Erika’s Photo Gallery
** Translated **

Hey everyone!

This is Erika and I would like to share a little about my life here in Europe. 

I have been playing for five years in Spain and this is my third season in the city of Valencia.  Living here is very interesting and it’s very pretty.  We have the ’City of Arts’ which is a group of buildings and constructions that follow the river which snakes around Valencia.  There are museums, the aquarium, Palace of Music and other attractions that make the place a center of culture and pleasure. 

We have a very strong team which is always in the finals in the championships we compete in – Spanish League, Cope de Rainha and EuroLeague.  We have Spanish, Brasilian, Czech and American players (DeLisha Milton).

Here we train two times a day for two hours.  So my days are more or less the following:  I wake up, train, return to the house to eat lunch, rest, then return to train at night.  In Spain we have eating hours very different than the US.  We eat lunch at 3 in the afternoon and we eat dinner at 10 at night.  I thought you might find that interesting. 

Since the Spanish language is very similar to Portuguese, after being here five years, I feel at home.  I have lots of friends here and we make good use of the time when I’m not training.   Normally I like to go out with my brother who is here playing “futebol,” go to the movies, go out with the team to eat and travel a little to other cities like Madrid (things are a bit closer together here than in the US).

I am very excited about next season in Atlanta.  Our team has changed a lot and we all can expect to get a lot better for 2009.  Our goal is the championship and we will fight to achieve all that is possible, giving back everything that our amazing fans give us, filling the arena and always motivating us and welcoming us in Atlanta. 

In a month, I will be returning and I hope to see each of you at our games. 

Grande beijo da brasileira aqui,       

Erika

Hello everybody,

Oi galera,

Hola a todos.

Hope all is well with you all.

I am writing from Spain to let you guys know a little bit about what I am doing overseas.
 
So I am in Vilagarcia de Arousa, a little town north of Spain probably familiar to you all because Tamera Young played here before I arrived.  So just a little reminder of the city… typical town of north of Spain, very cozy city with the beach that helps with the cold.  In this region they speak a dialect call Galego which is very similar to my own language Portuguese.  So it’s pretty easy to communicate over here… gives some rest to my brain hehehe.

 
Ok now a little bit about the team and the league and all that.  We are in last place in the league.  I have only been here for a month and the team got me to try to help them to move at least two positions up so they don’t go down to the B league.  Just a little explanation, in Spain they have the first league and the two last teams go down to the B league and the two top teams of the B league move up for the First league.  So, things are really tough over here and it’s a real challenge to me and my teammates until April.  We also had a coaching change last week so things are starting to heat up over here.  But it is part of the job right?  We can’t win always but we definitely can play hard and give all on the court at all times and if we go down is because they are better than us and not because we didn’t work hard enough.  So we have a lot of work to do until April.  We have two upcoming games that are very important so wish us luck.

 
With the spirit of hard work and fight, I am very excited for the 2009 WNBA season in ATL!  Big changes on our team, more experience for everybody and a very good feeling that things are going to be a lot of better this summer.  So I really can’t wait for that.  And with all of your support, ATL FANS, we are definitely going to have more fun this upcoming season.

 
I think that is that for now.  Keep following up with us and I will see you all next summer!

Ate mais, see you later

Beijos. Kisses

 
Izi Castro Marques #8

Hello Dream fans!

This is the first blog that I write to you as a Dream player.  I am currently in Spain on one of the Baleric islands called Ibiza.  It is like any other island that I have visited… white beaches and good weather.  But lately it has been raining and cold.

As for my team, they started out on the rocky side but we are slowly getting better and are trying to stay afloat so we can make it to the playoffs at the end of the season.  For the past three weeks, I have been MVP for the Spanish League, which is great, but I am just going out there to help my team win, whatever it takes and it is paying off.

As for me I can’t wait to get back and get to my new team.  Despite what happened to the Comets I will never forget my start but now I have to be ready for a new beginning and a new city and new people and new fans.  All these things I am excited about and I hope the city of Atlanta welcomes me with open arms.

Sancho Lyttle

Dream fans- Find out what Ivory Latta has been up to this offseason!  Latta stopped by the Atlanta Dream offices over the holidays to let fans know about playing overseas in Israel (she hit the game-winner to give her team the Israel Cup!), her plans for the New Year, and why she can’t wait to get back on the court in 2009.  

