Mens Basketball vs Womens Basketball

[jjwr]

A comment Jon made about how he thought Womens Basketball was a joke(or something like that, can't recall the exact quote but basically he doesn't like it).

I'm curious what others think about the Mens vs Womens basketball discussion?

Being a man I quite enjoy playing basketball, I'm not spectacular by any means but I have fun and do reasonably well compared to local competition. In High School quite often I wouldn't attend the girls games as I thought they were boring, most of the girls were slower and the game was played at a much slower pace without the physical high jumping you get with the guys.

Now 6 years later, in retrospect I never knew how wrong I'd be.

I enjoy watching the Boston Celtics, even more now that they've got a decent team and don't lose every night, its a form of basketball but not quite great basketball. Lots of Dunks, one on one moves, long range 3's, but does that make it a great basketball game?

College Basketball depending on the program can be a lot better or it can be a NBA Jr type of game. Certain programs like some of the Ivy league teams play a very good game of Basketball, they press all over the floor, move it around everywhere on offense and excute some mean pick-n-rolls and screens to score all their points.

Now what about the women? To me if your watching a basketball and you want a really good game of basketball, very fundamental, good team game without a few players flying all over the court with one on one moves or only scoring and looking good on fastbreaks then you gotta watch the women play.

The games at a slightly slower pace but the game is that much better, they play a team game and are in general more solid "Basketball" players, not as good athletes but better players.

To me womens basketball isn't a joke, in fact its probably the best basketball you'll find out there right now. Whats truly sad is that even when NCAA Throws up a major lame duck like last season's NCAA Championship game all the major papers, magazines and shows still shower it with attention while giving the women a by-line.

I mean that Indinia vs Maryland game was downright ugly, just a horrible display of basketball, and on the flip side you had some truly great womens teams fighting for the Title in a very good game and got little to no recognition.

[ReaperFett]

bounce bounce score. bounce bounce score. bounce bounce score. bounce bounce score. bounce bounce miss bounce bounce score.


Basketball :)



I prefer mens over women any time.

[CMJ]

I prefer mens, but I do enjoy watch women's basketball. I watched alot of the women's team back in college, and still follow the Lady Eagles almost as much as the guys team. :)

[Jedieb]

Whenever I talk to anyone who's ever coached or seriously played ball they give kudos to how women play at the college and pro level. It's certainly less flashy, but it's more fundamentally sound than watching Shaq hip check his way to yet another dunk. And let's not even get into Iverson chucking up 40 shots so he can get 30 points.

[JMK]

Back in college I would always check out the women's basketball team over the men's because the women were one of Canada's best college teams. A few players from the teams I watched went to star in the NCAA.

[Figrin D'an]

When I was in college, I would go to our co-rec facility quite often to play in pick-up games, and sometimes some of us would take a break and watch some of players from the mens and womens teams play. On many occasions, the women's team players would just school the men's team, because they were more fundamentally sound. They could pass better, could get out in transition faster, and had better shot selection. The guys on the men's team weren't hacks, either. These were some great Division I players, a few of whom are now in the NBA. The women's program at my alma-mater has been one of the best in the country over the past 10 years, including 3 Final Four apperances and 1 National Championship. I've been to watch some pretty amazing female basketball players... while it may not have the same degree of speed, strength, and athleticism as the men's game, I defy anyone to claim that the women's game is not as skilled as the men's game. In many areas, it's more skilled.

[JonathanLB]

I'll tell you, there were a few hot women's basketball players at JHS, but most of the hottest girls were the soccer players. They were frickin' hot as hell. That whole team was amazing. Our women's soccer team had a state record of 119 unbeaten games in a row that lasted I think almost 7 years and through numerous state championships. They were amazing. They finally lost an unlucky game 1-0 where they had more shots on goal but they just weren't going.

