Gotnext Women's Basketball Boards

M6Zara · Joined: 31 Jul 2004 Posts: 51 Location: Maryland

Was anyone else bothered by the men's show of "support" for the women? It seemed like Coach Brown had to threaten them or something to watch the game. I mean, could they have at least removed those headphones and possibly shown some enthusiasm. I didn't know what they were doing there in the first place. It's as if they're saying that they're too good for the women's game when in reality they could really use all the help they need.

I have to say that I was really happy that at least two people. Emeka and Lamar Odom, were doing their best and were really paying attention and having fun, especially Emeka.

doubleDfan · Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 225

I love Emeka.....but yeah, then it looked like Larry had to threaten them to take the headphones off....However I did notice a few of them cheer when Diana made her three.

Go Emeka and Odom for showing class and respect....it isn't that hard is it guys.

Mercurymaniac · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 1197 Location: Scottsdale

Yeah, they showed up so that's a start. Now maybe they'll get over themselves and not worry if someone recognizes them and asks for an autograph. They should be thrilled that someone wants their autograph.

USA basketball is finally realizing that they have a PR nightmare in this team.

txdtfan3 · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 37 Location: Dallas, TX

here is what Diana had to say about the men not showing for the first game...

Quote: "They didn't come," Taurasi said, then brightened. "I'll still come to see Puerto Rico play. They got some cute guys on that team."

she always has a good reply.

caune · Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1562 Location: Phoenix

What bothered me is how the announcers would not shut up about the men. BFD they are in attenbance, so were the families of many of the women. Show me and interview with the Taurasi family, Mom, Dad and Jess are all there! or Swins mom who is sooo proud of her daughter.
Enough coverage of the Men already!

BackInTheDayPlay · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 33

The showing of the men was very disheartening. We can do without whatever that was...

In complete agreement with you Caune. I actually muted my television so I could just watch the game and not here the incessant nattering about the boys...not men...boys.

mb · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:20 am Post subject:

The oter day I thought I had noticed Jessica in the audience.

It is becoming increasingly tough to avoid cheering against the men.

Has anyone else noticed the improperly displayed flag at the gymnastics?

The U.S. flag is draped over the rail of the stands in the background.

The blue field is supposed to be in the upper left.
HUGE pet peeve of mine.

While loving the show Extreme Makeover Home Edition, they hung a flag improperly in a garage last season.

mb · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:36 am Post subject:

Darn it, darn it, darn it!!!

LL disses the men during an interview, appears to have comraderie with her U.S. teammates, and has seemed to have dropped the dirty play and "it is all about me" attitude.

It was my intent to cheer the U.S. team, excepting her.
Now I may even be reluctantly supportive of "My Pretty Pony".

SuziQ · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 288 Location: Phoenix

MB, I agree. I actually have started to not hate LL quite as much. Her honesty in her comments was amazing, equal to her play. And on the WNBA website, when asked who she'd want taking a game-winning shot, she didn't name herself, but everyone else on the team.

Scary that she seems to evolving into a player I can support - which is easier given she's wearing the Red, White & Blue vs. ugly purple/yellow. It'll be awhole 'nother story in September!

Improper display of the flag drives me nuts, too! Especially bad is neighbors who have had the same flag out for 2 years, hanging wrong, even thru rain and night. Bet they even let it touch the ground.

Mercurymaniac · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 1197 Location: Scottsdale

I think the only reason why they made a big deal about the men is because LL dissed them and plus its always about the men.

Yeah, it is kind of scary cheering for LL, she's being a team player and even likeable. :shock: As long as she plays for the USA, I can cheer for her, but when Sept comes, it will be business as usual.

The encourgaing thing was Lester Holt talking about how wonderful the women played and the excitement they generate. He also talked about women's softball which was starting on MSNBC.

At least the announcers at the international broadcast center are steering audiences towards the womens teams and their consistant stellar play.

aml10 · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 323 Location: iowa

yeah, i could actually appreciate the announcers for the most part in this game.
while i don't believe they should be talking about the men at all during the women's game, it was nice to hear how disgusted they were at the fact the men were wearing headphones during the girls' game. the one guy stated his disgust more than once and was sure to mention how supportive the women were and that they cheer on the men when they go to watch them play.

the US women are class through and through! they can actually give us something to be proud of!

JustaMercuryFan · Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 132 Location: Phoenix, Az

Question: Would we ever see an interview with a Team USA woman player during a boys USA basketball game?
Answer: Not until it freezes in Phoenix in July.

I was very pissed with the interview with the boys asst coach. Anne Meyers is such a great commentator that I could have listened to her tell us about history in women's ball, etc. And the jack ass male commentator said at the end "It was an easy game for USA women but none of it's been easy for the men."

It was said that the men came at half time to this game and it must have been generally grudgingly by their poor behavior. Listening to their music. How rude and dare I say, not in the spirit of supporting the USA in the Olympics.

Note that the men did not remove their headphones until after the game was almost over. I pose the idea that someone gave them the word that it looked really bad. I find it unlikely that they would all simultaneously decide to remove their headphones.

