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hyperetic
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 5344 Location: Fayetteville
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Posted: 08/09/12 9:17 pm ::: America's most dominant team? |
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On Saturday, Team USA plays for its fifth straight gold medal. It would be an enormous shock to see the team lose.
Yet nobody much cared. Only a handful of American journalists came to the game. The questions were brief. The players weren't in demand. It was nothing like a U.S. women's soccer game, where the flood of television cameras and flashbulbs and tape recorders never seems to end.
After the game, U.S. coach Geno Auriemma clenched his jaw. This disparity between the soccer and basketball teams gnaws at him. |
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--america-s-most-dominant-team--women-s-basketball--even-as-the-country-ignores-it.html |
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jap
Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 7909
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 63712
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Martini Man
Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Posts: 4399 Location: Canada
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Posted: 08/09/12 9:37 pm ::: |
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Part of the reason is that everyone knows USA is going to win gold anyways. I mean, team USA has about a .1% of losing. Doesn't make for an exciting Olympic series now does it? I'm thinking basketball is going to go the way of baseball in the Olympics anyways. Basketball in the Olympics, nobody really cares about it, men's or women's really. Basketball is NOT really an Olympic sport anyways. I personally wouldn't care if they did away with basketball in the Olympics. At least that way, the wnba wouldn't have to take a month long break every fourth summer.
_________________ Cheers Mate!!
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 66773 Location: Where the action is
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Posted: 08/09/12 9:42 pm ::: |
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The women would be more popular if the men weren't as good as they are. Most the reason our women's soccer team gets so much attention is that our men's team never wins anything. Our men's basketball team is always in contention for Gold Medals and World Championships, so they overshadow the women.
_________________ Let us not deceive ourselves. Our educational institutions have proven to be no bastions of democracy.
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 66773 Location: Where the action is
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Posted: 08/09/12 9:55 pm ::: |
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Martini Man wrote: |
Part of the reason is that everyone knows USA is going to win gold anyways. I mean, team USA has about a .1% of losing. Doesn't make for an exciting Olympic series now does it? I'm thinking basketball is going to go the way of baseball in the Olympics anyways. Basketball in the Olympics, nobody really cares about it, men's or women's really. Basketball is NOT really an Olympic sport anyways. I personally wouldn't care if they did away with basketball in the Olympics. At least that way, the wnba wouldn't have to take a month long break every fourth summer. |
Basketball should be a Winter Olympic sport. It was invented as a winter sport and has always been played predominantly in winter.
_________________ Let us not deceive ourselves. Our educational institutions have proven to be no bastions of democracy.
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hyperetic
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 5344 Location: Fayetteville
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Posted: 08/09/12 9:57 pm ::: |
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I think olympic basketball is great, men's and women's. My love of it stems from my love of basketball itself and seeing my countrymen compete on the international stage in a sport that I love. Patriotism. It may suck for those who have to compete against them but I don't mind it one bit if its a foregone conclusion that the US will win. |
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JACKOWACKO
Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 2884 Location: Right now? Cambridge
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Posted: 08/09/12 10:15 pm ::: |
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Yet somehow, the WNBA is the most successful women's sports league ever, while women's professional soccer cant draw a lick or get even get TV ratings.
It's crazy.
Maybe they just haven't done a good job marketing women's pro soccer in the US? Hard to believe how popular the National Team is, but the pro league is a non factor.
_________________ LAUREN JACKSON is the greatest of alltime.
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 22470 Location: NJ
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Posted: 08/09/12 10:19 pm ::: |
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JACKOWACKO wrote: |
Yet somehow, the WNBA is the most successful women's sports league ever, while women's professional soccer cant draw a lick or get even get TV ratings.
It's crazy.
Maybe they just haven't done a good job marketing women's pro soccer in the US? Hard to believe how popular the National Team is, but the pro league is a non factor. |
WUSA failed due to overpaying it's players. The WPS failed due to poor management and lack of a national TV deal.
and the reason women's basketball gets so little attention is due to the fact that the USA are expected to win gold and there's very little competition. In women's soccer, there's about 6-8 other countries that could have won gold, also(Japan, Brazil, France, Sweden, Canada, Great Britian, plus Germany, Norway, China & Australia who didn't even qualify).
