http://www.wnba.com/sparks/news/box_050523.html Out of the Box With Unique What’s up out there!! I just want to thank you all for coming through and checking out my online diary. Well, the excitement begins now because we are going to have some fun throughout the course of this WNBA season. I will be keeping you up to date about what’s going on in my world. We will have a ball so make sure you log on weekly with yours truly, Unique. I'm sure many of you are wondering who Unique is … well, Unique is my new nickname. Many of you have known me as Mique for many years now. My new name was given to me by my new coach Henry Bibby. Why Unique? Well he says I’m different, and he means different in a good way. I guess I’ll try to take that as a compliment. This new name is sticking though. At first it would catch me off guard when a teammate would yell out my name. I would pause for a second and then react, but now I’m up and running. So Unique it will be for this 2005 season. For those that can’t make the transition as easily I’ll still go by Mique for a limited time only. Once I decided to play this 2005 season I was really nervous. I knew I would be leaving my comfort zone. I would be leaving all my friends and my family, my house and, most importantly, my support group that has held me down through six seasons in D.C. Despite this difficult decision, my close friends and family were really excited about me heading to L.A and playing for the Sparks. All they could talk about was the possible championships, all the talented players, and the fact that Sparks had two WNBA titles but had not captured the crown the past two seasons. Now if you can imagine I had all this running through my head—boy, was I a wreck. I’m one of those people that believes in serving my purpose. I asked the spirit above to show me a sign, and let’s just say that sign was revealed. Since then I take this experience as a blessing because I know this is where I’m supposed to be and I look forward to all the lessons I will learn. I am really enjoying Los Angeles and its laid back nature. I like to chill so I love the fact that I live three blocks from the beach. The sunshine has really been conducive to my spirit - there is nothing like a little sunshine to brighten up your day. I love just walking on the beach and people-watching. You see a little bit of everything on Venice beach. My favorite attraction thus far is the dude that thinks he is Cameo (old school singer with the flat top) and pop locks (old school dance move). Oh! I can’t forget the guy that roller skates while playing rock and roll on his guitar. It’s like being home in N.Y.C.; you get a little bit of everything and no one seems surprised. People keep walking like everything is normal. It seems like everyone is trying to get me to compare my experiences as a Mystic to those as a Spark. I see that as unfair. I truly enjoyed my experiences as a Mystic - I had a lot of good times and laughs. Most importantly I experienced personal growth. I came in as a bright-eyed rookie and left a mature woman. Everyday wasn’t the brightest nor was it the gloomiest. That’s just life. Nothing ever runs smoothly all the time. You tend to have mishaps along the way. So when I talk about my experience thus far as a Spark, I am never trying to compare or down the Mystics. As for our new coach, Henry Bibby … well, he is no joke. This guy wants to win and that’s the bottom line. He doesn’t expect us to just show up and win - he is about preparation and he works us really hard. I’m so impressed by his knowledge of the game. When you have played for as many coaches at this level as I have, you think you have seen it all. Some of the sets he puts together for us to run are ones I have never seen before. I like when he breaks it down and tells us why the play will work and all the options. It’s like a true artist at work. Even our assistant, Coach Shelly, said with all her coaching experience she has never seen some of the things he runs. Coach also keeps it real. You have to love that he’s quite a character - I just laugh. One thing I really like that he said was the most important people on the team are the bench, because they make up the difference in the game. Our team is made of a lot of different personalities; you have no carbon copies around here. I think it’s great how we are all different but on the court we can bring it together and make it work. I have competed against some of these players for years and I have enjoyed getting to know them on a daily basis. We are just out there everyday trying to get better as a team. I know this season will have its ups and downs, and I’m sure each player will go through something. The key for us is staying together and having each other's back. Like Coach Bibby said, it’s war out there every time we step on the court, and we have to learn to cover for each other. That way when we approach a bump in the road it doesn’t slow us down. It’s been great sharing my time and thoughts with all of you and be sure to check me out next week. So make sure all of you tune in and show the ladies some love. Until next time stay blessed and stay safe and remember to keep that positive energy flowing. Yours Truly - Unique #1 Thought for the Week: Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved. - Helen Keller --

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