There are sports where women have reached or surpassed men’s records, for example long-distance endurance races or some accuracy-based competitions. Anything where raw explosive strength or size isn’t the main deciding factor. There are examples in history where women have been banned from participating in specific sports because they have been able to win in competition with men.
I think, for the leagues you listed, size, strength and speed are often key, and as such most men have an advantage over most women. I don’t doubt there could be exceptions to that rule.
I have asked people like this multiple times if the best WNBA player is better than the worst NBA player, and they usually say yes without having any possible way to know that.
I mean, you could ask me instead of assume. I would respond I have no idea about that specifically because I don’t like basketball and don’t pay attention to it at all. However, I do watch the NHL and the PWHL. Do I think the worst NHL player is better than the best PWHL player? Yes. I don’t even think the PWHL is at the AHL level of play. Just watching the speed of the plays, the structure of the plays, they’re not close. The PWHL play is more like men’s collegiate play. So, if you’re asking me if I would rather draft someone at that play level that is in their prime playing at their peak, or someone that is playing at that level who is a young player with room to grow, it’s an obvious choice.
Here’s the other part of that. The PWHL is an incredibly young league only 2 years old and with only 6 teams. It takes time, generations even, to develop the interest and the infrastructure to support young women/girls in hockey (or anything). You don’t wave a magic wand and suddenly have a vast pool of women that can play at that level. Do I think that league will mature and get younger women interested in playing more and fostering even better future talent? I really hope so, I would love to see it. At that point, will my answer change? It’s very possible. Circling back to your WNBA question. The WNBA is a much more mature league, 28 years old with 15 teams. We’re probably just now seeing the true “fruits of the labor” of that league. I’m just entirely unqualified to make that kind of judgment because I have zero interest in that sport. But even I know of Caitlin Clark, and that speaks volumes.
There are sports where women have reached or surpassed men’s records, for example long-distance endurance races or some accuracy-based competitions. Anything where raw explosive strength or size isn’t the main deciding factor. There are examples in history where women have been banned from participating in specific sports because they have been able to win in competition with men.
I think, for the leagues you listed, size, strength and speed are often key, and as such most men have an advantage over most women. I don’t doubt there could be exceptions to that rule.
I have asked people like this multiple times if the best WNBA player is better than the worst NBA player, and they usually say yes without having any possible way to know that.
I mean, you could ask me instead of assume. I would respond I have no idea about that specifically because I don’t like basketball and don’t pay attention to it at all. However, I do watch the NHL and the PWHL. Do I think the worst NHL player is better than the best PWHL player? Yes. I don’t even think the PWHL is at the AHL level of play. Just watching the speed of the plays, the structure of the plays, they’re not close. The PWHL play is more like men’s collegiate play. So, if you’re asking me if I would rather draft someone at that play level that is in their prime playing at their peak, or someone that is playing at that level who is a young player with room to grow, it’s an obvious choice.
Here’s the other part of that. The PWHL is an incredibly young league only 2 years old and with only 6 teams. It takes time, generations even, to develop the interest and the infrastructure to support young women/girls in hockey (or anything). You don’t wave a magic wand and suddenly have a vast pool of women that can play at that level. Do I think that league will mature and get younger women interested in playing more and fostering even better future talent? I really hope so, I would love to see it. At that point, will my answer change? It’s very possible. Circling back to your WNBA question. The WNBA is a much more mature league, 28 years old with 15 teams. We’re probably just now seeing the true “fruits of the labor” of that league. I’m just entirely unqualified to make that kind of judgment because I have zero interest in that sport. But even I know of Caitlin Clark, and that speaks volumes.
Assume what? I wasn’t even talking to you.
Or is this a “I forgot which sockpuppet I was using” situation?