Mercury opens preseason with win over Sparks

By Scott Mammoser and Marta De Leon

PHOENIX – Appearing at Talking Stick Resort Arena for the first time in eight months, the Phoenix Mercury topped the Los Angeles Sparks, 82-75, in preseason play on Saturday night.

The Mercury came to play in the first quarter of this preseason game with Brittney Griner tipping the ball to start. It was up by as much seven points at the midpoint. DeWanna Bonner led that effort coming up with six points in the first quarter, trying to hold on to the lead.

Los Angeles came back to lead most of the second quarter. Four turnovers resulting in seven points for the Sparks expanded their lead. Nneka Ogwumike came back into the game halfway through the second quarter and managed to score six points in just five minutes. Phoenix returned in the second half to claim the pace and took a 21-12 fourth quarter edge to the win.

Phoenix selected three players in the April 10 draft: Alanna Smith, (eighth overall from Stanford), Sophie Cunningham (13^th from Missouri), and Arica Carter (32^nd from Louisville). In addition, the team acquired Brianna Turner, from NCAA finalist Notre Dame, in a draft day trade with Atlanta for center Marie Gulich.

“I liked their sense of urgency,” Mercury coach Sandy Brondello said. “Particularly in that second half, we had too many breakdowns. We can’t be individual defenders instead of team defenders, and our strength is all of us together. Someone has your back there. I think that helped us. The rookies, they just competed. I told them to just go out there and play hard, and that’s what happened. They shared the ball around, and we’ll learn a lot from it.”

Cunningham, the former All-SEC performer, was second on the Mercury with 10 points, behind DeWanna Bonner’s 20.

“I think going out there first, you’re a little nervous and shaky, but I think the stars did a good job of setting the tone,” Cunningham said. “We stopped the three-point shooting, and in the fourth quarter, we did a good job too. I’m really happy to get the first win of my professional career. You don’t know what to expect when you’re coming in as a rookie, but we have a lot of good people showing us the ropes. This team right here is doing a great job of helping us, and it’s nice to have that.”

Smith scored five points, with seven rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes, and Carter was 2-of-2 from downtown for six points in 12 minutes.

“I’m excited I had the opportunity to play,” Carter said. “My teammates are encouraging me and supporting me every day.” “It helps to play my game and get the ball to my teammates.”

Emese Hof, a rookie free agent signee from the Miami Hurricanes, entered at the beginning of the fourth quarter and recorded two points.

On the other side, the Sparks possessed two draft picks, and both of those players faced off in the NCAA championship game in Tampa Bay one month ago. Kalani Brown of champion Baylor did not see action on Saturday, and Marina Mabrey of Notre Dame scored 11 points in 17 minutes. Ashley Walker, 32, who has appeared in 22 WNBA games and none since 2013, led the team with 16 points.

The Mercury has one more preseason game, at Seattle on May 15, before the regular season begins on May 25, also in Seattle – the defending champions. The home opener is at 7 p.m. on May 31 against Las Vegas. The Sparks’ second preseason game will be hosting the Storm on May 17.

JD's Dime: Arizona Cardinals New "Air-Raid" Offense Preview

By Jeff Demers

With the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals selected Kyler Murray, Quarterback, Oklahoma. I don't believe that this was a huge surprise to anyone even though the Cardinals played their cards close to their vest all the way up to the time they made the selection.

But it's what happened after their first selection that will determine their success in Cliff Kinsbury's new "Air-Raid" offense.  To keep the pressure off of the highly hyped (Heisman-winning) Murray in his first year, Steve Keim (Cardinals GM) finally moved Josh Rosen to the Dolphins in exchange for a late 2nd-round pick (Andy Isabella, WR, UMASS).  To go with that, Keim has already come out and said Murray is going to be the starting quarterback, so Murray doesn't need to worry about any competition whatsoever heading into camp.

Now, let's talk about what this offense, a HEALTHY offense, should look like in 2019.....

