How do you fancy living in an 18th-century water tower, built by French prisoners and used as an air raid post, now with three bedrooms and impressive Devon views?

The octagonal home, converted from its industrial and military use seven years ago, has just gone on the market with an asking price of 600,000.

The water tower is situated on the site of the former Royal Naval Hospital, now a secure gated community. And if you really love history, shell and shrapnel scarring can still be seen on the walls from when it was used as an air raid post

During its renovation, which was closely monitored by the local conservation office, the 110ft tower was transformed into a three-bedroom home and retains many of its original features, including the old limestone walls.

Other features include the hand-built oak, double splayed staircase, vaulted and beamed ceiling in the living room and porthole windows.

Even the original lead lined, wooden frame for the water tanks has been retained to give useful and accessible store room space.

On the market with Plymouth estate agents Mansbridge Balment, the property, which is set over three floors, also has an extensive kitchen and dining area, a drawing room with a vaulted glazed and beamed feature ceiling, a garden room with floor to ceiling windows, a study/library and even a sauna.

Chris Mervyn, branch and marketing Manager at Mansbridge Balment's Plymouth city office, said the tower was a unique and highly desirable property, steeped in history and a triumph of 18th century engineering.

"The construction is amazingly precise in terms of the masonry and quoins," he said. "The tower is not out of vertical at any point by more than half a centimetre and it tells its own unique story of how water supplies were first brought to the city of Plymouth.

"Its rich history is also very much in evidence in the top gallery of the tower where you can still see shell and shrapnel scarring on the walls from when it was used as an air raid post during World War II."

There is a master bedroom with ensuite shower room on the first floor, with two further bedrooms on the second floor.

Both floors are accessed via a spiral staircase, which ascends to the top of the tower, where double glazed doors open out onto the turret viewing area.

Outside, the tower offers a lawned garden, as well as a roof garden made up of two terraces finished with artificial grass.

There is also a patio area with hot tub and access to a workshop.

Mr Mervyn added: "The current owners have made countless additional enhancements to the property, including buying additional adjacent land to extend the plot and converting the garage to extend the tower's living accommodation.

"The tower may have stopped supplying water more than 100 years ago, but its future as a highly exceptional and unique residential property is assured."

The water tower is an historic, Grade II* listed building and is thought to date from 1758-1764 and was at the time, one of the first of its type to be constructed.

Under the watchful eye of the local conservation office, the property was painstakingly restored to a high standard throughout seven years ago and converted into a bespoke residence.

Many of the original materials have been retained, with the old limestone walls being in evidence through much of the accommodation, while the original lead lined, wooden water frame for the water tanks has been retained and is below your feet as you wander around the viewing turret at the top of the tower, to sample the breath-taking views that include Drake's Island, Plymouth Sound and Mount Edgcumbe.

In many ways 'matters water' have dominated RNH Stonehouse from the outset and the city well before that. As South West Water come to the end of the most extensive (and expensive) survey of our drains in history following their most welcome recent full adoption of our Georgian system, it is interesting to recall where it all began.

Clean water was the gold of its day, and is how a former mayor Plymouth, Sir Francis Drake, helped to amass his fortune as a land owner, post his world travels, in the days of Elizabeth I and long before the concept of RNH was conceived.

In those days he effectively 'cornered' the first public water supply bringing it off Dartmoor in a leat, or stone ditch, to supply the city which then consisted of three towns, Stonehouse, Plymouth, and Dock (now Devonport).

Of course, like today, this supply was not for free and it was a major engineering undertaking some 400 plus years ago and to provide it thereafter in a sustainable form, ensuring Plymouth's prosperity.

The leat divided into three, and the supply to Stonehouse ran along what is now North Road West over Eldad Hill and then through the Millfields and over to Durnford Street ending in a 'shoot' where washing was permitted. Licensed abstraction could take place up stream of this but no polluting of course and Water bailiffs patrolled constantly to prevent this.

The leat was the main reason for choosing to site RNH midway between the towns and additionally on its own inland half tide creek with a private harbour.

Sometime after the hospital became operational in the early 1760s, complaints were received from the mayor of Stonehouse that the supply was being starved at certain times of day, therefore, the Navy were swiftly obliged to build a reservoir at the highest point of the site, in the form of a water tower, to buffer the demand peaks.

This also provided a head of pressure so that the whole hospital could be supplied through pressured lead pipes.

