Separate Is Not Equal

It's really sad to read the phrase, "I know it's only women's basketball," in 2010. It's also extremely offensive and sexist of sport writers to imply that women's leagues are inferior to men's.

But this exact sentence appeared on the Web site of a news publication Tuesday night.

At first, I thought it might be a misprint so I refreshed the page. When the page reloaded, the statement was still on the screen. I kept reading but couldn't shake my feeling of disappointment.

Why was it necessary for the reporter to make this comment? It was irrelevant to the story and indirectly claims that women's basketball can't measure up to the skills displayed in male leagues.

This is untrue.

In fact, many men's teams have performed poorly this year and women's sports have excelled. A good example of this is the UConn Huskies.

I'm not a fan of UConn, but the women's basketball team have put on an impressive performance this year. The Lady Huskies have been undefeated this season, while the UConn men's basketball team lost its last four games. You do the math.

And when it comes to the NBA, I'll admit that it is the most popular sports league. I will, however, not admit that the WNBA depends on the NBA for its funding. Don't believe me?

Then read Slam Online's article "WNBA Weekly Mailbag – 2/17/10 – On net losses, and a twist on the double standard," where NBA Commissioner David Stern is quoted as saying that the WNBA is more profitable than the NBA.

“The NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA,” he said. “We’re losing a lot of money ($400 million) amongst a large number of teams. We’re budgeting the WNBA to break even this year.”

This is more evidence that the WNBA does have an audience and is growing by itself.

But this post is not about whether men's basketball is more profitable or popular than women's. It's about gender equality–something that still hasn't been reached in the world of sports or outside of the arenas.

Publications should consider equal coverage of women's and men's sports and refrain from interjecting sexist comments into their articles. By doing this, reporters are sending the message to readers that women's basketball is a joke.

When it comes to limited coverage, I understand revenue and Internet traffic is a huge factor for online publications, but I truly believe the WNBA and women's college basketball leagues could be just as successful as male athletics if given equal media coverage.

Click for more blog coverage on gender inequality in women's basketball

NBA could become gender-neutral in 10 years

The ongoing argument in the world of sports this morning has been whether or not women will ever be able to play in the NBA.

I'm sure other sports issues are going on too, but this caught my attention because I happen to be a huge fan of the WNBA.

The whole debate began when NBA commissioner David Stern told "Sports Illustrated" that he believes women will be playing in the league within the next decade.

"I think that's well within the range of probability," Stern said. "I don't want to get into all kinds of arguments with players and coaches about the likelihood. But I really think it's a good possibility."

Some NBA coaches agreed with Stern, while others thought having a female athlete would be more of a publicity stunt. This depends on whether a woman would actually be allowed to play or just sit on the bench.

"If she was truly a full-time player rather than a modern day Eddie Gaedel," said Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban of the dwarf who played major league baseball in a 1951 publicity stunt, "it would be enormous."

It would be enormous. In fact, it could possibly alter the way society views women's sports. If women are tough enough to play with the men then maybe the WNBA and NBA would be seen as having equal competitors.

Often women's basketball college coaches such as Pat Summitt hire male team managers to play against their girls to make them more physical. This is a good technique, but I think it sends the message that women don't measure up to the athleticism of men.

As of now, the top players in the WNBA, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi and Tamika Catchings, aren't considered strong or fast enough to play with NBA superstars Lebron James or Kobe Bryant.

After the article in "Sports Illustrated," James said in an ESPN interview that 10 years is "pushing it."

"Ten years?" James asked. "That's, like, right around the corner. [In] 10 years, I'll be 34. I'll still be in the NBA. I think 10 years is pushing it, honestly."

I find James' quote a little insulting because it implies that he is the best player in the league right now and no one will be able to take him on, especially not a feeble woman.

I'll agree with Stern that it might take a few years, but I truly believe when the right woman athlete comes along she will be able to knock down shots and defend a male athlete.

In the "Sports Illustrated" article by Ian Thomsen, New York Knicks president Donnie Walsh said the women in the WNBA play better than he did in college. He said women can play under the rim, drive and shoot just like shorter male NBA athletes. Who's to say a 6-foot-1 female player couldn't act as a point guard for a NBA team?

This would make history but it certainly wouldn't be the first time an NBA team signed a woman athlete.

In 1979 the Indiana Pacers signed Ann Meyers Drysdale, now GM of the WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury. Drysdale was a three-time All-American guard at UCLA and became the first woman to sign a contract with the NBA. Too bad the Pacers released her before the season even started.

Drysdale recalls that period of her life and the media's coverage of the signing.

"I had been liked by the media at that time," said the 5-9 Meyers, but that changed when she joined the Pacers. "I recall at the press conference that I was attacked pretty good by the media. You know: what are you doing, you're taking some guy's job, you can't compete, you're too slow, you're going to get hurt, you're too small, da-ta-da. But somebody gives you an opportunity, you're supposed to say no?"

