RebKell's Junkie Boards

[therese_defarge]

I'm curious as to whether any of you think some teams deliberately tank their season to improve their chances in the lottery.

I am particularly looking at:-

Detroit whose 2002 record of 9 wins and 23 losses is beyond belief for a talented (Swin Cash) team and helped them to get Ruth Riley (2003 FPOY) and Cheryl Ford (2003 ROY).

Seattle whose 2001 record playing with Lo-Jack was 10 wins and 22 losses and who lost 12 of their last 14 games. Did they even at that stage have their eye on Sue Bird?

Houston in 2004, who tanked after the Olympics.

Maybe I am only sour because the Lynx always seem to over-achieve and then end up with a bad spot in the draft (I think we're 11 this year). Then again, maybe it is the sensible way to play the system. Maybe, as soon as Katie was injured last year, Minny should have said "we can't win without her so let's make sure we lose our remaining games".

What do you think?

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Tell the wind and fire when to stop but don’t tell Therese

[CamrnCrz1974]

[womens_hoops]

and look to the future: will anyone tank to get Candace Parker in a few years? Or Fowles, Wiggins, Humphrey?

[BBallFanCT729]

[Keegan]

[Alepp03]

In 2008, there will be no need to tank.

Candace Parker (theoretically)
Candace Wiggins
Tasha Humphrey
Sylvia Fowles
Charde Houston
Chante Black
Alexis Hornbuckle
Matee Ajavon
Jolene Anderson

I'm thinking tanking would be a bad idea, cus sheesh, if ya can't get Candace P, then take Candace W, if ya can't get a Candace, go for a Chante or Charde... What a draft that will be...

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In a world full of people only some want to fly, isn't that crazy?

[p_d_swanson]

[BBallFanCT729]

[therese_defarge]

Thankyou to Cam for his persuasive defence of Detroit. Perhaps they were merely lucky getting the dispersal draft as well as the ordinary draft.

That still leaves 2001 Seattle (maybe 2000 as well), 2004 Houston and how could I have forgotten 2003 Phoenix (nice pickup there Brigade).

Guilty as charged?

_________________
Tell the wind and fire when to stop but don’t tell Therese

[Keegan]

If 2001 Seattle tanked, they weren't the only one tanking. They finished equal with Washington and Detroit for worst record in the league. Skinny Lauren Jackson with a bunch of nonentities? (and Kamila was having her bad year). They were crap.

As for 2003 Phoenix, well that was just poor decision making but that's been discussed enough (and repressed!)

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Beware of snarky monotremes...

[Luuuc]

I'd agree with the points made above.
If you want to tank a season, you certainly don't do it from day 1. You maybe do it right at the end, so that rules out Detroit IMO.
Seattle were just flat-out bad. No way could you accuse them of underachieving.
Ditto Phoenix in 2003. Look at the roster. If anything they overachieved! They played the Mystics at the end of the season (another struggling team) and beat them, which would have cost them lottery balls in the Diana draft, so I don't buy it for that year either.
That just leaves Houston in late 2004. In their case, the players might have been less than focussed, but I still won't believe that any of them weren't trying to win once they stepped onto the floor.

The lottery system just doesn't make it worthwhile to lose on purpose. Simple as that. Look at the history of lottery "winners" -vs- last-placed teams. It's just not worth it

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Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.

[CamrnCrz1974]