Column: Caitlin Clark Pro Show Still A Mystery

It's a missed opportunity.
I mean, I can argue for or against her on the team for a variety of reasons.

But the fact remains, that the single greatest attractor of eyeballs and cash for women's basketball will not be part of the biggest global showcase for women's basketball. That is inarguable.

May still feel like the right decision. And whoever made it can present tons of valid arguments. But they cannot refute that particular argument.
 
dagdaj said:
It's a missed opportunity.
I mean, I can argue for or against her on the team for a variety of reasons.

But the fact remains, that the single greatest attractor of eyeballs and cash for women's basketball will not be part of the biggest global showcase for women's basketball. That is inarguable.

May still feel like the right decision. And whoever made it can present tons of valid arguments. But they cannot refute that particular argument.
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Definitely true.

I agree that arguments could be made both ways. From a business standpoint, naming her to the roster obviously is the smart thing to do. There is absolutely no doubt about that.

But, one could rightly ask if that is the proper criteria for putting together an Olympic roster? The integrity of the process also has to be respected.

Through no fault of her own, Caitlin was unable to participate in the try-outs, and adding her would exclude someone who worked hard through the process. That's probably an idealist way to look at sports, but I'm trying desperately not to be dragged into the, "True sportsmanship doesn't exist anymore, and money is the only driving force." mindset.
 
Will C said:
Since when is athletics not about the money? Follow the money.
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for one of the rare times ive ever seen.. they are fucking up their money.

Mostly because they never have cared about it because they don't make any they get subsidized by other sports.
 
In my mind, the damage has been done and it's already a no-win situation for all parties.

The league didn't try very hard to get CC on the roster, apparently. The W just wasn't ready for someone of CC's magnitude.

The veterans on the team would resent her being placed on the roster. Many of the veterans on the roster, but not all, already resent the popularity CC is experiencing and feeling left out.

And, what about CC? She's in a real no win situation. She's got to deal with it all. She takes the heat if she's put on the team, she's taking the heat for not being put on the team. Think of what it must be like in the locker, at home, at the games, with the fans, it would suck. I haven't seen any comments from CC but I'm sure she'll put a positive spin on it, but still..........

CC is too classy for this but part of me says tell the W to take your game and stick it somewhere. Does she really need them? Does that 3 on 3 league opportunity still exist? Could she just play overseas? If she stepped away from the league, would the W powers that be react? I can't imagine the emotions CC must be going through, I don't envy her right now.

I ask you this, what will be the big elephant in the room at the Paris Olympics? This controversy isn't going away, no siree...........
 
The videos are out with CC's official response, and they are, of course, positive.

She texted her coach when she found out and said, 'they woke up a monster', that the CC I like.
 
I for one am not going to loose any sleep over this. I also won’t be watching any Olympic women’s bb games. Similar to the fact I hadn’t watched a second of the wnba until this season. Now I have the wnba pass and have not missed a fever game. I have 4 tickets to the fever vs wings game in Dallas on 7/17. I’m just an example of the millions of reasons why they should’ve put Clark on the team over a 41 yr old washed up Diana T who already has 5 gold medals and been to 6 Olympic games. That said I love Clark’s ‘they woke a monster’ response to coach sides when referencing the team snub. Clark is so competitive and so driven her second year will be something special and I look forward to it.
 
Zstatman said:
I ask you this, what will be the big elephant in the room at the Paris Olympics? This controversy isn't going away, no siree...........
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Oh there's gonna be controversy at the Olympics. It's the Olympics.
There will be some doping. Accusations of fixed contests. Bribes made good on to various Olympic Committee members.
Barely finished facilities.
There will be no air conditioning in athletes quarters in the athlete village. Probably some environmental demonstrations.
I'm actually 50/50 on some sort of clash between newer French immigrants and Le Pen supporters. Some flaming bottles and maybe some barricades.
And, of course, the onset of a significant recession for France when they have to pay all the bills they are racking up.
 
