LOL @ The WNBA

[Glenn]

[Timone]

[Glenn]

Time For WNBA To Put Up, Or Shut Up

By Steve Czaban on May 19, 2008 12:00 AM

The WNBA has a new slogan: “Expect Great.”

As for accuracy, it’s no worse than any slogan trotted out by the Detroit Lions or Pittsburgh Pirates.

But no, you should not expect great. You should expect crap, and be happy if they deliver mediocre.

The new ad campaign for the league is provocative, I’ll give them that much. It features WNBA players you are supposed to know (although since neither ad I’ve seen so far features Sue Bird or Diana Taurasi I’m tapped out) but almost certainly don’t.

The players start saying all the things us piggish men have said about the league for years. Things like “where’s the dunking?” and “my rec league team could beat you.”

Then they close the ads by saying: “We wouldn’t say these things. Why would you?”

Oh, the shame. You got me. Sorry.

But since the mighty W has taken the whole “rec league team” issue head on, I think the time has finally come to make that match happen. Come on, what could they be afraid of? It could be the new Billy Jean King v. Bobby Riggs, on a massively hyped blogo-sphere fueled sports universe.

Look at NBC’s promotion with Golf Digest to feed a generic 10-handicapper to the grinder that is the US Open golf course a week before Torrey Pines hosts the pros. The presumption is that this chump couldn’t break 100.

But what if he breaks 90? How much would that demolish the myth of how “impossible” a US Open course really is?

The WNBA has nothing to lose in a Sparks vs. Rec League game against the men. We all assume they would get crushed. What if they ran circles around the men, and lit them up from outside?

It would be the greatest publicity hit in professional sports league history.

Of course, I don’t think it’ll happen. Just like I don’t think that 10 handicapper is going to break 100 at Torrey either.

Expect great? Nah. Expect turnovers and bad shooting.

A plucked a game from Saturday’s opening night.

Storm 67, Sky 61.
(Um, yeah. Those are team names. It’s a league of meteorologists I suppose).

They shot 37 and 36 percent respectively. There were a 29 combined turnovers. And just 14 of the game’s 128 points came via the “fast” break.

Whoo hee!

Have a nice summer ladies. And if you ever really DO want that game against a rec team?

We can make that happen.

[Timone]

Who the fuck is Steve Czaban? Sounds like a douche. If you ax me, his writing isn't very great. In fact, it's downright terrible.



This guy does not approve of this thread

[Timone]

You can keep pushing your sexist/homophobic agenda Glenn, but you would be crazy to deny that the Shock are better than the Pistons.

At least The Shock never stooped to signing Flip Murray.

[Glenn]

Very Fox Newsish of you SDB.

What's the matter? Now I have a place to post about the WNBA and your pristine WNBA thread can stay pure.

It's a win/win.

[Timone]

Very Fox Newsish of you SDB.

Thank you.

What's the matter? Now I have a place to post about the WNBA and your pristine WNBA thread can stay pure.

It's a win/win.

Only if it gets moved to The Stands.

[Glenn]

[Glenn]

Only if it gets moved to The Stands.

Good point. To leave it in a "sports" forum would only seem to legitimize the WNBA.

Consider it moved.

[Timone]

Good point. To leave it in a "sports" forum would only seem to legitimize the WNBA.

WNBA > AFL. You can't deny it.

At least the WNBA game resembles the sport it's trying to portray.