Sky Coach Resigns Amid Harassment Allegations

The head coaching job with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky is beginning to resemble the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position at Hogwarts, the famed magic school in the Harry Potter series. No DADA teacher ever stayed at Hogwarts for more than one year.

The Sky will enter its third season with its third head coach and general manager after Bo Overton suddenly resigned Thursday for reasons that team president Margaret Stender declined to talk about, according to the Chicago Tribune.

However, a series of allegations of sexual harassment by Overton against some of the Sky players appeared on the team’s Internet message board earlier this week. That prompted Stender to post her own message asking for anyone with knowledge of the situation to contact her directly, and she provided her e-mail address and office phone number. Stender said the online allegations did not directly lead to Overton’s resignation, but she is taking them seriously.

The Sky went 14-20 in 2007 under Overton, a big improvement over its inaugural season in 2006 when the team went 5-29 under coach-GM Dave Cowens, who resigned and returned to the NBA at the end of that first year. Steve Key, an assistant with the Sky for the past two seasons, will take over as head coach and general manager for the 2008 season.

For a new franchise heading into its third season, stability in the head coaching job will be crucial to its future success, especially as the Sky will have the second overall pick in the 2008 draft and may be a candidate in the Candace Parker sweepstakes. That stability can be the difference between a perennial loser and a team destined for greater things.

What If Candace Parker Came to Play….for the Chicago Sky?

Every now and then, I like to play a game of “What if?”

This week, I’ve been asking that question a lot ever since Naperville native Candace Parker led the Tennessee Volunteers to an NCAA women’s basketball title Tuesday night. For example, what if Parker, arguably the best female collegiate basketball player in the nation, decides to turn pro after her junior year next season?

And what if the WNBA’s Chicago Sky does not improve on its 5-29 record from its inaugural season last year and is one of the teams entered into the WNBA lottery for the top rookie draft pick? And what if the Sky would be lucky enough to win the lottery draw and select Parker in the draft? Would Parker want to return to her hometown to play for the Sky, knowing she can make an immediate impact, even though it may still take a few years for the team to become more competitive? What if her very presence on the court could turn the franchise into a powerhouse team the way Michael Jordan did for the Chicago Bulls in the early 1990s? Would the Sky be willing and find the funds to pay Parker top dollar for her talents? Would she look good in the Sky’s team colors of sky blue and yellow?

Whichever team is lucky enough to select Parker in the WNBA draft will have a franchise player that is going to make a difference, not just for their team but also for the league. Wherever Parker goes, fans will follow, and the league may set attendance records just because fans everywhere will flock to the games to watch her play.

I could go on and on with my “what if?” questions. The possibilities are endless. Or as the old saying goes, “The sky’s the limit.”