Bits

Pro/International:

Mechelle Voepel is right about the FIBA Conference - they don't have their priorities right:

That brings us to five "key topics" that the conference highlighted:

• Increasing the resources allocated to women's basketball.

• Lowering the height of the basket for women's basketball for all official competitions.

• Designing and regulating uniforms for female players.

• Developing a special program for creating female basketball journalists.

• Setting up continental girls' coaching camps similar to "Basketball without Borders."

Two of these things make sense: allocating more resources to women's hoops and setting up girls' camps.

As for the program for "female basketball journalists," it's hard to be sure exactly how they mean that. Do they mean basketball journalists who are female or journalists who cover women's basketball?

If it's the former, it's incorrect to assume a woman sports journalist is inherently going to be any more interested in or inclined to cover women's basketball than a man would be. They should find a way to encourage those journalists, regardless of gender, that already show an aptitude and desire to cover the sport.

To that end, FIBA, and any other organization that wants coverage, should make it as cheap as possible for media to cover it. For the 2008 Olympic trials, USA Track and Field gave journalists the option of staying in inexpensive dormitories right next to the track complex. "Inexpensive" is one of the most important words in today's media world.

At last, we can get to the two most discussed "key topics" among women's basketball fans: lowering the rims and "regulating" uniforms. My initial response to the top topics was, "You've got to be kidding me."

Same here. But then again, it's pretty common to have idiots in charge of big things.

The Seattle Storm's Ashley Robinson is playing for the WNBL in Australia this fall and winter - an unusual choice for an American. In tonight's game she had 14 points and 13 rebounds.

LA Sparks exit interview:

When you look at Parker’s 2010 stats up until the point of her season-ending injury, you can’t help but wonder how differently things would have panned out had she remained healthy. She may have only played 10 games (OK, maybe nine and a half), but in that short span Parker racked up seven double-doubles and finished with double-figure scoring in each. If the average remained consistent, it would’ve been entertaining to say the least to watch her match up against Connecticut’s Tina Charles in the rebounds and double-double race.

*sigh*

NCAA:

Pat Summitt must want prep star Isabelle Harrison, because she visited her at her high school Wednesday. I would have passed out if I were Isabelle.

Down the road in the SEC, Mississippi State is rebuilding after losing their top four scorers and two key bench players.

The Arizona newcomers are adjusting well.

Today was the first day of practice at the University of Oregon, and they've got a blog to prove it.