Arena Third Time's a Charm: The Arena's New Official Attempt at WNBA/NCAA Women's Basketball Discussion

R...J I want you to attach boobs to your chest and then try to throw/pass a basketball the "normal way".

Get back to me on that.

 

This should get interesting ...

 

I'd normally not post in this thread since I don't want to be a troll, but since the discussion is veering this way anyway.

The reason people don't care about women's basketball has nothing to do with sexism; it's that it's basically just another minor league. Any way you slice it, this is not the highest level the game of basketball can be played. just like the NBDL isn't the highest level the game of basketball can be played. Nobody cares about the NBDL, nobody cares about the WNBA. I honestly think it's pathetic when Gino Auriemma whines about not enough attention being paid to women's basketball and basically wringed ESPN's neck into heavily covering the UCONN women's 89th straight win, as if it were our humanitarian duty to enjoy women playing basketball as much as men.

 

I certainly prefer men's basketball to women's. I certainly don't agree with Auriemma's usual rants and raves most of the time. I do find it frustrating and rather sad, though, that most people don't give good women's basketball a shot. People tend to watch thirty seconds of a game and think either the women can't run or jump or shoot or dribble or pass the ball. I know people who haven't even watched a single women's basketball game and who already have it in their heads that women's basketball sucks or isn't worth the chance. It seems to me that a lot of people who even watch a minute of a women's basketball game do so with the intention to immediately judge it, and many times on some weird basis, like the fact that "so-and-so's team looks like a bunch of men" or that "proper form" isn't employed (lol... sorry R...J ). Gosh, sorry they don't look like supermodels on the court or that they've learned how to adapt their form to what works best for them. It may not be the highest level of basketball played, but it's certainly not like it used to be and definitely doesn't deserve to be judged like it is currently.

But why think Auriemma pathetic for standing up for his team and insisting people pay attention? His team plays good ball. Why wouldn't he be frustrated by the fact that "no one cares?" I may not agree with some of the funny stuff he says, but I've had the same feelings during my time playing basketball. My team was consistently ranked very well in our area, but you would have been hard-pressed to find enough people to fill a single row in our bleachers to watch us. We were all frustrated by the fact that we were competing for attention we'd never be able to pull away from any of the guys' sports. Sometimes I really can't blame Auriemma for what he says.

If you truly give good women's basketball a chance, it will impress you. I didn't even know much about Gonzaga and Courtney Vandersloot until I came across the random ESPN tourney coverage this year. She worked on her game and form through her college career with John Stockton and is more impressive than many men playing point. If anybody here or anywhere else saw her and Gonzaga play in the tourney this year, no one would be talking about how women's basketball is lame or how women can't shoot or pass the ball properly. Good women's basketball can be awesome, and she and others like her prove that.

It's not your humanitarian duty to enjoy women's basketball. It's just really sad that no one gives it a chance to be enjoyed.

 

*bites fingernails*

 

Notre Dame sort of woke up and started playing ball finally! I don't have a fave team for this match-up, but I'm just glad it's a real game now.

EDIT: Wow. Tyra White with a three right as the shot clock expired! A&M up by five with fifty seconds left!

EDIT: Notre Dame down by three, and A&M just turned the ball over. Holy crap. Thirty seconds to make something happen, Irish!

EDIT: The Irish just botched that play. A&M shooting foul shots now. Twenty seconds... Irish down by five again.

EDIT: The Aggies have this one wrapped up. Yay for 'sey!

 

WHOOP!!! Aggies are national champs!!!!

 

I despise the Men's & Women's college game equally.

They beat Boston!: 2009-2010 L.A. Lakers: Back-to-Back World Champions

 

There's the spirit, Tunick! lol

 

Right, me too, and for virtually the same reason as I stated in my previous post. College sports are basically just another minor league. And they really epitomize the "rooting for the laundry" dig we hear about professional sports teams in this day of free agency. I honestly don't see how people can get so worked up about college sports.

 

Cool... so you both are going to be game for the upcoming WNBA season, right? All of this professional basketball hype is going to really come in handy this summer for this thread!

 

"Rooting for the laundry"?


and lol @ Trikes.

 

Not sure why. It's closer to the true spirit of actual competitiveness than the NBA, which caters to it's superstars with unequal officiating.

Although I also enjoy the NBA, I think it barely qualifies as being more legit than professional wrasslin'.

 

Oh, please. Yeah, the officiating in the NBA stinks a lot of the time, but to basically equate it with the WWE? Pure ridiculousness. Also, I'm sick of hearing about how the college game is more true to competitive spirit of basketball.................not true. The college game (because of the obvious dip in the talent level) is a glorified minor league system.

They beat Boston!: 2009-2010 L.A. Lakers: Back-to-Back World Champions

 

Talent level is not the only thing that has to do with competitiveness. The NBA scores are so ridiculous because no one plays defense. To be competitive you need both offense and defense. The guys just give up and let the guy dunk cuz hey he's a big shot. ~yawn~

 

I don't know what sport you're watching, but a lot of players don't just give up when someone is driving inside the paint for a basket. Certain teams put an emphasis on defense (Lakers, Spurs for example), others do not (Golden State, Knicks). Many college games (more so in the women's game) aren't even close.............you're more likely to get a blowout there than in the NBA.

They beat Boston!: 2009-2010 L.A. Lakers: Back-to-Back World Champions

 

The NBA game is far superior to the college game in almost every aspect. There is a reason great college players become bench warmers in the NBA. The NBA along with the ATP(pro tennis) are the two hardest professional leagues to crack into. The reason why college crowds are more intense is because of the fact that there are less games. NBA playoff games have great home court advantage as well. I just follow college more closely because I am more familiar with the NCA schools and go to Clemson's games.


The NBA game is 8 minutes longer so naturally the scores are higher

 

That, and a 24 second shot clock.

They beat Boston!: 2009-2010 L.A. Lakers: Back-to-Back World Champions

 

From Yahoo! Sports and others - Pat Summitt diagnosed with dementia.

It's early onset at this point, but still very sad news.

 

That's a really awesome article. This was very sad news to hear, and I hope that she's still got a long time left to coach and mentor young women yet.

 

Sad news today in the world of Women's College basketball...OK State women's basketball coach, assistant, killed in crash. Article says it was a recruiting trip in central Arkansas.

 

Women's tourney bracket revealed.

 

UW Green Bay all the way!

 

The thing that bothers me about D1 Women's Basketball is that the crazy upsets that no one sees coming in the Men's game almost never happen in the Women's game. Last year, there was a total of 6 first round upsets in the Women's tournament. None of the teams were seeded higher than 11. After 16 games today, only one lower seed (perennial upset pick Gonzaga) managed to net a victory. People might pick chalk when filling out their brackets, but that is just about the last thing any one wants from the tournament.

 

Reviving this from the dead with the news that UVA Women's coach Joanne Boyle has announced her retirement.