Worst to First: Or a 'Shock'ing Tale of Women's Basketball in Motown

Worst To

First Or A ‘Shock’ing Tale of Women’s Basketball in Motown

Vince Prygoski

Outskirts Press, Inc. Denver, Colorado

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Worst to First, Or A ‘Shock’ing Tale of Women’s Basketball in Motown All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2006 Vince Prygoski

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ISBN-10: 1-59800-276-7 ISBN-13: 978-1-59800-276-8

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Dedication To Ellen Bergstrom

In 1963, Bob Dylan wrote and released his song “The Times They Are a-Changin’” which heralded the great social and cultural changes that were coming down the pike during the decade known as “the Sixties.” I very much doubt that he was thinking about professional women’s basketball when he wrote that tune. Heck, the Women’s National Basketball Association would not even exist until three decades later. Nevertheless, that song was among the first things to come to the mind of this fan of both Dylan’s music and of women’s sports as the story of the 2003 Detroit Shock unfolded. The times they were a-changin’ indeed. A well known quote, this one from the world of sports, also seems to resonate with what happened here. That would be “Do you believe in miracles?” which was said by ABC sportscaster Al Michaels at the end of the United States hockey team’s upset of the previously unbeatable Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics. The Detroit Shock needed a miracle just to remain in the Motor City as the 2002 season ended. Despite a late season turnaround led by new coach Bill Laimbeer, there were rumors that the Shock would move to San Antonio, Texas. In October of 2002 the decision was made to keep the Shock in Detroit for at least one more season. And what a season it would turn out to be! The Shock lived up to their nickname in 2003, shocking the sports world with a turnaround that only a visionary of the Bob Dylan type could have imagined. The groundwork had been laid at the end of 2002 with the hiring of Laimbeer, who was no stranger to the sports fans of Detroit due to his being part of the Pistons teams that won back to back championships in the Men’s NBA. The player talent was also upgraded with the addition of several key people. Swin Cash came from the perennial powerhouse college program at the University of Connecticut. Ruth Riley was a leader of the Notre Dame team that won the collegiate national championship in 2001. And then there was Cheryl Ford, daughter of Men’s NBA star Karl Malone and every bit as tough and talented as her dad. These women would

be three fifths of the starting lineup in 2003, joining Flint, MI native Deanna Nolan and Elaine Powell of Louisiana. Together with a capable group of substitutes and a first rate coaching staff, they were about to make sports history. The Detroit Shock are, of course, part of a bigger story of professional women’s basketball in the United States. It has been a long hard road for women to have the opportunities they have today, and we are still far from true equality in terms of such things as salaries, media coverage, and fan interest. While women basketball players and their supporters advocate for further progress, we can also celebrate the gains that have already been made. And, of course, extraordinary achievements such as that of the 2003 Detroit Shock!

Part 1 Before the Shock and the WNBA

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efore we turn to the specific story of the Detroit Shock, a brief review of the history of the game they play might be useful. Basketball as we know it today traces its origins to 1891, when James Naismith put up peach baskets at the Springfield, Massachusetts YMCA. The game was originally played with a soccer ball and nine players on each side. Although the original players were men, it was not long until the women of Springfield began to play Naismith’s game. Merely a year after basketball was invented, Senda Berenson taught the game to the students at Smith College. Contests between the frosh and sophomores quickly became a tradition at Smith and several other East Coast women’s colleges. Just a few years later, there was documented evidence that women’s basketball had reached the West Coast. The University of California (Berkeley) and Stanford played what is considered to be the first intercollegiate women’s basketball game. The final score of 2-1 certainly looks odd by today’s standards, where 60 or 70 points for each team tends to be the norm. For many years, women played a version of basketball that differed from that played by men. This would change with the

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Vince Prygoski coming of the feminist (also known as women’s liberation) movement which began in the late 1960s. Until then, female athletes all too often had to be overly concerned with appearing “ladylike.” One consequence of this was a distinct set of basketball rules for women which limited physical contact and movement on the court. While all players in the men’s version of the game were allowed to run the length of the court, the women’s rules divided the court into sections. Each player was assigned to a certain section and could not move to the others. These rules were gradually liberalized over the years, but it was not until the 1970s that full-court, five player to a side basketball became the norm for women as it long had been for men. High school girl’s basketball enjoyed some regional popularity as early as the 1920s, with Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas all having statewide competition. At the college level, games between schools were relatively rare with the notable exception of some of the historically African-American colleges in the south. Some of the best basketball being played by women prior to the 1970s could be found in industrial leagues, where corporations sponsored teams of women employees. The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) held tournaments which featured the top industrial teams. One such team was the Golden Cyclones of Dallas featuring Babe Didrikson, who is generally considered to be among the greatest all around woman athletes of all time. Hanes Hosiery was another of the premier teams in the AAU era, as were the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens and Nashville Business College. As was the case with men’s major league sports, it was not until the 1950s that the AAU tournaments were open to African American women. And, just as men’s pro baseball had separate “Negro Leagues,” black women had to organize their own teams. The Philadelphia Tribune Girls, led by Ora Washington, were one particular example. The United States began to enter international competition in 1953, when a team made up of the best players from the AAU teams defeated Chile to win the women’s world championship. Four years later, the United States repeated as world champions with a victory over the Soviet Union. It was not until 1976 that the Olympics added women’s basketball to its schedule of events. The United States was among the first participants, and had played exhibition games against the Soviet Union in 1972 and 2

Worst to First 1974. If any proof was needed that women were indeed wanting to play basketball at the most competitive levels, the 250 or so women who showed up to try for a spot on the American Olympic team provided it. The group who made the final cut included Ann Meyers, a college standout at UCLA who had a tryout with the Indiana Pacers of the men’s NBA and Nancy Lieberman, a recent high school graduate who would go on to collegiate stardom at Old Dominion. Two decades later, Lieberman would play a leading role with the Detroit Shock as their first head coach. The Americans fell short of the gold in 1976, and did not get the chance to compete in 1980 due to a U.S. boycott of the games which were hosted by the USSR. The Soviets responded by boycotting the 1984 games in Los Angeles, and the United States won the gold. They would do so again in 1988, 1996, and 2000. College basketball for women in the U.S. had long been a lowkey affair, with intramural contests generally the norm and high levels of competition discouraged. This began to change with the late 1960s/early 1970s feminist movement, which helped pave the way for federal legislation known as Title IX. This law required that all schools receiving funding from the federal government provide equal opportunities for female and male students. This includes colleges and universities as well as high schools and elementary schools. Although athletics was not mentioned in the original statute, advocates of women’s sports have used Title IX to bring about greater gender equality in school sports at all levels. Intercollegiate, varsity athletics for women began to develop as early as the 1950s and 1960s, but were not very well organized on the national level until 1971. It was then that the AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) was created to administer nationwide championships. At this point, the male-dominated NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) had little interest in women’s sports. This would change as the 1970s progressed and women’s college sports gained in popularity and profitability. All of a sudden, women’s sports looked more attractive to the NCAA. In addition, the NCAA was able to offer levels of financial support and political power that the AIAW was not. And so, by the early 1980s the exodus of women’s programs from the AIAW to the NCAA was swift. A group of AIAW members brought suit against the NCAA, but it was not successful and by 1982 the AIAW no longer existed. 3

Vince Prygoski Professional basketball had long been an option in the United States for men, with the first known league forming in 1898, just seven years after Naismith invented the game. This league lasted until the 1930s under various names and with many different teams. There were also a number of professional “barnstorming” teams, with the New York “Original” Celtics and the Harlem Renaissance Big Five among the most famous. The Harlem Globetrotters also got started during this era. In 1937, the National Basketball League was founded, followed almost ten years later by the Basketball Association of America. By the end of the 1940s, the two leagues had merged into the men’s National Basketball Association (NBA) that exists to this day as the major league of men’s basketball in the USA. It was not until 1978 that anything similar would exist for women in the United States, with the founding of the Women’s Basketball League (WBL). The original eight WBL teams included the Iowa Cornets, New Jersey Gems, Milwaukee Does, Chicago Hustle, Minnesota Fillies, Dayton Rockettes, New York Stars, and Houston Angels. Houston finished with the best regular season record in 1978-79, and then went on to win the playoffs. Ann Meyers was among the stars of the league’s first season, and others included Rita Easterling and Molly “Machine Gun” Bolin. The WBL added seven teams for 1979-80: the Washington Metros, Philadelphia Fox, St. Louis Streak, Dallas Diamonds, California Dreams, San Francisco Pioneers, and New Orleans Pride. Dayton dropped out, so the number of teams was now 14. Nancy Lieberman, Lynette Woodard, and Valerie Still all joined the league as rookies in 1979-80. Woodard would later make history as the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. When the Detroit Shock joined the WNBA in 1998, Woodard was one of the original players and Lieberman coached the team until 2000. The 1979-80 WBL playoffs included six teams, with the top two regular season clubs earning first round byes. San Francisco defeated defending champ Houston and Minnesota knocked out New Orleans in the opening round. The second round saw both of the top seeded teams, New York and Iowa, advance to the final series which was best of five. New York took the first two games at home, Iowa stayed alive with a game three win but then fell to the New Yorkers in game four. All of the games were high scoring, with 100 plus points the norm for both teams. 4

Worst to First Which brings us to the third, and unfortunately final, WBL season of 1980-81. The expansion of the league’s second season proved to be premature, and the number of teams decreased dramatically by season three. Washington and Philadelphia had folded during the 1979-80 season. Houston, New York, Iowa, and Milwaukee all disbanded prior to the start of the 1980-81 campaign. Two new teams were added: the New England Gulls and the Nebraska Wranglers. New England would not make it to the end of the season Nebraska won the last WBL championship with a 3 games to 2 record in the finals against Dallas. Rosie Walker, Nancy Lieberman, Carol Blazejowski, and Molly Bolin were among the standouts of 1980-81. The WBL was not the only attempt to establish women’s professional basketball in the United States. There were a number of others prior to the WNBA. Three years prior to the WBL’s first season (1975), a Women’s Professional Basketball Association granted franchises to six cities, but no games were ever played. As the WBL began to experience problems, a rival league known as the Ladies Professional Basketball Association formed in 1980. This league included six teams, of which only three ever actually played any games. In less than a month, the LPBA was history. Bill Byrne, who founded the WBL, was apparently ready to try again by 1984. A six team Women’s American Basketball Association was organized. Many great players were on its teams, including Lieberman, Bolin, and Pam and Paula McGee. Once again, financial difficulties surfaced and most of the teams had to shut down before the end of the season. After Dallas defeated Chicago for the championship, the league itself ceased to exist. A brief three paragraph article in the New York Times announced the premature ending of the WABA’s one and only season. Two years later, an eight team National Women’s Basketball Association existed on paper, but never played any games. The 1991 Liberty Basketball Association fared slightly better, with one exhibition game in the books before the league went under. Said game was in fact played at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan and featured the Detroit Dazzlers versus all stars from the other teams. The Palace is the present day home of the Detroit Shock. 5

Vince Prygoski The Women’s Basketball Association was founded in 1992, and lasted three seasons (1993-1995). Nebraska posted the best regular season record in 1993, but Kansas won the championship series three games to one. In 1994, the Kansas City Mustangs posted a perfect 15-0 regular season mark. They would not survive the second round of the playoffs, falling to Memphis. The championship final went the full five games, with Nebraska rallying to take the title from Memphis. 1995 would be the final season for the WBA, as Chicago won the championship in a one game playoff against St. Louis. The championship game took place on July 29, 1995. Even before the WBA ended its final season, the seeds were being planted for the next women’s pro basketball league. In February of 1995, Steve Hams, Anne Cribbs, and Gary Cavalli met for the first time. These three would be the founders of the American Basketball League. The formal announcement of the ABL’s founding took place in San Jose, California on September 26, 1995. This was less than two months after the WBA went out of business. Eight teams made up the ABL in its initial season of 1996-97. These were the Atlanta Glory, the Colorado Explosion, the Columbus Quest, the New England Blizzard, the Portland Power, the Richmond Rage, the San Jose Lasers, and the Seattle Reign. Columbus posted a 31-9 record which was best in the 199697 regular season. In the best of three first round playoffs, Richmond defeated Colorado and Columbus eliminated San Jose. The best of five finals went the distance, with Columbus winning the opener, Richmond taking the next two, and Columbus the final two games and the inaugural ABL title. First team all league honors went to the following players: Teresa Edwards, Dawn Staley, Natalie Williams, Nikki McCray, and Adrienne Goodson. 1997-98 brought two franchise changes to the ABL. The Long Beach Stingrays were added as an expansion team, while the Richmond Rage moved to Philadelphia and retained their nickname. Once again, it was the Columbus Quest who did the best in the regular season, finishing with 36 wins and eight losses. An additional round was added to the playoffs. In this opening round, San Jose and Long Beach advanced at the expense of New England and Colorado. Columbus had little trouble with San Jose 6

Worst to First in one semifinal, while Long Beach knocked off Portland in the other. Long Beach continued to play well as the finals began, winning the first two games over the powerful Quest. Just when the championship appeared in the Stingrays’ grasp, the defending champs from Ohio came roaring back with three straight wins to repeat as ABL champs. Teresa Edwards and Natalie Williams once again made the all league first team, joined this time around by Yolanda Griffith, Carolyn Jones, and Katie Smith. As was the case with the 1993-1995 WBA, the ABL ran into trouble in its third season. Before the 1998-99 season got started, Atlanta and Long Beach dropped out and were replaced by the Chicago Condors and the Nashville Noise. As 1998 drew to a close, the teams had played 14 or 15 games each when on December 22 the league suspended operations. Among the reasons for this was $25 million in debts. The demise of the ABL was in no small measure due to the founding of another pro league for women, that one being today’s Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The WNBA had and continues to have the backing of the long established Men’s NBA. The financial and promotional resources that the MNBA offers made it difficult for the ABL to survive for long. In some ways the ABL/WNBA story is similar to what happened in collegiate women’s sports in the 1970s, when the established NCAA gradually took over control from the AIAW. In both cases, there were at least some trade-offs and compromises. The separate women’s organizations (ABL and AIAW) tended to be more “for us, by us” with the “us” being women. By contrast, the NCAA and WNBA have tended to have more men in positions of power. On the other hand, the greater resources of the NCAA and NBA have probably brought about greater public awareness of women athletes than the AIAW or ABL could have. Sara Gogol, in a 1999 Z Magazine article, contends that the triumph of the WNBA over the ABL was not a very good thing for women’s basketball: “The American Basketball League (ABL), a more grass roots, democratically run, feminist inspired venture was recently driven out of business by the stranglehold big business has over the sports world.” (p. 55) Clay Kallam, in the online women’s basketball journal Full Court Press, seems to offer a somewhat different take. While he 7

Vince Prygoski admires the ABL for its idealism, he points out that this idealism is likely what led to the ABL’s downfall. In any case, the WNBA has survived and appears to have a successful future ahead of it. We will turn now to a discussion of the first season of the WNBA, before the Detroit Shock joined the league.