The single, huge, lead-lined, octagonal tank at the top, with a staircase in the middle, was filled by a continuous leather bucket chain on the west side powered by a donkey walking around a windlass in a manger with a hole in its roof, which is now the drawing room.

Later the donkey was replaced by a steam engine and the buckets it drove and lifted, dipped into and out of the leat which still runs right beneath the house under the oak floor planks in the kitchen.

The leat then goes on through to the main square and under the sundial and in some places a man can walk in its downstream tunnel. Ot was once used as an escape route by press ganged sailors who ended up somewhere near where Princess Yachts is now - and got caught.

The octagonal water tower was built by French prisoners from the Seven Years War and the top gallery of the tower was used as an air raid post in World War II.

The former Royal Naval Hospital was built in 1760 but its main buildings had stood empty since it was hit by a World War Two bomb in 1942.

Intended to be primarily accessible by water with patients landing at Stonehouse Creek, work originally began on the RNH Stonehouse site in 1758.

The design was influential of its time; its pattern of detached wards, arranged so as to minimise spread of infection, foreshadowed the pavilion style of hospital building which was popularised by Florence Nightingale a century later.

The first patients arrived in 1760 and in 1762, more patients were transferred from hospital ship HMS Canterbury and the main hospital buildings were completed.

The hospital housed 1,200 patients in 60 wards, its 10 ward blocks arranged around a courtyard with a central block containing a chapel, dispensary and staff housing.

The hospital went on to serve the Royal Navy for 235 years, providing staff from Trafalgar to the Falklands.

It saw many additions and changes throughout its history of service and the team of surgeons and nurses finally amalgamated with the main hospital at Derriford in Plymouth in March 1995.

The hospital was closed in March 1995 and the Millfields has since been turned into flats and commercial units.

Reporting by plymouthherald

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Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press Published 5:29 p.m. ET May 16, 2017 | Updated 14 hours ago

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said he thinks Detroit could potentially be a host for a conference men's basketball tournament.(Photo: Chris Solari/DFP)

ROSEMONT, Ill. Commissioner Jim Delany showed the college sports world that the Big Ten is willing to take its mens basketball tournament away from its Midwest roots.

And Delany said Tuesday that Detroit could have a chance to bring it back within the leagues footprint.

I think that Detroit and Minneapolis and other cities should aspire, Delany said during the Big Ten joint meetings at league headquarters. That will be the decision of the universities and the athletic directors, but were a conference that is blessed by great sports fans, great cities. I cant tell you it will happen, but I would encourage interested parties to seek it.

Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis said he believes the soon-to-open Little Caesars Arena and The District Detroit will be a contender for Big Ten and NCAA events. The new home of the Detroit Pistons and Red Wings will host the Division I mens basketball first and second rounds in 2018 and 2021, as well as the 2020 Frozen Four in hockey and 2021 Division I wrestling championships.

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Theres no reason why it shouldnt be considered for Big Ten championships, theres no reason why it shouldnt be considered a site for the NCAA regionals, Hollis said. I know weve got two years of first-second rounds (2018 and 2021, and I think its going to be proven to be just a world-class experience for people to play there. Im excited about it.

Before I walked through it, I was excited about it. But after seeing what theyve developed there and what the building looks like and how it flows and how theyve thought about most everything, its going to be one of the top hockey and basketball venues in the country. Very tight, tight sightlines, very well thought-out. I commend them for that and I will help them in any way to make sure that we can get Detroit rocking.

The Big Ten tourney debuted at Verizon Center in Washington this year and will move up a week in 2018 so it can shift to New Yorks Madison Square Garden. That has been part of the conferences mission to capture two of the nations largest media markets, in conjunction with the additions of Maryland and Rutgers in 2014.

The Big Ten will return the mens basketball tournament to Chicago in 2019 and 2021, and it will be held in Indianapolis in 2020 and 2022.

That decision is off a little bit in the future, but probably not too far, Delany said. Were a conference that goes from Colorado to the East Coast, that encompasses great cities with great arenas. We started off in Chicago exclusively, then we built out to Indianapolis. Recently, we went to D.C., were going to go to New York.

We have obviously, by going to D.C. and New York, demonstrated that we are a conference that has got to serve a lot of different geographies.

Delany said there has not been any discussions about moving the Big Ten Football Championship Game, which has been anchored at Indianapolis Lucas Oil Stadium since its inception in 2011. He called the venue a turn-key operation and says the city is really quite good at doing what they do.

