[Allbrunette]

So nobody wants to continue the debate? That's too bad, it's an interesting subject. If everyone's afraid that I'll go off again that won't happen, I promise. I don't hold my tongue when I've got something to say but I don't think I've ever been nasty about it.

[halfstreet]

Their job is to play golf, not schmooze Citibank. When I watch an event I am there to watch the shots, period. I don't give a rat's ass if the leader speaks English well or not, I just want to see her compete. Sports to me is the great equalizer, your play determines your fate. These women have proven to be good enough to make it on the LPGA tour, that should be enough IMO.

As for the level of play, I'm simply comparing it with the men's tournaments I have been to. And there was a huge difference. You never would see a man leave a 120 yard wedge in a bunker. And again the short game was a real shocker.

If people don't connect with the player (and it is unlikely they'll connect with the 1/3 of players that don't speak English -- considering they play the majority of their tourneys here in English-speaking territory), then they have no viewers. If they have no viewers, they have no sponsors. If they have no sponsors, the LPGA can't afford to put on tournaments. If there are no tournaments, the players don't get paid.

Seems pretty straight forward to me.

If it was 5% of the players, no biggie. But when this high a percentage of players aren't even attempting to to make those connections, it is a problem.

As for your shock at the level of play, I'm a little stunned that you expect the overall quality of play between the men and women to be equal. Name a sport where the men's and women's games are equal or even remotely close. If you lined up the top male players and the top women's players in any given sport, I'd be stunned if the women came close to the men in even one event.

Considering women frequently end up quitting entirely or getting out of the sport for a period of time to have families, there certainly is no wonder why the gap never seems to close. I've had this conversation in relation to major sports before. Can you imagine watching the NFL and one of your key players is out for the season because of pregnancy? In the past year you had Lisa Leslie, one of the best WNBA players, miss an entire season due to pregnancy and maternity leave, Annika Sorenstam announce her retirement to start a family and Misti May and Kerri Walsh, maybe the two best women's volleyball players, announce that they'd be taking an extended break to have kids. Therefore you end up with inferior competitors and younger competitors in women's sports.

Sports may be the great equalizer, but not in relation between men and women.

[bxxasxxa]

So nobody wants to continue the debate? That's too bad, it's an interesting subject. If everyone's afraid that I'll go off again that won't happen, I promise. I don't hold my tongue when I've got something to say but I don't think I've ever been nasty about it.

I always love a good debate. I had just forgotten about this thread.

[golfmenorca]

As for your shock at the level of play, I'm a little stunned that you expect the overall quality of play between the men and women to be equal. Name a sport where the men's and women's games are equal or even remotely close. If you lined up the top male players and the top women's players in any given sport, I'd be stunned if the women came close to the men in even one event.

diving

[shihoodiacarf]

diving

I'm no diving expert, but to me it seemed the mens dives tended to be more difficult than the women's.

Having them line up and do the same dive? Probably pretty equal. But allowing them to do whatever dives they want? That would seem to favor the men.

Maybe I'm wrong though and it is just perception that the men's were more difficult.

[Thigmaswams]

I'm no diving expert, but to me it seemed the mens dives tended to be more difficult than the women's.

Having them line up and do the same dive? Probably pretty equal. But allowing them to do whatever dives they want? That would seem to favor the men.

Maybe I'm wrong though and it is just perception that the men's were more difficult.

i guess i didn't watch any olympic diving, i'm just thinking that women, being lighter, could tuck and spin just as well as men.

[wmirkru]

i guess i didn't watch any olympic diving, i'm just thinking that women, being lighter, could tuck and spin just as well as men.

Could be the case. But I don't know enough about diving to say either way.

In the event you are right, we now have one sport where it is close.

[d1Bc25UP]

Could be the case. But I don't know enough about diving to say either way.

In the event you are right, we now have one sport where it is close.

how about kickball? i would guess that you have more skills than say, pnky.

[Ngwkgczx]

how about kickball? i would guess that you have more skills than say, pnky.

I'm probably the best kickball player in the league, but that is just one example.

A team of women versus a team of men would get crushed.

[ReneCM]

I'm probably the best kickball player in the league, but that is just one example.

A team of women versus a team of men would get crushed.

i suppose no other female comes close to your dominance on the kickball court. after all you are a first round pick.

