COLUMN: Phila. Rage are a viewing pleasure

Josh Callahan, Commentary No, wait. I used to hate women's basketball. Philadelphia Rage coach Lisa Boyer said after her ABL team's home opener Sunday night at the Palestra that she hoped her team's talent would bring more fans out to games. Well, she's found at least one more. The Rage treated their fans to a good time Sunday night -- something that too few professional teams do anymore. The multitude of Rage arena staff handed out balloons and signs for the 5,312 in attendance and even let kids onto the court during the quarter breaks to twist the night away with Chubby Checker blaring over the sound system. The clowns and "Rageena," the cat-like mascot, left something to be desired, but the post-game autograph session more than made up for them. The crowd, which Boyer lauded for being some of the more knowledgeable hoops fans in the country, was on its feet from the start, and showed a impressive amount of passion for a team that was playing its first ever game in Philadelphia. Most of them even stayed for the final whistle, despite the lopsided 107-80 score. And it wasn't only a bunch of shrill, cheering young girls in attendance. There were a bunch of little boys there who were also running to get in line for autographs. My experience with women's basketball doesn't amount to much more than watching a few high school games in person and speedily flipping past the occasional college or pro game on TV, but I had most of the same criticisms that many other women's hoops haters had. My parents called me sexist, but it was not about gender. It was about pure boredom. I never cared much that women can't dunk, but I did mind sitting through too many ugly shots and too many terrible passes. There were still no monster dunks, but there were plenty of acrobatics on the court. Dawn Staley, the Rage's point guard, and Teresa Edwards, Atlanta's floor leader, both drove the lane with confidence. Staley showed off her dribbling and passing skills, and everyone in the Rage's backcourt was draining threes with only a few bricks in between. Most surprising, however, was how similar two 6'4" women playing in the post looked to two 6'10" men. The only difference is that the women don't list their weights on the roster sheet. Apparently, I have been channel surfing past the wrong leagues. The intensity and skill were in full view Sunday night, as players and coaches were swearing at the refs and everyone hit the court for loose balls. The most spectacular play, however, was Taj McWilliams' block of a Teresa Edwards layup with three minutes, 35 seconds left in the game. McWilliams palmed the top of the ball as Edwards left the ground towards the rim and threw it straight back into Edwards' face, sending her flying into the Fox Sports cameraman sitting underneath the basket. Shaq couldn't have done it any better. The Rage showed why the American Basketball League is considered superior in talent to its overhyped counterpart, the WNBA. Pushed by a 25-second shot clock, the game was up-tempo throughout, which resulted in the two teams combining for 187 points in the 40-minute game. Admittedly there were 42 turnovers, but they didn't slow the game's pace down and most were the results of direct steals and aggressive defensive play rather than passes being thrown away carelessly by the offense. The teams shot a combined 47 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point land -- both respectable numbers. Especially commendable was their combined 41-for-52 (79 percent) free-throw shooting. Maybe there were a lot of opening-game activities which added to the festive mood of the night, and winning certainly didn't hurt, but I'm not convinced that the scene from Sunday won't repeat itself down the road. I'm not about to become a groupie, and I doubt I'll watch much on TV, but the women on the court could play basketball at a level which I didn't really think existed. It could have been a fluke, but I know that I'd be more than willing to go back and find out.