He stopped short of calling Indianapolis a permanent home and said it should remain competitively engaged to have that event, but later called the city a stable football championship home.

We felt that, since it was a new event for us, that we have to control some variables. The variables are the centrality of the location and the temperature of the location, he said. We didnt think that it would be smart to try and grow an event in the snow.

Maybe someday, but not this day.

Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@chrissolari.

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Detroit could be a landing spot for Big Ten men's hoops tourney, Jim Delany says - Lansing State Journal

0 of 6

NFL careers are painfully short, especially at certain positions. Teams need high-end production from their top draft picks, and they need it now.

Patience is at a premium. So while a steady progression is nice, the preferred result in a high pick's second season is playing at a Pro Bowl level.

The second-year leap is critical for the player and the employment of coaches and front-office personnel who brought him aboard.

Young players are both the future and the present, and they're leaned on heavily. Sometimes a torch is being passed, as is the case with the Los Angeles Chargers between tight ends Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry. Other times, they're being relied on to step up after a great rookie season and fill a void, which is what the New Orleans Saints are asking of wide receiver Michael Thomas.

Let's take a look at some of the sophomores most likely to soar in 2017.

1 of 6

The San Francisco 49ers have used a first-round pick on a defensive lineman in three consecutive drafts, which is a little curious considering two of those three picks were on the roster in 2016 (defensive ends Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner), and the 49ers still gave up 165.9 rushing yards per game.

The 2017 draft additions of defensive tackle Solomon Thomas and linebacker Reuben Foster should greatly improve that feeble run defense. And Buckner will likely leap forward as one of the league's best young 3-4 defensive ends.

It feels like Buckner's solid rookie season was a little overlooked. That tends to happen when you play on a team that won only two games and fired its head coach at the end of the year.

But Buckner was indeed one of the few bright spots among the 49ers' 2016 rubble. The seventh-overall pick came into the league out of Oregon known for his impressive burst and athleticism at his size (6'7" and 300 lbs). He quickly put those tools to work and became a consistently disruptive pass rusher.

Buckner finished his rookie season with six sacks, and that only tells a partial story. The best pass-rushers create chaos even when they don't reach the quarterback. Buckner did that by generating 48 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked fourth at his position.

His ceiling was always high, and in 2017 Buckner should be even more effective now that opposing offensive lines have to worry about Thomas as well.

2 of 6

Chicago Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was the shining young star in 2016 on a football team that otherwise resembled a raging tire fire.

But he didn't get a full season to show the height of his talent.

Floyd missed four games due to injury. That's a quarter of his rookie season gone. But that didn't stop Floyd from making life generally unpleasant for anyone trying to block him when he was healthy.

Floyd needed only 12 games to record seven sacks. Around midseason, he was especially sizzling. One three-game stretch saw the 24-year-old log 4.5 sacks.

It was all more than enough to make you wonder how high his production would have ballooned during an injury-free season. That curiosity grows when you rewind Floyd's film and see him consistently penetrating deep into the backfield while generating 35 pressures, per PFF.

An eruption should be coming in 2017.

3 of 6

At a glance, Hunter Henry's rookie season was just solid. But with proper context is applied, his numbers start to shine.

The Los Angeles Chargers tight end narrowly missed being a first-round pick in 2016, falling to No. 35. It was assumed his speed up the seam would fit well with quarterback Philip Rivers' deep arm. But it was also assumed that a lid would be put on Henry's rookie-season contributions due to the presence of legendary veteran tight end Antonio Gates.

And in theory, that should have been true, as Henry was only a part-time player. But his lack of playing time didn't matter at all.

Henry finished his first NFL season with 478 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, doing it all on only 36 receptions. That's an average of 13.3 yards per catch, which placed him tied for fourth among tight ends. It's also an average of a touchdown catch once every 4.5 receptions, which shows Henry's reliability in the red zone.

He put together that season while being on the field for only58.2percentof the Chargers' offensive snaps in 2016. The soon-to-be 37-year-old Gates is still around, but Henry's role should grow along with his production.

4 of 6

It can be argued New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas shouldn't be on this list because he already broke out in 2016. But making that argument means he's not capable of surpassing his rookie output.

And that's simply not true, given his talent and increased role in a loaded Saints offense.

