WNBA? Still expecting great

As a fan of women's sports, I wish there was a way for others to watch games with the same excitement and enthusiasm as I do. Alas, this will never be possible as many view any form of competition involving females as simply inferior than the male alternative.
There is one way, however, to help pump up the volume in women's sports. How about we get the people who describe the action to act like they're enjoying the action?
It's so frustrating to watch the NBA Playoffs where commentators like Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy are totally into every dribble, every pass, every timeout. They point out all the subtle nuances of the action and they do it with humor or anger or excitement. Then, I watch the WNBA opener and all the commentary is monotone, void of passion.
I like Rebecca Lobo. I think she's a knowledgeable basketball person. But, and it's not just her, it seems as though most women commentators are afraid to actually voice their opinions. I know they're friends with the players but, come on, that's what commentators are supposed to do.
For instance, the play-by-play guy asked Lobo how she thought Sheryl Swoopes would do in her comeback season at Tulsa. The response was something to the effect of, "When she was healthy, Sheryl Swoopes was one of the best players in the league."
What the hell? Really?
That's like asking Van Gundy who he thinks will win between Dallas and Miami and he says, "When they're playing well, these are two of the better teams in the league."
I don't know if it's a female thing but women sports analysts don't or won't offer a negative opinion. I've seen replays where the official clearly gets the call wrong and they don't say anything about it. I've seen games where coaches make questionable decisions and they go completely unquestioned.
As frustrating is the lack of passion in the sport they're watching.
I watch the women's softball. I like it but the women broadcasting the game really don't. Or, maybe it just seems that way to me.
I watched a pitcher throw an off-speed pitch that was so incredible, I screamed in my living room. The play-by-play lady, however, practically yawned out loud.
It's that way a lot in basketball as well.
I'm not saying the analysts have to be like Dick Vitale and do a touchdown dance after a lefty layup. But, there are some outstanding plays being shown. These are the best in the world at their sport. Why aren't you happy to be there watching them?
Hey, if you're bored, the people listening to you are bored?
While I'm on the WNBA, I hate the promotional advertisements with the "Expect Great" slogan. It's just ... lame.
And, why do they insist on comparing the WNBA to the NBA. When idiots blast the WNBA because it's not as athletic as the NBA, I point out that it's a different game. You shouldn't compare the athletic ability to the NBA players. NBA players are the best athletes in the world. Hell, Major League baseball players don't compare themselves to the NBA.
But, when the WNBA compares its own players to the NBA, well ... damn!
It's frustrating to watch a league with a good product appear so mediocre. The level of play has grown dramatically in 15 years. But, until the product is packaged better, the WNBA will remain a niche sport on the verge of collapse.

We want Bruce Pearl!

We want Bruce Pearl!
If you're a fan of Arkansas Razorback basketball, chant those four words.
"We want Bruce Pearl!"
Yeah, I know. The whacky coach is sort of disgraced after getting fired today by Tennessee. Pearl is a repeat violator of various NCAA rules. By coaching standards, he's a renegade. He's currently under some sort of suspension for violating a rule while serving a suspension for violating a previous rule.
Yeah, that's right.
But, he wins.
Everywhere he goes, Bruce Pearl wins. He builds programs. Don't ask how he does it. But, he does it and he's done it.
Pearl had a 231-99 record at Tennessee. In six years, the Volunteers went to six NCAA Tournaments. He had an 86-38 record at Milwaukee in the Horizon League and went 231-46 at some place in Indiana. Pearl has a winning record against every SEC school except Kentucky.
Arkansas fans want a winner. We need a winner. We crave a winner like Hugh Hefner craves Viagra.
Fact is, Arkansas wants a winner so bad, it doesn't matter what sort of baggage comes with it. Exhibit A: Bobby Petrino, who was lambasted for jumping off the Atlanta Falcons sinking ship in midseason.
Petrino was labed a rat by pretty much every talking head on ESPN. A few years later, that network is in Fayetteville televising the Razorbacks' spring football game.
You know why?
He's a winner.
So is Bruce Pearl. He's a proven program reviver. Sure, he's got more baggage than the Hilton sisters, but where ever he goes, he wins.
We Razorback fans want to win. We don't care how. We don't care why.
With Petrino and Pearl on the same staff, Fayetteville will become known like the old Oakland Raiders - Just Win Baby!
I like it. Besides, Pearl will be under such a huge microscope, he wouldn't dare cheat again. Would he?
As long as he wins, who cares.

