WNBA cuts

[ISUbballfan]

Angie got waived by the Rockers today.

[TXSNOS]

Sorry to see this. Seems to me that the WNBA just doesn't give players enough time to either show what they can do or time to develop. This seems especially true for big players. I hope Welle gets to play in the WNBA someday, but I guess she may have to go overseas for now if she wants to continue playing.

TXSNOS

[ISUbballfan]

I was surprised to see her cut today. The Rockers were to play their 2nd preseason game tonight and Angie only got to play 1 minute in the first game. I doubt if she goes oversea from some comments I read somewhere. I think she will start looking for a teaching job.

[swok34]

Seems to me that the WNBA just doesn't give players enough time to either show what they can do or time to develop. This seems especially true for big players.

They don't, as diluted as everyone says the talent pool is, it's not and any developing players have to go overseas to do any developing.....and even then there are no guarantee's. Look at Jacklyn Johnson, she played really well last year, had a really good summer overseas and got cut by Orlando this season....
unless, of course, a player is drafted 1st round...those they seem to keep around forever, look at Tausha Mills (Baby Shaq), Washington Mystics, drafted very high 2 years ago and has yet to show anything, though she has had some injury problems.

A lot depends on the coach and the type system he/she runs; whether a players "fits" or not. There's also the possibility that Angie Welle may get picked up off waivers, or may be called into a team dealing with vast injury problems. Seems the need this year, though, is for point guards.

[cyfanatic]

Unfortunately, you can also add Tracy Gahan to the list of people who were cut. New York made the announcement today.

[kate dawg]

Mandy Nightingale was also cut yesterday.
http://wnba.com/fire/news/trade020522.html

[This message has been edited by kate dawg (edited 05-22-2002).]

[swok34]

Looks like that leaves the 5 - Big XII players taken 1st round that are actually gonna stick......haven't heard a thing about Ross and surgery, though I suspect she will stick it out and not have the surgery. They did waive the 2 players in front of her that were on the roster last year...final rosters due Friday afternoon.

I think that gives even more credence to show what a very "young" league the Big XII is.

[Press]

Dang, this didn't seem too bad to me:

--------------
In a related move, the Fire waived guard Mandy Nightingale prior to the trade in order to make room for the two players from Miami. Nightingale was the team's third-round draft selection this season out of the University of Colorado. In three preseason games with the Fire, Nightingale averaged 3.5 points and 2.0 assists in 8.0 minutes per game.

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[NormanGlenn]

Rosalind Ross has undergone the surgery to repair or replace her ACL. A WNBA representative was on James Hale's radio show this morning. She stated the surgery had been done and Ross was doing fine.

[TXSNOS]

May 22 - Houston Comets waived Texas-ex Nekeshia Henderson and added Nebraska-ex Anna DeForge.

[carolann]

Henderson was certainly given plenty of time to develop. Last year was her chance to show something - she didn't. So for Texas-exes, we have:

Edwina Brown - Detroit, starter
Vicki Hall - Los Angeles, reserve
Edna Campbell - Sacramento, injured reserve (starter last year)

We'll have to wait a few years for a new crop of Texas players to hit the WNBA.

[ISUbballfan]

Isn't Edna Campbell the WNBA player fighting breast cancer?

[TXSNOS]

Yes, here's a story about her: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/134456672_storm18.html

She seems to be doing ok.

TXSNOS

[TXSNOS]

Erica Routt was a free agent somewhere. Maybe Utah? Did she get cut too?

TXSNOS

[TXSNOS]

To answer my own question, I now see where Routt was waived on May 16th: http://www.wnba.com/starzz/news/routt_waived.html

TXSNOS

[OhMandy]

The pro game is much quicker and faster. While I understand a bias since many fans have seen a player play for a couple years, let's be realistic. Maybe that player didn't have the skills to be a good pro player.

I always bring up Rebecca Lobo. As a college player she was all everything. In the pros she was terrible even before her knee injury.

It happens in the men's game where a player is great in college but can't cut it as a pro. In the women's game with only 16 teams and 11 or 12 players on a team that's a lot of competition.