Thomas finished his first year with 1,137 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 92 receptions. He was among the top 10 in all three of those receiving categories, and did it while also recording two games with 130-plus yards.

Now he can ascend to another tier in a Saints offense needing to replace the targets that went away when wide receiver Brandin Cooks was traded to the New England Patriots.

Over the past five years, quarterback Drew Brees has attempted 650-plus passes four times. In 2016, he let it fly a career-high 673 times, and 121 of those throws were directed at Cooks.

Many more of those targets will now come Thomas' way, putting him in a prime position to explode in only his second season.

5 of 6

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey received Defensive Rookie of the Year votes in 2016. And in 2017, he might rise another rung and be considered for the Defensive Player of the Year.

Ramsey needed a bit of time early in 2016 to ease in and find his role. But once he did, the standout from Florida State sealed off half the field.

Ramsey allowed only 52.9 percent of the balls thrown into his coverage to be completed, per PFF, which ranked sixth among all cornerbacks. He also gave up a passer rating of just 76.6. Both of those rookie results become are impressive considering Ramsey was the third most targeted cornerback, with 102 balls thrown his direction.

He did all that at the young age of 22, which means Ramsey isn't even close to his peak.

6 of 6

Sterling Shepard's second-year rise may be somewhat limited by the presence of Brandon Marshall in the New York Giants' wide-receiver room. The Giants also used a first-round pick on tight end Evan Engram in the 2017 draft, which gives quarterback Eli Manning plenty of targets to spread around.

But Shepard should still take a leap because of his ability to thrive in a specific role.

The 24-year-old was used primarily as a slot receiver in 2016, seeing 86.1 percent of his targets from there. Shepard'sabruptness as a route-runner immediately translated to the NFL level when hecaught eight passes for 117 yards in only his second NFL game.

That ignited a season when Shepard recorded 636 receiving yards from the slot, which ranked a solid seventh, per PFF. Even better, his eight touchdown catches ranked first among slot receivers.

Shepard will draw many looks as a chain-moving slot option who gains separation with ease. And when he does, a quick jump in production will follow.

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Predicting NFL's Best Sophomore Seasons for 2017 | Bleacher Report - Bleacher Report

Home / News / Heritage Designation On The Way For... http://www.insideottawavalley.com/ To accommodate the influx of students, changes later came with another addition in 1960, extensive renovations in 1968 and first and second-storey additions in 1971. Further upgrades were made in 1992. In 2012, North Grenville District High School ...

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ST. LOUIS -- Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon isn't done criticizing the slide rule at second base that cost his team a run in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. He followed up a postgame rant with a more sarcastic tone on Sunday morning.

"I have some other additions to it," Maddon said. "We should eliminate the headfirst slide. That is a dangerous slide. Your hand could [get hurt], your eye could get poked out. All these different things can occur on a headfirst slide.

"I think face masks should be mandatory for all hitters. And pitchers have been hit in the head by line drives several times, so pitchers should be forced to wear helmets."

Maddon wasn't finished, as he thinks Major League Baseball has gone too far in the name of protecting players due to isolated incidents over the years. On Saturday, Cubs rookie Ian Happ slid into second base to break up a double play but slid a little past the bag, causing the umpires to declare the batter out as well. The inning-ending double play negated a run, as Kyle Schwarber was crossing the plate as Anthony Rizzo was crossing first. Rizzo was subsequently called out.

"I have no idea why these rules are part of our game," Maddon said right after the loss. "There was an out created there. That was just one out they did not have to earn. I totally, absolutely disagree with that. It has nothing to do with safety and protecting the middle infielder."

Maddon took the night to think of other ways the league can keep players safe. Face masks and no headfirst slides were just a couple of his "ideas."

"I thought of other ways for protectionism," Maddon continued. "I think there should be a cage in the on-deck circle so on-deck guys can stand behind the screen and not get hurt.

"I think there needs to be cup checks as players are running on the field in order to prevent the loss of future families."

Maddon indicated he has not heard from the league office about his critiques but wouldn't be surprised if it called him.

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Matt Tootle believes Notts County will challenge for promotion next season if they make the right additions in the transfer market this summer.

The Magpies are hoping to be challenging at the top end of League Two under boss Kevin Nolan who is already in the process of making new signings.

He will look to build on the brilliant work he has carried out since January when he inherited a Magpies team that looked dead and buried.

Ten straight league defeats had seemingly made the prospect of non-league football a real possibility given the lack of form.

