Out With 2009, In With 2010

As I haven’t written anything in awhile and the new decade stars in approximately 5.5 hours, I thought I might share some of my wishes for sports in oh-ten (I would do a retrospective of the year, but let’s face it, that takes much longer and there is revelry to take part in).  I apologize in advance for demonstrating my proclivity to include my favorite teams and to repeat some topics I may have already discussed, but hey, it’s my blog and my wishes.  Here we go:

1. A revision, almost any revision, of the BCS system

2. The Big Ten regaining some dignity and actually winning some bowl games (unlikely I know)

3. Rich Rod finally getting things sorted out over at Michigan and producing a team that goes to a bowl game (see wish 2)

4. Someone, anyone, other than the Lakers winning the NBA Finals (aside from the Celtics of course)

5. The new Chicago Cubs ownership maintaining the tradition associated with the team and the stadium and overhauling pretty much everything else.  100+ years is way too long

6. The US having a respectable showing in the World Cup.

7. The Bears making it to the playoffs (next season) by whatever means necessary.

8. The Yankees putting together another championship caliber team with all the changes and trades (I’m still nervous about letting go of home-grown guys like Melky.  You know Cano is secretly crying himself to sleep)

9. Professional athletes managing to keep their philandering out of the news.  We all know some pro athletes cheat, they’re no different than the rest of us and probably experience more temptation than the average Joe/Jane.  I just don’t want it to dominate my sports coverage for weeks on end (ahem Tiger).

10. A job as a sportscaster (highly unlikely, but arguably more likely than some of the other items on my list)

Happy New Years everybody!  Thanks for a great 2009 and hear is to an even better 2010!

LeBron Doesn’t Think Girls Can Ball

To be fair that’s not exactly what he said.  NBA commissioner David Stern commented in an interview that he thinks women could be playing in the NBA in the next decade.  According to ESPN LeBron has expressed his doubts that women could compete in the league in the next ten years.

Now my initial reaction was severe irritation.  The girl raised on sports has a hard time swallowing the fact that when it comes to sports men and women may not be on an even playing field.  Ideally I would love to see women out there with the best of them, but in many cases it is a bit more complicated than that.

Whenever these arguments come up, there are so many factors that are discussed.  One of the most common points of contention is the physical difference between men and women.  To that point, especially in the context of the baseball, there are undeniable differences that could leave women at a disadvantage.  The average height of a WNBA player is 5’11” or 6’0”.  The average height in the NBA is 6’6”.  Height is a barrier, but it’s not always all that important.  New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson is 5’9”.  So what’s really the difference?

I think it starts much younger.  In sports like basketball, men and women are separated at a young age.  From then on each play against members of their own sex and in some cases may be coached and trained diffrently.  If women can ever hope to compete with men on a larger scale (aside from the few Billie Jean Kings and Annika Sorenstams of the world) then they need to start out competing with men.

I would love to see women competing in the NBA and receiving the kind of recognition that the men’s league players get, but I fear that I have to agree with LeBron just a bit.  Until we are more serious about letting women compete with men at all levels, it is going to be quite rare to see women competing with men on the professional level.

For the Love of the Games

I love pretty much everything about sports.  I love watching them, I love reading about them, I love playing them and yes I love the athletes (Robinson Cano, I see you.  Call me).  Unfortunately this universal love for all things sports and my undying love for specific teams and activities can occasionally pose a conflict of interests.

I recently posted about playing rugby.  I went out and practiced with a team and had a great time.  I was completely gung ho about joining.  That was until I discovered that fall season league games occur during the days on Saturdays.  If you are a sports fan of any merit, you also know that college football games typically take place on Saturdays.  So it has come down to my incredible allegiance to Michigan football (GO BLUE!) or my passion for actually playing sports.

Which one is better: Watching the magic of pro and college level sports where we are often in awe and usually sitting on the ends of our seats viewing some of the best athletes in the world continue to amaze us or being part of the excitement when actually playing the game?  I grew up consistently playing sports of different sorts and know that there is no other feeling like being part of a team and actually being the one making plays.  Ordinarily I suppose my love for playing would outweight my love for watching.

BUT, this is Michigan football we’re talking about.  Sure, these are building years.  Rich Rod has not fully come into his own as the new coach.  Sure last season was the first in 33 years that Michigan did not make a bowl appearance.  It doesn’t matter.  September through November (and hopefully, fingers crossed here, beyond) I live and breath maize and blue.

So for now, I’m sorry rugby, it’s just not working out.  Michigan is my number one.  I hope you’ll answer when I call you in the spring.  No hard feelings.