To take a quote from the movie The Matrix, if you were to ask Coach Kingsbury what he needed this season in his first year as head coach, he would have said "guns, lots of guns."  And "guns" he has.

In Kyler Murray, you have a quarterback who can make any throw on the field.  He's got really good arm strength and is as accurate as needed to be up to the task of running this new offense.  He's also got good "escapablilty."  Yes, it's a made-up word, but it is as it says......he's got good ability to escape a collapsing pocket.  Hopefully the Cardinals did a good enough job bringing in a solid line to build a wall and keep Murray healthy.  But if needed, he can make plays with his legs, and he probably will even if not needed.  It wouldn't be a surprise to see this rookie approach 1,000 yards rushing this season to go with about 3,500-4,000 yards in passing.  Those are big numbers for someone who has not taken a snap in the NFL yet, but I'm predicting a Patrick Mahomes type of launch into the NFL as a starter.  Even given the lack of success that short quarterbacks have had in the NFL, there are exceptions to that rule; Drew Brees, Russell Wilson come to mind.  And now, it's not all on him as he's got other "guns" around him.

Let's just remind those that don't believe that this young quarterback will start his career throwing to one of the best wide-receivers of all-time in Larry Fitzgerald.  Sure, he's 35 years old, but this is a 35 year old who played most of last season as the #1 receiver due to injury to Christian Kirk.  And as the #1 receiver catching passes from a rookie quarterback, he still managed almost 70 receptions and 750 yards receiving.  And even though he's not the fastest gun available, and he's not the youngest gun available, he's still the most important weapon that Murray will have.

Fitzgerald's leadership is unmatched by anyone inside this Arizona Cardinals organization from top to bottom.  I see Murray as a highly-intelligent young quarterback who will latch his self to Fitzgerald and pick his brain about every single play, and every single option.  And Fitzgerald is the type of leader who will welcome this and it will benefit the young quarterback tremendously in his first year as starter.

As for Christian Kirk, he's coming back from a broken foot in Week 13 of last year's NFL season.  If healthy, Kirk will build off of a rookie year where he caught 43 receptions for almost 600 yards in 12 starts.  Again, he did it with a bad offensive line giving no time to a rookie quarterback who's throwing him the ball.  Without going in-depth with the moves, the Cardinals have made moves to make sure they won't have the worst offensive line in the NFL this coming season.  So a healthy Christian Kirk should improve on his rookie numbers.

Let's make no mistake about it, this offense will be high-flying, but will heavily rely on the feet and hands of stud running back David Johnson.  Johnson ran for almost 1,000 yards last season, but most importantly, he caught 50 passes for almost 500 yards receiving.  This could be his best year of his young career and it wouldn't surprise me to see Johnson lead the NFL in all-purpose yards in this new offense.

So, with a new quarterback, this offense can look really good just with what they had last season.  But now, there are two (potentially three) new weapons to add to this new "air-raid" offense in the desert.

Let's start with Andy Isabella.  How the #1 wide-receiver in all of college football almost fell into the third round (late second round) is beyond me.  Isabella didn't just lead the nation in yards, he led the nation in yards by over 200 yards.  Sure, he's only 5'9" but last time I checked, the Super Bowl MVP (Julian Edelman) was only 5'10".  But then you add a blazing 4.31-40 yard at the combine to probably the best hands in all of college football, Isabella is pretty much a faster Julian Edelman.  So you have Fitz and Kirk on the outside, and then you add that shifty slot receiver type that has been such a pivotal part to the greatest dynasty in NFL history (Patriots), and this offense all of a sudden opens up.

THEN, you add a huge deep-threat in rookie WR in Hakeem Butler from Iowa State.  This guy is as big of a target as it gets at 6'6, 225 pounds.  If he can be more consistent with his hands, you could be looking at a deep threat that will not only tear the roof off this offense, but it will keep the safeties honest on opposing defenses and open up the middle of the field.