But Nolan inspired a wonderful turnaround by going on an incredible run of just one home defeat since he took over, and it helped the Magpies secure safety with considerable room to spare.

Defender Tootle now believes the club can build on their brilliant second half to the campaign as they finished it as one of the form teams in the division.

Matt Tootle believes the club can challenge next season.

And with Magpies owner Alan Hardy ready to back Nolan in the transfer market by giving him a top-seven budget, Tootle is excited about the possibilities about what next season has in store for everybody at Meadow Lane.

"When I signed here last summer I probably looked a bit of an idiot to some people because I said we would get promoted," said the former Crewe ace.

"We were third at the start of the season even though we weren't playing very well.

"But the class we had in the team, and the players we had, we knew we weren't playing to our ability.

"But we were winning games because we had that experience and that bit of quality was coming out now and then.

"Then something went wrong over Christmas and I don't know what it was.

"I believe if we still had something to play for then we wouldn't have lost two out of the last three.

"The Pompey game would have been different too if we had been closer to the play-offs.

"So looking at next season with the right additions I think we will be up there.

"I won't look stupid this time by saying it.

"Every team we played, the opposition would say that our team on paper was ridiculously good.

"If we can continue what we were doing and keep sticking to how the gaffer wants us to play, we will challenge I am sure of it."

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Right additions will see Notts County challenge next season, insists defender Matt Tootle - Nottingham Post

Antonio Conte and his Chelsea squad continued their wild post-match celebrations in the dressing room.

Thibaut Courtois has revealed that Chelsea's players are "hungry" to win the Champions League next season and reiterated head coach Antonio Conte's assertion that the Blues must strengthen their squad this summer if they are to fulfil their domestic and European ambitions.

A 1-0 win over West Brom at the Hawthorns on Friday confirmed Chelsea as Premier League winners for the second time in three years, as well as ensuring that they will return to Europe's elite club competition in 2017-18 as top seeds when the group stage draw is made in August.

Courtois is one of several Blues stars who are expected to be the subject of transfer speculation this summer with Real Madrid long-standing admirers, but after the West Brom win the Belgian revealed that bringing the Champions League trophy back to Stamford Bridge next season is a powerful motivation for him and his teammates.

Asked about his future, Courtois replied: "I don't think now is the moment to speak about that but, of course, I'm committed to Chelsea.

"I think next season there is a new goal of the Champions League. It's been a few years since Chelsea won it and I missed out on one [triumph with Atletico Madrid in 2014] in the last minute, so I think a lot of players are hungry for winning that as well.

"Obviously you need additions because you play on four different fronts, so I think that's important, but I guess the club and the manager know what they're doing.

"We already have a lot of quality, but maybe sometimes you need a bit more depth because this year we didn't have injuries and you never know what can happen next year. So obviously I guess they will do their work now and hopefully we can finish the season with an FA Cup win as well."

Chelsea's surge back to the top of the Premier League has been spectacular after the most disappointing campaign of the Roman Abramovich era in 2015-16, and Courtois believes some of the criticism directed at the Blues underestimated the levels of quality and resilience in the squad.

"It's amazing, especially after last year, to bounce back in this way, to be champions, having been top for a long time," the Belgian admitted. "Obviously, last year we had a lot of critics, a lot of laughter at us. We had a moment when we were 15th, 16th in the league. People laugh and people get criticised -- it's not nice after a season when you won the league.

"Some criticisms were deserved and others not -- and if you bounce back winning the title again, that's amazing. They said we didn't want to play anymore, they said we were lazy, that kind of stuff, and it's not true. We tried to win our games, but last year was just an off year, especially for a team like Chelsea and the players that were here.

"Everybody is used to playing for trophies and last year that was not the case and everybody's pride was hurt. I think that is why we wanted to bounce back this season. After the Arsenal game [in September] when we lost 3-0 we were in a bad moment again, but we bounced back. And we had an amazing six, seven months. We're very proud about that."

Liam is ESPN FC's Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter: @Liam_Twomey.

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Following a less-than-stellar reception by the La Jolla Community Planning Association (LJCPA) in March, plans for the UC San Diego Marine Conservation Facility were revised to create more of an ocean view around the proposed development. The updated plans were presented as an information item (not subject to a vote) at the LJCPA meeting May 4 and include: reducing the length of a canopy that cantilevers out over the rooftop caf, reducing the height of a second story, and removing a cluster of non-native trees to create more of a view for pedestrians.

