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Hey Fever fans! Exciting times around here! Can’t wait to see you all for Game 3 Sunday!
So far the series is tied up 1-1. Our offense is really bringing it, but our defense needs to get better. The Mercury are good when they can score 100 plus points and they came out in Game 1 and scored 120 points with overtime. That’s way too much for us, being a defensive minded team. We did a much better job coming into Game 2, just refocusing on what we needed to do in order to get the win. We had to make it harder for such great players like Cappie Pondexter and Diana Taurasi. We had to try and prevent them from scoring and make them see different looks. We have to just make our defense tougher on everybody.
People have said we can’t hang with this team but we have 11 players right here who don’t quit. Each individually is really good, but when we play together, we are great. At all times we have five people on the court who can score and who can defend. Another aspect about Game 2 that helped us was rebounding. We gave up way too many rebounds in the first game. We came out the second game and crashed the boards. Katie had seven rebounds in Game 2 at the guard position, those really helped us.
When we touched down back in Indy it felt so good, getting to sleep in my own bed felt great. I know that for this Game 3, it’s going to be packed like it was last game against Detroit. It was crazy and loud! The fans here are some of the best fans I’ve ever played in front of. The atmosphere last game was one of the best I’ve been in. Everyone was into the game, every possession. That’s our sixth man right there, I love you guys!
As I’m writing this, there are less than 1,000 tickets left for tomorrow’s game. That’s a testimony to how much support we have here in Indiana. We’ve had some season ticket holders and die-hard fans since day one and those people come every single game rooting for us. Thank you for all your support! It’s going to be incredible for the game. My parents are coming in town for the game too! I’m also having some friends in town, so I’m just looking forward to the game!
At this time, we have to win two more games. Right now, this is it. No one is focusing on anything else besides this championship.
TSB
September 24, 2009
Hello Fever faithful, I’m glad to be back in Indiana. We had a tough loss against the Shock last night. But we are looking forward to Friday’s Game 2!
We just got done watching video and knowing they are the defending champions, we know they are not going to back down. But last night there were a lot of mistakes that we made. Everyone is going to go home, refocus on what needs to happen and come back tomorrow knowing this series isn’t finished. All season was for us to get this home-court advantage, this is the reason why – right now. We all just need to go home and get some rest, come back tomorrow ready to play Friday and Saturday. But taking it one day at a time, too.
The Shock sure have some big ladies too! Detroit has always been big in the post, that’s just the way they play. I’ve been in this league for a number of years, it’s something you have to deal with. Sure they have big players, but they have great guards, too. They are just a really good team. Their record does not explain how good they are. Even being the third seed, doesn’t even speak to the kind of team they are. They have a lot of veterans that have been through this before, they’ve been there and done that, won their championships. This is what they are used to. We have to go out there fighting and ready to battle.
These home games are extremely important because now it is “win or go home” time. We don’t really have a choice now. We need to put it out all on the floor. It’s either “go out there and prolong the season, or pack your stuff up and go back to Canada” for me.
Thank you to our fans! The crowd last week against Washington was great! Now having home-court is so helpful, we worked all season for it. The crowd was so loud and we just get that extra energy from them. You all better show tomorrow, we are going to need you!
Come on out and support us tomorrow! We are going to work hard to go out and get this win. We have some of the best fans and we know with their support we can accomplish things. See you guys tomorrow!
September 16, 2009
Glad to be back home Fever fans! Finally, after our three-game road swing to end the regular season. But now it’s playoff time!
We have been practicing since we came back Monday. Practice has been really good this week. The toe is feeling good after getting a few days rest. We are going to go into the playoffs healthy. KT and I both got to rest when we played in Connecticut. We want to go into Washington at full strength because they are a good team – every team is, now that it’s the playoffs. It’s now a different level, a different intensity, it’s magnified now.
We are getting ready to gear up and go to Washington! We are going to be playing at the University of Maryland, instead of at the Verizon Center, their normal court. It will be a little bit different, but right now it’s all about the Fever and us here. Sure the venue is changed, but the things we do shall remain the same. We are ready to get this thing started!
The feeling of the team right now is great. We are loose but we still know what it’s going to take to get the job done. Loose, yet concentrated. There is a balance between the two and we are still having fun. We know what’s at stake right now, putting everything aside, eliminating the “clutter” as coach likes to call it and focusing on the 11 of us getting the job done.
On our road swing to end the season we got to go to some pretty cool places. In New York, you can just walk down the street and find something to do, there is so much going on. New York is one of those cities that are so big and great. Then we went to Chicago, then to Connecticut and the Mohegan Sun Casino there. I was able to win a few dollars!
