Storm star Sue Bird fine; team missed Moscow airport attack

posted by Jayda Evans: Womens Hoops Blog
Monday, January 24, 2011 at 11:44pm EST

Jayda Evans covers college and pro women's basketball. While its her first year on the Washington beat, she has covered the Storm since its inception. She'll offer observations, critiques, occasional off-beat tales and answers to select e-mail inquires. Evans also has written a book on the Storm and women's hoops, called "Game On!"

In what Moscow Spartak coach Pokey Chatman called an eerie turn of events, the team traveled through the same Domodedovo Airport on Monday morning that was attacked by a suicide bomber that afternoon.

Storm All-Star Sue Bird (pictured right by SportsPageMagazine.com) is the starting PG for Spartak, joining the team earlier this month. She was part of the travel party returning home from a road game. Spartak defeated Nadezhda Orenburg, which is led by San Antonio Silver Stars PG Becky Hammon.

@LSUFAN869Yes, we're ok. We actually arrived @ this airport this a.m. from our trip back from an away game. Thankfully, all's ok. Eerie!less than a minute ago via webPokey Chatmanpokeychatman

Bird's Seattle teammate Swin Cash, who's playing in China, immediately contacted Bird and other WNBA friends in Russia to see if everyone was OK. Cash reported on Twitter that Bird is fine.

Ok just talk to Birdy and @tinacharles31 GOD is good, they are both ok...less than a minute ago via ÃberTwitter Swin CashSwinCash

The Associated Press is reporting 31 people are dead, however, and 140 are injured. Amateur video posted on YouTube showed a pile of bodies on the floor, and other bodies scattered around, according to the Associated Press. Luggage lay strewn across the ground and several small fires burned. A dazed man in a suit pushed a baggage cart through the carnage.

"From the preliminary information we have, it was a terror attack," President Dmitry Medvedev told officials in a televised briefing, saying it was clear that security had been breached.

Prior to the attack, Chatman, who'll coach Chicago this summer, posted video of Spartak's win and interviews on Twitter. You can view that here.

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View Original Post at seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/womenshoopsblog/index.html | View JaydaEvans's Full Profile

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Storm star Sue Bird fine; team missed Moscow airport attack

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