MAILBOX

Women's Basketball, Apr 2005

MAGAZINE COMMENTS

First of all, I really enjoy reading the magazine and I must commend you on the features you've added which highlight the most outstanding high school seniors in the nation and of course the AAU's (Futures section). That's a great concept by the way. However, I think the smaller colleges as well as other conferences such as the Sunbelt need some recognition also. Because, as you know, there were a few top seeds upset by these little unknowns like Middle Tennessee State University, who beat North Carolina in the first round last year. Before beating North Carolina, MTSU swept the Sunbelt Conference. Actually, these colleges from the Sunbelt are not small. They are Division I teams that have been overlooked. Look out sec. The Sunbelt is on the rise,

Bettina L. Wilson

Estill Springs, Tenn.

AUTOGRAPHS

I want to respond to a couple of articles in a recent issue of the magazine. The first was about some woman affiliated with the WNBA organization posing in Playboy (LA Sparks staffer) and the second was the article about a player (Lindsay Whalen) charging $20 for her autograph.

The Playboy article said part of her job was to increase ticket sales and she thought that this (posing) would do it. The reason given for charging for autographs was the disparity in pay between the NBA and the WNBA players.

Ladies. Please.

Whether you want to be or not, you are role models for the younger generations. I believe most of the women in the WNBA are aware of this, take pride in it and act accordingly. Why is it, as with any other organization, there are always some that do not care in the least about things like that? It's all about them and what they want.

As for charging for an autograph, in my mind, that conduct also just seems to tarnish the image some members of the WNBA try harder to (and do) preserve. Autographs go along with the fame and I would hope would be gladly given in appreciation of the fan's support.

Linda Thews

Edwardsburg, Mich.

WNBA PLAYOFF OBSERVATIONS

Prior to the (2004) WNBA playoffs, 1 kept hearing commentators, coaches and players criticize the playoff format, claiming it's unfair to the higher seeded teams. Here is a breakdown of results since the league went to a best-of-three format in 1998 (results are through 2003).

Of the 34 series played, 26 have been won by the higher seed. Home teams have won (57) times and road teams have won (30) times.

Higher seeds and lower seeds each have 17 Game 1 wins.

Higher seeds that win the first I game have gone on to win the series 16 times. Lower seeds have only won seven times.

Higher seeds have come back to win the series after losing the first game 10 times, versus only one time (Charlotte, 2001 Eastern Conference Finals) for lower seeds.

I hope you can print this and make it available for commentators, etc. to see. Then maybe they can answer this question: How exactly has this format hurt higher seeds?

John Doggett

Victorville, Calif.

BARBARA TURNER

In my opinion, Barbara Turner is one of the best players in the country. I've been to several UConn games this season and have been blown away by the way she plays. Hopefully the rest of the country will give her the credit she truly deserves this season when its time for postseason awards to be given out.

Andy Swod

Via e-mail

Editor: On a bit of a trivia note, in early January Turner was closing in on becoming the 25th player in the history of the storied LJConn program to score 1,000 points. Teammate Jessica Moore scored her 1,000th point earlier in the season and junior Ann Strother and senior Ashley Battle also were nearing the plateau as well.

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Women's Basketball

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