Personally, I'm with Juan at LMU, my friend from down there, women's sports suck hard. I won't watch that nonsense, not to be sexist or anything but I just refuse to watch women play men's sports. I would far rather watch a woman gymnist or a woman swimmer or a woman ice skater, those are all sports I think women are awesome to watch, but do I want to see two women boxing? That is a JOKE! It's literally funny as hell, it's a total joke and just makes a mockery of a real sport.

Do I want to see women and their hair bouncing all around TRYING to play basketball? No. Emphasis trying. When a game ends 115 to 2, and that just happened several weeks ago in college bball, then you know you have a joke of a sport. When the first women's dunk occurs like 5 years after the pro league is founded, you know it's not a real sport. When they sell courtside tickets at $10, you know that most people think just what I do -- watching women play basketball isn't worth anything.

I'm sorry but I just am not into the whole new wave thing, I'm a traditionalist. My mom is actually the same way, she doesn't think watching women play these sports is interesting at all nor does she think women should try to get into Augusta National.

You know what? I'll tell you just what I think. I think more women should stay home and raise kids because I think ever since they haven't been doing that, society has went to hell, and there is absolute proof for what I'm saying when you look at society in the '50s versus today, the much greater crime rates and general deterioration of society. Men cannot compete with women at raising kids, IMO, and there is this sick idea that raising kids and staying at home isn't ok anymore, it's "a lesser duty" and makes women "subservient" and "not powerful" or some stupid thing like that. Whatever! Anyone should have just as much if not MORE respect for a woman who stays home and does the truly difficult task of managing a family than a guy who goes out and does a job, which in many cases is actually easier than dealing with kids and raising them properly. My mom quit her job as soon as I was born and she loved raising us and did a very good job of it. She didn't rely on any nanny to take care of us, she did it herself, and she always cooks the meals, she is an absolutely great cook, and she runs our house like a CEO runs a business. There is absolutely just as much honor in that as there is any guy working his job. I'm all for equality in the work place and women having equal rights to guys, because I think they are absolutely just as capable and if a women ran for president and I agreed with her politics, I'd be just as likely to vote for her as any man, especially because I'm not impressed with most of these candidates anyway. I vote on politics, not on gender. So if a woman wants to work at a company and be a powerbroker, that's great, I fully support that. But I also think this attitude that being a homemaker is "a lesser role" in life needs to end. It's untrue. It's like saying that being a teacher isn't a great thing to do because you aren't going to be rich or famous. Yes, maybe so, but teachers deserve respect because they influence a lot more lives than most other people do, who cares what they make or what fame they achieve. That doesn't define the value of a person by any means.

In other socities, it is not seen as a bad or sexist thing to have clear gender roles. What is wrong with that all of the sudden? We are built differently. Men and women are not the same. Men are built stronger, bigger, and faster than women, as a whole (you can find a million specific exceptions, of course, we're talking medians here), and I think women are built more caring and better at languages and whatnot. Guys really are better at math, according to many studies, and women are better at languages. Guys actually DO have better direction, there is actual evidence to prove that. Although personally, I suck at direction, I can't find my way out of a four wall maze! lol, j/k. Point is, for thousands of years women were raising kids and taking care of families and guys were out hunting and bringing in the money or food or whatever, and this wasn't an awful thing, now it is a horrible inequality or something. Now if a women cannot go be CEO of a company, too, somehow she is not as valuable. I'm not sure why it has to be like that, why a guy working at his job has to have more value than a women doing a great job raising a family. I think it's absurd. I don't think one is any less valid than the other, they are both extremely important.

So as far as girls sports go, if they ever reach the level of skill that a man's sport does, then I'll be watching. Until that time, you are damn right I'm sticking to watching the more talented athletes. Let's see, who would win in a competition, the worst NBA team or the best WNBA team? No question, the NBA players would kill the women. So it doesn't come down to gender for me, it comes down to quality of play, and I refuse to watch lesser quality players. I'm all about the big games. I am not even a fan of watching mediocre NBA teams. I just like watching the better teams duke it out, that's much more fun.

