Tuesday, August 31, 2010

From The Country Side To The Big Apple

   Coming into the 2010 season for me there were alot of emotions. One I was stepping back on the court for the first time since having shoulder surgery! Not only was I coming back from surgery I was leaving a city that I so loved and an organization, staff and players where I found myself coming into my own. Oh Detroit how I miss you! I headed out west and traded in my red, white and blue jersey for a black, gold and red one. Welcome the Tulsa Shock! 
   I was enthused for the WNBA to have the ability to be seen by a new group of fans, but the excitement was short lived. Preseason and training camp came and went. We were working hard trying to learn a new system when there really wasnt a system! I found this a very difficult task for me because as most of u know Im the blue collar player that just does all the little things and play defense. Well in that system I never knew when I was gonna set a screen or when I was suppose to trap this person or even what type of defense we were expected to play. Not to mention Coach Richardson and I bumped heads many of times, over my style of play. There were days when I was in Tulsa that I thought my career was over or even that I had no clue how to play the game that I so loved. I asked for a trade.. I wanted to see if my thoughts that my career was really and truly over. Then came a blessing from above, a trade went thru that sent me to the Big Apple... Wooo hooo New York City.
  Wow Im now a New York Liberty. I couldve never imagine being a Lib because there was such a big rivalry between the Libs and the Shock! I never thought that I could love New York City due to the fast pace style of life, but Ive found my second WNBA home. I think most of the fans here were on the fence about a sworn enemy joining their team but they soon learned to love me. It was clearly a breath of fresh air for me to be reunited with Taj and be able to be in a system that I could be as successful as I was in Detroit. I remember coming in to my first practice as a Liberty player and turning to Taj and saying "I cant remember the last time I set a screen on someone". She laughed but I was serious, I thing throughout my time in training camp and the few games that I played in Tulsa I may have set 1 screen. Now that I have been here a while Im in the thick of things and picking up where I left off in Detroit. Now we are in the money time... Playoffs baby!
  We had a great run to end the regular season but now we are starting a brand new season. Nothing from the regular season matters anymore. We have a tough match up against a very experienced team in Indiana. We cae out strong the first game and Indiana took the L but game two Indiana showed their experience and played much harder than we did. I didnt get to impact the game as much as I would have liked due to the fact I was in foul trouble. It was quite funny to read on Twitter after the game that one of the Fever's fan say that I was called for fouls that I commited 2 years ago. O well I shrug my shoulders and continue to believe in my team. Now for game three, mark my word, I wont be sitting on the bench due to foul trouble this game. I will be out on the court willing my team to a victory. I will be setting screens, crashing the boards, taking charges and playing lock down defense trying to secure my team the victory. This wont be an easy task but guess what neither is anything in life. If you want anything in life its up to you to take the wheel and give it your all. Everyone on my team will be ready, everyone at the Garden will be ready. THIS WILL NOT BE THE LIBERTY'S LAST GAME OF THE 2010 SEASON! Lets Go Libs!

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