The project calls for the conversion of the former National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and Southwest Fisheries Science Center buildings on the northern end of the campus, into laboratories for Scripps Institution of Oceanography students, and the addition of a two-story building and a caf. Architectural firm Safdie Rabines, who designed the nearby Carolines Seaside Caf, also designed the new facility. The $22 million project, paid for with campus funds, is expected to start construction in October and be complete one year later.

The current footprint for the project includes the vacant and seismically retrofitted Building D (as its known) and the base for Building A, which was partially demolished, leaving only the first floor.

When it was introduced in March, board members expressed concern over losing some of the view from La Jolla Shores Drive, and hesitated to take the university at its word that what was being presented was what would be built.

We wanted to let you know we listened to your concerns and we believe we heard many of the comments in the room and have made modifications to the project, said Anu Delouri, UCSD assistant director for communications and community planning. Since the last time we were here, weve reduced the height of Building A (additions), reduced the length of the canopy and opened up additional ocean views.

Added Robert Cloissin, director of UCSD campus planning, After the March meeting, we met with our architect team to say what are some things we can do to reduce the scale of the project? One of the things we looked at was setting the mechanical equipment down in a certain way that is allowed us to lower the roof line by about two feet.

The canopy structure, he added, can be pulled back by some 11 feet, and a group of eucalyptus trees could be removed to open up more of a view on the other side of the facility.

Of removing the trees, Delouri said, I believe it opens up a magnificent view of the ocean.

A view, some members said, is owed to La Jolla residents. Trustee Mike Costello noted when the UCSD Marine Ecosystem Sensing, Observation and Modeling Laboratory (MESOM) was built in 2012, also located off La Jolla Shores Drive, it was constructed at a height greater than what was initially presented.

The university owes us some view back. They took views from us and did not tell us the truth. They owe us something for that, he said.

As an offer, Cloissin said he would install story poles to show height of planned work as plans get closer to construction. He also invited interested parties to participate in a walk near the site to get a better sense of the scope of work, details of which have yet to be decided.

The project must still be approved by the California Coastal Commission, but it will be discussed informally at the next meeting.

Sound wall discussion revived: Residents of Ardath Road, hoping for noise abatement from the volume of traffic on La Jolla Parkway (which runs parallel to Ardath Road), asked that the plans for a sound wall be readdressed. In 2015, plans for a sound wall extension along La Jolla Parkway made the rounds at La Jolla Community Planning groups, gaining support at La Jolla Shores Association and La Jolla Town Council, but raising eyebrows at La Jollas Traffic & Transportation board. Trustee Dolores Donovan asked that the discussion be placed on the next months agenda. A motion passed to send a letter to the City asking why it hasnt acted on the issue.

Officers re-elected: After tabling the election of officers from LJCPAs April meeting, the board individually nominated and elected a slate of officers, many of whom were re-elected. They include: Cindy Greatrex re-elected as president (who was not present at the meeting, but relayed her willingness to serve if elected), Helen Boyden re-elected as first vice president, Robert Steck re-elected as second vice president, Janie Emerson re-elected as treasurer and Dolores Donovan elected as secretary.

La Jolla Community Planning Association next meets 6 p.m. Thursday, June 1 at La Jolla Rec Center, 615 Prospect St. lajollcpa.org or sandiego.gov/planning/community/cpg/agendas

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La Jolla's UC San Diego downsizes Marine Conservation facility plans to add more ocean view - La Jolla Light

Candace Parker and the Los Angeles Sparks start their defense of their WNBA Saturday when they host the Seattle Storm.

Photo By - USA Today Images

Candace Parker and the Los Angeles Sparks start their defense of their WNBA Saturday when they host the Seattle Storm.

The WNBA tips off season No. 21 Saturday afternoon and while the league doesnt grab headlines, it can help bettors keep their bankroll growing over the summer. Here are some news and notes to help give you a head start handicapping the 2017 WNBA schedule: Futures are bright

After winning the 2016 WNBA title in buzzer-beating fashion, the Los Angeles Sparks begin the defense of their title as +170 favorite to repeat. The Sparks bring back their dominating frontcourt of 2016 WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike and 2016 WNBA Finals MVP Candace Parker, along with most of their core pieces on the perimeter. The notable exception being sharp-shooting Kristi Toliver, who signed with the Washington Mystics in the offseason.