Recruiting from the closet

There's an interesting article on ESPN.com about the homophobia in women's college basketball and the perceived negative recruiting that comes with it.
Here is the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=6060641
The article talks about the Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly, who stresses his program's family-oriented environment to recruits. The fact that Iowa State really beats this drum hard is alarming, apparently, to some people.
Personally, a person's sexual orientation is no concern to me. As a long-time follower of women's basketball, I understand a lot or perhaps a few of the players I'm watching are lesbians. It doesn't bother me.
Of course, I'm a man.
I've covered high school sports for more than 20 years. In that span, I've known a few girls who took their basketball careers to the college level. More than one has expressed concern about whom they would be sharing a lockerroom.
These were high school girls born and raised in South Arkansas. Honestly, I think they were simply scared to death of lesbians.
Were they uninformed? Yes.
Were they wrong to be afraid of lesbians in general? Yes.
Did they have the right to choose which school and which coach and which lockerroom they'd be spending their next four years? Yes.
If a kid says they don't want to play on a team with lesbians. That's their right.
I don't think it's necessarily wrong for a coach to come out and say, "I'm straight. My assistant coaches are straight."
Seriously, is that wrong?
Actually, I guess technically it is. It's illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation. That's why coaches can't announce they have a straight staff and a straight roster of players. That's where phrases like family oriented come into play.
I don't believe in negative recruiting. I don't think a coach should tell another coach's business. Coaches should sell their own programs. Period.
In this day and age, I don't see what's wrong with just being honest. Straight coaches shouldn't be in the closet anymore than gay coaches.
Most girls are informed enough to know homosexuality isn't contagious. Most athletes want to go to the program where they will develop the most as a player. They want to go to a school that offers a degree in what they want to study. They want to play on a team where they fit in on the court as far as playing style.
Most aren't worried about who the coach is sleeping with or who their potential teammates are dating. If they are worried about that, isn't that their right, too?
It's considered racist for a kid to say, "I don't want to play on a team with blacks?"
It's just as wrong for a kid to say, "I don't want to play on a team with gays."
As horrible as both statements are, doesn't the kid have the right to make those decisions?
Just be honest. That's all.

Let's go Pack

Another year, another Super Bowl.
Honestly, this year's game is a little anticlimatic for me. I really enjoyed the NFL season. I even stayed involved in it after my Raiders were eliminated. I thought the Michael Vick story was great. It was fun rooting against the Jets and the Patriots.
But, now that's it's been two weeks since I've watched a game, I'm not that anxious to see the Steelers and Packers tee it up.
To be in the media profession, I'm about as anti-hype as they come. I hate the over-analysis of every single detail. For that reason, I've intentionally avoided ESPN like the plague. At least, I've tried to.
I wanted to know Pittsburgh's center was put on IR. That was good information. It was useful. I didn't need to know Ben Roethlisburger took his lineman out for barbeque while Aaron Rodgers studied film.
Why do I care?
Some idiots will use this trivial nonsense as the reason why one of the quarterbacks will lose today. Big Ben was partying too much. Aaron Rodgers was too uptight.
Idiots.
Wake me up when the actual game starts.
Speaking of, I've never been a Packers fan. But, I'll guess I'll be a cheese head today - by default.
I don't like Roethlisburger. I think he got off quite easy for his off-the-field transgressions. I have a problem with guys who do what he did - allegedly.
I'm also so sick of Brett Favre I can hardly stand it. I've heard his name so much this week. It's as if he's starting at quarterback for Green Bay.
Obviously, I have to root for Aaron Rogers. He's not Roethlisburger, which is good. And, finally, if he leads the Packers to a Super Bowl, maybe it will take some of the legendary status away from Favre.
If Rodgers wins a Super Bowl, perhaps ESPN will have someone else to slurp. Maybe they won't file reports from a farm in Mississippi during the summer.
Oh dear God, we can only hope.
Let's go Pack.

Tragedy in Russia

I read the news story the other day about the bomb at a Russian airport that killed more than thirty people. I must admit, my first thought was - a lot of female basketball players are over there. I hope none of them were at the airport.
Since then, WNBA player Swin Cash tweeted that she checked and her friends, including Sue Bird, are okay. They weren't at that airport and all of Cash's UConn and WNBA friends are just fine. She ended the tweet with "God is good."
Althought I had the same thoughts as Cash, I didn't realize how selfish those thoughts were until I read them on paper.
Cash made no mention of the innocent people who lost their lives and all of their families and loved ones. How selfish of her. And me.
It's a tragedy when anyone is murdered in such a senseless manner.
This is another example of our "me, me, me" society. If it doesn't affect me, it doesn't matter. Someone was murdered? If I don't know them, who cares?
I can't speak for anyone else. But, I'm going to make an effort to see the bigger picture in the future. It's not just how something affects me, it's how it affects the world and those around me.
I'm thankful I didn't know any of the victims in Russia. But, I'm horrified to know so many innocent people lost their lives. It was a tragedy. And, I care.

