Bill Lambieer WNBA Playoffs

[bbcoach7]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

And therein lies your problem...you are trying to compare NCAA games and WNBA games...the officials have two VERY different sets of guidelines they are told to follow in those two very distinct games...you can't watch an NBA or WNBA game and expect it to be called the same as an NCAA game. In fact, watch a Lisa Mattingly, Sally Bell, Melissa Barlowe, etc. referee a WNBA game and then watch them ref an NCAA game - it's night and day...and that's the way the WNBA wants it. What you think in your mind is a "questionable call" is the way the WNBA has instructed plays to be called. Apples and tangerines, baby.

I appreciate you explaining this to me. I'm not on some kinda ego trip here, with a powerful need to be right. I just want to understand, that's all.

[rockyroad]

[QUOTE=Jurassic Referee] or the Seattle Mariners. QUOTE]

Hey now...be careful or we'll end up with that idiot in Illinois starting to post about the M's too - since he doesn't care about them either...

[Jurassic Referee]

[QUOTE=rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

or the Seattle Mariners. QUOTE]

Hey now...be careful ...

I was just kidding. Any team with JJ Putz on it is fine with me, no matter what the sport.

[JRutledge]

Well at least the idiot from Illinois has seen a World Series winner in his state. What have the Mariners or (Seahawks) done?

Now I see why you are so bitter.

Peace

[RonRef]

[QUOTE=Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I was just kidding. Any team with JJ Putz on it is fine with me, no matter what the sport.

Seattle still has a pro baseball team?

I thought the last major league team to play there was the Pilots in 1970!

[REFVA]

REFVA, lets get sumthin' straight. It was never my intention to run down or belittle the WNBA. I'm just saying that it's simply a niche sport. It has it's following, but the general popularity of the WNBA simply isn't there. It's no different than Arena Football, the Major Lacrosse League, Major League Soccer..... or the Seattle Mariners. They all have their devoted followers, but none of them seem to have a general following, except locally maybe.

I am not saying you are belittle the WNBA, I just stated my situation. But remember these girls have a goal to work on. If there werent a WNBA what would these girls focus a goal on?

Well the NBA has not helped the inner-cities very well. Not sure how the WNBA is going to make women any better.

Just think if there weren't a WNBA, you wouldn't have as many as inner city players there playing right now. Lets call it the way it is. The WNBA has more players that came from the inner cities. Just my IMO..

[REFVA]

REFVA, lets get sumthin' straight. It was never my intention to run down or belittle the WNBA. I'm just saying that it's simply a niche sport. It has it's following, but the general popularity of the WNBA simply isn't there. It's no different than Arena Football, the Major Lacrosse League, Major League Soccer..... or the Seattle Mariners. They all have their devoted followers, but none of them seem to have a general following, except locally maybe.Jurassic referee

JR, I don't believe that it's just devoted following, Carol Lawson is a local Virginian, do you know how many girls follow her here in Virginia, Not just the local Sacramento followers. It's growing, I believe that if you ran the WNBA in conjunction with the NBA, the NBA would loose followers, especially the female side and as well get some fathers followers who will share the fun with their daughters. The same follows for Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and many other WNBA players.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by REFVA

I am not saying you are belittle the WNBA, I just stated my situation. But remember these girls have a goal to work on. It there werent a WNBA what would these girls focus on?

Track and Field, Volleyball, Soccer, Softball, Golf, education, college, grades, family activities or whatever someone can do outside of basketball.

Originally Posted by REFVA

Just think if there weren't a WNBA, you wouldn't have as many as inner city players there playing right now. Lets call it the way it is. The WNBA has more players that came from the inner cities that there are from the a miiddle class area. Just my IMO..

The problems in the inner-city are not young women. I really do not think a $30,000 job that may or may not last past a couple of years as a vital part of the maturation of women. I would also hope that people in the inner-city have other things to focus on then just being good athletes. For young boys sports is only going to last so long. Not every playground legend is an NBA player or even a college player with boys. There are fewer WNBA teams then there are NBA teams combined with the NDBL or the many other Pro-Leagues we never talk about here.

