Houston Blogs: Houston Sports Blog

Houston Comets vs Sacramento Monarchs game cancelled

NEW YORK, September 11, 2008 – The Women’s National Basketball Association game scheduled for Friday evening, September 12 between the Sacramento Monarchs and Houston Comets at Reliant Arena in Houston has been postponed due to severe weather conditions anticipated as a result of Hurricane Ike.

The WNBA is working toward rescheduling the game for Monday evening, September 15 at 7:30p.m. at Reliant Arena. A formal decision will depend upon a variety of logistics and an assessment of the outcome of the storm in the Houston area.

Comets fans are urged to log onto http://www.wnba.com/comets/ or http://www.wnba.com/ for the latest information.

Houston Comets promote Laurie Byrd to Assistant Coach

The Comets made a promotion:

The Houston Comets have promoted Laurie Byrd to Assistant Coach, it was announced today by Head Coach & General Manager Karleen Thompson.  In this position, Byrd will focus on skill development of guards, scouting and player assessment. 

In 2007, Byrd joined the Comets as Director of Player Personnel. Her WNBA experience includes three years as assistant coach for the Detroit Shock, beginning with the 2003 season during which the team won their first WNBA Championship.

“Laurie was an obvious choice for assistant coach because she has vast knowledge of so many elements of basketball,” said Coach Thompson.  “She consistently made contributions to the Comets that exceed her former position.

Prior to the WNBA, Byrd was assistant coach with the University of Detroit Titans women’s basketball team for five seasons.

Coach Thompson added, “Byrd is seasoned and her approach to coaching is very similar to my own – she’s a player’s coach.  She’s a great teacher and leader.  Her experience is so diverse that I know she can advise in every aspect of the game.”

Byrd’s professional player experience includes seasons with four teams – American Basketball League’s San Jose Lasers and Atlanta Glory, and Women’s Basketball League’s Kentucky Marauders and Chicago Spirits. Internationally, she was a member of teams in Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Collegiately, Byrd was Most Valuable Player and set single-season records for points and assists, single game scoring and shooting percentage during her freshman year at Eastern Michigan University.

In 2001, Byrd was named to the Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame in recognition of her extensive athletic ability, including accolades in basketball, track and volleyball. An active member of her community, she coached the 2006 Paradise Christian Academy fifth-grade and high school boys.

A Flint, Michigan native, Byrd is the daughter of Joe and Rose who share ownership and management of Joe Byrd Boxing Academy where they train amateur and professional boxers.  She has a sister Tracy and brothers, Joe, Timmy, Ronnie, Patrick and Chris, a professional fighter who defeated Evander Holyfield for the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title in 2002.

Bird holds a bachelor’s degree in human services from the University of Detroit Mercy.

The Houston Comets begin their inaugural season in Reliant Arena on May 27 at 7:30 p.m. against the Minnesota Lynx.

Comets get fifth pick in WNBA draft

The Los Angeles Sparks today won the WNBA draft lottery for the number one pick in the spring draft.    Chicago will have the second pick, followed by Minnesota, Atlanta, Houston and Washington.

   Atlanta, an expansion team added to the Eastern Conference last week, was automatically awarded the number four pick.

   The date of the draft, traditionally held after the Women's Final Four, hasn't been determined.

   The Sparks (10-24) finished tied with Minnesota for the league's worst record last season and had the best odds (34.1 percent) of getting the top pick.

   The remaining draft order, based on record, is the New York Liberty with the seventh pick, followed by Seattle, Connecticut and Sacramento rounding out the top ten.

   The Detroit Shock, Indiana Fever, defending champion Phoenix Mercury and Liberty wrap up the first round.  

   (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

Comets center Snow to have surgery on big toe

Comets center Michelle Snow will undergo surgery on her left big toe Friday morning at the Roger Clemens Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance at Memorial Hermann. During the procedure, Dr. Tom Clanton, who will perform the surgery, will use an arthroscopic approach to evaluate possible injury to the toe joint before removing a bone spur.

Typical recovery time is approximately two to four months.

Snow completed the 2007 season -- her sixth with the Comets -- with averages of 10.8 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game in 34 starts.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)