While I know I'm going to get some responses to this, I don't think Stacey Dales is going to be a good pro. Why? She's not quick enough to play either guard position and I don't think she handles the ball well enough for the PRO game to be a good point guard.

[swok34]

I think what a lot of folks don't realize is that Stacey Dales has played international ball, and has played against many of the players in the WNBA......and put up pretty good numbers doing it. Take a look at one of her teammates, Tammy Sutton-Brown, who had a really good rookie year, yet didn't have those numbers with the Canada team.....Stacey played the wing position for Canada.

Just like with every single player in the WNBA, who is making the transition from college ball......there's no telling what will happen; who will succeed, who won't.

[carolann]

From OhMandy - I always bring up Rebecca Lobo. As a college player she was all everything. In the pros she was terrible even before her knee injury.

Rebecca Lobo was a decent player for New York prior to her injury. There is a good chance she will continue to play in the WNBA as a role player off the bench. She may even start for Houston this year. There is a wide area between all-star and 'terrible'.

[cycofan]

Regarding Angie Welle, I don't think her heart was ever in it. I had read articles several weeks ago where she said "whatever happens, I'll be glad I tried." She had also said all along that all she ever wanted to be was an elementary school teacher. I'm sure she'll be successful at whatever she pursues.

As for Tracy Gahan, I saw a box score where she played 14 minutes and took 0 shots in an exhibition game. I guess without Coach Fennelly yelling at her to shoot the ball, she forgot what she was supposed to do.

Best of luck to both of these ladies!

[carolann]

Re: "I don't think her heart was ever in it". Yes, we need to remember that some of the players may be less fanatical than some fans! Some players experience basketball as a sport - something to do on the side. The players who are passionate find a way to play even if they don't make it in the WNBA. I find myself thinking about the Texas fan liason who just retired to join the Peace Corps. She spent a lot of years arranging buses and ordering sandwiches for basketball fans. Now she has decided to do something else with her life!

[TRH]

Yes, it is great that she will be doing something more meaningful than feeding our obsession with watching other people compete. But, we will all miss her.

[dem]

Remarks made by Liberty coach Richie Adubato in response to the following question:

Q: How difficult is it for a later-round draft pick to make a team?

Adubato:
If you are drafted by a team that is one or two years into the league and are searching for players you have a greater opportunity than you do coming to a veteran team that’s been knocking at the door for a championship, or a championship team. Our roster is pretty full with veteran players. It’s very difficult for young players. But they have opportunities overseas. There were two players – Tracy Gahan, who was cut recently, who I think if she gets a chance to play overseas is going to develop her game and could play in this league in the future, and we also have Mactabene Amachree, who we released, who will go overseas and play. It isn’t the end of the line. There are opportunities all over Europe and in Asia for players to go and continue their career if they wish to and improve their game.
http://www.wnba.com/liberty/news/adubato_pre02.html

[This message has been edited by dem (edited 05-28-2002).]

[dem]

The transcript on that web page was incomplete. Here is a transcription of the remainder of that question, which came from -- surprise, surprise -- Mechelle Voepel:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mechelle Voepel: You think that's the best thing, specifically for a player like Tracy Gahan, who played mostly a zone defense in college, has some skills, do you think a player like her can go over to Europe, get some experience, and then come back and be somebody who can crack a lineup in the future?


Richie Adubato: Yeah, I think very definitely she could. I mean, we really debated on her, it was a very tough decision. And we also had Susan Moran. Those two were competing for the one spot, which as you know would be a rookie spot who would be here and probably wouldn't get a chance to play unless somebody gets injured or if we're way ahead or way behind. But you could develop them. But it was a very difficult choice. But she is a great shooter, she has good size, and she can run the floor. And what she has to learn, in order to get her to this level, would be, you know, little bit better defense, and a little more maturity. But I think she can get that and will definitely be a candidate to break into this league.

Mechelle Voepel: Thank you.

[cyfanatic]

Thanks for the above info, DEM. I hope Tracy got to read that, too. Has anyone heard if Tracy would be interested in playing overseas?

[ISUbballfan]

Here is an article from the Iowa State paper about Tracy and Angie.
http://www.iowastatedaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2002/05/28/3cf30cf50e879