Geeky, sports fan news & musings...

First Advanced Stats of WNBA 2012 Season

Kevin Pelton posted his Advanced Stats for the young 2012 season.  I usually have to refresh the stats primer (Statistical Analysis 101) in order to get the gist out of the report.

Holy Smoak, M's win 21-7 vs Texas!

Wow, holy Smoak, homered twice to help spark M’s offense to a rare 21 runs! Smoak finished with 6 RBI while Ackley & Montero also homered yielding 7 RBI between both of them. By the end of the 3rd inning the game was already 18-0 M’s.

Winning Pitcher Beavan and the save by Iwakuma.

All this after winning 10-3 against the Texas Rangers yesterday… Yes, that is 31 runs in 2 days for the M’s!!! I can’t recall the time we made 31 in a month!

Spanish Ros Casares Basketball Team Disappears / El Ros Casares anuncia su desaparición

Here’s my translation of the Spanish Diario Marca’s article:

• The press released provided, doesn’t specify in which form this decision is going to affect, whether any team from the [Ros Casares] club will participate in the Spanish Liga Femenina (WNBA equivalent) /En la nota emitida no se especifica la forma en la que va afectar esta decisión, ni si un equipo del club competirá en la Liga femenina.
• The press release indicates “Ros Casares Basketball Club has decided to retire its sponsorship from the Spanish and European Women’s Basketball. /En el comunicado se anuncia que el “el Club Baloncesto Ros Casares ha tomado la decisión de retirarse del patrocinio del basket femenino español y europeo”
• Germán Ros, indicates “after 13 seasons, the club considers their work finished at the top category but it doesn’t renounce to continue promoting this sport. /Germán Ros, se señala que “tras trece temporadas, el club entiende terminada su tarea desde la máxima categoría pero no renuncia a seguir en la promoción de este deporte

EFE - Valencia 5/30/2012 6:47pm

Ros Casares Valencia, current Euroleague Women’s Champion, in a press released this Wednesday announced they concluded their work in women’s basketball at elite levels and left the door open to continue supporting the sport at base levels.

The release didn’t specify in which way this decision would affect or whether a club team would participate in Spanish Liga Femenina. They did not talk about the future of  players still under contract, such as General Director Carmen Lluveras.

The release, signed by the entity president, Germán Ros, indicates that “after 13 seasons, the club understands their work is finished at the top levels but it doesn’t renounce to continue their support at base levels of Valencian & Spanish women’s basketball”.

In addition to their first continental title, the Valencian Club recovered Spanish’s Liga Femenina hegemony when it became the champion of the 2011-12 season and also reached the 2nd place at the Queen’s Cup. 

The press release announced: “Basketball Club Ros Casares has taken the decision to retire their sponsorship of the Spanish & European Women’s Basketball”.

The entity President remembered the 13 yeas in which they have been sponsoring the club and “felt sorry for the speculations spread by the media in regards to the causes of their decision”, which he assures “have generated incomprehension, damages and misunderstanding”. This situation, read the press release, have contributed to ”  ”desinflar la ilusión en un nuevo proyecto” .

Lastly, through the release, the club wanted to thank all the support received all these years from the “Valencian society that loves this sport” as well as the support of fans and club members. 

—- Last WNBA players to play with this 2011-12 champion team were: Lauren Jackson (Seattle Storm), Maya Moore (Minn Lyx), Ann Wauters (just signed by Seattle Storm), Jana Veselá (former Seattle Storm) & Sancho Lyttle (Atlanta Dream).  Additionally, Silvia Domínguez, whom the Storm signed but was unable to get her visa on time for the start of the WNBA season.

The Team’s official webpage (http://www.roscasaresbasket.com/) has no mention of the press release in their news section.

Marca’s article makes clear financial backing of Ciudad Ros Casares is ending but it doesn’t say what percentage of the entire team operation was being financed by them and whether or not the team could continue participating in Liga Femenina with the support of the remaining sponsors.

An arena offer even I can't refuse

Danny Westneat, long time opposer of public financing of sports arenas, wrote a great piece on why Chris Hansen’s offer is the best deal Seattle has seen and could ever see to get a new sports arena in the Emerald City. 

He pointed out: “Hansen is asking the public to risk only 25 to 40 percent of the cost — in bonds to be paid off by arena revenues. The lower figure is if just an NBA team, but no NHL team, comes to play here”. This is about the same percentage of public funds invested in recent works such as McGaw Hall Opera House or Olympic Sculpture Park.

In regards to having too many stadiums in the SODO area, he brings up the fact the area was designated as a ‘stadium district’ 12 years ago and traffic issues aren’t really as big as the Port of Seattle is making it sound.

Check out the article to get the whole picture. Let’s support Chris Hansen’s efforts to bring NBA & NHL to Seattle.  Bring back our Sonics!

First Advanced Stats of WNBA 2012 Season

Kevin Pelton posted his Advanced Stats for the young 2012 season.  I usually have to refresh the stats primer (Statistical Analysis 101) in order to get the gist out of the report.

