Monarchs Blog and Q&A

Bee staff writer Melody Gutierrez grew up in Twentynine Palms. At 14-years-old, she decided to combine her two passions -- sports and writing -- when she became a special assignments reporter for the Desert Trail, her hometown weekly newspaper. Melody headed to Northern California in 2000 to attend Chico State and has remained in the region ever since. She earned an internship with The Bee and subsequently became a staff writer in 2004 and has covered virtually every sport, starting with high schools, up through college and then the pros. Melody took over coverage of the Monarchs last season and chronicled the team's pursuit of a second straight league championship -- a quest that fell just short.

Melody welcomes your questions and will answer as many as she can as the season progresses.

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August 06, 2007

Griffith facing fine?

The Monarchs have not heard from WNBA officials as to whether critical comments Yolanda Griffith made last night about officiating will warrant a fine, but many speculate that one is on the way.

Griffith criticized referees for allowing Sunday's game against Indiana to get too physical after the Monarchs dropped the 63-55 contest. Similar comments in the past by WNBA players and coaches have been met with fines.

"You've got the ball and you get raked from behind and the ball goes flying somewhere else, that's a ... foul," Griffith told Bee freelancer Patrick Dorsey. "(They stink). They are not consistent. They have not been consistent the whole season. It's ridiculous. This is not basketball, it's football. And it's like, I want to enjoy the game (but) you can't enjoy the game, because you've got to be mentally strong and prepare yourself (so) you don't (get) hurt."

The WNBA does not release the varying dollar amount associated with fines. Detroit coach Bill Laimbeer was fined last year after criticizing officials after the Shock lost to the Monarchs in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. A source told The Bee at the time that the fine was $500.

Laimbeer had said he was tired of a "double standard on the whistle" and that his "players are becoming frustrated, and we expect - no, we demand - that we get the same calls as the other team."

--Melody Gutierrez

Posted by Bill Bradley, August 6, 2007 01:55 PM

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