Courtney Paris update

[badger]

She's landed back in Oklahoma :)

Linky (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=413&articleid=20120618_413_0_TheTul157910)

Way to go, CP3. You might have given me one of my FEW reasons to ever want to go to a Shock game ever again :)

[Chuck Bao]

Thanks for the update. I know that my mom will be trying to get the Shock games on her TV now. She did complain last year that the Shock were so bad that they didn't get much TV coverage.

Last season, my mom was so crazy about the San Antonio Silver Stars with Danielle Robinson from OU (safe to say her all-time favorite player), Danielle Adams from A&M and Sophia Young from Baylor. Those women really deserve the support and respect as they translate very successful collegiate sports to the next level.

With that being said, I do hope that CP3 turns that franchise around and gets fans in the seats.

[badger]

Another Courtney update (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=413&articleid=20120619_413_0_Iaaeod883078)

She'll probably get a lot of playing time tomorrow. With some injuries, the Tulsa Shock will have 8 active players.

If you are new to the WNBA or just don't give a crap about the WNBA unless Sooners are involved, here's how it goes:

Rosters can only have 11 players.

There are a few other nuances, like the very tiny gap between the max that a veteran can make and the minimum a rookie can make (the range is about $30k to $100k, which is significant compared to the big brother NBA league rules), the fact that they travel commercial (I was on a WNBA flight once and a lot of the taller/larger players looked uncomfortable), players can be cut/signed at virtually any time, etc.

Pro women's basketball is surprisingly a sport where players can play into their 40s. There is also very little job security for younger players and no patience for them to develop, nor is there room for older, more experienced players to stay past their welcome to mentor younger talent. You are either in or you are out.

Pro women's basketball is also a very sketchy market. Attendance is low and most teams lose money. Thus, the league is usually not expanding, but rather, contracting or moving to new cities.

And so, that leads me to both the Tulsa Shock and to Courtney. Talented, awesome Courtney. Terrible, losing Tulsa Shock.

When the team moved to Tulsa from Detroit, the stars decided not to join. This was also around the time that the Sacramento Monarchs folded, which was the team that drafted Courtney.

They really should have joined Courtney and the Shock sooner, but then-coach Nolan Richardson (another victim of a very fickle league) publicly said that he had a roster of women that had worked very hard to make the small roster and didn't want to cut one of them just to add in a star with local ties.

(baj's note: No, but you do want to keep around someone who hadn't played basketball in years who is most famous for winning Olympic gold then returning after admitting to doping. grrrrrrr)

It really doesn't matter who is on the Tulsa Shock roster at this point. Why? Because it is a losing franchise that will likely continue to lose. I hope this means lots of minutes and lots of job security for Courtney, who might be the only reason fans will continue showing up to watch what likely will be the Shock's latest loss.

But still, good luck to Courtney. Now Tulsa needs to sign Ashley and I will have little excuse left to not return to the BOK Center.

[badger]

Another Courtney update (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=413&articleid=20120619_413_0_Iaaeod883078)

She'll probably get a lot of playing time tomorrow. With some injuries, the Tulsa Shock will have 8 active players.

If you are new to the WNBA or just don't give a crap about the WNBA unless Sooners are involved, here's how it goes:

Rosters can only have 11 players.

There are a few other nuances, like the very tiny gap between the max that a veteran can make and the minimum a rookie can make (the range is about $30k to $100k, which is significant compared to the big brother NBA league rules), the fact that they travel commercial (I was on a WNBA flight once and a lot of the taller/larger players looked uncomfortable), players can be cut/signed at virtually any time, etc.

Pro women's basketball is surprisingly a sport where players can play into their 40s. There is also very little job security for younger players and no patience for them to develop, nor is there room for older, more experienced players to stay past their welcome to mentor younger talent. You are either in or you are out.

Pro women's basketball is also a very sketchy market. Attendance is low and most teams lose money. Thus, the league is usually not expanding, but rather, contracting or moving to new cities.

And so, that leads me to both the Tulsa Shock and to Courtney. Talented, awesome Courtney. Terrible, losing Tulsa Shock.

