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Live Chat Transcript with Kate Starbird


Nov. 11, 1998


Question:
Any final thoughts, Kate?
Webmaster -- Anytown -- 1998/11/11 17:59

Answer:
Thanks for chatting. Keep coming out to the games and bring your friends -- all of them -- all 47 of them!!!


Question:
Hi. I have read some things that you've written, and they were really good. Have you ever thought about writting a book?
Betsy -- San Francisco -- 1998/11/11 17:07

Answer:
I've thought about it in some obscure way off in the distant future. I like to read magazines and newspapers, and when I write I write one page on one subject and quickly shift subjects -- I'm not sure I could do a whole book on one subject.


Question:
Hey Bird! Do you still keep in touch with your Stanford teammates?
Betsy -- San Francisco -- 1998/11/11 17:04

Answer:
Yeah -- I think I've talked to all my basketball teammates in the last two weeks.


Question:
I was at the Tara Vanderveer bball camp last summer, and I heard your talk. How msny times have you said that exact speech, do you think?
Betsy -- San Francisco -- 1998/11/11 17:17

Answer:
It's not really a speech -- it's just rambling.


Question:
Do you still play the guitar?
Ashley -- Scotia -- 1998/11/11 17:04

Answer:
I'm still trying. I tore a tendon in my pinkie last year and couldn't play, so I'm really behind. I should take some lessons. But that's one of my life goals is to learn how to play the guitar well.


Question:
Hi Kate, Do you/your teammates have any opinion on the NBA players situation?
Eddie -- Santa Clara -- 1998/11/11 17:07

Answer:
Our opinion is we feel bad for NBA fans and for players who would like to be playing somewhere. They'd rather be playing than going to meetings all the times. But we're really happy to be getting the media coverage, especially in Seattle because it's an NBA city. My sister's boyfriend is a bartender, and she got 47 of the guys who hang out at this Irish bar to come to our home opener, and they're all coming back. They told me how much fun they had, and they want my jersey on the wall at the bar now. (They also told me to throw an elbow) -- the bar is called the Galway Arms in the university district of Seattle.


Question:
do you do autographs
blizz fan -- holyoke -- 1998/11/11 17:07

Answer:
Yes, I've signed probably 100's of thousands of autographs -- I had to shorten my name during college.


Question:
Kate, who is the toughest player you have ever faced?
-- -- 1998/11/11 17:08

Answer:
That's too hard. It's really hard to exclude people.


Question:
if you had to name the perfect team who would you name for that team?
Margaret -- Bergenfield, N.J. -- 1998/11/11 17:09

Answer:
That's tough. I'm not sure I can answer that because I don't know enough of history. There's not enough video of people who came before us. I'd automatically be leaving someone out, but Chamique Holdsclaw and Teresa Edwards would definitely be on the team.


Question:
Kate, what's your favorite movie? What do you like to do in your free time?
Betsy -- San Francisco -- 1998/11/11 17:11

Answer:
My favorite movie changes everytime someone asks me that question. I don't have just one that I watch over and over again. The Star Wars series is pretty good -- I went back and watched them all when they were re-released. In my free time I like to sleep. Currently, I've gotten into the habit of reading three or four hours a day -- whatever I can get my hands on -- and I do the crossword puzzles.


Question:
Did you ever have any coachs you didn't agree with when you were a kid?
Ashley -- Scotia -- 1998/11/11 17:11

Answer:
I dont' think any player agrees with every coach, but even if I thought a coach was completely wrong (and I knew it!!) I'd try to go along with what they were saying because it's really important that everybody be on the same page. If I was going to have problems, I'd usually be more critical of a coach after the season. Even if it's not the best play, if you're not running it, your team's going to be worse.


Question:
What role do you think you play when it comes to the team relationship? Like, comedian, leader, that sort of thing?
Crystal -- Lacey -- 1998/11/11 17:11

Answer:
I'm not big on being the center of attention all the time, and our team we have a few extroverted personalities. I'm usually in the circle around that person laughing, and then I make the side remark.


Question:
Hi Kate. I just wanted to say that I think you're a class act. I don't know you from a hole in the wall, but I've seen the way you hold yourself around your fans and complete strangers. You are a STAR! Good Luck!
karen -- seattle -- 1998/11/11 17:11

Answer:
Um...thanks.


Question:
Did you ever play in any summer leagues when you were growing up?
Colleen Nicolette -- Tacoma -- 1998/11/11 17:11

Answer:
I played with an all-star team from the Tacoma Seattle -- all western WA area, and our coach was Gary Wilson, and we went to probably 100 tournaments over the 4 years I was in high school, including AAU, BCI, Oregon City and other large tournaments.


Question:
Kate I first became interested in Women's Basketball watching your game against Tenn(?) in the 97 NCAA semifinals. Did you feel the refs missed a foul against Jamila Wideman on her last attempted shot?
Kori -- Chicago -- 1998/11/11 17:12

Answer:
Most people in sports know that the refs don't call fouls in a really close game in the last three seconds. I can't blame the refs. I walked off thinking that we'd lost and we must have done something wrong, not that the refs had blown the game for us. That was against Old Dominion, by the way.


Question:
Kate, I'm going to be visiting Seattle soon, what restaurant would you suggest I go to?
Jeff -- San Jose -- 1998/11/11 17:12

Answer:
You know, I go out to eat every night. I'm torn between so many places -- it's hard. My favorite is the little taco shop down the street from my house, but I'm not sure you want to go there on your one trip to Seattle. There's one called something like Ray's Boathouse in Ballard that's really good.


