Connecticut Sun Ends Disastrous Season Today

Mohegan Sun Casino is the home of one of the WNBA's most successful franchises - the CT Sun. While never winning a championship, they have almost always been a winning, playoff basketball team in their 11 year history in Connecticut, after moving from Orlando. Unfortunately, the down side of being so successful is consistently picking low draft picks. This year, the CT Sun has fallen on hard-times - this franchise has fallen and could not get up.

On one side, there are those that say the obvious - injuries are part of the game, whether it's football, baseball, or basketball, so teams still need to deal with it. On the other side, there are those who relentlessly excuse losses because of player injuries. For me, the CT Sun lie in the middle.

Here are some of the non-related-to-injury reasons for the Sun's worse record in WNBA:

• No post help for last year's MVP Tina Charles.
• The influx of tremendous new talent like Maya Moore, Brittany Griner, and Elana Delle Donne to compliment the already growing stars of Angel McCoughtry, Diana Taurasi, and Candace Parker - all on other teams that used high draft picks to get them.
• Years of making the playoffs, but not able to get more than one gem (Charles) in the draft.
• NEW COACH, NEW STAFF, NEW SYSTEM, NEW CHEMISTRY
• No Asjia Jones all season for rehab, thus No post help for last year's MVP Tina Charles.

But the excuse of injuries for the Sun, isn't just an excuse - it's a fact. The last three games, the Sun were forced to play with 7 players available. All-Star Allison Hightower, inevitable Hall-of-Famer Kara Lawson, top draft pick Kelly Faris, defensive standout Tan White, and 3-pt specialist Rene Montgomery - all significant injuries, if not out-for-the-season injuries, at least for the majority of the year. This list doesn't even include to day-to-day injuries to favorites like Kelsey Griffin, Mistie Bass, and Kalana Greene.

NFL Hall-of-Fame Coach Bill Parcells once commented the following about coaching the Patriots:
"They want you to cook the dinner; at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries. Okay?" Well, in terms of the Sun, coach Donovan and the Sun, had to deal with the likes of a McDonald's Happy Meal to feed a family of 8 - just no where near the groceries needed to feed a successful season, an incredible over-achieving cast of players, and the best fans in the WNBA.

Let's hope for good draft picks in a lean senior class of college women basketball prospects. Only two names will do for this team from the college ranks - Dolsen (CT) and Oguimike (Stanford). With Asjia back, Tina re-signed (she's a free agent tomorrow!), and Kara back leading the troops, the future will be much better. Hey Mr. Etess, let's add a couple of free agents that can make a difference, while you're at it!

But, let's face it, the only direction this franchise can go is up.

So, after today, the franchise moves on. Hopefully, the future of the CT Sun is brighter - it couldn't be any worse!

That's all for now

Binbin