When the team moved to Tulsa from Detroit, the stars decided not to join. This was also around the time that the Sacramento Monarchs folded, which was the team that drafted Courtney.

They really should have joined Courtney and the Shock sooner, but then-coach Nolan Richardson (another victim of a very fickle league) publicly said that he had a roster of women that had worked very hard to make the small roster and didn't want to cut one of them just to add in a star with local ties.

(baj's note: No, but you do want to keep around someone who hadn't played basketball in years who is most famous for winning Olympic gold then returning the medals after admitting to doping. grrrrrrr)

It really doesn't matter who is on the Tulsa Shock roster at this point. Why? Because it is a losing franchise that will likely continue to lose. I hope this means lots of minutes and lots of job security for Courtney, who might be the only reason fans will continue showing up to watch what likely will be the Shock's latest loss.

But still, good luck to Courtney. Now Tulsa needs to sign Ashley and I will have little excuse left to not return to the BOK Center.

[texaspokieokie]

Good move on the part of Tulsa. She will draw some fans. I know we'd go if we lived in Tulsa.

[badger]

First two games:

@ LA: 11 point, 8 rebounds in 18 minutes

vs. Indiana: 10 points, 11 rebounds in 15 minutes

She's not doing bad. I think she's been coming off the bench, also.

I'm gonna have to dump baby badger on someone else for a few hours so I can go to a game. Maybe I won't even need a few hours, just a "SHOCK SUCK GO COURTNEY" poster should get me kicked out fast enough :P

[badger]

Oh crap, hope it was just an off-night. The Tulsa Shock got their second win of the season, but Courtney got zero points, one board and one foul in 10ish minutes. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=413&articleid=20120627_29_B1_CUTLIN170007)

Congrats to the Shock, but I personally don't care about the Shock, only Courtney.

[olevetonahill]

I dont care , But did she ever follow thru on her Promise to Pay OU for her degree if they Dint win the Championship?

[badger]

I dont care , But did she ever follow thru on her Promise to Pay OU for her degree if they Dint win the Championship?

Basically what happened was that Joe C. came out publicly and said that after everything Courtney had done for the program, they would not accept any repayment of her scholarship even if she tried. :)

So, it's not that she can't pay it back or won't pay it back, it's that OU has said they're not taking her money, because she's given so much to OU already.

[olevetonahill]

Like I said I dint care, I just dint know what happened on that, Thanks

[badger]

Courtney had 10 points and 3 rebounds in 12 minutes during a Tulsa Shock loss to the Atlanta Dream on Friday.

Why am I continuing to update this thread?

BECAUSE OFFSEASON

[badger]

Holy cow, the Shock won a third game. Courtney had 2 points and 2 boards in 6 minutes.

[badger]

Courtney had 2 points and a rebound in 6 minutes during a lost to the Minnesota Lynx.

For some context, the Lynx robbed Tulsa of the top draft pick last year via the lottery. As such, they got to draft one of the greatest college womens basketball players, Maya Moore, while ex-Tulsa/Arky/etc. coach Nolan Richardson took an unknown unproven Australian center with the second pick, who is not currently with the team due to Olympic training.

D'oh, d'oh, d'oh. I wonder what tricky lottery logic will keep Tulsa from draft the Baylor Behemoth next season. Or maybe we do get the top pick and whatever's keeping her outta the Olympics will keep her out of the WNBA. Hmm...

[MsProudSooner]

Courtney had 2 points and a rebound in 6 minutes during a lost to the Minnesota Lynx.

For some context, the Lynx robbed Tulsa of the top draft pick last year via the lottery. As such, they got to draft one of the greatest college womens basketball players, Maya Moore, while ex-Tulsa/Arky/etc. coach Nolan Richardson took an unknown unproven Australian center with the second pick, who is not currently with the team due to Olympic training.

D'oh, d'oh, d'oh. I wonder what tricky lottery logic will keep Tulsa from draft the Baylor Behemoth next season. Or maybe we do get the top pick and whatever's keeping her outta the Olympics will keep her out of the WNBA. Hmm...

