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Is there really parity in the WNBA?

 
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bullsky



Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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PostPosted: 09/16/08 12:06 pm    ::: Is there really parity in the WNBA? Reply Reply with quote

A lot of people have went on and on about how deep the league is and how every year it's more competitve. And I think the quality of play has become incredibly improved.

But as a once-casual fan (thats likes most of all teams) to actually becoming a fan of an expansion team (Chicago), I have noticed that every year the playoffs are the same. I mean, the East has had the same four teams for years, it seems. And in the West, Seattle, Sacramento and LA have all been favorites to be in the playoffs every year.

So, at the end of the day, does the WNBA really have parity? Because I hate to say it, but this is the first playoffs that I'm not excited for.



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toad455



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 3:19 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I think Chicago would have made the play-offs if Fowles was with the team for the entire season. Houston & Minnesota also had injuries this season that probably kept them out of the play-offs. I can't explain Washington, and Atlanta just sucked this year.



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mercfan3



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 3:24 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Well, you also have to remember that their are ony 14 teams in the league, and a majority of the teams will make the playoffs.

So odds are high you'll see a lot of the same teams.



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MT_Swoopes



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 3:36 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Some say that parity is another word for mediocrity.


abontorab9



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 4:34 pm    ::: Re: Is there really parity in the WNBA? Reply Reply with quote

Quote:
But as a once-casual fan (thats likes most of all teams) to actually becoming a fan of an expansion team (Chicago), I have noticed that every year the playoffs are the same. I mean, the East has had the same four teams for years, it seems. And in the West, Seattle, Sacramento and LA have all been favorites to be in the playoffs every year.


Well, the East is easy. The Styx organization is disfunctional and the other two teams are expansion. First two or three years of expansion is ALWAYS rough. Next year, Chicago will be in the playoffs.

Now in the West, LA is always a favorite (except last year). Sacramento is always a favorite. They are just well run organizations. Seattle wasn't a playoff threat the first four years of its existance. Up until 2007, Houston was ALWAYS in the playoffs. Up until 2007, San Antonio had NEVER been in the playoffs.

So things change, but not as rapidly as you may have thought. If a club has a good team, they will be in the playoffs for say, 3 years in a row. If they have a good organization, they will always be a contender.




Last edited by abontorab9 on 09/16/08 5:30 pm; edited 1 time in total
pilight



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 5:14 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Basketball as a sport doesn't lend itself to huge swings in performance. Small rosters and limited free agency tend to keep things static.



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Sass



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 5:19 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Much more parity in the league than when it first started. For the league's first six years, there were only two champions. That shit was getting old. Now we've had five different champs since 2003, and it's ridiculously hard to make it on a team and stay on the roster. That's parity, baby.



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abontorab9



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 5:32 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Sass wrote:
Much more parity in the league than when it first started. For the league's first six years, there were only two champions. That shit was getting old. Now we've had five different champs since 2003, and it's ridiculously hard to make it on a team and stay on the roster. That's parity, baby.


Yeah about four of the seasons had a conference where the second place team was around seven games back or something ridiculous like that.


TDAO



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 5:33 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

pilight wrote:
Basketball as a sport doesn't lend itself to huge swings in performance. Small rosters and limited free agency tend to keep things static.

Yeah, small rosters and the imapct of star players limit year-to-year parity. Remember that that's only one definition of parity. There's also the competitiveness of the league within a given season. In that regard, the WNBA scores fairly well this year despite expansion.

I'll have to update the article I did looking at the two measures from three years ago at some point.


FS02



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 5:34 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Let's not forget that not too long ago, San Antonio and NY were BAD. Not long ago, Houston was in the playoffs every year. This year, the Mercury just went from winning the championship to missing the playoffs. LA just went from the cellar to 3rd place. The Lynx are making steady progress-- although it's probably not rapid enough for their fans. I see a lot of parity.


Sass



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 5:34 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

FS02 wrote:
Let's not forget that not too long ago, San Antonio and NY were BAD. Not long ago, Houston was in the playoffs every year. This year, the Mercury just went from winning the championship to missing the playoffs. LA just went from the cellar to 3rd place. The Lynx are making steady progress-- although it's probably not rapid enough for their fans. I see a lot of parity.


Me too.



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sportsfanswhine



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 5:59 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

MT_Swoopes wrote:
Some say that parity is another word for mediocrity.


Would... that be people who don't know the definition of the word? Confused



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abontorab9



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 7:11 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

sportsfanswhine wrote:
MT_Swoopes wrote:
Some say that parity is another word for mediocrity.


Would... that be people who don't know the definition of the word? Confused


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StevenHW



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 7:14 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

MT_Swoopes wrote:
Some say that parity is another word for mediocrity.


In the NFL, it is.


eyevolley4



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 7:19 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I'm pumped for the playoffs this season.

There is a lot going on this year. It's good stuff.



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GEF34



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 10:41 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Since the start of the league Houston, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Detroit, Seattle, Connecticut and Sacramento have all played in a WNBA Finals series. Los Angeles is the last team to compete in more than 2 consecutive Finals series from 2001-2003. Connecticut, Sacramento and Detroit have all competed in 2 straight and and 5 different teams have played in a finals series since 2004.

Houston 4
1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

New York 4
1997, 1999, 2000, 2002

Phoenix 2
1998, 2007

Los Angeles 3
2001, 2002, 2003

Charlotte 1
2001

Sacramento 2
2005, 2006

Detroit 3
2003, 2006, 2007

Connecticut 2
2004, 2005

Seattle 1
2004


wadethered



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PostPosted: 09/16/08 11:49 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

It can take years to build a playoff team. Drafting one player isn't going to turn a franchise around in one year.

This was by FAR the most competitive season the Western Conference has ever seen, and all of those teams have been around for years.


Sass



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PostPosted: 09/22/08 10:03 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

2008:

1. first time in the league's history that all four opening round series have gone to 3 games.

2. two overtimes so far.

3. three of the four matchups is a dogfight until the final buzzer.

Parity? Yes.



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