Photo gallery: http://www.wnba.com/gallery/jennifer_lacy_081114_1.html

Nǐ hǎo ATL. greetings from Beijing, China.

Let me just tell ya…being in Beijing after the Olympics has been amazing.  When I first got here (Oct. 02), all of the stuff from the Olympics was still up, and it was great to get to see everything they talked about during the games.  I haven’t had much free time to see everything I’ve wanted to yet, but I did get to go to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.  I have to say…it’s pretty amazing to see the things and places I once studied in school.  Out of all the countries I have played in so far, this has definitely been right at the top.

My team has been so great at helping me make the transition.  Because being half way around the world, jet-lagged, sick and unable to speak the language is not as easy as us players make it look. J  So to say the least, they have been amazing so far.  The on the court stuff has been fun but a challenge.  The language barrier is no joke!!!  I thought I could wing it, like I always do when I first get to a new country, but boy was I wrong.  There are very few words that remind me of anything I have ever heard or any other language I have learned.  We have no idea what we are saying to each other, lol…so we just point and gesture a lot.  My translator is great; I would definitely be lost without her.  I’d just be running all over the place pointing and waiving my hands like a crazy lady.  So even with all of that, our team is somehow finding its way.  We are tough and scrappy and we fight till the buzzer sounds.  A lot like another team I know, hint hint.

Since I’ve been here, I have got to play against and see some friends. Before I knew Ann was playing here, we were watching film of our next opponent and I almost jumped out of my seat when I saw her check into the game.  I don’t think I have ever been that excited to see her, lol.  It was a nice surprise…that is until they beat us by six points.  I have also played against Tan (my old teammate from Phoenix) and Chas from Chicago.  So there has been some fun basketball going on over here.

But nothing beats being home.  I miss ATL…I could use some Waffle House, some French Toast from Cracker Barrel and some take out from This Is It.  But more than anything else I miss my dogs Riley and Doogie… they had to stay behind this trip.  They would have had to be quarantined for a month when they got here and for a month when we returned home.  So, for the first time, we are apart (sniff sniff).  So ATl, ya girl is doing well.  Hope things are great with all of you.  Bye for now.

Jenn

#21 Atlanta Dream

Front Page News… has multiple meanings tonight! I just returned from our fan viewing party at Front Page News in L5P (Little Five Points). I’ve gotta hand it to our fans… we had a great group of fans tonight… and even though we were down early and there was that “here we go again” feeling… our fans never gave up. The start of the game… in fact most of the first half… was not an ideal start, especially on the road. But fear not… your Dream did not give in, they did not give up… they kept on battling, went on amazing scoring run, and did not let the large Lynx lead deter their faith. The Dream recovered, got back in the game, played some great D, and Betty really stepped it up with 24 huge points.

Just like the Dream, fans did not give up. They didn’t leave despite the score. They stayed until the bitter end… until the Dream locked the game up with seconds left…and had a heck of a celebration when we secured the win. It looks like to me we are learning to finish strong. There is no doubt we need to improve our slow starts… but in my book, a win is a win, and this is our first road win… Dream fans witnessed history tonight and a special thank you goes out to all the fans that came to Front Page News tonight to support the team. If you couldn’t make it out tonight, be sure grab your friends and family… the kids, the neighbors, co-workers and teammates while you are at it… and come out to Front Page News to cheer on the Dream to victory again on Sunday night from 6:00 – 8:00 PM!

Front Page News is fitting not only because that’s where fans witnessed history tonight at our fan viewing party, but because we’ve won two in a row… and that is truly front page news! I’m not sure how often in sports history that the first home win and first road win in franchise history come back-to-back, but that’s what happened tonight.

There will be all smiles and good times tomorrow at the Dream offices!

Thanks again to all the fans who came out to Front Page News and got to witness Dream history tonight!

Can the Dream make it 3-0 Friday night in San Antonio?

LETS GO DREAM!

Linkage.

Looks like Coach Meadors is trying to get our 1st quarters off to a better start by putting Izzy in the starting lineup.

Thoughts?

- Buy One, Get One Free Appetizers
- Signature Drinks / Drink Specials
- Dream prize giveaways

Parking: On-site parking lot plus 2 additional parking lots adjacent to Front Page News.

For more information & directions to Front Page News, visit: