Storm Opening Night: Unexpectedly Thrilling

After years of active avoidance, Seattlest went to our first-ever Storm game Saturday night. And it was the best sporting event we've been to this year.

It wasn't the most exciting--that distinction goes to a first round 3A state championship game between Mt. Vernon and Auburn in March. And it wasn't the best crowd--UW/Wazzu at Hec Ed on Valentine's Day takes that prize. But, overall? Definitely the best.

The Storm were down 22 points midway through the 3rd, hadn't even drawn rim in the second half--then they closed out the game with a 44-9 run, capped off by a oh-well-why-not midcourt shot by Lauren Jackson at the buzzer. The Storm won 82-69.

The crowd was incredible--the type of really engaged, live and die with every shot crowd that's disappeared from NBA games since ticket prices have topped $100. This was one of those games where the team fed off the crowd's energy--a crowd that rose spontaneously to its feet with every fast break and seemed to keep the team energized when they'd fallen down by 22, which is practically an insurmountable deficit in the WNBA.

One recommendation for the Storm: Your backup point guard, whoever she is, is terrible. If she gets any on-ball pressure, she takes an eternity to reach midcourt. After first-string point guard Sue Bird left the game for an extended first half rest, the offense took too long to get started, and nearly every shot was a prayer to beat the 24-second clock. Get somebody else soon, because we're a few clicks away from launching FireTheStorm'sGM.Info.

The next Storm home game is tomorrow (Wednesday) night vs. Phoenix at 7pm