Women's Sports Blog

Advice For SI On Its Top Athletes of The Decade

• Rank May-Treanor and Walsh higher, since their dominance within their sport was unmatched. 
• Consider Prinz and Wambach co-top-players with Marta.  Germany has won two World Cups and the U.S. has won two Olympic golds over the past ten years, and these scorers have been the lynchpins of their teams' efforts.  They're not as flashy as the Brazilian, but they're often more effective. 
• I love Cathy Freeman and her run at Sydney was moving and world-historical, but what is she doing on this list?  If Sheryl Swoopes is pushed all the way down to 15th, seemingly because her accomplishments occurred mostly from 2000-2005, why include someone who had only two major race wins in 2000 and 2001?  Think about replacing Freeman with an African distance runner or an American sprinter.   There needs to be a sprinter here.  Which leads to the question...
• If voting writers didn't have to consider PEDs, why didn't Marion Jones make the list?  I don't think she deserved to, but take a stand and say either PEDs disqualify, or writers aren't allowed to have them influence the decision. 
• Tennis is over-represented in the top ten.  Does Henin really belong at number four? 
• The selection of Torres over another swimmer, like Coughlin, is going to look short-sighted in a few years.
• Otherwise, fine job.

FC Gold Pride Moved So Fans Could *Drink*?

Really, they moved in large part because the Earthquakes were pricing them out of Buck Shaw.  But instead of admitting this and then looking for the bright side, they sent out an email that made it seem like the choice was entirely voluntary (if so, why not wait until the new stadium is finished instead of playing the first few games at a high school?).  CSU East Bay is building a soccer-specific park and that's great, but the email highlighted some annoying 'reasons' that the new stadium is preferable, including more parking/tailgating space (so crucial in these days when we should use our cars more than ever, right?) and the ability to drink beer in the stands.  Apparently certain vocal fans had been referring to Buck Shaw as 'beer jail,' as if living without a drink for two hours was a major burden (and more alcohol will fit so nicely with the expanded driving opportunities).  Speaking for myself, it was nice to attend a pro athletic event without worrying that someone was going to spill a beer on me.  It was also a marketing plus since it created a family atmosphere devoid of drunk, belligerent jerks. Also, since when is the East Bay the 'heartland' of the Bay Area?  It's not Nebraska.  It's just Hayward. 

*Of Course* It Was Sour Grapes

I am updating the soccer final post to reflect the fact that I actually have no idea whether either goal should have counted because I didn't see the replays.  The post accurately reflects my feelings at the time, which I know any fan will understand. 

Much To Admire About Tar Heels' Program

No one should post about something so close to her heart so close upon the event, lest she be unfair.  Clearly North Carolina has changed women's sports in this country, and for the better.  Its soccer program was one of the early centers of excellence when the idea of women competing at an elite level was new.  The recruiting is incredible.  The team has a near-professional sense of discipline and purpose.  It produces several national team-caliber players every year, and many of them seem to be nice people.  Sadly some of its fans refuse to recognize that in these days when Title IX has made a difference in the quality of players emerging from high school there are several programs which are pulling even, and continue to act as if it's ludicrous that anyone could challenge their team.  Also Anson Dorrance is a creep.  But there's no gainsaying the importance of North Carolina soccer both for the sport and for the movement at large. 

It Sucked, And Then I Cried

The downside to the deep emotional investment that true fans put into their teams is the soul-crushing despair that can ensue when things go wrong.  In a second, you go from living for the team to not wanting to live anymore.*  I apologize in advance for the triggering effect this will have on readers' own unhappy sports memories.  The interesting thing is how many of the first ones that came to my mind involve men's teams, which I ostensibly care less about.  I haven't followed the Pacers for years, and the Mets have pretty well run their organization into the ground. 

7. The four point play by the Knicks against the Pacers in the 1999 conference finals.  My mother had just asked me 'is there any way they can come back?' and I told her there was almost no chance because they'd have to hit a three and get fouled. Thereafter followed the most bullshit continuation call in the history of basketball.

6. Kenny Rogers walks in the winning run in the '99 NLCS against the Most Hateful Team In the World, the Braves (bigots and wife-beaters welcome!).  Later Rogers turned out to be a totally unpleasant human being as well, so I don't feel bad for threatening to choke him whenever I hear his name mentioned. 

5. The pre-instant-replay, last-second touchdown thrown by Jim Harbaugh in the 1995 AFC championship game against the Steelers.  With review, I believe we would have been awarded the points and gone to the Superbowl.

4. Erika Valek misses open, game-tying layup in waning seconds of March Madness game '03 vs. Georgia.  This would have ranked higher, but I had left the room already because I couldn't bear to watch the final possession. 

