Two Nice Tamika Stories

Tamika Catchings wins elusive title
Three-time Olympic gold medalist and former NCAA champ finally nabs WNBA crown

Just how much does Tamika Catchings appreciate finally winning her first WNBA title at age 33? To understand, you must go back to the little girl shooting baskets alone on the playground, the place she felt she had the most refuge from bullying.

You must go back to the college senior missing her last NCAA tournament at Tennessee because of a knee injury.

You must go back to the player screaming out in pain when her Achilles' tendon ruptured as the Indiana Fever's 2007 season came to an end.

You must go back to the devastated veteran having lost her closest brush to a WNBA championship, as it slipped away to Phoenix in 2009.

And you must go back to the disappointed regular-season MVP who was hobbled by a foot injury as Indiana fell to Atlanta in the 2011 Eastern Conference finals.

Read the rest of the story by Mechelle Voepel.

A true team effort and unlikely contributors bring Indiana Fever a title

This one's for Tamika Catchings, who finally filled out her trophy case with her first WNBA title to go along with all those Olympic gold medals and overseas championships. Did you catch that snapshot of Catchings standing on the victory podium, holding up the championship and MVP hardware? What a sight.

Read the rest of the story by Bob Kravitz.