Outside Topic Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Printable Version
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RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - PVTree - 06-10-2024
Everyone follows that roster composition role, including the US.
What a travesty; to not allow everyone of age in the Olympic tournament due to age restrictions. If only there was a soccer tournament where all the nations' best gathered to determine who is the best.
It wouldn't have to be every year, say every four years like the Olympics. I guess we'll never know who is the best of the best with their best players on the field/pitch.
It would have been nice to see Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Mbappe, and other world class players compete against each other with their national teams.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - gailtate - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 07:52 AM)BillBradley Wrote: 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.
BINGO! The Magic/Larry analogy. Clark will mature. When she does, she will be a force of nature unknown to womankind.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - 82lsju - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 08:04 AM)PVTree Wrote: Everyone follows that roster composition role, including the US.
What a travesty; to not allow everyone of age in the Olympic tournament due to age restrictions. If only there was a soccer tournament where all the nations' best gathered to determine who is the best.
It wouldn't have to be every year, say every four years like the Olympics. I guess we'll never know who is the best of the best with their best players on the field/pitch.
It would have been nice to see Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Mbappe, and other world class players compete against each other with their national teams.
and then there are the sports with minimum ages to compete including gymnastics and figure skating
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Farm93 - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 08:04 AM)PVTree Wrote: Everyone follows that roster composition role, including the US.Men's soccer is done the way it is because of an agreement between FIFA and the IOC. The current format was implemented in the 90s and likely won't be changing any time soon most clubs around the world already have to deal with the headaches of country qualifications for the World Cup that seem to never end.
What a travesty; to not allow everyone of age in the Olympic tournament due to age restrictions. If only there was a soccer tournament where all the nations' best gathered to determine who is the best.
It wouldn't have to be every year, say every four years like the Olympics. I guess we'll never know who is the best of the best with their best players on the field/pitch.
It would have been nice to see Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, Mbappe, and other world class players compete against each other with their national teams.
FIFA, rightfully, would not jeopardize its very profitable World Cup product just so that the Olympics, which brings in only a little bit more revenue despite including dozens of sports, can have better content.
Other sports in the Olympics don't have caps on age, though many have minimums.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Mick - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 07:52 AM)BillBradley Wrote: 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.
Different philosophy, I suppose. Rookies have been on the Olympic team before: Rebecca Lobo in 1996, Diana Taurasi in 2004, Candace Parker in 2008 and Breanna Stewart in 2016. But the selection committee leaned toward experience this year: Sabrina Ionescu, in her fifth year with the New York Liberty, is the youngest player on the roster at 26.
(06-10-2024, 07:52 AM)BillBradley Wrote: 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.
Two minor points: she was shoulder-checked from the blind side, not hip-checked. Hip check implies blocking out, it was a cheap shot. And Clark didn't complain, despite the ridiculous common foul call (later upgraded to a flagrant), Clark didn't complain. She have any reaction other than to look at the ref. She's taking the Jackie Robinson approach. She basically said the same afterward, said she grew up tough with two tough brothers.
One other minor point...Bird and Magic could depend on their teammates to intervene, or at least participate. Clark can't.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - SkiBum80 - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 12:33 PM)Mick Wrote: ... she was shoulder-checked from the blind side, not hip-checked...
Agreed. IMO she was hit so hard from blind side (not seeing it coming means your balance isn't prepared to absorb the hit) that most NBA players would have also gone down given that hard a blind hit.
Also she's already taken an admirable response to not being selected to Olympic team. Talking about hoping and intending to earn her way onto the team in the future. Kind of the opposite of whining.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - 82lsju - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 12:33 PM)Mick Wrote: Different philosophy, I suppose. Rookies have been on the Olympic team before: Rebecca Lobo in 1996, Diana Taurasi in 2004, Candace Parker in 2008 and Breanna Stewart in 2016. But the selection committee leaned toward experience this year: Sabrina Ionescu, in her fifth year with the New York Liberty, is the youngest player on the roster at 26.
