Well, another ex-NBAer just got the Phoenix Mercury head coaching
job. They chose Paul Westhead. :-(

Well, maybe Nancy has a chance with the L.A. Sparks. She could
probably 'spark' up that team!

What's it gonna take for the WNBA to start hiring more women coaches?





--- In NancyLieberman@yahoogroups.com, "Steven" <sekalovesntn@y...>
wrote:
>
> This is from the 'East Valley Tribune', an news publication from
> Arizona. Near the end of the article, it shows that Nancy is very
> interested in the chance to coach the Phoenix Mercury.
>
> Read below.
> * * * * * * * * *
>
> MERCURY DON'T RENEW GRAF'S CONTRACT
> By Matt Paulson, Tribune
> September 3, 2005
>
>
> After missing the playoffs by one game each of the past two years,
> the Phoenix Mercury on Friday concluded it will take another coach
to
> lead them to the postseason.
>
> In a decision that general manager Seth Sulka said was mutual, the
> Mercury did not renew Carrie Graf's contract, which expired at the
> end of the season.
>
> "We were not looking to do this the day after the season ended,"
> Sulka said. "We took some time to digest what happened and together
> made this decision."
>
> Graf inherited a team coming off an 8-26 in campaign when she was
> hired in April 2004. With an overhauled roster, Graf led Phoenix to
a
> 17-17 finish in her first season. This year the Mercury started 3-
11
> then rebounded with a 13-4 stretch before finishing 16-18.
>
> "We made a good decision when we hired Carrie," Sulka said. "She
was
> a top-line assistant for two teams (Phoenix and Seattle) and she
> deserved a chance to be a head coach. (Under her) we made a lot of
> strides, we improved by nine games the first year and competed for
> playoff spots until the last day each year. . .
>
> "But that being said, it was a major disappointment we didn't make
> the playoffs. With the team we had and the addition of Kamila
> Vodichkova, we should have taken the next step."
>
> Graf has already returned to her native Australia, where she will
> coach the Canberra Capitals of the Women's National Basketball
League
> during the WNBA offseason.
>
> In a statement released by the team Graf said, "I'm proud of what I
> accomplished with the Mercury the last two seasons, and I'm leaving
> the team in a strong position for the future. But we didn't achieve
> our goal of getting this team to the playoffs."
>
> No decisions have been made regarding assistants Michele Timms and
> Julie Brase.
>
> Sulka said Phoenix will begin searching for a new coach immediately
> and wants to have a replacement hired as soon as possible.
>
> Timms, who was one of the Mercury's most popular players when she
> suited up for them from 1997-2001, and Hall of Famer and former
> Phoenix player Nancy Lieberman would seem to be likely candidates.
>
> Sulka didn't rule either of them out but said, "I haven't
officially
> spoken with anyone yet."
>
> Timms couldn't be reached for comment.
>
> Lieberman coached the Detroit Shock from 1998-2000 and compiled a
46-
> 48 record, leading them to the playoffs in 1999. Each of the past
two
> years, she has coached the Dallas Fury of the National Women's
> Basketball League, a semipro league which runs from January-April
and
> features several WNBA players. Lieberman said she has "tremendous
> desire" to coach again in the WNBA.
>
> "Of any opportunity, my heart would be in Phoenix," said Lieberman,
> who played for the Mercury in 1997 and currently works as a studio
> analyst for ESPN.
>
> * * * * * * * * *
>