Detroit ShockIn Play! Magazine
Injuries and Roster Changes Ongoing For Shock
Story by Steve St. Pierre
Photos by Brian St. Pierre
To say it’s been a hectic month for the Shock wouldn’t begin to describe it.
After leading the WNBA’s Eastern Conference for most of the season despite numerous injuries to several key players, Detroit has dropped four straight games heading into the season’s break for the World Olympics. To make matters worse, the team was involved in a nationally-televised brawl with the L.A. Sparks during their game July 22 at The Palace.
Several players from both teams received multiple-game suspensions along with Rick Mahorn, Shock Assistant Coach.
“I think the game was getting of hand, physical-wise…” says Bill Laimbeer, Shock Head Coach and General Manager. “…Players are going to get emotional, and it happens sometimes. It’s unfortunate, but it happens.”
Mahorn had appeared to be attempting to break up a fight between Sparks and Shock players before pushing L.A. center Lisa Leslie to the ground. He received and served a two-game suspension from the league.
“Coaches are always peacemakers,” Laimbeer says. “That’s their goal. We went out there to throw people out of the pile and to make sure that our players saw us so they didn’t get in the middle of something else.
He did not agree with the WNBA’s decision to suspend his top assistant.
“Rick Mahorn is known as a peacemaker…he went out there to get people off of the pile and to get people to stop a confrontation,” Laimbeer says. “That’s who he is. That’s what he does.”
Read more
http://www.bluetoad.com/publisher/jackrosenberg/Michigan_In_Play_magazine/issue28/magazine.php?page=31
To say it’s been a hectic month for the Shock wouldn’t begin to describe it.
After leading the WNBA’s Eastern Conference for most of the season despite numerous injuries to several key players, Detroit has dropped four straight games heading into the season’s break for the World Olympics. To make matters worse, the team was involved in a nationally-televised brawl with the L.A. Sparks during their game July 22 at The Palace.
Several players from both teams received multiple-game suspensions along with Rick Mahorn, Shock Assistant Coach.
“I think the game was getting of hand, physical-wise…” says Bill Laimbeer, Shock Head Coach and General Manager. “…Players are going to get emotional, and it happens sometimes. It’s unfortunate, but it happens.”
Mahorn had appeared to be attempting to break up a fight between Sparks and Shock players before pushing L.A. center Lisa Leslie to the ground. He received and served a two-game suspension from the league.
“Coaches are always peacemakers,” Laimbeer says. “That’s their goal. We went out there to throw people out of the pile and to make sure that our players saw us so they didn’t get in the middle of something else.
He did not agree with the WNBA’s decision to suspend his top assistant.
“Rick Mahorn is known as a peacemaker…he went out there to get people off of the pile and to get people to stop a confrontation,” Laimbeer says. “That’s who he is. That’s what he does.”
Read more
http://www.bluetoad.com/publisher/jackrosenberg/Michigan_In_Play_magazine/issue28/magazine.php?page=31