Question:
What are you working on improving most in your game this season?
Joanne -- Des Moines -- 1998/11/11 17:15

Answer:
You know, I've decided to work on my confidence. This year I've decided to spend more time on the mental than the physical. Last year I improved my defense, but this year with the new outlook for our team, I'm concentrating on keeping a positive outlook.


Question:
Because you grew up here, do you feel a loyality to the area? I think everyone loves having local superstars stick around, do you ever plan on moving? Or are you a NW Forever chick?
Crystal -- Lacey -- 1998/11/11 17:16

Answer:
I am probably looking to buy a house in the area the end of this year. I've lived a lot of places, but the northwest is the best, although San Jose had some pretty nice weather, but I couldn't afford to buy a house there.


Question:
Do you and your teammates have time to date during the season?
Christina -- Houston -- 1998/11/11 17:13

Answer:
Yeah -- about half the team has someone they're with. Val I can never figure out if she's engaged or not, but she's got someone she's with, and Shalonda is definitely engaged. But you don't have time to meet someone new during the season -- you have to carry them over from the off-season.


Question:
What was the most exciting thing that happened to you in the off season?
Betsy -- San Francisco -- 1998/11/11 17:14

Answer:
I'm not sure anything exciting happened to me in the off season. I went to Mexico for a week -- but that was pretty mellow. I went lookin' for trouble but couldn't find any.


Question:
hi kate. how do you see the addition of n. johnson changing seattle's whole game plan?
joe -- seattle -- 1998/11/11 17:16

Answer:
Niesa is a huge addition to our team. She adds an element that we had nobody bringing last year. She pushes the ball up the floor, makes us a transition team rather than just a half court team. I'm extremely happy that she's come to seattle.


Question:
Hey Kate.. who on the team takes on most of the leadership responsibilities? Who's more of a leader and a team mother sort of thing?
Crystal -- Lacey -- 1998/11/11 17:02

Answer:
I don't think we have a team mother! We're too young. The leadership really spreads out among a lot of players. Our two captains are our point guards -- Niesa and Kate Paye, but everybody else likes to make speeches. We have a lot of leaders on the team and everyone takes a leadership role at different times.


Question:
Hi Kate, Is Seattle a women's basketball town?
Eddie -- Santa Clara -- 1998/11/11 17:02

Answer:
Absolutely -- they have a great following for the Washington Huskies women's team -- they've always had a good following for their team and it carried over for our team. Oh!!! I'm watching television -- the evening news -- and there's one of our commercials! This reminds me -- the other night when we got off the plane from Colorado, Naomi's father met us at the plane and was doing one of those cheers!!! It was so funny.


Question:
Kate, what do you want to do when you are finished playing ball professionally?
Christina -- Houston -- 1998/11/11 17:03

Answer:
I really haven't decided yet. At some point, I'll probably use that computer science degree I have -- it wasn't easy to come by -- and maybe I'd like to coach at the high school level -- certainly not at the college or pro level -- I couldn't stand that much stress -- but I would like to try my hand at coaching.


Question:
Hi Kate, How do you stay in shape in the off-season? diet?
Eddie -- Santa Clara -- 1998/11/11 17:03

Answer:
I work out in the weight room three times a week, play basketball three-four times a week, and run also. I can use as many calories as I can get.


Question:
Kate, my cousin in San Jose wants to know what he has to do to convince you to play for the Lasers?
Juliet -- St. Louis -- 1998/11/11 17:03

Answer:
Uh -- (LOL) move them to Seattle???


Question:
Hi Kate, What size shoe do you wear?
Eddie -- Santa Clara -- 1998/11/11 17:01

Answer:
I wear a women's 11 -- a men's 9-1/2 -- not too small, but not too big either.


Question:
Hi Kate. Congrats on your teams win on Sunday? How do you see the Reign's chances now that Columbus lost 3 of their star players?
lisa -- seattle -- 1998/11/11 16:59

Answer:
We were actually sad to hear that Katie Smith tore her ACL. It doesn't just hurt Columbus, it hurts the whole league to have our star players get injured like that. Meanwhile, I think the Reign is taking one game at a time and looking to be more successful than last year. I'm not sure how high we've set our sights right now, but we're getting comfortable with what we're doing out there, and we're enjoying the fact that we think we're a better team this year than last. Of course, we'd love to play on CBS.


Question:
Do you have the internet, or do you ever get online?
Colleen Nicolette -- Tacoma -- 1998/11/11 16:57

Answer:
I email occasionally, but very rarely do I go surfing the net or do anything else except I look up stocks.


Question:
kate,what is the diffrence from playing in collage then going to the pros??
kristi -- springfield -- 1998/11/11 16:55

Answer:
The pros are a lot more physical, and every player on every team is extremely talented -- it's an overall high level of play in all aspects.


Question:
Kate - If you could go on a "dream date" in Seattle, where would you go and what would you do?
Jeff -- Bellingham -- 1998/11/11 16:54

Answer:
I went to a Mariner's game and had hotdogs. That was my dream date.


Question:
Hi Bird. We miss you at Stanford. Do you think you'll make it to Maples for some games this season?
RZ -- Stanford -- 1998/11/11 16:54

Answer:
I haven't figured out any that I can make yet, but I might try -- I'm not sure.


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