WILL THERE BE A BOOK ABOUT THIS?
If you are unfamiliar with the Dallas Wings WNBA franchise...don't beat yourself up over it. It is their first year of existence in the Lone Star state. Previously known as the Tulsa Shock and the Detroit Shock prior to that...they've re-landed in a community that has taken a great initial interest in them and provides a in-state rival now for San Antonio.
The highly contested move (at least for the Tulsa folks) comes after they had their first over .500 record in the Tulsa portion of the franchise history in 2015. They also made the WNBA playoffs. An injury to Diggins slowed them down considerably...but they were showing signs of finally being competitive.
They'll play in the beautiful University of Texas-Arlington College Park Center and former Louisville point guard Jude Schimmel will attend the tryouts beginning April 23rd.
Schimmel faces a tough test in trying to make a roster that has Skylar Diggins and Odyssey Sims at starting guards with back ups Brianna Kiesel and Brittany Hrynko.
A WNBA squad will normally bring in 18-20 players to compete for the 10-11 spots available on the roster...the majority of these either from last year's team or with previous WNBA or European experience.
Schimmel was a four year player for UofL and complied these stats as a Card:
Career Rankings
10th in assists with 392
7th in steals with 221
Tied for 9th in games played with 135
Tied for 1st in NCAA Tournament games played with 15
A tough challenge for Shoni's sister...no doubt. One wonders if there might be a possible book in the future on the experience?
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Don't forget today is national banana day. Our staff chimps are going ga-ga over this...you can be assured. What's your favorite banana consumption style? Right out of the peel? In a smoothie or shake? Banana pancakes? Are bananas foster or a banana creme pie your style? We're big favorites of banana pudding and banana bread here at CARDINAL COUPLE and if you've never had an Elvis-style banana and peanut butter sandwich, you're missing out.
We're going bananas here at the Couple today. We hope your Wednesday a"peels" to you as well...
paulie
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ANGEL, SHONI COMBINE FOR 35 IN 98-90 WIN OVER TULSA
Atlanta traveled to Tulsa Sunday riding a five game losing streak. Not to be outdone, the Shock had a eight game losing streak on the books...including four in a row at home. A home that looks like it's headed to Dallas next season. Someone was going to win this one and it turned out to be Atlanta.
The Dream produced their highest point total of the season and got five in double figures...including 23 from former Cards Angel McCoughtry and 13 for Shoni Schimmel to improve their record to 8-14.
Both Angel and Shoni drew the start in a game that saw Atlanta jump out to a 23-19 first quarter lead. McCoughtry nailed a three in the second quarter that started a 19-8 run which gave the Dream a 50-38 lead with less than a minute to go in the second quarter.
Riquna Williams wasn't ready to let this one slip away for beleaguered Tulsa (10-13) though...pouring in 35 points. Her three-ball with 7:24 left in the third quarter got the Shock within one...but a 15-6 Atlanta run over the next three minutes made it 69-59 and the Shock never threatened again.
The game had several interesting matchups....Tulsa's Fred Williams (the former Atlanta coach) going up against his old squad and a rematch of Angel vs. former Oklahoma great Courtney "I'll pay back my scholarship if we lose to Louisville" Paris. Shoni also got reacquainted with former Baylor foe Odyssey Sims.
Atlanta wins for just the third time on the road this season but the Dream face a difficult challenge on Friday when they return home to host the Minnesota Lynx...who are atop the Western Conference.
Despite the losing record, the Dream aren't quite in the WNBA cellar yet...both San Antonio and L.A. have just seven wins and Seattle a mere five victories.
paulie
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SUNDAY CARDINAL COUPLE
-Angel, Atlanta start WNBA season with win
-Amashi Ali-Kendall qualifies for NCAA meet
-Softball Super Regional unkind to Cats
-Unruly Julie?
Finally...some hoops to hold us over until the UofL WBB squad gets back in action...
The "new look" Atlanta Dream looked very good in an opening season win over Tulsa last night 98-81 in Atlanta. Angel McCoughtry and company spoiled Skylar Diggins debut in the WNBA by using a 21-6 run late in the first quarter to shock the Shock. The Fred Williams era as Atlanta skipper is off to a good start.