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Part 2 WNBA Before the Shock

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he Women’s National Basketball Association first tipped off on June 21, 1997, with eight teams in two conferences. In the Eastern Conference, there were the Houston Comets, the New York Liberty, the Charlotte Sting, and the Cleveland Rockers. The Western Conference consisted of the Phoenix Mercury, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Sacramento Monarchs, and the Utah Starzz. While the Starzz may have had the most interesting nickname, they struggled on the basketball court and ended up with a league worst 7-21 record. Perhaps not surprisingly, the first ever WNBA game featured teams from two of the most famous American cities-New York and Los Angeles. Penny Toler of the Sparks had the honor of scoring the first points in league history, on an 11 foot jump shot. A crowd of 14,284 jammed the Los Angeles Forum, where the Magic Johnson-led Lakers of the Men’s NBA had won several championships. The attendance set a new record for professional women’s basketball in the United States. New York posted a 6757 victory led by Rebecca Lobo. Los Angeles had their own rising star in Lisa Leslie. And so, the WNBA was up and running. Attendance at the other openers was good, as were the

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Vince Prygoski television ratings for the Los Angeles-New York game. On June 25, 1997, Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets gave birth to a son. Just a month later, she was back at practice with the team, and on August 7 she began to play in games again. This was definite proof of just how tough and resilient modern day female athletes can be. And to think that not too long ago, girls and women were cautioned against playing sports too intensely! July 8 saw an extraordinary streak come to an end. Rebecca Lobo of the New York Liberty had played in 102 straight games in which her team had won. The string of victories stretched back to her senior year in college at Connecticut, then ran through her time with the U.S. National and Olympic team and then to her first few pro games. As the season progressed, new attendance records were set. Phoenix and New York drew 17,780 fans on June 29, and on August 16 the Charlotte vs. Houston game was seen in person by 18,937. This was the largest crowd ever for professional women’s basketball in the United States. Both conference races were close. In the East, Houston finished with an 18-10 record, just one game ahead of New York. Charlotte and Cleveland tied for third, and they were only three games out of first. Phoenix edged Los Angeles by two games in the West, with Sacramento and Utah bringing up the rear of not only the Western Conference but also the league. The top four teams would qualify for the playoffs in the WNBA’s inaugural season. Since the East had more teams with better records, three of the four teams in the East made it as opposed to only one from the West. There would be three playoff games, two semifinals and the championship game. First round matchups included Houston vs. Charlotte and New York vs. Phoenix. At Houston, the Charlotte Sting led at halftime and had high hopes of pulling off an upset. It was not to be, as the Houston Comets stormed back to post a 70-54 win and advance to the title game. Cynthia Cooper led the way for the Comets, showing why she had been named the WNBA’s first ever most valuable player. Rebecca Lobo and Kym Hampton were the stars of the other semifinal, in which New York downed Phoenix 59-41. The Liberty 10

Worst to First were aided in winning this game by some dreadful shooting by the Mercury. Or maybe it was just really good defense on the part of New York. And so it would be Houston and New York, the teams with the two best regular season records, who would meet in the WNBA’s first championship final. The Liberty had won the first three games between the teams, but had struggled late in the season as the Comets took the final regular season meeting. In a one game playoff, who could say what might happen? Houston coach Van Chancellor brought up one of the oldest clichés in sports when he said “Everything that transpired before now you can throw out the window.” (Lutz, “Comets hope to reverse…” 1997) As for New York, they seemed most concerned about league MVP Cooper and what she was capable of doing. Regarding the task of slowing Cooper down, Rebecca Lobo noted that “We’ll just have to go and do the best we can. It will have to be a team effort against her.” (Ibid.) The Liberty did indeed try their best to hold Cooper in check, but she still ended up leading the way with 25 points as Houston beat New York 65-51. In addition to the expected excitement of a championship game, the Comets drew further inspiration from injured teammate Wanda Guyton, who suffered a concussion in the semifinal. It had been a successful first season for the WNBA, and no sooner had the season ended than talk of expansion began. On November 11, 1997, the announcement was made. Detroit and Washington were granted franchises which would begin play in 1998. The story of the Detroit Shock had begun, although the nickname would not be revealed until two months later. At that time, the team’s first head coach would also be introduced. Her name would be a familiar one to fans of women’s basketball.

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Part 3 Promising Start With “Lady Magic”

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s a collegiate player, she led Old Dominion University to back to back national championships, earning All America honors three times. She competed at the international level as a member of the United States PanAmerican and Olympic teams. She played professionally in several different leagues throughout the 1980s and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996. The following season, she played with the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA’s opening season. Tennis great Martina Navratilova called her “the Billie Jean King of women’s basketball.” (Lieberman-Cline, p. x) Her nickname, “Lady Magic,” very accurately describes the kind of energy and excitement she brought to the game. These are the impressive credentials of the first head coach of the Detroit Shock, Nancy Lieberman-Cline. Lieberman-Cline would be filling many roles for the Shock besides coaching. These included hiring team personnel, scouting and drafting players, and promoting the team in the community. She applied herself to these tasks in the same manner that she approached playing the game, with lots of hard work and

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Vince Prygoski determination. Team president Tom Wilson (also president of Detroit’s entry in the Men’s NBA, the Pistons) had this to say of the coach: “Because she is one of the most well known women to ever play the game, she brings us instant name recognition and credibility, which was important, but not nearly as important as finding someone we believed could build a winner from the ground up.” (Sipple, “Shock’s coach…” p. 1D) The January 13, 1998 Detroit Free Press, from which Wilson’s quote comes, also carried a full page ad for Shock tickets with the WNBA slogan “Now, We Get Next!” According to the ad, over 5,000 season tickets had been sold. One of the promotional efforts undertaken by LiebermanCline and the team was a basketball clinic for girls aged 8-18. This sort of encouragement of young female athletes is very important, especially for women like Lieberman-Cline who recall times when such efforts were very rare. The coach commented to the youngsters that “This (the Shock) is your team, ladies. I started out just where you are and basketball changed my life.” (Siegel, “Female hoop hopefuls…” p. 3B) One of the clinic attendees, eight year old Nicole Yancy, asserted that “We can be as good as the boys. We practice just as hard as they do.” (Ibid.) It is exactly this kind of confidence that has propelled women and girls to ever greater heights of athletic achievement over the years, and will continue to do so in the future. Lieberman-Cline’s assistant coaches also had a wealth of experience. Greg Williams coached the Dallas Diamonds of the WABA and also led teams in other women’s pro leagues. Among the players he coached was none other than Nancy Lieberman (before the –Cline was added to her name). Williams also had several years of college coaching under his belt. He would eventually take over as head coach, but that is getting a bit ahead of the story. Sonny Allen coached both men’s and women’s basketball at the collegiate and pro levels. Chris Collins was a four year letter winner with the highly successful program at Duke University. The players that these coaches would lead in the team’s first season were from diverse backgrounds, including several from other countries. Korie Hlede’s story is particularly compelling. Hlede (pronounced Huh-lay-day) grew up with war and poverty in Croatia. She turned to basketball as an escape from the dreadful 14

Worst to First conditions of her life, and eventually the game became a way to a better life. Hlede attended Duquesne University where she was twice named player of the year in the Atlantic 10 conference. The Shock selected her in the first round of the 1998 WNBA draft, and what had once been a hard luck life became much brighter indeed. Sandy Brondello was one of three Australians on the original Shock squad. A 1990 graduate of the University of Western Sydney in the “Land Down Under,” Brondello represented her nation in several international competitions including the 1996 Olympics and the 1998 world championships. Carla Porter had been a teammate of Brondello’s on the 1998 Aussie national team, leading the team in scoring and tallying 26 points in the bronze medal game. Porter also had eight years of professional experience to her credit. Rachael Sporn arrived in Detroit already a Hall of Famer, having been inducted into Australia’s Sporting Hall of Fame in 1996. She was also a member of both the 1996 Olympic team and the 1998 world championship squad. From Bulgaria via Florida came Gergana Branzova, all six foot four of her. She played for the national team in her native land, then at the American collegiate level for Florida International University. While at FIU she compiled impressive scoring and shooting numbers and was named a second team All American. Standing four inches taller than Branzova was Razija Mujanovic of Bosnia. Her resume included eleven seasons of pro basketball in Europe and Brazil. Mujanovic earned “best foreign player” honors while in Brazil and won multiple MVP awards in Europe. The final member of the Shock’s International Brigade was Aneta Kausaite, who hailed from Lithuania. She represented her country at the 1997 European championship, and also played college ball in the United States at Emporia State. With all these different nationalities, Coach Lieberman-Cline joked that “We need the U.N. for this team!” (Saylor, “Draft turns Shock into melting pot” p. 5D) But any concerns about language barriers and so on were laid to rest as the coaches and players found common ground in the game they all love to play. As for domestically grown talent, the Shock had plenty of that as well. Rhonda Blades had played for the New York Liberty in the 15

Vince Prygoski inaugural WNBA season and was acquired by the Shock in the expansion draft. She attended Vanderbilt University, playing basketball and earning a degree in nursing. Cindy Brown, a 1987 graduate of Long Beach State, brought eleven years of professional experience in the United States and overseas to the table. She was an All Star while playing for the Seattle Reign in the ABL. Mfon Udoka starred as a collegian at DePaul University, while DeAngela Minter did the same at the University of Arizona. Finally, last but most certainly not least, was one of the true pioneers and all time greats of women’s basketball. Although somewhat past her prime as a player, Lynette Woodard brought a great deal of basketball knowledge and prestige to the newly minted Detroit franchise. She played for Cleveland in the first WNBA season, was the first woman to play for the legendary Harlem Globetrotters, and generally proved her excellence at the college, Olympic, and professional levels. These were the players who made the final cut for the opening season roster. Many more gave it a shot, including 351 women who turned out for open tryouts prior to the season. Among these hopefuls was 41 year old Lydia Johnson, who had played against Lieberman-Cline (then just Lieberman) in the 1980 Women’s Basketball League. Johnson would not end up making the Shock, but was nevertheless glad that she and other women would now have a team of their own. And so, the roster was set and it was time for the Detroit Shock to take to the floor and see what they were capable of. The regular season schedule would consist of 30 games, 15 at the Palace of Auburn Hills and 15 on the road. The Shock opener was scheduled for Saturday June 13, at home vs. the Charlotte Sting. All 22,076 available tickets were sold, but due to weather problems and a Detroit Red Wings playoff game, actual attendance was 15,574. All in all, not bad considering that this was the first ever regular season game for the Shock and that the Red Wings had a long established following in Detroit. Razija Mujanovic used her 6 foot 8 height to her advantage, leading the Shock to an eleven point lead in the opening minutes. She had to leave the game momentarily due to injury, and the Sting swung the momentum in their favor. In the end it was Charlotte 78-Detroit 69, a valiant effort by the newcomers from 16

Worst to First Detroit but not quite enough to beat the more established opponents. Mujanovic finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Shock. Two days later the Cleveland Rockers came a-knockin’ on the Palace doors. This would end up being a high scoring affair, with the first half establishing a new record for most combined points in a half. The teams went to the locker rooms with 53 points each. Detroit took a one point lead in the second half, but Cleveland responded and ended up with a 96-85 win. Korie Hlede and Carla Porter topped the Motor City scoring chart, and Detroit held an edge in rebounding. The Shock’s next two games would be against the same teams as the first two, only at their arenas. First up was a trip to North Carolina for a rematch with the Charlotte Sting. Charlotte had trouble stopping Mujanovic in the opener, and were determined to hold Detroit’s big center in check this time. This goal was accomplished as Mujanovic was limited to eight points. Also accomplished was another win for Charlotte, and loss number three for Detroit. Cleveland would not be any kinder to the Shock than Carolina, as the Rockers pulled off a narrow two point win to leave the heartbroken Detroiters still looking for their first victory. Their next chance would come one day after the loss at Cleveland, as they journeyed to the nation’s capital to face the Washington Mystics. Sandy Brondello and Rachel Sporn got the Shock off to a great start, and Korie Hlede led the team with 20 points. As the final seconds ticked away and the scoreboard read “Detroit 70-Washington 57,” the Shock had finally gotten the monkey off their backs. The always important first win was in the books, and now it was time to focus on getting some more. The home crowd at the Palace got their first two tastes of success as the Shock knocked off Sacramento and Washington. A road win over Cleveland drew the team even at four wins and four losses. Hlede and Brondello were the top scorers, while Cindy Brown emerged as a rebounding force to be reckoned with. The Shock’s final June game would be back in Auburn Hills, against the same Charlotte Sting they faced in the opener. Strong defense helped the Shock to a 31-21 halftime advantage. Charlotte fought back, and with Hlede struggling on offense someone else needed to step up. That someone would 17

Vince Prygoski be Brondello, who finished with 19 points as Detroit stung the Sting for the first time, 60-49. This put Detroit over .500 for the first time ever. More good times were had on July 1, as Detroit made it six in a row by downing New York. Brown and Hlede led the way, with help from Brondello and Mujanovic. Five days later the teams would meet again, this time in the Big Apple. The Liberty gained a measure of revenge as they edged the Shock by three points. Back in the friendly confines of the Palace, Porter scored 18 points but Phoenix eked out a two point win. Next up was a trip to the Lone Star State to face the defending champions of the WNBA, the Houston Comets. This would be the first ever meeting of the teams, and a good indicator of how far the Shock had progressed. As it turns out, the Detroit team was not quite ready to run with the champs. Houston used a 21-1 first half scoring run to build a lead and cruised to a 96-66 triumph. The reeling Shock headed to D.C. and suffered another big defeat at the hands of Washington. They would not have long to reflect on their four game losing streak, as they journeyed west to play Utah and Phoenix. Brondello and Hlede played leading roles in a 74-67 win over Utah. Things did not go quite so well in Arizona, as Phoenix handed the Shock a 73-60 loss. The team welcomed a lengthy return to Michigan, where they would play their next four games. First up was a rematch with Utah. Cindy Brown brought the rebounds, Sandy Brondello the assists, and both of them the points. The result was almost the same as the previous meeting of the teams, with Detroit winning 79-67. Utah’s Margo Dydek blocked eight shots to set a league record, but her team failed to get the win. The Cleveland Rockers made their second visit to the Palace, and were sent back to Ohio with a 72-57 loss. Washington was the next team to try taking on the Shock in their house, and they fared no better than Cleveland. Three days later, over 14,000 were on hand for Detroit’s first meeting with the Los Angeles Sparks. It was a close contest, and in the end the home town fans went home happy as Detroit edged Los Angeles 69-67. Hlede was the top scorer with 20 and Brown the leading rebounder with 14. The Shock had completed a four game winning streak at home to 18

Worst to First move to 11-9 on the season. The Shock looked to keep the positive vibes flowing as they once again hit the road, returning to New York to face the Liberty. The prospects looked good in the first few minutes as Detroit took a 14-8 lead. New York then took over in a big way, and went on to win 78-62. Back at home again, the Shock narrowly gained a win over Sacramento by a single point. Brondello scored 20 points, but it was Cindy Brown who came through when it counted most. She grabbed the rebound off a missed Brondello free throw and put it back in the hoop for the game winning score. Detroit’s road woes continued on August 3, as Charlotte won 71-68. Another home date with Los Angeles followed. The Sparks’ standout Lisa Leslie tallied nearly half of her team’s points, finishing with 30. It was all to no avail, though, as the Shock earned their second win over the ladies from La-La Land, 73-61. Houston came calling on August 7, and the Shock would have another chance to knock off the champions. The Comets’ Cynthia Cooper was injured in the first half, and their other star Sheryl Swoopes was ineffective. This, combined with spirited play by the Shock, led to a 33-20 halftime lead for the home team. In the second half, Cooper shook off her hurts and Swoopes got her groove back. The Shock found themselves in a much closer game, and eventually Houston surged ahead. Detroit gave it their all until the final horn but it was not enough as Houston prevailed 61-57. The Shock had to leave for a four game road swing on a bitter note. Hlede scored 20 points and Brown pulled down an incredible 21 rebounds at Utah, as the Shock got over the Houston heartbreak with a 77-73 victory. A day later in Sacramento, the defenses ruled on both sides as neither team was able to score much. Fortunately for the Shock, their defense was better and a second straight win went in the books. They would be stymied in their bid for three in a row, losing to Phoenix by a large margin. Only two games remained: one at Los Angeles and the season finale at home versus New York. In Tinsel Town, Lisa Leslie once again did her best to boost the Sparks to a win with another 30 point output. And once again the Shock spoiled her party, leaving California with a 77-76 triumph. Mujanovic almost matched Leslie with 25 points of her own. 19