_________________ LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!
Twitter: @TBRBWAY
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coffy73
Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Posts: 2601
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Posted: 08/09/12 10:26 pm ::: |
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Martini Man wrote: |
I'm thinking basketball is going to go the way of baseball in the Olympics anyways. Basketball in the Olympics, nobody really cares about it, men's or women's really. Basketball is NOT really an Olympic sport anyways. I personally wouldn't care if they did away with basketball in the Olympics. At least that way, the wnba wouldn't have to take a month long break every fourth summer. |
I'd rather keep basketball as an Olympic sport than badminton, table tennis, or oh jeez...trampolining! If I didn't like misty may treanor and kerry walsh so much, I'd even put beach volleyball up for elimination. Those are rec sports.
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Martini Man
Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Posts: 4399 Location: Canada
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Posted: 08/09/12 10:37 pm ::: |
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coffy73 wrote: |
Martini Man wrote: |
I'm thinking basketball is going to go the way of baseball in the Olympics anyways. Basketball in the Olympics, nobody really cares about it, men's or women's really. Basketball is NOT really an Olympic sport anyways. I personally wouldn't care if they did away with basketball in the Olympics. At least that way, the wnba wouldn't have to take a month long break every fourth summer. |
I'd rather keep basketball as an Olympic sport than badminton, table tennis, or oh jeez...trampolining! If I didn't like misty may treanor and kerry walsh so much, I'd even put beach volleyball up for elimination. Those are rec sports. |
I saw pairs sync swimming or dance or whatever it's called the other day and wondered how the hell that is even an Olympic event. Another is water polo. Trey stupid.
_________________ Cheers Mate!!
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 22470 Location: NJ
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Posted: 08/09/12 10:37 pm ::: |
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Softball needs to return, not baseball. The baseball players don't want to take the time off to play. Softball players want to play in the Olympics, it [was] the ultimate dream when it became an Olympic sport in 1996. There's still a chance sofbtall can return in 2020. The IOC voted down bringing back softbal lfor 2016, but opted to bring back golf(!!!!!) & rugby.
_________________ LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!
Twitter: @TBRBWAY
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coffy73
Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Posts: 2601
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Posted: 08/09/12 10:48 pm ::: |
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toad455 wrote: |
Softball needs to return, not baseball. The baseball players don't want to take the time off to play. Softball players want to play in the Olympics, it [was] the ultimate dream when it became an Olympic sport in 1996. There's still a chance sofbtall can return in 2020. The IOC voted down bringing back softbal lfor 2016, but opted to bring back golf(!!!!!) & rugby. |
Oh yes, I was angry with that dumb decision to throw out Softball! How in the world is golf an Olympic sport? Ugh! They might as well put in Cricket so Bangladesh can finally get a medal.
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bullsky
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 20310
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Posted: 08/10/12 2:27 am ::: |
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pilight wrote: |
The women would be more popular if the men weren't as good as they are. Most the reason our women's soccer team gets so much attention is that our men's team never wins anything. Our men's basketball team is always in contention for Gold Medals and World Championships, so they overshadow the women. |
This is exactly it.
I grew up in a decent sized, but still a small town in Illinois and our girls team was extremely popular. Why? Because they won shit, and the boys were dreadful.
You cannot tell me that the women's soccer team would create and gain this much buzz if our men's team was among the world's elite.
People latch onto winners, not matter what gender they may be. But at the end of the day, the mainstream media will usually focus more on the men.
