There is a reason male professional and collegiate athletics have higher attendance, higher television ratings and generate more revenue than any women’s sport. Men are more exciting to watch. I would like to first state that I am completely in favor of women playing competitive athletics and have gone to my share of women’s sporting events. I have a good friend who plays on the women’s basketball team here at BGSU and I am completely supportive of her. However, when it comes down to what we talked about in class about are all men really bigger faster and stronger in my opinion the true answer is yes they are.
There is no doubt in my mind that there are some freakishly athletic females, however are there any females who really have the speed, strength or toughness to really be competitive in the NFL? Are there any females that could really withstand going across the middle and getting hit by Ray Lewis? Maybe there are some, no one really knows, which is a product of another thing we have been talking about in class, socialization.
The fact that men are bigger, faster and stronger is definitely a product of genetics. Men are built differently, with bigger, broader shoulders and on average a taller frame. This fact only supports my claim that no matter of socialization, men are simply just built to be bigger, faster and stronger. Both men and women play basketball competitively at the collegiate and professional levels. I still think you’d be hard pressed to find a woman that could be competitive in the NBA. I know Britney Griner is dominate in women’s basketball, I just have a hard time believing that the most dominant women’s player would have success backing down Dwight Howard in the lane or trying to body up LeBron James as he drives to the hole.
In my opinion, it is evident to me that men are bigger, faster and stronger. I know there are amazing female athletes in this world, and I respect them to the fullest, and in no way could a lot of men compete with some of the women in this world. However when it comes down to men and women who have the same training and athletic endeavors, men are just bigger, faster and stronger.
I agree with much of what you say about the reason for revenues and ratings being higher for men's sport as opposed to that of women. I think, however, that these feelings and preferences on which gender to watch play a sport would vary depending on who you talked to, and their reasoning for watching sports. I would agree that men are more exciting. In men's sport, whether it is football, basketball, or hockey, there is a level of physicality involved that women's sports just cannot offer. With this physical play, you often have a far more fast paced game and much flashier plays, clearly a positive to a fan watching a game on television. Women's sport, however, does have its positives.
ReplyDeleteLike you said, there are some "freakishly athletic females". While these females may not play at the physical level of a male, I do think that there are some women who may have just as much talent, if not more, than some men. The difference comes when you try to define what "talent" is. To me, I am looking at fundamentals, the way the athlete is playing the sport. I would say that on an equal playing field, taking away the physical nature and size, there are some women who are much better 3 point shooters than men, or much more consistent shooters from the foul line. The problem with comparing male and female athletes arises because it is simply a different game. No, a woman like Britney Griner would most likely not be able to compete with a male, but that is not because she lacks the basketball skills, she would simply be outworked and outplayed in the physical aspect of the game.
Yes, men are more often than not bigger, faster and stronger, but there are certainly some women that I feel are just as good at their respective sport as males. They may not be able to compete against the males, but that is why there are separate leagues. Evaluating whether a female athlete is as good at a sport as a male simply by thinking of how that female would stack up against a male counterpart is not fair to the woman at all, and could really shadow the fact that there are some very talented women athletes that we do not have the privilege of watching.
-Marc Horwitz
I really like what you wrote in this entry Marc - especially when you said: "The problem with comparing male and female athletes arises because it is simply a different game." Your last sentence bears repeating as well: "Evaluating whether a female athlete is as good at a sport as a male simply by thinking of how that female would stack up against a male counterpart is not fair to the woman at all, and could really shadow the fact that there are some very talented women athletes that we do not have the privilege of watching."
DeleteI could not have said it better!
Dr. Spencer wrote the above:-)
DeleteI agree with you too a certain point. Like you said I believe no girl could compete in the NFL unless she was a kicker. There is no female who could withstand getting hit by linebackers over the middle like Ray Lewis over and over again, or take on a double team. While I do think Griner could play with some of the NBA's less talented players, I agree with you that she wouldn't measure up to the standards of Howard or James. But we also have to look at the other side, and think about the women of track and field who could compete with some of the best males in the world. World class female sprinters would give some of the best male sprinters a run for their money.
ReplyDelete-Patrick McFall
I agree with Aaron, in the fact that women cannot compete with men, as the competition gets better. When children play against each other its fine that girls and boys compete against each because they are learning the game. When I was growing up I watched Meaghan Agosta play hockey since she was 12 years old. She now plays for the Canadian Women’s National team and is one of the best female players in the world. There was no doubt she had the skill to play with the boys but when she was thirteen and fourteen she just did not have the strength to compete against the boys she was playing against. It wasn’t fair to her, to let her skill go to waste because genetically men are just stronger. I believe that her playing against boys helped her to get to the level she plays at today, but I believe that she should play against girls. I do believe that women should play collegiate sports and professional sports because there are terrific female athletes in the world and their talents should be displayed at a high level.
ReplyDeleteRyan Viselli
I seem to agree with Pat on this certain topic. I dont think that women athletes could play in the NFL. I do believe though that they could maybe if they were a punter or a kicker. I don't think that a female athelete could stand to get hit by linebackers like Brian Urlacher or Ray Lewis again and again. However, as Pat said we do have to look at the other side women atheletes in track and field could go up against the best male atheletes in track and field and the women could give the men a run for their money. I think that Griner could give certain NBA players a run for their money but she would not match up againest players like Lebron James or Kobe Bryant. So as i said before i totally agree with Pat on this subject that in certain sports women can compete with male athletes but in others there is no way.
ReplyDelete- Tyler Clifton
It will always be a touchy subject with women trying to compete in male sports. I agree that physically women, often times, are a step behind men. So when it comes down to the truly physically grueling sports, such as football or hockey, women just can't hang with the men for a full game. As Pat mentioned tho there are sports that women would, in theory, have a fair chance at success. In the sports that require a little more strategy, such as track and field or nascar they are able to put the physical difference aside and out think their competition.
ReplyDeleteMike Frank
Hey Aaron,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on this topic, I don't think no female could make it in the NFL with the strong players that they have now. Today the NFL is worried about players being safe, and this is Men that they are worried about. I do believe some females could make it in the NBA, a lot of females that play basketball practice with males anyways. I'm sure Griner and a couple of other great female basketball players could average about 10-15 points in the NBA. I kind of think we should give females a chance to compete with males in basketball, track, and a couple other sports. I would be very interested in seeing the outcome of them.
- Khiry Kelly