Closing Time

Hi All,

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. It has been a remarkable year, full of many highlights, including:

· The arrival of John Wall

· Wizards Training Camp at George Mason University

· High demand for Wizards season tickets

· New Wizards and Mystics game day traditions

· A marquee partner for the Mystics

· New logos, uniforms and websites for the Wizards and Mystics

· The introduction of the Washington Bullets & Wizards Alumni Association

· The debut of Mystics Magazine

· Record enrollment in the Wizards & Mystics Camps & Clinics Program

· An unbelievable Wizards Draft Party with well over 2,000 people in attendance

After all of this though, the most exciting thing is that we are just getting started. Thanks for following our teams and for reading this blog. It has been fun sharing with you. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it. See you down the road.

Greg.

A Busy Week

Last week was a busy one for the Washington Mystics. On Wednesday, the team held Media Day. This initiative is one of my favorite events of the year as the players and the staff film videos and take pictures that will be utilized throughout the upcoming season. It also provides local media the opportunity to be on hand and grab sound bites and images for their use. I’m pleased that we had the largest media turnout in recent Media Day memory this year and I want to thank the press for their continued support of our team. We are fortunate to have very good coverage of our team here in Washington and I appreciate the inches, minutes and pixels the Mystics receive.

Then on Friday night, over 200 season tickets holders were on hand at Verizon Center for a meet-and-greet with the new members of the squad. This included Nicky Anosike, Kelly Miller, Ta’Shia Phillips, Victoria Dunlap and Jasmine Thomas. Fans had the opportunity to mix and mingle with the players, coaching staff and front office while enjoying good food and great conversation. It was nice to see so many familiar faces after such a long off-season. I also wanted to thank the season ticket holders who made a donation to the Mystics Tickets for Kids program. As a result of their generosity, over 200 underprivileged children will be able to attend a WNBA game this summer. An amazing result from an unbelievable fan base.

On Saturday, the entire team was at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center in NE DC for the tip-off of the fourth season of the Mystics Youth Summer League. Over 50 teams and 500 young women, ages 7-18, will participate in the free league this summer. Our partners at DC DPR and the Greater Washington Spots Alliance have again stepped up to the plate to make this important initiative happen. I also owe a big thanks to our new presenting partner of the MYSL, Kay Jewelers. The folks at Kay understand the importance of providing girls with the opportunity to compete in a league where developing skills to hit a jumper, be a good teammate and learn to lead are paramount. Moreover, every game played, every basket made is a step in the right direction in our fight against childhood obesity.

Following the event at Turkey Thicket, the team headed back to Verizon Center for a scrimmage against the Chinese National Team. This was Coach Lacey and the basketball staff’s first opportunity to see the new-look Mystics play against outside competition. The Mystics won, 72-67, but more importantly many of the new faces experienced valuable court time as everyone works to learn Coach Lacey’s new system.

It appears defense and rebounding will be two key points of emphasis for the squad this year. I can’t tell you how many games we will win, but I can almost guarantee you we will play with energy and we will be presenting an exciting brand of basketball. We will get up and down the court and we will get after it with and without the basketball.

Next up for the ladies is a pre-season game at New York on Wednesday. Tip-off is 10:30am. The following day, May 26, the Mystics will play the team’s annual School Day Game here at Verizon Center. That tilt against the Chicago Sky will start at 11:30am. Tickets are still available, so give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1 to get your seats today.

It should be an exciting season with a young, hungry team. We still have a variety of season ticket packages available, including one that delivers an entire 18-game schedule for just $99. That’s $5.50 per game when you do the math. If you are basketball fan, this is a no-brainer type of deal. Sign up and get in the game. Visit us at www.WashingtonMystics.com for more information.

Draft Lottery Recap

So the ping pong balls didn’t go our way and the Wizards ended up with the sixth pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The good news is that the team has three picks (6, 18, and 34) in the first 35 selections of the draft. We are also well positioned financially and have a core of young, talented players. The future is bright, even if last Tuesday didn’t work out the way we had hoped. The team will once again be holding a draft party at Verizon Center. Details to come. Stay tuned.

