On June 11, the New York Liberty were all alone in first place with a perfect 9-0 record. All signs pointed to another trip to the Finals and perhaps back-to-back titles. Less than four months later, on Sept. 25, general manager Jonathan Kolb sat in front of the media and attempted to explain why the team had been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs and moved on from coach Sandy Brondello.
"Ultimately, we determined that evolution and innovation is what is needed at this time," Kolb said. "These decisions, they're never easy, nor should they be, but often, these decisions mark the fork-in-the-road moments for organizations, and you can stand still or you can embrace change and move forward. In my commitment to keep pushing the New York Liberty to new heights, we believe that e