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Top posts

Rough Notes Roundup: Your 55 Essential WNBA Memories

Oct 14, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: The Real Story From Ballhalla

Sep 22, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: “Sorry I wasn’t paying attention, I was thinking about Brittney Griner”(& Layshia Clarendon!)

Feb 10, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Introducing: 'Lavender Scare,' a New Column from Rough Notes

May 19 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: The WNBA’s Prime Time Is Full Of Contradictions

Sep 12, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Recent posts

Introducing: 'Lavender Scare,' a New Column from Rough Notes

A new way to keep Valkyries + WNBA coverage bold & unapologetic.

May 19 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: Where To Find Your Valkyries People

Introducing: the Ultimate Map of Valkyries Fandom, from Fresno to Eureka.

May 13 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: Puzzling Through The Valkyries Media Day

Three big takeaways + behind-the-scenes for the lucky ones.

May 6 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: The Whirlwind of Preseason

Inside the Valkyries' return to Ballhalla.

Apr 28 • maya goldberg-safir

rough notes

rough notes

Rough Notes chronicles the evolutions of women's basketball from the heart.

Recommendations

Mitra Kaboli

Storm Chasers WNBA Journal

Storm Chasers w/ Jeff Brown

Maddy Brown

Sports Politika

Karim Zidan

The Salt Stones: A Shepherd's Journal

Helen Whybrow

If you love women's basketball, this newsletter will love you back.

lavender scare

Rough Notes: Lavender Scare Volume 3

How to beat the Lynx, press conference revelations, exploring the wilds of the WNBA's (unequal) ecosystem & so much more.

Jun 9 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: Lavender Scare Volume 2

A tumble of recent Valkyries games, fiancés & messy math, plus: a final courtside season from Barclays.

May 26 • maya goldberg-safir

Introducing: 'Lavender Scare,' a New Column from Rough Notes

A new way to keep Valkyries + WNBA coverage bold & unapologetic.

May 19 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: Where To Find Your Valkyries People

Introducing: the Ultimate Map of Valkyries Fandom, from Fresno to Eureka.

May 13 • maya goldberg-safir

sf pioneers

Rough Notes: The Legend of Cardte Hicks

The true story of an overlooked women's basketball star ahead of her time.

Feb 23 • maya goldberg-safir

No Valkyries Without Oakland & Who Should *Really* Sit Court Side

Plus: the story of my favorite court side fan ever, Mindy.

Sep 4, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Nothing But Rough Notes Podcasts

Well: I guess I’ve been podcasting.

Aug 27, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

20:35

PODCAST: Reuniting the Women of the Pioneers

Listen now | A brand-new podcast episode about a team of women's basketball legends.

Aug 13, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: A Historic Weekend In The Bay

How Bay Area community made the SF Pioneers' reunion truly great.

Jul 21, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: The Expansion Franchise You've Never Heard of

The San Francisco Pioneers are finally reuniting!

Jul 1, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: A Juneteenth Tribute

Celebrating Black women of the San Francisco Pioneers.

Jun 19, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: First-Ever From The Bay Area

The story of Oakland legend Anna Johnson.

May 7, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

valkyries

Rough Notes: The Power of Queer Fans Is Rising

Especially Valkyries fans :)

Sep 17, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: When Heritage Meets Crunch Time

8.30.25 / Washington Mystics @ The Golden State Valkyries / Chase Center / San Francisco, California

Aug 31, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Nothing But Rough Notes Podcasts

Well: I guess I’ve been podcasting.

Aug 27, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes + LESBIANS, VOLUME 3: OVERDUE 2025: “The goal is to make lesbians laugh.”

Featuring the anonymous author of LESBIANS, an underground WNBA blog.

Aug 20, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: We The People Of The WNBA

Lessons from an outspoken WNBA fandom.

Oct 18, 2025 • maya goldberg-safir

road trip

The Great Basketball Escape: Home

Connecting the dots between coming home, ICE raids, basketball's American history & the WNBA.

Feb 4 • maya goldberg-safir

The Great Basketball Escape: Grambling, Louisiana

Ready to dive into the lore of Exit 81?

Jan 22 • maya goldberg-safir

The Great Basketball Escape: New Orleans

Is it possible to watch a women’s basketball game at any ‘ol bar?

Jan 18 • maya goldberg-safir

The Great Basketball Escape: Baton Rouge

Stop #1: A showdown at LSU's Tiger's Den, the palace of Kim Mulkey

Jan 14 • maya goldberg-safir

Rough Notes: The Great Basketball Escape Begins

A winter road trip of basketball & making sense.

Jan 11 • maya goldberg-safir