Mystics Magazine

I’m very pleased to announce Comcast Sportsnet will air a brand new show, Mystics Magazine, during the summer of 2011. This show promises to deliver an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at Washington’s WNBA entry. The premier episode airs at 9:30am on Saturday, May 28. Please tune in. I think you will enjoy it. For a show schedule, as well as a listing of CSN’s 10-game broadcast schedule of 2011 Mystics games, please check out www.WashingtonMystics.com.

Thank You

The fan support for the Wizards last year was unbelievable and that momentum seems to be carrying over into the off-season. To date, the team’s season ticket renewal rate is north of 80% and over 1,100 new season tickets have been sold for next season. In fact, the Wizards are ranked in the top 10 in new season tickets sold league-wide. This is a credit to the wonderful support of our fan base and the hard of our staff. Thank you.

Stat of the Week

www.WashingtonMystics.com has experienced four of the top five busiest days in terms of page views in the site’s history during the past week. This includes the top day (Monday), second busiest (Wednesday), fourth busiest (Thursday) and fifth busiest (Tuesday). The third busiest day came on April 7 when the team unveiled the Inova Health System partnership and new uniforms.

Quote of the Week

“Your job gives you authority, your behavior gives you respect.”

Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

· I’m enjoying two very good NBA Conference Finals Series.

· My daughter asked for cold left over pizza for breakfast the other day…I thought that wasn’t supposed to start until the teenage years?

· The Mystics 2011 home opener is just 20 days away.

· Happy Birthday to Wizards Assistant GM Tommy Sheppard and Wizards/Mystics Advertising Coordinator Megan Kingston.

· The B-List will be taking next week off. Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend and please take some time to remember those who lost their lives serving our country.

Until next time,

Go Wizards and Mystics!

A New Look & A New Season

Tuesday was a great day as we launched the Wizards new uniforms and logos. The event went smoothly and the response we have received on the new look has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, WashingtonWizards.com set a record on Tuesday by experiencing more than double the traffic generated on the previous single busiest day in franchise history with over 100,000 visits and more than 520,000 page views. Moreover, online sales of Wizards merchandise were greater than 4000% better than an average day.

I’m so proud of the Wizards/Mystics front office for their collective work on this project. Everyone contributed. Everyone played a role. I appreciate everyone’s hard work to make Tuesday great and the deliverables even better. I’m also appreciative of the Wizards fans who were patient in waiting for this day to come. You are the best of the best and your support of the team and the path we are taken is most certainly valued.

As I mentioned last week, Tuesday was not an end. Instead, it was just a beginning. Over the course of the summer, we will roll out an expanded line of merchandise, continue to build upon our new website platform and unveil our new court design. We will also play some hoops, WNBA style.

As we cleaned-up from the Wizards big day on Tuesday, we also put the final touches on the preparation for the start of Mystics training camp, which began on Sunday. I personally love the opening of training camp. It always reminds me of the first day of school. You see old faces and you meet new people. Everyone is full of hope and promise. Everything seems new and fresh. This year, these feelings are especially strong as we roll out our new red, white and blue look for the first time.

I’m excited to see what Trudi Lacey and the new-look Mystics accomplish in 2011. I think great things are on the horizon. During the team’s initial meeting on Sunday morning, Trudi informed the team that their time is now. I couldn’t agree more. I expect a winning summer from this group of outstanding young woman and as always, I’m proud to be associated with an unbelievable collection of motivated and dynamic people.

On a final note, it was wonderful to see Alana Beard back on the court, making plays. Alana has overcome yet another significant injury and looks to be in the best shape of her career. I’m excited to see her with a team that has grown so much since she last played a game for the Mystics. It should be a fun summer.

Don’t forget the regular season starts with a road date at Connecticut just two weeks from Saturday, on June 4. The home opener follows one week later on Saturday, June 11. Tip-off vs. the Chicago Sky is set for 7pm on that date. We will see you there.

Praying to the Ping Pong Ball Gods

The NBA will conduct the annual Draft Lottery on Tuesday night with the Wizards holding the fourth best chance of acquiring the top pick in the upcoming 2011 NBA Draft. Washington, which finished the season with a 23-59 record, has an 11.90% chance of landing the top pick, a 12.59% chance of getting the second pick and a 13.29% chance of acquiring the third selection. The Wizards can do no worse than seventh in the selection process. Minnesota (17-65) has the best chance of getting the top pick with a 25% shot. The Draft Lottery can be seen live on ESPN. Coverage begins at 8pm.

