WNBA Forever!!!

To: Stephen A Smith, Bill Simmons, Anyone else who rips the WNBA, etc...

"I Love This Game" a.k.a "She's Got Game" by Manny Stiles

I am a 6'6", 260lb, 32 year old non-lesbian father of two, and a TRUE sports fan.
I love the game of basketball. Although I played more baseball growing up, I can dunk on you. I enjoy watching women's basketball. Maybe it's because I am comfortable with the size of my penis, but I don't feel threatened or lessened by someone (male, female or other) who may be more talented or skilled than me at this particular game (OR any other feat in life).

I cannot understand why so many people go out of their way to undermine and attempt to destroy such a fine institution as Women's Professional Basketball. Maybe it's because they feel threatened that a woman is better than them at ballin' or they just have a small penis (and brain, too).
The excuses against the WNBA are lame, pathetic and border on shameful. David Stern is not an idiot. I admire his damned-near pigheadedness to keeping the WNBA viable. He knows that every WNBA fan is basically a NBA fan in the WNBA's off-season and possibly a future mother of more basketball fans.

The problem may be that most people are stupid and do not keep things in perspective. Stephen A, Sports Guy and those of a similar 'vein' (or is it 'vain') say things like:
- the game is slower
- women aren't as athletic
- they can't dunk
- the WNBA is for lesbians
- WNBA chicks are ugly
- The NBA subsidizes the franchises

to which I can only respond: You are ALL idiots.

1. You cannot compare apples to triangles.
It's NOT the same game. Seriously, it's not. The only thing that is the same is the court and the basket. Get that simple concept first and you save yourself from sounding stupid when comparing the two.
You lack the foresight that what is good for the WNBA is good for ALL of basketball. When little girls grow up loving the sport, it benefits THE SPORT: NBA, WNBA, NCAA, AAU on and on... a fan of Women's basketball is going to enjoy basketball of all sorts.

2. You morons are comparing Hulk Hogan to a 10 year-old.
The NBA has been around for how many years? Firmly established. You had your Mikans, Cousys, Robertsons, Chamberlains and Alcindors before the 'classical' period of Magic-Bird-Jordan began, to today's Shaq & Wade. Without Mikan, then Chamberlain, then Alcindor would we ever have been able to progress to today's O'Neal?? Uhh... No. Wilt would have played volleyball and Kareem would have stocked the high shelves at a grocery store.

3. The WNBA is still in the archaic period. Without Nancy Lieberman, then Sheryl Swoopes, to Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie we wouldn't have today's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi or Simeon Augustus and tomorrow, Candace Parker. The Good is here, the Better, Better Yet and Best are yet to come!
Do you understand the nature of these things? They have to develop through a natural progression. Compare an NBA game from the 1960's on ESPN classic to a WNBA game of today and tell me where the differences lie.

4. The WNBA salaries pale in comparison to the NBA, for logical reasons;
but that also leads to a larger talent pool from which to choose the best of the best. More boys play b-ball with the dream of the paydays, and CONTINUE playing even with the odds against them. You can run a WNBA franchise for one year of an average Knicks player's salary.
How many great female basketball players out there AREN'T playing basketball because they can make more money as everyday working schmoes??? My wife, for instance played college ball and can out-ball 99% of the douche bags journalists that trash the WNBA, I GUARANTEE IT!!!
I will be 100% honest; I may be able to dunk on her, but she's a better all-around player than I am and even out-of-shape, I will destroy YOU, too!
The opportunities aren't there for a female baller like they are for men, so women like my wife never get to develop their game and progress to a professional level. Hell, there has been many times guys wouldn't even play pick-up games against her! Yet they call themselves 'ballers'...

5. Do you want to see hot babes or world class athletes?
If you're looking for 'hot babes' on a basketball court, clearly you have 'no game' to begin with. There are plenty of websites and DVDs waiting for you 'Eddie Griffins' out there.
If you don't like the WNBA because it's a 'lesbian league', then you clearly lack a working brain or are afraid that lesbians get hotter girlfriends than you ever will. Grow up. Being intimidated by people who have no direct impact on your life is lower than pathetic.

6. Q. How many NBA ballers complain about the WNBA?
A. None - Even some former NBAers coach and work in the WNBA. Why is that? Because they 'get it'. The more basketball fans you have, the more the game benefits. Plus most NBAers aren't intimidated by women who enjoy, love and play the game with the same passion as they do... they appreciate it.

