Nashville Rhythm
Encyclopedia
The Nashville Rhythm was a team in the American Basketball Association
which began play in the 2004-05 season. It was one of the first teams composed of male athletes ever to compete at such a high level with a female head coach, former Vanderbilt University
star Ashley McElhiney
. After a tumultuous season and a half, the team folded December 7, 2005.
The Rhythm faced a unique challenge in that their home court, Allen Arena
, was located on the campus of a Church of Christ
-related school, Lipscomb University
, and as such they were not allowed to sell alcohol
ic beverages at their home games, which are a particularly important revenue source for many minor league
professional sports teams.
On January 29, 2005, while coaching a one-point comeback win over Kansas City
, Ashley McElhiney was fired by the team's co-owner Sally Anthony
after an on-court dispute between the two women. The dispute began over McElhiney's decision to play Matt Freije
, another former Vanderbilt star. As an attempt to gain publicity, the Rhythm (reportedly with Anthony's blessing) signed Freije to a two-game, $10,000 contract. Anthony claimed to have disapproved of the deal, and demanded that McElhiney bench Freije. The coach refused, not wishing to play without whom she considered the best player on the team.
During the third quarter of the game Anthony became incensed with McElhiney's decision, and charged onto the court to confront her coach. Reportedly, the co-owner loudly used profanity and obscene gestures before being escorted out of the building by a security guard
. The Rhythm managed to come back and win the game, but McElhiney was fired by Anthony shortly afterwards. In addition, she threatened to fold the team if the players took McElhiney's side against her and the other co-owners, one of whom is Anthony's husband.
The next morning, paramedics were called to Anthony's residence, by Anthony's sister-in-law
Susan Bucher, to treat her after either a fall down the stairs or a dog bite or mixing alcohol with the anxiety-relieving drug Xanax
, depending on the story she gave at the time. Police
were reported to have believed her injuries to be self-inflicted.
McElhiney's firing was overturned and she returned to coach on February 5 for a game with the St. Louis Flight in her hometown of Gleason, Tennessee
which was lost 130-114.
The team apparently disbanded at the end of February 2005 when it was announced that it would not be contesting the playoffs despite qualifying for participation with an overall 21-10 record, which would have qualified them for an eight seed and to host a first-round game. The dissolution was considered to have been due to inadequate financing to continue operations; however, all players were reported to have been paid what they were entitled to up to that point. McElhiney, frustrated, subsequently resigned.
However, in May 2005 it was announced by the ABA that two new owners would operate the Rhythm for the 2005-06 season; just what venue would be used was not announced at that time. The Tennessean
, citing an unnamed source, claimed that the team still owed Lipscomb University back rent for Allen Arena but later carried a story stating that this situation had been resolved.
The Rhythm's return was short-lived, however. After announcing a schedule consisting of home games to be played in several venues around Middle Tennessee
, including Allen Arena, the Rhythm announced that they were suspending operations on December 7, 2005; the league had previously announced that it had suspended the team. The reasons for the action were not clear, but the team's schedule had undergone many last-minute changes in the preceding weeks leading sponsors and fans to question the stability of the franchise and the ABA as a whole; to that point, only one of the four scheduled games had actually been played at the time and place scheduled against the announced opponent. While both owners maintained that the team had paid all money owed to the players, Josh Cooperwood and Kyle Gribble both contested this assertion, saying they had gotten "the runaround" and that the ownership acted in an "unprofessional" manner.
Both owners stressed that they remain committed to the franchise, and were looking at returning to ABA competition at an undetermined point in the future.
American Basketball Association (21st century)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
which began play in the 2004-05 season. It was one of the first teams composed of male athletes ever to compete at such a high level with a female head coach, former Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
star Ashley McElhiney
Ashley McElhiney
Ashley Reneé McElhiney is an American basketball coach and former college player. She is best known for having been the first female coach of a male professional basketball team, as the coach of the Nashville Rhythm of the American Basketball Association in the 2004-05 season.-Early life and...
. After a tumultuous season and a half, the team folded December 7, 2005.
The Rhythm faced a unique challenge in that their home court, Allen Arena
Allen Arena
Allen Arena is an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. The arena was named in honor of James C. and Linda Allen, the facility's primary benefactors. James Allen is a member of the board of trustees for the university and worked for the university at one time...
, was located on the campus of a Church of Christ
Church of Christ
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically,...
-related school, Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike on the east...
, and as such they were not allowed to sell alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
ic beverages at their home games, which are a particularly important revenue source for many minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
professional sports teams.