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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Youth Coach
Joined: 23 Mar 2008 Posts: 4752
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Posted: 08/10/12 6:19 am ::: Re: America's most dominant team? |
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jap wrote: |
Maybe somebody on Team USA needs to pull a Brandi Chastain. That should get the media boys all excited and involved. |
I vote for Sue Bird! |
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FS02
Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 9699 Location: Husky (west coast) Country
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Posted: 08/10/12 6:26 am ::: |
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Our women's soccer team has the perfect combination: they win, but there is always a good chance they may lose. They lost to Japan last year, they are behind 3x to Canada, and somehow persevere. (with help from the refs)
There is no way, dramatically speaking, that you can compete with that shit if you are winning every game easily, as our men's and women's basketball teams are. International basketball is simply not at that level of parity where you are on the edge of your seat for every game. Too bad, because it's a great sport, and the players work just as hard as anyone, but the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA tournament are all more exciting than the Olympics.
_________________ @dtmears2
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 66773 Location: Where the action is
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Posted: 08/10/12 7:27 am ::: |
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JACKOWACKO wrote: |
Yet somehow, the WNBA is the most successful women's sports league ever, while women's professional soccer cant draw a lick or get even get TV ratings.
It's crazy.
Maybe they just haven't done a good job marketing women's pro soccer in the US? Hard to believe how popular the National Team is, but the pro league is a non factor. |
The support of the NBA is key. Women's basketball leagues have failed many times here, including one that started at the same time the WNBA did.
_________________ Let us not deceive ourselves. Our educational institutions have proven to be no bastions of democracy.
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TonyL222
Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 5140 Location: Reston, VA
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Posted: 08/10/12 12:05 pm ::: |
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pilight wrote: |
JACKOWACKO wrote: |
Yet somehow, the WNBA is the most successful women's sports league ever, while women's professional soccer cant draw a lick or get even get TV ratings.
It's crazy.
Maybe they just haven't done a good job marketing women's pro soccer in the US? Hard to believe how popular the National Team is, but the pro league is a non factor. |
The support of the NBA is key. Women's basketball leagues have failed many times here, including one that started at the same time the WNBA did. |
"Support" can be questioned, but I agree. Without the letters N-B-A in the name and the access to venues, then league would not have made it this far. Personally, I doubt I would have gone to see a professional team playing in a high school gym.
I do worry about the long term prospects, though.
_________________ This I command you, love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one�s life for his friends.
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luvDhoops
Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 8229
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Posted: 08/10/12 12:24 pm ::: |
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The answer is as has already been stated, the basketball team (both of them) are just expected to win gold and win rather easily at that. There's no real incentive to watch that. And, also because the men overshadow the women. Both play into it.
Also, eliminate water polo? Nooooo! Outside of the horrible head gear, water polo is very intense. The action under the water (punching, kicking, trying to have the opposing player reveal boobs because it's an automatic foul) is thrilling!
_________________ "He was no dragon. Fire cannot kill a dragon. " — Daenarys Targaryen, "Game of Thrones"
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hyperetic
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 5344 Location: Fayetteville
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Posted: 08/10/12 1:50 pm ::: |
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LOL! Some of you are as bad as my youngest son. He hates blowouts. If the game is looking like it will be one-sided he's ready to change the channel or do something else. Don't know how he got that way cuz man I don't mind blowouts one bit. I hate what I term "heart attack" games, buzzer beaters, etc. I don't mean like collegiate players beating fifth grader's blowout but a comfortable margin, eight points or better. Those games can be exciting too and not have me clutching my chest. |
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GEF34
Joined: 23 Jul 2008 Posts: 14102
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Posted: 08/10/12 2:23 pm ::: |
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coffy73 wrote: |
Martini Man wrote: |
I'm thinking basketball is going to go the way of baseball in the Olympics anyways. Basketball in the Olympics, nobody really cares about it, men's or women's really. Basketball is NOT really an Olympic sport anyways. I personally wouldn't care if they did away with basketball in the Olympics. At least that way, the wnba wouldn't have to take a month long break every fourth summer. |
I'd rather keep basketball as an Olympic sport than badminton, table tennis, or oh jeez...trampolining! If I didn't like misty may treanor and kerry walsh so much, I'd even put beach volleyball up for elimination. Those are rec sports. |
Just because they are rec sports in the USA doesn't mean they are rec sports everywhere in the world.