Those odds dont mean things are going to be easy for WNBA champs, as the Minnesota Lynx want their title back. The Lynx have been an elite team in the WNBA in recent years, appearing in five of the last six WNBA finals, and winning three.

Minnesota is coming off a franchise-best 28 regular season wins and bring back their core of Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson and Sylvia Fowles. Brunson, Whalen and Augustus have all been in the league for over a decade and the memories of last season's heartbreaking Game 5 loss will only help motivate this veteran squad. The Lynx are currently sitting at +200 to win the title.

As far as upstarts go, the Mystics acquired arguably the best womans basketball player on the planet, Elena Delle Donne. As is with basketball, if you have the best player on the floor, you have a chance. Additions Kristi Toliver and No. 6 overall draft pick Shatori Walker-Kimbrough will add perimeter scoring. The Mystics open the season at +600 to win the title.

In the desert, the Phoenix Mercury blew up their roster, with 10 new players. The only remaining members of last year's team are superstars Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, which is a pretty solid foundation. Taurasi is heading into her 13th season and needs just 178 points to become the WNBAs all-time scoring leader. The Mercury head into the season with the third-best odds to win the title at +300.

Buckets, buckets, buckets

Before the start of the 2016 WNBA season, the league introduced a new rule recommended by the Competition Committee. The 24-second shot clock would reset to 14 seconds when the offensive team maintained possession of the ball - offensive rebound or tip out of bounds. This by design, quickened the pace of play.

Scoring surged from 150.29 combined points per game in 2015 to 163.76 combined points per game last year. And books were slow to adjust, at the end of the season WNBA games finished 123-96 O/U, which is a 56 percent winning clip for Over backers.

Leading the way for Over profits were the Chicago Sky at 23-11 Over/Under (67.6 percent) followed by the Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics both at 22-12 O/U (64.7 percent). The 56 percent Over rate is up from 45.5 percent in 2015 and 46.5 percent in 2014.

WNBA is in the daily fantasy game

The WNBA announced Thursday that they are partnering with FanDuel, becoming the first womens professional sports league to be available in one-day fantasy betting.

FanDuel will have the normal offerings of daily contests and offering free WNBA contests in which participants can win merchandise, courtside tickets, and other WNBA swag.

Dogs for days

The WNBA is essentially a summer job for many of its stars. Numerous womens professional basketball players, play a full season in Europe and come stateside for the summer. Overseas playoffs and international responsibilities such as EuroBasket, FIBA Asia/Americas and 2018 World Cup qualifying are going to impact WNBA rosters at various points throughout the season. Keep an eye on which teams and players will be in and out due to these prior commitments.

During the summer months, recreational bettors target the WNBA to add beef to a parlay or chase a favorite, if only because its the only option on the sheet, and that often inflates the lines on favorites, opening up value on underdogs.

The top ATS team in 2016 was the Connecticut Sun going 20-12-2 ATS (59 percent) - 10-6-1 at home and 10-6-1 on the road. That ATS success didnt translate to the standings as Connecticut finished fifth in the East and outside of the playoff picture. The San Antonio Stars finished at the bottom of the WNBA standings at 7-27 SU but went 18-15-1 ATS, including a 10-7 ATS (59 percent) record on the road.

Blinding betting the WNBA dogs proved profitable in 2016, with underdogs going 115-100-5 ATS (53.5 percent). Road teams getting the points were particularly profitable, hitting a 77-62-2 ATS mark on the year (55.4 percent).

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Four need-to-know notes for betting the 2017 WNBA season - Covers.com

This weekend, the WNBA returns and the chase of the champion Los Angeles Sparks begins.

It has been an offseason of change, both in terms of personnel and front offices. Players have retired, been traded or simply decided not to play this summer following their overseas campaigns.

Big Loss For Fever

Tamika Catchings, one of the greatest players in WNBA history, has retired, so for the first time since 2002, the Indiana Fever will not have her on the court. Catchings has moved into the club's front office.

That's not the only thing the Fever have lost. Coach Stephanie White left after two seasons to become coach at Vanderbilt. And in her place is Pokey Chapman, who spent the past six seasons coaching the Chicago Sky. Chapman led Chicago to the playoffs in each of her last four seasons.