Vince Prygoski 16,246 fans packed the Palace for the final game of the regular season. They were treated to a dandy, as the Shock came back from a 14 point first half deficit to win by an impressive 8268 final. Brondello paced the offensive attack with 24 points. The leader in assists and rebounds was the legendary veteran Lynette Woodard. Her best years may have been behind her by 1998, but the former Globetrotter proved she still could get it done on the court. The Shock’s first season had been a fine one indeed. They just barely missed making the playoffs, but their 17-13 record and .567 winning percentage was certainly impressive especially for an expansion team. Contrast that with, for example, the 1962 New York Mets of Major League Baseball or the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who failed to win even one game in their inaugural National Football League season! Or, for that matter, compare the Shock to the Washington Mystics, the other 1998 WNBA expansion team who finished 3-27. Average attendance at the Palace was 10,229 which was at least as good as many of the established teams. Several games were televised either nationally or locally, and while media coverage could have been better at least it was fairly good. While nothing in life is ever certain, the Shock had reason to be optimistic at the end of the 1998 season. Korie Hlede noted that “If we keep the team next year and have a good draft, we’ll have a great chance at the championship.” (Rumore, “For openers, Shock…” p. 7C) 1999 Many of the key people from the Detroit Shock’s first season would return for a second go-round in 1999. Nancy LiebermanCline remained as head coach, general manager, and all around hard working leader. Greg Williams remained as an assistant coach, but there was turnover in the other two coaching positions, with Steve Smith taking over for Sonny Allen and Tom Cross replacing Chris Collins. As for the players, there were some holdovers and some new faces. No Shock players were lost in the expansion draft, where new teams got to pick from among certain players from the established teams. The 1999 college draft brought the Shock 20

Worst to First four rookies. Stanford University supplied the team’s first two selections, Jennifer Azzi and Val Whiting. Azzi, a guard, won national collegiate Player of the Year honors in 1990 and was twice named All America. She competed in the Olympics and other international tournaments and established a chain of adult fitness camps. Whiting set many records at Stanford as part of teams that posted a 114-16 record. Detroit’s third round pick was Dominique Canty from the University of Alabama. Canty earned many national and Southeastern Conference honors as a member of the Crimson Tide. In the fourth round the team picked up Astou Ndiaye-Diatta from Southern Nazarene. Her teams won 126 games over four seasons while losing only eight, also winning four national championships in the NAIA division. Several free agents also were invited to try out for the team. These included Natasha Anderson, Laura Baker, Leslie Brown, Laurie Byrd, Claudia Maria das Neves, Latasha Dorsey, and Oksana Zakaluzhnaya. On May 7, the first few cuts were made, and sadly one of the players who did not make it was Lynette Woodard. Throughout May and into early June, the roster was gradually whittled down to the number allowed for the regular season. Laurie Byrd of Flint, Michigan was another of the ones who would not survive the cuts. She did eventually return to the team as an assistant coach and in that capacity would be part of the championship team in 2003. Sandy Brondello, Korie Hlede, Cindy Brown, Rachael Sporn, and Carla Porter-Boyd all returned for the second season. Detroit would begin the 1999 season on the road for their first two games, with the opener set for June 12. Their opponent would be the Minnesota Lynx, one of two new teams for 1999. The other expansion team was the Orlando Miracle, who the Shock would face in their home opener. The Shock came out flat and ended up looking more like an expansion team than the actual expansion team from Minnesota. Detroit shot 20 percent from the field in the first half and went to the locker room with a mere 16 points. Things got somewhat better after halftime but it was not enough and the Shock fell by a 68-51 count. Minnesota’s defensive intensity turned out to be too much to handle, at least in this game. Game #2 at Cleveland loomed two days in the future, so the Shock needed to put the disappointing opener behind them 21

Vince Prygoski quickly. Apparently they were able to, as Hlede and Brondello turned in key performances in a 73-71 victory. Now the ride back to Michigan could be enjoyable, and the team had some momentum for their home opener. Over 10,000 went through the Palace turnstiles on June 17 to welcome the team back home. Brondello again had a good day at the office, and the fans went home happy after a 79-74 Shock win. And then it was time to pack the bags for another road trip, to the east coast for games against Washington and New York. Rookie Jennifer Azzi made her first big appearance as a pro against Washington, leading the team with 18 points. The Shock made it three in a row with a 76-69 victory. The New York Liberty had reason to want to beat Detroit, as the Shock had a hand in knocking the Liberty out of a playoff spot in 1998. The New Yorkers would get their revenge, downing the Shock 69-62. Detroit returned home for their next six games, including a rematch with the Liberty. Before getting another shot at New York, the Shock had three other home games. The first of these was against the Charlotte Sting. Azzi, Brondello, and Canty all played leading roles in this one, and the Shock beat Charlotte 75-69. There was not much time to celebrate, because next up was a visit from the now two time defending WNBA champion Houston Comets. Detroit was still looking for their first ever win against Houston, and it would not come this time. The Shock fought hard but Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes were too much to handle and the Comets won again. Perhaps the gloom of losing to Houston lingered a bit too long, as the Shock dropped another game to Phoenix. This brings us to the rematch with New York referred to above. Korie Hlede and Cindy Brown had struggled with injuries up to this point in 1999, but they were at last healthy and combined for 32 points in a 91-71 shellacking of the Liberty. This win moved the Shock to within one game of first place. It was here that inconsistency reared its ugly head. The Shock led Los Angeles at halftime, but a second half collapse allowed the Sparks to escape the Palace with a ten point win. Then on the Fourth of July, the Shock once again let a close game get away as Sacramento handed them a loss. The next two games were even tougher ones to take. In both 22

Worst to First cases, the Shock would endure double overtime, only to come away empty handed both times. At Utah, Brondello twice kept the Shock alive with three pointers, but the Starzz won in the second extra session. At home against Washington, the Mystics’ Chamique Holdsclaw made the clutch plays that brought Detroit down. The Shock had lost four straight, and they were in danger of having the season slip away from them. They traveled to the Sunshine State in desperate need of a victory over Orlando. Brondello, Whiting, and Azzi took charge and Detroit pulled out a 76-67 win. More success on the road came against Washington. The team returned home for two games with a fresh shot of confidence, determined to keep on winning. Cindy Brown, Korie Hlede, and Jennifer Azzi led the way in a 77-61 win over Cleveland in front of the hometown fans. Four days later, the Utah Starzz led the Shock by one at halftime, then boosted the advantage to six in the opening minutes of the second frame. Detroit fought their way back into the game, and Dominique Canty scored 13 of the team’s final 15 points as the Shock rallied for their fourth straight win. Azzi would play a major role in extending the streak to five, tallying 20 points as Cleveland fell once again. The Shock left Ohio and made their way back home for a match with Charlotte. Detroit would be without several players against the Sting. Rachael Sporn sustained a knee injury at Cleveland and was out for the rest of 1999. In addition, three players were suspended for fighting in that game. As if this was not enough to overcome, Dawn Staley of Charlotte nearly recorded the first “triple-double” (ten or more points, assists, and rebounds in the same game) in WNBA history. It was all too much for the Shock, and their winning streak ended. Things would not get any easier, as Detroit traveled to Texas for another go-round with the two-time league champion Houston Comets. Houston’s Sheryl Swoopes was able to get the tripledouble that had eluded Dawn Staley. The game was close for the first few minutes, then the champs took over in a big way. When the dust had settled, the Shock had been handed one of the worst defeats in league history in terms of the scoreboard. The Comets had racked up 85 points to a mere 46 for Detroit. A defeat of that magnitude can certainly harm a team’s 23

Vince Prygoski confidence, and this appeared to be the case for the Shock. Another loss at Charlotte followed the debacle at Houston. Returning home to the Palace may have helped a bit, as they managed to keep things close with Cleveland only to come up short by two points. Detroit had some new faces for the July 31 game against Cleveland. Wanda Guyton, who had played for Houston before being sidelined with a back injury, was added to the roster. On July 29, original team members Korie Hlede and Cindy Brown were traded to the Utah Starzz for Wendy Palmer and Olympia Scott-Richardson. Jen Azzi did her best to help the Shock get back on track, but her 22 points were not enough as Washington kept the Motor City misery going. Minnesota came to town next, and it was Sandy Brondello who brought some joy back to Motown. She led the Shock with 21 points in a 59-56 win. The good times did not last long, with a trip to Sacramento resulting in a defeat for Detroit. Los Angeles was much kinder to the Shock. Canty and Palmer were the top scorer and rebounder in an 84-59 stomping of the Sparks. Detroit’s western odyssey next took them to Phoenix and a matchup with the Mercury. Wendy Palmer and Carla Porter keyed a second half run that put the Shock ahead, but Phoenix stormed back to claim the victory. The playoffs were still a possibility, but Detroit could not afford to lose many more games. Their next opportunity would come at home against the New York Liberty on August 13. The New Yorkers led by six at the half, then extended the lead as the second half began. Just when all looked lost for Detroit, Brondello took the team on her shoulders as she scored 12 points in three minutes. This cut the New York lead to four. Wendy Palmer’s basket made it a one point game in the last seconds, but the Liberty padded the lead with free throws. Claudia Maria das Neves came up empty on a three pointer, and time ran out on the Shock. The same teams would meet again in two days, this time at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. Detroit played well from tip off to final buzzer, keeping their playoff hopes alive with a 6357 triumph. Palmer poured in 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Azzi contributed five assists to the cause. Detroit needed a win at Orlando to solidify their postseason 24

Worst to First chances. Instead it was the Miracle who moved ahead of the Shock with a 93-81 win. The teams would meet again in the regular season finale at the Palace. In the meantime, the Shock faced another must-win game at Charlotte. The Sting already had a playoff berth in hand, but needed this game for better seeding. With both teams focused, it promised to be a close and exciting contest. Detroit led by five at the break, but a determined Charlotte squad went ahead with nine minutes and change on the second half clock. Back came Detroit, and with just under a minute in regulation Canty made it a three point lead. Charlotte cut it to one but that was it as Detroit held on 5857. And now the season was down to one game. The Shock took to the Palace court against the Orlando Miracle. The winner would play Charlotte in the first round of the playoffs, the loser would have to wait until next season. Momentum was in the Shock’s favor for most of the first half, until a late Orlando rally gave the Miracle the lead at the midway point. Detroit once again took command as the second half began, only to see Orlando strike back for a one point lead at the 7:40 mark. The Shock counterpunched and with 18 seconds left they led by two. The Miracle had to resort to fouling to stop the clock, and Jen Azzi connected on her free throws to clinch a 7468 Shock win. More importantly, Detroit had qualified for the playoffs in their second season in the WNBA. They would remain at home, awaiting the arrival of the Charlotte Sting. Attendance at the Palace was less than the Shock would have liked, but those who did show up were fired up for some playoff basketball. The first twenty minutes featured tough defensive play on both sides, as Detroit took a 26-22 lead into the break. As the second half progressed, the Shock maintained the lead and with less than ten minutes were up by six. A blocked shot by Charlotte’s Andrea Stinson got momentum on the Sting’s side, resulting in a 16-3 scoring run that put the Shock behind. Detroit pulled to within two in the final minutes but could get no closer and Charlotte closed out a 60-54 win. Unlike the men’s NBA, the WNBA first round in 1999 was a one game affair rather than a longer series. Therefore, the first playoff appearance by the Detroit Shock was over after one game. While the playoff outcome was not to the liking of the team or 25

Vince Prygoski their fans, it had nonetheless been another good season for the Shock. If not for losing streaks at the beginning of July and the end of July/beginning of August, they would have finished with a much better regular season record. To their credit, the Shock did not give up and won three of their last four regular season games to make the playoffs. In the playoff game, they gave it all they had for 40 minutes before falling short by just a bit. After two seasons in the WNBA, the future was looking promising for the Detroit Shock. The team had posted a winning record in their inaugural season, then followed that up with a playoff bid in their second season. The future remained unwritten, but for the players, coaches, and fans, there seemed to be all the reason in the world for optimism. 2000 For the 2000 season, the WNBA welcomed two new teams: the Indiana Fever and the Miami Sol. As is customary, the expansion teams were allowed to select from a group of players who had been with the established clubs. The Shock lost two of their players in the expansion draft. Sandy Brondello was an original member of the Detroit team and had led the Shock in scoring in each of their first two seasons. Leslie Brown joined Detroit as a free agent in 1999, playing in 13 games over the course of the season. Both of them were selected by Miami. The next order of business was the annual draft of players from the collegiate ranks. One day before the draft, the Shock traded Jennifer Azzi and the Shock’s first round pick (the 12th overall pick) to Utah for the third and eighth overall picks. With their first selection, Detroit chose guard/forward Edwina Brown from the University of Texas. Brown was named the top women’s collegiate player in 2000, also earning first team All America honors. Her senior year numbers of 21.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, six assists and 2.9 steals showed that she had excellent all around basketball skills. Nancy Lieberman-Cline said of Brown: “We look at it like we got the No. 1 draft pick. One of the reasons we decided to move up in the draft was because we really wanted Edwina Brown. She’s one of the most versatile players out there.” (Chengelis, “Detroit Shock draft profiles,” 2000) She also joined Cindy Brown and Leslie Brown as the third player in the brief 26

Worst to First history of the Detroit Shock to have the surname Brown. Tamicha Jackson was the Shock’s next pick, from perennial women’s college power Louisiana Tech. An All American and Naismith Award finalist, Jackson finished her college career ranked in the top ten of several statistical categories at Louisiana Tech. In the later rounds of the draft, Detroit picked up more quality prospects. Guard Madinah Slaise of Cincinnati was chosen in round two, forward Chavonne Hammond of Vanderbilt in the third, and guard Cal Bouchard from Boston College in the fourth. Coach Lieberman-Cline noted that the team was looking to emphasize defense, and was able to do this in the draft. In addition to the draft picks, a number of free agents also had an opportunity to make the team. Of these, Anna DeForge, Elena Tornikidou, and Barbara Farris would survive the cuts and be part of the regular season roster. Farris, a collegiate standout at Tulane, was in fact the first member of the 2003 WNBA championship team to join the Shock. She would experience the entire journey this franchise would take, from middle of the pack to the depths of last place and then upward to the glorious heights of success. The Shock opened 2000 at home against Sacramento. The Monarchs came into the game already having played their regular season opener. It was a closely contested game, with Detroit hanging tough for a 77-74 win. Elena Tournikidou led the Shock in scoring with 18, Astou Ndiaye-Diatta was the top rebounder, and Dominique Canty had the most assists. It was a fine way to start the season, in fact it was the first time that the Shock had come out victorious in their season opener. Detroit’s first foray outside of Michigan would not be nearly as fruitful. Despite the best efforts of Wendy Palmer, the Shock fell to Minnesota. Back at the Palace, Canty put forth a fine effort but New York won the game to drop Detroit under the break-even mark. Another home game was next on the slate, and here it was Ndiaye-Diatta who shone most brightly. Her 18 points and eight rebounds played a major role in the final outcome, an 80-76 victory over Indiana. The Charlotte Sting arrived in Auburn Hills next, looking for their first win of the season. They would get it at the expense of the Shock. Detroit had little time to rest, making a 27