7. This is what IS true:
Women are on many levels MORE competitive than men; a properly motivated woman should be feared.
Women use fundamentals INSTEAD of athleticism; not out of need, out of intelligence. The game is easier when you play it smarter.
Women play at full effort, all the time; that's how they play - to KILL and DESTROY their opponent.
Women are infinitely more coachable, and practice harder; face it guys.
Women have a lower center of gravity, better for boxing out - basketball is a game of footwork and positioning - which also explains Charles Barkley

Look, Dwyane Wade grew up watching Michael Jordan, learning his every move, trying to do it better... the kids of today are watching Wade, trying to do it better... how much further can the bar be raised??? Umm, it can't! According to everyone who 'knows', Jordan is the APEX. We'll never see another Jordan in the NBA will we? But the female equivalent has yet to step on the floor.

The point is... if you don't like Women's Professional Basketball, don't watch it; but don't rip it ignorantly, either. Just like if you don't like Stephen A's opinions, change the channel, if you don't like Sports Guys opinions, read something else... but don't rip 'em because YOU'RE ignorant.
Remember - This is coming from a guy who has never actually been to a WNBA game in person (I do watch on TV occasionally and I will go to a game soon) AND I enjoy watching Stephen A and reading Sports Guy, but they're just plain WRONG on this topic.

Hey, the better the WNBA does, the better opportunity tomorrow's female athletes and My Personal Mealticket Daughter - the Future Hall of Famer Power Forward will have; maybe even get to play for the big bucks, with Daddy as her agent. And the better the NBA is for it. Then my son can coach a WNBA team one day, too!
It paves the way for Pro Softball, Women's hockey, and other sporting leagues, because more and more girls will have game... watch out boys! They're coming for it!
More importantly guys, every time you rip women's sports you are only declaring your ignorance and hurting your own daughters (or increasing the likelihood of having daughters of your own one day...right, Sports Guy?)

Long Live the WNBA!!!

I know what Isiah Thomas is doing!

I know what Isiah Thomas is doing!
Here's a list of distinct possibilities:
- he's on drugs
- completing his vendetta against New York
- he's on too many prescription drugs
- he smokes crack
- he's still pissed his Mom spelled his name wrong
- going for world record at boo collecting
- going for world record of 'most crack smoked by guy in a suit'
- trying to pass Lawrence Taylor on all time 'crack smoked' list
- trying to build evidence of brain damage suffered so he can finally sue Karl Malone
- he's on drugs
- he likes to destroy franchises by smoking crack
- he is on too many drugs
- Renaldo Balkman has pictures of him smoking crack
- Renaldo Balkman is Isiah's dealer
- waiting for trade of Stephon, Franchise, Q, Curry, and Larry Brown's expiring contract for Jon Koncak to go through
- balancing the power in the NBA by spreading the tax dollars around to all
- he's not smoking crack; just PCP, meth and heroin
- he's definitely on drugs
- he is being paid by James Dolan to ensure Spike Lee starts rooting for a new team
- even bad publicity is still publicity, right
- paving the way for a comeback
- nah, it's drugs, definitely drugs
- he knows what he's doing by building a team of undersized, overpaid players no one else wants
- maybe he's on drugs
- he's trying to be as entertaining as hell (I am definitely enjoying it all)
- drugs?
- Even on drugs, he's still a better exec than Magic or Jordan, right?
- maybe he's NOT on drugs, but EVERYONE else is?
- balancing the kharma of New York by personally sucking more than an average Yankee fan
- I think he's on drugs
- Raptors, Pacers, Knicks... third time's the charm!
- New York has some great drugs (according to John Rocker)
- a combination of brain damage, drugs, vengeance, incompetence and tomfoolery.

So to sum it up, stop worrying, Knicks fans... everything is under control. All of those contracts will expire someday and be worth something, right?

Let the floodgates open...

Sick of 'steroids'???
Well, you ain't seen nothin' yet...

Baseball has been taking the brunt of the whole 'performance enhancing drugs' issue, but this puppy is going to unfold and open wide in the upcoming days, months, years...

Nobodies are emerging to grant interviews and state "yeah, I did 'em. And so did everyone else...". Jason Grimsley, David Segui, Paxton Crawford - these guys are scrubs and they were profusely taking them...

Jose Canseco says his upcoming movie will shed light on who knew and when... he even inferred that certain General Managers used as well...

Hey, the NFL banned greenies today... punters have been ARRESTED for fake prescriptions of steroids. There are no definitive tests for HGH, but football players are bigger than ever! Freak injuries are occurring at a greater rate. Yet baseball looks bad, football is stronger than ever?

Greg LeMond and associates have sold Mighty Lance Armstrong down the river... awfully damning evidence against the formerly perfect (minus that whole Sheryl Crow thing) Lance Armstrong.