SLAM WNBA Power Rankings Week 2

Click to read the full article and reasoning behind the ranking.

1. Minnesota Lynx (4-0, Last week: 1)

2. Indiana Fever (3-0, Last week: 3)

3. Los Angeles Sparks (3-1, Last week: 5)

4. Connecticut Sun (3-0, Last week: 2)

5. San Antonio Silver Stars (1-1, Last week: 8 )

6. Phoenix Mercury (1-2, Last week: 6)

7. Atlanta Dream (1-2, Last week: 7)

8. Chicago Sky (1-1, Last week: 9)

9. Seattle Storm (0-3, Last week: 4)

10. Washington Mystics (1-1. Last week: 11)

11. Tulsa Shock (0-3, Last week: 12)

12. New York Liberty (0-4, Last week: 10)

Hope Solo - Alex Morgan & Sounders Women Join in on Historic Event at Cheney Stadium - Sounders U23

Tacoma, WA. – The Seattle Sounders FC U-23 and Sounders Women have partnered for a soccer celebration on May 30 at Cheney Stadium. Hope Solo, Alex Morgan, and their Sounders Women teammates will be at the Sounders FC U-23 match to sign autographs and meet South Sound soccer fans.

The May 30 game pitting the Sounders U-23 against their Northwest rivals, the Vancouver Whitecaps, will be the first soccer match played in the newly renovated Cheney Stadium. Fans will have a chance to be a part of the historic night for just $10. For fans looking to take advantage of the VIP Party Deck at Cheney Stadium, including a 90 minute buffet of different foods, drinks and a top view of the game, tickets are $20.

Fans are encouraged to come early to meet and greet the stars Women’s soccer.  Sounders Women players will be at the stadium before kickoff and stick around until their halftime appearance on the field. Fans can get autographs and photos with their favorite players before the Sounders FC U-23 kickoff at 6:00pm.”

Jayda Evans' WNBA Power Rankings for 5/28/12

WNBA power rankings

Seattle Times reporter, Jayda Evans, ranks the WNBA teams. As Jayda pointed via Twitter, “lots of movement”…

Rank (Last Week)   Team (record), comment

1. (1) Minnesota (4-0): Team looks better than 2011 championship season, averaging 15.2 margin in victories.
2. (6) Los Angeles (3-1): Smart to make Kristi Toliver starting point, averaging 21 points, 4.5 assists.
3. (4) Indiana (3-0): Yeah, two victories against Atlanta, but added depth and scoring punch this year.
4. (2) Connecticut (3-0): Beating up on New York twice shouldn’t get anyone that excited.
5. (3) Chicago (1-1): To coach Pokey Chatman’s chagrin, second in league in turnovers (22.5).
6. (11) San Antonio (1-1): Finally holds home opener against Chicago on Wednesday.
7. (5) Seattle (0-3): Reality check, Seattle’s defeats are all to likely two best teams in the WNBA.
8. (8) Phoenix (1-2): Rookie Samantha Prahalis showing no fear in leading veteran Mercury team.
9. (10) Atlanta (1-2): Angel McCoughtry leads WNBA in scoring (23.3) but team defense an issue.
10. (9) Washington (1-1): Offense is anemic, averaging a league-low 60.5 points to start season.
11. (12) Tulsa (0-3): Playing teams closer this year, losing by an average of 4.6 points.
12. (7) New York (0-4): Liberty is getting an early jump on the Brittney Griner sweepstakes.

New Sonics Arena Website

Chris Hansen and his group has set new Sonics Arena website, FB & Twitter accounts. Check it out.

And they are calling for a supporters rally for June 14th at 4pm - Occidental Park, Seattle #SonicsArena

Ocho jugadores más finalizan su contrato el día 30 de junio

Al margen del internacional azteca, que ya se ha comprometido con el Valencia por cuatro temporadas, finalizan contrato el portero Germán Lux, los defensas Diego Colotto y Claudio Morel; los centrocampistas Borja Fernández, Pablo Álvarez y el portugués Diogo Salomao, y los delanteros Francisco Jiménez “Xisco” y el franco-tunecino Lassad Nouioui.

Ver artículo para más detalles pues también se discute el futuro de Aranzubía, Pablo Álvarez & Valerón.

Sorpresa en el fútbol femenino ante las declaraciones de Izco

El saliente Presidente del Osasuna, Pachi Izco, hizo las siguientes declaraciones: “El fútbol femenino me parece antiestético. No me gusta, pero no quiero entrar en ninguna polémica. Hay otros deportes mucho más propios de las mujeres. El fútbol es mucho más masculino”.

En lo personal, me parece que este individuo podrá tener sus convicciones personales pero como persona a cargo de una organización futbolística debe abstenerse de comentarios tan retrógradas. Más aún cuando dicha organización cuenta no con uno sino dos equipos femeninos. Me parece que una disculpa está en orden…