The Storm Get Another Win Under the Greatest Interim Coach in Sports History
Hats off to Gary Kloppenburg (also Noell Quinn but this will mostly be about Gary Kloppenburg)
Did the Storm win last night? Yes. Did they play pretty well and then kind of fudge up the end of the game again? Yes. Did they continue to have trouble against a team with a lot of size on their front line? YES! Will they need need better play from Ezi Magbegor and Jordin Canada while also sorting out what is a pretty deep bench which has already improved with the return of Mercedes Russell (who was great last night) and will even morso when Katie Lou Samuelson returns from that ridiculous 3 on 3 tournament thus shifting Stephanie Talbot (a player who got to the hoop many times last night just to do… something akin to basketball that wasn’t quiet basketball) back to that said same bench? YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES. BUT WE’RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT! We’re here to talk about Gary Kloppenburg dammit!
Coach Klopp (which is how I assume the team refers to him, how could you not), a man who has the looks and demeanor of a non-creepy proprietor of an old timey ice cream shop, guided the team to yet another victory in Dan Hughes absence. This is after coaching the team to damn championship in the Wubble last year, all the time seeming like someone who lost his glasses in his own front pocket. These are not digs however, I think if you can guide a team to a title with the disposition of small town dry cleaner it’s a damn miracle. Anyway, I just wanted to shout out the dude G-Klopp, the world’s best interim coach!
Other random thoughts:
sorry there was no post about the Minnesota game, I went out into a sweaty New York night that evening and fell for the old “a tequila shot is only $2 with that beer? I’d be crazy not to take that deal!” one too many times. I watched half the game in a haze and the rest hungover and then I didn’t want to write!
DeWanna Bonner kicks immense ass and I’m very glad she plays in Connecticut (not for her because, honestly, no matter what your friend who left the city because they had a kid says, Connecticut sucks) and not in Phoenix anymore.
Stewie was not great this game, after a rip roaring first half she couldn’t hit anything in the second. That the Storm can win when she isn’t her best is a good sign.
Jewell Loyd continues to be just good as hell this year and deserves more pub for it.
Both Candice Dupree and Kennedy Burke looked good in short stretches but I’m not sure the Storm can run out a line-up that’s missing one of the Bird/Stewart/Loyd troika yet. The all bench experiment this game was not great! Maybe try this again when playing a not undefeated thus far in the season team. Let’s give it another shot only in a blowout or against the Indiana Fever (sorry for the burn Fever fans! You still have the best alternate jerseys out there!).
That’s it for now! Hopefully I will be a little less in the bag for the next game against the Lynx Friday night!