Well let me start off with HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEWANNA! Its been a while since I last blogged but I figured today is the day!!

 The team went on a 2-game road-trip and just got back 2 days ago on Wednesday. I am so happy to have them back in the 602! Coming into work when the team is away just isn’t the same. I go into the locker room, training room, and my office and I am the only one there. I have to turn all the lights on myself and work in silence, or the sound of my ipod or tv, which is not the same as the distinct voices of our hilarious players and coaches. When the team is here it’s pretty much impossible to have a bad day at work or a dull morning. They all have their routines of coming into their second home, the Mercury locker room! Everyone goes around to make sure they tell every single person good morning. Some do it with just a little eye contact and verbal words, most go around giving hi-fives, then there’s Meek who gives hugs and Dee who sometimes gets overly excited and attacks you with a bear hug. There’s always smiles all around! Also, when the teams gone I find myself coming to work on a empty stomach and I always wait until so late to eat lunch. I make myself have a headache from an empty tummy. This is only because when the team is here, every morning there’s food provided for everyone… thanks to our trainer Tamara! We have fresh cut fruit, bagels, muffins, donuts, granola bars and other delicious snacks! Making a pit stop by the food counter is part of my daily routine!!

 I received a package the other day from my two lovely sisters. They sent me a syringe filled with chocolate from Max Brenners, my favorite dessert spot in NYC… A chocoholics heaven!! And a huge pair of purple underwear with MERCURY screen printed on the back side. They are hilarious and from our 2007 championship season. They may have some goodluck with them! Some of you may have seen the photos of players wearing them on the bus to one of our practices in Detroit during that finals series. Anyways, I thought I’d tell you about them because they seem to be stuck in my mind… maybe because they are hanging on my window to the office right in front of my face!

 Donna Orender has graced us with her presence at this mornings shoot around!! It’s awesome to have such a great women as the President of our amazing organization, the WNBA! I’ve met Donna Orender on multiple occasions and she’s just so humble and genuine.

 I hope you guys are coming to tonight’s game vs. the Mystics! When we get this win we will have clinched a playoff spot, and we will be the first team this season to earn that postseason appearance!! Also, you desperately need the watch the Cappie23 video our game ops dept. put together!! It’s going to play 2nd quarter. There’s some really special appearances in the video… I was lucky enough to see some clips, one of our President Jay Parry and GM Ann Meyers Drysdale. They really got into the spirit of the video and rapping!  I can’t wait to see it all put together!

 Can I just say… our game operations department is the absolute best! I have been to every arena in the WNBA and watched so many time-out, quarter break and half-time skits and performances and no one compares! I’ve known Vice President of Game Entertainment Kip Helt and Game Entertainmet Manager Shaun Stanhibel since the day I started working here…. Back in 1997! Kip was my first boss and I’ve never had a better one! Both of those guys are so creative and entertaining! I can tell Shaun just lives for the moments he gets to throw on a costume or mascot outfit and run onto the court to get the crowd involved! His dance moves may need a little more work though J. So… they’ve been telling me for a while that they are going to put me in one of their hilarious game time videos, I always say NEVER! But, they finally got me to do one! It was hard to say no when my one line was “I love CP23”..  I mean I do love that girl so it wasn’t too hard.

Well the team just left for the afternoon lunch and naptime, which means I get to go home for a little break also! I will be back to the arena shortly though… can’t wait for tonight!

See you there!

-Denise