Submitted by | Norwester

Well...we lost.  Attendance was pretty good, and I think a win would have really been good for future games' attendance, but what can you do?  I wasn't sitting in my accustomed space because I brought a bunch of people from work, so I was sitting near mid-court 19 rows from the floor.  It seemed so far away compared to my 2nd row seat, even if it is in the corner.  Sound was different, I didn't feel as much a part of the crowd, and we had some crabby fans behind us.
 
It was fun trying to fill my co-workers in on who everyone was, and their specialties.  They had some questions.  My brother-in-law got some raw chicken tenders that looked NASTY.  He took them back and exchanged them for a hamburger.  Hey, the distant possiblity BSE is better than certain salmonella or ptomaine (or is that pork?).  
 
I'm trying to put this game into perspective.  It was one loss.  They're bound to come once in a while.  I just wish we'd lost because they outplayed us overall, instead of because we couldn't buy a shot, even though we had the opportunity and seemed to get open looks.  We just seemed a bit flat.  
 
One of my co-workers, while enjoying the game, said that LJ just didn't seem to take over the game like she was expecting.  Well, LJ was sick, apparently, though whenever they give some reason I still always come back to her shins.  This week the euphemism is a cold. But who knows?  I often get a cold after flying too.  Her comments in the paper about being "cocky as hell" next game were heartening.  Can't wait to see it.
 
The ESPY nominations were flashed up on the arena vision.  For the WNBA Swin Cash, Tameka Catchings, Chamique Holdsclaw, Lauren Jackson, You Know Who (I feel like I'm in a Harry Potter novel).  You can go vote here for nominees, but you'll have to click on Best WNBA Player to vote for LJ (or whoever, I won't judge).
 
The anthem was a choir from my home town of Salt Lake City.  They did pretty well, had sort of a different take on it in parts, and hit those extra high notes.
 
There was an unveiling of a new Olympic stamp.  It was a whole Olympic love-fest with AD, Van Chancellor, Sue, LJ and Swoopes up there posing with the postmaster for Seattle.  I explained to everyone about how many in the Key would be representing their various countries in the OGs.  I also did some explaining about "the pictures."  Mostly people were curious, not antagonistic, so I'm satisfied that they're better informed now.
 
Val Ackerman was in the house.  Doppler did a whole bowing down bit to her.  He also had a bit where he was trying to drive a remote-controlled car around, but it didn't work, so he kicked it a bunch then tossed it to a kid in the crowd.  I don't know if that was planned or not.  It's funny to see new fans react to Doppler.  He wasn't in evidence before the game, but I explained that we did indeed have a mascot.
 
The game started out pretty well, and even though it was more even than I thought it should have been in the first half, at least we were staying even.  Mostly that was because of our defense.  I thought we were giving Sheila Lambert too many looks, but since she's the hometown girl, I'm not going to dwell on it.  The fans behind me were cheering for SL hard.  The first points were Sheri Sam off a nice LJ assist.  That was a mercy for the people behind us sniping at us to sit down.  My brother countered with the fact that everyone was standing.  The crabby fans said they had kids back there (none of whom could have been younger than 10), and my brother said that it was tradition, and ignored them after that.  Hmph.  Some people (and their children, apparently).
 
After that it was back and forth.  I couldn't believe how many money shots we were missing.  Kamila, Sue.  We hit so many off the rim.  Burse did not have one of her more stellar outings either.  One thing, the people I brought with me went on and on about how good Betty Lennox is.  It's good to see some of our players getting props.  Tully came in, took a charge (it's a game!) then went out with a bruised pelvis?  Whatever, she was limping and grimacing and slow to get up.  I told them she'd be back, but though we saw her on the bike, she rode the bench (or bike) the rest of the game.
 
#43 also came in briefly scoring our only bench points (!).  It was a pretty move too.  Too bad there wasn't more of that.  When we play Houston it seems we have to be resigned to an ugly game.  Their bench outscored ours 12-2, or something.  That one deserves an emoticon.  
 
I was afraid to see our shooting percentage, even though there were bright spots.  I was known to yell, "What are we shooting, like 30%?!"  I wasn't too far off as we shot 35% for the half, and about that for the game, while allowing Houston 50%.  However, we had plenty more opportunities than they did, we just couldn't capitalize.  We even missed half our free throws.  Sigh.  I wanted a big lead.  Is it too much to ask?
 
Half time: 30-29
 
The Storm dancer girls were back with the knotted t-shirts.  I was disappointed.  
 
The second half began auspiciously.  LJ and Sam both took it into the hole for easy lay-ups.  Again with the fans saying sit down.    Sit this.
 
Sue reached her 1000-pt milestone.  I wish she'd done it on more than 4 points, or whatever, but I guess I'll have to settle with drinking a C2.
 
Not much to say about the refs.  From where I was sitting there were good calls and bad calls.  It was typically inconsistent, and I didn't like how Houston got to hack at our players without getting called, but at least they called it when LJ got tackled.
 
