June 2007 Women's Basketball Archives

June 22- Our Girl Candice

Okay, so, Candice was named to the USA U21 National Team (and check out her cute picture). Then, with her new team, she scores 16 points against France. Our girl was scoring it up in Monte Carlo, Monaco. I wonder if she went to the black jack tables afterward? Another picture of her, this time all business and they even quote her. Plus she gets to play with Courtney Paris. Isn't summer grand?

No, Tara is not gone, but assistant Coach Charmin Smith has left the Stanford program, and she has gone to, gasp, Cal! What's up with that?

She also added 2 former Cardinal players. She added Kate Paye (Yay! we like Paye!) and Bobbie Kelsey. Paye not only played for Stanford, she has experience in the ABL (Yay Jennifer Azzi) and WNBA. Kelsey played for Stanford and was a practice player in the ABL.

June 1- A Cool Million

R: Hey C, what have you been up to? I haven't heard from you lately.

C: Well, I have been reprogramming this site, and it took for-ever...

R: Well it looks good. So, what has been happening around the sports world?

C: Well, I was at the store and Danica Patrick was featured on a box of Twinkies.

R: Really? No way!

C: Really way!

R: That cracks me up.

C: Oh, Tennessee's Head Coach Pat Summit became the first female Women's Basketball Head Coach to make a million dollars in salary.

R: Really really no way!

C: Really, really way! Tennessee raised Summitt's salary $1.125 million and extended her contract six years, through the 2011-12 season.

R: Wow, what was her salary before?

C: It was $975,000 last season, so one could argue it wasn't that big of a jump.

R: I beg to differ. Psychologically, paying her one million dollars breaks the invisible glass ceiling surrounding women coaches. In our shallow, materialistic society, paying her that salary gives her instant respect, it says  she is good, she is valued, and, it just so happens, she's worth it. She's the winningest coach in college basketball. I think Tennessee got a bargain. Way to go Tennessee.

C: It's funny you say all those nice things about Tennessee, because on the surface, with that one gesture of paying Summit what she's worth, it appears they are "getting" that women's sports are important. Yet men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl got a raise earlier this year, before Summit , to $1.1 million from $800,000, even though his record was worse than Summit's, and Summit is also behind football coach Phillip Fulmer, who makes $2.05 million annually.

R: Well, I am always for institutions "getting" it about women's sports, even if it is late in the game. Paying female coaches what they are worth and giving them instant credibility and respect in sports fans' eyes is always  a good thing, even if it happens in 2006 instead of 1996 or earlier.

C: Good point. I am glad she got the raise, too, even though we hate the Vols.

R: Good point. Any news about Stanford basketball?

C: Just this: Stanford star Molly Goodenbour was named the head coach of Chico State.

R: Cool. She's coached a lot of places, hasn't she?

C: Yes, and the interesting thing was, she was slated to take over the USF head coaching job, after Mary Hile-Nepfel resigned, yet it went to Tennessee stand-out Tanya Haave, instead.

R: There's that "T" word again. I wonder what happened?

C: Me too, but I hope Molly does well. She's had coaching success in the past.

R: It will be an interesting year for Tennessee and Stanford and all the teams in between!

June 20- Champions

R: Hey C, we haven't been writing about the Stanford Women's Basketball Team in a long while.

C: I know, we got busy and it's just the start of the summer. But we can show the folks what OUR basketball team has been up to:

C: That's right, the shirt says "champions". That's right, champions!

R: C, you are shameless. No one wants to see the shirt.

C: You might be right, but (stage whisper) it's good filler until we have time to write more!

R: Oh, gotcha. Okay, let's write something more soon. Oh hey, speaking of summer, if you live near the Bay Area, the summer season of women's basketball will begin Saturday at Kezar Pavilion as the San Francisco Bay Area Women's ProCity Basketball League gets under way. This league is fun to watch as it features college, former college, and pro players.

C: And speaking of Stanford, Morgan Clyburn and Markisha Coleman are schedules to appear.!

R: Right, as are those Cal girls, Alexis Gray-Lawson and Devanei Hampton.

C: And let's not forget the other local teams. Hopefully we will see USF's Leeane Jensen and Toni Russell, who played at USF, Whitney Sutak, who played for Santa Clara, and Lamisha Augustine, who played for San Jose State..

R: And I heard Courtney and Ashley Paris, now at the University of Oklahoma, are on a ProCity roster and will play if they are in the Bay Area.

C: Cool! And when will this be?

R: Games will be held each Saturday, with tip-offs at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Kezar Pavilion is at Stanyan and Waller streets in San Francisco. And the good news is, admission to all games is free. For more information, go to sfprocity.com.

C: Maybe we can go and get a Stanford basketball fix!!

C: I just discovered a great website for basketball fans....

R: Yeah, what is it? Is it Stanford related?

C: Oh yeah, the site is Called HoopFX and they sell basketball backboard covers!

R: So?

C: Check out the Stanford Cardinal one below!!

R: Cool!

C: And they are local, to us, anyway, right here in Menlo Park.

R: Wait, it says durable, fade resistant and machine washable.

C: Yes, the cover just fits over existing backboard with elastic straps. No huge installation.

R: Way Cool!! Stanford fans, order yours today!

So we already know the first piece of the puzzle for Stanford's upcoming Season. Stanford was one of 16 teams picked for the 2006 Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament.

And we also know where, at least for the first round, as Stanford is set to host first-round game against Loyola Marymount in Maples Pavilion on Thursday, November 9. Game time is tentatively set for 7 p.m. (PT). We'll be there!