#95: I'm relieved that Rose BC lost
I'm a big Angel Reese fan, but I had an issue with her return to Unrivaled.
I was excited to go see "The Housemaid" when it came out in theaters. It's not that I'm a Sydney Sweeney gooner or fan – I actually think she's a pretty bad actor, tbh – but it's because I read the book and subsequent series.
I was intrigued by the pairing of Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, and I always like to compare how closely the movie follows the book.
But there was another reason that I was excited to see it, too.
I knew that my friend, Ellen Adair, was making a cameo appearance.
So when their appearance happened, I went full Leo DiCaprio.
Ellen is a fantastic actor, a fantastic baseball mind, and a fantastic person. But what I also found out about them is that they are an amazing artist.
There was a photo from the 2024 WNBA season that happened organically in a game between the Chicago Sky and the Las Vegas Aces. It was a blend of present and future, with Angel Reese and A'ja Wilson standing beside each other.
When I found out that Ellen did commissions, I commissioned them to do this exact photo in stencil.
They crushed it.
It now appears in my office in my curated backdrop.
I wanted this for a reason. It's not that either are my favorite players, but it's that A'ja is the living GOAT, and I appreciate Angel's game so much. Both are the definition of hoopers, and the hate that Angel has received isn't just unwarranted, it has been disgusting.
So, why am I nearly 300 words into this newsletter and talking about my friend, Ellen, and the piece they commissioned?
It's because it's important to call out that I AM an Angel Reese fan. A lot. After all, it is Angel's world, and we're just living in it.
But I have to say, when I was watching the Unrivaled quarterfinals Saturday night, I was happy that Rose lost.
And listen, we know there are real-world things that are actually happening and matter, so this, in the grand scheme of things, doesn't fucking matter at all, but I've found it weird that Rose could just sign a ringer with four games left in the season for the playoffs.
No one thought to question why that was?
I reached out to a few contacts at Unrivaled, but I didn't receive an answer.
Look, I'm all for big names to play in Unrivaled and continue to grow the league. I have no issues with that. I also love watching Angel hoop, so it doesn't have anything to do with that.
But it allowed Rose, who had four returning players from its championship-winning team last year – two protected players – bring back another player for ... reasons?
Unrivaled had a distribution draft where the playoff teams from last year could protect two players and the teams who didn't make the playoffs could protect one player.
If Angel announced herself as returning this year, there's a really good chance that Rose would have protected her over Kahleah Copper. Think 50 percent or so.
But there's a 100 percent chance that Angel would have been one of the first players to go in the distribution draft.
It was an issue last year in the league where injuries crept up, and the league had to bring in players like NaLyssa Smith, Ariel Atkins, Naz Hillmon, and more to fill out the rosters.
To balance that out, a large developmental pool was established this year. That pool was made up of:
Hailey Van Lith, Aziaha James, Haley Jones, Emily Engstler, Laeticia Amihere, Makayla Timpson
Only two of those players appeared in games during the Unrivaled season: Haley Jones and Aziaha James.
The others?
Nada. Zip. Zero.
So, if the pool is there, why are we not utilizing it?
Why can a playoff-bound team like Rose bring in a player like Reese instead of making her available for all teams?
Again, I'd have the same issue if Sabrina Ionescu decided to join the Phantom or Gabby Williams wanted to join the Breeze or A'ja Wilson wanted to join the Laces.
It's not an Angel issue, it's an Unrivaled issue. The league is fantastic. I love watching it. I love what they are building, and I love that they actually value the players unlike the WNBA.
There just needs to be more reasoning, structure, and understanding about how the league operates to not make it feel like a fly-by-its-seat operation.
The Thorns Find Their Coach
Selection Sunday is coming up in two weeks. It's around the corner, and teams have battled all season long for positioning.
Do you know what's coming up even sooner? Opening day for the NWSL.
And that includes the Portland Thorns, who kick-off the action on March 13.
They, apparently, decided that this past weekend was the right time to hire a head coach.
With less than two weeks to prepare and implement his (ugh, a man) system, former Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn will be coaching Portland this year.
The Thorns ultimately landed on him due to his "extensive coaching experience outside of the NWSL."
OK, cool. Glad you decided on that. But how, with a returning Sophia Wilson, are you giving your team zero chance at preparation after finishing third in the standings last year?
I wanted to know more about Vilahamn's coaching style, so I found this piece extremely helpful.
Two New Blogs to Follow
I wanted to share more pieces from other people when I started this blog, and it's something that I've slipped up with.
I'll be better.
Two new blogs that I want to share come from two great people.
Ruth Kapelus moved her blog over to Beehiiv from Substack, and I'm very glad about that! She's a great writer and a really good, stand-up person.
The other is from a fun follow on social media and a baseball-obsessed Jacki.
She likes baseball.
Until Next Time
I'll be traveling this week for work, but the plan is to put out a newsletter on Friday.
I love you awesome nerds. Be kind to yourself and others this week.
