya Walker. So it seems that Mystics fans can "waive" goodbye to the youth development movement.

Speaking of "New York": the Mystics face the Liberty tonight (Thursday) in the Libs' three-year temporary home: New Jersey's Prudential Center (WNBA Live Access at 7 PM). For the Mystics, this is the first half of a back-to-back. Tomorrow (Friday), Washington hosts the Indiana Fever at the Phone Booth. (Given that it will be a Friday night game against an opponent with a couple of popular All Stars --Tamika Catchings and Katie Douglas -- the BCs predict that the Mystics tomorrow will be playing in front of a (reported) crowd of 13 or maybe even 15 thousand. So arrive early and be prepared for long lines at the refreshment stands and the rest rooms!)

But we digress . . . returning to the subject of mounting losses: the Mystics, having picked up their 12th loss of the season on Tuesday, have now equalled the total number of losses they suffered during the entire 2010 regular season. In other words, just to finish with the same record as last year, the Mystics need to run the table, beginning with a win tonight followed by 18 more wins . . . in a row. Is that impossible? Not exactly. But if you asked the BCs which was more likely right now: a Mystics 19-game winning streak or the Tea Party advocating for a tax increase . . . well, let's just say we wouldn't be betting on the Mystics.