Final score: Storm 38 – Sting 48 (L) (8-9)

Attendance | 7007

by: 1 Raubyn 4 21

FIRST: Let me introduce myself. My name is 1 Raubyn 4 21 (pronounced “One Robin For Twenty-One”), and I live 40 miles from Thompson Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. Long story short – I am a Tennessee Lady Vol basketball PHan. I have season tickets and half a closet of orange, white & blue attire, (not to mention orange, white & blue shoes, shoe laces & jewelry).

SECOND: Let me explain. I am the #1 PHan of #21 Semeka BOO! Randall. 85% of the orange, white & blue attire in my closet says “#1 Fan of #21 Semeka BOO! Randall.”

PROOF: When Semeka was on the court with the LVs during a Bball game – I saw only her, (well kinda). I baked sweet potatoe pies for her, (one of her fav. foods). I made T-shirts for her and her mother, Bertha. I haunted the LV locker room after the home games just to congratulate her on her game, made “Get Well” cards for her when she was injured. I have the most recognizable “BOOoooooooo!!!!!!!!!” yell in the country. For those of you not familiar with Semeka’s nickname of “Boo!” please visit my webpage for an explaination. Semeka now accepts the fact that I am her “second mama.” We have the same potato/fruit peeler “The Rotato” (compliments of my patient hubby, Chip). There's more to this story – but you get da picture – rite?

SEATTLE vs CHARLOTTE GAME REPORT: Please refer to the facts mentioned above as my main apology for such a sloppy game report, plus the fact that I am accustomed to Lady Vol homegames and this was my first “away game.” The drive from the Knoxville area to Charlotte is only 4 hours – no prob – hubby loves to drive.

FIRST APOLOGY FIRST: Get Semeka to notice my new Seattle Storm T-shirt I made – “#1 Fan of #21 Semeka Randall” with the Storm logo. Mission accomplished, by waiting by the entrance to the locker rooms during pre-game warm-ups. I simply “BOOOOooooooooed!!!” her while she was on the court warming up. She recognized me! Must have been all those nice “BOOoos!” in Knoxville, maybe the pies? She promised to come by and sign the shirt. She kept her promise :-) I asked if she had had enough to eat that day and she said she had. Good –I had not baked anything that day. Had to feel guilty for not baking anything for her tho – this thinking process took up about 2 minutes of the 1st half.

SECOND APOLOGY: Go find our seats. Well… surprise, surprise… we are 2 rows behind the Storm bench. Yes, Lin Dunn, the assistant coaches, the team mangers, etc. – they all liked my shirt too. Had to celebrate the fact that the entire Storm bench viewed the shirt – this took up about 3 minutes of the 1st half.

THIRD APOLOGY: The main thing that stood out in this game: The Storm team was TARD, Dawn Staley had suddenly decided to start shooting again and decided she did not care for Lauren Jackson. She kept digging her butt into LJ and gave her some mighty nasty “looks” – don’t get me wrong, I respect Dawn, I simply noticed her dislike of LJ.

The officiating SUXed, as it usually does.

During halftime outside, we ran into a friend of Semeka’s from Knoxville. He had picked Semeka up from the Charlotte airport the night before and he could see the fatigue in her instantly, (we will call him Semeka’s “2nd daddy” – he fed/feeds her too). She told him the entire team was TARD, but they were looking forward to flying to Cleveland (Semeka’s hometown), for the next game where her Mama Bertha would feed them all. Had to think about this particular meal, what it would contain – this took up about 7 minutes of the 2nd half.

BTW, during the game, especially the 2nd half – it was surprising to NOT see Lauren collapse. She was visibly TARD. The Sting fans were amazing tho. It was great to hear them support their WimenZZzzzzzz. We had a handful of Storm fans in the crowd. I can yell real good. Had to learn to duck my head & shut up when the Sting did something swell. To master this took up about 2 minutes of the 2nd half. Plus the Sting mascott – that big blue bug kept buzzing around us and shaking his bon bon.

FOURTH APOLOGY: If you want game stats, please refer to yer fav. WNBA webpage or newspaper. I can copy/paste those stats here for you, but I gotta go seal/iron my T-shirt Semeka just signed. Plus… wups… we ran into two ladies currently playing Bball for the TN Lady Vols bball team, Kara Lawson & April McDivitt, and we had to give them their props. Plus… wups… we had to get pics of former LV player, current Seattle Storm player Michelle Marciniak. Plus… wups… some of the Storm bench fell down around the bench and we had to make sure they were OK… I reckon all this wonderful activity took up the remaining minutes of the 2nd half.

FIFTH & LAST APOLOGY: This was the first time someone asked me to do a game report. I was thrilled, but I hesitated at first, then without thinking I replied, “OK, I can do it.” After further review and re-reading what I have written: call me a slacker, call me a Lady Vol fan, call me a Randall-Freak – I can take it. Call me “1 4 21”. Call me “Just glad to see BOO! play live again since March’s road to the 2001 NCAA Championship.” Better yet? Don’t call me and ask me for a “Seattle Storm” game report. All you’ll get is a “#1 Fan of #21” game report.

ps – get a feeling that this report should have been entitled “It’s All About Me” ????
pss – get a feeling that this report should have been entitled “It’s All About Me Getting To See Semeka Play Live Bball Again” ????