Who said the WNBA isn't exciting enough to be in the national spotlight? Well, action from this week was bigger than ever ...
The Los Angeles Sparks and Detroit Shock provided plenty of "spark" and "shock" in a rumble during Tuesday's game which led to multiple suspensions.
"None of us can recall an incident like this," WNBA president Donna Orender said Thursday during a conference call. "The events Tuesday, however, were inexcusable and in no way are indicative of what the league stands for. We hold our players to a very high standard and these suspensions should serve notice that the behavior exhibited at the end of Tuesday's game will not be tolerated."
WNBA suspends 10 players and Mahorn for skirmish
WNBA reviewing fight between Detroit, LA players
Maybe popularity of the sport will pick up ... too bad it is due to negative publicity.
Could this incident have anything to do with the respective coaches Michael Cooper and Bill Laimbeer, who by the way don't really like each other and have expressed that publicly? Both coaches were fierce competitors when they played for the Lakers and Pistons in the 80s.
it is highly doubtful that this incident will make the wnba any more popular. really, why would it? are mma fans going to tune in hoping to see another fight? are nba fans going to forget that it's a completely different product and tune in because there was a fight? soccer moms?
the laimbeer/cooper angle is interesting. i'm sure both of these coaches try to fire their teams up every night, but maybe they get a little more into it against a former rival. that attitude will get picked up on by athletes.
or maybe these teams don't like each other.