Vince Prygoski quick trip to Florida where they suffered another setback courtesy of the Miami Sol. The Miamians were one of the 2000 expansion teams, so this loss was especially difficult to take. Cleveland was the next stop for the Shock, where the Rockers awaited. This one would be a high scoring affair, with both teams shooting the ball well. In the end it was Detroit 93-Cleveland 81, and a happy Shock crew made their way back home for their second meeting of the season with Indiana. Once again the scoreboard got quite a workout. At halftime the Shock led 45-43, when it was all over Detroit had claimed their second straight win by a 111-74 margin. The Shock’s scoring output established a new single game team record, besting Houston’s old mark by a single point. At one point in the second half, Detroit outscored Indiana by an incredible 31 points to 2. As had been the case the previous week, the Shock had to hit the road for a game the day after playing one at home. This time they went to Washington, and jet lag may have had something to do with the Shock coming out on the short end of an 80-55 final score. Two days later in New York, the Shock recovered and beat the Liberty 67-63. Claudia Maria das Neves and Wendy Palmer were the key performers in this game. Detroit next welcomed Washington to the Palace for a rematch of their recent meeting. The Mystics once again mystified the Shock, taking a 76-70 win back to the nation’s capital. It was now “Jack Kerouac time” for the Shock. In other words, they would be “On the Road” for a while, six games to be exact. First they hit the eastern seaboard for a date with Charlotte. This time it was the Sting who got stung, as Tournikidou scored 25 points in an 84-81 Shock victory. Then it was off to the northwest, to face Seattle. Palmer tallied 32 points and 12 rebounds and the Shock made it two in a row. Their next stop was further down the west coast, in Sacramento. Earlier in the season, Detroit set a single game record for scoring by one team. Against Sacramento, the Shock and the Monarchs combined for a new single game scoring-by-both-teams record. Unfortunately for Detroit, it was Sacramento who had the 108 and Detroit who had the 96. Among the top scorers for the 28

Worst to First Monarchs was Kedra Holland-Corn, who we will meet later in this story as a member of the 2003 championship Shock. For now, let’s get back to 2000. Detroit’s early July road odyssey continued its southward trajectory, as the team pulled into Los Angeles. The Sparks took control of this one early and never looked back, handing the Shock an 85-63 defeat. Phoenix was just as painful, as the Mercury tagged Detroit with another setback. At last the road trip came to an end in Utah. The team’s slump also ceased with a 73-69 win for the Shock. One would think that being back home would have helped Detroit, but it was not so as Orlando beat the Shock 68-62 at the Palace. Detroit led at several points during this game and got solid performances from Palmer, Tournikidou, and DeForge. Detroit now had eight wins and ten losses for the 2000 season. The playoffs were still a possibility, with each game being very important. One advantage the Shock had was that nine of their last 14 games would be at home. Following the loss to Orlando, Seattle and Miami were scheduled to visit the Palace. Dominique Canty returned from an injury in time for the Seattle game, and wasted no time getting back into the thick of it. Her 15 points and five steals sparked the Shock to a 61-56 win. After the game she was quoted thusly: “It felt great to be out there. It was really hard the last few games to just sit and watch, especially when we lost a couple we never should have lost.” (Goricki, “Canty returns, leads Shock…”) The Miami Sol arrived in Auburn Hills looking to take another one from the Shock, as they had done back on June 13. Detroit was more than ready this time. A 32-26 halftime advantage grew ever larger as the final 20 minutes passed. When all was said and done, Miami returned to the Sunshine State unhappy as the Shock rolled 80-50. Palmer, DeForge, and Canty were joined by Oksana Zakaluzhnaya as the stars of the day. Detroit now had a record of ten wins and ten losses, and were only two and a half games behind first place Orlando. Orlando was, in fact, where the Shock were headed next for a game that held great importance for their playoff chances. Detroit hung tough with the Miracle for most of the opening half, only to have Orlando pull away for a 44-29 lead at the break. The Shock tried their best to fight their way back but could get no closer than 29

Vince Prygoski ten points, which ended up being the final margin. Orlando guard Elaine Powell missed most of this game due to injury. Three years later, a healthy Powell started every game for none other than the WNBA champion Detroit Shock. More on that later… The Shock drew over 10,000 fans for their next game, at home against the three-time WNBA champion Houston Comets. Detroit struggled for well over half of the regulation game time, and it appeared that the champs would have little trouble dispensing with the upstarts from Motown. Perhaps it was the home crowd cheering them, perhaps it was just not wanting to go down without a fight, but somehow the Shock were able to come back. Not quite all the way back, but at least enough to have a chance. DeForge tied the game in the last minute, and Canty very nearly won it at the end of the second half. To overtime the teams went, and the Shock actually led briefly during the extra period. In the end, it was Sheryl Swoopes making the game winning shot for Houston. It was a tough defeat for the Shock, but at least they never gave up and made a game of it. The Shock needed to put the Houston game behind them and focus on the Portland Fire, their next opponent. Portland was an expansion team in 2000, and this was the first meeting between the teams. Detroit struggled on offense in this game, hurting their playoff hopes with a 61-57 loss. Stacey Thomas, a Portland rookie from Flint, Michigan via the University of Michigan, made some key plays for her team in this game. Thomas would return to her native state during the Shock’s championship run of 2003 and played an important role late in the season and in the playoffs. Detroit needed a win on July 26, and they got it at the expense of the Miami Sol. Coach Lieberman-Cline made two changes in the starting lineup for this game. Barbara Farris started at center in place of Wendy Palmer and Edwina Brown took over for Claudia das Neves at point guard. The Shock took control of the game with an early second half surge. More importantly, they moved into the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Whether they would maintain it depended on how they did in their remaining games. A visit to Cleveland was next on the agenda. The Shock struggled to hit their shots in this one, finishing with 36 percent from the field. The Rockers took an early lead and never looked 30

Worst to First back in an 80-60 win over the Shock. Detroit fell into a tie with Washington for the last playoff berth, and returned home for three games at the Palace. The Shock hosted the Charlotte Sting on July 29. Wendy Palmer was not feeling her best on that day, but played anyway and led her team with 21 points. Detroit held off Charlotte by a final of 75-72, moving back into sole possession of the coveted bid to the postseason. July 31 brought the Cleveland Rockers to town for a rematch. The Shock led by as many as 13 in the first half and appeared well on their way to victory. It was not to be, as Cleveland fought back and took a 76-65 decision. Poor second half shooting doomed the Detroiters, who lost ground in the playoff race. August began with a game against Los Angeles. The Sparks held the league’s best record and would not be easy to beat. Detroit was not intimidated, fighting Lisa Leslie and her teammates for the full forty minutes. Wendy Palmer launched a three pointer as time ran out, but it did not connect and Los Angeles just barely prevailed 84-81. The Shock remained ahead of Washington for the playoffs, albeit by the slimmest of margins. Only one half game separated the teams, who were scheduled to meet August 4 in D.C. For the third time in the 2000 season, Detroit was mystified by the Mystics. Washington opened up a substantial lead and cruised to a 96-72 victory. The Shock fell a full game behind in the standings, with a road game versus Orlando looming large. Someone ended up clinching a playoff berth on August 6, 2000. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the Orlando Miracle. Once again, the Shock found themselves behind by a large margin early in the game and could not recover. Two games remained in the regular season. Hope still remained that the Shock could extend it beyond that point, but that hope was fading fast. Detroit versus Indiana, at Indiana. This was a game that the Shock absolutely, positively had to win to have any hope of making the playoffs. After the first twenty minutes, Detroit trailed 31-22 and were looking in the face of elimination from postseason contention. They responded like champions, opening the second half with a titanic 20-4 scoring blitz that led to a 7463 season saving win. In other WNBA action, Washington lost to 31

Vince Prygoski Orlando. This put Detroit and Washington back in a deadlock for the final playoff spot. The Shock’s final regular season game was at home against New York. Detroit did their part, defeating the Liberty 66-63. Washington also won their finale, so the teams remained tied in the standings. The tiebreaker was the head-to-head regular season series, in which the Mystics had won all three games. This gave the playoff berth to Washington, leaving Detroit to wonder “what if?” What if they had managed to win even one of the games against the Mystics, or any of the games they lost for that matter. The Detroit Shock had done fairly well in their first three seasons in the WNBA, compiling an overall record of 46 victories as against 48 defeats. On the other hand, they finished under the .500 mark for two seasons in a row after coming in above the break even mark their inaugural season. In the highly competitive world of professional sports, sometimes just doing fairly well is not going to cut it. And so it was that in late August of 2000, Nancy Lieberman-Cline was dismissed as head coach and general manager of the Detroit Shock. After three seasons, the franchise would be starting over with new leadership in 2001. On September 20, 2000, Greg Williams was named head coach of the team. He had already been on the coaching staff, serving as an assistant to Lieberman-Cline since the founding of the franchise.

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Part 4 The Agony of Defeat

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reg Williams stepped up into the head coaching position with high hopes of taking the Detroit Shock beyond the at times promising, at other times frustrating status quo of the team’s first three seasons. Things would get better for the Shock, unfortunately for Williams it would be after his departure. The 2001 campaign began with the usual drafting of recent college graduates. Detroit’s first round pick eventually became a starter and a key component of the 2003 championship team. Although she attended the University of Georgia, she was originally a Michiganian. She was a high school star at Flint Northern High School, leading the team to consecutive state championships. As a prep senior, she won the Miss Basketball award for the best high school player in Michigan. At Georgia, she earned conference and national honors as part of some very successful Bulldog teams. Vanderbilt’s head coach paid her perhaps the highest compliment of all by referring to her as the Michael Jordan of women’s basketball. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Deanna “Tweety” Nolan! The Shock’s other draft picks were a diverse group. Jae Kingi hailed from Australia, where she had several seasons of

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Vince Prygoski professional experience. Svetlana Volnaya, originally from Belarus, attended college at the University of Virginia. Detroit’s final selection was six foot three center Kelly Santos of Brazil. Season ticket sales were up from 2000, and the more than 9,000 fans who made it to the Palace for the 2001 opener got to witness a fine performance from the home team. Detroit was facing the Houston Comets, who had won all four WNBA championships to date. Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes were missing from the Houston lineup due to retirement and injury respectively. Nevertheless, this was still a very tough challenge for the Shock. Detroit was not intimidated and built a 14-4 lead in the game’s opening minutes. Their shooting then went cold, allowing the Comets to take control. Astou Ndiaye-Diatta gave her team a boost after halftime, scoring several key baskets to cut into the deficit. The Shock fought bravely until the end, only to come up short by a single point. Deanna Nolan made her first big contribution as a pro in game two, at home against Orlando. The rest of the team did not do so well on either offense or defense, and the Miracle won easily. Things just got tougher as the Shock headed to Houston for another meeting with the league’s only (so far) champions. The previous meeting between the teams had been encouraging, if ultimately unsuccessful. The rematch was difficult right from the start and only got drearier for Detroit. A frustrated Shock team traveled on to Miami looking for any kind of positive sign. The Sol and the Shock played to a deadlock through the two regulation periods. To overtime they went, and Barbara Farris made key plays on both ends of the court in the final minute of the extra session. Detroit held on for a 68-67 victory, giving them a new sense of hope for the rest of the season. One of Miami’s top players in this game was none other than Sandy Brondello, a star of the Shock’s first two seasons. Deanna Nolan once again turned in a fine performance for Detroit, showing signs of the greatness that was to come. Astou Ndiaye-Diatta was the hero of the next game, versus Washington at the Palace. She led the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists as Detroit won 80-65. The Shock made 18 of 19 free throws, the best team single-game percentage ever. On a less happy note, rookie sensation Deanna Nolan was injured in this game. Adding insult to injury, news reports misspelled her 34

Worst to First last name as “Nolin.” Better days would come, both for Ms. Nolan and for her team and by 2003 no one would be misspelling her name. But for now, back to 2001. The team’s next game, at Charlotte, proved to be an epic endurance contest. When it was all over, Detroit had prevailed 72-69 in double overtime. Edwina Brown came through in the clutch not once, not twice, but an incredible three times in this game. First, she connected on the shot that forced the first overtime. Then, she canned a three point shot with a mere one second on the first overtime clock. Finally, she drilled another triple in the waning seconds of overtime number two that ended up being the deciding score. It is unlikely that too many other basketball players at any level have ever pulled off a similar feat. Detroit now stood at an even three and three on the season, having come back from an 0-3 start. Could they keep the good times going? The answer arrived one day after the win over Charlotte, when the Minnesota Lynx showed up at the Palace gates. Detroit had a rough first half and fell behind by 18 points. A second half comeback made it closer, but fell short of the mark. Minnesota was helped greatly by Katie Smith, who tallied 40 points. Back to back losses to the Indiana Fever followed close behind, one at Indianapolis and the other at Auburn Hills. In both games, the Fever were aided by former Shock player Olympia ScottRichardson. Lisa Leslie and her Los Angeles Sparks teammates made the trip from the west coast to take on the Shock in what turned out to be a high scoring affair. Edwina Brown failed to connect on a potential game winner in regulation, and the game went to overtime in an 83-all stalemate. The team from the Motor City ran out of gas in the extra session, as the Sparks took a 98-89 win back to sunny Southern Cal. While the loss was discouraging for the Shock, good news came with the return of Deanna Nolan. The Flint native scored 15 points and reported no pain in her left knee. Charlotte had lost seven games in a row going in to the June 27 tilt with Detroit. The Sting got well at the Shock’s expense, sending the visitors home to Motown with a 74-50 defeat. The Shock needed someone to step up, and that someone turned out to be Jae Kingi. The rookie from Australia scored 25 35

Vince Prygoski points in a win over Phoenix. Her one game output exceeded what she had managed in the entire eleven previous games. Kingi’s fellow Aussies Carla Boyd and Rachael Sporn also made their presence felt in this game. July 2001 began for the Shock with a visit to the Big Apple to face the New York Liberty. In attendance at Madison Square Garden were former President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. The New Yorkers broke open a tied game in the last two minutes, handing the Shock a tough setback in front of a crowd that included one of America’s most famous political couples. Back at the Palace, Tweety Nolan did her best to get the Shock back in the win column. Turnovers and lack of scoring hurt the cause, as Charlotte won 67-50. Detroit fared somewhat better at Orlando, yet still was not able to avoid a loss. A visit to the District of Columbia provided relief for the Shock, in the form of a 64-52 win over the Washington Mystics. NdiayeDiatta was a key contributor in this contest, and Nolan delivered another fine performance. Two match ups with the Miami Sol were next on the schedule, one at the Palace and the other down south in Florida. In the first meeting, Miami was helped by both the past and the future of the Detroit Shock. Sandy Brondello, formerly of Detroit, led the Sol with 14 points. Chipping in 12 points and ten rebounds was a tall and tough young graduate of Notre Dame by the name of Ruth Riley. Ms. Riley would eventually find her way back to the Midwest, where she joined the Shock. More about that when the time comes. As for the July 13, 2001 game, Brondello and Riley’s efforts enabled Miami to sneak out of the Palace and back down to the Sunshine State with a 56-55 win. Brondello must not have had enough fun tormenting her old team, as once again she victimized the Shock for a game high 14 points in the rematch at Miami. It was another setback for the Shock, who faced the New York Liberty in their next game. More than 13,000 fans made it to the Palace to root their team on to victory. The New Yorkers had other ideas, and the Detroit faithful were left heartbroken in the wake of an 80-67 loss. Detroit’s defense had no answer to the New York attack, as the visitors shot 57 percent from the field. In Sacramento, the story was the lack of offensive production 36