How long before we find out how many GOLFERS are juicing? Do you think these pro athletes don't talk to each other??? Hey Tiger, you're 30 and that back's bothering you again? Try some of this stuff to get over your workouts faster... Gee, aren't you from the same Bay Area that BALCO is from???

All we hear is baseball = steroids.

How many soccer players worldwide are using illegal enhancers? Basketball players, tennis players, even bowlers?

Wins = Money = cheating to win = doing whatever it takes

These are HIGHLY competitive people. Anyone who doesn't cheat, loses; and when you lose, it hurts your pocket first, legacy second. When you cheat; it only hurts if you get caught (the first couple of times) and you keep the money...

Personally, I reiterate that I don't care if every pro athlete uses whatever they want. I still sleep in my bed at night. Pro athletes were never perfect and I never worshipped them. I never regarded them as anything other than being really good at one inconsequential feat - being good at a specific sport.

But the begining is just begining. Every minor leaguer, wash up and former star/current loser will be ready to sing in the spotlight, championing the anti-permance enhancing drugs sentiment. Even the guys who DIDN'T do it will yap about those who did.

Then we can go back to the days when guys were doing coke, having sex parties, visiting the Gold Club, etc... hell, maybe we can go back to when the final scores made the headlines.

Mr Gammons

Please get well, Petey!

The NBA Draft!!!

The annual celebration where we imagine all these fine young fellas dressed in random varieties of the many aesthetically pleasing colors and finely designed logos of the current NBA squads... (Except the Bobcats, Pistons, Hawks, Sonics, Magic, Jazz, Nuggets, T-Wolves, Bucks, Hornets, Nets, Cavaliers, Heat, Clippers, Mavericks, Rockets, 76ers, Warriors, Blazers, Spurs, Grizzlies, Wizards, Knicks, Bulls, Kings, Pacers, the Celtics black jerseys, the Lakers white jerseys and the Raptors (especially the Raptors) whose unis and logos which are entirely UGLY)

Here is my Bet-the-House-on-It-Guarantee:
the draft will go exactly as follows...
The 2006 NBA draft will go exactly as no one has predicted!

At least half of the 'studs' will suck. One non-stud will be a true stud, two non-studs will make great role players and 30 guys will make lots of guaranteed money based on their potential...trades will be made and surprises will abound. I can't wait...

Well, surprise, surprise!

Hey, Larry Brown is out and Isiah Thomas is in as coach of the New York Clanks, I mean Knicks... Wow, there's the surprise of 2005, I mean 2006!!!

So now, Larry can go rest his weary body for a month or two before ol' #45 can 'convince' him to come home to Carolina... coach some youngsters, teach them the 'right way' (to get paid $40mil to get ousted) maybe get Air Dwyane to come out of retirement? Darn, I mean Mike...

larry wants to fleece every organization in the world before he dies... problem is, he's already coached in Carolina (In the ABA)... so maybe Golden State is a better fit??

This guy should learn from Robin Ventura

Noogies for ALL INVOLVED!!! -click for story

Don't mess with Nolan Ryan!!!

This is why he's a Hall of Famer...and just because I love this picture SO much!!!

(He often signs this photo with "Don't Mess with Texas" on it)

15 Strong - it doesn't take long...

Inevitable...

You'd think...with 120,000 of these floating around MORE will show up quickly...

America - We'll Sell Anything!

In a perfect world

Manny Stiles LOVES Game 7s...

I have been casually observing the run of the Oilers...

not people investing in Canadian Oil stocks... the Edmonton Oilers... NHL Hockey (Detroit residents may remember it as an event that causes choking - slowly this is becoming a rip Detroit sports website??!!??)?

Remember hockey? Yeah, me neither... but the okay-looking uniforms VS. the ugly uniforms is ALWAYS fun!!!!

Let's see... OLN changes to the VS. Network sometime in the estimated future... that's about all I've caught live, so far...HONESTLY, I tried to get interested in hockey but then the World Cup started...

seriously, I can name about 5 guys playing in the cup right now (Either Stanley OR World...but there is only 2 teams playing hockey) and I am a freak/avid sports fan.

Unlike alot of people who take work stoppages as a personal affront... I see these things as a time to re-invent the product. Anyone who doesn't see the significance of pre-1994 baseball and post 1995 baseball is, to liberally paraphrase Hubie Brown's words; naive and should be walked away from immediately. I will warm up to hockey eventually...like when they get back to NOT HAVING SOCCER SCORES (eliminating ties was a GREAT STEP FORWARD)...note: the US tied Italy 1-freaking 1 today in the 'soccer' World Cup. I should have bet the 'over'...

