[Lefty Noob]

It's not often the WNBA makes headlines, so it's a shame when they do it like this.

Late scuffle mars Sparks win over Shock - WNBA - Yahoo! Sports
Associated Press

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP)—Candace Parker wanted to focus on all of the good parts of the Los Angeles Sparks’ win over the Detroit Shock.

Unfortunately, it will be the final 5 seconds that everyone else is going to remember.

Parker was one of three players ejected along with Detroit assistant coach Rick Mahorn after an ugly scuffle with 4.6 seconds left in Los Angeles’ 84-81 victory.

“To be honest, I don’t recall exactly what happened,” said Parker, who led Los Angeles with 21 points. “I’ll have to watch the tape.”

The skirmish started moments after Parker and Detroit’s Cheryl Ford had to be separated after Ford fouled Parker.

On the next possession, Parker got tangled up with Detroit’s Plenette Pierson and fell to the ground. As she was getting up, Pierson intentionally ran into her, setting off the melee.

Parker threw a punch at Pierson before being tackled by Detroit’s Deanna Nolan. Players and coaches from both teams joined in, and Mahorn knocked Lisa Leslie to the court at one point.

“I was trying to protect the whole game, the integrity of the game,” he said. “The WNBA is very special to me because I have four daughters. I don’t even raise my hand to them, and I would never push a woman. This game, I love this game too much.”

Shame that it takes something like this for the mainstream media to give the WNBA so much as a second look, ain't it?

[Bette]

Personally, I think its a bigger shame they forgot to act like professionals. Just like many of their male counterparts do.
But then again, they wouldnt have made it into the news, like you said.

[Seahawker 562]

i wouldnt consider it a brawl, a couple people got shoved, but thats it.

[Lefty Noob]

Well, the fallout is in... 10 players and Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn were all suspended for the incident.

According to the Associated Press, "Shock forward Plenette Pierson was suspended Thursday for four games, the harshest penalty, for initiating and escalating the altercation... Mahorn was suspended for two games as were Shannon Bobbitt and Murriel Page of the Sparks... Players suspended for one game included: Detroit’s Kara Braxton, Tasha Humphrey, Elaine Powell and Sheri Sam along with Los Angeles’ Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and DeLisha Milton-Jones." Reactions?

WNBA suspends 10 players and Mahorn for skirmish - WNBA - Yahoo! Sports

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Rick Mahorn needs to push some one his own size.

[Bette]

I didnt see it but as long as all those punished are the guilty parties, good! Hopefully they will learn a lesson from this.

How big is Mahorn anyway, Goth? Some of those players are probably bigger than he is.