On January 29, 2005, while coaching a one-point comeback win over Kansas City
Kansas City Knights
The Kansas City Knights was the name of an American Basketball Association minor league basketball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They have not played since the 2004/2005 season....
, Ashley McElhiney was fired by the team's co-owner Sally Anthony
Sally Anthony
-Biography:Anthony grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and self-released her first EP in 1998. Two more EPs followed, and Anthony, who had built a strong fan base in Indiana, was offered the opportunity to tour with acts such as Natalie Merchant, Chris Isaak, Barenaked Ladies, James Taylor, Tom...
after an on-court dispute between the two women. The dispute began over McElhiney's decision to play Matt Freije
Matt Freije
Matthew Wayne Freije is a Lebanese American professional basketball player who currently plays for Hebraica y Macabi in Uruguay. Freije attended Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas before attending Vanderbilt University where he was an All-SEC performer...
, another former Vanderbilt star. As an attempt to gain publicity, the Rhythm (reportedly with Anthony's blessing) signed Freije to a two-game, $10,000 contract. Anthony claimed to have disapproved of the deal, and demanded that McElhiney bench Freije. The coach refused, not wishing to play without whom she considered the best player on the team.
During the third quarter of the game Anthony became incensed with McElhiney's decision, and charged onto the court to confront her coach. Reportedly, the co-owner loudly used profanity and obscene gestures before being escorted out of the building by a security guard
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
. The Rhythm managed to come back and win the game, but McElhiney was fired by Anthony shortly afterwards. In addition, she threatened to fold the team if the players took McElhiney's side against her and the other co-owners, one of whom is Anthony's husband.
The next morning, paramedics were called to Anthony's residence, by Anthony's sister-in-law
Sister-in-law
A sister-in-law is the sister of one's spouse, the wife of one's sibling, or sometimes the wife of one's spouse's sibling...
Susan Bucher, to treat her after either a fall down the stairs or a dog bite or mixing alcohol with the anxiety-relieving drug Xanax
Alprazolam
Alprazolam is a short-acting anxiolytic of the benzodiazepine class of psychoactive drugs. Alprazolam, like other benzodiazepines, binds to specific sites on the GABAA gamma-amino-butyric acid receptor...
, depending on the story she gave at the time. Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
were reported to have believed her injuries to be self-inflicted.
McElhiney's firing was overturned and she returned to coach on February 5 for a game with the St. Louis Flight in her hometown of Gleason, Tennessee
Gleason, Tennessee
Gleason is a town in Weakley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,463 at the 2000 census. The city also holds the annual Tater Town Parade and festival in the fall...
which was lost 130-114.
The team apparently disbanded at the end of February 2005 when it was announced that it would not be contesting the playoffs despite qualifying for participation with an overall 21-10 record, which would have qualified them for an eight seed and to host a first-round game. The dissolution was considered to have been due to inadequate financing to continue operations; however, all players were reported to have been paid what they were entitled to up to that point. McElhiney, frustrated, subsequently resigned.
However, in May 2005 it was announced by the ABA that two new owners would operate the Rhythm for the 2005-06 season; just what venue would be used was not announced at that time. The Tennessean
The Tennessean
The Tennessean is the principal daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky....
, citing an unnamed source, claimed that the team still owed Lipscomb University back rent for Allen Arena but later carried a story stating that this situation had been resolved.
The Rhythm's return was short-lived, however. After announcing a schedule consisting of home games to be played in several venues around Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
, including Allen Arena, the Rhythm announced that they were suspending operations on December 7, 2005; the league had previously announced that it had suspended the team. The reasons for the action were not clear, but the team's schedule had undergone many last-minute changes in the preceding weeks leading sponsors and fans to question the stability of the franchise and the ABA as a whole; to that point, only one of the four scheduled games had actually been played at the time and place scheduled against the announced opponent. While both owners maintained that the team had paid all money owed to the players, Josh Cooperwood and Kyle Gribble both contested this assertion, saying they had gotten "the runaround" and that the ownership acted in an "unprofessional" manner.
Both owners stressed that they remain committed to the franchise, and were looking at returning to ABA competition at an undetermined point in the future.
External links
- ABC News: Harmonic note: ABA's Rhythm reinstates coach (2005-02-03) Dead link without replacement
- NPR: Woman Coach Stirs Up Men's Pro Basketball League (2005-02-05)
- The Jackson Sun News - 'Ashley Mac' is back in Gleason, back with her team (2005-02-06) Dead link without replacement
- Nashville Tennessean: Rhythm suspends operations (December 8, 2005) Dead link without replacement