Outside Topic Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Printable Version
+- The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board)
+-- Forum: C-House! (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-4.html)
+--- Forum: The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-5.html)
+--- Thread: Outside Topic Caitlyn Clark off Olympics (/thread-24980.html)
+- The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board)
+-- Forum: C-House! (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-4.html)
+--- Forum: The CardBoard (https://thecardboard.org/board/forum-5.html)
+--- Thread: Outside Topic Caitlyn Clark off Olympics (/thread-24980.html)
Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - lex24 - 06-09-2024
I don’t follow the WNBA. So, perhaps from a purely basketball perspective, the Committes decision to leave her off the team was warranted.
But talk about short sighted. I can’t think of an athlete in some time that has had the impact on a sport’s popularity that Clark has for women’s hoops. I’d compare her on that score to Tiger Woods and his impact on golf.
You would think the Committee would want to capitalize on that. Dumb decision imo.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - washingtonismoney - 06-09-2024
The consensus among WBB fans I know is kinda split: some people think she wouldn't make it were she not Clark; others think maybe she's one of the top 13 (or whatever) American players but her style isn't conducive to being a fourth or fifth banana. So I suppose on that angle I'm not particularly miffed by her not making it. One reporter had a single-source anonymous claim that the selectors thought she was somehow too popular to justify making the team, which is a bit bizarre and deserves more scrutiny.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Jskass - 06-09-2024
She’ll be there at next Olympics if she is interested and makes the commitment to US basketball, but this time there are players ahead of her with more experience who deserve it.
She’ll be there at next Olympics if she is interested and makes the commitment to US basketball, but this time there are players ahead of her with more experience who deserve it. And no, I am NOT saying Taurasi deserves to be there at 42.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - lex24 - 06-09-2024
(06-09-2024, 03:31 PM)Jskass Wrote: She’ll be there at next Olympics if she is interested and makes the commitment to US basketball, but this time there are players ahead of her with more experience who deserve it.
Not my point. And who knows what 4 years bring.
From a basketball perspective, hard to believe that someone with her skills, on a team where she isn’t the only one a defense has to deal with, would not help.
From the perspective of promoting the sport. It’s, to me, a no-braner.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Spiny_Norman - 06-09-2024
There are no college players or WNBA rookies on the Olympic roster. Who would you drop in favor of Clark?
https://www.usab.com/teams/5x5-womens-olympics/roster
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - lex24 - 06-09-2024
(06-09-2024, 03:30 PM)washingtonismoney Wrote: The consensus among WBB fans I know is kinda split: some people think she wouldn't make it were she not Clark; others think maybe she's one of the top 13 (or whatever) American players but her style isn't conducive to being a fourth or fifth banana. So I suppose on that angle I'm not particularly miffed by her not making it. One reporter had a single-source anonymous claim that the selectors thought she was somehow too popular to justify making the team, which is a bit bizarre and deserves more scrutiny.
I’m not miffed. I just think it’s dumb. What has she meant already to the popularity and growth of the sport? People flock to see her play. One would think they’d want to capitalize on that.
(06-09-2024, 03:38 PM)Spiny_Norman Wrote: There are no college players or WNBA rookies on the Olympic roster. Who would you drop in favor of Clark?
https://www.usab.com/teams/5x5-womens-olympics/roster
Not sure. Also not my point.
Why are her games selling out? Her team stinks. Yet people flock to see her. Who in women’s basketball has had more of an impact on the mass popularity of the sport than she? Ever.
Put another way - the average attendance is about 9,100. Indiana is averaging over 17,000 at home. Over 16,000 on the road.
2023 the top team attendance was about 9,500. Indiana averaged a little over 4,000.
Not to mention the TV impact.
Frankly, I’d make sure that player was on the Olympic team.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - 82lsju - 06-09-2024
I think Olympic basketball should put in place the same rule as Olympic soccer where the players are 23 or younger with up to three overage players.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - lex24 - 06-09-2024
(06-09-2024, 03:54 PM)82lsju Wrote: I think Olympic basketball should put in place the same rule as Olympic soccer where the players are 23 or younger with up to three overage players.
I like that idea.
Honestly, I don’t watch Olympic hoops. Men or women. To me, the Olympics are about those who toil in “relative” obscurity. In sports like Gymnastics, Swimming and (at least in US) track and field.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - triangle2 - 06-09-2024
(06-09-2024, 03:35 PM)lex24 Wrote:(06-09-2024, 03:31 PM)Jskass Wrote: She’ll be there at next Olympics if she is interested and makes the commitment to US basketball, but this time there are players ahead of her with more experience who deserve it.
Not my point. And who knows what 4 years bring.
From a basketball perspective, hard to believe that someone with her skills, on a team where she isn’t the only one a defense has to deal with, would not help.
From the perspective of promoting the sport. It’s, to me, a no-braner.
But see the 30 for 30 'Dream On' episode involving the Tara-coached 1996 Olympic team. I hadn't realized how much controversy there was about putting Rebecca Lobo on the team. Lobo was popular, visible, and probably not ready. As a result, she got placed on the roster and then got basically no meaningful minutes. It doesn't sound like that was a pleasant experience for her or for the coaches.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - cardcrimson - 06-09-2024
Lex, great points all. It is dumb. I simply don't understand the animosity towards her. . . .Don't watch Olympic hoops, either. Not a fan of dream teams and would love to see the under 23 rule put in. . .