Will the same thing happen again when the female Michael Jordon comes along? I guess only time will tell. What do you think?

Are you a better speller than Diana Taurasi?

Local Naperville, IL court named after Candace Parker

Diana Taurasi's court date postponed

Diana Taurasi's court date was originally scheduled for July 22, but East Valley Tribune.com reported that the date has been postponed until Aug. 21.

East Valley Tribune.com said Taurasi was scheduled to appear in Phoenix Municipal Court on Wednesday, but attorneys agreed to a continuation.

As of now, Taurasi has been suspended for two games by the Mercury "for conduct detrimental to the team." She missed last Saturday's game against Detroit Shock and sat out Wednesday night's game against Minnesota.

Taurasi originally thought she might miss out on the All-Star Game altogether, but to her surprise she was chosen as a reserve for the 2009 Western Conference All-Stars. The bad news is that mandatory sentencing for extreme DUI is 10-30 days in jail.

The future is unknown for this talented athlete, but I'll do my best to keep fans updated on the situation.

Phoenix Mercury star faces DUI charges

Forward-guard Diana Taurasi is facing three DUI charges after she was pulled over on July 2 for speeding.

ESPN Associated Press reported that a Phoenix police report released earlier this week shows Taurasi's blood-alcohol level was 0.17 percent, which is more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent in Arizona.

Prior to this, Taurasi had scored 22 points in a matchup against the Seattle Storm. A few hours later around 2:30 a.m., Taurasi found herself being questioned by police.

Taurasi is pleading not guilty to the DUI charges and not responsible to the speeding citation.

The police officer who stopped Taurasi said the 27-year-old was driving nearly 20 mph over the 35 mph speed limit.

"We're aware of the recent reports in regards to the situation with Diana Taurasi," the Mercury said in a statement. "Our organization takes these matters very seriously. We have discussed the matter internally and determined that until all the facts are known to us, it would be inappropriate to announce a particular course of action."

Averaging 20 points per game, the WNBA's leading scorer might also miss out on a chance to play in the All-Star Game. ESPN blogger Mechelle Voepel said Taurasi has not been voted in for the All-Star Game as a starter, however, Taurasi could still be chosen as a reserve.

While Taurasi's career might have hit a rough patch, her freedom is still in question. Will she serve time in jail? How long will she be suspended from the league? All of these questions might not be answered right away, but Taurasi will appear in court on July 22.

My mother was the first person to tell me about Taurasi's DUI's, and I couldn't believe it. I'm a huge supporter of the WNBA and Diana Taurasi. The thought of her committing such a dangerous and reckless act seemed impossible, but then I remembered she is human.

Taurasi made a huge mistake. Monumental, astronomical even. She could have killed herself or someone else on the road. It was stupid and she should have known better.

My last blog entry dealt with drinking and driving. I included a death clock to give readers a sense of many people die in a hour, day or even a week. Taurasi could have easily been one of those fatalities. Or worse, she could have killed an innocent bystander.

I give no sympathy for her actions, but I do think this might have been a wake up call for the young star. She's not the first athlete in the WNBA to receive a DUI, but I think it's a bigger deal for more people because she is a prominent face for the league.

Many NBA athletes have received DUI's and face the consequences, but I think the WNBA might be held to a higher standard because the athletes are female. When the first brawl broke out between the Detroit Shock and L.A. Sparks last year, everyone seemed to be so shocked because these females athletes were acting like the male athletes.

My point is not to get off on a feminist point of view, I'm just simply saying that Taurasi is human. She shouldn't be scrutinized because she's a female athlete. She should be scrutinized because she did something really dumb.

Austin Burton, DIME blogger, said it best when he said "When it comes to off-court behavior, however, [WNBA slogan] “Expect Great” apparently translates to “Expect Perfection.”

Lisa Leslie announces retirement after 2009 season

L.A. Sparks all-star Lisa Leslie, 36, has had many career achievements, including being the first female to ever dunk in the WNBA. She is a fantastic player and the No. 1 draft pick of the first WNBA draft.

Knowing all of her accomplishes and what she has brought to the game, it is hard for her fans to let her retire.

In 2008, I went to Atlanta, GA. to watch Leslie and Candace Parker take on the Atlanta Dream. Even after giving birth to a baby girl, Leslie didn't miss a beat. She was grabbing rebounds and allowing the ball to roll off her finger tips for shot after shot. It was an amazing game to watch.

One year later, Leslie announced that she will be retiring at the end of the 2009 season. While I imagine this is hard for Leslie, it must be incredibly difficult for the L.A. Sparks, who are going to be losing the best athlete in the WNBA.

With Leslie gone, the Sparks will most likely turn to second year Parker to fill her shoes. Parker was the first pick in the 2008 draft and was the first player to win both the MVP and Rookie of the Year Award.

Whatever the case, Leslie is the face for the Women's National Basketball Association and will continue to shine on with her career highlights and mind blowing achievements.