here
https://www.usab.com/teams/5x5-womens-olympics/roster
shows Shakira Austin (F) is 23, Aliyah Boston (F) is 22, and Rhyne Howard (G) is 24, and while Clark is a rookie in the WNBA she is 22 so the same age as Boston
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Mick - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 02:15 PM)82lsju Wrote:(06-10-2024, 12:33 PM)Mick Wrote: Different philosophy, I suppose. Rookies have been on the Olympic team before: Rebecca Lobo in 1996, Diana Taurasi in 2004, Candace Parker in 2008 and Breanna Stewart in 2016. But the selection committee leaned toward experience this year: Sabrina Ionescu, in her fifth year with the New York Liberty, is the youngest player on the roster at 26.
here
https://www.usab.com/teams/5x5-womens-olympics/roster
shows Shakira Austin (F) is 23, Aliyah Boston (F) is 22, and Rhyne Howard (G) is 24, and while Clark is a rookie in the WNBA she is 22 so the same age as Boston
I shall inform Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star that she is incorrect.
Caitlin Clark was always playing catch-up in trying to make 2024 US Olympic team
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - jacket3ree - 06-10-2024
Not trying to call anyone out, but Ann Killion says that if you are mad about the "snub", you aren't paying attention.
It's paywalled, but the short story is she shouldn't be on the Olympic team.
That's fair.
This is nothing to do with jealousy or being dumb. It is timing, a singular purpose of winning every gold medal there is to win in women's basketball, and they aren't worried about "growing the sport", only winning a gold medal every time out. Killion says she isn't even the best rookie in the WNBA, but doesn't say who is. Now to be fair, they could play me, maybe not at point, but as a jack up ill-advised long distance threes at will kind of out of shape pudgy 61 year old guy with gout and a flaky back off guard and still win gold. Sure, it would in essence be four on six, but they'd still win gold.
Her time will come. Or not. Up to her and continued good luck.
If Steph Curry doesn't get Jordan Rules 15 years into a supernova career, why should she as a rookie? (Why should anyone?)
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Jamesy - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 05:07 PM)jacket3ree Wrote: Not trying to call anyone out, but Ann Killion says that if you are mad about the "snub", you aren't paying attention.
It's paywalled, but the short story is she shouldn't be on the Olympic team.
That's fair.
This is nothing to do with jealousy or being dumb. It is timing, a singular purpose of winning every gold medal there is to win in women's basketball, and they aren't worried about "growing the sport", only winning a gold medal every time out. Killion says she isn't even the best rookie in the WNBA, but doesn't say who is. Now to be fair, they could play me, maybe not at point, but as a jack up ill-advised long distance threes at will kind of out of shape pudgy 61 year old guy with gout and a flaky back off guard and still win gold. Sure, it would in essence be four on six, but they'd still win gold.
Her time will come. Or not. Up to her and continued good luck.
If Steph Curry doesn't get Jordan Rules 15 years into a supernova career, why should she as a rookie? (Why should anyone?)
Espn has brink as the top rookie so far. https://www.espn.com/wnba/insider/story/_/id/40286510/wnba-2024-rookie-rankings-stats-caitlin-clark-angel-reese-cameron-brink
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - BillBradley - 06-10-2024
(06-10-2024, 01:40 PM)SkiBum80 Wrote:Yes, she's handled the Olympics snub situation well. I was talking about on the court whining and wimpiness. She whines a ton.(06-10-2024, 12:33 PM)Mick Wrote: ... she was shoulder-checked from the blind side, not hip-checked...
Agreed. IMO she was hit so hard from blind side (not seeing it coming means your balance isn't prepared to absorb the hit) that most NBA players would have also gone down given that hard a blind hit.
Also she's already taken an admirable response to not being selected to Olympic team. Talking about hoping and intending to earn her way onto the team in the future. Kind of the opposite of whining.
(06-10-2024, 12:33 PM)Mick Wrote:My overarching point is that she's coming across as weak. The money and accolades she's received doesn't jive with stuff like this, and she does it all the time:(06-10-2024, 07:52 AM)BillBradley Wrote: 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.
Different philosophy, I suppose. Rookies have been on the Olympic team before: Rebecca Lobo in 1996, Diana Taurasi in 2004, Candace Parker in 2008 and Breanna Stewart in 2016. But the selection committee leaned toward experience this year: Sabrina Ionescu, in her fifth year with the New York Liberty, is the youngest player on the roster at 26.
(06-10-2024, 07:52 AM)BillBradley Wrote: 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.
