Plays Like a Guy...

[CTtoSanDiego]

I played basketball well into my 40's and have been watching men's and women's basketball for more decades than i care to admit.
The first time I saw Sheryl Swoopes play in college, I was struck by the thought: "wow, she plays like a guy." Back then, her athleticism REALLY stood out. Despite the explosion in athleticism in the women's game since then, I've only had that thought a few times since. In a way, I'm glad, because I prefer the artistry of the women's game to the too many dunks and one on one play in the men's.
There's no specific formula for this, it's just a feeling I get. It's a combination of strength, overall athleticism, leaping ability... even the way they move on the court.
I had the "plays like a guy" thought about Maya, who I was lucky enough to see in person when the Huskies came out to San Diego in her freshman year. Although I love Diana T, especially her killer instinct, I never had the thought about her. Stewie is one of the best all around players I've ever seen, but I never thought that about her. Ditto Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker, Brittany Griner and other greats.
While watching Baylor the other day, I had the "plays like a guy" thought about NaLyssa Smith. I certainly would not put her in a class with the aforementioned greats, but she is an athletic beast. We didn't have an answer for her last year -- I hope we do this year. Edwards is strong and fierce, and Liv has been steadily improving her defense. Neither comes close to "playing like a guy" but that doesn't mean they can't keep Smith at least a little bit under control.
Fortunately, basketball is a team game, and our entire team has been playing great. So even if Smith goes off (not 11 for 11, I hope!), we can still win if our team continues its all around good play.
I'm nervous but hopeful for this game... I wish it was a final four contest.
My "plays like a guy" thought is so rare, I thought I would post it.

 

[LoboDays]

The U.S. men’s soccer team missed qualifying for the Olympics for the second consecutive time. The entire team wishes they played like girls.

 

[skilz]

I played basketball well into my 40's and have been watching men's and women's basketball for more decades than i care to admit.
The first time I saw Sheryl Swoopes play in college, I was struck by the thought: "wow, she plays like a guy." Back then, her athleticism REALLY stood out. Despite the explosion in athleticism in the women's game since then, I've only had that thought a few times since. In a way, I'm glad, because I prefer the artistry of the women's game to the too many dunks and one on one play in the men's.
There's no specific formula for this, it's just a feeling I get. It's a combination of strength, overall athleticism, leaping ability... even the way they move on the court.
I had the "plays like a guy" thought about Maya, who I was lucky enough to see in person when the Huskies came out to San Diego in her freshman year. Although I love Diana T, especially her killer instinct, I never had the thought about her. Stewie is one of the best all around players I've ever seen, but I never thought that about her. Ditto Elena Delle Donne, Candace Parker, Brittany Griner and other greats.
While watching Baylor the other day, I had the "plays like a guy" thought about NaLyssa Smith. I certainly would not put her in a class with the aforementioned greats, but she is an athletic beast. We didn't have an answer for her last year -- I hope we do this year. Edwards is strong and fierce, and Liv has been steadily improving her defense. Neither comes close to "playing like a guy" but that doesn't mean they can't keep Smith at least a little bit under control.
Fortunately, basketball is a team game, and our entire team has been playing great. So even if Smith goes off (not 11 for 11, I hope!), we can still win if our team continues its all around good play.
I'm nervous but hopeful for this game... I wish it was a final four contest.
My "plays like a guy" thought is so rare, I thought I would post it.

I've had the same thoughts on Smith. It's something about the way she moves (no not the song), gives me the thought of "plays like a man." She's very natural with the ball. Luckily, UConn may only have to play her twice (tonight and next year) before she enters the draft. I don't see her going back to Baylor for an extra year.

 

[Wilderness]

The U.S. men’s soccer team missed qualifying for the Olympics for the second consecutive time. The entire team wishes they played like girls.

Uconn men's hoops likewise...

 

[Blakeon18]

Way back: Tabitha King....yes...Stephen King's wife...is an author herself. And they were big fans of women's hoops...especially the University of Maine...near where they lived. Tabitha wrote a non-fiction book called 'Playing like a Girl' with sarcasm seriously implied. It was the story of Cindy Blodgett's senior high school year...basically a diary I presume. Cindy was wonderfully talented...a high D1 prospect...high school class of 1994. Yes...I do believe Geno showed interest for a time.

Cindy went to Maine and they were good....dominating local competition and occasionally with an upset of a national team.
Game One of 1995 NCAA tourney with Cindy a frosh... Maine...16 seed....comes to face UConn in Storrs. Stephen and I assume Tabitha were in Gampel. Heck: I read that the couple hosted the Maine team for a pizza party on selection evening. Needless to say they had great lower bowl seats behind the Maine bench.

We had Nykesha Sales as a pretty fair frosh herself. I chatted with a Maine fan pre-game and had a bit of back/forth about who was better. He identified her out on the court before the game as 'The Red Head'. Just by her overall movements and athleticism anybody could have picked her out sans name.

Who won? You know who won...in a rout. Bur Cindy was legit. I don't recall too much about her post-Maine career but I do seem to remember that she wound up coaching in high school in Maine...with some controversy ensuing.

Anyway: where is she now?

Just did a bit of googling. Turns out she became head coach at Maine...I think that was the period that ended in a bit of a snafu.
Since 2019...she has been head coach of Lincoln High in Maine. Played a bit in the WNBA.
Maybe the best ever to come out of Maine?

 

[sarals24]

I would love to retire this statement. I get the sentiment, but this just solidifies the thinking that playing like a guy is the ideal, and most women can't measure up.

 

[CocoHusky]

I would love to retire this statement. I get the sentiment, but this just solidifies the thinking that playing like a guy is the ideal, and most women can't measure up.