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GEF34
Joined: 23 Jul 2008 Posts: 14102
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Posted: 08/10/12 2:25 pm ::: |
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toad455 wrote: |
Softball needs to return, not baseball. The baseball players don't want to take the time off to play. Softball players want to play in the Olympics, it [was] the ultimate dream when it became an Olympic sport in 1996. There's still a chance sofbtall can return in 2020. The IOC voted down bringing back softbal lfor 2016, but opted to bring back golf(!!!!!) & rugby. |
Isn't that just American pro players, the baseball players from other countries and the college players who are on the USA National team want to be on the team and want to be there.
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hyperetic
Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 5344 Location: Fayetteville
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Posted: 08/10/12 2:44 pm ::: |
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toad455 wrote: |
Softball needs to return, not baseball. The baseball players don't want to take the time off to play. Softball players want to play in the Olympics, it [was] the ultimate dream when it became an Olympic sport in 1996. There's still a chance sofbtall can return in 2020. The IOC voted down bringing back softbal lfor 2016, but opted to bring back golf(!!!!!) & rugby. |
Right now the MLB season is 162 games not including postseason from what I have read. The season extends from like April to September or October. When would a Olympic team have to train? They would also have to split the season a la the W to accommodate the Olympics themselves. Even someone who plays baseball for a living would want some kind of downtime. With these kinds of schedules and conditions, how feasible would it be to have a pro-stocked Olympic baseball team? Collegiate more likely. |
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GEF34
Joined: 23 Jul 2008 Posts: 14102
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Posted: 08/10/12 2:52 pm ::: |
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hyperetic wrote: |
toad455 wrote: |
Softball needs to return, not baseball. The baseball players don't want to take the time off to play. Softball players want to play in the Olympics, it [was] the ultimate dream when it became an Olympic sport in 1996. There's still a chance sofbtall can return in 2020. The IOC voted down bringing back softbal lfor 2016, but opted to bring back golf(!!!!!) & rugby. |
Right now the MLB season is 162 games not including postseason from what I have read. The season extends from like April to September or October. When would a Olympic team have to train? They would also have to split the season a la the W to accommodate the Olympics themselves. Even someone who plays baseball for a living would want some kind of downtime. With these kinds of schedules and conditions, how feasible would it be to have a pro-stocked Olympic baseball team? Collegiate more likely. |
The current US National team is comprised of college players and the US team that went to the 2008 Olympic were minor league players, from what I understand Minor League baseball schedule is a bit different than Major League so perhaps they are able to fit it in more, or these players just took time off from their team.
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readyAIMfire53
Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 7355 Location: Durham, NC
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Posted: 08/10/12 3:32 pm ::: |
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coffy73 wrote: |
Martini Man wrote: |
I'm thinking basketball is going to go the way of baseball in the Olympics anyways. Basketball in the Olympics, nobody really cares about it, men's or women's really. Basketball is NOT really an Olympic sport anyways. I personally wouldn't care if they did away with basketball in the Olympics. At least that way, the wnba wouldn't have to take a month long break every fourth summer. |
I'd rather keep basketball as an Olympic sport than badminton, table tennis, or oh jeez...trampolining! If I didn't like misty may treanor and kerry walsh so much, I'd even put beach volleyball up for elimination. Those are rec sports. |
Well, I know "each to their own" but I disagree completely about table tennis. Trampolining? Bye. Rhythmic gymnastics? Bye. But do NOT mess with table tennis!
And, regarding the synchronized swimming...part of the artistry of the sport is not letting you see how hard it is. Try it sometime. They have to work at minimizing the visibility of their muscle tone, but those abs are among the best in the entire Olympic field! But yes, I know, it's hard to take seriously a sport where the athletes have to use so much "product" so they will look good for the underwater cameras! You really don't want to touch their hair before they enter the water as it's as solid as anything you'll ever touch.
_________________ Follow your passion and your life will be true down to your core.
~rAf
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