[jjwr]

I'm glad some of you guys appreciate how good these women players are :)

I'll admit the game isn't always as fun to watch as men playing the game but its a better brand of basketball.

Sadly theres a lot of hot air in this thread so I've gotta let some out.


I'll tell you, there were a few hot women's basketball players at JHS,

Great way to start!


not to be sexist or anything but I just refuse to watch women play men's sports

No thats not sexist at all. I can perfectly understand how the only reason you don't watch women sports its because its women not men. Thats not sexist by any means


Do I want to see women and their hair bouncing all around TRYING to play basketball? No. Emphasis trying. When a game ends 115 to 2

Trying to play Basketball? Jon your a smart guy but when you have no clue what your talking about it shines over your head like a huge beacon.

You could take the 5 best ball players who have used this forum and odds are they would get crushed by a mid level Div 1 NCAA Team, the game wouldn't even be close.

Don't underestimate how good these players really are. Try playing a game of 1 on 1 vs say Sheryl Swoops....you think you would even score one hoop? A game to 21 would probably end in a 21-2 score, if that close. You say they can't play the game or are a joke? Well your a man and are obviously entitled to play basketball and make it not a joke yet if you played a women player the result would be a total joke and you'd be the punchline.


When the first women's dunk occurs like 5 years after the pro league is founded, you know it's not a real sport

So the ability to dunk a ball makes the game legitimate? I really should stop now, by you gauging the quality and legitimacy of basketball by the ability to dunk a ball shows that you have no idea what your talking about. I'm curious when the first dunk happened in a Mens game, the game was invented in the late 1800's and I would imagine it was many many years since it first happened, does that make it not legit?


if they ever reach the level of skill that a man's sport does, then I'll be watching.

Ah I got ya on this one, Womens basketball players at a high level have more Basketball skill then most Mens players do. What are they lacking? Whats the big difference? As you've pointed out many times we're built differently, men at this level are stronger, quicker, can jump higher. Does that make them more skilled at Basketball? No that makes them more athletic and it shows in the game. So by your line you should start watching some hoops now right?


So it doesn't come down to gender for me, it comes down to quality of play

Gotcha again! Quality of play, go for Womens basketball!!!! Did you watch the NCAA MEns Final last year? That wasn't quality basketball by any means, not even close. If you want quality basketball then watch the yearly matchups between Uconn and Tenessee in Womens basketball, you'll rarely find a mens game with quality like that.

You've already said that you don't watch Women play because you think its a joke not because of skill. If you really knew anything about basketball then you would realize that Women have just as much basketball skill as men do. Your comment about the Dunk shows that your biased to high flying games then real fundamental basketball.

I don't think anyone could make a legit claim that men are more skilled at the game of basketball, I'm not talking dunking from the foul line or huge alley-oops I'm talking the real bones of a basketball game.

If you want a high flying exciting game then watch some Street Hoops from NYC, incredibly fun game to watch, all sorts of crazy stuff. Some fo the best athletes you'll see, kinda funny though, these guys are playing on a court in NYC instead of a major college or the NBA, theres a lot more to basketball then dunking and showboating.

Sorry the long-wind replies guys!

[jjwr]

Missed this one!


Whenever I talk to anyone who's ever coached or seriously played ball they give kudos to how women play at the college and pro level. It's certainly less flashy, but it's more fundamentally sound than watching Shaq hip check his way to yet another dunk. And let's not even get into Iverson chucking up 40 shots so he can get 30 points.

Exactly Jedieb! I enjoy the NBA but its not exactly the purest form of Basketball out there, they don't play defense, they travel all over the court and it becomes a 1 on 1 game while 2-3 players sit on the perimiter waiting to hit a 3 pointer. Great fun but not the greatest example of basketball.