I guess what I always find funny is why is it an issue if we like or dislike about the WNBA have to turn a social issues and not just the fact the league is good or stinks? I could say the same things about the WNBA that I say about the NHL, MLS, XFL or the Pro Bowlers Tour. The Women's Pro Bowlers Tour folded because there was little interest. If it was not for the NBA and their commitment to keeping the league, it would fold too. Hell, NCAA Women's Basketball loses money every year and at least that is somewhat exciting.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by REFVA

I believe that if you ran the WNBA in conjunction with the NBA, the NBA would loose followers, especially the female side and as well get some fathers followers who will share the fun with their daughters. The same follows for Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and many other WNBA players.

They tried this already and the league folded.

Peace

[Raymond]

Bottom-line is that WNBA gives the teen female population a professional team sport with which they can identify. It's ludicrous to compare the WNBA to MLB, NFL, NCAA-M b-ball, or NCAA football. It'll never reach those levels, NEVER. But I don't think that is the charter of the WNBA. Professional sports are a business. And sports revenue by and large comes from the pockets of men, whether you're talking about teens buying jerseys and caps and sneakers, or middle-to-upper class men buying season tickets and satellite/cable packages. Take 50 male CEO's and 50 female CEO's. What percentage from each group is going to spend their personal money on a luxury box for the local NFL team or court side season tickets along celebrity row? Women don't spend their $$$ the same way men do, that's just a fact in America.

Basketball is the only professional team sport available to women. There will never be true or legitimate professional football, hockey, or baseball for women. There is no interest in women's soccer past the World Cup and Olympics. Most of the other sports women excel in are individual sports. And when do those sports get good ratings? When someone sexy is competing for a title, that's when.

So the fact that 14,000 showed up for a WNBA game or a network of any type is willing to broadcast it is really an accomplish in and of itself considering the state of womens' sports in America. And I'm willing to wager that a few of those aforementioned CEO's will buy WNBA tickets if they have a teenage daughter in the household.

And the WNBA is significant enough that top-level officials from both the women's and men's side of the game officiate in it. So that at least gives it some legitimacy in my eyes.

I personally don't watch the WNBA b/c it doesn't interest me, just like MLB and NHL don't. I had interest when it began b/c I used to play pick-up ball with one of the original L.A. Sparks. But once she moved to the front office my interest waned completely and I stopped watching. The only thing that would get me back to watching would be if one of the local HS products were to make it into the league.

[JRutledge]

BadNewsRef,

Well said.

Peace

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by REFVA

JR, I don't believe that it's just devoted following, Carol Lawson is a local Virginian, do you know how many girls follow her here in Virginia, Not just the local Sacramento followers. It's growing, I believe that if you ran the WNBA in conjunction with the NBA, the NBA would loose followers, especially the female side and as well get some fathers followers who will share the fun with their daughters. The same follows for Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and many other WNBA players.

Um, they do run the WNBA in conjunction with the NBA. If they didn't, there wouldn't be a WNBA. The NBA is subsidizing the WNBA to the tune of $12 million a year. And the WNBA sureasheck ain't growing either. League attendance from 1997 is down and tv ratings are generally terrible. As a vice-president of ESPN said in this recent article, it's simply a niche sport.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...071100988.html

Facts, REFVA, not wishes......

[REFVA]

I agree as well BadNewsRef. But those young ladies at least have some goal to work on even though as they get older it may deminish..That goes for any sports that is appropriate for ladies..

Jurassic Referee, I guess we all have our opinion and that's what makes this world tick everyday,. Have a good one.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by REFVA

Jurassic Referee, I guess we all have our opinion and that's what makes this world tick everyday,. Have a good one.

Unfortunately, opinions aren't necessarily facts. And, again, I say that without trying to diss the WNBA.

You have a good one too.

[Junker]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I would also hope that people in the inner-city have other things to focus on then just being good athletes.

Peace

Well said. I taught at an inner city elementary for a few years. I was amazed when parents of 5th graders with a 1st grade reading level explained to me at conferences that their grand plan for their kid was to play professional athletics. I really wish more people understood how rare an athlete of that caliber is. As they say, student comes before athlete in student athlete.