Absolutely let's retire it today! @CTtoSanDiego I understand and support your desire to be complementary of Smith. Thankfully the WNBA has been around long enough that there plenty of Women basketball players that we can throw out to compare Smith to. BTW UCONN will get's it own version of Smith next year -her name is Ayanna Patterson.

 

[UcMiami]

I would love to retire this statement. I get the sentiment, but this just solidifies the thinking that playing like a guy is the ideal, and most women can't measure up.

Agree.
There are actual differences in skeletal proportions and muscle and tissue based on gender that while not absolute do change the typical athletic motions between genders.

Problem is that the sentiment and the phraseology itself have been used in a condescending way toward women for a very long time! And it leads to things like a rack of dumbbells being called a weight room for women, and a box lunch considered appropriate nutrition for female athletes.

Strike any of these phrases from usage.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Some thoughts apparently, are better left unshared. It's extremely unfashionable these days to suggest that their may be obvious physiological differences between men and women affecting athletic performance. And yet, somehow it remains necessary to maintain mens and womens basketball as separate sports. Puzzling.

 

[lne001]

No, I am not a misogynist, and no this is not disparaging women hood, but let's be real.

Agree.
There are actual differences in skeletal proportions and muscle and tissue based on gender that while not absolute do change the typical athletic motions between genders.

At any comparable level of comparison (e.x. decile by decile) male physiology will absolutely top female physiology (stronger, faster). That is just how evolution and sexual selection (?) have developed (i.e. not a social construct).

Problem is that the sentiment and the phraseology itself have been used in a condescending way toward women for a very long time!

Really? If I said a female played like a male it was always meant as a compliment. First applied to Nancy Lieberman.

Strike any of these phrases from usage.

Very Orwellian of you.

 

[donalddoowop]

Smith was as effective as she was last season because of the other tall players on Baylor. Now she is the center of attention and doing it on her own.

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

Absolutely let's retire it today! @CTtoSanDiego I understand and support your desire to be complementary of Smith. Thankfully the WNBA has been around long enough that there plenty of Women basketball players that we can throw out to compare Smith to. BTW UCONN will get's it own version of Smith next year -her name is Ayanna Patterson.

I never said that playing like a guy is an "ideal".... just that for a few women, I get that thought...it's about the way they move and play... would I rather have Stewie than Smith? of course, a million times over. Diana T? and Paige? in a heartbeat over Smith

 

[lne001]

It's interesting that posts favorably comparing specific female basketball players to specific male professional players arise here at a regular rate and are accepted. Yet a post favorably comparing a female player to male players in general crosses some boundary and should be stricken from usage.

 

[Dokey]

I watch the women’s game and not the men’s (dunks by giants playing a game designed for scrawny middle schoolers has little appeal). I watch women because they play like basketball players, though super tall players are present among women and, frankly, I am always amazed Griner doesn’t score 50 every game. Is it because her overall skills don’t match her height or is it because ball movement, etc in the women’s game can counter height? I suspect the latter.

 

[cbraarj]

Taurasi was compared to Magic and Michael on the way she played in college. She said that was the ultimate complement because men are the best players in the world. In Sports Illustrated in either the 03 or 04 National Championship Editions.

 

[LoboDays]

This is getting silly. Identifying certain women who play more like men? What the sense of it? What do you wind up with when you identify them? When you watch teams like Stanford and UCONN women’s hoops or the U.S. women’s soccer team, maybe we should start looking for men who play like girls. This thread has forced me to move up Happy Hour.

 

[my2cents]

The comment can be taken several ways, I will give the poster the benefit of the doubt.
This topic was expertly covered in Geno's autobiography.
One anecdote, my son ended up playing in an open gym in Derby a few years back, and he said this "girl" was schooling every guy that was there. Didn't miss a shot and won every game.
Maria Conlon could sure play...

 

[meyers7]

The U.S. men’s soccer team missed qualifying for the Olympics for the second consecutive time. The entire team wishes they played like girls.

Don't be ridiculous.

 

[CocoHusky]

The comment can be taken several ways, I will give the poster the benefit of the doubt.
This topic was expertly covered in Geno's autobiography.
One anecdote, my son ended up playing in an open gym in Derby a few years back, and he said this "girl" was schooling every guy that was there. Didn't miss a shot and won every game.
Maria Conlon could sure play...

Geno on Maria Conlon:
"She has that great combination: She may be short, but she is slow.''

Voepel: No joke

Geno Auriemma's best jabs often come at Maria Conlon's expense. But the Husky senior has the last laugh.

www.espn.com

 

[LoboDays]

The comment can be taken several ways, I will give the poster the benefit of the doubt.
This topic was expertly covered in Geno's autobiography.
One anecdote, my son ended up playing in an open gym in Derby a few years back, and he said this "girl" was schooling every guy that was there. Didn't miss a shot and won every game.
Maria Conlon could sure play...

Apples & oranges. He is saying that a girl out played the boys. Not that she played like a boy. I doubt that Geno would ever say that.

 

[Mdoggie]

The U.S. men’s soccer team missed qualifying for the Olympics for the second consecutive time. The entire team wishes they played like girls.

Defund the men and give the women’s team more money!!

 

[Mdoggie]

Don't be ridiculous.

They do. They wish they could win consistently like the women’s team. Any team would.

 

[Cuango]

The U.S. men’s soccer team missed qualifying for the Olympics for the second consecutive time. The entire team wishes they played like girls.

Yeah, I don’t think so.

 

[Mdoggie]

Yeah, I don’t think so.

US men’s team has been overrated,over paid and underperforming for years.