Posted By: Ann Meyers_Drysdale
January 18, 2007 1:40 PM

The Merury selected Kelly Mazzante with the No. 5 pick in the Dispersal Draft. (WNBAE Photos)

And don’t forget Raja and Leandro hitting the outside shot to open things up. 76 points at half time vs. Memphis on Martin Luther King Day was pretty special.

It was a good start for the Phoenix Mercury as well. We landed the #5 pick in the Dispersal Draft and selected a pretty good shooter in Kelly Mazzante. She is the all-time scoring leader in Big 10 history from her time at Penn State (male or female). That includes the likes of Chris Webber, Calbert Chaney, Magic Johnson, Steve Alford and our own Phoenix Suns player, Jalen Rose. None of them put up as many points as Kelly (2,919). And Phoenix got her to go along with Coach Paul Westhead's running game and our other great shooters.

I also had the chance over the holidays to see a few movies with my children, and the one that stood out the most was "Bobby." It was a powerful movie for us, not only because of the civil rights movement, the marches against Vietnam, equal rights for women, Martin Luther King, Cesar Chavez and Bobby Kennedy, but my late husband, Hall of Fame Dodger pitcher Don Drysdale, was a main character in the movie which really impacted me and my children. Robert Kennedy talked about Don and his "shutout streak" in his speech at the Ambassador Hotel in LA, the night he was assassinated. On that night, Don broke a 40-year-old record, recording his sixth straight shutout, a record that still stands today. My kids and I kept expecting their Dad to show up on the big screen. It was pretty surreal for me to hear Don talked about so much in the movie, which was done so well. I strongly recommend it.

I also saw “Dream Girls.” I grew up a HUGE Motown fan. I would go to sleep at night listening to albums of Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, the Spinners, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson and the Jackson 5. I loved the movie. I also saw "Holiday" which was a fun “chick flick,” "A Night at the Museum" which the kids and I thought that was funny and the "Pursuit of Happyness." That movie definitely shows you there is hope no matter how things can look. A feel good movie.

Back to basketball… our Mercury players are doing well overseas. Cappie Pondexter, last year’s runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting, is in Turkey and continues to put up big numbers. She had 31 the other night. Diana Taurasi is in Russia playing with All-Stars Sue Bird and Tina Thompson; not a bad threesome. Penny Taylor, the MVP of the World Championships is in Italy, and Kristen Rasmussen is in Australia. Kamila Vodichkova is doing well with her rehab (MCL/ACL tear last season) in her home town in the Czech Republic, and everyone else on our roster is playing overseas.

That leaves us to the "young guns" in college, where Coach Westhead is hitting the pavement on the recruiting circuit with all the other WNBA coaches. Lots of young talent out there, and we will have to decipher who is a #1 pick. Still too early to tell. But whoever she is, she better be able to run like the Mercury and Suns.

Comments

Carolyn Ruiz - Phoenix
I can hardly wait for Draft Day. I'm sure you and Coach will make the right first draft pick; but here is my vote-- for Bigs Jessica Davenport, unless Candace Parker loses her mind and comes out early. I can't see Pat Summit let that happen. Don't go small and trade up for a veteran big (Riley) unless Lauren Jackson is available. lol

It would also be a big boost and put lots of seats in the stands to see Emily Westerburg chosen later in the draft. We have not taken advantage of local talent from ASU or even the dreaded Uof A. I think getting local talent involved will really boost the fan base and increase Season ticket Sales.

What about getting some of the SUNS to hype the Mercury? These guys are so great and an endorsement from Marion, or even Pat ( everybody love hime ) Burke would help.

Thanks for reading this. Charter season ticket holder and over the top fan...

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please spread the work that Shaq needs to use the backboard with backspin to make more free throws

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