Freshman Honors

John Wall capped off a brilliant rookie season by being named to the T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie First Team. The former University of Kentucky standout played in 69 games for the Wizards this past season, averaging 16.4 points, 8.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per contest. Wall was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in January, February, March and April, becoming the first player in franchise history to win the honor for four consecutive months. The North Carolina native also was named the MVP of the 2011 Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend and became the third youngest player ever at 20 years and 65 days old to register a triple double, recording the feat on November 10 vs. Houston.

School Day is Almost Here

The Mystics Third Annual School Day Game, presented by Inova Health System, will take place in just over a week, on Thursday, May 26. Tip-off vs. the Chicago Sky is set for 11:30am. The game combines the excitement of WNBA basketball with the fun of learning through sports. Thousands of school children will be in attendance, but the game is open to the public. Discounted tickets are available. Give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1 for more information.

Kay Jewelers

We were proud to announce last week that Kay Jewelers has joined the Mystics family as the presenting partner of the Mystics Youth Summer League. The partnership, which is one of the largest in team history, provides prominent exposure for Kay through the MYSL while delivering a plethora of resources to a League focused on cultivating basketball and helping kids in our community. Kay also receives on-court brand exposure and a series of hospitality opportunities. We are excited to have such a well-regarded brand join our ranks. Thank you, Kay!

Stat of the Week

Former Washington Bullets star Elvin Hayes ranks fourth in NBA history in rebounding with 16,279 boards to his credit.

Quote of the Week

“Believe in yourself. Everyone will follow.”

Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

· Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat on advancing to the NBA Conference Finals.

· Mystics Media Day is Wednesday. Check out the pictures from that event later on that day to see our new court design.

· Look for a new WashingtonMystics.com to launch around June 1.

· Hard to believe, but 15 years ago today I graduated college. I’m officially old.

Happy birthday to the Sports Wiz, Wizards/Mystics Website Editor Andrew Rosen. Andrew will celebrate his big day on Saturday.

Until next time,

Go Wizards and Mystics!

The Past Meets the Future

Today was a big day for the Washington Wizards and the entire Monumental Sports & Entertainment family as our past met our future and we introduced new uniforms and logos for Washington D.C.’s NBA entry. Our new look features the red, white and blue color scheme that is synonymous with the Monumental SE brand as well as our home in the nation’s capital. The Wizards’ new look combines some of the popular elements from previous Bullets and Wizards kits with a few clever components to give the new uniforms a look and feel of their own. From the “Stars and Bars” theme to the inclusion of silver as a fourth color to the team’s pallet, I feel really good about the end product. I believe it is a great mix of old and new and I hope you enjoy the uniforms as much as I have enjoyed working with a great team of professionals in designing them.

Our new family of logos also borrows from the past’s best and combines them with fresh elements to deliver what I believe to be a very strong identity. I particularly like the new “dc” mark, highlighted by the reaching hands and basketball as well the “monument” logo featuring a red, and white and blue basketball framing two iconic images of Washington, DC and our country…the Washington Monument and a star. You will see a lot of these two marks, along with the “Washington” and “Wizards” wordmarks, moving forward as they will take the lead in representing our brand.

A great deal of work went into what was unveiled today and it was the work of many. In fact, it was very much a team effort. There were countless folks within the Wizards organization and Monumental family who contributed during the nearly year-long process to get us to where we are today. To them, I say thank you. I also would like to pass along a special thanks to Ted Leonsis, Ernie Grunfeld and the Wizards/Mystics Vice President of Marketing Missy Rentz who ran the point with me in making this all happen.
Along with great work on the home front, a tip of the cap is in order for the NBA’s Vice President of Apparel, Sporting Goods and Basketball Partnerships, Christopher Arena as well as the lead design team at our partner, adidas. The trio of Leon Imas, Sumiko Kalish and Mike Bui were the true creative minds who helped our vision come to life. Finally, a thank you to Susan Lane, adidas’ NBA Team Services Manager, for all of her help making sure we had what we need to put on a good show today. The effort around the Wizards’ uniform and logo launch is proof that teamwork really does make the dream work.