Two minor points: she was shoulder-checked from the blind side, not hip-checked. Hip check implies blocking out, it was a cheap shot. And Clark didn't complain, despite the ridiculous common foul call (later upgraded to a flagrant), Clark didn't complain. She have any reaction other than to look at the ref. She's taking the Jackie Robinson approach. She basically said the same afterward, said she grew up tough with two tough brothers.
One other minor point...Bird and Magic could depend on their teammates to intervene, or at least participate. Clark can't.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuXgaPzSD_0
Acting like that doesn't help garner the respect of the veterans. She needs to quit whining, begging for calls, and flopping and when she gets checked she should hold her ground and fight back.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - SkiBum80 - 06-11-2024
(06-10-2024, 09:40 PM)BillBradley Wrote: My overarching point is that she's coming across as weak. The money and accolades she's received doesn't jive with stuff like this, and she does it all the time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuXgaPzSD_0
Acting like that doesn't help garner the respect of the veterans. She needs to quit whining, begging for calls, and flopping and when she gets checked she should hold her ground and fight back.
Thanks youtube clip.
I think some of what is going on is understood by considering:
-- jealousy
-- putting a perceived upstart rookie in their place
These 2 aspects of human nature are far from limited to, or only visible in, the WNBA
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Mick - 06-11-2024
(06-09-2024, 03:16 PM)lex24 Wrote: 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.
Lex is right about this, of course. Christine Brennan, who broke the news that Clark wouldn't make the team, wrote an excellent article on the topic. Christine Brennan has reported on every Olympics team since 1984, stating "I've watched the stunning lack of coverage and lack of interest every time." She stated that the U.S. Women's basketball team gets ignored by the sports media at the Olympic games after the focus is on the gymnasts, the swimmers, the runners, etc. And now you'll have millions of new fans who will start the summer games by wondering if Caitlin Clark is on the women's basketball team? In Brenann's words:
"Clark has became the human gateway to women's hoops for hundreds of thousands, likely even millions of girls and boys, women and men. USA Basketball certainly could tap into her enormous reach to help promote not only its 2024 Olympic team, but the women's game in general...total swing and a miss."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDAUaENl35I
Forget about the fact that Clark has scored more points than any NCAA player...ever. Like future NBA Hall of Famer Pistol Pete Maravich (whose scoring record she broke), she was left off the Olympic team. Maravich was left off of the 1968 Olympic roster in favor of noted NBA Hall of Fame non-NBA HOF players Mike Barrett, John Clawson, Don Dee, Calvin Fowler, Bill Hosket, Jim King, Glynn Saulters, Mike Silliman and Ken Spain. But it's not like the NBA needed any pumping up by a spectacular player, I mean it's not like their NBA championship game was ever shown on tape delay or anything...oh yeah. It was. And thank goodness for Magic and Larry (like Caitlin, no last name necessary) and later Jordan.
Should she start? No, of course not. Would adding her to the last place on the roster affect the team's chances to win a gold medal even 0.0001%. No. Of course not. The WNBA won the battle and lost the war. Has the WNBA benefited from Clark, Brink and Reese? Yup...biggest increase, by far, is with the Indiana Fever fans (Clark's team) which have increased from 4,067 to 12,504. And the Indiana Feber lead the way with 15,315 road attendance. Overall league attendance is up by 40%. Cameron Brink's team, the LA Sparks have increased from 6,554 to 9,229, an increase of 2,675, 4th greatest attendance jump. Angel Reese's Chicago Sky has increased from 7,242 to 8,248, sixth greatest increase.
https://acrossthetimeline.com/wnba/attendance.html
https://www.si.com/wnba/wnba-announces-record-tv-ratings-highest-attendance-in-26-years?utm_source=RSS
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Jamesy - 06-11-2024
(06-10-2024, 03:02 PM)Mick Wrote:(06-10-2024, 02:15 PM)82lsju Wrote:(06-10-2024, 12:33 PM)Mick Wrote: Different philosophy, I suppose. Rookies have been on the Olympic team before: Rebecca Lobo in 1996, Diana Taurasi in 2004, Candace Parker in 2008 and Breanna Stewart in 2016. But the selection committee leaned toward experience this year: Sabrina Ionescu, in her fifth year with the New York Liberty, is the youngest player on the roster at 26.
here
https://www.usab.com/teams/5x5-womens-olympics/roster
shows Shakira Austin (F) is 23, Aliyah Boston (F) is 22, and Rhyne Howard (G) is 24, and while Clark is a rookie in the WNBA she is 22 so the same age as Boston
I shall inform Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star that she is incorrect.