This is a different looking team than the 2012 Dream who sputtered in the 2012 playoff against Indiana after making it to the WNBA league finals in 2010 and 2011.
Yes, there are some returnees you'll remember and recognize. Angel McCoughtry, of course...along with veteran front liners Sancho Lyttle and Erika de Souza. Tiffany Hayes, the high scoring UConn guard.
After that, it's a shakeup of new talent. Three rookies on this year's squad...Anne Marie Armstrong (Georgia) Alex Bentley (Penn State) and Courtney Clements ( San Diego State) are guards that will be depended on to feed the scoring machines Hayes, DeSouza, Lyttle and Angel. Jasmine Thomas and Armintie (Price) Henderson will also dish the assists.
The Dream is heavily guard-oriented under Coach Fred...with only three front-liners...DeSouza, Lyttle and nine year veteran Le'Coe Willingham (Auburn).
Angel likes what she sees.
"It looked like we've been here with everybody for a while. We got some new additions and they fit right in. I was very proud of how the girls played. It was very good chemistry today, and the thing is...we can still get better. I'm looking for a great season."
Angel had 16 points in the win. Tiffany Hayes led all scorers with 21 and Sancho Lyttle added 18.
Despite a rallying 28-19 run by Tulsa in the second quarter to make it close...the Dream scored 12 points off 10 Tulsa turnovers in the third quarter while pushing the lead to double digits...where it remained the rest of the game.
Atlanta will do well, we predict, under Williams...as long as he can keep the talent happy...something the former head coach of Atlanta, Marynell Meadors, failed to accomplish.
So far, Angel is on board.
"It's early in the season. There are going to be some things like that (Tulsa's run) but I was very pleased with what I saw today.
Keep the talent happy, Fred. So far, so good...
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Louisville thrower Amashi Ali-Kendall finished third in the shot put at a premilinary meet in Greensboro, NC for the NCAA Championships that will be held in Eugene, OR next month.
Her toss of 54' 5" was good enough to qualify for the Championships. It'll be the senior's first appearance in the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She came in second in the BIG EAST Championships earlier this month and did participate in the NCAA Indoor Championships last year.
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We're still following the Softball Super Regionals...even though Louisville isn't a participant. The state's only school in the Round of 16...Kentucky...took a 5-4 loss to Arizona State last night in Tempe. Four home runs for UK in the loss. They trail 1-0 in the best of three series.
Other winners and losers:
Oklahoma 8 - Texas A&M 0 (Oklahoma advances to WCWS)
Michigan 2 - Louisiana-Lafayette 1 (UM moves on 2-1)
Texas 3 - Fla. State 2 (Texas leads 1-0 in Super Regional)
Nebraska 5 - Oregon 2 (Huskies win at Eugene, lead 1-0)
Washington 1 - Missouri 0 ( UW headed to WCWS)
Tennessee 5 - Alabama 3 (Vols earn a berth in Okla.City)
Florida 4 - UAB 3 (Gators go up 1-0)
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It didn't take long for the muckrakers and sensational slimeballs to go after new Rutgers AD Julie Hermann. They're dragging out Hermann's departure from Tennessee in the swipe below:
HERMANN ABUSIVE?
Digging back 16 years in the past to try and slam one of five women Athletic Directors in Division I NCAA Sports is a cheap and tawdry attempt by Fox Sports and Tim Pernetti loyalists to heap more wood on the raging fire that is Rutgers Athletics.
I stepped on an ant last week. Quite by mistake. It's a wonder I haven't been brought up on animal abuse and cruelity charges by some dirtball columnist out there.
Did I do anything I regret 16 years ago? Probably. Renewing football tickets for Ron Cooper's final year at UofL comes to mind. That was abuse...much more than what Hermann allegedly did.
Sometimes, I'm ashamed to be in this profession of writer and columnist. We have some real jerks and scum-buckets in our midst. Don Henley nailed it right on the head years ago with his song "Dirty Laundry".
DON HENLEY'S "DIRTY LAUNDRY".
What was that old bible quote about 'ye free of sin casting the first stone'?
-Paulie
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They'll play in the beautiful University of Texas-Arlington College Park Center and former Louisville point guard Jude Schimmel will attend the tryouts beginning April 23rd. 