It will be interesting to see if Griner ever plays in the Olympics, the WNBA or pro basketball in Europe.

[badger]

It will be interesting to see if Griner ever plays in the Olympics, the WNBA or pro basketball in Europe.

To any Baylor lurkers, yes, I am speaking in code, and that code is SKELETOR IS TRYING TO KEEP HER ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN COLLEGE BY NOT SUBJECTING HER TO OLYMPIC TESTS.

There, I said it.

And yes, I wouldn't give a crap about Baylor if you didn't beat us in everything last year. There, I said that too.

What else can I say... hmmm...

YOU BELONG IN THE SUN BELT!

Oooo... did I just say that? :P

[MsProudSooner]

To any Baylor lurkers, yes, I am speaking in code, and that code is SKELETOR IS TRYING TO KEEP HER ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN COLLEGE BY NOT SUBJECTING HER TO OLYMPIC TESTS.

There, I said it.

And yes, I wouldn't give a crap about Baylor if you didn't beat us in everything last year. There, I said that too.

What else can I say... hmmm...

YOU BELONG IN THE SUN BELT!

Oooo... did I just say that? :P

Actually, the NCAA has very rigorous gender tests. They go by whatever is on your driver's license - I kid you not.

[badger]

Actually, the NCAA has very rigorous gender tests. They go by whatever is on your driver's license - I kid you not.

I hear that's what they do to test the coaches as well.

http://kentuckyregistrar.net/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/b938f_Geno-Auriemma.jpg
:P

[tycat947]

To any Baylor lurkers, yes, I am speaking in code, and that code is SKELETOR IS TRYING TO KEEP HER ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN COLLEGE BY NOT SUBJECTING HER TO OLYMPIC TESTS.

There, I said it.:P

BINGO!!! We have a WINNER!!! Skeletor cares nothing about no one except herself!!!

[badger]

BINGO!!! We have a WINNER!!! Skeletor cares nothing about no one except herself!!!

Word. If she cared about her daughter, she would not send her to Baylor to play for that awful, scary coach ;)

[Statalyzer]

SKELETOR IS TRYING TO KEEP HER ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN COLLEGE BY NOT SUBJECTING HER TO OLYMPIC TESTS.

Pathetic.

[Curly Bill]

Pathetic.

You have a more plausible reason?

Cause right now, I'm strongly going with that one as well.

[badger]

Does anyone miss the WNBA? No?

Well, on the oft chance that you do, the season is starting up again post-Olympics on Thursday. As far as I know, CP3 is still with the Tulsa Shock.

[StoopTroup]

I know they have a Fan Base. Just because you're not one of them doesn't mean you get a pass.

Badger Sucks The Shock RAWKS!

[Chuck Bao]

I know they have a Fan Base. Just because you're not one of them doesn't mean you get a pass.

Badger Sucks The Shock RAWKS!

I will go with that one as well.

In the 79-89 loss to the San Antonio Silver Stars, Courtney Paris played 5.54 minutes and got 3 rebounds and zero points.

We tried to get the game on TV (mainly to see Danielle Robinson play for the Silver Stars) but it wasn't on NBA TV.

Looking forward to see Elizabeth Cambage play for the Shock starting Aug 30. Watched her in the Olympics play for Australia and she was quite impressive.

In the rehashed "question-someone's-gender-and-repeat-often-enough-until-someone-silly-believes-it" smear campaign department, the word "pathetic" is most apt and unfortunately it took a silly Horn to say it.

[StoopTroup]

Chuck...My Wife has some friends that go to the Shock Games religiously. I took my son and his friends to many of the 66ers Games and supported them last year. They just missed the Playoffs in the D-League. It was disappointing but also exciting as I think they have something to build on this year. Same for the Shock. I'm making a commitment to take my daughter and Son to a few Shock Games this year. Both the kids are heavily into Tennis now and my Son is still going to play Soccer and Basketball this year so we will be busy.

GO SHOCK ! ! !