Caitlin Clark was always playing catch-up in trying to make 2024 US Olympic team
Chloe Peterson was correct. None of those players younger than Ionescu actually made the team. https://x.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1800544885608694007
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - WBB fan - 06-11-2024
I've been following all the comment and couldn't figure out how to say what I was thinking, that there are good reasons for Clark to not be on the team, for someone else to have the place. (I certainly did NOT feel that way when Nnecka was left off. She SHOULD have been on the team. And in 2012, when Candace Parker was the star of the team with Gino as the coach, and he didn't start her, wow, was that dubious.) But yesterday, at last I read something that pulled all my feelings together very well, Ann Killion's opinion piece in the SF Chron -- see link below. To sum up, Ann says it's the right decision, and goes into the reasons way. Well worth reading.
https://eedition.sfchronicle.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=ba56040f-8264-444d-8fda-5f8125c4f85b
BTW, we were in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics and attended every one of the women's BB games. We also had tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Mick - 06-11-2024
(06-11-2024, 09:51 AM)WBB fan Wrote: I've been following all the comment and couldn't figure out how to say what I was thinking, that there are good reasons for Clark to not be on the team, for someone else to have the place. (I certainly did NOT feel that way when Nnecka was left off. She SHOULD have been on the team. And in 2012, when Candace Parker was the star of the team with Gino as the coach, and he didn't start her, wow, was that dubious.) But yesterday, at last I read something that pulled all my feelings together very well, Ann Killion's opinion piece in the SF Chron -- see link below. To sum up, Ann says it's the right decision, and goes into the reasons way. Well worth reading.
https://eedition.sfchronicle.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=ba56040f-8264-444d-8fda-5f8125c4f85b
BTW, we were in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics and attended every one of the women's BB games. We also had tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested.
Read it twice. Interesting reading. Let me see if I can sum up the key points (it's behind the Chron firewall):
1) CC is not good enough, she's not even the best rookie.
2) CC is too tired and the Olympics are a grind.
3) CC is too young and needs to wait her turn. She hasn't paid her dues like Nneka who was snubbed anyway. 41 year old Diana Taurasi has paid her dues so deserves a 6th Olympic team.
4) True, the WNBA derived immense popularity from CC's arrival...but they're going to have that popularity with or without CC on the Olympic team.
5) It would be embarrassing to have CC: on the Olympic team because she'd ride the bench (there's 13 players on the team...someone is going to have to ride the bench. Maybe eight someones...).
6) Despite the enormous upsurge in attendance and viewership, CC has been portrayed as a savior for a sport that didn't need saving. They had enough eyeballs and didn't need any more. With CC on the team, there would have been more coverage but the Olympic team didn't need it.
7) CC talks too much, there's been too many talking points. She's tired, she's played too many games. That might actually be true, says Ann.
8) Ann writes lots of gratuitous anti-fan comments re: recently arrived fans who became fans because of CC. Let's see...
- Most of it coming from people who have never previously bothered to pay attention
- Anyone who has been paying attention for a while — which eliminates about 90% of the outraged —" (two anti-fan in the first three paragraphs, WOW)
- Newly minted women’s basketball evangelists
- A question for basketball devotees, not the newcomers who only know Clark’s name
- One of the previous CC talking points — in a nonstop stream of them
- Clark has been portrayed as a savior of a sport that didn’t need saving
Overriding theme: Caitlin Clark has to pay her dues and needs to sit down and shut up...and so do the "fans" who arrived recently. They're not wanted or needed.
And I liked your final comment, WBB, on the tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested. Seems apropos here.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - cardcrimson - 06-11-2024
The surprise to me is Brittany Griner, the beneficiary of one of the worst trades in modern history. . . .