Missing An Angel

The troubling trend of star players taking time off will impact the Atlanta Dream. Angel McCoughtry, the Olympian who has led the team for the past eight seasons, is taking off the summer to rest. At issue always is that many players go from their WNBA season to playing overseas where the money is much greater, and that eventually takes a toll. McCoughtry has hinted that she might return before the season is over, but that does not help the Dream now.

In her place, Atlanta will place more trust and responsibility in former UConn player Tiffany Hayes. Now entering her sixth season, she was the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 15 points. One aspect of Hayes' game that will have to improve is her three-point shooting. She made only 27 percent in each of the last two years.

Tough Times For Chiney

The Sun took a big hit well before the season began. The team learned over the winter that its best player, Chiney Ogwumike, would miss the season because of an Achilles injury sustained in China. To compensate, coach/GM Curt Miller bolstered the roster in the offseason with trades and free agents.

But without a legitimate star presence, the Sun will need to rely on a group effort spearheaded by their backcourt of Alex Bentley, Jasmine Thomas and Rachel Banham, who is recovering from knee surgery. Up front, look for UConn grad Morgan Tuck, Jonquel Jones and Lynetta Kizer to play big roles.

Stewart Already A Star

In her rookie season out of UConn, Breanna Stewart made a huge impact on the Seattle Storm and the league. She averaged 18.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.9 blocks.

Stewart was so good that she finished sixth in MVP voting and was the runner-up for defensive player of the year. But she is not alone on the Storm.

The backcourt will again boast Sue Bird and Jewell Loyd, who, like Stewart, garnered all-WNBA honors last season. Bird averaged a league-high 5.8 assists and shot a career-best 44.4 percent on three-pointers. She is on pace to pass Ticha Penicheiro as the league's all-time assists leader.

New Star In D.C.

Perhaps Mike Thibault finally has a team that can contend for the WNBA championship now that he has former MVP Elena Delle Donne on his side. The Mystics acquired her in a trade with the Chicago Sky.

The Mystics also signed Kristi Toliver from Los Angeles. She was a key component of Los Angeles' championship team last season. Toliver is a skilled outside shooter, which will only open more doors for Thibault's offense. Another star in the making is forward Emma Meesseman, who shot almost 45 perent from three last season.

Taurasi: History Awaits

Diana Taurasi can move to the top of two major statistical milestones this season. She is 178 points from passing Tina Thompson (7,488) as the league's all-time leading scorer. And she is six made three-pointers behind Katie Smith (906) for No. 1 all time.

This is a particularly important season for Taurasi to play at her finest because Phoenix will be without Candice Dupree (trade), DeWanna Bonner (pregnancy) and Penny Taylor (retirement).

Hard To Forget

The Minnesota Lynx lost the WNBA championship in heartbreaking fashion last season when Nneka Ogwumike made the championship-winning shot with 3.1 seconds remaining in Game 5 in October.

"It's something that I don't think you'll ever forget. All the emotions. Both teams were easily champions, just one team had to lose," Maya Moore of the Lynx told WNBA.com. "It just adds to that fire and that hunger and that little chip on the shoulder to fight to get there again."

The Lynx have played in five WNBA Finals since 2011 and won championships in 2011, 2013, 2015.

Moving On

The biggest challenge the Sky will have is figuring out how to replace Delle Donne, who averaged 21 points and has defined the franchise since 2013. She helped the Sky make the playoffs four straight seasons and the Finals in 2014. She asked the team to trade her so she could be closer to her Delaware home and the Sky accommodated with the trade to Washington.

The Sky received former UConn player Stefanie Dolson, wing Kahleah Copper and the second pick in this year's draft. Chicago took center Alaina Coates of South Carolina. But the scoring will come from the backcourt, where Cappie Pondexter, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley will combine to create the team's best position. The team also has a new coach and general manager in Amber Stocks, an assistant for the Sparks.

Charles And Company

Tina Charles led the league in scoring (21.5) and rebounding (9.9) last season and was the MVP runner-up to Nneka Ogwumike. The former UConn star also led the Liberty in assists with a career-best 3.8.

The Liberty also have a talented backcourt. Sugar Rodgers averaged 14.5 points and made 86 three-pointers. The Liberty also added former UConn player Bria Hartley from Washington, drafted Notre Dame's Lindsay Allen and welcome the return of Epiphanny Prince, who played in only six games last season.

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Getting Ready For WNBA Season With Some Major Additions, Subtractions - Hartford Courant