Daily Links: Where we google Amare's goggle

• MERCURY: Mercury Clinches Berth in 2009 WNBA Playoff
  Congrats to the Mercury! Coming off a disappointing season last year this is a great accomplishment. Before the season even began the question was "could they make the playoffs" but the team from the beginning had its sights set higher and they still do
• NBA Flashback: The Suns Drug Scandal - Basketball News & NBA Rumors - HOOPSWORLD
  The biggest drug scandal ever to hit a professional sports franchise at that time hit in 1987, when three members of the Phoenix Suns were betrayed by one of their own....another painful episode in Suns history
• SUNS: What Glasses Should Amar’e Wear?
  HILARIOUS!!
• The Official Phoenix Suns Blog " Blog Archive " My45 Good for Two New TV Specials
  oooh...Suns stuff on TV!
• The 10 best teams of the decade never to win a championship - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
  The Suns make yet another painful list
• Mike Beasley and His Twitter Just Made Life Harder for Himself -- NBA FanHouse
  I love how Matt handled this (non) issue
• Heat's Beasley admitted into rehab center - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
  Turns out it was an issue after all
• Exclusive Interview With Robin Lopez & Eric Gordon | Hoops Addict - Robin actually sounds pretty good here
  
• Cayman Islands - Cay Compass News Online - Richardson saga highlights NBA problem
  Richardson had one year and roughly $9 million remaining on a contract that should be credited to the Phoenix Suns and Mike D’Antoni’s system.
• Daily Soccer Fix - Dispatches from national soccer writer Steve Davis
  woohoo!!! Welcome to SBN!
• Sparks win in San Antonio for the first time since 2006 | Women Talk Sports | The first online blog network for women's sports
  The Sparks have now won five in a row and are closing fast on Seattle for the 2nd spot in the West..
• Oh yes, and this just in. The Suns hired another assistance Coach - John Shumate. Details after the jump

SUNS ADD JOHN SHUMATE TO COACHING STAFF

Team Announces Additional Basketball Operations Changes

            PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns today named John Shumate an assistant coach.  Shumate, a one-time Suns draft pick and 30-year veteran of basketball on the professional and collegiate levels, joins Bill Cartwright, Dan Majerle and Igor Kokoskov on head coach Alvin Gentry’s staff.  

                        Having just completed his 12^th season as a member of the Suns’ front office, Shumate makes the move to Gentry’s staff after serving in the club’s scouting department for all but one of the last eight seasons.  Shumate served as the head coach of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury in 2003.

             Shumate’s wealth of basketball experience was formed over the last 30 years as a player, coach and college scout.  Originally the fourth overall pick of the 1974 NBA Draft by the Suns, Shumate was named All-NBA Rookie First Team in 1975-76 after sitting out his rookie campaign with a blood clot injury.  The Notre Dame product played seven NBA seasons and averaged 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds in 318 games with the Suns, Buffalo, Detroit, Houston, San Antonio and Seattle.

             Following his playing career, Shumate coached 17 consecutive years at the college and pro level at Notre Dame (assistant coach, 1981-83, 1986-88), Grand Canyon College (now Grand Canyon State, head coach, 1983-86), Southern Methodist University (head coach, 1988-94) and the NBA’s Toronto Raptors (assistant coach, 1995-98).  The 57-year-old rejoined the Suns organization as a community relations representative in 1998 before moving to the scouting department in 2000.

  The team also announced today the addition of Bruce Fraser to the scouting the staff.  Elvis Valcarcel has been promoted to video coordinator after one season as assistant video coordinator.