When we were in the Mohegan Sun, the Basketball Hall of Fame was in Massachusetts the day before. They were having some ceremony at the casino for the inductees. They were having a cocktail dinner and ring ceremony there. There were all sorts of legendary basketball players there! Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Charles Barkley and Karl Malone were just a few! It was neat to walk around and see all these guys! I saw my college coach, C. Vivian Stringer, one of the inductees right before we left to go the game. I got to say hi and congratulations to her. Her family was there with her and went to the game, so it was nice to see her.
I was able to get some rest, sitting out of the Connecticut game. The toes have been bothersome, it has been a rough month with these things. After we played the game in New York, (this is going to sound really gross) they drained my toe. The next day it was feeling so much better though. Really, I just need to get my toes healthy. Sitting out was just precautionary, we didn’t want the toe to flare back up going into the playoffs.
Now we are getting ready to go to Washington and take care of business! See you guys Saturday in the wonderful Conseco Fieldhouse. You fans are some of the best – it’s so great to play in front of great fans. Let’s try to get the Fieldhouse packed! This year we have a great opportunity, this team has all the pieces right now. We are taking it one game at a time, but there is no reason why we can’t get that ring this year!
August 28, 2009
Hey Fever fans! It was great to get the victory over San Antonio last night! We needed it after our rough road trip!
We had a little two-game road trip out west and it didn’t really go as we wanted. Sacramento is in last place in the West, but their record does not represent the quality of team they have. They have been playing a lot better lately, they are a tough team. They have rebounders, they have shooters, they really are a lot better than their record indicates. We just couldn’t get it done. Then we went to Seattle who is another really good team, and lost. The thing is that all these teams are fighting for playoff spots, they play hard. We didn’t play as well as we should have. A loss is a loss no matter how you slice it.
Yolanda Griffith traveled with us to Sacramento because that’s where she lives. It was great to see what Sacramento did for her since she announced her retirement this year. Donna Orender was there for her, too. It seemed like every timeout they were giving her flowers, they were doing something for her. Or they would show a highlight video. It was just great to see that the franchise that she started with and played for during so many years just wanted to say thank you and give her a nice little send off. It was really neat.
Since we have the best record in the WNBA we are getting each team’s best game. Anytime you are number one, teams get up to play you that night. You are coming into their house, they want to knock you off. At Sac, they were a last place team, but they wanted it. Teams are taking things one game at a time. Teams are definitely coming after us.
After the west coast trip, we had few days off and since we have had a lot of players play a lot of minutes, it was good to have those days to rest. We came back in here and we knew we owed San Antonio because, right before All-Star break, we went down there and played awful. Holding home court, protecting our house, was our focus last night.
Our guards did a great job all night against Becky Hammon holding her to zero points. That is one of the top point guards in this league, if not the world. It is just a testament to our defense. She was one of our main focuses but our team defense was just great. The team did a really good job holding her down. It was a great team victoy.
With the playoffs coming up, the East standings are really tight. The other six teams are really fighting right now, that’s why we are lucky that we have the berth secured. While we do have that spot secured, we want home court advantage throughout the playoffs. That is what we are still fighting for. These next few games are really important for us to get that. Each game is crucial to our success in the playoffs.
Being at home is such an advantage for us, the fans are just awesome. To have them back us up gives us that much more push, or energy, when you might be feeling tired. They give you that extra burst. Having home court advantage is crucial to making a championship run.
Whenever possible, I have been trying to take it easy because my toe issue is still there. I don’t think it’s going to be 100 percent until I get some major rest. It’s a little sore after last night’s game, but I will just stick it in the ice tub. I will make it through the rest of the season.
August 18, 2009
Hey everybody! It’s TSB here, getting ready for another road trip!
Coming back against Detroit was good for me. I was definitely glad to be back on the court instead of being in street clothes, on the sideline. It was so heart-warming to come into that greeting. Oh my gosh though, getting the win against Detroit was huge! They have been such a powerhouse of the East for the last number of years. Anytime you play them you know you are going to war. They have been our rivals for a while now, and it was a big win because it was against Detroit. Right now we are playing some good basketball. There are always things we need to work on, as Coach Dunn likes to remind us! But we are playing some solid basketball right now.
Thankfully my injury has been getting better, slowly but surely. The toe is one of those things where you do everything on your feet so you have to be careful with it. It was a little sore at halftime, but it takes progress to get it back. I just can’t wait to get back to 100 percent, playing pain free. We still are working towards that though. My injury is difficult, because it’s on the bone so there is not any real treatment I can do. It is just a matter of resting it and waiting for it to heal on its own. That is the process I’m battling with right now.
