RANDOM memo Sports: LOS ANGELES SPARKS

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Veteran WNBA Player, TERESA WEATHERSPOON, Joins LA Sparks
2.12.02
by: Sashya Waterman

Even though the NBA marked the midway point in the ’02-’04 season with an All-Star week to remember in LA, the Los Angeles Sparks conducted some serious business by acquiring WNBA veteran, TERESA WEATHERSPOON. A smiling T-Spoon, as she is affectionately known, attended a party for Magic Johnson hosted by American Express at the Shrine auditorium during ’04 in LA week. She said, “I’m happy to be part of the organization. I’m thankful the organization has given me the chance to pursue my dream [of a championship].” Certainly, this move may bring the championship back to Los Angeles and give Teresa, one of five WNBA players who have played in every game since the 1997 inauguration, the opportunity to win a ring. Teresa spent all of her 7 seasons in the WNBA in Madison Square Garden playing for the New York Liberty and she looks forward to playing in her new home, Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers and Kings. She explained, “[All I want to do is] contribute. I want to give them everything that I have each and every night that I perform.” This reporter knows Sparks’s fans will welcome the WNBA assists leaders with open arms. Sparks teammate, NIKKI TEASLEY, gushed about having T-Spoon on board. She said, “This is going to be my new sidekick. We’re going to have fun. [She’s] a great addition to our team.” Furthermore, Teasley knows the importance of veterans on a championship team, “Getting the opportunity to learn from older players is always a great honor for me. I’m going to take in everything that she teaches me. Of course, we’re going to work hard to try to get this championship back in LA.” Although Teasley didn’t repeat her heroics from her 2002 rookie season when she hit the game and series winning 3-pointer that brought the second of back-to-back championship to LA, she feels that the loss against Detroit in 2003 did a lot for the WNBA. She said, “Everybody was into it. You see little girls now have the opportunity to do something they love.” This summer should be fun all the way to the finals.

WNBA DRUG POLICY VIOLATION
8.14.03
by: Sashya Waterman

Six-year WNBA veteran RHONDA MAPP has been suspended for violating the league’s drug policy. Mapp played for the LOS ANGELES SPARKS prior to her dismissal. She participated in their 2001 championship. Mapp played the forward position off the bench. She averaged just under 3 points and 3 rebounds per game in 24 games this season. The Sparks acquired her by trading ALLISON FEASTER and CLARISSE MACHANGUANA to the CHARLOTTE STING in 2000.

The league declined to elaborate on the termination due to player confidentiality. At 33, Mapp would not be able to reapply to the league for 2 years because of the strict anti-drug policy enforced by the WNBA.

The playoffs begin this week with the Sparks in the number one spot in the west and pursuing their 3rd consecutive WNBA championship.

A CHAMPION SEX SCANDAL
8.8.2003
by: Sashya Waterman

Another Los Angeles basketball sex scandal is underway, but this one will play out with much less fanfare. Unfortunately for LA mega-star KOBE BRYANT, nobody really cares about the WNBA. And this shocker is all about the ladies. Too bad the difference in interest and player popularity between the men’s league and the women’s league is over tenfold. Maybe this will bring more publicity to the ladies game or maybe not. This latest crime incident concerns the back-to-back WNBA World Champion Los Angeles Sparks.

Former WNBA Sparks forward LATASHA BYEARS is under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting a former Spark player. Apparently, Byears, an unidentified man and the unnamed former Spark got together after the Sparks first home-game of the season. The players received their rings for the 2002 championship and went out to celebrate on June 5. LATASHA, who helped the SPARKS to 2 WNBA tiltes was abruptly released on June 10 and is no longer working in the league. At the time the SPARKS said it was for a personal leave of absence.

Truth be told, BYEARS is frightening and doesn’t apologize for it. Just read the July issue of GQ Magazine. She boasts that she is the toughest player in the WNBA. I’ve met her first hand and I felt uncomfortable in her presence. She looked at me as if I was the last pork chop on the steam table in the CHICK HEARN PERSS ROOM. I think KOBE would even be afraid of her, if he had any sense.

After a July 1, 2001 victory and double-double against the MIAMI SOL Byears said, “I felt real good tonight about our play. We’ve been practicing hard and we had a hard practice the last couple of days and we just carried that over o the game tonight. We know we’re a better team than how we’ve been playing. Tonight we just wanted to come out and get back to that aggressive style of defense and just putting teams away.” Too bad Latasha was unable to keep her combativeness confined to the basketball court.

LATASHA got the nickname Tot from her grandmother but it should be “thug” because of her disregard for authority. She has at least 1 driving under the influence violation, which was pled to a reckless driving, and was suspended for 2 games while on the MONARCHS for throwing a basketball at the face of MICHELLE MARCINIAK of the SEATTLE STORM during a game. That very toughness attracted the SPARKS who.did not win a championship until they traded LA’KESHIA FRETT to the SACRAMENTO MONARCHS for BYEARS in November 2000. Her girth and meanness in the middle gave the Sparks just what they needed to off-set LISA LESLIE’S finesse game.
No one in the Sparks organization is willing to give more than your standard answer on legal matters. There have been no arrests in the case but authorities continue to look into the situation.