Proper daily column coming soon, but first a little housekeeping. My twitter account has been opened at @RichardCohen1, where I’ll link any columns and maybe provide a few of my delightful insights as well. Feel free to follow me there if that’s an easier way for you to keep updated (or there’s a ‘Subscribe’ option in the right-hand column of any page on this site, where you can click to receive emails every time I update, if you prefer).

Also added to the site today are a few links in the sidebar, where you can find some places that write about the WNBA and some useful resources if you want to find out more about the league. I’m sure I’ve forgotten several places that I ought to have linked to, so please don’t be offended if you’re not on there.

Back soon with today’s update.

I barely know where to start with this one. One WNBA game last night, with Tulsa travelling up to take on the Lynx in Minnesota, and if you stuck around to watch the second half when Mavs-Heat Game 4 was on offer instead, you’re an extraordinarily dedicated WNBA fan. Or you need your head examined. It’s really hard to watch or write about this Shock team, because they turn every game they’re a part of into disorganised chaos. By the end of the season they’ll probably be lucky to win 6 games, but they’ll likely have a 34-0 record in making games a complete mess.

Last night started out as everyone expected, with Minnesota aggressive and scoring at will, while Tulsa could barely string two passes together and certainly couldn’t make a shot. Seven minutes in and it was 17-3, and it seemed like the only question remaining was how embarrassing it could get. However, Minnesota relaxed, and somehow the Shock hung around and were only down 39-28 at the half. The Lynx woke up from their catnap for the second-half, blew the game open for a 20-point lead by the end of the third, then dozed off again and let Tulsa wander their way back towards striking distance in the 4^th. It never got closer than 8 though, and Minnesota closed out the win 75-65. Only a decidedly optimistic Shock fan or a desperately nervous Lynx counterpart would’ve felt much excitement, even though the numbers make it look like it was almost a contest.

This Shock team’s a disaster. Continue reading →

Clearly I was overconfident when aiming for 12 previews in one day. I reduced my aim to eight earlier on, hoping to get LA and Minnesota done before they played tonight, but I’m sat here trying to finish the LA preview and it’s drivel, so time to call it a night, methinks.

I’ll be back tomorrow with the first installment of WNBA Today, and the rest of the previews. Thanks for reading, everybody.

Anyone who’s read one of my preview pieces before (last season’s was here, if you’re interested) will know that I like to make them long, and I like to present them at the very last minute. I also like to make them accurate, and as WNBA teams don’t cut their rosters down to the requisite 11 until the day before the regular season starts, I have to wait until then if I want to know the opening day roster. So here’s what we’re going to do: 12 separate articles previewing the 12 WNBA teams, all coming tomorrow, hopefully finished before the Minnesota@LA game tips off at 11pm ET.

I’d try to make it all pretty and consistent by publishing one every two hours, but I have a horrible feeling that sleep might make that difficult. So come back tomorrow, read the previews, comment in the comments section, then run off and tell all your friends to come here to read and comment as well. It’d be kinda nice if people would read all this stuff, considering how much work is going to go into it…