GO 66ers ! ! !

[badger]

I would love nothing more than for my beloved sooner women's stars to have a viable pro league in this country for them to continue playing in after leaving ou. Alas, i had a dreadful experience when i went to a wnba game.

More power to wnba and its fans. I would love the league to suceed for our sooners' sake. And congrats to d-rob for scoring 15 on tulsa.

[badger]

She hit a free throw and got 3 rebounds in about 6 mins of play in a big loss to the Minny Lynx (the team that lucked into drafting Maya Moore, yes).

[badger]

Courtney did not play in the Shock's overtime loss to the Connecticut Sun. The box score said "DNP - Coaches Decision"

Hope that this isn't the end of her WNBA career :(

[badger]

So Olympic dunker Liz Cambage decided to stay in Australia. That's actually not a bad thing for CP3 --- the Shock would have had to cut a player to be at their roster limit had Liz returned, and that could have potentially been Courtney (since they play the same position). But, who's to say, it doesn't really matter now I guess.

She had 10 pts 5 rbs in 19 minutes in the Shock's last game (Aug 31 loss to Minny), but had fewer minutes in the previous two games. Not really sure what her future is with this team, but wish her the best nonetheless

[badger]

While I've said my fill of anti-WNBAness in the past, we can find a little bit of the Tulsa Shock in all of us --- a lot of adversity, a lot of hard work, a lot of rejection, a lot of persistence, and asking a lot of patience.

Since my last entry, the Tulsa Shock have lost to the landing spot of most of WNBA's stars: Seattle. Yes, we stole their NBA team, but the WNBA team remained behind, where a lack of free agency control means that top players go where they want without a lot of recourse. A lot go to Seattle, not to Tulsa.

I admire Courtney Paris for keeping her professional career alive, even if it means a lot of bench time in Tulsa. She got 7 minutes in each of the losses to Seattle, 3 pts, 3 rbs, 2 blocks in one game, 4 points (and a missed free throw) in the other.

There is a lot to admire about the Tulsa Shock's roster --- they are trying their hardest for one of the losingest franchises in the WNBA.

As much as I've said against Brittney Griner in the past, I hope that Tulsa can draft her next offseason, then get Liz Cambage back from Australia. Those two, with Courtney subbing in for one of them off the bench? Game over, rest of the WNBA.

Till next time... I'm still not a WNBA fan, but it's hard to say anything bad about this group of dedicated scrappers. You go, girls!

[badger]

Let's do another CP3 update. If you're curious about the Tulsa Shock team, they won 2 of the past 3 since my last entry. I would say that they are threatening their top lottery status, but let's face it: That top lottery status never resulted in the top pick for them since moving to Tulsa. Stupid WNBA lottery.

She had 2 pts and 2 rbs in a loss to San Antonio (where D-Rob is a starter)
She had 1 rb in a win against Phoenix (four minutes in both SA and PHO games)
She had 8 pts and 10 rbs in 18 mins during a win against San Antonio.

Speaking of D-Rob, she is averaging 9.4 ppg and 4.2 apg for the SA Silver Stars. She has 12/5 and 8/5 in the two games versus Tulsa.

To my knowledge, D-Rob and CP3 are the only two Sooners currently in the WNBA. During the past few years, we've seen Abi, Amanda, Ashley and if you go back far enough, Stacey Dales(-Schumann) in the league, but the WNBA is not a cruel business without job security and low pay since it's a summer league with few roster spots and declining number of teams.

[badger]

CP3 had 2 pts, 2 rbs, an assist, a block and a steal in 13 mins during a win over New York. It was the final home game of the season for the Tulsa Shock.

The way that the WNBA is set up, 8 teams make the playoffs and 4 miss. Thus, a team can have a 14-18, 14-19 record and clinch a playoff spot... or lose to Tulsa and clinch a playoff spot.

While the winning is good for Tulsa (9 wins this season so far), it may not help them come lottery draft time (Two teams have worse records, 5 wins and 7 wins). Then again, having a bad record never helped them get the top pick in the past. :(