Women's Hoops Blog

Inane commentary on a game that deserves far better


Friday, September 23, 2005

Not too long ago, ESPN Magazine's Bill Simmons wrote of the WNBA, "Let's end the ongoing charade that this is a mainstream sport."

ESPN Page 2's Graham Hays responded, "You're tired of having the WNBA forced down your throat? You would be content to ignore the league, if only the folks on television would let you? Welcome to the United States, the line for complaints forms to the right."

SI.com's Jay Mohr fired the next salvo, titled, "I Don't Love This Game". The column added weight to the argument that Mohr has not been funny since Saturday Night Live. He referred to WNBA fans as 'flannel jacketed, motorcycle boot-clad' 'brutes' who 'intimidated' him and his buddies. Once he fled to the empty upper bowl to escape the 'lumberjacks', he 'almost' enjoyed the game by 'getting loaded', squinting a lot, and 'pretending the players were men'. It was not Mohr's finest hour.

We noticed, as did other bloggers and boards, including one at Outsports.

Yesterday, Pat Griffin fired back in an editorial for Outsports titled 'What is Mohr Afraid Of?' A professor of social justice education at the University of Massachusetts, Griffin authored Strong Women, Deep Closets: Lesbians and Homophobia in Sport, and consults for the Women’s Sports Foundation's 'It Takes a Team! Making Sports Safe for Lesbian and Gay Athletes'.

As ESPN's Hays wrote, "You're entitled to not like the WNBA. You're even entitled to dislike the WNBA. But do it for reasons that go beyond lame jokes, misogynistic insecurities and tired talking points."