Storm prepared for season of lofty expectations

SEATTLE -- Four years ago, after bringing the WNBA championship trophy to Seattle, Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson appeared on the cusp of a lengthy run atop the league.

They were talented, experienced and, most important, young enough to create a long-standing championship contender every year in Seattle.

Three years, and three first-round playoff exits later, the Storm looks very little like that title team, except for Bird and Jackson, the reigning league MVP. In place now is a star-studded roster of Olympians and All-Stars, constructed with the belief that egos and credentials can be set aside and "The Perfect Storm" -- as the team's marketing gurus are promoting -- can bring another championship to Seattle.

"A lot of teams look at this roster and say, 'Wow, it's a nice roster,'" said new guard Sheryl Swoopes. "And on paper, it is. But it doesn't matter what's on paper, it's what is out on the floor."

The Storm open their season of lofty expectations Saturday night against Chicago, and what will be on the floor is a lineup that features Jackson, Bird, Swoopes, former league MVP Yolanda Griffith and Olympian Swin Cash. They'll be playing for new coach Brian Agler, the architect of this remodel, and in front of an appreciative fan base assured the team will seemingly be in Seattle permanently.

When Seattle lost to Phoenix in the first round of last year's playoffs, there was concern it was the final game in Seattle for the Storm. Fans were uncertain if Clay Bennett, owner of the SuperSonics, would push to move his WNBA team to Oklahoma City as he is doing with the NBA team.

But in January, Bennett sold the Storm to Force 10 Hoops LLC, a group of four Seattle businesswomen, for $10 million. Led by former Seattle Deputy Mayor Anne Levinson, the group has made it clear the Storm are not going anywhere.

"That was a day that was filled with a tremendous amount of relief, not only for our staff and our players, but our fans and the community," Storm CEO Karen Bryant said. "Relief in the hope that the franchise would be sold and we would have a chance to stay in Seattle. And from that point forward, it's all been about the opportunities and the new direction of the franchise."

The sale likely kept Jackson and Bird from pursuing other interests in the WNBA and abroad. Neither expressed much interest in playing anywhere but Seattle.

That move also was the catalyst for a series of stunning offseason moves that remodeled the Storm roster.

First was the hiring of Agler to replace Anne Donovan, who suddenly stepped aside after last season. Next was a series of trades that landed Cash in Seattle after six standout seasons in Detroit. Cash, a college teammate of Bird's at Connecticut, averaged 11 points and six rebounds last year with the Shock.

"In ways we're like sisters, so it's a comfort level that automatically comes with (Swin)," Bird said.

After Cash came the two stunners -- Swoopes and Griffith. Both were the faces of their franchises, having spent their entire careers with Houston and Sacramento, each garnering loads of honors and bringing titles to their teams.

But both are entering the twilight of their careers. Swoopes, 37, missed most of the 2007 season with a bad back, and Griffith, 38, failed to average at least 10 points for the first time in her nine seasons.

"It's an amazing roster. I've looked at a lot of rosters during my years and I'd say by far this is a lot of talent," Griffith said. "But talent doesn't win championships. It's going to be a lot of sacrifices we'll have to do."

Can all these stars work together, and is Seattle's bench strong enough to back up its superstar starting lineup? Seattle's best frontcourt reserve, Janell Burse, will miss the season recovering from injuries. The backcourt is mostly untested behind the starters.

All the stars accept there are lofty expectations that accompany having such a roster, even though Seattle is not the favorite in the loaded Western Conference. They all realize, as well, that sharing might be the most critical factor this season.

"To be successful you have to sacrifice something and I think everyone here has enough experience to realize that," Jackson said. "In all honesty, I think it's going to be great."