If you are interested in getting new Wizards gear, now is the time. The team store at Verizon Center will be open from until 5pm today and the reopening from 6-9 this evening. The store will also be open from 11am-6pm for the remainder of this week. Plus, if you donate new or gently used Wizards apparel featuring the old color scheme, you will receive 10% off your purchase of new gear. All of the old apparel collected will be donated, along with outdated Wizards team gear, to the NBA’s Basketball without Borders program to help those in need.

If you can’t make it to Verizon Center, visit the online team store at WashingtonWizards.com to purchase our new line of merchandise. While there, be sure to check out the new look of the online store as well.
Yes, today was a good day, but it’s just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to introduce new merchandise while unveiling the team’s new court design prior to the start of next season. It promises to be an exciting summer as we continue to evolve the Wizards brand and I hope you stay connected as we make these changes.

Mystics Training Camp Just Days Away
Just one other main note for this entry…we are now just five days away from the opening of Mystics training camp. It has been a long off-season since Atlanta knocked us out of the WNBA Playoffs in August. Now we are just days away from getting started again. I’m excited to see what Trudi Lacey and the new-look Mystics do in 2011. WashingtonMystics.com will have full coverage of training camp and will provide all of the latest news and notes from the team throughout the season. Be sure to check in often to stay current with the team.

Quote of the Week
“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.”
Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts
• Didn’t see the Mavericks sweep of the Lakers coming. The top two seeds in the Western Conference are now gone. The 2011 Playoffs are proving to be the most exciting of the recent past.
• Had a great time in Malibu for the wedding of friends. Not a bad corner of the world.
• Did anyone think the Cleveland Indians would be one of baseball’s best teams in mid May?
• Happy belated Mother’s Day to my Mom and my wife. You both are amazing.
• Have you renewed your Mystics season tickets yet?
Until next time,
Go Wizards and Mystics!

Check Us Out

Tuesday is a big day for the Wizards as our proud past meets our exciting future. Log on to WashingtonWizards.com or tune into Comcast Sportsnet to watch live coverage of the team’s uniform and logo unveiling. The action begins at 11am. See you there.

Busy May Days

It is good to be back after a little bit of a break. Here at the Wizards and Mystics, we are preparing to turn the page on April and welcome May, which promises to be an exciting month. To start, the Wizards will unveil the team’s new look on Tuesday May 10 during a press conference at Verizon Center. During this special event, the organization will introduce new team uniforms and several new logos featuring a red, white and blue color scheme. There will be a few very special guests in attendance and a couple of surprises during the presentation. Be sure to watch it all unfold live on WashingtonWizards.com.

Just five days later, on Sunday, May 15, the Mystics open training camp. Led by General Manager and Head Coach Trudi Lacey, the Mystics will welcome back Alana Beard and say hello to a host of new players. This list includes WNBA All-Star Nicky Anosike and 2011 first round draft picks Ta’Shia Phillips and Victoria Dunlap.

Two days into Mystics camp, on May 17, the focus swings back to the Wizards as the team participates in the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery. During this event, Washington will find out where the team will pick in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 23. The Wizards could win the lottery and pick first, or pick as low as seventh. Will history repeat itself from last year when the lottery gods smiled on DC and John Wall headed to town, or will our luck run out? We will have to wait and see.

Finally, on Thursday, May 26, the Mystics will host the team’s lone home pre-season game when the Chicago Sky comes to town. Tip-off for the annual School Day Game, presented by Inova Health System, is 11:30am. For tickets, give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1, or visit WashingtonMystics.com.

May promises to be fun. Be sure to follow us all month long on Facebook and Twitter.

A New Look

Speaking of our web properties, both the Wizards and Mystics sites will have new looks in the next month or so. The Wizards site will re-launch with a brand new look in conjunction with the May 10 unveiling mentioned above. The Mystics re-design is more structural in nature and will occur sometime in late May or early June, in advance of the June 4 season opener at Connecticut. Both launches will feature online enhancements for our fans.

A Fun Time of Year

With Mystics training camp just days away, the returning vets are starting to log some time on the Verizon Center practice court. Check out pictures of Alana and Marissa Coleman getting in a workout with assistant coach Laurie Byrd here.

Stat of the Week

Former Bullet great Elvin Hayes ranks fourth on the NBA’s all-time rebounding list. “The Big E” grabbed 16,279 boards during his Hall of Fame career.

Let’s Go Caps!