3. The goddamn Steelers win the 2005 AFC championship after Peyton Manning fails to get the team close enough for a gimme field goal and Vanderjagt misses the one farther out.  Made ten times worse by the fact that I was watching the game with a good friend who is a huge Steelers fan, and we were both too polite to make it enjoyable.  I vow not to watch another Colts game until they make the Superbowl. 

2. 2009 soccer championship tying goal disallowed on offside, compounded by being forced to endure the obsequiousness sweepstakes that is media coverage of that creep Anson Dorrance and his insufferable, Yankees-like program.  Cat Whitehill inexplicably kissed enough UCLA butt that I knew to keep the sound off when she was actually commentating on her own team.  

1. 2001 NCAA basketball title game final shot.  Enough said about that. 

*This is excluding those frustrations that occur over time, such as the fact that the Patriots owe the Colts three AFC playoff rematches in which they are not allowed to cheat.

O'Hara, Officials Cost Stanford Chance At Comeback in Title Game

1. Learn the #&$* rules about what puts a player in an offside position before you become a referee.*

2. Don't get ejected when you're the best player on your team. 

*A week later, I can admit that I didn't see the replay on those calls, so for all I know they were right, but god damn. 

College Cup Time

Parity once again fails to rule in college soccer, as all four teams from last year's field return to try again for a title.  I know absolutely nothing about Notre Dame, but UCLA came within a crossbar or two of beating Stanford during the regular season, while UNC has the consensus number-one draft pick in Tobin Heath, and this is the time of year when Casey Nogueira generally gets off her butt and remembers that she's incredibly talented.  The Cardinal show more weaknesses than one would expect in a top seed, including goaltending, defense, and finishing.  Can you guess what my superstition is, by the way?  Should be compelling soccer on December 4th and 6th in College Station. 

In Happier News

Many congratulations to the Stanford Cardinal for completing the first perfect season in school history.

The seniors (via Stanford Photos):

Patronizing Women's Violence

Perhaps even more outrageous than Elizabeth Lambert's behavior in the New Mexico/BYU game, and it's the worst I've ever seen in women's sports (and obviously this is not meant to be a commentary on how women should be held to different standards, but rather it's still not as bad as some things I've seen in men's sports), is the reaction of some men who rave about how 'hot' it is.  This is the flip side of men's alleged obsession with lesbians.  I say alleged because of course it has nothing to do with real women or their actual experience.  It's about using women as a kind of theater which exists only to titillate men.  In fact, men who are into this kind of thing tend to get quite angry and belligerent when they run into real lesbians, because their world does not in fact revolve around the male gaze.  Indeed, the men are actually irrelevent.  This is at the heart of a lot of straight male violence against queer women.  In the same way, viewing a shocking set of violent fouls as 'hot' turns the real experiences of women into something that exists for men, something that isn't serious or dangerous because it's become pornography.  Deep down, of course, these men are titillated by male violence as well, but by displacing it onto 'chick fights' they can objectify women and enjoy that impulse at the same time.  If the world only consisted of this type of guy, Lambert's actions would never be taken for what they are: completely inappropriate and worthy of both the suspension she received and a trip to a psychologist to deal with her anger. 

Coaches' Inexplicable Love Affair With Mittsy

The BC Fan was watching the updates of people who were watching webcasts of the Germany match (ah, the wonders of modern technology), and reports that the company line about solid defense was rather kind to Mitts, quelle surprise.  The mystery is how not one, not two, but three generations of WNT coaches continue to play this semi-disaster area at the highest level.  She must be a great practice player.  There was also general consensus that the midfield sucked, with special attention to Lloyd, whose career has gone right down the nick over the past year.  If you are playing a huge midfield against a German team that thrives on midfield possession, make sure you have your best people on the job.  Even more worrying is Pia's postgame musing about what to do with the rejuvenated Wambach.  She's your biggest offensive threat (literally); what do you think you should do with her?   It was fun to see her come off the bench after practically owning the team, but the novelty's worn off and the World Cup is not that far away.  Now, this team is light years ahead of where it was under the previous two administrations, and no one is going to agree with every decision a coach makes.  I just wish I knew where Pia's thoughts were tactically with her current player pool.    

I admit to being totally sucked in by the 'everything is normal, look away' vibe coming off the Hucles retirement.  But shaking off the PR, why did she go through training, get selected to the team for Germany, then leave?  As has been pointed out elsewhere, she clearly didn't have another job lined up and it sounds very much like an un-premeditated decision.  Could have been a sudden attack of introspection, but why not play the match at least before hanging them up?