Robert D. Skeels shows Staples Center shooting prowess at Sparks game

"Miller also did it with a style and attitude that forced people to reconsider their own ideas of what women could do on the court." — Dave Zirin


At the August 16, 2011 Los Angeles Sparks game I was asked to participate in the Trader Joe's neighborhood basketball challenge shooting contest. You have thirty seconds to make a lay up, free throw, three pointer, and a half-court shot to win the grand prize.

I made the lay up, free throw on the second attempt, three pointer on the first try, but despite six or seven attempts at the half-court shot I only came close once (in and out of the rim in fact). Still won some very cool stuff though. All of my years of basketball playing and practice paid off last night. That's me (Robert D. Skeels) having just drained the three pointer to the right of the line in the photo on the right.

From what I understand, only one participant ever made the half court shot to win the grand prize during a Sparks game.

My wife and I are long time Sparks season ticket holders, WNBA fans, and avid Title IX supporters. While Dave Zirin certainly is the authority and best social justice writer on sports beat, I have penned short pieces on Bush's attacks on Title IX and Don Imus' despicable comments aimed at Rutgers' Scarlet Knights women's basketball team.

By the way, Yoon Jung participated in the very same contest two years ago, and won a gift certificate by making the lay up! Here she is in action:

Robert D. Skeels shows Staples Center shooting prowess at Sparks game

WNBA May Be Upon Biggest Season Yet

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Dave Zirin is a renowned sports writer who is unafraid to speak truth to power, and we are both members of the same political organization. It's really encouraging to hear him talking up the WNBA and women's basketball. Yoon and I are Sparks season ticket holders and avid Title IX supporters. We invite everyone to check out at least one WNBA game in person this year.

Another thing. Dave Zirin has been on the leading edge of calling out the incredible racism coming from Arizona legislators and their supporters. There is a dialectical relation between Dave writing about courageous athletes willing to speak on behalf of social justice, and more athletes being willing to do so. I don't think the TNT's Inside the NBA analysits Kenny Smith, Chris Webber, and Charles Barkley take the principled stand against SB 1070 they took on T.V. recently in the absense of the space Dave Zirin has created with and for athletes to speak out.

Don't forget to Protest/Boycott the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles!

Here's my parting thoughts on Arizona's most recent racist law: "HB 2281 ensures the only ethnic studies you'll ever receive are Rich White Male Studies!" (I better be careful, the so-called LAPU/Parent Revolution might actually think that's a good idea)

WNBA May Be Upon Biggest Season Yet

Road Game Melee

Sparks' Candace Parker at center of late scuffle
Parker Ejected in Sparks Brawl

Road Game Melee

Parker dunks in Sparks’ win over Fever

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Parker dunks in Sparks’ win over Fever

Mwadi's back

Tuesday's game was good in that the return of Mwadi Mabika saw her score 11 and get 7 assists. Her shooting form and first step weren't what they usually are, but I'm sure in time she will be back to normal. From some of the lead passes she made on the break, I have a feeling that Holdsclaw is really going to enjoy playing with Mwadi. Hopefully, this will mark a turn around in the Sparks' consistency this season. The game was a little too close until the end. The Sparks shouldn't be struggling to win at home against last place teams, but that is how this season has been.

The team waived Grubin and Nieuwveen over the last weeks. Dixon didn't play, and I heard rumors on the smoking patio that she needed to have her knee drained again. Saw Caron Butler at the game, I suppose that is before the Washington trade happened.

Mwadi's back

Coach Bibby needs to rethink defensive schemes

Last night's blowout loss against Connecticut was for the most part due to Coach Bibby's inflexible attitude towards defensive schemes. The Sun are far too good a passing team to play zone against. If that drumming in the first half wasn't evidence enough, he continued having the Sparks play zone in the second half. There was a single possession when they played man to man and it caused nothing less than a shot clock violation. Learn from the experience? No, next possession zone again. Frankly they were lucky to lose by only twenty. Even the aggressive trapping in the backcourt was probably a bad idea. For the handful of turnovers it produced, it also allowed for several layups and other easy baskets by the Sun. Other than Whalen and maybe Sales, the Sun don't really have many players that can create their own shot with any regularity. It would have served the Sparks to at least try to play straight up defense and force them into a half court game.

Earlier this season they allowed Diana Taurasi to have a monster game by leaving her open on the perimeter the entire game. Fortunately, Taurasi's teammates don't share the ball as well as Connecticut or she would have set the WNBA record for points in a game. Bibby's penchant for the zone will certainly spell more problems down the road it there is an unwillingness to try something else when it doesn't work.

Coach Bibby needs to rethink defensive schemes