Congrats to the Washington Capitals for advancing to the second round of the NHL Playoffs. Good luck against the Tampa Bay Lighting.

Smile for the Camera

Want to take a stroll down memory lane? Check out these pictures from John Wall’s rookie campaign. It was quite the year for a special player. Enjoy.

Rolling at the White House

Tara and I were fortunate enough to take Adelyn and Caden to the White House Egg Roll on Monday. The kids had a blast rolling eggs, visiting the Easter bunny, running through the obstacle course and listening to the music. What a great event. It’s just another reason why living in Washington, D.C. is such a privilege.

Quote of the Week

“People support what they create.”

Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

· Thoughts and prayers to all of the folks who have been impacted by the recent severe weather.

· Happy Birthday to Josh Howard who celebrated his special day on April 28. Birthday wishes to Mystic’s assistant coach Marianne Stanley as well who celebrated a birthday on April 29

· Is it me, or are the NBA Playoffs at a new level of excitement and intrigue this season?

· How good of a job has the NFL done in turning the League’s draft into a year-round initiative? Amazing.

· Have you renewed your Mystics season tickets yet?

Until next time,

Go Wizards and Mystics!

Happy Easter

The B-List is off visiting the Easter Bunny. We’ll see you next week. Happy Easter!

Mystics Makeover

There’s an old saying that the only constant in life is change. I think that thought fits perfectly with what has gone down with the Mystics over the past week. Last Saturday, the team announced the acquisition of all-star Nicky Anosike from the Minnesota Lynx. That important deal turned out to be just the beginning of one of the busiest stretches in terms of roster turnover in recent memory. When the dust had settled on the 2011 WNBA Draft last Monday night, the Mystics had a brand new look (player-wise) to go along with their brand new look (uniforms).

Kudos to Mystics General Manager and Head Coach Trudi Lacey who worked the phones diligently leading up to the draft and whose hard work netted the team a new identity and high hopes for the upcoming season. With three picks spanning the three rounds of the WNBA Draft, Lacey addressed the team’s need for post players by making the following moves:

With the team’s first round pick (11th overall), Lacey drafted University of Kentucky forward Victoria Dunlap. The SEC Player of the Year averaged 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while also garnering SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors this season. She leaves Kentucky as the school’s only female player to record 100 assists, 100 blocks and 300 steals.

In the second round (23rd pick overall), Lacey selected Duke’s Karima Christmas. The 6-0 forward was named to the 2011 All-ACC Tournament First Team, capping a career in Durham that produced 7.7 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per contest.

Lacey then picked Sara Krnijic with the team’s third round selection (35th overall). The native of Serbia is currently playing for Pecs in the Euroleauge. The 6-4 center is averaging 12.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per outing.

Not a bad day by any stretch, but Lacey was just getting started. Shortly after the draft had concluded, the Mystics skipper finalized a deal with the Atlanta Dream that sent guard Lindsey Harding and the Mystics second round pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft to Atlanta in exchange for guard Kelly Miller, the eighth overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft, Ta’Shia Phillips, and Atlanta’s first round pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft.

Phillips ranked among the top five prospects on many experts draft boards after a stellar career at Xavier University. While there, the 6-6 center averaged a double-double for her career with 14.9 points per game and 11.9 rebounds per outing. She was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was a first team all-conference selection following her senior season. Phillips finished the 2010-11 season ranked third in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 60% on the campaign.

Miller, the twin sister of former Mystics guard Coco Miller, comes to Washington as a 10-year WNBA veteran and the owner of WNBA Championship ring she picked up while playing for the Phoenix Mercury in 2007. The 2004 WNBA Most Improved Player, Miller has posted 7.2 points and 2.6 assists per game during her stellar career.

While the Mystics now look a whole lot different than the team did a week ago, the optimism surrounding the squad has not waned. The new additions, and the return of Alana Beard, promises to deliver exciting basketball to Verizon Center this summer.

Three’s a Charm…Four is Better

Last month, I made a big deal, and deserving so, about John Wall becoming the first Wizards player ever to win the T-Mobile NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Award for three consecutive months. It was a pretty cool feat to-say-the-least, but this is better…Wall is now the first ever Wizards to win the award for four consecutive months! The former University of Kentucky standout grabbed the honor for games played through April after leading all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring (19.4 ppg) and assists (6.0 apg). He also led all NBA players in steals during this timeframe with three per outing. Wall’s play helped lead the Wizards to a 5-3 record during the team’s final eight games of the season. Not a bad end to a pretty darn good rookie campaign.

