Woman in the NBA? W. Hoops team does not buy it

Last Wednesday, the women's basketball team allowed me to join them in practice and participate in most of the drills.

For those of you who have not already read the article, you can find it here. Spoiler alert: they kicked my ass. I am curious to hear reactions to the article.

I know it seems ridiculous to be positive about a 1-24 team, but I was truly impressed and believe everything that I wrote. From reading his quotes in the paper, coach Mike McLaughlin may sound trite and full of Crash Davis-esque cliches, but I came away from this practice extremely impressed with his -- and the team's -- demeanor and positive attitude. His optimism and kindness really aren't a charade, and I believe the players appreciate it. That doesn't mean he never gets angry, but he keeps it in check compared to predecessor Pat Knapp.

There was some material I gleaned through interviews that did not make it into the newspaper, but that I thoguht was interesting nonetheless. After being manhandled by the women, I asked their opinions on NBA commissioner David Stern's recent comments to Sports Illustrated that a woman could play in the NBA within the next decade.

"I definitely don't see it," senior Amy Donovan said. "I think that women are becoming much more athletic. They're definitely closing the gap and becoming much more skilled, and the game is getting better. But I just think if you took the best women's championship UConn team and put them against a lower-level men's Division I team, they wouldn't stand a chance, just because of the strength and athleticism."

While the women's game has evolved substantially in recent years -- and still has more room for future growth -- Donovan's statements were echoed by everyone I talked to. Instead, they said that people should respect the women's game for what it is, even if there are fewer high-flying, acrobatic dunks.

"I don't know, [the NBA is] such a high level, a special level, for gifted, athletic, tall, big, strong, physical [players]," McLaughlin said. "I don't know if I believe that as much. I think the women's game is special in its own way. If they don't achieve to play with the men, I don't think that's any drawback [on the women's game]."

The players said that there is evidence that women's basketball is starting to get more credit nationally, citing the increased Sportscenter coverage of UConn women's basketball and the recognition of 6'8" Baylor star Brittney Grimer's ability to play above the rim.

Still, the unspoken sentiment was that there is a certain limit to how close the women can get to the men, and based on the physiological differences between the genders, I have to agree.

"Men are always going to have the upper hand in athleticism" senior Sarah Bucar said. "I'm not a huge feminist or anything, I'm just looking at it the way it is."

When asked to assess Stern's comments, senior Caitlin Slover, who said that she doesn't watch the NBA because she is not a fan, nodded over to the men's team as it started practice.

"That would be like me going out and saying, 'I could guard Zack [Rosen].' It's not going to happen. Or [saying], 'I could guard Darren [Smith].' Well, Darren, he's pretty old and slow so that can happen," she joked. "It's just one of those things where men are so much more physically fit and stronger. I just don't foresee it."

Based on my performance at practice, I guess it's fair to say that all of those supposed male physical advantages didn't find their way to me.