Muppets Win Again

Life is all about priorities, compromises and compromising priorities, which is why the WNBA's Atlanta Dream — ever heard of 'em? — may not be able to play at home if they make the playoffs. They're being bumped by puppets.

But not just any puppets! This is " Sesame Street Live!" You know: Elmo! Oscar The Grouch! Big Bird! Seriously, who would you rather watch in action: Chamique Holdsclaw or Bert and Ernie? The people of Atlanta share that opinion — at least, they don't really have a say in the matter — so the Muppets were booked for Sept. 17-20 in Phillips Arena. What else could be happening Sept. 17-20 in Phillips Arena? Not the WNBA playoffs.

"It's a common problem for many WNBA teams that play in NBA arenas," Dream President Bill Bolen said. "September is a very popular month for family shows at a lot of these arenas. In our case Sesame Street has been booked for a year. It's not something you can plan around. It's a very profitable show."

Mo' money, mo' problems.

The backup plan, sensibly, might be moving the playoff games to Thomson-Boling Arena on the campus of your Tennessee Lady Volunteers, all the way up in Knoxville. Hmm, you might think, isn't that 200 miles away? Why, yes. Yes it is. And it's still "the best place to play" if the team has to leave the Atlanta metro area, Dream President Bill Bolen said. I have a few other ideas, if I may. There's this great outdoor court a few blocks from my apartment — newly paved and everything — and it's only about six hours from Atlanta.

Also, I've heard Russia's lovely this time of year. Just make sure there's not a traveling troupe of Muppets in Moscow or anything. Sunny day! Elmo stares down Dream and wins! [AJC] Dream may be on the road for home playoff games [USA Today]