And now we move on to Mr. Irrelevant.  The Arizona Cardinals drafted Caleb Wilson with the final pick (254th) in the 2019 NFL Draft.  But don't be fooled by the "Mr. Irrelevant" tag.  Wilson had 60 receptions for almost 1,000 yards at UCLA despite not playing in all games.  He ran a 4.50 40-yard at the combine.  He's tall at 6'5, and he's 240 pounds.  He'll probably add some weight, but he can run with this offense and he could be a big target if given the opportunity to play in this new air-raid offense.  Don't sleep on Caleb Wilson or his chances to be a starter in the NFL.

This new "air-raid" offense is loaded with high-powered weapons and they should, if anything, be very exciting to watch in the 2019-2020 season for the Arizona Cardinals.

Sun Devils close home schedule with win over Golden Bears

Sun Devils close home schedule with win over Golden Bears

By Scott Mammoser

May 5, 2019

TEMPE, Ariz. – DeNae Chatman smacked home runs in both the first-and sixth innings of Arizona State’s 10-6 softball victory over California on Senior Day Sunday. ASU (30-18, 10-11 Pac-12) rebounded from a 8-3 loss to the Bears (27-27, 5-12) on Saturday and has now won five of six with one regular season series remaining. 

“Looking at our season, Cal is that team,” ASU Coach Trisha Ford said. “They haven’t got a lot of wins, but they are a good team. We had a good three innings, we kind of fell asleep, and then we battled back.”

Chatman, the sophomore first baseman, produced a three-run home run in the bottom of the first, scoring Kindra Hackbarth and Morgan Howe. Kindra Hackbarth then drove home Howe and Kiara Kennedy in the second for the 5-0 lead. Kennedy’s sacrifice fly in the third scored Jade Gortarez, and Howe’s single sent Maddi Hackbarth across home plate.

The game was headed to a five-inning mercy run rule until Makena Smith’s two-run home run to left field in the top of the fourth put the Bears on the board. Kauren Espalin scored Sabrina Nunez with a single and two outs in the fifth. Then, in the pivotal moment of the game, ASU pitcher Cielo Meza struck out third baseman Karlee Sparacino with a full count and the bases loaded. Right fielder Mikayla Coelho added a two-run shot for Cal in the top of the sixth to end Meza’s day with four strikeouts, and Samantha Mejia replaced her on the mound.

With a double and one out, Kindra Hackbarth, who was 4-of-4 from the plate, scored leftfielder Skylar McCarty for a three-run lead. Chatman then sent her second of the afternoon and 12^thof the season over the fences for the 10-5 advantage. Cal loaded the bases again in the seventh and scored one run. 

Seniors Howe, McCarty and infielder Taylor Becerra were honored following the game.

“We just wanted to compete,” McCarty said. “Everyone was out here doing it for each other; it wasn’t just the three of us. The first thing that comes to mind was, ‘Not everyone gets to do this, not everyone gets to hear their fans chant their names during their last at bat; it was awesome.’”

Howe was 3-of 4 with a stolen base in the final home game of her career.

“It was an emotional game, but Coach Ford said it would be worse if you lose,” Howe added. “It was hard to keep the emotions down, like ‘This is my last….,’ and just play the game. It was a great day.”

The Sun Devils have one more regular season series, Thursday through Saturday at Oregon. Its current hot streak follows a nine-game losing skid, coming against Arizona, UCLA and Washington, all teams ranked in the top six of the nation.

“I don’t even know if I could put into words what those seniors meant to me, on all different levels,” Coach Ford said. “Taylor Becerra and Skylar helped with this transition, they were a part of some other coaches, and they welcomed me with open arms. They did a great job of staying true to their commitment to ASU. They are leaving this program as better people. Mo, I have known for a lot more years, and she played for me as a freshman at Fresno State. She called home her freshman year, and asked to be picked up, and her parents told her she made a commitment. Now today, we have a kid who played for me there and pa