Temple University Athletics
FOLLOW DAWN STALEY AS SHE PLAYS IN HER FINAL WNBA SEASON
6.6.06 | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON, TX- Get the inside scoop on Dawn Staley's final WNBA season by checking out her weekly blog on the WNBA's Houston Comet's website. Log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley blog to get Dawn's perspective on life as a professional athlete. Owlsports.com will also highlight Dawn's entries, which are updated every week.
08.22.06
I guess I knew by the middle of the third quarter. Sacramento had the momentum and they weren't letting up. They countered any attempt we made at a run. They were relentless. Everything they touched was good. People who don't shoot 3's were making them. Post players were taking and making jump shots at will and they basically owned the paint. So, I played with hope, but in my heart I knew it was my final game...ever.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
08.15.06
You can think and think and think about how you're going to handle a situation. But, once that same situation you have given so much thought to arrives, it rarely ever plays out the way it did in your head. This was true for me this week. When I think about it, this, my final week of the regular season, was the most anticipated week of my WNBA career.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
08.08.06
Sometimes I think I'm crazy. For the past few days I have been obsessed with WNBA standings. I have created my own cheat sheet with the standings of every team in playoff contention in the Western Conference. It would be normal to be relatively concerned, as we have not clinched a playoff spot. But I take it just a step further.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
08.01.06
They say reading is fundamental and I believe it. I have always believed that reading opens the doors to the world. It helps you with comprehension, writing, and just basic understanding. If a child can truly grasp the fundamentals of reading at an early age, in my opinion, their lives will be so much richer.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
07.24.06
Do you remember how you felt when you were just about to graduate from high school or maybe college? You know the feeling that's a cross between excitement, anticipation and fear. You're ready to get out, but you've been in school so long, you really don't know how life will be without it. So you're conflicted. You want out, but you're not exactly sure what that means or if you will like what comes with being out. Can you remember that? If you can remember how you felt then, you know how I feel now.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
07.20.06
Being voted as a starter in the 2006 All-Star Game in a small way reminded me of how I felt when I was voted to carry the US flag into the opening ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Game. It wasn't something I expected, or even thought about for that matter. As with being the flag bearer, I felt I was an unlikely candidate. But somehow, like the captains of the Olympic team, fans saw my contributions to the sport as significant and worthy of such an honor.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
07.11.06
My mentor once told me she believes success is when preparation meets opportunity. The thought goes, if one is always ready and prepared, when the opportunity presents itself, success is inevitable. If her thinking is true, this was a week of success.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
07.05.06
Basketball is God's gift to me, of this I am sure. The game comes so easy for me. And as far as I can recall, I think it always has. It's really not the physical aspect of basketball either. It's really the comprehension of the game. Its movements and flow. I just get it. I remember old plays better than I can remember my most recent conversations. Some call it a high basketball IQ. Can't say that about everything, but for basketball, it's a certainty. I can see live play unfold as if I were writing it as it actually happens. It's the weirdest thing.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
06.26.06
For the past seven seasons of playing and coaching, I have been successful at compartmentalizing my careers. I have an assistant who handles everything outside of Temple when I'm coaching and I have a full staff that handles everything at Temple while I'm playing. On occasion, the two worlds intersect. During these times there are things that just can't and shouldn't be handled through delegation, and I have to step in. This was one of those weeks.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
06.20.06
Basketball is a game of momentum. When the momentum swings in your team's favor, be it in an actual game, or on a win streak, confidence is ever present. However, when your team doesn't have the fortune of momentum, morale can be low and a regular game can seem like an entire season.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
06.12.06
I started receiving calls for tickets for the Washington game the week before last. That game would mark my final time playing in the DC area. University of Virginia loyals, those who have followed my career since it began in their area, came out to see me for the last time. Those same faces, a little older now, sent me back to my youth. In seeing them I instantly remembered college and the joy that time in my life and career brought.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
06.05.06
My players started arriving in Houston on Thursday. I didn't know exactly how many were coming; I just knew they would come. By Friday afternoon, four of my former players, my 10 week old grand player, and two of my staff members from Temple were all bunched up in my apartment like sardines.
To read the entry in its entirety log on to www.wnba.com/comets and click on the Dawn Staley Blog.
5.30.06
Ok... I'm not taking anything away from San Antonio, because they are much improved, but I knew we were a much better team than we showed on opening night. In my opinion, this road trip proved we are a seasoned team with the perfect mix of experience and youth.
It all started in the Seattle game. Our play was just instinctive. We shared the ball and above all we played TEAM DEFENSE. It just felt different. We were all on the same page. I guess the possibility of returning to Houston zero and three was the motivation we needed to get our stuff together.
Tina and Sheryl showed up... of course. But the person who I believe played the most outstanding was Dominique. She's just solid. She does exactly what she is supposed to do. She doesn't play outside of herself or do things that are not a part of her game. Every team has to have their star. In our case, it's stars. But there is always that one unassuming player that really makes the difference. For us, it's Dominique.