Worst to First by the Shock. Detroit managed only 30 percent from the field, and suffered another defeat at the hands of the Monarchs. The Shock’s record was now five wins and 15 losses. With only 12 games remaining, every one became critical. Including the next one, at Portland versus the Fire. Portland had a fine team, including collegiate star Jackie Stiles. Detroit countered with its own stars, including Astou Ndaiye-Diatta and Deanna Nolan. These two were the difference makers for the Shock, who snapped out of their slump with an impressive 80-77 overtime victory. The team would remain in the Pacific Northwest for a while, to face the Seattle Storm. As was the case at Portland, this one would take more than the usual 40 minutes to settle. Ndiaye-Diatta once again was in top form, as were Wendy Palmer and Edwina Brown. Despite all that, the Storm was able to prevail by a final of 74-69. It was on to Phoenix, and one more tough break for the Detroit team. With 11 minutes and change on the second half clock, the Shock led by 11 and were feeling pretty good. When the timer hit 0:00, that lead had disappeared and Detroit was on the short end of a 6362 score. Yet another excellent effort by Ndiaye-Diatta was wasted, and any playoff hopes were fading fast. Returning home did not seem to help, as the Cleveland Rockers invaded the Palace and took a 57-50 victory back to the Buckeye State. The Shock had a halftime lead, but turnovers and fouls doomed them in the end. 27 percent second half shooting also did not help. Jae Kingi gave the hometown fans something to cheer about at last. She connected on two big three point shots to boost the Shock over Orlando 64-62. Detroit came back from a 10 point deficit in this one. The first day of August 2001 brought a difficult challenge for the Shock, who took on the first place Liberty in New York. Detroit stepped up to the challenge and led for significant portions of the game. New York battled back, and just barely got by the Shock. Detroit’s tough luck continued, and at this point the players and coaches must have been getting tired of “moral victories.” They did not waste any time getting an actual victory. Edwina Brown played solid defense against Jackie Stiles of Portland, and the Shock emerged on top by a 70-65 count. Brown also did her part on offense, keying a Detroit rally that brought the team back 37

Vince Prygoski from a 14 point disadvantage. University of Michigan graduate and Flint, MI native Stacey Thomas did her part for Portland, as she later would for the Shock during their fabulous 2003 championship run. More success appeared to be in the making against Utah. Ndiaye-Diatta scored 27 points and put the team ahead with a little over three minutes to go. Things then fell apart for Detroit and the Starzz swept them away. The loss was the 20th of the season for the Shock. Ndiaye-Diatta gave another superb effort at Cleveland, helping the Shock take a lead at the start of the second half. Once again the bottom fell out towards the end. The Rockers staged a rally, sending Detroit back home with loss number 21. The final three games were basically just about pride at this point. Elena Tournikidou scored 21 points in a home win over Washington. Indiana completed a season series sweep over Detroit by defeating the Shock at Indianapolis. Detroit finished the season with a 76-65 victory over playoff bound Cleveland. There would be no postseason for the Shock, who ended 2001 with ten wins and 22 losses. The Shock lost a number of close games that could easily have gone their way. Offensive production was a major problem. Only two players averaged in double figures in scoring, and the team scoring average was down seven points per game compared to 2000. In terms of defense, the numbers were better as the 2001 Shock allowed 70.9 points a game while the 2000 squad allowed 75.8. If the 2001 team had maintained the scoring pace of the 2000 team, that combined with the improved defense would likely have resulted in a better record. On the more positive side, the addition of Deanna Nolan made the Shock a better team. She, along with 2001 teammates Barb Farris and Astou Ndaiye-Diatta, would still be on the team two seasons later for the “joy of victory.” Before that, they and the 2002 Shock would have to endure one more season of the “agony of defeat.” 2002 The 2002 season ended up being the worst in terms of final won-lost record for the Detroit Shock. Yet, even in the midst of 38

Worst to First these difficult times, the seeds of something much better were being planted. A little more than a month before the May 30 season opener, the Shock hired a new special consultant who was no stranger to championship basketball in Detroit. He played college ball at Notre Dame, where he just barely missed out on a national championship. His NBA career began with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it was with the Detroit Pistons that he would have his finest moments. A hard-nosed, blue collar type, he was perhaps the baddest of the “Bad Boys” who brought back-to-back NBA titles to Motown. Bill Laimbeer brought his work ethic and passion for basketball to the Detroit Shock. He would take over as head coach during the 2002 season, engineering the team’s dramatic turn from “worst to first.” Several other pieces of the championship puzzle were added in 2002. With their first round pick in the draft, the Shock selected a truly “astounding woman.” Which is exactly what Swintayla “Swin” Cash’s given first name means in an African language. Her childhood in McKeesport, Pennsylvania was not always easy, but with her mother’s love she grew into a strong and determined young woman. As a collegian, Cash won many individual honors as part of the highly successful University of Connecticut (U-Conn) program. In her senior year, the Huskies won the national championship with a perfect record of 39 wins and zero losses. Swin Cash brought both a winning attitude and excellent basketball skills to Detroit. Although her rookie season would be difficult at times, the greatest success was just around the corner. Also arriving through the draft was Ayana Walker from Louisiana Tech. Like Cash, Walker was used to winning at the collegiate level as the Techsters typically rank among the top teams in the NCAA. She was a member of the gold medal winning United States national team, and was named Female Athlete of the Year by USA Basketball in 2001. From the same state, but a different school (Louisiana State) came Elaine Powell. She was acquired in a trade midway through the season, as the Shock sent Wendy Palmer to Orlando. Powell had three and a half years of WNBA experience with the Miracle, starting all 32 games for them in 2001. She and Cash would form two fifths of the Detroit starting lineup by 2003, while Walker saw regular action as a substitute. 39

Vince Prygoski And so Coach Greg Williams began his second season with the Shock with the goals of improving on the 2001 record while also drawing more fans to the Palace. Team president Tom Wilson was quite aware of the connection between these two factors: “It’s not about slogans and marketing anymore. We have to give them a reason to come back-which is winning-or at least being competitive with a die-trying type attitude. We wanted to test the market with a very good team and we still haven’t had the chance yet.” (Goricki, “Shock have bottom line goal,” 2002) The early season schedule was not kind to the Shock, with eight of their first ten games on the road including the opener against Orlando. The team was also handicapped by the absence of injured guard Dominique Canty for the first five games. Swin Cash looked like a seasoned veteran in her first ever WNBA game, leading the Shock with 16 points. Despite this, turnovers and an early second half offensive lapse ended up dooming Detroit to an 80-66 defeat. Deanna Nolan and Cash both did their part at Indiana, but once again the total team effort was not there and the Shock lost another one. One day later, the same teams met at the Palace for Detroit’s home opener. The Motown sports press was already making dire predictions that the Shock franchise might not be around much longer if their on-court fortunes did not change soon. Nolan, Cash, and Astou Ndiaye-Diatta led Detroit to a halftime lead in the rematch with Indiana. The Fever rallied after the break, leaving the Shock at 0 and 3 for the season. The frustrated Detroiters left Michigan to face the powerful squads from New York and Cleveland. Cash turned in another fine performance against the Liberty, and Detroit appeared to be on the verge of an upset. It was not to be, as New York came back to hand the Shock loss number four, by an agonizingly close 60-59 final. In Cleveland, the Rockers rocked the house and shocked the Shock by a final of 72-55. Detroit had two days to prepare for the next challenge, a home date with New York. Once again, the Shock played the Liberty tough. Detroit led by as many as 14 points in the first half. And just as they had let one slip away in Manhattan, so did they let this one get away in Auburn Hills. The Shock fell to 0-6 for 2002 with a three game West Coast swing ahead of them. Detroit’s westward odyssey began in Los Angeles. Nolan 40

Worst to First scored a career best 18 points and Cash had another solid outing. Victory eluded the Shock yet again, as the Sparks prevailed 90-80. Phoenix prolonged the Shock’s misery, despite some fine three point shooting by Ms. Swintayla. The Portland Fire kept the heat on, as the Shock got close only to fall short again. Detroit traveled clear across the country trying to escape the blues, but found only more of the same in the nation’s capital. The Shock failed to hold a six point second half lead and lost their tenth straight. At this point, the Shock front office had seen quite enough to know that a change was in order. Greg Williams had tried his best, but the results were not there. Following the loss at Washington, he was replaced as head coach by Bill Laimbeer. Laimbeer approached the challenge with a great deal of confidence, which also had served him well in his playing days. Although he knew that it might take a while to turn things around, he nevertheless stated that “I’m here to be successful. I want to compete for championships.” (Goricki, “Laimbeer to coach Shock,” 2002) Just as Vince Lombardi had taken over a talented but underachieving Green Bay Packer team and turned them into winners, so did Laimbeer plan to do with the Shock. In fact, the following quote almost sounds Lombardi-esque: “Losing is a habit, and so is winning. We just have to change the habit and learn to win.” (Ibid.) The third coach in Detroit Shock history made his debut on June 21, 2002 at home versus Orlando. Big Bill’s tenure did not get off to the best of starts, despite 20 points from Swin Cash. The Orlando Miracle kept Detroit winless by a convincing 80-59 count. Baseball’s Tigers and football’s Lions had also endured lengthy season opening losing streaks, so perhaps it was some kind of general curse on Detroit sports. The Shock played Charlotte tough and there was hope that perhaps the elusive first win was near. Detroit faltered down the stretch, and their slump reached 12 games and counting. Loss number 13 came at the hands of the Miami Sol and was particularly difficult, as the Shock won the free throw and rebounding battles only to lose the war. Detroit’s final game in June was also the last of a four game home stand. The Shock wanted nothing more at this time than to beat Sacramento and give the hometown fans something to cheer about at last. 41

Vince Prygoski The Palace crowd was silenced early as the Monarchs shot out to a 20-4 lead. It was then that the future of the Detroit Shock began to assert itself. Rookies Swin Cash and Ayana Walker teamed up with second year pro Deanna Nolan to lift the Shock to victory. Detroit clamped down on defense, hit their shots at the other end, and came away with a 71-60 win. Cash likely spoke for the rest of the team when she said “I am just so happy. We worked so hard today and it finally paid off.” (Goricki, “Shock get first victory,” 2002) As for the head coach, he had this to say: “Now we can relax and play good, solid basketball. I think it will carry over and they’ll play even better.” (Ibid.) Detroit was indeed playing better, although it would still be a while before it started showing up in the final scores. A three game road trip yielded three tough defeats: against Minnesota in overtime, against the always tough Houston Comets, and against Utah. Turnovers were a problem in all three games, and at Houston poor shooting also hurt the Shock’s chances. On the positive side, young players like Swin Cash got valuable experience and continued to improve their skills at the professional level. It was at this point that Shock management made a personnel move that brought another member of the 2003 championship team on board, making the trade referred to at the beginning of this section. Wendy Palmer departed the Shock after three and a half seasons and was replaced by Elaine Powell. The trade seemed to pay immediate dividends, as Powell turned in a fine performance in her first game in a Detroit uniform. Cash also looked good on both ends of the court, and the Shock made their second mark in the victory column, 66-63 over New York. When they were in the midst of their losing streak, even one win looked good to the Shock. Now that they had a couple of wins, they were hungry for more. They made it two in a row with a 72-69 decision over the Minnesota Lynx. Cash, Walker, Nolan, and Powell all made key contributions, as well as providing another glimpse of just how good things were about to get. How about three consecutive victories? The Shock went to Washington with just that objective. Swin Cash put her team up by two in the waning minutes, but the Mystics bounced back and sent the Shock home empty handed. 42

Worst to First Detroit got back on track at home with a 69-48 thrashing of Miami. This game also marked the first time that a Shock coach was ever ejected from a game, as Coach Laimbeer showed some of the “Bad Boy” attitude that characterized his playing days. The team’s fortunes swung back in a negative direction against Utah, as a promising first half was followed by a second half collapse and a loss to the Starzz. Utah was aided in their cause by Margo Dydek, at 7 feet 2 inches the tallest player in the WNBA. Just as quickly, the pendulum took another swing when the Shock met the first place Washington Mystics. Astou NdaiyeDiatta scored 12 points to go along with a dozen rebounds, Swin Cash turned in another world class performance, and the Shock knocked off the high flying Mystics 64-58. Little by little, the times they were a-changin.’ Detroit went to Charlotte in search of their first road win of the 2002 season. Another road loss would tie the WNBA record for consecutive defeats away from home. The coaches and players had this on their mind and were determined to avoid having any part of a standard of futility. Swin Cash’s 20 points and 10 rebounds led the way, but she was not the only Shock player to do well. Elaine Powell and Deanna Nolan also made important contributions as Detroit secured that elusive road victory by a 74-66 score. Back at the Palace, there was a reunion of sorts as Swin Cash met up with her former teammate at the University of Connecticut, Sue Bird. Bird was now playing for the Seattle Storm. Detroit fought back from a large halftime deficit to get close in the second half, then faded late and lost 72-59. Bird also got the better of Cash, finishing with 18 points to Swin’s 15. The Shock looked to get back on track at home against the Cleveland Rockers. The first half was low scoring, ending with the Rockers ahead 26-24. Cleveland increased their advantage in the opening minutes of the second half, then Detroit surged back. In the end, the comeback attempt fell short and the Rockers won by the same two point margin they led by at halftime. The teams would meet again in two days, this time in Cleveland. Detroit was now out of playoff contention, but not out of pride. They intended to keep working hard until the season was over, and this was demonstrated in a 68-57 victory in the Rockers’ house. Swin Cash once again lived up to her lofty reputation, with 43

Vince Prygoski 24 points and 14 rebounds next to her name in the boxscore. With players of this caliber in their corner, it was only a matter of time before really great things began to happen for the Detroit Shock. It was a true team effort in the next game, as all eleven of the Shock tallied at least some points in a 91-75 steamrolling of the Phoenix Mercury. This was Phoenix’s 20th road loss in a row, a record that Detroit managed to avoid tying not too long before. Elaine Powell scored 15 points in the team’s next game, and Swin Cash broke the team single season scoring record. That was the good news. The not so good news was the final score: Charlotte 76-Detroit 65. Only one more home game remained, versus the Indiana Fever. With the playoffs out of the question, Coach Laimbeer decided to let all of the Detroit players get some minutes in front of the home crowd. This enabled Indiana to keep the score close, but in the end the Shock pulled out a 55-54 win. Their final two games were both on the road, at Orlando and Miami. Elaine Powell put forth a fine effort against the Miracle, and the Shock was in the game until early in the second half. Orlando then went on a scoring run to put the contest away. With a win over Miami, Detroit could match their 10-22 record of 2001. It appeared to be a good possibility as the Shock took an eleven point lead. Miami was fighting for a playoff spot, and although they did not end up making the postseason they were able to rally and spoil Detroit’s hopes for final game success. The Shock ended the 2002 season with nine wins and 23 losses, one game behind their record from the previous season. While 2002 did not end on a positive note for the Detroit Shock, it was obvious that progress had been made with the change in coaching. The team had started off with 13 consecutive losses and was 1-16 at one point. They won eight of their last 15 games, and in general played much better after Bill Laimbeer took over the head coaching duties. Things had definitely gotten better, and were about to go beyond what anyone likely dared to imagine.