With the injury I have not been able to do too much. Since I’m walking around in a boot, it’s been keeping me sort of constricted. I can’t even do my usual shopping. Although I always end up shopping online! I really cannot get away from it!
As for my nail color this week, I went with navy blue for the Detroit game and that’s kind of wearing off. So I need to make a change soon. Hopefully I can change before tomorrow’s game, but I haven’t quite decided what color to wear next! Maybe I’ll just do them all black!
We were on the road for three games, home for one, now on the road again! The best part about this job, home one day, traveling the next. We head out tomorrow morning to Sacramento and then Seattle. This, right here, is another tough road trip. Sacramento didn’t start off too well, but they have been playing really well the past few games. Seattle has always been a dominant team in the West. Two very good teams for us. In order for us to get at the level we need to get to, we have to win on the road. These two games are definitely important games for us.
After all of this travel with our suitcases, it is always good to come back home. So we can’t wait to be back home and see our fans on the 27th for our game against San Antonio!
August 12, 2009
Hello to all the fans out there reading this! This has been quite a road trip and we are ready to be home!
We started off the trip very well. In Phoenix, we just started the game blazing. Every shot we took seemed to go in. Obviously they are a fast-paced team, they just go and go, but I think we match up really well with them. They rely on the 3-point shot and they only made three the entire game which was big for us. It was great game for us; everyone on the bench was into it. It was a good road win since we’ve had a lot of games in the first half of the season at home. We have to be able to win games on the road. Coming out and playing that well was great. Especially with the time difference because I don’t think people realize that when it’s 7 on the West Coast, it is 10 at home. Even now 4-5 days into the trip, we are still waking up early, still locked into our routine.
Our second game was against L.A., and we just didn’t play that well in the first half. We picked it up on the defensive end and started playing more aggressive in the second half. We just really didn’t “bring it” in the first half, and it hurt us. They are such a good team, despite their record, but they have everybody back now. Lisa [Leslie] is playing well, she’s feeling comfortable with her knee. Now Candace Parker is back and into her basketball shape and frame of mind. They still even have Becky Lennox on their bench. People shouldn’t sleep on L.A., they really are a great team.
Now we are in Minnesota and it’s crazy flying from the west coast back east with how many hours you lose. We got here at seven last night and it felt like we traveled all day. We owe Minnesota from our first game. They got us at home by almost 30 pointers in our first home game of the season. We need to finish on a good note on the road.
There was a little bit of turmoil leaving Los Angeles. I don’t think anyone anticipated how busy LAX would be. Delta and Northwest Airlines have merged so they have twice as many flights flying out of the same terminal. I got there and check in and I was one of the first in our group. Craig [Stull, Fever trainer] showed me the security line which had gone outside the door and down the street! It was the longest line ever! I got in the line and it moved slowly. Then Catch cut in with me and then Eb joined us. Soon, there were like 10 of us waiting.
We had to get in line to show our ticket, and then you go up an escalator to go through another line to get through security. We were still downstairs and wondering how to get through the line quicker! While this is going on, Katie Douglas was standing at the gate waiting for us because she’s some type of preferred Delta flyer! Finally, I decided to go up to the agent at the head of the line. I am still traveling with the boot on my leg so I thought maybe I could use the boot as an excuse to get through! So I hobbled up to him, not the exactly the sexiest walk I could find! I started talking to the guy, explaining our situation and who we were – a WNBA basketball team who was in danger of missing our flight to our next game! Finally he says to me, “Well maybe, since you are cute and if I can get an autograph.” I smiles, and agreed, and before he pulled the team out of the line, I signed an autograph for him! We were able to get through the line, there wasn’t much to it … but I had to take one for the team! [Read Bri's Blog as she discusses how Tammy worked her magic!]
For those wondering, my foot is feeling better. The toe is healing but I do not want to rush anything. The plan is to go through a full practice today and see how it feels. I just talked with Lin and we want to do what is best for me this season. I don’t want to come back and re-injure it three weeks from now. It’s pretty much day-to-day right now. I’ll be back soon though.
My nail situation, however, is in need of some work! When we were in L.A., there was a mall connected to our hotel and they had a nail salon in there. I walked in but they only had three colors. It was either hot pink, maroon red and some other red. Their selection was terrible! So I didn’t get any done. I’m going to try tonight after practice, or tomorrow after shootaround.