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - chrisk - 06-11-2024
(06-11-2024, 11:40 AM)Mick Wrote:(06-11-2024, 09:51 AM)WBB fan Wrote: I've been following all the comment and couldn't figure out how to say what I was thinking, that there are good reasons for Clark to not be on the team, for someone else to have the place. (I certainly did NOT feel that way when Nnecka was left off. She SHOULD have been on the team. And in 2012, when Candace Parker was the star of the team with Gino as the coach, and he didn't start her, wow, was that dubious.) But yesterday, at last I read something that pulled all my feelings together very well, Ann Killion's opinion piece in the SF Chron -- see link below. To sum up, Ann says it's the right decision, and goes into the reasons way. Well worth reading.
https://eedition.sfchronicle.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=ba56040f-8264-444d-8fda-5f8125c4f85b
BTW, we were in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics and attended every one of the women's BB games. We also had tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested.
Read it twice. Interesting reading. Let me see if I can sum up the key points (it's behind the Chron firewall):
1) CC is not good enough, she's not even the best rookie.
2) CC is too tired and the Olympics are a grind.
3) CC is too young and needs to wait her turn. She hasn't paid her dues like Nneka who was snubbed anyway. 41 year old Diana Taurasi has paid her dues so deserves a 6th Olympic team.
4) True, the WNBA derived immense popularity from CC's arrival...but they're going to have that popularity with or without CC on the Olympic team.
5) It would be embarrassing to have CC: on the Olympic team because she'd ride the bench (there's 13 players on the team...someone is going to have to ride the bench. Maybe eight someones...).
6) Despite the enormous upsurge in attendance and viewership, CC has been portrayed as a savior for a sport that didn't need saving. They had enough eyeballs and didn't need any more. With CC on the team, there would have been more coverage but the Olympic team didn't need it.
7) CC talks too much, there's been too many talking points. She's tired, she's played too many games. That might actually be true, says Ann.
8) Ann writes lots of gratuitous anti-fan comments re: recently arrived fans who became fans because of CC. Let's see...
- Most of it coming from people who have never previously bothered to pay attention
- Anyone who has been paying attention for a while — which eliminates about 90% of the outraged —" (two anti-fan in the first three paragraphs, WOW)
- Newly minted women’s basketball evangelists
- A question for basketball devotees, not the newcomers who only know Clark’s name
- One of the previous CC talking points — in a nonstop stream of them
- Clark has been portrayed as a savior of a sport that didn’t need saving
Overriding theme: Caitlin Clark has to pay her dues and needs to sit down and shut up...and so do the "fans" who arrived recently. They're not wanted or needed.
And I liked your final comment, WBB, on the tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested. Seems apropos here.
How much international basketball experience does CC have?
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - old spanish trail - 06-12-2024
(06-11-2024, 11:59 PM)chrisk Wrote:(06-11-2024, 11:40 AM)Mick Wrote:(06-11-2024, 09:51 AM)WBB fan Wrote: I've been following all the comment and couldn't figure out how to say what I was thinking, that there are good reasons for Clark to not be on the team, for someone else to have the place. (I certainly did NOT feel that way when Nnecka was left off. She SHOULD have been on the team. And in 2012, when Candace Parker was the star of the team with Gino as the coach, and he didn't start her, wow, was that dubious.) But yesterday, at last I read something that pulled all my feelings together very well, Ann Killion's opinion piece in the SF Chron -- see link below. To sum up, Ann says it's the right decision, and goes into the reasons way. Well worth reading.
https://eedition.sfchronicle.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=ba56040f-8264-444d-8fda-5f8125c4f85b
BTW, we were in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics and attended every one of the women's BB games. We also had tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested.
Read it twice. Interesting reading. Let me see if I can sum up the key points (it's behind the Chron firewall):
1) CC is not good enough, she's not even the best rookie.
2) CC is too tired and the Olympics are a grind.
3) CC is too young and needs to wait her turn. She hasn't paid her dues like Nneka who was snubbed anyway. 41 year old Diana Taurasi has paid her dues so deserves a 6th Olympic team.
4) True, the WNBA derived immense popularity from CC's arrival...but they're going to have that popularity with or without CC on the Olympic team.
5) It would be embarrassing to have CC: on the Olympic team because she'd ride the bench (there's 13 players on the team...someone is going to have to ride the bench. Maybe eight someones...).
