WNBA: The 2024 Regular Season and Playoffs

Phredd3 said:
Well that's a major bummer. She'll probably still set the rebounds per game record (since games you don't play don't count against you), but A'ja is almost certainly going to get the new cumulative totals records. Hopefully, it doesn't affect her play beyond this year. It's a wrist injury, so it's going to hamper working on her shot, which, unfortunately for her, is one of the areas she needs to work on most.

I'm not a fan of her announcement post on Twitter, which includes a "me against the world" trope that is tired and just not true. She's been living a charmed life. Why does she have to act so aggrieved?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1832586256003559577
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She’s received a lot of hate in her own right.
 
dudog84 said:
Didn't you know? It's the new American Ethos.

"I have showed that I belong in this league even when no one else believed." Yeah, she was only the #7 pick in the draft. No one thought she would make it. :rolleyes:
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Yeah, I get motivating yourself but she initiates so much negativity and creates much of the resentment. Yes, some people did go too far but I find her mostly insufferable. Great rebounder though…
 
bundabergdevil said:
“black ratchet gutter b***h” seems undeserved no matter the circumstance but that’s just me. Being a public figure in the social media age must be brutal.
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Absolutely it is. It's very tough to be black in America (not that I have any direct experience with the topic), and she receives hatred that many players probably don't get.

But I think her and her family's public reaction to that kind of hate fuels it rather than tamps it down. For example, why is it necessary to "prove" that she gets hate at all? Pretty much every public figure gets at least some of that. I was always taught that the best way to stymie bullies is to ignore them and make them feel irrelevant. Publicly pointing it out just gives the haters a bigger platform. And why is it necessary to point out that the hatred she receives comes from people who "support" Caitlin Clark? It implies that Caitlin is at fault. How is Caitlin responsible for that? But phrasing it that way provokes Caitlin's supporters to defend, which sets up conflict.

It just seems that she and her family don't do a good job of controlling what they can control. But yes, the social media era makes it harder to avoid all that stuff when you're a celebrity.

However all that may be, I remain hopeful that Angel is able to get back to playing soon and that her injury doesn't hamper her work on continuing to improve her game. She's a very good basketball player, and I don't want to see anything getting in the way of that.
 
Phredd3 said:
Absolutely it is. It's very tough to be black in America (not that I have any direct experience with the topic), and she receives hatred that many players probably don't get.

But I think her and her family's public reaction to that kind of hate fuels it rather than tamps it down. For example, why is it necessary to "prove" that she gets hate at all? Pretty much every public figure gets at least some of that. I was always taught that the best way to stymie bullies is to ignore them and make them feel irrelevant. Publicly pointing it out just gives the haters a bigger platform. And why is it necessary to point out that the hatred she receives comes from people who "support" Caitlin Clark? It implies that Caitlin is at fault. How is Caitlin responsible for that? But phrasing it that way provokes Caitlin's supporters to defend, which sets up conflict.

It just seems that she and her family don't do a good job of controlling what they can control. But yes, the social media era makes it harder to avoid all that stuff when you're a celebrity.

However all that may be, I remain hopeful that Angel is able to get back to playing soon and that her injury doesn't hamper her work on continuing to improve her game. She's a very good basketball player, and I don't want to see anything getting in the way of that.
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For better or worse, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reece are going to be compared and contrasted for their entire careers. They clearly are both very talented young women and they have extremely different personalities.

But you (not "you" Phredd3) have to have your head buried in the sand to not acknowledge that there's a significant racial element to lots of the noise surrounding them both.

Lots of the discussion is about their basketball skills and their play. But a lot of the chatter on social media and even in sports media is extremely thinly veiled racial commentary. It's unfortunate for both young women, and I don't see either of them as egging it on or encouraging those who are determined to make this something more insidious that a delicious sports rivalry that we might enjoy for another decade or more.

I hope that cooler heads prevail overall. I think that DBR has had a more level-headed discussion on this topic than most. I hope that continues.
 
Phredd3 said:
Absolutely it is. It's very tough to be black in America (not that I have any direct experience with the topic), and she receives hatred that many players probably don't get.

But I think her and her family's public reaction to that kind of hate fuels it rather than tamps it down. For example, why is it necessary to "prove" that she gets hate at all? Pretty much every public figure gets at least some of that. I was always taught that the best way to stymie bullies is to ignore them and make them feel irrelevant. Publicly pointing it out just gives the haters a bigger platform. And why is it necessary to point out that the hatred she receives comes from people who "support" Caitlin Clark? It implies that Caitlin is at fault. How is Caitlin responsible for that? But phrasing it that way provokes Caitlin's supporters to defend, which sets up conflict.

It just seems that she and her family don't do a good job of controlling what they can control. But yes, the social media era makes it harder to avoid all that stuff when you're a celebrity.

However all that may be, I remain hopeful that Angel is able to get back to playing soon and that her injury doesn't hamper her work on continuing to improve her game. She's a very good basketball player, and I don't want to see anything getting in the way of that.
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I appreciate a lot of this but the “they bring it on themselves” sentiment isn’t part of it. Outspoken, controversial, unapologetically themselves type of people in the public figures are lightning rods for a very specific type of hate. Like, people want to go out of their way to tear you down, show you your place, tell you all the reasons you’re not behaving appropriately.

I think Angel and CC are both great for the game. Competition, tension, controversy all drive interest and plot lines.

I just really don’t like the idea that a successful athlete “brought it on themselves” because people don’t like how they respond in certain circumstances.
 
