COLORADO XPLOSION - BIRDSONG WRITES NEW TUNE
BFISHINC
DENVER, COLO. - The lazy days of summer have not stopped Colorado
Xplosion General Manager Lark Birdsong from making waves for the
American Basketball League franchise.
Since April, Birdsong has been instrumental in bringing new faces
to the franchise as it readies for its third season of ABL play
starting with pre-season drills September 28 followed by an
exhibition schedule and the regular-season opener the first week in
November.
Birdsong began the makeover April 23 by naming Linda Hargrove as
the second head coach in franchise history replacing Sheryl Estes,
who resigned February 27 after leading the Xplosion to a 46-38
record during the team's first two seasons.
Hargrove, who began working full-time in the Xplosion's Grant
Street offices Monday (August 3), had spent more than two decades
college coaching in Kansas. She guided the Wichita State Shockers
for the past nine seasons (1989-98). Over her 26-year coaching
career, Hargrove compiled a 429-248 overall record.
Also joining the Xplosion coaching staff is Jessie Kenlaw, who left
her head coaching position at the University of Houston to join
Hargrove. Kenlaw led the Cougars to an eight-season mark (1990-98)
of 104-123. A veteran of four pro basketball seasons, Kenlaw was
a 1978 first-round draft pick of the Houston Angels of the Women's
Professional Basketball League, the first professional league for
women in the United States.
Birdsong's next move was the front office addition of Mike Cole, a
25-year marketing veteran with experience in both the National
Basketball Association and the Continental Basketball Association.
As the Xplosion's new marketing and sales director, Cole had spent
nine years in that same capacity for the Boston Celtics prior to
and during the Larry Bird-era. He was named the top salesperson in
the NBA for five years during the 1980s.
Cole, who had worked for the Orlando Magic before coming to the
Mile High City, will also head the "Xplosion Xecutives Xperience"
program. Cole relieves veteran sports marketer Bob King, who had
handled the program since May for Birdsong.
The inaugural "Xplosion Xecutive Xperience" program featured recent
college graduates Hollie Casson (Shippensburg University '96),
Nicole Dante' (University of Colorado '98), Brenda Hohensee (St.
Bonaventure University '98), Kate Knowles (Penn State '98), Brandi
Poole (University of the South '97), Kristi Thompson (University of
Colorado '98) and Naaman Yardeny (Metropolitan State '98).
Undergraduates participating in the program include Gina
Delli-Gatti (University of Colorado '99), Timothy Gelt
(Metropolitan State '00) and Eric Lynn (Valparaiso University '99).
Rounding out the front-office changes is Hope Wagner, who interned
with the Xplosion during the summer of 1997. Wagner, who is
Colorado's community relations director, is a 1998 summa cum laude
of the University of Nebraska at Kearney where she earned dual
degrees in journalism and sports administration. She graduated
from Denver North High School where she ranked in the top 10 of her
class and earned letters in soccer and volleyball.
XPLOSION NOTES
DENVER, COLO. - Here's Colorado Xplosion notes entering August as
the team prepares for its third-season of competition in the
American Basketball League.
TICKETS
With Xplosion's Marketing and Sales Director Mike Cole on board,
the team is actively selling season tickets, securing sponsors and
finalizing its radio package for the 1998-99 season. Season
tickets range from $180 to $950 for the 22-game home schedule. For
more season ticket information, interested individuals should
telephone 303/832-2229. The Xplosion's regular-season will start
the first week in November.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Nine Xplosion appearances have been arranged for August by Hope
Wagner, the team's new Community Relations Director. Upcoming
involvement for the Xplosion are a talk by General Manager Lark
Birdsong at the Aurora Gateway Rotary Club Thursday (August 7), and
player appearances for Dana Wynne (Friday at the Mayor's Urban
Symposium & Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.) and Edna Campbell
(Monday at the Cook Park Girl's Basketball Camp). Other August
Xplosion appearances are at the Littleton Carousel of Music (August
19) and Weber Elementary School Fun Run Kickoff (August 31). The
entire Xplosion roster reconvenes September 1 for a month of
community relation-type activities along the front range. Thirteen
(13) events have been scheduled. For more Xplosion community
relations information, interested individuals should telephone
Wagner by telephoning 303/832-2225.
HARGROVES ON THE MOVE
Brian Hargrove, the sone of the new Xplosion coach, has been busy
this summer working with USA Basketball. Hargrove has been working
with the national basketball federation the past two months and
recently traveled to Russia with the United States's 1998 Women's
World Youth Games team.
New Xplosion Coach Linda Hargrove, who had been an assistant coach
for several USA Basketball women's teams, will review this
weekend's Jones Cup tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colo., to begin
searching for potential 1999 ABL Player's Draft prospects.
Xplosion Quick Facts
General Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lark Birdsong
Sponsorships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne Price
Marketing & Sales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mike Cole
Operations & Merchandising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Nillen
Ticketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .to be named
Business Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Boothe
Community Relations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hope Wagner
Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tim Simmons
Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linda Hargrove
Assistant Coach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jessie Kenlaw
Trainer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rhonda Parker
1996-97 Season Record
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25-15 (1st, Western Conference)
1997-98 Season Record
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-23 (T3rd, Western Conference)
Team Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . navy, yellow
Arena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Denver Coliseum (9,600)
McNichols Sports Arena (17,171)
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suite 410, 800 Grant St.
Denver, CO 80203
Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303/832-2225; FAX 832-2227
Internet address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.xplosion.com
E-mail address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .in...@xplosion.com
THE 1998-99 XPLOSION
'97-'98 ABL
NO. PLAYERS PTS REBS ASTS
2 Dana Wynne 4.2 2.4 0.2
ABL career 4.2 2.4 0.2
4 Darla Simpson 8.5 3.5 0.5
ABL career
(with Atlanta) 8.5 3.5 0.5
10 Keisha Anderson 4.0 1.4 1.6
ABL career 4.0 1.4 1.6
14 Debbie Black@*# 6.7 4.3 6.1
ABL career 7.2 5.1 6.4
21 Edna Campbell@ 13.9 2.9 2.5
ABL career 14.0 3.8 2.6
34 Alisa Burras (16.2 8.0 0.6)
Burras played at
Louisiana Tech (career stats)
35 Melody Howard 1.8 0.7 0.7
ABL career 3.5 1.6 1.1
40 Tiffany Gooden (11.1 8.8 2.1)
Gooden played at Iowa (career stats)
42 Tari Phillips@* 13.9 8.2 0.8
ABL career 13.9 7.8 1.0
45 Crystal Robinson@*# 14.9 4.0 3.4
ABL career 16.0 5.3 3.1
*1998 ABL All-Star #1998 All-ABL third-team
@1997-98 starter
Tim Simmons, BFishInc