I had a practice last week, we were working on some defense near the end of the practice and after practice ended we encouraged the kids to watch some basketball on TV if they can. Examples of defensive placement and how to move. Both myself and the other coach at just about the same time told them not to watch the NBA games as it could lead them astray.

[jjwr]

Sorry if that came off super harsh, that wasn't the intention, I wrote it in pieces between doing some house work.

If you don't like womens basketball thats fine I just think its bull if the reason you don't like it is because you don't think its a quality game or not as good of a game as the guys.

[Jedieb]

That was one of the best thrashings of a weak (and sexist to boot) argument I've seen in awhile. :lol

[Jedi Master Carr]

I know those sexist comments went out in the 1950's if not the 1800's. I think women Basketball is good they can play the game just as good as men. Also in some sports, Soccer comes to mind I wouldn't be surprised if the women teams could beat the men's teams, the team that won the World Championships come to mind.

[ReaperFett]

NO WAY could a good female Football team beat a good male one. Some sports I COULD see a balanced game, like Hockey. But then there's some where they would be so biased to the men it is stupid, like Football or Tennis (And dont even THINK of mentioning equal pay in Tennis. I'll rant, just watch me :))

I'm not saying females are bad at Football, but where are the Figos? The Beckhams? The Keanes? Whenever I've watched, they dont ever have any stand-out players like that for me.

[jjwr]

Reaper is correct, in most sports teams of equal skill of men vs women would in most cases result in Men winning the game. Most of the time the physical advantages the men have are just too much. Thats no knock against the women but the women won't all be as fast or be able to jump as high as some of the men can.

Now there are obvious exceptions to this and some incredible women athletes but on a purley physical level most of them can't do what their male counterparts can.

Now a 5 on 5 game of basketball, 6ft or under only, that may be fun to watch :)

The men would be faster you say? Women play zone to help limit the speed of the men and possible use it against them. On offense, take advantage of the mens agressiveness, massive upfakes and forcing the guys into the air to get their shots off. I could see a very close game assuming you had top notch players on both sides of the ball.

[Jedieb]

Female hockey players could never match up against pro male hockey players. The game is too violent. On a club level it would be tough for a female player to hold her own, but it'd be doable. But not against NHL talent. Those guys are just brutal. Playing goalie is about the only spot a woman could possibly have a shot. In just about any game, the top males will dominate the top females head to head. But that's rare company. I think it's fair to say that if you take the top female athletes in just about any sport, they could dominate your basic weekend warriors. That's something a lot of guys can't accept. I think what you see in many female sports in that the athletes focus more on fundamentals and less on pure athletism. That's why you sometimes see more disciplined and better played games.

[ReaperFett]

Eb, that's ICE Hockey. I dont mean that :)

[JMK]

Some sports I COULD see a balanced game, like Hockey
Never in a million years. Imagine a guy like Lindros deciding he wants to put an open-ice hit on a women hockey player that weighed around 80 pounds less than him? Almost the equivalent of a train hitting Lada.

[ReaperFett]

NOT. ICE. HOCKEY.


:)

[JMK]

Relax dude, I was typing my reply as you said not ice hockey.

Are you referring to field hockey then?

[ReaperFett]

Yeah :)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well in the U.S the female soccer team seems better than the men's, that could be for a lot or reason, the men's team has struggled for the most part (last year being an exception) while the Women's team won the World cup. So I think a they could beat them though it would be close. As far as other sports, I have been waiting to see if there would ever be a female baseball player, there has been a few good ones in college, mostly pitchers, and I think one day it will happen, even if its just a gimmick to sell tickets. You could also see one in Football as a kicker, maybe there are a few female kickers playing in college, I think all of them are below Division 1 A though.

[jjwr]

I don't really know enough about Soccer to make a good call but I could see a Womens team easily competing with a Mens on the diamond. Maybe they wouldn't have the speed of the mens players and would have to be carefull pitching but it could be done.