Christine Brennan's column

Given what passes for column themes, this was a magazine piece

 

Could be. But the point guard back then was really cute, and probably why I grew up wanting to marry a point guard.

 

Ok, call out the PC police because I'm going to type it -- the women's game is inferior. Smaller players. Slower players. Smaller ball and other rules meant to adapt to having smaller, slower players.

I am a fan of women's basketball, but the level of play is not the same as the men. The gap has closed quite a bit, but it is most definitely still there.

 

It's inferior if you like the showboating, me-me-me dunk-fest that men's basketball has become.

It's superior if you enjoy the passing game, offensive strategy and good shooting form.

 

Did I say better to watch? No. That is why I enjoy both. Totally different games.

But line up men's players and women's players at the same level to play each other. Who wins? Honestly?

 

The marketplace suggests that mens basketball is the better entertainment product. It generates more money and more people pay higher prices to see it. There's far more interest. Intuitively, most of us already knew that. I don't see that it makes a whole lot of sense for anyone to demand that two unequal entities be treated equally by the media in some awkward bow to political correctness.

Now, here's a question for those who cover collegiate sports: A woman whose skills are sufficient to play on the (mens) basketball team would be allowed to play under NCAA regulations, right? I've always assumed that to be the case but perhaps I'm wrong.

 

Boy, I hate to do this because I'm a fan of the women's game, I've covered it and watch it even when I'm not covering it.

But good shooting? Have you looked at the percentages? The majority of the WNBA teams shot under 40 percent last season. No NBA team shot less that 42 percent last season, not even the awful Hawks, who were last at 42.7 percent.

As much as I love watching and covering women's hoops -- and I do -- shooting is not one of the game's strengths.


Edit: Before anyone says dunks drive up the NBA's percentages, the worst 3-point shooting team in the NBA last season, Denver, shot 30.9 percent. Four WNBA teams had worse 3-point percentages (all four were under 30 percent). And the NBA 3-point shot is longer.

 

Yeah. but Phil Fulmer sucks, so you're wrong.

 

There is no right or wrong, nor is it our job to change it. I was just stating a fact. The market is the market.

 

I understand what you're saying. You're entitled to have an opinion as a consumer. So is Christine Brennan as a columnist. Like most fans, I like to see the very best players against the very best players.

 

I think the NBA game is fine (although I wish they'd call the travel more). I prefer it to the college game. The players in the NBA are among the best all-around athletes in the world.