Let’s talk about, arguably, the biggest joke in professional sports, girls prep basketball on steroids, an all-you-can-eat buffet for sexist men. Let’s talk some WNBA. Why not? It’s their postseason, after all.
When the WNBA formed in 1996, it narrowed — albeit barely — the athletic gap between men and women. They proved a point: Girls can play, too. But women hoopsters don’t have equality when it comes to respect. Case in point: the league gave away tickets to this year’s All-Star Game. Heck, there isn’t even a WNBA topic option on this web site.
The difference, I think, boils down to entertainment. Not that the WNBA doesn’t have action and drama. But men posses superior athleticism, enabling them to give more captivating performances. For your money, would you rather watch Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Becky Hammon, and Deanna Nolan? Watch them give a strikingly accurate imitation of seventh grade girls game, where 80 points indicates a shootout, shotput-like shooting form makes “chucking up a prayer” seem fundamental, and free throws are expensive?
Or do you opt for Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, or other muscle-bound ariel artists and their rim-rocking slams? Check out cold-blooded snipers like Ray Allen and Gilbert Arenas knocking down 30-footers? Or watch Western Conference teams score points like they’re bowling?
It’s an obvious choice, really. But there has to be something that can shrink the gap. Well, here’s an idea…