A chessplayer asked me if I thought Los Angeles coach Roberts would retire Saturday as the only WNBA coach in history with a spotless WL record. Roberts and the Sparks are 1-0 following their 84-67 win at Golden State Friday.
Chessplayers have a strange sense of humor about such things. When the “rapid” time control became a thing in international chess around the turn of the ’90s, my first rating at that time control was 2560, and some friends said I should quit.
I said about Roberts: “She’ll think about it, because it’s funny, but she won’t.” What I left unsaid was: She might give more than a passing thought to retiring at 1-1 if Minnesota hands her her hat on Sunday.
In fact, I asked her.
I keep quiet at press conferences because the press is stupid. I’d pin that on this generation that isn’t there to ask for reasons or explanations but to harvest soundbites, but it actually goes back to the beginning. Ring Lardner is a legendary sportswriter, but he was first to grow personality cult from a job on the beat. When a reporter might say Ruth hit 2-for-4 with an HR and 3 RBI, Lardner would say Ruth’s home run cured cancer in a ward of orphans.
On Sunday before Lynx at Sparks, on the other hand, I had two questions from other people. One, from that chap at the chess club. Did she think about retiring after Friday’s game?
Roberts laughed. Like I said, it’s a funny thought, and yes, she said she had the thought, but no, she’d carry on.
Two, from my friend in Queens, who said: “I have no idea what the Sparks are thinking [in regard to their roster imbalance] and that level of stupid offends me”. (Then to make it worse, the Sparks lost guard Rae Burrell after 41 seconds Friday.) I said I’d pass that along.
Coach said she had some guards on hand, some guards returning, and some swingwomen who can play at guard.