Herausforderungen » the touching story behind her choice of te

MINNEAPOLIS -- The disappointment and emotion were still raw when Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve walked into the postgame news conference with Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus. Defense and rebounding, two things the Lynx are known for, failed them in the fourth quarter when they absolutely needed it, costing them the back-to-back WNBA titles they sought to complete their dynastic résumé.Reeve began her opening remarks by congratulating the Sparks on their 77-76 victory and WNBA title, and expressed pride in her own players. Then she addressed something that has been simmering with her and other WNBA coaches for years: the quality of the leagues officiating.A controversial no-call on what looked to be a 24-second violation on Nneka Ogwumikes turnaround jumper from the right baseline with 1 minute, 12 seconds to play -- which put the Sparks ahead 73-71 -- was at the heart of the criticism. The officials initially signaled for a review, but it never happened.I thought I saw them do this, said Moore, meaning a review. But they didnt. It doesnt mean anything now.This followed an egregious mistake in Game 4, when officials overlooked a backcourt violation on the Lynx with 26.1 seconds left and Minnesota up by two. The next day the league admitted the refs blew it and apologized.That two such errors could occur in the final two games of a close, hard-fought championship series angered Reeve.Nneka Ogwumikes shot was not good, Reeve said. It was reviewable at the time when she shot it. The referees at that point didnt think anything was wrong. They didnt understand it was the end of the clock. They didnt hear the shot clock.Reeve continued, her voice rising: Its really unfortunate that players continually put themselves out there playing and competing at a really high level, whether it was the eight-second call in the game in L.A. -- doesnt matter, OK? The game today, its not fair to the players. Its not enough just to apologize and send out a memo that they got something wrong, OK? These players are so invested, and something must be done about the officiating in this league because it is not fair to these great players that we have.A photo tweeted postgame by Lynx associate head coach Jim Petersen showed the ball still in Ogwumikes hand with the shot clock at zero.Asked how the league might fix the problem, Reeve said: I dont get paid enough to have to do somebody elses job, too. Just get the simple things right. Simple. Eight-second call, shot-clock violation. Get the simple things right and well live with the other stuff that happens in a game.Reeve soon circled back to the reason the Lynx lost: their inability to defend and rebound at crunch time.In the fourth quarter the Sparks shot 55 percent and outrebounded the team with the best rebounding percentage in the league 10-5. It seemed unfathomable that the Lynx gave up 14 offensive rebounds on the night -- two on the possession with Ogwumikes game-winning putback -- to a team that ranked 10th in the league in rebounding.Its unfortunate, said Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson, who was denied a record fifth WNBA title. We knew the keys to the game would be defense and rebounding. I feel like in the last five minutes we werent getting the stops we needed. Then it came down to a rebound. But we knew those were going to be the keys. We just didnt get it done.The sellout crowd of 19,423 stood and screamed as the Lynx, trailing by eight with 3:06 to play, suddenly came to life. Moore, whose 23 points and 11 assists nearly stole the game for Minnesota, hit a technical foul shot, then a left wing 3-pointer around a screen. Moore found Brunson (nine points, nine rebounds) for a short turnaround. Then Lindsay Whalen stole a Kristi Toliver pass and drove for a layup. Eight points in 61 seconds. Tie score.More big shots followed. Ogwumikes disputed jumper. Augustus with a trademark left-wing pull-up. Then Brunson, making the second of two foul shots for a 74-73 lead with 23.4 seconds to play. The Lynx seemed on the verge of a miracle.But there would be no league record-tying fourth title, and no back-to-back championship. In those final seconds the Lynx couldnt stop Candace Parker (28 points and 12 rebounds), who drove for a layup with 19.7 seconds left, or league MVP Ogwumike, who showed the same tenacity on that final possession the Lynx exhibited for six years.They scored at will in the paint in the second half, Reeve said. We had them at 34 percent [from the field] in the first half. We were defending our tails off. Then in the second half, we didnt get it done. If we go look at a shot chart right now, its not going to be pretty.Lynx center Sylvia Fowles, who dislocated a finger in the third quarter but kept playing, fought back tears in the locker room. So did Moore, Brunson and almost everyone else. Whalen hugged each player individually, then slumped at her locker. Janel McCarville, her teammate at the University of Minnesota, put an arm around her, but Whalen was inconsolable.I think we answered L.A.s calls, Fowles said. They answered our calls. Unfortunately it came down to a one-possession game. In a situation like that, you should never be up by one possession with a team like Los Angeles. Youve got to give them credit for coming out and playing today, especially in that environment.Detroit Tigers Pro Shop . DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action. Jeimer Candelario Jersey .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. https://www.cheaptigers.com/579z-spencer-turnbull-jersey-tigers.html . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Schoolboy Rowe Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Germany Schaefer JerseyWhen Blake Bortles punted the football into the stands at Londons Wembley Stadium, he was probably unaware just how special a catch it would make.Underneath his kick in the British capital was a fan named Katie Edwards, who was lucky just to be in the ground, let alone on the receiving end of the Jacksonville quarterbacks punt.Edwards was at the Jaguars narrow victory over the Colts on Sunday as a volunteer to help fans find their way around the vast stadium -- a role that does not guarantee her a seat at the game.But a stroke of luck saw her grab a last-minute ticket in the third row and her afternoon was made even more special when Bortles celebratory punt following his second-quarter touchdown landed in her lap.My friend tried to catch [the ball], but it literally came right at me, Edwards, a 39-year-old personal assistant from London, told ESPN. Im a terrible catch, I used to play in defense, so the idea that not only have I managed to catch a ball, but Ive actually caught a punt from Bortles -- that just blows me away.I tried to get a ticket for the game, but of course it was sold out. Sometimes though, as a thank you for volunteering, we get given tickets. So I was really lucky to be there. That chair may have been empty if I hadnt been sat there.Speaking in his postgame media conference, Bortles admitted he hoped the ball would make a fitting souvenir for a British fan, but Edwards wasnt sure she would be able to keep it. A fan catching a ball at a Premier League soccer match, for example, is usually expected to return it.ddddddddddddI wasnt sure what happened when they kick a ball into the crowd, Edwards said. Very quickly a lady came up to me asking me to give the ball back, which I did. But then a man said theyd replace it, so Ive actually got the practice ball.Im definitely going to keep it. Ill probably buy a case for it and keep it forever.The Jaguars have committed to playing a regular season game in London every year until 2020 and were nominally the home team against the Colts on Sunday.But the NFLs International Series is becoming known for the sheer range of fans that show up to the games, with almost every team represented by the jerseys in the stands.While she was rooting for the Jaguars on Sunday, Edwards admitted she is a Packers fan at heart, and revealed the touching story behind her choice of teams.Im a big NFL fan, she said. The Packers are my main team. Its quite an embarrassing reason, but Wisconsin is where Dungeons and Dragons was invented.When I was young I used to watch it on Channel 4 with my dad. Then I was looking for a team to support and Green Bay were from Wisconsin, I loved everything about Wisconsin, so it had to be Green Bay.A lot of fans Ive spoken to here have a primary team and then a secondary team. Thats kind of how I am. Ill always be a main Packers fan, but the Jags are my second team because theyve given so much to London and the sport in this country. ' ' '