The WNBA Cares

The WNBA Cares is part of NBA Cares. This program consists of the leagues,players and teams that will try to raise and donate $100 million for charity, donate 1 million hours of volunteer services to communities and build over 100 places where children can learn and play over the course of the next five years. According to the WNBA Cares fact sheet, "the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on promoting a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, breast health awareness, youth and family development, and education."

As part of the WNBA Cares program, this past July, the WNBA and the Natural Resources Defense Council teamed up to create public awareness and funding for the protection of our environment. This is the first time  there has been a partnership between a women's professional sports team and the NRDC. Two of the sponsors for the WNBA, Adidas and Spaulding, also jumped on the band wagon for this event. Adidas provided shooting shirts for the team that were 100% organic cotton that also featured the WNBA Green logo. Spaulding sponsored an auction on WNBA.com for the entire week which featured  spaulding basketballs that were made from 40% recycled material and were autographed by the WNBA players.

During the week long event the league encouraged their fans to take part in several community activities that included planting trees, recycling drives, clean up the outdoors day and "go green awareness" nights that were held at team arenas. The evening festivities that were held at team arenas featured auctions that supported environmental protection and promotional events to encourage people to "go green". For more information on the WNBA and WNBA Cares go to http://www.wnba.com/playoffs2009/index.html.

Serena's Meltdown

Serena Williams has been fined $10,000.00 for her outburst on the court towards a line judge that allegedly made a bad call. Williams, upset about the call, told the line judge that she was lucky she was not shoving the ball down her throat. Explicit language was used during her temper tantrum. She also received an additional fine of $500.00 for racket abuse which occurred prior to her meltdown.

http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/pgStory?contentId=10063000#sport=TENNIS&photo=10062904

According to numerous articles, suspension from next years tournament may be possible. If the administrator of the Grand Slam Committee finds that she committed a major offense, she will not only be suspended from the tournament next year, she will also be fined all of the money that she earned at the tournament. Quite Frankly, I think that is going to far. Granted, what she did was uncalled for, but we have all said things we have regretted. I realize she may be held to a higher standard because of her status, but she is human and it is not like she has had these outbursts before. This is a very minimal infraction compared to other professional athletes who have done far worse. She has paid for her actions, let it go.

Williams did apologize and amended her original apology on Sunday, to add, " I need to make it clear to all young people that I handled myself inappropriately and it's not the way to act -- win or lose, good call or bad call in any sport, in any manner." Williams has admitted her unprofessional behavior and appeared to be very sincere in her statements. If this type of behavior continues to be an issue for her then more severe consequences should be sought, but this is only one incident. The fines she received were more than adequate, lets not make a mountain out of a mole hill.