A Game Seven is JUST what the doctor ordered for the NHL... at least with SPORTS fans like me... I root for the story...I am the dude, who years later says..."I remember watching that game on TV when *****whatever random isht happened*****.
Game 7s are the pinnacle of team sports [and that's another thing about football (and more so, Soccer) that sucks - a topic for a later date, 'why particular sports suck'] do or die, win or go home, all the marbles, it all comes down to this, the best team wins!!!

Game 7... hell, I might even actually watch some of it!!! (it IS possible)

A point about people and the sports they love...

Guess what people... You're all idiots. Did you know that?

You listen to the media who consists primarily of... let's see... dorky, puny journalists who went to school for...um, journalism.

You form your sports opinions based on other people's (idiots) sports opinions... and then spread that misinformation with glee and feigned insightfulness...

You root for your favorite teams. Of course, you pick your favorite teams based on strict criteria such as:
-which team plays in your geographical proximity.

In other words... Now that the Spurs and Pistons are tied up in the Finals, just as EVERYONE predicted...oh, wait!

I mean, now that the Dallas Mavericks have swept the Miami Heat in the Finals... oh, wait...

Well, at least the Undefeated Champion Indianapolis Colts can take pleasure in the fact that... oh, wait.

Boy, those Yankees are even better than the scribes predicted - they're going to win TWO World Series' this year, they're THAT good. I mean look at all those certifiable All Stars they have...

All I ask from fans is enjoy the games, root for the best stories, learn about the sports, root for the genuine, good people in sports (even if their not really good) and DON'T be surprised when everyone is wrong about everything.... they ALWAYS are!

2006 Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers
2005 Chciago White Sox,
2004 Boston Red Sox
2003 Florida Marlins
2002 Angels in the Outfield of Anaheim of Orange County, Los Angeles, California, United States of North America in the Western Hemisphere, Earth of the Solar System, Milky Way of the Universe
2001 Arizona Diamondbacks

for example...

Ignore the media. They just want ratings. They just want advertising. They don't care about truth, just hype and NEVER offer apologies when they're wrong before, during OR after the fact (see: 'steroids 1970-2006')

Sports is 'important' enough in our society that actual politicians pass laws when people in sports use effective products irresponsibly....thanks, fat-ass, no brains Steve Bechler/banning of ephedra. Now I have to drink caffeine, which is so much better for me? ...and I'm betting someone in Pennsylvania tries to unrepeal the recently repealed helmet law because of dumbass, unlicensed Ben Schmuckelberger.

Guess why? The 'professional' media... and you people are suckers to all of it! I don't envy the GOOD journalists out there. Their jobs are suckier and thankless more than ever and so MANY worthless media members just water down the quality of sports coverage (except for Peter Gammons, GOOD sports jouranlism died when Ralph Wiley did.)

Stand up and root for the teams with the prettiest uniforms and you'll feel better than ever!!!!

yeah! World Cup Football!!

The world gets a ticket to be a hooligan!

The buzz around the U.S. is well, buzzless...

I bet if we sent a REAL Football team (say, the crappy Detroit Lions for example) to play the world in football, we'd have a better chance...

Please convince me that a squad of NFL athletes (RBs, WRs, LBs, DBs plus a couple of kickers, maybe) wouldn't be able to compete as well or better than our actual World Cup squad?

US Soccer team - average player is what? 5'8" 155lbs??? No wonder we suck!

Even a crappy Detroit Lion benchwarmer would physically destroy our precious footballers... gather a few yellowcards, but intimidation is part of the game too!!!

The fact is, elite American athletes play football or basketball... even baseball is starting to lose the top notch athletes (or 'atheletes', if you're Charles Barkley). In America, soccer (as we correctly call it, even though calling our sport football doesn't make much sense) SUCKS...

That's right, soccer sucks! Ever tried betting on soccer? What's the over/under? 1 1/2?
We like scoring! We like action... we hate wussy, faking floppers...(why do you think the best 'floppers' in the NBA are NOT American? They played soccer until they got BIG)
...and what the hell is 'injury time'???

Soccer players are whimps... if they were truly tough, they'd play REAL football or at least rugby. But they weren't BIG enough to play real sports, so they hang out with the other geeks who couldn't play real sports and that's how we have soccer!!!

We're Americans... we use our hands... we display our bruteness... we are UGLY Americans, not fancy doily Americans... let the world have it's football, we'll keep our scoreboards filled with scores and sports with clocks that stop when the game does...

Keep this in mind... Ever heard of a baseball fan getting crushed to death?? (1984 Tigers celebrations notwithstanding)

As a sports fan... I pay attention to what's happening and hope for a great story out of it...
As an American... I'd rather watch soccer Moms than a soccer game...