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Part 5 Worst to First

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ear the end of 2002, uncertainty swirled around the Detroit Shock. Despite a late season turnaround with new coach Bill Laimbeer, the team had finished in last place in both 2001 and 2002 and attendance at the Palace had been declining. Rumors were afoot that the Shock might move to another city, or perhaps fold entirely. Similar fates had already happened to other WNBA teams. The Orlando Miracle moved to Connecticut, changing their nickname to the Sun. Perhaps they hoped to capitalize on the popularity of the University of Connecticut’s highly successful women’s basketball team. The Utah Starzz relocated to San Antonio, adding “Silver” to their nickname and switching to the more conventional “Stars” spelling. Two other teams, the Miami Sol and the Portland Fire, went out of business entirely. All of these teams had fared better in 2002 than the Shock, so it was hardly surprising that talk surfaced that questioned the franchise’s future. On October 10, 2002, the suspense ended. The announcement was made by Tom Wilson, president of the Shock as well as of their parent organization known as Palace Sports and Entertainment. The Shock would remain in Detroit for at least one

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Vince Prygoski more season. With the question of the team’s continued existence answered, it was time to get back to the hard work required to ensure that there would be many more seasons to come for the Shock. Although the previous few seasons had been difficult in terms of wins and losses, the addition of players such as Deanna Nolan, Swin Cash, and Elaine Powell had improved the team’s talent level. Several more outstanding players would arrive in 2003, making the Shock an even greater force. Of course, the coaching change also had a positive effect on the team’s fortunes. Detroit picked up Ruth Riley in the dispersal draft, in which players from the defunct Miami and Portland teams were made available to the currently existing teams. Riley brought two seasons of WNBA experience to the Shock, in which she saw regular action and started quite a few games for Miami. An Indiana native, she won national player of the year honors while helping lead Notre Dame to an NCAA championship in 2001. Riley earned first team All America status twice as a collegian, while having her name appear many times in the Fighting Irish record book. Perhaps it is just a coincidence, but her new coach also just happened to be a Notre Damer as well. Her six foot five height and considerable strength was just what the Shock needed at the center position. In the first round of the college draft, the Shock obtained another big, strong woman to join Riley on the front line. Cheryl Ford’s toughness and talent were a key to the success of her Louisiana Tech teams, as she posted impressive numbers in such categories as scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots. All of this is perhaps no big surprise considering that Ford is the daughter of Karl Malone, one of the all time great power forwards in the history of the Men’s NBA. One could borrow an advertising slogan from one of Detroit’s leading corporations and say that Cheryl is “Built Ford Tough!” Detroit’s other draft picks included Kara Lawson from the University of Tennessee and Syreeta Bromfield from Michigan State. A flurry of trades took place in late April. Dominique Canty went to Houston in exchange for Allison Curtin. Edwina Brown and Lenae Williams were swapped to Phoenix for Telisha Quarles and 46

Worst to First Petra Ujhelyi. Finally, draft choice Kara Lawson’s tenure with the Shock proved short lived as she was sent to Sacramento for Kedra Holland-Corn. Quarles would be released prior to the season, Curtin would miss the season with an injury, Ujhelyi saw some action but also spent some time on the injured list. HollandCorn got quite a bit of playing time coming off the bench and also started a few games in 2003. Korie Hlede, one of the original members of the Shock, was signed as a free agent and had a chance to make the team again. She did not end up on the active player roster, but was hired as an assistant coach, joining Laurie Byrd and Pamela McGee on the Detroit staff. Just before the start of the regular season, Tamara Moore joined the team in a trade with Minnesota. Moore eventually was dealt to Phoenix for Stacey Thomas. Astou Ndiaye-Diatta gave birth to triplets in late May, returning to action two months later. So much for the personnel moves…let’s move on to the season of 2003! Although most probably expected the Shock to at least be somewhat better than before, it is unlikely that anyone had them picked to win the WNBA championship in 2003. That did not stop the players and coaches from making confident statements. Elaine Powell said “I expect my assists to go way up. I’m looking forward to getting started. We have a big post in Riley and players who can shoot the three when teams use a zone against us.” (Goricki, “Roster changes please Powell,” 2003) Coach Laimbeer was certainly not afraid to set the highest goals for the team, evidenced by the following comments. “Our goal is to be Eastern Conference champions and play for the title. We made significant changes in the ballclub in order to win and challenge for the title. I think we’re the favorites to win the East followed by Cleveland.” (Ibid.) Saturday, May 31, 2003…the time for talk has ended, the opening day roster is set, and it is time to get this party started. More than 8000 Shock faithful are in the Palace stands to cheer for their team as they take on the Charlotte Sting. Detroit has the lead in the early going and builds it as high as ten. Charlotte counterattacked and the Detroit lead diminished to a single point at the half. The teams jockey back and forth for the remaining twenty minutes…Powell pulls the Shock even as the three minute 47

Vince Prygoski mark approaches…then a free throw by Riley puts the Shock up by one. Charlotte is just a bit stronger down the stretch, and Detroit comes up short 70-67. The Detroit sports press offers kudos to the Shock, particularly the frontcourt trio of Riley, Ford, and Cash. This is little comfort to the team, who really would have rather had a win to start the season. Swin Cash: “We just didn’t make the plays down the stretch. They’re a veteran team and they made some big plays and got some big rebounds.” (Goricki, “Sting edge out Shock,” 2003) No time to cry over spilled milk, as they say. One game is all that it is, and those who want to be champions learn to focus on what they can control, namely the next game on the schedule. For the Shock, that would be a somewhat unusual 11 am Thursday home game versus Connecticut. This starting time was to accommodate a large number of schoolchildren who attended the game as a field trip. The youngsters got to see quite a performance by the hometown Shock. Cash gets the mojo flowing with a three point bucket…Riley and Powell join in the fun before Rebecca Lobo finally gets the Sun on the board. The visitors rally, then Detroit shoots out to a big lead. Still Connecticut does not give up, but for every comeback they make Detroit has a response. The Shock’s advantage balloons as high as 22…one last burst by Connecticut is too little too late…Detroit 103-Connecticut 89! Six Shock players score in double figures, led by Captain Swin Cash with 23. Cheryl Ford with 12 rebounds, Elaine Powell with six assists to lead in those categories. The word from Tweety Nolan: “This tells them (other WNBA teams) to look out for us. We have great chemistry now. I felt our bench did a great job. We really needed to get this win after last year’s start.” (Goricki, “Shock show strength,” 2003) An impressive win, but this team wants so much more. Time now to build on the momentum and keep the good times rolling. Time to head down south, to the city where it was rumored the Shock might be moving. The Shock stayed put, and it was the Utah Starzz who ended up in San Antonio with a new name, the Silver Stars. Cheryl Ford flexes her muscles and scores six of the first 12 points in this game, all of which belong to Detroit. San Antonio 48

Worst to First gets as close as three in the second half, but never takes the lead. Stifling Shock defense holds the Silver Stars to only 26 percent shooting, and newcomer Kedra Holland-Corn leads a balanced offensive attack. Detroit wins 74-55, to go to 2-1 on the 2003 season. This is the first time in 85 games, dating back several seasons, that the Shock has been over the .500 mark. It is an encouraging start, but in the heart of champions there lives a longing to go ever further. On to D.C. for the first meeting of the season with the Mystics of Washington. The score is close for about the first eight minutes, then Detroit pulls away for a 12 point halftime advantage. Washington gets it down to ten but the Shock kicks it into overdrive, outscoring the Mystics 25-3 and building a lead as big as 39 points. Detroit gets it done on offense, gets it done on defense, gets it done every which way and then some. When the dust clears the Mystics are the ones left mystified, and staring at a scoreboard that reads Detroit 93-Washington 56. The Shock are now in first place in the Eastern Conference and they intend to stay there. Their next two games will serve as a barometer of just how far they have come. The Shock play host to the defending WNBA champion Los Angeles Sparks, then welcome the league runner up New York Liberty to the Palace. Victories over these formidable opponents could truly serve notice that these are not the same old Shock anymore. Los Angeles had won the last two WNBA championships and came into June 17 with a 9-0 record for the 2003 season. Led by the great Lisa Leslie, the Sparks almost seemed destined for a three-peat. Adding to the drama was the coaching match up. Bill Laimbeer of the Shock and Michael Cooper of the Sparks had faced each other as players twice in the Men’s NBA finals, when Laimbeer played for the Detroit Pistons and Cooper for the Los Angeles Lakers. Just eleven seconds into the first half, Tweety Nolan got the Shock on the board with a triple. Riley and Powell boosted the lead to eight before Leslie got things going on the Los Angeles end. Back and forth the teams battled, and when the halftime buzzer sounded it was the Sparks holding a slim three point lead. Los Angeles boosted the lead to nine points after the break, eventually extending it to 16. This was a key moment, perhaps 49

Vince Prygoski key moment number one in this young season. Would the Shock fold their tents and let the defending champions take charge, or would they step up to the challenge? Five points from Nolan got the momentum heading back in Detroit’s direction, then Barb Farris and Kedra Holland-Corn got the deficit down to single digits. Still the proud Sparks refused to back down and let these upstarts from Motown grab an easy win. Now it was Cash and Ford making plays for the Shock to keep them in contention. Riley cuts the L.A. lead to two, then a pair of free throws by Powell knot the score at 70. With the clock winding down under a minute, Los Angeles forges ahead by four points. Once again the Shock must respond…Cash draws a foul from Leslie…that’s six on the big Sparks’ center, see ya, Lisa! Six fouls and you are out of the game in the WNBA. Cash hits both free throws and it’s a two point game. Los Angeles goes to the line with eleven seconds…Nikki Teasley misses two free throws! Cheryl Ford grabs the rebound and Detroit has one last chance. A missed shot by Nolan, but Detroit grabs the rebound and gets another gift from Teasley who commits a foul. Ruth Riley at the line…first shot, good!...second shot, GOOD! The last seconds tick away and the game goes to overtime. In some ways the extra period is anticlimactic. Detroit takes control early, outscoring Los Angeles 11-2. The final score is Detroit 87-Los Angeles 78. One cannot underestimate the importance of this for the Detroit Shock. There is still much work to be done, but beating last season’s champs is one very big step in the right direction. The defending Eastern Conference champion New York Liberty arrive at the Palace three days later, confident that they can take the Shock back down a notch. With stars like Teresa Weatherspoon, Vickie Johnson, and Tari Phillips, the Liberty will certainly provide another tough test for the Detroiters. The Shock get off to a good start, but most of the first half belongs to New York and the Liberty are up by ten at the break. Just as they had to fight back against Los Angeles, so would they against New York. Powell and Nolan got the rally started, then Riley chipped in with some key plays. New York re-extended the lead to as much as 13…gut check time again…back come the Shock and with less 50

Worst to First than two minutes a Weatherspoon turnover leads to a Powell layup and a tie game. New York back up by two…never fear for Ruth Riley is here with a basket and we are tied again. Cash draws the foul and hits the free throws, Powell and Riley do the same, Nolan grabs the final rebound to put the wraps on an 8883 triumph for Detroit. Ruth Riley had this to say after the New York win: “We knew Swin would come through-she’s a great player and she’s also our leader. I just made an effort to be more aggressive and I got some more shots.” (“Shock claim league’s best record,” 2003) The Detroit Shock had won six games in a row once upon a time, way back in their inaugural season of 1998. They were now poised to repeat that feat in 2003, with a win over the Connecticut Sun. The Sun had two University of Connecticut grads on their side, Rebecca Lobo and Nykesha Sales. The number nine figured prominently in this game. Detroit pulled away late in the first half to take a nine point lead to the locker room. Connecticut outscored Detroit by nine in the second half to send the contest to overtime. In the extra period, Detroit outscored Connecticut by 18 to, you guessed it, nine to win their sixth game in a row. Cheryl Ford set a record for WNBA rookies in this game with an incredible 21 rebounds. Seven wins in a row would be a new standard for the Detroit Shock. All they had to do now was to defeat the Indiana Fever at the Palace on June 24, 2003. The Shock led by as many as six during the first half, but overall the score was close and Indiana led by one at the break. Nolan and Cash got the magic working early in the second half as Detroit surged to an eight point lead. Indiana fought back and eventually tied the score, only to have the Shock prevail in the end by a 68-60 final. Nolan and Cash each had 21 points to lead Detroit. Coach Laimbeer had high praise for the team’s defensive effort, with Elaine Powell doing particularly well. A new mark for consecutive wins had been set, but the team knew there was so much more to be achieved. Deanna Nolan was among the Detroit players getting noticed around the league. She always had the talent, now she was gaining more of the attitude needed to consistently succeed at the pro level. In her own words: “I’m more confident with my shot 51

Vince Prygoski now. I also know once I drive I can rise up over everybody.” (Goricki, “Confidence helps Nolan improve,” 2003) Confidence and the image of rising up were coming to be the defining terms not only for Deanna Nolan personally, but for her team in general. And so it was off to Gotham City…the Big Apple…New York, New York and another meeting with Lady Liberty’s team. This would be a tough physical slugfest, with both teams making liberal use of their muscle. The teams battled to a near standstill over the first twenty minutes, as New York took a narrow one point advantage to the locker room. Detroit took the lead as the second half progressed, but were never able to pull too far ahead. Still, they managed to escape Manhattan with their eighth win in a row, 75-69. Once again it was Deanna Nolan at the forefront of the Shock effort, with ample assistance from Swin Cash and Cheryl Ford. Since the Liberty were the defending Eastern Conference champions, this was a very important step forward for Detroit. As Cash noted: “They have what we want, and that’s the Eastern Conference championship. To win some games from New York, and to come into Madison Square Garden and do it, is big for us.” (Associated Press, “Nolan helps Shock win eighth straight,” 2003) Back at the Palace, the Shock saw their winning streak come to an end. They had their chances against the Phoenix Mercury, but could not quite finish the job. Among the players seeing action for the visitors were former Shock player Edwina Brown and future Shock player Stacey Thomas. The first day of July 2003 brought the San Antonio Silver Stars to Michigan for their second clash with the Shock. Detroit was on fire offensively in this game, setting a WNBA record for first half scoring with 56 points. They fell just short of the century mark for the full forty minutes, but it was plenty enough for a 99-88 victory. Cash was the top scorer with 26 points, a new pro career high for her. Also showing definite signs of improvement was Ruth Riley, Detroit’s big center from Notre Dame. She was up against seven foot two Margo Dydek of San Antonio, and finished with 13 points and six rebounds. More than a month had passed since the Shock opened the regular season with a home loss to Charlotte. The Sting returned to the Palace on July 3. Ford had a fine outing with 19 points and 52

Worst to First a dozen rebounds. Charlotte’s field goal shooting proved to be decisive, especially the 13 three point shots they connected on. Detroit fell by a 92-79 margin, with two of their three losses so far coming against Charlotte. The Detroit Shock had many fine moments in 2003. To say that July 6 at Indianapolis was not one of them would be putting it kindly. Deanna Nolan hit two free throws to give the Shock a 2-0 lead. That was as good as it got for the Shock. By halftime Indiana led 42-24, and the final score was an even more painful 85-54 in favor of the Fever. Turnovers hurt the Detroit cause, as did much better field goal and free throw shooting on the part of Indiana. Detroit bounced back nicely with a 65-50 victory over Connecticut. The Shock never trailed in this one, and led by as many as 25. Fast break points were a key, as was the Shock’s scoring production “in the paint,” as the area close to the basket is known in basketballese. The Shock’s fortunes were heading back in the right direction, but not before a detour to Charlotte, North Carolina. The Sting dominated a significant portion of the first half, then withstood a Shock rally to post their third win in as many 2003 tries against Detroit. Another solid performance by Cheryl Ford (20 points, 14 rebounds) was not enough to break the Charlotte curse. The Sting moved ahead of the Shock for first place in the East. Detroit was determined to climb back into first place as soon as possible. They had a few days off to regroup and prepare for their next task, a return trip to Indianapolis. You might recall that their previous sojourn to Hoosier Country had not been a pleasant one as they suffered their worst loss of 2003 at the hands of the Fever. The Shock had taken note of what went wrong last time around and were prepared for a more positive outcome. Deanna Nolan made sure of that with 27 points, including the game winning score with a mere three tenths of a second on the clock. Detroit had fought back from a four point halftime deficit to post a 70-68 victory. Ruth Riley also played an important role in the clutch, making two free throws to tie the game and set up Nolan’s dramatic final shot. Cheryl Ford had another fine showing with 10 rebounds. The Shock was now tied for the top spot in the East with Charlotte. Elaine Powell had 16 points and five steals in the Shock’s 53