Luckily, here in Minneapolis there is a Saks Fifth Ave outlet right across our hotel! I already stopped by there this morning. I was there bright and early with a few of the girls. I bought a lot of goodies! I got some clothes, some jewelry, a watch and sunglasses. I shouldn’t be saying all this because I’ve been trying to cut down on my shopping! But it seems whenever I try to do that, I just do more damage. It wasn’t my plan to spend money shopping, but it just kind of happened. :)
We came in last night and the sign said, “30 percent off already marked down prices,” so how can you beat that?
It’s been awhile since we’ve played at home. We all miss the fans and can’t wait to get back home. We need this one against Detroit on Saturday. It’s an Eastern Conference game and we have already beaten them twice, but they are coming off a big win against Washington. I know they will come into our house strong, they are at full force now after some earlier injuries. It will be good game, so come out and support! Can’t wait to see you all!
- TSB
August 9, 2009
Hey again, everyone. Wow! It has been quite a week!
Those of you who have watched our last few games have probably noticed that I’ve been on the sidelines, and I know some people have been asking about it. The injury was a stress reaction in my right big toe. Fortunately, we caught it in time before it actually developed into a fracture, so that’s a really good thing. It definitely feels a lot better than it did a week ago. I’m back on the floor again shooting, and I’m slowly progressing. We don’t want to just jump back out there and go full speed because it could regress, and then I’d have to start all over again from the beginning. We’re taking it day by day, and it’s going in the right direction right now.
Even though I’ve been sidelined, I’m so proud of this team. We’ve won some really big games lately – especially against Washington and Connecticut. We HAVE to take care of those Eastern Conference games, and we’ve been doing a great job.
We’ve had some great production off the bench. Jessica Moore has done an awesome job jumping into that starting position and helping out. Tamecka Dixon’s been great. And of course, Shay Murphy came off the bench and provided a huge spark for our team on Wednesday. That’s good to see. I think this late in the game, our bench definitely has to help us out, and that’s something they’ve been doing – jumping into that position and giving us good minutes. And that’s one thing about this team – It’s not just five and six players. It’s an 11-man roster. And right now, all 11 (well, with me on the sideline in my street clothes) are contributing and getting the job done. And my vocal cords are tired from all the cheering I’ve been doing!
Of course, we’re on the road right now, and this is going to be a great week. It’s going to be tough. With Phoenix being on top of the West right now, it felt great to be able to go in there and beat them. But we have to stay focused for L.A and Minnesota. (And you guys may remember, the Lynx gave us a whooping when they came in here earlier this season. So we owe them!) We just have to be mentally prepared and ready to sprint, sprint, sprint!
Oh, and just because I’ve been injured doesn’t mean I’ve abandoned the nails! They are violet right now. That was the color for Wednesday’s game against Chicago, and I just decided to keep it for Phoenix. (Yes, I realize that purple is their color, but maybe it was good luck! The baby blue worked against Atlanta, after all. Plus, the Sparks are purple, too!) But I’m definitely going to change it up next week, and I already have an idea. I was doing autographs after Wednesday’s game, and there was a girl there who had navy blue. I told her for the next game, I’m going navy blue!
Fans – keep all the good spirits, keep cheering us on, and keep the e-mails coming! I'd love to hear from you. Since I’m on the bench right now, I have a little more free time … shoot me an e-mail!
Go Fever!
- TSB
July 23, 2009
Hi, everybody!
Well, the results are in – If you didn’t notice during the game last night, my nails were GREEN! That’s what you guys voted, and, personally, I think it was a pretty cool thing to do for “Go Green Night.” So I chose the brightest green I could find! When I went to the nail shop, they had a few different shades. There were some duller ones, but I thought the bright green was much more fun. It really stands out.
My All-Star break was amazing! Actually, it was pretty boring, but I needed it and now I feel so much better. I got some good rest, and I didn’t do much but hang out and relax. I was hurting a little bit in that San Antonio game (and the last few games!), so my body feels a lot better now. It was like a mini two-day vacation. :)
I think the break was great for all of us. Katie Douglas and Tamika Catchings represented the Fever really well in the All-Star game. (Of course, the coaching staff was great, too!) But for the most part, all of us went our separate ways, went home and got in a good two days. I know we enjoyed the home cooking and hanging out with friends. But now we’re back. We’re re-energized and refreshed, so we’re ready to go!
As relaxing as the break was, it’s great to be back in Indiana. I’m looking forward to the second half of the season, and the games this week are very important. We did really well in the first half of the season, but now we have to look ahead. It’s going to be tough because we have a lot more road games coming up. We have to go back out West, and those teams always play tough. Right now, it’s just about putting that first half behind us and focusing on the task at hand – one game at a time.
