A Look Around The Leagues
by Walter L. Johnson II
Published on June 15, 2005 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Spring's days are numbered, and summer is just around the corner! And, oh, the NBA Finals are in full swing as this article is being written. With that in mind, let's find out what has happened since the last "ALATL" column was typed out.
WNBA BROADBAND: Let's go with the ladies first, as the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is offering its "Broadband Season Pass" package for free in 2005. In the past, visitors to the WNBA.com website had to pay a fee to access the live audio of all the games, as well as live video of selected games. But now, WNBA fans can access the action by simply filling out a registration form, then logging in with either their username or e-mail address, and a password. So, now, even a Los Angeles Sparks fan residing in New York City, or a New York Liberty fan in Los Angeles can follow his or her favorite teams, even if they have moved away.
D-LEAGUE CHANGES: In case you haven't been paying attention lately, the National Basketball Development League underwent various changes at the end of last season. The Asheville (N.C.) Altitude, which became the first team in NBDL history to win back-to-back championships, moved to Tulsa, Okla., while the Columbus (Ga.) Riverdragons, the team the Altitude for the 2005 NBDL title, moved to Austin, Tex. A third franchise, the Huntsville (Ala.) Flight, also ceased operations. At this time, there's no word on whether the former Huntsville franchise will either be re-located or terminated altogether. Those moves leave the NBDL with eight teams for the 2005-06 season, as well as a decidedly Southwestern flavor, with teams in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico in the mix. On a related note, the new look D-League also results in Roanoke, Va., Fayetteville, N.C., and Fort Myers, Fla. as the only Southeastern cities to field franchises for next season. That alone will make for much longer road trips for the aforementioned teams.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Usually around this time, the Stanley Cup would be paraded around the rink. But, without the NHL lockout wiping out the entire season, including the playoffs, the minor leagues took center stage. Among the teams winning titles this season was one from Philadelphia, but not the Flyers. In fact, it was the Philadelphia Phantoms that took home the Calder Cup, awarded annually to the postseason champion of the American Hockey League. The Phantoms swept the Chicago Wolves in four games to claim their second Calder Cup crown in eight years.
Other teams that have recently won championships in other leagues are as follows:
Arena Football League: Colorado Crush
Central Hockey League: Colorado Eagles
National Lacrosse League: Toronto Rock
NFL Europe: Amsterdam Admirals
Southern Professional Hockey League: Columbus (Ga.) Cottonmouths
United Hockey League: Muskegon (Mich.) Fury
Congratulations to all of the winners!
NETCASTS: Don't forget to log on to OSC, and visit the "Netcasts" page. There, you can find the links to broadcasts of the teams you care about. And unlike satellite radio, you can gain access to hundreds of teams no matter where you are. Just log on at http://www.oursportscentral.com, and click on "Netcasts".
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from June 15, 2005
- FSN Houston to Air Six Comets Games - Houston Comets
- Charlotte Sting to Host "Guys Night Out" on Thursday, June 16 - Charlotte Sting
- A Look Around The Leagues - OSC Original by Walter L. Johnson II
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