I was glad to see this thread cause I was really steamed about it.

If I offend you with the following then tough nuts: It is just another glaring example of the high revere that our society gives glowingly to men (or makes excuses for their behavior) and the dissing of women by our society.

Mercurymaniac · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 1197 Location: Scottsdale

Quote: Would we ever see an interview with a Team USA woman player during a boys USA basketball game?

Good question and probably not. However if the men continue to stink up the joint, we just might. :) or if the men are getting blown out or are blowing out someone (fat chance)

Everyone I worked with wants to see them fail because as she says
"they're spoiled, rude and are an embarrassment"

1carol · Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 1043 Location: Phoenix AZ

All the recent LL admirers are forgetting a crucial part of the interview where she said "They (the men) need to learn teamwork to adjust to the international game. Teamwork is the way they play over here. It's not like when we play back home where *everybody looks out for themself*"
That may not be an exact quote, but it's as close as I remember.

I do really appreciate the way LL is presenting team USA to the world.
Ya think maybe she was hipnotized? I could change my opinion of her if she were to continue the team play & good sportsmanship in the WNBA. But I seriously doubt it, based on the above comment.

ps: notice I didn't even call her any of our infamous names! I'll reserve those for later if need be.

jezzie · Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 8

I had a similar reaction to Leslie’s comments about the men. I could have easily given her a chest bump and probably said “You GO, girl!” I will surely need therapy.

While I'm disgusted by the men's approach to representing our country, I'm more disturbed by the commentators' coverage of it. The men's team absolutely should be chastised, but doing so publicly during the women's game was ineffective and counterproductive. Can you force cocky people into behaving by embarrassing them? The issue should have been privately addressed with the coaching staff and USA Basketball.

It's not like the NBA egos were a surprise - did any of us think these sheltered, uneducated, spoiled divas (generalizing here, exceptions noted) would magically know what it means to be an Olympian? How do we expect them to react to being ordered to attend the game, and then criticized for being themselves? Will they now resent the women? Didn't someone think to prepare these athletes for the shock of leaving the cushy NBA?

Even sweet/cute/adored/hero Emeka stumbled through his interview. It seemed to me that he was especially uncomfortable with the questions about their experience in watching the women. I think the interviewer wasn’t going to be satisfied until he heard, "Yeah, good thing we're here watching the women. We don't know jack about basketball and couldn't win a game here without them. They're doing a better job than us!”

While I enjoyed the snide remarks, a single camera shot and comment ("Nice to see the men showing their...support") would have got the point across without belaboring the issue. It seemed like they were really desperate to find a hint of enthusiasm on the men's faces, and I found that embarrassing. Why validate their disinterest by giving it so much airtime? Let's watch the women's game, already!

1carol · Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 1043 Location: Phoenix AZ

I agree with you "except" the men have been publicly dissing the WNBA since it's inception & deserved to be publicly humiliated by our showing of good sportsmanship & enthusiasm being brought to the public eye. We didn't bring it up. For a change, the media finally recognized the women for the talented strong people that they are. We've been silent for so long, we're expected to keep "our place" in the society of sports. The men have been talked about & excuses being made for them at the womens' games anyway. I for one, am tired of it.
The men were chastised privately. Why do you think they were at that game? They were forced or shamed into it & they made damn sure everyone knew it.

*I'm speaking of the men in general, of course. There are definitely exceptions. Too bad their reputation is being sullied by the spoiled brats. I don't think those brats deserve the title of "Diva". Even Diva's know to keep their behavior private as possible & out of the public eye.

WOW -- what a rant that was!! I must have been storing that up for a while :!:
And no... I am not a man hater. I even have one of my own who respects me for the individual & equal partner that I am

JustaMercuryFan · Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 132 Location: Phoenix, Az

I too noticed the comment from LL about "team playing in Olympics and selfish playing in the WNBA". I think LL is very smart about her image knowing she is on TV and people seeing her who have never seen her in action in the WNBA. I thought it was a bit of hooey, saying the right things. I loved it when Dee was right next to LL in the parade of athletes. . .actually they probably told her to be there as I see they have only hyped LL and Dee in the media. Did you read my comments on Dee having to get muffins for LL? I'll post it here.

JustaMercuryFan · Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 132 Location: Phoenix, Az

Dawn Staley, the point guard and heart/soul of the team, was asked if the veterans will feel comfortable when it's time to turn over the family business to the kids, like Olympic rookies Taurasi and Sue Bird.

"I'll feel comfortable after this," Staley said, referring to one more gold medal.

The kids must pay dues.

"I gotta get muffins for Lisa (Leslie)," Taurasi said when asked about rookie chores.

The Americans play a card game called Tonk, but as Staley said of Taurasi, "She can't play cards unless one of us (veterans) doesn't want to play. (Pause) But when she plays, she wins."

FROM:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?
file=/chronicle/archive/2004/08/15/SPG1L88EF01.DTL

P.S. There was an interview prior to the Olympics in which DT said that the veterans asked her to play cards and when she sat down LL told DT to go get her a muffin. DT was laughing. Guess she's not gonna let anybody forget the LL muffin story.