Vince Prygoski next game, as Detroit topped Seattle 74-61. Sandy Brondello, formerly of the Shock, started the game for the Storm. Back to back games against Cleveland loomed ahead for Detroit, with the Rockers hosting the first one and the Shock the second. Cleveland grabbed an early advantage at their house and maintained a slim edge at the half. Powell and Nolan put Detroit ahead as the second half began, but the score remained close and with two minutes and 35 seconds left Cleveland forged ahead by one. Back and forth the teams went for over two minutes with no change in the score…two seconds to go, Detroit has the ball…a jumper by Tweety Nolan…TWO POINTS! Which was all Detroit needed to escape Ohio with a win. It was the second time in three games that the sharp-shooting guard from Flint, Michigan had come through when it mattered most. The Shock extended their lead in the Eastern Conference to three games with a win in the rematch with Cleveland. Over 11,000 made it to the Palace and witnessed a fine example of team basketball as many Detroit players made key contributions. 14 proved to be a significant number here, as Detroit’s front line of Cash, Ford, and Riley all tallied exactly that many points. Ford also snared 14 rebounds, while Powell and Kedra Holland-Corn were not far behind in the scoring column with 13 and 12 each. Oh, and this was also win number 14 for Detroit against five losses. About the only thing that could possibly bring the Shock down was, you guessed it, a trip to Carolina to see their old friends (yeah, right!) the Charlotte Sting. The Sting shot out to a 13 point halftime lead that got Detroit Coach Laimbeer so upset that he picked up a technical foul. Detroit fought back late in the game only to come up empty handed one more time against Charlotte. The good news was that the Shock would not have to play them again in the regular season. Hopefully they would not have to see them in the playoffs. Swin Cash hadn’t had the best of games against Charlotte, with only ten points on three of 14 shooting. A player of her caliber is not going to stay in a slump for long, and the Mighty Swin got her groove back in a big way versus the Washington Mystics. After Washington went ahead early in the second half, the Shock came back to post an 81-71 win. As for Ms. Cash, her 25 points and 10-14 shooting were a dramatic improvement over 54

Worst to First the Charlotte game and a major reason for the favorable outcome over Washington. The real Swin Cash had stood up and delivered, and all the Mystics could do was watch her do her thing. If it seemed like the Shock had just been in Cleveland, well, they just had been there on July 19. Nevertheless, there they were again ten days later for another meeting with the Rockers. In this game, Swin Cash showed not only her basketball skills but also her courage. Despite a sore foot, she played 36 of the 40 minutes of game time and led the team with 24 points. Kedra Holland-Corn added 17 and the Shock emerged victorious. This concluded the month of July 2003 for the Shock. With a 16-6 record, Detroit was in fine shape heading into the final weeks of the regular season. They also needed only one more win to equal the single season best in franchise history. The original Shock had won 17 games in 1998, which was not that long ago but may have seemed that way given all the changes the franchise had been through. The Shock wasted no time matching and then surpassing the team’s former standard of success. August the first found our intrepid basketball heroes back in the biggest city of them all, New York. The Shock and the Liberty went at it with no holds barred, and things got quite intense at times. So much so that a boxing match almost broke out between Deanna Nolan and Crystal Robinson of the Liberty. The officials restored order and the two players were ejected from the game. This knock down drag out contest went down to the last moments. Elaine Powell connected on a three point shot as the clock dipped down under a minute, pulling Detroit into a 58-all tie. The Shock got the ball back, and their first lead of the game on a Ruth Riley basket. Back came the Liberty to draw even…Cash passes to Riley…Big Ruthie with the shot…YES! Detroit is back up by two, and New York’s final attempt falls short. With this win, the Shock reclaims the top record in the league and takes another step towards their destiny. Stacey Thomas, a standout collegiate player at the University of Michigan, made her first appearance in a Shock uniform in the August 1 game at New York. Detroit was now poised to set a new franchise mark for victories in a season. A win over Indiana at the Palace would accomplish this, as well as bringing the Shock closer to wrapping 55

Vince Prygoski up first place in the Eastern Conference. The Fever took the lead and maintained it for the first several minutes of the game. Detroit then surged ahead thanks in part to timely scoring by Kedra Holland-Corn. Indiana kept it close until the last five minutes or so, at which point the Shock pulled away for a 72-58 win. Detroit’s reserves played an important role in this one, outscoring their Indiana counterparts 24-8. The 2003 Shock had now established themselves as the best in team history, but had their sights set on even greater prizes. Ten more regular season games remained, and the more they won the better off they would be as far as playoff seeding. The Shock’s next task took them to Connecticut for their fourth meeting with the Sun. Detroit had won all three previous match ups and did not intend to lose this one. Less than half a minute into the game, Connecticut took a 2-0 lead. Then Deanna Nolan hit two free throws to tie it up. Then Elaine Powell, Ruth Riley, and Swin Cash took turns adding to the “Detroit” side of the scoreboard. Then Powell again, then Cheryl Ford, Powell yet again, and then more points from Cash. While all this was happening, a whole lot of nothing was happening on the Connecticut end of the court. The result was a 16-2 lead for Detroit that the Sun would be hard pressed to overcome. The Shock continued to pour it on and the Sun were probably relieved when the horn finally sounded to end their first half misery. Coach Laimbeer was able to give the regulars a bit of a break late in the second half as Detroit coasted to a 78-61 victory. Five Shock players reached double figures in scoring, while Cheryl Ford and Deanna Nolan took care of the rebounding. With this win, Detroit insured itself of a playoff spot for only the second time in team history. From Connecticut it was on to Washington to face the Mystics, who were fighting to remain in postseason contention. Washington had also been embarrassed on their home court earlier in the season by the Shock, and had likely not forgotten this. Holland-Corn and Riley both had fine games for Detroit, and overall the team effort should have been good enough. Washington countered with Chamique Holdsclaw, who scored a game high 26 points while playing all but one minute of regulation time. The Mystics gained a measure of revenge for the earlier loss to Detroit and kept their playoff hopes alive. The 56

Worst to First Shock headed back home to see if they could do something no Shock team had ever done. If you guessed that something to be “beat the Houston Comets,” you would be correct. The always dangerous team from Texas was led by Sheryl Swoopes, who had been in a Houston uniform for all of the previous wins against Detroit. Once again, the Comets found a way to frustrate the Shock. Detroit managed to keep the score close but could never take the lead. Ford, Cash, and Riley led the way and Stacey Thomas contributed five points in five minutes of playing time. Houston’s defense was a key factor as they held the Shock to 37 percent shooting and the Comets prevailed by ten. Detroit had now lost two in a row. Although a playoff berth had already been clinched, the team needed to win more games to earn home court advantage for the postseason. For a team that had not had previous playoff experience, any edge is important and being able to play in familiar surroundings in front of a mostly supportive crowd may be the most important. Home court for at least the first playoff round was there for the taking as the Shock welcomed the New York Liberty to the Palace on August 10. The previous meeting of these teams happened only nine days earlier, and had been quite a good one. If anything, this one was even better. The teams battled back and forth for the first twenty minutes, which ended in a 44-44 stalemate. The Riley-Cash-Ford combo posted the first six points of the second half, and it appeared that perhaps the Shock was about to run away with the game. Not so fast, said the New York squad as they fought back quickly. Neither team was able to get too far ahead the rest of the way. With 26 seconds remaining on the second half clock, Deanna Nolan stepped to the line for two free throws. New York was ahead by two, so these were absolutely critical for Detroit. “Tweety” did what she had to do, calmly connecting on both shots to draw the Shock even. The defense held off the Liberty, and the teams took a brief break before punching in for some overtime. Just as she had made the shots to force overtime, so did Deanna Nolan make the key plays in the extra session. At the 3:32 mark, the sharpshooter from Flint hit a three pointer to put Detroit up by four. Still New York refused to surrender, and soon the score was deadlocked at 87. Four seconds to go…the ball is 57

Vince Prygoski in Nolan’s hands…the shot from three point range is up and IN THE BASKET! Game over, Detroit wins 90-87! While several players did well for Detroit in this one, the game ball definitely has to go to Deanna Nolan. Besides the game tying shots in regulation and the game winner in overtime, she led the team with 26 points and made good on seven of 10 three point attempts. The Shock will have home court advantage for the first round of the postseason and can clinch the East simply by winning half of their remaining regular season contests. The MVP of the next game, at Phoenix, would be somewhat harder to determine. Nolan and Cash were leading candidates with 20 and 19 points respectively. Then there was Cheryl Ford, who not only tallied 17 points but also took top rebounding honors with 15. The Shock fell behind by 14 points and committed 22 costly turnovers. Nevertheless, they did enough other things right and escaped Arizona with a 78-76 win. Nolan once again had the hot hand from three point land, connecting on a trio of triples. In Sacramento, the Shock did not fare nearly as well. The Monarchs kept their own playoff hopes alive while denying Detroit a chance to clinch first place in the Eastern Conference. The disappointment of losing caused some tempers to flare on the Detroit side, as Deanna Nolan was whistled for a technical foul. Her coach picked up two “T’s,” which of course meant ejection from the game for Big Bill. Detroit concluded a West Coast swing by heading north to Seattle where they hoped to take out some frustration on the Storm. The day before, they managed to clinch the Eastern Conference title without playing a game. Indiana defeated Charlotte, which knocked the Sting out of contention. As for the game in Seattle, it started very badly but ended very well. Before the Shock knew what hit them, they found themselves staring at a 21-2 deficit as the Storm lived up to their name in the opening minutes. Among the players to contribute to Seattle’s hot start was none other than former Detroit player Sandy Brondello. Once again it was Deanna Nolan who came through in her team’s time of need. She made a three pointer to begin the task of cutting into the Seattle lead. Her teammates joined in, and by halftime Detroit trailed by a much more reasonable eight points. 58

Worst to First The Shock really kicked it into overdrive in the final twenty minutes. When the dust had cleared, Detroit had posted an incredible 58 second half points to claim a 95-86 decision. Six Shock players scored in double figures, evidence of the great all around talent level on this team. With three games remaining in the regular season, Detroit was in the driver’s seat. They had home court advantage for the first two playoff rounds and were on the verge of clinching the best record in the regular season. That would mean that the entire road to the WNBA Championship would go through Auburn Hills. Bill Laimbeer had been through several postseason runs in his own playing career and was very much looking forward to having the same experience as a coach. Detroit broke open a close game after halftime and defeated Cleveland 71-56. Again excellent team play was in evidence for the Shock, as five players scored in double figures. This was their 23rd win of the season, setting a new mark for the WNBA Eastern Conference. One more win was needed to secure the best record in the league and the home court advantage throughout the playoffs. After twenty minutes of play at Minnesota, the prospects did not look good that the Shock would go back home with that one more win in hand. The Lynx led by 12 at the break and extended the lead to 14 in the opening minute of the second half. Shock teams of previous seasons may not have been able to recover, but that was then and this was now. A finger roll by Elaine Powell here, a jump shot by Deanna Nolan there, layups by Cash and Ford and little by little the Shock made a game of it. Holland-Corn got the Shock within three points, and as the clock wound down under ten minutes Riley put Detroit ahead. The lead see-sawed back and forth the rest of the way, and when the last seconds had ticked away the score was even. In the grand tradition of blue collar Detroit, the Shock would have to work overtime to get this job done. As had been the case in regulation, the score was close for most of the extra period. With a minute and a half to go, HollandCorn hit a free throw to put the Shock up by one. Thirty seconds later, she made good on two more to extend the lead. There would be no more scoring until the final 24 seconds, when Nolan and Cash combined for one last flurry that put the game away. 59

Vince Prygoski Final score: Detroit 86-Minnesota 77. The Shock had now officially gone from worst to first in terms of having had the worst regular season record in 2002 and the best regular season record in 2003. The playoffs loomed ahead, and the team celebrated their accomplishments to date while keeping their eyes on the ultimate prize. Detroit’s regular season finale was a fine opportunity for the reserves to get some playing time, and they did. Ruth Riley was the only usual starter to play in this game, and she only logged eleven minutes. Ayana Walker scored a team high 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Astou Ndaiye-Diatta finished with ten of each. Also making significant contributions were Sheila Lambert, Kedra Holland-Corn, Barbara Farris, and Stacey Thomas. The Shock’s subs held off Washington 68-60 for a final regular season record of 25 wins and nine losses. 2003 Playoffs, Round One So much for the regular season…now it is playoff time! The Detroit Shock qualified for the postseason for only the second time in franchise history in 2003. Their previous appearance had lasted only one game, as the first round was single elimination at the time. Detroit was ready for a much more successful run this time around. In the opening round, first place Detroit was matched with fourth place Cleveland. The Shock had won all four regular season games against the Rockers, but were taking nothing for granted. Game one of the three-game series was slated for August 29, at Cleveland. Games two and three (three only if necessary) would be played at the Palace. Cleveland scored the first six points in the series opener before Swin Cash and Deanna Nolan got the Shock on the scoreboard. Still, the Rockers kept the pressure on and boosted the lead back up to eight. Detroit rallied in the waning minutes of the first half, taking a two point advantage on a Ruth Riley basket with an assist from Nolan. The Rockers struck first in the second half to draw even. Nolan then tallied the next four points. Cleveland was not about to give up, and re-took the lead several minutes later. This is just what one would expect in the playoffs…two talented teams going at it until the end. Just under five minutes…Cash puts the Shock 60

Worst to First up by eight…Detroit has its first ever playoff win in sight. One more time, Cleveland puts together a run and with 28.9 seconds on the clock Detroit finds themselves behind by one. Four seconds left…Riley misses a jumper, then also misses a put back attempt. Swin Cash with another put back, two points for the Shock! Elaine Powell hits a free throw following a Cleveland turnover, and Detroit’s defense makes one last stand. The final score is Detroit 76-Cleveland 74. The Shock have tasted postseason success at last, and are hungry for more. Cash’s 26 points top the team in that department, while Nolan, Riley, and Holland-Corn also make key contributions. Detroit coach Laimbeer had high praise for two reserves, Barb Farris and Kedra Holland-Corn. Swin Cash has this to say about her game winning score: “I was just trying to stay out of the way at first, then forced my way to make something happen and tipped it in.” (Goricki, “Shock gets first-ever playoff win,” 2003) Back home for game two, the Shock have a chance to put an early wrap on the first round. With the home town crowd behind them, Detroit appeared ready to send the Rockers packing. As it turned out, such a favorable result was not in the cards. The Shock struggled with their field goal shooting with Deanna Nolan having a particularly tough time of it. This is the nature of athletics…some days you are on fire and other days cold as ice.The Shock never led in this one, and were probably fortunate to be down by only eleven at halftime. It got a bit better after the break, but not better enough. Cleveland hung on for a 66-59 win to force a deciding third game, also at the Palace. Deanna Nolan was not about to have two bad games in a row. Like her home town of Flint, Michigan, she will always rise up from tough times and come back stronger than ever. This was definitely evident from the start of game three against Cleveland. Nolan was on target with her first six field goal attempts, with four of these coming from three point range. With 12:10 to go until halftime, the Shock led 23-10 thanks in large part to the woman they call Tweety. Detroit took a 42-24 advantage to halftime and led by as much as 26. When the final shot had been taken and the last second ticked off the Palace scoreboard clock, the Shock had 77 points to 63 for the Rockers. Game, and series, belonged to the 61

