So "diversity" is now allowing men to compete as women in women's international sports? Are you trans?
Unbelievable that they didn’t just automatically add a career 37% shooter who didn’t attend the tryout.
The 2004 men’s team lost because the top players didn’t play. Replace Lamar Odom, Richard Jefferson, Carlos Boozer, Emeka Okafor and rookie Lebron, rookie Dwyane Wade, rookie Melo and sophomore Amare Stoudemire with Shaq, Kobe, Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Chris Webber, Ray Allen, Jason Kidd and they would’ve easily won gold.
Men shouldn't compete as women in women's sports. Most agree. But this thread has nothing to do with that.
Read the point that she was not selected because she would get limited playing time, and they thought that might be distraction if the fans start booing or something ...
Okay, everyone sit down please. I completely agree with champs960608 here. They are a walking, talking PR nightmare. Without NBA subisidies they would have been long gone. Caitlin Clark is the best thing to ever happen to them and they’re too dumb to see, hear, smell, and touch it. I’m not saying that the older players should get out of her way on the court, but that hard, stupid hard foul on her the other night was petty. Were not talking about the NBA roughing up rookies a little bit here There is no comparison of dynamics of the men’s and women’s leagues. The level of interest the US and the world have in CC is worth millions of $ in viewership and merchandise. If the women play their cards right here they are sitting on a gold mine. And lest anyone think I’m just a boomer who doesn’t like women’s sports I had season tickets to the Orlando Miracle back when my daughters were younger.
Yours was not in response to the thread, but a gratuitous remark that just made you look what perhaps you're not, petty
Taurasi is a veteran leader who is still playing at a high level and was comfortable taking an off the bench role in 2020. They're bringing her on because she can play a bench role, draw on a lot of international experience, and serve as a leader because of the respect other players have for her. Clark doesn't offer any of these things as the final person on the team. Yep. Clark is a ball-dominant guard who leads the WNBA in turnovers by a wide margin. She'll be on the team in the future. But she's not the best option this year. She's not even the best player left off the team.
I have multiple takes on this. First I’m not a Basketball expert. I don’t watch many games, but follow stuff lightly in the news. As to Caitlin Clark - at a high level, she isn’t one of the best 12, so not making the team makes perfect sense, if people truly believe in meritocracy. So I have zero issue with it. Now for me to throw some turds in the punchbowl. If I had to guess, race was a consideration. Putting a white woman on the team, not based upon merit but upon popularity certain has the perception of racial favoritism. I don’t think anyone can argue (they will of course) that part of Clark’s popularity is because she is white. She’s an average sized (for a bb player) kind of skinny midwestern white girl. The fact that a person like this was lighting up college bb and setting records was definitely novel. If she were black she would certainly be popular, but I doubt quite as popular. I don’t consider that racism per se. Part of the attraction is she was different. Tiger Woods was insanely popular because he was unique - not only was he a generational talent, he was a black man in a white man’s sport. However among some black players as well as some on the left who want to make everything about race, a white person bypassing the meritocracy has to chafe. I can understand that. Now turd number two, arguably from the other side, is American basketball an example of reverse systematic racism? The reason I ask is I am always amazed by some of these international stars in the NBA. Why are all the best white basketball players from Europe? (That’s my perception which could be totally wrong as I don’t follow it intensely) My half cocked theory is in the US once you get to certain levels, high school, college, pro - the people evaluating talent have stereotypes - they are looking for athletic skills and “upside”, and they perceive that in athletic black players, whereas a white player with ball skills is perceived to be topped out - so beyond college, even if they make it that far, they get bypassed. However in Europe such barriers don’t exist and those players are given time to develop. I look at players like Doncic, or Jokic, do they make the same development in the US? Or in HS are they put down in a low post and relegated to playing the role of a paint eater? I’m just curious. I’m probably off based. I’d love to hear other theories. I’m not at all animated or upset by any of this.
She's a rookie. The other players are competitors. She'll be fine. It's pro basketball. There's physical play. Shit happens.