A Good Sport

Wizards/Tulsa 66ers forward Larry Owens has been honored as the NBA Development League’s 2010-11 Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award winner. The award is voted on by the 16 NBA D-League head coaches and honors the player who best represents the ideals of character and conduct on and off the court. In five games with the Wizards, Owens averaged 6.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per outing. The former Oral Roberts star also saw seven games of NBA action with the San Antonio Spurs during January of this year. In 43 D-League games with Tulsa, Owens averaged 12.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest.

Thank You

Thank you to the Wizards fans for an outstanding season. The team enjoyed an increase in ticket sales, merchandise sales and web traffic this year as a direct result of some of the best fans in the NBA. We appreciate you sticking with us. Good times ahead.

Mystics School Day

The 3rd Annual Mystics School Day, presented by Inova Health System, is quickly approaching. This year’s game, which combines the fun and excitement of a WNBA game with a host of educational messages and learning elements, is scheduled for Thursday, May 26. Tip-off vs. the New York Liberty is at the special School Day time of 11:30am. Tickets start at just $12, so tell your school to get in the game. Give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1 to learn more.

Stat of the Week

NBA.com drew more than 1.94 billion video views during the 2010-11 regular season, up more than 140% from 2009-10. Nearly 5.9 billion page views were generated on the site during the season, up 35% (Eric Fisher, Sports Business Journal).

Quote of the Week

“Enthusiasm finds the opportunities, and energy makes the most of them.”

Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

· The Wizards perfect 4-0 record at Verizon Center during April was the team’s first undefeated month at home since a 7-0 run during February of 2006.

· Let’s Go Caps…keep it going in the playoffs!

· Congratulations to Wizards/Mystics Director of Corporate Communications Ketsia Colimon who celebrated her 8th anniversary with the organization this past week. Ketsia ranks as the longest tenured employee on the Mystics side of the organization.

· NBA television ratings are up a big way this season according to Sports Business Daily…30% on ABC, 45% on TNT and 25% on ESPN. Wow.

· Have you renewed your Mystics season tickets yet?

Until next time,

Go Wizards and Mystics!

A Big Week for the Mystics

It has been quite the week for the Washington Mystics. On Thursday, we announced a marquee partnership with Inova Health System that is the largest, most comprehensive deal in team history. With Inova, we will work together to record victories, on and off the court. We will proudly wear the Inova name on our jersey and we will diligently work with their 16,000-employee base to tackle childhood obesity, address women’s health issues and push the envelope in terms of preventative medicine. I’m excited about what we will be able to do together and I’m extremely grateful to the Inova leadership for sharing our vision. I truly believe Thursday marked the start of something special.

While we were busy making this announcement on Thursday, Mystics GM and Head Coach Trudi Lacey was hard at work, moving the team towards big announcement #2. That deal and announcement came on Saturday as the Mystics acquired Minnesota Lynx forward and WNBA All-Star Nicky Anosike in exchange for the Mystics first round pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft. A former standout at the University of Tennessee, Anosike has averaged 9.2 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per contest in her first two WNBA campaigns. The 25-year old was an All-SEC and All-American honoree while at Tennessee and was the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year. The 16th pick in the 2008 WBNA Draft, Anosike will bolster the Mystics front court and will give Lacey another offensive option. There is no doubt about it…our team got a whole lot better on Saturday.

In other team news, the Mystics also announced this week that the club had added Megan Frazee and Bernice Mosby to the training camp roster. Frazee was taken with the 14th pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the San Antonio Silver Stars. She averaged five points and 2.9 rebounds per game during her rookie season. After sitting out the 2010 WNBA season with a knee injury, she has averaged 16.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per outing while playing in Turkey this off-season.

A 2007 first round draft pick of the Mystics, Mosby returns to Washington after most recently playing in Poland. While there the former Baylor standout averaged 13.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. Mosby and Frazee add depth and talent to the training camp roster and move us closer to our goal of having the most competitive Mystics camp in recent memory.

It is truly hard to believe, but the start of training camp is just over a month away. I hope you are as excited as I am. I think it will be a great year for the Mystics.

