It’s Hump Day Hate Day!

Folks, the thing about hate is it’s fluid. It changes. It’s completely ungovernable and can spawn out of nowhere overnight. Identifying hate requires discipline and monitoring multiple situations at once and that’s why each week I bring you a new segment entitled Under Surveillance, where I point out some storylines with hateful undertones that could possibly manifest into full blown Hater’s Guide points. So without further ado, here’s who’s Under Surveillance this week. Word to Stephen A. Smith…

Brian Fleurantin joined Andrew this week to discuss Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty’s winning streak…

Tyler broke down Monday’s nights games on YouTube and will be dropping another game recap later this afternoon…

And finally a sitrep on the Chicago Sky, after a much discussed offseason of acquisitions and trades…available for our paid subscribers, the Ball-Knowers…

The Chicago Sky made headlines with the press conference from hell this week and followed it up with a disappointing loss to Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream. Skylar Diggins was very candid about how frustrated this season has been and who all is responsible for it, to which I have to ask; what exactly were you expecting?

You followed a trail of money into a sewer and now you’re complaining it smells crazy in there. You and Big Latto had that preseason press conference telling everyone to be nice to y’all and Tyler Marsh and Jeff Pagliocca and that aged like avocados forgotten on the counter. There’s holding your team accountable and then there’s this public lamenting under the guise of holding your team accountable. Have a players only come to Chicago Jesus meeting and figure it out because the court of public opinion will never be on your side.

We move to another Midwest s---show with the Indiana Fever, the Sky’s tether.

So, there’s been much made about whether Stephanie White hates Caitlin Clark or not. On its face, it sounds like ridiculous fan chatter…and then I see the Washington win and my eyebrow begins to creep up. We all witnessed baby’s first game-winner against the Mystics; a lovely little 30-foot bomb right in front of the Mystics’ bench complete with celebration in Cotie McMahon’s face because Big Ten hate never dies.

Yes, Caitlin doinked two clutch free throws to put them in a situation to need saving. Yes, the Fever blew a darn near 20-point lead to make the game close in the first place, but what happens after is what matters most to me. Sophie Cunningham posted a God-awful AI generated meme of her and Caitlin basically saying the last play was all improv. Lexie Hull apparently  said on a post-game radio interview that the goal during the final play was to draw a foul.

Folks this is bad, David Blatt bad…for Steph White, that is. At worse, you have a coup on your hands in which players see your play calling as goofy and are governing themselves accordingly. At best, this was an elaborate troll job (I don’t believe that) and ironically a coach named White can’t control her leches. Either way, Steph White is under surveillance.

I have admittedly done my part to stir up the great White Girl War between Caitlin and Paige, but now a new skirmish rages on. We not have the Biracial Battle of 2026 as Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles and Azzi Fudd battle it out for Rookie of the Year. So far the People’s Princess got her behind tore up and the Princess’ subjects are losing their ever-loving stan minds. 

The first head-to-head matchup did not go well for Azzi and Lynx admin made sure everyone knew about posting a side-by-side graphic of the stats both on Twitter and in the Target Center. Stans hollered about bullying and harassment while sending out…death threats? Totally normal response in a place where there’s no space for hate! Anyway, if something as small as a unfavorable comparison graphic sets y’all off, good luck because you just showed how thin your skin is on an app famously known for grace and mercy.

Jovana Nogic's skill that deserves more attention by Shane Young, Phoenix Mercury

WNBA gameday discussion: Is the early-season favorite for Most Improved Player again on an expansion team? by Cat Ariali, SwishAppeal

Chicago Sky's season slipping away in familiar fashion as Skylar Diggins bemoans 'loser mentality' by Isabel Gonzalez, CBSSports

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