has an optimistic outlook on the future. Former WNBA player Ruth Riley is now San Antonios general manager, and

Manchester Thunder head coach Dan Ryan refused to question the decision to postpone the top-of-the table clash with Hertfordshire Mavericks.A leak in the roof at the Thunderdome had delayed the start of the Vitality Netball Superleague match and hosts Manchester were leading 14-9 at the end of the first quarter when officials halted the action due to safety concerns about the wet court.The postponement meant leaders Manchester remain tied on 27 points with the second-placed Mavericks, who can move top of the table with a win over Yorkshire Jets on Monday night, live on Sky Sports. Helen Housby had helped Manchester Thunder into an early lead Ryan insisted he respected the umpires concerns, despite the willingness of both sets of players to continue the match. Players safety is the most important thing, Ryan told Sky Sports. Its the umpires call and they made that decision.From our knowledge, the Mavericks were happy to keep playing, our girls were happy to keep playing. But it was the umpires who made the call and they have the authority to do that, so we have to stand by what they call in the end and the decision stands. But if umpires see reason to be concerned for players safety, then they have the authority to do that and we respect the decision that they made. Dan Ryan Whether it was the correct call or not, Im not too sure, the players were happy to keep playing. But if umpires see reason to be concerned for players safety, then they have the authority to do that and we respect the decision that they made. We were disappointed not to finish the game. We started well and were playing well in the first quarter, so we were quite keen to push on and see what we could do with the game. The Mavericks can take top spot on Monday night The match must now be rescheduled during the hectic closing weeks of the campaign and Ryan admits he understands the dismay of the fans, who were hoping to see a competitive clash. Both teams were fighting for top spot, so there was plenty to play for, and its disappointing that we could not see the game through, said Ryan.A lot of people travel from many different regions and areas to come and watch the game. To only see 15 minutes of it, no doubt they would have been disgruntled, but at the end of the day, you cannot change what happened.Watch the Mavericks against the Jets this Monday night, from 7.30pm on Sky Sports 2. Gary Harris Jersey . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Malik Beasley Nuggets Jersey . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. http://www.authenticnuggetsproshop.com/Tyler-Lydon-Jersey/ . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. Dikembe Mutombo Jersey . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Jarred Vanderbilt Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check.San Antonio coach Dan Hughes has a picture of himself alongside Pat Summitt and Kay Yow. Its an image that, understandably, would mean a great deal to anyone who coaches basketball. But it has an additional meaning for Hughes, who had spent most of his career in mens basketball before joining the WNBA in 1998.The photo reminds him of how welcomed he was by important figures in the womens college and pro games.People like Pat Summitt, Kay Yow, Geno Auriemma, Ann Meyers -- they made me feel really comfortable, said Hughes, who is retiring from his Stars coaching job at seasons end. It opened the door. They accepted me. I really went to work at understanding where the womens game was then, but also learned how it got there.Hughes was a mens assistant at Toledo until 1996, when the Rockets head coach moved into administration. The new coach brought in his own staff, so Hughes took the opportunity to work with the Rockets womens team in 1996-97. Then Hughes father suggested another possibility as well: a pro league that was launching in 1997.He called me and said, Dan, what about this new WNBA? Hughes said. He told me, This is something you should look into.Hughes interviewed for an assistant position with the Charlotte Sting in 1997, but didnt get it. But there was another opening with the Sting in 1998, and he was hired.I was pretty persistent, Hughes said, laughing.Nearly two decades later, Hughes will leave the WNBA knowing that its better off because of his contributions. He has seen the ups and downs, including the dissolution of two franchises that he worked for, in Charlotte and in Cleveland. His time as a general manager also brought home the hard business realities of the sport.Hughes doesnt rule out the possibility of ever coaching again, but says if it happens, it will be at another level. For the foreseeable future, he is focused on being a television analyst for womens and mens college basketball, and looks forward to spending more time with his family. But he will always have a great affection for the WNBA.I got to be in three great franchises and part of a league in its formative years, he said. Im so thankful for that, and Im excited for the WNBA and its future.But I also kind of want to do one more basketball experience. I like the diversity of my career. That it was coaching men and women. That it was high school, college, pro, USA Basketball. I want to see if theres maybe one more different kind of chapter.Hughes hopes we are moving toward an athletic world in which male and female coaches have a reasonable chance at any job based on them beeing the right fit.ddddddddddddThat a woman can coach a mens team, a man can coach a womens team, or we can jump back and forth, he said. I love the fact that now you have people like Becky Hammon coaching in the NBA.Hughes, in his role as general manager and coach of the Stars, brought Hammon to San Antonio in 2007 in a trade with New York. Hughes said the deal was agreed to in principle a few months before the 2007 draft day, when it was finalized. He recalls feeling nervous all that time that something might derail it and joyous relief when it was official.Hughes was eager to bring Hammon to San Antonio for two reasons. First, having coached against her, he felt like her competitiveness, leadership and on-court skill immediately would help the Stars.But he also saw how much San Antonio fans were passionately attached to the Spurs standouts like Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. He wanted the Stars to also have the kind of player that people in that city would gravitate toward.It was a great blessing to get Becky here, Hughes said. And that trade actually played out even better than I hoped it would.The highlight of Hughes time with the Stars was a 2008 trip to the WNBA Finals, led by Hammon and Sophia Young. San Antonio made the playoffs from 2007 to 2012, but has been to the postseason just once in the past four years. The Stars are last in the league this year.But with San Antonio having young standouts like Moriah Jefferson and Kayla McBride, and a lottery pick in 2017, Hughes has an optimistic outlook on the future. Former WNBA player Ruth Riley is now San Antonios general manager, and Hughes said he enjoyed working with her?this past season.Im glad they split it into two jobs again, said Hughes, who filled both positions for most of the past decade before this summer, save the 2010 season when Sandy Brondello was head coach and Hughes the GM.I just feel like with two people, you can get more done and cover more ground. I realized in talking with Ruth how much I had missed having someone else to work with in that regard.Now Hughes will move on, but the WNBA will always be a part of him.I came into this league, and I learned a lot, Hughes said. Not just about being a coach but being a better man. It taught me how important it is that women get the chance to grow and have the opportunities to be all that they want to be. I love the landscape that I see now better than I did 20 years ago. I want it to keep growing. ' ' '