Hoops Happening: Swin Cash urges women to ‘put the work in to change that which we won’t ACCEPT anymore!’

On Thursday, much of the country tuned into televisions and computers to watch the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing during which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford gave testimony about her alleged sexual assault in high school by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who vehemently denies the allegation.

Those who tuned in witnessed the train wreck of a government in near-total dysfunction, with both Republicans and Democrats to blame for the bitter, partisan divide that, first, led to mismanagement of the allegation and, second, necessitated the spectacle dubbed a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Many who watched the hearing were rocked by Dr. Ford’s testimony, with no one on the committee deeming it not to be credible. A chorus of supporters around the country let their thoughts on the hearing be known, including retired WNBA star and Hall of Famer turned broadcaster Rebecca Lobo, who tweeted displeasure about the hearing and the conduct of some senators.

During Dr. Ford’s testimony, Skylar Diggins-Smith of the Dallas Wings tweeted that she had difficulty watching the hearing.

But retired three-time WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Swin Cash issued a poignant, yet forceful statement of encouragement for women struggling as a result of Dr. Ford’s testimony about her sexual assault. Cash’s statement included an acknowledgement of the cultural shift happening in the United States due to the #MeToo movement, which has women increasingly refusing to stay silent about sexual harassment, abuse, assault or rape, as well as a call to action that women work to put an end to this unacceptable, yet still normalized behavior by men towards women.

Cash, who later called yesterday’s events “a very emotional day,” was onto something in acknowledging the suffering of women due to yesterday’s publicized hearing. According to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), calls to its National Sexual Assault Hotline yesterday increased an “unprecedented” 147 percent over the normal call volume, showing the pervasiveness of sexual violence in this country.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump expressed his continued support for Kavanaugh, via Twitter, and the American Bar Association has called on senators to delay the vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation, pending an FBI investigation into Dr. Ford’s claims.

No matter what happens with the vote, it will take a long while to undo the damage caused by yesterday’s proceedings — to the systems of checks and balances in our government, to women, to survivors of sexual assault.

The senate will return to business as usual today, while Kavanaugh will await word on whether he will be appointed to the highest court in the land. Dr. Ford, however, will return to her life as a professor and work to pick up the pieces of her life after being thrust into the public spotlight against her will.

But Ford will also likely join millions of survivors across the country — from sea to shining sea — in a bid for continued healing from assaults which permanently altered their lives. For anyone who is struggling with the aftermath of yesterday’s senate hearing, help is available:

National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline

1.800.656.HOPE (4673)

National Sexual Assault Online Hotline

Go Chat

FIBA news

The USA Basketball Women’s National Team obliterated Nigeria in this morning’s super early (Eastern Time) quarterfinals matchup. Team USA scored 71 points and held Nigeria to just 40. Check back for the recap and a preview of tomorrow’s semifinals.

Drink up, link lush!

Natasha Cloud of the Washington Mystics is using the offseason to bolster her burgeoning skills as a reporter. Here she is, at the WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon, interviewing Rebekkah Brunson of the Minnesota Lynx.

She also interviewed Cappie Pondexter and Kiah Vaughn.

In other news ...

WWE champion Triple H gifted the Seattle Storm something very special in honor of the team’s 2018 WNBA Championship.

• Diana Taurasi was all smiles as she spent time in Spain with her wife (Penny Taylor), son (Leo) and a snaggle-toothed Brittney Griner.
• The Connecticut Sun has released Back of House, a docuseries about the team’s 2018 season. The second episode shows the team’s preparation for a matchup against the Las Vegas Aces.
• A’ja Wilson gets big love from NBA player Blake Griffin.
• Rebekkah Brunson may be building a career as a purveyor of food-truck waffles, but Monique Currie of the Washington Mystics has been flipping houses. Read this piece from The Undefeated to see what “money moves” the New York Liberty’s Marissa Coleman is making.
• Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx, along with Randall Cobb of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, will serve as judges for U.S. Cellular’s Most Valuable Coach program. Click the link to read about the contending coaches and cast your vote.
• The NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) have extended support for the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) through a licensing and royalties program that should help former NBA and WNBA players earn money following retirement.
• And here’s a roundup of what happened at the WNBA Inspiring Women Luncheon.

Shine brighter. * flicker flicker *