I can’t wait to see all you guys at our next few home games (including tomorrow for “Inspiring Women Night”). We love your support!
I figure it’s time to decide on a new color for next week … what do you think? Violet? Licorice? Cherry? Send your suggestions here.
Talk to you soon,
- TSB
July 23, 2009
Hello everyone! I was excited to hear that so many people were reading and responding to my last blog, so I’m back again to keep you guys updated.
I heard that there were a number of people writing in and suggesting nail colors for our game on July 28, and instead of picking randomly, I thought it might be fun to have a poll on the Fever Web site. Six of the most popular colors are up, and it’s great that so many people are voting! Whichever color is winning by the time I get back from the All-Star break, that’s the one I’ll go with.
All the options are great. Navy works because that’s one of the colors of the Fever uniform, so I could go with the whole matching thing. Of course, we’ll be at home, and we’ll be wearing white. So I guess you could say that navy, gold and red would be great matching colors. Obviously, green is great, too, for Go Green Night on July 28.
I won’t get my nails done until July 27 – the day before the game – so keep the voting going!
Since the All-Star team was announced and I found out I wasn’t going, I’m taking a break. I want to relax and heal some of the aches and pains that I have going on right now. It’ll be great to relax for the next two days because the second half of the season will be highly competitive just like the first half. We want to come back fresh, so I’m going to unwind, relax and enjoy myself. Maybe I’ll go to the spa or something. :)
Next week is going to be huge, though. Washington is coming to town, and they’re a great team – very talented. They’re tough, and they’re definitely going to be looking for a win in Indiana coming off of the All-Star break. And of course, we have Connecticut again, who beat us at their place. They’re talented as well, and they’re playing great basketball right now. It’s going to be a tough game, very challenging. We need to bring our “A” game!
I’m also looking forward to seeing Pat Summitt at our game on Thursday. When I was in Washington, I got a chance to see Coach Stringer (my college coach), and it was great to see her. Pat Summitt is right there in that same caliber with the top coaches in women’s basketball, so for her to be there for Inspiring Women Night is great because she is definitely someone whom a lot of players and young girls look up to. She’s someone I look up to – an incredible woman with such a great mind for the game of basketball.
I hope you all come and cheer us on next week, and keep your votes coming in for the nail color! I can’t wait to see what you guys choose.
See you Tuesday!
-TSB
July 18,2009
Hey, Fever fans! It’s Tammy Sutton-Brown. Welcome to the first edition of my blog.
I thought it might be fun to start a blog about one of my favorite things: fashion. But it’s more than just clothes and shopping – it’s about taking the time to pamper yourself. Because basketball is so physically draining, a lot of times after practice we just want to lie down. But massages, getting your hair done, pedicures, manicures… you have to make time for that stuff! When you do, it makes you feel so much better.
To those of you who went to the game last night, you might have noticed my bright blue nails. I was in the nail shop a couple days ago, and I was sitting there trying to decide on a color. At first I was going to do something that went along with the Indiana Fever (like yellow), but I thought, “Hmm … I’m not going to try that right away.” I figured we were playing Atlanta next, and their color is kind of a sky blue. So I decided to go with that. Maybe it was good luck ---- J !
I wish that I could make getting my nails done a pregame ritual, but since we’re playing every other day now, I don’t think that’s going to be a possibility. But it’s definitely something that I’m going to try to keep up. Since I play ball every day, my nail polish doesn’t always last that long. Actually, it’s already starting to chip. But it’ll last me a few days, and after that, I’ll decide on a new color.
I went through a phase where I had them painted every game, but I’ve kind of slacked off this year. I haven’t really been taking care of my nails like I probably should. But when I was in the salon yesterday, I thought, “Yeah, I really need to come in here and do this more often!” Once you get in there and start your manicure and pedicure, you realize how relaxing it really is.
Actually, I think it helps me relax for the game. It calms the nerves a little bit. I was watching “Dr. Phil,” no phones, no nothing – just me getting my nails done. I got a good foot massage, too!
But now I need your help! I would love for fans to give me suggestions on what color my nails should be for the next game. The next home game will be on July 28 against Washington, and I need your opinion!
But until then, I’m hitting the road. We haven’t really been on the road much this season, so it’ll be a great test for us. Wish us luck and give me your feedback!
If you want to suggest a color for our next home game, send your suggestions here.
Until next time…
- TSB
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