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - chrisk - 06-09-2024
(06-09-2024, 04:57 PM)cardcrimson Wrote: Lex, great points all. It is dumb. I simply don't understand the animosity towards her. . . .Don't watch Olympic hoops, either. Not a fan of dream teams and would love to see the under 23 rule put in. . .
When pros were allowed into Olympic basketball, the job of USA basketball became to win the Gold Medal every time.
Other story lines are subservient to that. Clark did not attend the workout prior to the selection. She decided to stick with her Iowa team in the NCAA tournament. That was her priority this year. The WNBA draft and schedule does not fit well with the Olympic time frame.
When the WNBA matures, it could transition to a more normal basketball season. However, the dual NBA / WNBA owners are not going to favor that anytime soon.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - joemontes - 06-09-2024
It would have been a boost marketing-wise for USA women's basketball had she been included.
But in terms of need, it really doesn't matter, the group of guards selected are very experienced
and simply much better than any other group of guards in the world.
However, I am salivating on the potential corps of guards of USA women's basketball
for the 2028 Olympics in LA - CLARK, BUECKERS, WATKINS and HIDALGO !!!
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - fullmetal - 06-09-2024
If Nneka didn't make it in Tokyo, how does a rookie make it for Paris? Also, I must be out of the loop, but is Nneka no longer in the conversation for Olympic team selection going forward? Is it an age/production issue?
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - M T - 06-09-2024
(06-09-2024, 03:54 PM)82lsju Wrote: I think Olympic basketball should put in place the same rule as Olympic soccer where the players are 23 or younger with up to three overage players.
Is that legal in the US? Yes, we have developmental competions with age used to separate the developing players from the more experienced. But if I were a player that wanted to play in the Olympics and some organization in the US said I waa good enough but too old, I’d sue.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - PVTree - 06-10-2024
Clark is an awesome talent but do wish she wouldn't complain to the refs as much as she does.
If she is disliked, I think it has to do more about her wanting to be granted "Jordan" rules, and WNBA veterans don't think she's earned that respect yet rather than them being jealous of her popularity and talent.
I don't think she's currently one of the top 15 players (top 5 guards) in the WNBA and am ok with her being left off the team.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Jskass - 06-10-2024
love the reference to Rebecca Lobo. We have to have the best players, given the team needs. And no, I think Nneka out since she indicated she'd play for Nigeria -- who could be great if they were to include at some point Nneka, Chiney, Elizabeth Williams, Onyenwere, Arike Ogunbowale (if the US doesn't fix their snub of her)...
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Hurlburt88 - 06-10-2024
FWIW I talked to a friend of mine who was a starter for Stanford's WBB team back in the late 80's. She finds it ridiculous that Clark is not on the Olympic team, and feels the rest of the league needs to "grow up" related to all the Clark drama and jealousy.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Mick - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 05:54 AM)Hurlburt88 Wrote: FWIW I talked to a friend of mine who was a starter for Stanford's WBB team back in the late 80's. She finds it ridiculous that Clark is not on the Olympic team, and feels the rest of the league needs to "grow up" related to all the Clark drama and jealousy.
Concur. Volcanic jealousy against Caitlin Clark (in part because of her $28 mms. NIKE deal), who was responsible for a Bird/Magic-like rise in popularity re: the WNBA.
And the refs cut her ZERO slack. The blind-side body check by Chennedy Carter outside of play that slammed Clark to the ground was originally called a common foul, the league had to upgrade it to a flagrant. And her teammates give her the Rick Barry treatment in terms of defending her.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - 82lsju - 06-10-2024
(06-09-2024, 11:57 PM)M T Wrote:(06-09-2024, 03:54 PM)82lsju Wrote: I think Olympic basketball should put in place the same rule as Olympic soccer where the players are 23 or younger with up to three overage players.
Is that legal in the US? Yes, we have developmental competions with age used to separate the developing players from the more experienced. But if I were a player that wanted to play in the Olympics and some organization in the US said I waa good enough but too old, I’d sue.
I'm not a lawyer but the US men's soccer team follows this roster composition rule.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - BillBradley - 06-10-2024
I'm really torn on this one. Christian Laettner had an incredible college career, a budding superstar, and everyone thought that he would be a long time Olympian when they put him on the Dream Team. Didn't work out that way. Caitlin's situation is similar in a way. She's simply not good enough yet to displace the other guards, so she likely just sits on the bench and plays garbage minutes. Maybe the committee thought that could backfire and hurt her current popularity and long term career? Doesn't seem like it would help her to have her be that end of bench player.
I'm big on meritocracy when it comes to most things, especially sports. Caitlin needs to earn time, position, and respect of her peers throughout the league with her play. Those things shouldn't be handed to her just because she had a great college career. As others have posted, so far she's been a bit too whimpy and whiny. Yes, the rest of her team needs to have her back, but she also needs to stand up for herself. When she was hip checked by Chennedy Carter, instead of falling down and complaining she should have stayed up and pushed her back. There's no way Magic and Larry would have fallen down and looked to the ref for help.