6) Despite the enormous upsurge in attendance and viewership, CC has been portrayed as a savior for a sport that didn't need saving. They had enough eyeballs and didn't need any more. With CC on the team, there would have been more coverage but the Olympic team didn't need it.
7) CC talks too much, there's been too many talking points. She's tired, she's played too many games. That might actually be true, says Ann.
8) Ann writes lots of gratuitous anti-fan comments re: recently arrived fans who became fans because of CC. Let's see...
- Most of it coming from people who have never previously bothered to pay attention
- Anyone who has been paying attention for a while — which eliminates about 90% of the outraged —" (two anti-fan in the first three paragraphs, WOW)
- Newly minted women’s basketball evangelists
- A question for basketball devotees, not the newcomers who only know Clark’s name
- One of the previous CC talking points — in a nonstop stream of them
- Clark has been portrayed as a savior of a sport that didn’t need saving
Overriding theme: Caitlin Clark has to pay her dues and needs to sit down and shut up...and so do the "fans" who arrived recently. They're not wanted or needed.
And I liked your final comment, WBB, on the tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested. Seems apropos here.
How much international basketball experience does CC have?
Chris, I believe the answer is 0.
RE: OT Caitlyn Clark off Olympics - Scooter_Stepford - 06-12-2024
old spanish trail dateline='[url=tel:1718180605' Wrote: 1718180605[/url]']
chrisk dateline='[url=tel:1718175548' Wrote: 1718175548[/url]']
Mick dateline='[url=tel:1718131227' Wrote: 1718131227[/url]']
WBB fan dateline='[url=tel:1718124703' Wrote: 1718124703[/url]']
I've been following all the comment and couldn't figure out how to say what I was thinking, that there are good reasons for Clark to not be on the team, for someone else to have the place. (I certainly did NOT feel that way when Nnecka was left off. She SHOULD have been on the team. And in 2012, when Candace Parker was the star of the team with Gino as the coach, and he didn't start her, wow, was that dubious.) But yesterday, at last I read something that pulled all my feelings together very well, Ann Killion's opinion piece in the SF Chron -- see link below. To sum up, Ann says it's the right decision, and goes into the reasons way. Well worth reading.
https://eedition.sfchronicle.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=ba56040f-8264-444d-8fda-5f8125c4f85b
BTW, we were in Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics and attended every one of the women's BB games. We also had tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested.
Read it twice. Interesting reading. Let me see if I can sum up the key points (it's behind the Chron firewall):
1) CC is not good enough, she's not even the best rookie.
2) CC is too tired and the Olympics are a grind.
3) CC is too young and needs to wait her turn. She hasn't paid her dues like Nneka who was snubbed anyway. 41 year old Diana Taurasi has paid her dues so deserves a 6th Olympic team.
4) True, the WNBA derived immense popularity from CC's arrival...but they're going to have that popularity with or without CC on the Olympic team.
5) It would be embarrassing to have CC: on the Olympic team because she'd ride the bench (there's 13 players on the team...someone is going to have to ride the bench. Maybe eight someones...).
6) Despite the enormous upsurge in attendance and viewership, CC has been portrayed as a savior for a sport that didn't need saving. They had enough eyeballs and didn't need any more. With CC on the team, there would have been more coverage but the Olympic team didn't need it.
7) CC talks too much, there's been too many talking points. She's tired, she's played too many games. That might actually be true, says Ann.
8) Ann writes lots of gratuitous anti-fan comments re: recently arrived fans who became fans because of CC. Let's see...
- Most of it coming from people who have never previously bothered to pay attention
- Anyone who has been paying attention for a while — which eliminates about 90% of the outraged —" (two anti-fan in the first three paragraphs, WOW)
- Newly minted women’s basketball evangelists
- A question for basketball devotees, not the newcomers who only know Clark’s name
- One of the previous CC talking points — in a nonstop stream of them
- Clark has been portrayed as a savior of a sport that didn’t need saving
Overriding theme: Caitlin Clark has to pay her dues and needs to sit down and shut up...and so do the "fans" who arrived recently. They're not wanted or needed.
And I liked your final comment, WBB, on the tix to the men's gold medal game. Gave them away, not interested. Seems apropos here.
How much international basketball experience does CC have?
Chris, I believe the answer is 0.
https://www.usab.com/players/caitlin-clark