Olympic Chick Basketball

Hubby and I had our second opportunity to cheer in this year's Olympics when Saturday we headed to the Olympic Park again to watch some women's basketball.

The basketball arena is one of the largest temporary structures in the Olympic Park, and one of this event's busiest. There has even been discussion of using it in Brazil's Olympics, but that has yet to be decided.

Our ticket included two games--the first between Turkey and Angola, with Turkey easily taking the lead.

Then our USA girls were out in their sharp looking uniforms (important to the gals, right?) to play Croatia.

It was an entertaining game, watching our gals, all who play in the WNBA, beat Croatia 81-56.

Not only are they an experienced team who play well together after so few practices as a team, but they are T-A-L-L! Most of the gals are over 6', with Sylvia Fowles topping out at 6'9".

The game was made more exciting sharing it with these delightful gals and our new friends. We were honored to be sitting just in front of the USA Women's Basketball support team and families. From left to right, DeLaine Emmert who was sitting with her husband Mark, the NCAA president, then Renee Brown, the current chief of basketball operations for the WNBA, who was involved in the selection of this unique team and recruits year round for the WNBA, and last of all Chris Dailey, the associate head coach at University of Connecticut for 27 seasons, who had coached 6 of the players in her program. Chris was so cute--she couldn't help but "coach" the girls through the game. Renee knows everyone in the entire WNBA program and introduced us around to some of  her fellow supporters.

They were a wealth of information. For example, did you know that the men's and women's Olympic basketball teams never stay in the Olympic village, because they more or less have a "rock star" image and they would get very little rest or peace during the games?

Did you know that the women's team is going for its fifth gold medal in a row? There are 3 former gold medal winners subbing this year--that's how deep their talent is.

Their biggest challenges will be Australia and Russia.

Commenting on the games and giving our new friends a shout-out was Ann Meyers Drysdale,

and Chris Sager.

Cheering on the team was so much fun, and we found a few other Americans there joining in the celebration! As I write this, we're watching the USA women play Angola on the television.

It's looking good!

Go USA!