We're a comprehensive team. I mean, Sheryl and Tina are gamers. They're our MVP's. The majority of the offensive is and should run through them... no secret. Michelle is the force in the middle. She makes defenders have to make decisions- which is what you want. Do they collapse on her and leave the perimeter exposed? Or do they play her honest and take their chances? It's perfect. If a defender is thinking...they're distracted. You want to keep them thinking or having to make decisions. Dominique is the X-factor. She's going to do all the little things. She's going to cut at the perfect time, or pass to the open cutter with precision. She's going in to hit the boards and it's likely she will come down with the ball. I'm the general. I will happily sacrifice team popularity, individual stats or whatever...for the win. The only stat line I'm concerned with is the final score. I don't have shoot. On a team like this... I shouldn't have to shoot. I don't even have to lead to the score. But... I do have to win. So I make sure everyone is doing what they should. I'm their eyes. If someone is open in the corner, I'm passing the ball to the person with the best angle to get it to the corner. But... the pass comes with directions. And if the directions are missed or ignored, I'm mad. I'm not mad because someone chose to do something different. I'm mad because we gave up an opportunity for a shot we didn't have to work for. Basketball is easy. It's a beautiful easy sport. And if it's played right, you don't have to work hard. You always have to play hard... you just don't always have to work so hard.
Speaking of hard... After the televised Seattle game I was flooded with calls and emails. Apparently the commentators had some hard words for me that offended some people. I didn't get to see the game, so I don't know exactly what was said. And because I tend to take second hand information with a grain of salt, I can only respond to the reactions of those who contacted me.
I truly feel bad that the words of the commentators offended some...but they shouldn't have. Commentators have the right to say and feel however they like. It's their job to report some fact and some opinion. And sometimes their opinions just aren't nice. It's unfortunate that commentators don't have the time to get to know each of us individually, because if they did, their reporting would be so much richer. But it's really ok that they don't have time. It's really ok that they don't know me... because this is what I know:
Fact: I am a 36 year old woman who has played basketball professionally in this country for 10 years.
Fact: I have chronic knee problems (that I am soooooo tired of hearing about and that have never kept me from missing a game).
Fact: I'm not as quick as I once was.
These are facts... all true. I'm 36 years old with knee problems. I shouldn't be as quick. My game should change. It has to change to be effective. It's true my play has become more intangible than tangible but it doesn't make my value to this team (especially) less important...does it? I think I'm smart enough to highlight my strengths and hide my weaknesses... so I don't become a "liability." And please believe every player that plays this game is a potential liability waiting to happen.
So I'm not the Dawn Staley of the 90's... thank God. If I were I would not have evolved, my contributions to the game would be fewer, and my overall game and life wouldn't nearly be as rich... and that's a fact.
05.22.06
My final season. I can hardly believe it. When you're 22 years old just starting out you don't think of the inevitability of the sport. You just want to play. But...with every beginning, there is and ending and mine has finally arrived. And believe it or not, I'm happy. I'm happy I get to say good bye on my terms as not many athletes are afforded that opportunity. And above all, I'm happy I'm really finally ready to say good bye.
I feel incredibility blessed to have had such a long career. I have played with the best athletes in the world for years with USA basketball, became an All-Star in Charlotte, and now I'm chasing a championship here in Houston. Contrary to popular belief, I don't believe a championship will define my career. But... it sure would be nice to have.
My final season began with a late arrival to training camp. Let me explain. I had just finished my season with Temple and had to leave for Australia with the National Team. Once I returned from Australia, I had a few big awards in Philly, and then I was set to leave for Houston. I was all packed and ready to go but couldn't resist this urge to just sleep. I don't know if it was the time difference or just exhaustion, but I was really tired. I called Coach Chancellor and asked for a few days. Luckily, he gave them to me. I went out to the west coast to work out and bask in the sun. It was great. With renewed energy, I made it to Houston.
Training camp the Chancellor way is a blast. We literally just played. No two a days, no pressure, no problems. Just basketball. It was great for chemistry building. I guess Coach Chancellor believes that with a team of veterans we shouldn't waste time on the little things we should already know. So we didn't. We had intense competition. Just basketball. I remember thinking if I had arrived in Houston a few years earlier, I wouldn't be retiring. I could have played until I was at least 40. Coach Chancellor is definitely a professional league coach.
Coach Chancellor is extremely funny and has a way of utilizing humor to get his point across. He says the damnedest things at the most appropriate times. It's a gift. He uses all these little phrases that crack me up. I always look at Sheryl or Tina to see if they react to his phrases. They don't even crack a smile. But I'm off in a corner somewhere cracking up.
The cool thing about him is that he does treat us like professionals. We don't have any of the little rules that a lot of coaches take from their college training. He expects us to be professional and above all... he expects us to win.
Well... on my last home opener, we didn't win. We actually lost... big. We were just never able to get into a flow. We will though. I have no doubt that when our backs are against the wall, we will come out fighting.
