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bullsky
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 20310
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Posted: 09/16/08 12:06 pm ::: Is there really parity in the WNBA? |
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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
Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 22470 Location: NJ
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Posted: 09/16/08 3:19 pm ::: |
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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
Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Posts: 19725
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Posted: 09/16/08 3:24 pm ::: |
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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
Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 1840
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Posted: 09/16/08 3:36 pm ::: |
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Some say that parity is another word for mediocrity.
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abontorab9
Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 6207 Location: Connecticut
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Posted: 09/16/08 4:34 pm ::: Re: Is there really parity in the WNBA? |
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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 |
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 66772 Location: Where the action is
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Posted: 09/16/08 5:14 pm ::: |
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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
Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 5576 Location: where it's sunny and warm
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Posted: 09/16/08 5:19 pm ::: |
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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
Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 6207 Location: Connecticut
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Posted: 09/16/08 5:32 pm ::: |
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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.
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TDAO
Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 555
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Posted: 09/16/08 5:33 pm ::: |
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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.
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FS02
Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 9699 Location: Husky (west coast) Country
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Posted: 09/16/08 5:34 pm ::: |
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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.
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Sass
Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 5576 Location: where it's sunny and warm
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Posted: 09/16/08 5:34 pm ::: |
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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
Joined: 10 Sep 2007 Posts: 1823 Location: Charles Ct, across the street from Monty's Motor Speedway and just off Taurasi Turnpike.
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abontorab9
Joined: 19 Jun 2008 Posts: 6207 Location: Connecticut
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StevenHW
Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 10979 Location: Sacramento, California
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Posted: 09/16/08 7:14 pm ::: |
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MT_Swoopes wrote: |
Some say that parity is another word for mediocrity. |
In the NFL, it is.
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eyevolley4
Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Posts: 4627
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Posted: 09/16/08 7:19 pm ::: |
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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
Joined: 23 Jul 2008 Posts: 14102
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Posted: 09/16/08 10:41 pm ::: |
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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
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wadethered
Joined: 28 Nov 2004 Posts: 1371 Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: 09/16/08 11:49 pm ::: |
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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.
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Sass
Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 5576 Location: where it's sunny and warm
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Posted: 09/22/08 10:03 pm ::: |
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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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