CLEVELAND, Ohio – This is another day when I wish Joe Tait was still among us.
Most fans know Tait as the Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Cavaliers. He also did radio and later television work for the Tribe. He even did some hockey games.
But how many of us remember Tait was the radio voice of the Cleveland Rockers, one of the original eight WNBA women’s franchises?
The Rockers were in the league for seven years. They folded after the 2003 season. The franchise was owned by Gordon Gund, who also owned the Cavs. He was unable to find a buyer for the team.
Tait loved the Rockers and believed the WNBA would eventually become something special. A lot of girls and young women were playing basketball in college and below. In some states such as Iowa, girls high school basketball was embraced on the same level as the boys game.
Tait believed in the future of the WNBA, which is why he called the games for the Rockers. Yes, he was paid, but nothing close to his salary for being the voice of the Cavs.
That’s why this would be a special day for Tait, as Cleveland was awarded a WNBA expansion franchise that will begin play in 2028.
Why Tait loved the WNBA
Tait died in 2021 at the age of 83. He was one of my closest friends. His interest in the WNBA led to me checking out the games in the early years.
Tait was a basketball purist. He loved the ball movement, the hustle and the sheer love of the game the Rockers showed from the opening tip of the franchise in 1997.
“They’re down by 25 points with two minutes to go, and those players are diving all over the court for loose balls,” Tait told me. “I watched some of their practices. They are really interested in being coached.”
Tait also saw the skill level of the women rising over the seven years that he called the games.
“I enjoy them so much,” he told me. “In some ways, it reminds me of the early days with the Cavs (1970) when we were an expansion team and just fighting for our lives.”
Two of his favorite players were Suzie McConnell-Serio and Janice Braxton. McConnell-Serio later had a long career as a college and pro coach. Her nephew is NBA Pacers guard T.J. McConnell. If you have seen the Indiana hyper-kinetic point guard play vs. the Cavs, that was McConnell-Serio’s style with the Rockers.
With the news that Cleveland is interested in a WNBA franchise, we go down memory lane to recall the years of the Cleveland Rockers, one of the original WNBA teams.
The Cleveland Rockers' Suzie McConnell-Serio was one of Joe Tait's favorite players.
A favorite memory
Braxton was a rugged inside player who spent more than a decade overseas. I remember a game in 1997 when the Rockers were playing Lisa Leslie and the L.A. Sparks. A star at USC, Leslie was an early phenom in the league.
I sat with Tait that day.
“Watch Janice (Braxton) work Leslie over,” said Tait. “Janice is going to let the rookie know how it works in this league. Janice is as tough as any guy in the NBA.”
I looked up the game of July 3, 1997. The Rockers lost, 74-62. Leslie scored 19 on 5-for-12 shooting with seven rebounds. Braxton had 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight steals.
Braxton was 35 years old. Leslie was 24.
Tait took such delight in watching his new friend Braxton (the old veteran) take on the gifted Leslie under the boards. It didn’t take long for me to join Tait focusing on that matchup.
Tait was very close to Dan Hughes, the excellent coach of the Rockers from 2000-03. Hughes was in the WNBA from 1999-2021.
With the news that Cleveland is interested in a WNBA franchise, we go down memory lane to recall the years of the Cleveland Rockers, one of the original WNBA teams.
Dan Hughes was the last coach of the Cleveland Rockers. The Plain Dealer
Then there’s today
Tait would love to watch McConnell-Serio, Braxton and some of his other favorites such as Eva Nemcova and Chasity Melvin play in today’s WNBA. He would be astounded to hear how the new Cavs owner Dan Gilbert paid $250 million for the new WNBA franchise. He would be thrilled to watch the growth of the game on TV. WNBA ratings are up 24% over a year ago, many of their national broadcasts drawing more than 1 million viewers.
The Rockers' best attendance season was 1998 (10,350). By 2003, it was down to an average of 7,400. But many of those tickets were deeply discounted or even free.
In that same 2003 season, the Miami and Portland franchises folded. I recall Tait telling me of his doubts that the league would survive.
Now, Cleveland will be back in the WNBA in 2028. Portland will return in 2030. The league has young superstars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The average attendance is more than 10,000. The league will have 18 teams after this three-team expansion.
Tait believed in the league from the start. Like those early WNBA players, he got involved for the love the game. The revival of the WNBA from nearly being extinct to what we see now would make this a very special day for him.