I will never, ever root for Angel Reece or any of the prominent players who choose play for an openly homophobic coach like Kim Mulkey. The fact that Kim Mulkey could not even muster a statement of support for Brittany Griner when Griner was held in a Russian prison tells you all you need to know about that woman. The fact that players continue to choose to play for her makes them culpable in her hatred.

So yeah, Angel Reece got hurt... I don't give a flip. The sooner she and other enablers like her are out of the spotlight, the better.
 
bundabergdevil said:
I appreciate a lot of this but the “they bring it on themselves” sentiment isn’t part of it. Outspoken, controversial, unapologetically themselves type of people in the public figures are lightning rods for a very specific type of hate. Like, people want to go out of their way to tear you down, show you your place, tell you all the reasons you’re not behaving appropriately.

I think Angel and CC are both great for the game. Competition, tension, controversy all drive interest and plot lines.

I just really don’t like the idea that a successful athlete “brought it on themselves” because people don’t like how they respond in certain circumstances.
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If you respond like a I'm a real wanker for saying this. I'm a real wanker for saying this. person in certain circumstances, people WILL criticize you. That’s perfectly fine and normal, IMO. Let’s not act like Angel Reese is just “different” and people don’t like her because she thinks outside the box.
 
bundabergdevil said:
I appreciate a lot of this but the “they bring it on themselves” sentiment isn’t part of it. Outspoken, controversial, unapologetically themselves type of people in the public figures are lightning rods for a very specific type of hate. Like, people want to go out of their way to tear you down, show you your place, tell you all the reasons you’re not behaving appropriately.

I think Angel and CC are both great for the game. Competition, tension, controversy all drive interest and plot lines.

I just really don’t like the idea that a successful athlete “brought it on themselves” because people don’t like how they respond in certain circumstances.
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Just to be really, really clear, I do not believe that Angel Reese brings it on herself. My view is that she doesn't react to it well. Just to repeat, she doesn't control what she can control.

I completely agree that Angel Reese is good for the game.
 
LasVegas said:
If you respond like a I'm a real wanker for saying this. I'm a real wanker for saying this. person in certain circumstances, people WILL criticize you. That’s perfectly fine and normal, IMO. Let’s not act like Angel Reese is just “different” and people don’t like her because she thinks outside the box.
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Tough take. She’s received death threats, racially and sexually charged vitriol. She doesn’t deserve that. Nobody does.

I was mostly pushing on the idea that she hadn’t had to deal with anything. Her being her in the public eye inevitably lead to a pretty big group of people being patently awful to her, her family.

Everyone is a bit of a jerk, doesn’t handle things well sometimes. Unfortunately, for some, that means death threats and racist attacks?
 
I'm not a Reese fan but I hate hearing that her and her family are getting inappropriate abuse from people. She has done some things that mean I want to her lose and not do as well as her opponents (typical sports fan stuff) but death threats, racially and sexually charged vitriol is so far over the top. It's really sad that this type of behavior is part of who we are.
 
bundabergdevil said:
Tough take. She’s received death threats, racially and sexually charged vitriol. She doesn’t deserve that. Nobody does.

I was mostly pushing on the idea that she hadn’t had to deal with anything. Her being her in the public eye inevitably lead to a pretty big group of people being patently awful to her, her family.

Everyone is a bit of a jerk, doesn’t handle things well sometimes. Unfortunately, for some, that means death threats and racist attacks?
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I guess I missed the previous links on all the harassment stuff directed her and her families way. I was just speaking to all the criticism and dislike she has generated towards herself which I think is more than fair given her behavior. Obviously harassment and racism isn’t ok and I don’t think anyone on this board would say it is.
 
I’m a big fan of “sports hate”, which I generally think of as having a villain but in the marvel movie type of way. I know it’s not serious so my level of “hate” is pretty good natured, and sometimes, in my quiet moments, I’ll admit having a good villain is part of what makes sports fun in the first place.

I almost won’t go to sports events anymore given the climate though. I can’t imagine an Eagles game for example being a safe place for kids.
 
bundabergdevil said:
I’m a big fan of “sports hate”, which I generally think of as having a villain but in the marvel movie type of way. I know it’s not serious so my level of “hate” is pretty good natured, and sometimes, in my quiet moments, I’ll admit having a good villain is part of what makes sports fun in the first place.

I almost won’t go to sports events anymore given the climate though. I can’t imagine an Eagles game for example being a safe place for kids.
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A good rule of thumb is the rules for this board where we are asked if we disagree on something, attack the post, not the poster. Same thing with sports. If you don't like the way someone plays, attack the play not the player.
 
Billy Dat said:
Feels like Clark has a little Tiger Woods happening...not immediately appreciated by her fellow players despite driving their earning potential way up.
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The pros 15-20 years ago LOVED Tiger. They knew where their money was coming from. Tournaments with TW in the field had like twice the ratings.
 
sagegrouse said:
The pros 15-20 years ago LOVED Tiger. They knew where their money was coming from. Tournaments with TW in the field had like twice the ratings.
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Like Clark, I was talking more about Woods' Year 1 when a lot of people resented the money he was making and the attention he was getting.
 
sagegrouse said:
The pros 15-20 years ago LOVED Tiger. They knew where their money was coming from. Tournaments with TW in the field had like twice the ratings.
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When the first WNBA player signs a contract worth $500k, they will begin to celebrate CC.

Yes, you read that right, no one in the WNBA makes even half a mil per season, which is what 2-way players make in the NBA. In fact, no one makes $400k or $300k. The highest paid WNBA player this year will be Jackie Young at $252,450.

Lawyers fresh out of law school make more than that at big law firms.
 
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