Wrapping It Up

On the Wizards side of things, I find myself asking where the season has gone? The Wizards have just one home game remaining and two contests overall before dropping the curtain on the 2010-11 season. Tickets still remain for the team’s home finale on Monday night vs. the Boston Celtics. To grab seats for the final home game of the campaign, give us a call at 202-661-5050. I hope to see you at Verizon Center one last time this season.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Inova/Wizards Blood Drive on Saturday. Your support for this important initiative is very much appreciated.

Get Well, Book

As you know Trevor Booker’s rookie season has come to an early end due to a broken right foot. Looking back, it was pretty solid freshman season for the former Clemson Tiger. Booker averaged 5.3 points and 3.9 rebound per game while shooting nearly 55% from the floor. Book’s shooting percentage is second among all rookies this year and his energy and work ethic add are just two more reasons to be excited about the Wizards future.

Tough Loss

Thank you to everyone who voted for the Wizards Girls during the NBA Dance Team Contest. After a great run to the Elite Eight, Washington fell to the Knicks City Dancers this past week. Congratulations to the ladies on a great effort.

Mystics School Day

The 3rd Annual Mystics School Day, presented by Inova Health System, is quickly approaching. This year’s game, which combines the fun and excitement of a WNBA game with a host of educational messages and learning elements, is scheduled for Thursday, May 26. Tip-off vs. the New York Liberty is at the special School Day time of 11:30am. Tickets start at just $12, so tell your school to get in the game. Give us a call at 1-877-DCHOOP1 to learn more.

Daddy’s Big Day Out

I say it all the time and I got to experience it again on Saturday…my daughter is growing up way too fast. On Saturday morning, Adelyn participated in her first fashion show. This was a bit surreal for yours truly. For starters, Tara and I are the farthest thing from “pageant parents” you will ever find, but Adelyn was invited to the show and had repeatedly asked to take part. Thus, we agreed to give it a shot. The added wrinkle in this adventure is that Tara stayed at home with Caden until nearly show time. That placed me directly on the front lines, getting Addy ready for the show with all of the other moms. To be in that environment, backstage, before the show was a new experience for me to-say-the-least. Let’s just say it was a learning opportunity for dear old Dad. In the end, though, all was good. Adelyn did a great job, and most importantly, she had lots of fun. For me, I can now check off another “first” in my Dad’s book.

Quote of the Week

“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”

Five Final (and sometimes random) Thoughts

· Proving once again that a season is a marathon and not a sprint the Capitals claim the top spot in the NHL Eastern Conference. Now on to the playoffs. Go Caps!

· How about those Aggies! Congrats to Texas A&M on claiming the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship during a thrilling Women’s Final Four.

· Congrats are also in order for the UCONN men for winning the men’s NCAA Basketball Championship with a remarkable run through the Big East and NCAA tournaments.

· Hopefully Capitol Hill figures things out in the next few days. Too many people stand to be negatively affected without a compromise.

· Have you renewed your Mystics season tickets yet?

Until next time,

Go Wizards and Mystics!

A Beautiful Day

Today was a beautiful day for the Washington Mystics as we unveiled our new uniforms and our marquee partnership with Inova Health System. The new uniform design featuring red, white and blue colors are part of a League-wide uniform evolution spearheaded by Adidas, the League’s uniform partner. I think our new threads are very sharp and I know the players like them as a result of the new material, which is lighter and breathers easier than the old gear.

In terms of our partnership with Inova, we could not be happier. We have been searching for the ideal marquee partner for some time. We were looking not only for a willing partner, but the right one as well. We had opportunities to do similar deals with other organizations, but I’m happy we waited to secure this type of relationship…a relationship that will be good for the team and fans, good for Inova, and good for our community.

This partnership allows us to develop and implement community-focused programs in a way that has not been possible before. We will be able to do more, and do it in a deeper and more frequent manner. Together the Mystics and Inova will focus on children’s health, women’s issues and preventative medicine.

With these thoughts in mind, Inova felt it was important to make our announcement at one of the health system’s leading facilities, the Loudoun Hospital. We were happy to make the trip and connect with a part of our footprint that we don’t get to see as often.

For those who watched the press conference online, thank you. We look forward to a great 2011 with Inova, our other corporate partners, and most importantly, our fans.

Go Mystics!