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The Seattle Storm drops Sheryl SwoopesSheryl Swoopes, three-time WNBA MVP and three-time Olympic gold medalist, was waived by the Seattle Storm yesterday — one day before her contract would have been guaranteed for the 2009 season. Storm coach Brian Agler offered little explanation, other than saying the move would free up space under the salary cap. "I'm very hurt, absolutely," Swoopes told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "I'm very disappointed. I don't think this is right. I really feel like I could contribute and help the team next year."
Swoopes has been plagued with injuries for the last few years, averaging less than half the points she was able to put up during earlier seasons of her career. Still, when she arrived in Seattle, the Storm quickly made her the face of the team. She spent time over Christmas ringing Salvation Army bells with Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren and Washington basketball coach Lorenzo Romar in front of downtown department stores. Unlike Houston, where Swoopes had become increasingly dissatisfied playing for the Comets, she seemed a perfect fit in Seattle. She rejoined Olympic teammate Sue Bird and long-time pal Swin Cash. Swoopes even began coaching a middle school girls' basketball team with her partner, Alisa Scott. That last part, the part where she lays aside her accolades and becomes a woman who just loves the game of basketball, will be part of her great legacy.
I first met Sheryl Swoopes outside a Foot Locker in the Mall of America. It was 1995, the weekend of the women's NCAA Final Four, and Nike had flown her in to Minneapolis for the hype. In a year she'd have an Olympic gold medal and the first-ever WNBA contract, but no one could know that yet. The Tennessee/UCONN rivalry had ushered in a new era of women's basketball media coverage, and there were whispers that the time was ripe for a women's professional league. So Swoopes came and sat by a rickety card table for three days, autographing posters and posing for pictures with thousands of young girls. In 2005, she became only the second openly gay player in the WNBA. The league has never forced players to stay in the closet, but there has always been plenty of behind-the-scenes pressure. The world of women's professional athletics is a shockingly homophobic place. Because she was such a high profile player, Swoopes coming out was national news. Who knows how many young high school athletes were freed up by Swoopes' declaration. The next few days will determine whether or not another team will pick up her contract. The salary cap will factor greatly into the decision. Where the NBA's cap sits at $58 million, WNBA teams have to wrestle themselves down to $803,000 per year. Even if no one picks her up, I'm confident she will continue to contribute to the game. She could join a WNBA or NCAA coaching staff. (She'd make a great recruiter.) Or she's often said she like to become a full-time mom, and coach her son, Jordan's, AAU team. Eleven years ago, when her son was born, journalists questioned whether or not a kid could live up to a name like Jordan. I've always thought the harder name to follow would be Swoopes. Submitted by on February 4, 2009 - 2:00pm. |
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I'm so bummed about this news...
Sad day :(
Argh...
I am really disappointed that they waived one of the greatest women's basketball players of all time. I can't imagine they would waive her without having some sort of confirmation that Lauren Jackson would come back to play here in Seattle. Wishful thinking? Maybe....but thats my story and I'm sticking to it!
~~Michy~~
**live today like its your last**tomorrow is never guaranteed**
forgot to say...
She will land somewhere else!!! She may be getting up there in age but you can't deny her leadership and that sweet jumper!! With our luck, she will end up killing the Storm every time she plays us.
~~Michy~~
**live today like its your last**tomorrow is never guaranteed**
Bummer
Love Sheryl, but...
that is sad
$803,000!!!??? who the hell
$803,000!!!??? who the hell came up with that number?! that's madness! absolute madness!
(that kind of money is quite grand from my perspective as i only have 84 cents in my checking account...but compared to how much the nba players can make...swoopes and the gang have about as much money as i do right about now)
"In this prison... booty...was more important than food. Booty. A man's butt. Booty...havin some booty was more important than drinkin water. I like booty!"
~Fleece John
Swoopes Will Come Back
www.myspace.com/lunakiss7.com
Maybe she should sit out for a while and let her body heal. Sometimes messages come to us in strange ways. I know she loves the game with all he heart,but you know it's time for her to rest and let her body heal. She should think about revamping her career in a new direction. I see it as a positive reenforcement for a better career. I,too, will miss Swoopes. I know she'll come back, but jst in a different way.
A line taken from my poem "She" It is SHE who awakens my soul..."
thefemininedivine.blogspot.com
losing confidence
This move, as well as his decision to keep Tanisha Wright, makes me lost a little confidence in Brian Agler. I'm also a little miffed to hear that she seemed surprised and upset...I guess I was secretly hoping it had been a discussion and mutual decision or something nice and neat like that. She'll definitely get picked up and, you watch, she'll kick our butts right when it will hurt the most.
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~Howard Thurman
http://depts.washington.edu/aspuw
Whoever signed Swoopes to
Whoever signed Swoopes to play on the same team as Lauren Jackson needs their head read. There's been animosity between those two since the Olympic Games in 2000 and I have no doubt that Jackson wasn't particularly interested in playing along-side her. Jackson won't have made any demands on the Storm, she'd just look for another team.
End of the day, they either retained Swoopes and lost Jackson (and, potentially, Sue Bird as well) or stuck with the 10 year younger and equally good (much better today)Lauren Jackson. That's a business no-brainer.
I love Swoopes. It was
Spoke to Swoopes
I ran into Sheryl, her son Jordan and her partner Alisa at a University of Washington Women's Basketball game last night. I spoke with her about the Storm and what she is planning for the future. She was adamant that she would decide when to retire and not someone else.
She has been coaching at the Overlake School and continued to do so on the day of the announcement that the Storm waived her. She didn't let the decision to release her impact her committment to her middle schoolers. She doen't plan on leaving Seattle just yet, if at all. Her son is in school and she says she "can't just pick up and move him in the middle of that." She also said that after much cursing and praying she listened to her mother and has "let go and let God."
We also discussed the possibility of her beginning a rowing career, as I am a rowing coach and would be more than pleased to get her on the water. She told me that she "doesn't do water, except in a bath tub."
I will always be a fan and hope to see her play in the future.
aiow
"the things that keep us apart, keep me alive and the things that keep me alive, keep me alone."
Thanks for the update!
Sounds like an interesting conversation. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this all works out for her.
On a random side-note: I used to play against Overlake's basketball team in middle school and high school (we were in the same small private-school league). I even got pushed into the stands once by one of their players. But I'm over it now. :)
Storm was better with Swoopes
With Swoopes and Yo on the team last year was the best regular season of the Storm, I loved going home win after win. I was bummed that Agler not just let her go, but called her at 10 at night to tell her. That is so not the way to go; because of that we lost Yo, and might lose LJ. I think the WNBA cutting the roster to 11 was one of the reason Agler had to let her go. It sucks, but we have 9 players on contract now, and only 2 spots left, and if LJ comes back one goes to her with just one probably going to a draft prospect, considering we will need the rookie contract. When the economy improves they should put the roster back up to 13. I hope Sheryl stays in Seattle, she is a great asset to our community.
Don't argue with a fool. The spectators can't tell the difference.
Sheryl and LJ are great friends!
Don't argue with a fool. The spectators can't tell the difference.
That's a shame. I hope
That's a shame. I hope another team grabs her up. Would love to see her back in Houston.