[MarlboroCig]

i suppose no other female comes close to your dominance on the kickball court. after all you are a first round pick.

No other woman comes close in my mind.

[Queueftof]

diving

Gender Gap in Olympic Platform Diving
Diving 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992
Men 148.58 164.18 504.12 600.51 835.65 710.91 638.61 677.31
Wom 99.8 109.59 390 406.59 596.25 435.51 445.24 61.43
Diff 48.88%49.81% 29.26% 47.69% 40.15% 63.24% 43.44% 46.78%
Percent by which males score higher than females in platform diving averaged 46.16% over the last 3 decades. Source: for all Olympic scores, International Olympics Committee.

[GZFL2tDA]

Although maybe legally justifiable, they need only look to their men's counterpart, the PGA, as an example for how to run their business.

Golf has become such an international sport on both tours, but the PGA doesn't need to impose these rules because there are plenty of high class AMERICAN golfers to make up for the international field that might not have the English skills.

The problem with the LPGA is that our own American women's golfers level of play is starting to be taken over by the International players. There would be no need for thsi kind of rule if we had a female version of Tiger Woods on the LPGA. I guess they need to start developing the crop, so to speak, in their own back yard.

[QQ9ktYrV]

Gender Gap in Olympic Platform Diving
Diving 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992
Men 148.58 164.18 504.12 600.51 835.65 710.91 638.61 677.31
Wom 99.8 109.59 390 406.59 596.25 435.51 445.24 61.43
Diff 48.88%49.81% 29.26% 47.69% 40.15% 63.24% 43.44% 46.78%
Percent by which males score higher than females in platform diving averaged 46.16% over the last 3 decades. Source: for all Olympic scores, International Olympics Committee.

when i said diving i meant figure skating


and for mentioning figure skating in response to 'sport' i'll look for the man card thread and turn myself in.

[cepAceryTem]

Although maybe legally justifiable, they need only look to their men's counterpart, the PGA, as an example for how to run their business.

Golf has become such an international sport on both tours, but the PGA doesn't need to impose these rules because there are plenty of high class AMERICAN golfers to make up for the international field that might not have the English skills.

The problem with the LPGA is that our own American women's golfers level of play is starting to be taken over by the International players. There would be no need for thsi kind of rule if we had a female version of Tiger Woods on the LPGA. I guess they need to start developing the crop, so to speak, in their own back yard.

But I would argue that even if they had a female version of Tiger Woods -- an American born version, even -- that the LPGA still isn't going to be that popular.

The majority of people watching sports are men. The majority of men are only going to tune into women's sports if the girls are hot. Women's tennis has stayed relevant because they constantly have younger, hotter chicks in skimpy outfits coming into the game. Women's sports are a joke to most people that watch sports.

And I press the issue again -- what happens when this female version of Tiger Woods decides to get married and have 3 kids? She misses all or big portions of 3 seasons in the middle of her prime.

[amagmasia]

when i said diving i meant figure skating


and for mentioning figure skating in response to 'sport' i'll look for the man card thread and turn myself in.

Get over there and turn it in right now.

Immediately.

[intifatry]

But I would argue that even if they had a female version of Tiger Woods -- an American born version, even -- that the LPGA still isn't going to be that popular.

The majority of people watching sports are men. The majority of men are only going to tune into women's sports if the girls are hot. Women's tennis has stayed relevant because they constantly have younger, hotter chicks in skimpy outfits coming into the game. Women's sports are a joke to most people that watch sports.

And I press the issue again -- what happens when this female version of Tiger Woods decides to get married and have 3 kids? She misses all or big portions of 3 seasons in the middle of her prime.

Clearly the solution to this problem is easy.

Clone more hot, American lesbians.

Problem solved.

[Tveabuti]

Clearly the solution to this problem is easy.

Clone more hot, American lesbians.

Problem solved.

why do they have to be lesbians? if the tour had 50 of paula creamer and 50 of natalie gulbis we'd be set.

[lorrieholdridge]

when i said diving i meant figure skating


and for mentioning figure skating in response to 'sport' i'll look for the man card thread and turn myself in.

C'mon, manly is as manly does.

[hhynmtrxcp]

why do they have to be lesbians? if the tour had 50 of paula creamer and 50 of natalie gulbis we'd be set.

Wood--er, I mean Word.