Breaking News from the W

With less than 5 seconds left in the game, the Los Angeles Sparks and Detroit Shock got into a huge brawl in the middle of the Palace Court. With about 5 seconds left, Marie Ferdinand-Harris made two foul shots for the Sparks. Immediately following the second foul shot, Candace Parker (Sparks) and Plenette Pierson (Shock) got tangled up near the three-point line. By the time the cameras focused in on the center of the court, both teams--coaches included--were in the middle of the court. Based on the many replays I saw, here is what happened:

--Parker and Pierson got tangled up. Parker ended up on the floor, and Pierson went after her. Parker attempted to get up. She got about halfway before pulling Pierson down with her.

--Some kind of contact occurred between Lisa Leslie and Rick Mahorn, the Shock's assistant coach. According to Leslie, he shoved her. Despite my intense hatred for all things Sparks, I'm actually inclined to believe her. Either way, she went down.

--After the contact with Leslie and Mahorn, Delisha-Milton Jones shoved Mahorn and hit him.

--Words were exchanged between several players, but Leslie seemed to be playing peacemaker throughout the whole thing. I didn't see much action from Katie Smith, but Deanna Nolan was exchanging words with someone.

--Cheryl Ford fell to the floor in the beginning of the fight and was eventually taken off the court in a wheelchair. Ford, whose temper is usually just a notch below her coach's, was actually trying to break up the fight before she got hurt.

--After much deliberation and tape watching, the officials decided to eject Parker, Milton-Jones, Pierson, and Mahorn.

I have no idea what the Powers That Be will do, but I think Parker, Milton-Jones, Pierson, and Mahorn should be suspended for at least three games. I'm sure Mahorn will get more if it's determined that he deliberately shoved Leslie. I could also see another game or two added to Pierson's suspension, considering she initiated the contact between herself and Parker.