THOUGHTS WHILE THINKING

 If you happen to have some loose change lying around … don’t we all? … check out Richmond Raceway’s offer to drive a real race car around the 3/4-mile asphalt … by yourself, no less. For a mere $444.99 you get 8 whole minutes. That includes a driver’s fee of $44.98. Not enough? Try 32 minutes for $1,599.99 … a 40 percent savings over $2,399.33 retail. Or for the real bargain hunter, how about 42 minutes for $2,399.99 … the best deal possible. Saving 42 percent …. over $4,199? … Sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it? Check this out: for a mere $4,999.99 retail (no discount here) you get the Advanced Experience. Oops, to qualify, you have to take the 32-, 40- or 42-minute drives first … for a minimum of $6,549.97 (including driver fee) … Sure sounds like a bargain to me … but you better act now. They can’t afford to give it away at such cut-rate prices much longer. Sorry … time ran out.

KEEP IT UP, WNBA, and you’ll be back to where you were 

BC – Before Clark … when hardly anyone cared much less 

bothered to tune in … Some takeaways from CAITLIN 

CLARK’S pro debut Tuesday (May 14):

It will take more than Clark to make women’s hoops allegedly 

at the highest level watchable. Say allegedly because there are 

some college teams that play better, namely DAWN 

STALEY’S national champions at South Carolina and some of 

the dominant Connecticut Huskies coached by GENO 

AURIEMMA.

Like the NBA, the women walk all the time yet it is seldom 

called. And, few have any touch, missing numerous attempts in 

close. Making a layup is an adventure. They don’t have a jump 

shot, medium range or otherwise, and therefore – like the NBA 

– rely on three-point attempts.

OK, so Clark, who was so brilliant at the University of Iowa 

that she got calls for G.O.A.T., did not play well … at least up 

to her standards … or anyone else with star power, for that 

matter ... She began with a perfect pass for an assist then 

watched the next bobbled followed by another blown attempt in 

close. Two quick fouls landed her on the bench for most of the 

first period when the other team took the lead … for good, I 

think.

By halftime she was 2 of 7 from the floor and had seven points. 

An eight-point dog, Indiana trailed by 10 … and never got 

closer than seven … As promised by several veteran WNBA 

players who felt betrayed by the sudden-if-needed appeal of the 

newcomer, Clark got a rude welcome. She took a beating 

physically (compared to college) and, for the most part, the 

game officials were complicit. Imagine her surprise when she 

was called for walking, which she did.

Clark led all players with 20 points , 5 of 15 from the floor 

overall, 4 of 11 from beyond the arc, but had only three assists 

as well as 10 turnovers. In fairness, other than an outright steal, 

most were the result of teammates not being ready or able to 

catch passes of the caliber of Clark’s. She is a playmaker not 

seen in female hoops, possibly ever … Final score was 91-72. 

“Welcome to the WNBA,” said one of ESPN2’s panelists, all 

but laughing. Chortling would be more like it. “She knew it 

would be physical.” In other words, we showed her, didn’t we?

Yeah, you sure did … except in the process you’re risking 

driving away fans who didn’t give a hoot about your game until 

Clark came along. Keep beating and knocking on her, without 

some retaliation by the game officials, and you will regret it. 

Also, enough of those tickey tack personal fouls. People didn’t 

tune in to watch her sit for almost five minutes of the first 

period. You don’t think NBA refs knew it was for the league’s 

best interest to keep, say, MICHAEL JORDAN from fouling 

out, do you? When was the last time LEBRON JAMES got his 

fifth personal?

Finally, what is with all the background noise that all but 

drowns out the network’s talking heads? I could only assume 

analyst Rebecca Lobo said something important or interesting 

during the game. At the end, I turned the sound way up … and 

still couldn’t make out the questions or the answers in a one-on-

one interview that went unheard because someone left the noise 

microphone on high. Sure I didn’t miss anything but …

Until next time ...