No moral victory for Hogs

No!
No! No! No!
Arkansas fans cannot be satisfied with a 31-26 loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. I don't care that the Razorbacks showed some heart in their second half rally. I don't care.
The Razorbacks' loss was disappointing. That game was there for the taking. The Buckeyes shut it down in the second half and Arkansas should've put this game away. This should've been a great victory. Because the Hogs fell short, it's a devastating loss.
No! No moral victory tonight. If Arkansas wants to consider itself an elite program, these are games it has to win.
Instead, real SEC schools will continue to turn their noses up at the Hogs for failing to represent. Ohio State finally got a win over an SEC team. Yeah right, not a real SEC team.
Okay, Ohio State is a very good team. It's no disgrace to lose to the Buckeyes. But, you don't get that many opportunities on the national stage to take your program to a higher level. It was there tonight for the Hogs on a silver platter.
Six drops?
Arkansas' receivers dropped six balls and never stopped talking smack. How about focusing on the football instead of trying to think of something wise-ass to say? How about that? The Hogs' recievers just embarrassed themselves on national TV and don't even know it because they haven't stopped jawing long enough to realize it.
Ryan Mallett wasn't perfect. The last pick was a great play by the Buckeyes, I thought. He was betrayed by his receivers and a porous offensive line. Did they block Ironhead Heyward's kid once?
But, I thought Mallett competed. They all competed. Give the Hogs' defensive coordinator credit for the second half adjustments, although I swear Ohio State didn't even try to score after halftime.
Star of the game was the punter - Dylan Breeding and the Zach Hocker kid. Arkansas' special teams were special. Too bad they didn't pick up that blocked punt and run with it. Then again, you give the ball to your offense in that position, it's on Mallett and the boys to get it in the end zone.
False starts and dropped passes - you can't mount a game-winning drive with those mistakes.
Damn! It was there for the taking, too. Like Terrelle Pryor's fumble in the first half that two Hogs lost fighting for it that went for a Buckeye touchdown.
Damn!
I'm not saying anybody should be fired or anything. Like I said, a lot of folks lose to Ohio State. But, coming up short is nothing to be proud of, either. Elite teams win that game. Second-tier teams fall short in the final seconds.

UConn vs. men?

In case you haven't heard, UConn's winning streak was snapped last week at Stanford. It was an amazing streak but personally, I'm glad it's finally over. To be honest, as good as the Huskies were, the rest of women's basketball should be ashamed to let one team be so dominant over so many others for so long.
But, that's another story for another day.
As I sifted through the anti-women's basketball comments on the ESPN message board the other day, I came across a column. It asked the question, could UConn's women beat Centenary, which is supposedly the worst men's team in the country?
At first I thought this was just another good ole boy sports writer slamming women's sports. But, the author claimed to be a fan of women's basketball.
Yeah, right.
It was a stupid question.
As little children we learn that boys are not supposed to hit girls. You know why? Because males have a physical advantage over females. Males are bigger, stronger, faster, quicker, etc. I can't believe this is news to people.
So, why do people insist on comparing women athletes to their male counterparts? What's the point? If men and women were built the same with the same strength and speed, they'd compete against each other.
They don't. That's why there's a men's division for basketball and a women's division. That's why there are Olympic events for women and different events for men.
I get it. I don't have a problem understanding it.
Yet, knuckle bleeders will tell you, "I don't watch women's sports because they're not as good as the men."
If you say that, you're an idiot.
I watched TCU and Oklahoma play a women's game the other night and enjoyed it. Not once did I say to myself, "wow, none of those women are as athletic as Blake Griffin." That thought never crossed my mind.
When Stanford beat UConn, I didn't look at the TV and wonder how the Cardinal would do against the men's team from Wisconsin-Lacrosse. Why would I?
A true sports fan watches games for one reason - competition. You want to see two evenly matched competitors battle it out. You want to see if the underdog can spring the upset. That's why I hated UConn's win streak so much. It wasn't that they won. The games weren't even competitive.
Again, I don't blame UConn.
But, it's supposed to be about the competition. I don't understand why some people can't appreciate the competition.
Why would anyone want to see women compete against men? Men have physical advantages over women. That's why it's frowned upon when a man strikes a woman. That's considered a bad thing. You know why? Because men are bigger and stronger than women.
Men and women are not created equal - physically. They're different - physically.
That doesn't mean women aren't as competitive as men. That doesn't mean their competition isn't as exciting as the men.
In the Olympics, I watch the men's 100 and the women's 100. I watch both. Sure, the men are about a second faster but so what. It's the competition that gets me excited.
You know what, if you tell me you don't like women's basketball because the pace is too slow. If the game is not athletic enough for you. If you prefer your action above the rim. I can buy that. I understand that.
But, if you say you don't watch women's basketball because they're not as good as the men, you should be beaten with a crooked stick.
First of all, that's just a stupid excuse for sexist jerks.
Guys who say that will sit and watch Little League Baseball all weekend. Hey, those 12-year-old boys aren't as good as Major Leaguers. Those same guys will watch high school and college football. Hey, those high school and college teams aren't as good as the teams in the NFL.
You watch the Little League World Series because the games are competitive and played with passion. It's the same reason you enjoy college football on Saturday and high school football on Friday.
But, for some reason, you can't take women's sports and enjoy them for the competition. With women, you automatically have to compare them to the men. You don't make fun of a Little Leaguer because he couldn't get a hit against Cliff Lee. But, you talk trash about Maya Moore because she can't play in the NBA.
I just don't get it. I don't understand it.
You know what? I'm glad I don't get it. I don't want to understand it. All these "sports fans" and their preconceived ideas about female athletes are just missing out on some great competition. I'm looking forward to watching a Final Four with Baylor, Stanford, UConn and Tennessee. That's going to be great.
And, for the guy at ESPN, I don't give a damn which men's team you think could beat them.