Olympians Descending On Washington

Good morning constituents….

I’ve been basically away for the last three weeks, making occasional stops to check in on the Connecticut Sun, most likely the best team in the WNBA this season.

Not much going on with the UConn women these days; Stef Dolson jumped out of an airplane, Caroline Doty was working with a Canadian soccer team, Heather Buck attended Wednesday night’s Sun game, Bria Hartley made USA Basketball’s 3×3 team, Breanna Stewart was named high school female athlete of the year by Gatorade and this Kelley Hardwick, Geno Auriemma, NBA thing.

Oh yes, Auriemma and six former Huskies are reuniting this weekend with USA Basketball in Washington to preparation for the Olympics.

That is where I am. In Washington.

If you thought this was a woman’s world, it is not. While the men’s team has been training, lounging and playing in Las Vegas, the women have been immersed in the WNBA season.

In fact, six of the 12 players won’t even arrive in Washington until sometime Saturday because they are playing Friday. The WNBA has four games scheduled in its final day prior to the month-long Olympic break.

And so, Sylvia Fowles (Chicago), Tina Charles and Asjha Jones (Connecticut), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta), Sue Bird (Seattle) and Diana Taurasi (Phoenix) still have one more hill to climb before thinking London.

The team has scheduled a practice Saturday night at American University and another for Sunday. It plays Brazil Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Verizon Center in Washington. The game can be seen on ESPN2, prior to the men’s game against Brazil from the same spot at 8.

Geno Auriemma isn’t even in Washington yet. He’s been in Vegas, as well, making appearances for USA Basketball. He was scheduled to fly in Friday.

Saturday morning, Seimone Augustus, Swin Cash, Candace Parker, Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore, Geno and assistant Doug Bruno will be giving a clinic at the DC Armory from 10-11 a.m.