It’s possible that I am the Washington Mystics’ good luck charm.  After beginning this season with an eight-game losing streak, the ladies in blue handily beat the visiting Phoenix Mercury 86-69.  And yes, I was there to see it.

 

I’m a huge NBA fan, and I enjoy watching men’s college basketball as well.  But outside of the occasional pass-by while flipping channels, I had not yet forayed into the world of women’s professional basketball, until last night.  And while the WNBA has its share of skeptics, I developed a healthy admiration for the league as the night progressed.

 

 Yes, I was one of those skeptics, myself.  During the first half of the game, I spent most of my time cringing at the missed buckets and frequent turnovers, not to mention the fact that the Verizon Center, consistently one of the best attended WNBA venues, remained far below sell-out levels.  But once the game settled into its second-half rhythm, and Monique Curry and Alana Beard started to build the ‘Stycs’ lead, things got pretty exciting.  It’s clear that the team has its share of loyal fans, many of whom are aspiring young lady “ballers” themselves.  Watching the pre-teen set get excited about such positive female role models really added to the fun.  Who needs Lindsay Lohan when you've got Coco and Kelly Miller?      

 

Though it’s not likely to enter the high-visibility, high-profit world of men’s professional sports, the WNBA (now in its tenth year) seems like it’s here to stay.  And in the summer months, when the NBA goes on hiatus (or your favorite team gets eliminated in the conference finals for the second year in a row), watching a women’s basketball game is a perfectly enjoyable way to pass the time.   It’s all about managing your expectations.  There won’t be dunks or alley-oops, but these girls can play.  More than that, they lack the hubris (read: arrogance) of many male players.  Before the game, team leaders Alana Beard and DeLisha Milton-Jones gave a heart-felt thank you to all their fans who had stuck by them during the rough losing streak.  They took to the mic again after the final buzzer, joining the fans in genuine celebration of a long-awaited and hard-fought victory.  Add to that the enthusiasm of a small, yet rabidly loyal (and quite diverse) fan base, the highly skilled moves of a fantastic pre-teen dance squad (the "Mystics Mayhem"), and the adorable Panda mascot, and it’s hard to deny the positive energy emanating from the arena.  Tickets are cheap, the Verizon Center’s soft-serve ice cream is delicious, and who knows? You might even enjoy the game.