Vince Prygoski wonderful women of Motown. Nolan finished with 26 points, while Cash had 14 and Riley 11. Cheryl Ford did her usual fine job on the boards, posting 15 rebounds. In only her first season as a pro, she was making quite a name for herself with her blue collar toughness. For Detroit basketball fans, it had to kind of remind them of a certain former Pistons player who was now coaching Ms. Ford and her teammates. For basketball fans in general, it probably made them think of Cheryl’s dad, longtime Utah Jazz power forward Karl Malone. It certainly appeared to be a case of “like father, like daughter” in terms of basketball talent! And so it was one round done, two more to go for the Shock. The team was feeling very confident as they approached their destiny, as expressed by Deanna Nolan in the following quote. “We know what we’re capable of doing. Sunday night (game two against Cleveland) didn’t show it, but tonight (game three against Cleveland) did. And, you know, I think if this team can play like we did tonight, no doubt about it, we’re WNBA champions.” (Latham, “Nolan, Ford overwhelm Rockers,” 2003) Maybe not quite a guarantee a la Joe Namath, but still a bold and positive statement that this team was not happy merely to make the playoffs, or just to win the first series. 2003 Playoffs, Round Two For Swin Cash, the second round of the 2003 WNBA playoffs likely brought her mixed feelings. On the one hand, the first game would take her back to the state where she had enjoyed such great success as a collegian. Many of the fans who had rooted for her as a University of Connecticut player were also fans of Connecticut’s WNBA team. And that was exactly the problem, as Cash was now a member of the team that the Connecticut Sun was matched against in the second playoff round. Such things sometimes happen in life, and Cash approached the situation like the professional that she is. She was now a member of the Detroit Shock, and so she would put aside her feelings about Connecticut and do her job to the best of her ability. Twelve seconds after the opening tip, Elaine Powell made a running jumper as the Shock struck first. Cash wasted no time breaking the hearts of her old fans, grabbing a rebound on the defensive end then taking a pass from Deanna Nolan and tallying 62

Worst to First another two for Detroit. Connecticut came back to take the lead, which then changed hands several times. As the first half progressed, the visitors from Michigan began to put some distance between themselves and the home team. When the first twenty minutes were over, the Shock had built a 13 point lead. Detroit kept up the intensity following the break, and was able to withstand a late rally by the Sun. The always important first game of the series went to the Shock by a final of 73-63. Ruth Riley had 17 points, Cash had 15, Nolan 13, and Kedra HollandCorn 12. Detroit was especially hot from three point range, making good on seven of 11 attempts. Holland-Corn made a perfect four of four triples, while Nolan connected on three of six such attempts. The Shock had a chance to sweep Cleveland in the first playoff round, but dropped game two and so had to play and win game three to advance. Now they had another chance to end a series early. Some extra inspiration came to the Shock from one of their young fans who was facing a most difficult situation. Eleven year old Sabrina Vernatter had fallen ill with leukemia. She attended several Shock games and became a major fan of the team, especially Ruth Riley. When the team found out about Sabrina, they provided front row tickets for game two against Connecticut as well as a locker room pass to meet the players. The Shock took to the Palace floor determined to win one for this courageous child, as well as for their many other loyal supporters. Nolan got the scoring started with another of her trademark three pointers. Ford followed that up with a two point field goal, then Connecticut went on a run and grabbed the lead. Powell connected on a triple to put Detroit back on top, where they remained for the rest of the opening half. The Shock maintained an advantage well into the second half, until Connecticut mounted a rally that included some key plays from Rebecca Lobo. With five and a half minutes left, possible disaster struck as Deanna Nolan was injured. She had to leave the game, and there was doubt as to when she would be able to return. Meanwhile, her teammates had to regroup and find a way to win without her. The Sun went up by four immediately following Nolan’s injury. One more time for the Shock to show what they were made of…Holland-Corn cuts it to one with a three pointer…Ford with the rebound of a Connecticut 63

Vince Prygoski miss…back to the other end where Powell puts the Shock on top. 51 seconds to go, Cash makes a layup and draws a foul! The free throw is good, and two more by Ford increase the lead to six. Time is running down, Connecticut is forced to foul Detroit to stop the clock. More free throws…final seconds ticking off…the Palace crowd is on their feet. One more goal accomplished for the 2003 Detroit Shock. The Eastern Conference playoff title is theirs. The final goal is now clearly in sight and right in front of the Shock. They have come so far and accomplished so much, and the best is still yet to come. 2003 WNBA Finals While Detroit was taking care of business against Connecticut, the Los Angeles Sparks and Sacramento Monarchs split the first two games of the Western Conference championship series. Since the Shock swept their series in two games, they had to wait for their WNBA finals opponent to be determined. Sacramento played the defending champion Sparks tough in game three, but in the end Lisa Leslie and company earned the right to try for a three-peat against the Cinderella team from the Motor City. Since Eastern and Western Conference teams do not play each other much during the regular season, game one of the finals was the first meeting between the Shock and the Sparks since way back on June 17. So much had changed between then and now, as the once underdog Detroit team had proven that they belonged among the top teams in the league. Los Angeles was still a formidable power, and eager to pay Detroit back for the regular season game which the Shock won in overtime. The format for the 2003 finals was the same as for the other playoff rounds, with game one played at the lower-seeded team’s arena and games two and (if necessary) three at the higherseeded team’s arena. So, although the Shock had overall home court advantage in the series, they had to travel west for the opening game. Over 10,000 fans were in attendance for this one, and most were likely pulling for the Sparks. Lisa Leslie met Ruth Riley in the center circle, the ball was tossed up by the referee, and the action began. Detroit vs. Los Angeles…west coast glamour vs. the 64

Worst to First blue collar Midwest…coaches who had once faced each other as members of the Detroit and Los Angeles entries in the men’s NBA. This was going to be a classic. The Sparks controlled the opening tip, but Cheryl Ford made a statement by blocking the first Los Angeles shot attempt. Both offenses struggled at first, then the Sparks made a couple of three pointers for a 6-0 lead. Ford, Cash, and Riley combined for Detroit’s first nine points and at 14:02 of the first half it was a 9-9 tie. The defending champs then started to assert themselves, and by the halftime buzzer Los Angeles had built a 21 point lead. Detroit scored the first six points of the second half, and generally raised their level of play during the second twenty minutes. This made the final score a more respectable 75-63, unfortunately the 75 belonged to the Sparks. The Shock’s 28 percent field goal shooting was a key reason for the loss. No one ever said that the road from worst to first would be easy, but the Shock had been meeting tough challenges all season. They headed back to Michigan determined to do whatever was necessary to clear the sole remaining hurdle. They had come too far to fall short now. Game two of the 2003 WNBA finals, Sunday September 14 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. In a three game series with Los Angeles having won the first game, this was a game that the Shock absolutely positively had to win. Nearly 18,000 packed the stands to root for the Shock, establishing a new home game attendance record. Ruth Riley’s jump shot was rejected by Los Angeles, and the Sparks got on the scoreboard first. Cheryl Ford gave the Shock the lead a couple of minutes later, then Swin Cash and Deanna Nolan extended it. Detroit led by as many as 19 points, with many players including Riley and Kedra Holland-Corn joining in the scoring frenzy. The halftime score was 38-22, advantage Detroit. Things were looking very good indeed for the Shock. If the Shock thought that they could simply go on cruise control for the rest of game two, they were mistaken. The Los Angeles Sparks were the two time defending WNBA champions, and like most royalty they were not about to surrender their crowns without a fight. As the second half progresses, Detroit’s lead starts to shrink. With 8:48 remaining, the Sparks get it down to two points. Holland-Corn works it back up to seven, but Los 65

Vince Prygoski Angeles is not finished. Back come the defending champs, and at the 1:28 mark Lisa Leslie puts her team ahead by four. Remember that this is it for the Shock, they must win this game or wait ‘till next year. Kedra Holland-Corn makes a three pointer to pull the Shock within one point. Time for a defensive stand…L.A. misses the shot, rebound to Detroit…Cash’s attempt blocked by Leslie, but Detroit gets it back…FOUL ON LOS ANGELES! Twelve seconds left, Deanna Nolan at the line. This is where champions get the job done. First free throw, good! Second free throw, GOOD! The Shock lead by one point. The Detroit defense makes their final stand, and the numbers on the timer run down to all zeroes. The Motor City’s newest blue-collar heroes have made it through another shift on the assembly line. They will get a day off, then report back to the Palace to punch in for one more shift. Their goal is to build a vehicle to send the Sparks back to Los Angeles, without the WNBA championship trophy. And so it comes down to this. Game three of a three game series, to the winner goes the WNBA championship. A new record for Shock home attendance is set as 22,076 are on hand at the Palace. It was here, over a decade earlier, that the Shock’s coach and his Pistons teammates hoisted a pair of men’s NBA championship banners. With forty minutes of quality basketball, the Shock could earn the right to raise a banner of their own. Cheryl Ford and Ruth Riley showed that they were ready for this moment, as they both blocked Los Angeles shot attempts in the first minute of play. Detroit was unable to convert on their end, and the Sparks eventually tallied the first four points of the contest. Nolan hit a triple to jumpstart the Shock offense, and then Cash put her team ahead by one. Ford and Powell pushed the lead higher, and this was followed by a Riley scoring spree. The Shock led by as many as 14, but the proud Los Angeles squad would not break and pulled within five by halftime. Detroit built their advantage back up to eleven early in the second half. Still, the Sparks hung tough and with 3:40 remaining Los Angeles took a three point lead. Over a minute later, Ruth Riley made it a one point game. Big Ruthie then grabs a rebound on the other end…here come the Shock…Tweety Nolan for three, COUNT IT! The Shock leads by two with 53 seconds. Leslie misses a shot for the Sparks, Ford with the rebound and two free throws. 66

Worst to First Mwadi Mabika keeps Los Angeles alive with a basket, Detroit by two with 34 seconds. Los Angeles has to foul to stop the clock…Nolan hits two free throws. Ford with the rebound of a Nikki Teasley miss…Cheryl adds a couple more insurance points to the Detroit ledger. The countdown begins…another miss by the Sparks and Elaine Powell grabs the rebound…do you believe in miracles? I repeat, DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? The second half clock reads zero minutes and zero seconds. Under the name Detroit there is the number 83. Under the name Los Angeles, there is 78. Yes, this is real! The times they have a-changed, in the most dramatic way. Last season’s cellar dwellers have become this season’s champions. The Detroit Shock’s long, strange trip has ended at the very top of the mountain. The Detroit Shock are champions of the Women’s National Basketball Association! Conclusion/Celebration Never in the history of the WNBA had so many people attended a single game, and as Game 3 ended the record setting crowd joined the team in a spirited celebration. The media took notice, as both Detroit daily papers featured the Shock on their front pages, not just of the sports section but also of section A. “Electrifying,” read the headline of the Detroit Free Press, with a picture of Swin Cash. Deanna Nolan and two young fans made the Detroit News first page, under the title “Shock rise to top with WNBA title.” The front pages of the sports sections featured more color photos and articles on the championship win. The Free Press alluded to the Pistons’ “Bad Boys” teams of the late 80s and early 90s with their “Not bad, girls!” headline while the News went with the basic fact of “Shock Dethrone L.A.” The official address of the Palace of Auburn Hills had been “Two Championship Drive” in honor of the Pistons’ pair of men’s NBA crowns. With the Shock’s title, a name change was in order and so it became “Three Championship Drive.” A year later this would be updated again when the Pistons won their third championship, bringing Detroit’s combined total to four. Many more honors poured in for the Shock. Bill Laimbeer was named WNBA Coach of the Year, and Cheryl Ford Rookie of the Year. Three Detroit players made All-WNBA second team as well 67

Vince Prygoski as participating in the league’s All Star game: Swin Cash, Cheryl Ford, and Deanna Nolan. Ruth Riley earned the WNBA Finals MVP award. Michigan’s state Senate passed Resolution # 166 to recognize the Shock’s achievements, while Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick proclaimed September 17, 2003 to be “Detroit Shock Day.” On May 29, 2004, prior to the Shock’s game against Los Angeles at the Palace, the 2003 team was awarded their WNBA championship rings. All fans in attendance (including the teller of this tale) got key chains with replicas of said rings. Some of us proudly carry them in our pockets to this day! It was also at this time that the Shock’s championship banner was raised to the Palace rafters to take its place alongside those won by the Pistons. Women’s professional basketball in the United States has come a long way from the late 1970s’ Women’s Basketball League to today’s WNBA, just as women’s sports in general have reached ever greater heights. The “worst to first” journey of the Detroit Shock is one specific story within the larger saga. The dedication, perseverance, and hard work of the 2003 Shock can be seen as a microcosm of the broader struggle of women athletes for more acceptance, recognition, and respect. By their extraordinary deeds, the 2003 Shock made the sports world take notice of them, and helped to take women’s pro basketball to another level. For this they will always have a special place in the hearts of all who are proud to call themselves fans of women’s sports!

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Bibliography Associated Press. “Nolan helps Shock win eighth straight.” Detroit News. June 28, 2003, p. 2B. Chengelis, Angelique. “Shock take Texas’ Brown third overall.” Detroit News. April 26, 2000, p. 8D. Christenson, Karen et. al. International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports. Detroit, MI: The Gale Group, 2001. Detroit Shock 2004 Media Guide. Detroit, MI: Detroit Shock, 2004. Gogol, Sara. “Big business and women’s pro basketball.” Z Magazine. June 1999, p. 55. Goricki, David. “Canty returns, leads Shock to win over Storm.” Detroit News. July 13, 2000, p. 6D. Goricki, David. “Confidence helps Nolan improve.” Detroit News. June 25, 2003, p. 2G.

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Vince Prygoski Goricki, David. “Laimbeer to coach Shock.” Detroit News. June 20, 2002, p. 1D. Goricki, David. “Roster changes please Powell.” Detroit News. May 4, 2003, p. 7C. Goricki, David. “Shock get first victory.” Detroit News. July 1, 2002, p. 2D. Goricki, David. “Shock gets first ever playoff win.” Detroit News. August 30, 2003, p. 1B. Goricki, David. “Shock have bottom line goal: win.” Detroit News. May 30, 2002, p. 1D. Goricki, David. “Shock show strength.” Detroit News. June 6, 2003, p. 5H. Goricki, David. “Sting edge out Shock.” Detroit News. June 1, 2003, p. 7C. Harris, Beth. “Record crowd sees Toler score first WNBA basket.” Associated Press Sports News. June 21, 1997, AM cycle. Kallam, Clay. “What’s more important?” Full Court Press. http://www.fullcourt.com/columns/clay123198.html, accessed 6/11/04. Koidin, Michelle. “She’s back: new mom Swoopes hits it big with 18 point game.” Associated Press Sports News. August 13, 1997, AM cycle. Latham, Krista. “Nolan, Ford overwhelm Rockers.” Detroit Free Press. September 3, 2003, p. 1D. Lieberman-Cline, Nancy. Lady Magic. Champaign, IL: Sagamore Publications, 1999.

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Worst to First Lutz, Michael. “Comets 70, Sting 54.” Associated Press Sports News. August 29, 1997, PM cycle. Lutz, Michael. “Comets hope to reverse regular season trend.” Associated Press Sports News. August 29, 1997, AM cycle. Lutz, Michael. “Comets 65, Liberty 51.” Associated Press Sports News. August 30, 1997, AM cycle. Macenka, Joe. “Sting 80, Comets 71.” Associated Press Sports News. August 16, 1997, AM cycle. Molina, John. “The Women’s Basketball League (WBL).” http://thewbl.com/ accessed 6/11/04. Oglesby, Carole et. al. Encyclopedia of Women and Sport in America. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1998. Reisner, Mel. “Liberty 59, Mercury 41.” Associated Press Sports News. August 29, 1997, PM cycle. Reisner, Mel. “Lobo’s streak ends at 102 games.” Associated Press Sports News. July 8, 1997, AM cycle. Rumore, Danielle. “For openers, Shock really can’t complain.” Detroit Free Press. August 21, 1998, p. 1C. Saylor, Jack. “Draft turns Shock into melting pot.” Detroit Free Press. April 30, 1998, p. 5D. “Shock claim league’s best record.” Detroit News. June 21, 2003, p. 1B. Siegel, Suzanne. “Female hoop hopefuls get tips on game, life.” Detroit Free Press. January 27, 1998, p. 3B. Sipple, George. “Shock’s coach a Ms. Do-it-all.” Detroit Free Press. January 13, 1998, page 1D.

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Vince Prygoski Smith, Lissa. Nike Is A Goddess: the History of Women In Sports. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1998. “WNBA opens to high TV ratings.” Associated Press Sports News. June 22, 1997, AM cycle.

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