Betty got hit hard in the nose going up for a rebound and was very slow getting up.  She went out of the game for quite a few minutes, but came back in.  We had our opportunities at the end.  We made some key defensive stops, and even got offensive rebounds.  We were just unable to put it back up and in.I was prepared for them wanting revenge, but I just didn't believe that we'd let them come into our house and win.
 
LJ may not have dominated (granted, we were outscored by a pretty good margin in the paint), though she was right up there with her season averages, but she had some beautiful blocks.  Besides making more shots and winning, there's not much more you can ask for than that.
 
A scary thought occurred to me: Are we a road team now?!  I can't seriously believe that, but the disturbing thought crossed my mind.  Eek.  Quick, happy thoughts.  LJ blocks.  Ok, we're ok.
 
Other thoughts:
 
My people kept asking if they had any older Storm dancers or if it was just the kids (who entertained them immensely, and had some good routines going).
 
Apparently the Storm player you most don't want driving your car is Tully.  I thought it would be Sue, from rumors of how she drives like a New Yorker, but in retrospect it makes sense that the foreign-born players used to driving on the other side of the street, etc. would possibly have a scary-driving edge over Sue.  Lauren started to say Tully, then when she mentioned Australia hurried and added herself to the list and said she wouldn't get in the car with herself either.  Kamila got a vote too, and Adia vows that she's the best driver.  It was fun.
 
There's seemingly one more stadium for us to conquer (Washington?), 3 teams have never won in the Key, and Weyerhauser opened their first recycling plant in North Carolina.

Submitted by | CzechChick7

First, I guess the refs decided to correct their terrible calls by calling virtually no hard fouls at all the last couple minutes of the game.  What did they do-swallow their whistles?  
 
There was one sequence near the end where LJ went up about 3 times off of rebounds and was slammed repeatedly (I tried to count but gave up after 6 times) by multiple Comets.  No basket, no fouls called, and luckily for LJ no permanent damage done (blood, black eye, broken nose, rearranged facial parts, concussion, etc.).
 
Second, the team looked beat up and tired.  I think this was the first time I've ever seen Betty look worn out at the end of the game.  
 
Injury/sickness roll call-
 
LJ-looking drained, ashen, runny nosed, and sometimes in obvious pain from her shins.  There was one point during a time out she almost looked like she wanted to cry.
 
Burse-strained hamstring/hip bruise?  Had a heating pack on her hip/hamstring area most of the game.  Whenever she walked around, she shuffled like she had arthritis.
 
Kamila-sporting a nice shiner from the last game.  Came up a little stiff and shaken after her body slam to the floor.
 
Betty-had a hard time focusing after she came back.  Saw her a number of times doing quick blinks, head shakes, nose rubbing trying to clear her head and eyes.  Possible broken nose.  Now she and Michelle can compare "war wounds".
 
Tully-limped around like one leg was about 4 inches shorter than the other.  Grimacing alot, trying her hardest to shake it off.

If the Aussies don't put Tully on their Olympic team, then they're crazy. She's playing so much better than last year, and is a noticable game-changer whenever she's put it.
 
Near game's end during a timeout called after the previously mentioned LJ mugging/no call of my previous post, I thought Jenny Boo was going to go over and slug one or more of the refs. She was in the coaches' huddle, giving the refs mean looks, and gesturing in their direction while talking to AD.  
 
If you've never seen Jenny Boo up close, she has those powder blue colored eyes some people have that look so pretty when the person's in a good mood, but turn to icicle daggers when they're mad.  Last night, the icicle daggers were out and figuratively stabbing into the refs during the game, but especially at that time out.  
 
If looks could kill, the problems with the refs would've been solved by Jenny Boo.

Submitted by | Gym.Rat.07

I had a bad feeling about this game before the game but didn't want to acknowledge it. Curse you women's intuition.  
 
Gym.Rat's Droppings:

Storm looked tired and played tired.

LJ was coughing into her hands before and during the game. Maybe that's why our shots were short - the ball was sticking to the player's hands. (Ew)

The eBayatches with the floor boards are the worst! They practically jumped over the backs of everyone else for their precious signatures.

Congrats to SF#

Mr. and Mrs. Admin were looking sporty yet it always gives me the wiggins when couples wear matching clothes.

Oh, yeah... the game.... uh, let's just get it out of our system and move on. Nothing to see there.

Van looked like he lost a lot of weight yet he is still wearing his fat clothes.

Speaking of Van - he should have gotten at least one T. Every call he was yelling at the refs and when one would walk away he would go to another. It worked though - that ref would always give him a make up call on the next possession.

B-Money got clocked in the nose by Snow's arm on the rebound. They showed it on the jumbo tron.

Lambert is fast! You can't stop her when she drives - you just can't.

Val was in the house but didn't cheer on either team and didn't stand up til the Storm scored. I can understand being impartial but I think there is something to say about respecting other teams' traditions and following the home crowd.

To the disabled person who was yelling for people to sit down while everyone was standing til we scored; if you want an unobstructed view of the game then let an usher know of your circumstance and I'm sure they will help you out. Don't angrily yell at people to sit down by yelling, "I didn't pay $30 a seat to stare at the back of f***ing heads" and whip out the "I'm disabled" sympathy card. You get more flies with honey.

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