Glass1/2fullguy said:
I for one am not going to loose any sleep over this. I also won’t be watching any Olympic women’s bb games. Similar to the fact I hadn’t watched a second of the wnba until this season. Now I have the wnba pass and have not missed a fever game. I have 4 tickets to the fever vs wings game in Dallas on 7/17. I’m just an example of the millions of reasons why they should’ve put Clark on the team over a 41 yr old washed up Diana T who already has 5 gold medals and been to 6 Olympic games. That said I love Clark’s ‘they woke a monster’ response to coach sides when referencing the team snub. Clark is so competitive and so driven her second year will be something special and I look forward to it.
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Same here, as always, not going to watch Women's basketball in the Olympics

Basketball is flowing in Caitlin's blood, and she dearly loves the game and she has the class
and mental ability to move on

The Fever have started to develop a team concept and Mitchell seems to have overcome her
Caitlin bias

I have watched every game and also have the League Pass

I couldn't assess my account two games ago and sent an email to the WNBA and told them that
I wanted a refund if I am locked out

Got an immediate response, and their rep worked with me until we solved the problem,, had to
send a screenshot of the situation and within an hour was back on

I was surprised that they were so sincerely helpful
 
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thedukeofearl said:
Same here, as always, not going to watch Women's basketball in the Olympics
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Im a huge Olympics guy. Probably one of the 5 people who paid for the Triplecast back in the day.

But, I don't watch any Olympic basketball. I know that the whole "amateurs only" thing is long gone. The US Curling team are professionals. But most of them still probably need part time jobs. Even Michael Phelps probably isn't "set for life" with his earnings from actual winnings made in competition. It doesn't feel right to give any attention to athletes who make millions when 99% of all the others who are competing are living on scraps. They get a chance once every 4 years to show off their abilities. And what, you want me to watch people who are on my TV 75 times a year or more? And have entire channels that spend hours talking about their exploits daily?

Not a fan of watching NBA/NHL players and whatnot in the Olympics.

But if Caitlin or Kate or Megan were playing, I would watch. If Luka was playing, I would watch. Just like I rooted for Artur Wojdat swim for his native Poland back in what '92?

Cause Hawk fandom trumps hills I'm willing to die on.
 
Anyone else have that scenario on their bingo card? If you'd have told me that multiple decision makers admitted to taking her fans into account for deciding to not pick her and I'd have told you you're an idiot. If you'd have said the fans were why they would/should've taken her then yeah absolutely. That's where the logic is. But that reasoning about leaving her off due to fans is just wild. Everything about this woman has new and unprecedented things happening around her.

NBC has to be livid. Jersey makers as well. They are leaving an ungodly amount of $ on the table. So much so I'd be surprised if NBC and the Olympics didn't almost intervene. There's just no telling how much they'll be losing now over it.

To make the conscious decision to rather deal with the backlash of leaving her off and not making all the $ they coulda over the possible backlash of taking her and fans being upset over her not playing very much is beyond illogical. I dunno about you but if you're in a scenario where no matter what you do you're going to piss some people off don't you at least pick the one where it gets folks paid a hell of a lot more? Grows the game around you more etc etc....

It's why if it wasn't Christine Brennan doing the reporting it I'd flat out not believe it. She's a pros pro and been around 25 plus yrs at this she's not gonna make it up. She's never been a click bait look at me kind of journalist.
 
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Reading the Summer edition of the "IOWA Magazine", (pages 18 & 19), it had a brief write up about all of the 19 athletes with U of Iowa ties who are Paris Olympics bound.

dagdaj wrote above that he'd watch Iowans in the Olympics, like Artur Wojdat, the Iowa swimmer who swam for his native Poland. Fortunately, there are 4 former Hawkeye basketball players who will be on other nations' Olympic teams:

Luka Garza, who will play for Bosnia, (Luka has dual citizenship):
Megan Gustafson, teammate of Kate Martin on the two-time defending WNBA champions Las Vegas Aces, who will play for Spain (she played pro hoops in Spain in the WNBA off season, and was granted citizenship in Spain this year);
Peter Jok will play for South Sudan, which qualified for its first ever men's basketball Olympics (the article didn't say what he tie in with South Sudan is)
Tomi Taiwo, who is the daughter of Nigerian immigrants and played on their National Team as it qualified for the Paris Olympics.
 
I wonder if her team mates a jealous of her money and quietly or not so quietly expect her to share her money with them.
 
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