Nothing doing with the net: Lowering hoops 7″ is backwards idea

Sunday, November 4th, 2012

By Ashleigh Sargent UConn Women’s Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma believes the women’s hoops should be lowered seven inches from the standard 10-foot height (or 7.2 inches for 1972 when Title IX passed). Why? He says lower rims would yield greater offensive production – more scoring -- and more fans for the women’s ...

Posted in Basketball, Money, Power & Politics, The Coaches | 1 Comment »

Streak ends, but not before women’s bball captivates fans, public, broadcasters

Friday, December 31st, 2010

Phew. The streak is over. Sometimes when you lose, you win. And whether UConn's streak ended last night or next month - or next year, matters less than how it ended and what it has shown us. The truth is that while UConn's 90-game win streak is a powerful accomplishment, once you ...

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What does 89 really mean? For starters, let’s stop apologizing. It’s not “women’s basketball.” It’s basketball.

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

By Rachael Goldenberg It’s now 89. Officially the NCAA college basketball win-streak record. And if this team’s composure so far is any indication, the streak isn’t ending anytime soon. What do we do with this? How does the world look different for women’s sports today? What now? Well, for starters, let’s go with ...

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UConn has a Garden Party: 88 and counting…

Sunday, December 19th, 2010

By Laura Pappano Never mind that the crowd in Madison Square Garden – 15,232 the second largest in the venue for women’s basketball --- were on their feet in the final minutes chanting “Eighty-eight! Eighty-eight!” The UConn Women’s Basketball team made it look like just another 31-point win (they beat Ohio State ...

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The quest for 89 victories is not just for UConn. It matters to all of us.

Monday, December 6th, 2010

By Laura Pappano The countdown started long ago. Most fans know that if the UConn Women’s Basketball team continues its unbeaten run that on Dec. 21 the team will surpass the 88-game winning streak set by John Wooden’s UCLA teams of the early 1970s. As the date nears, the question becomes pointed: Who ...

Posted in Basketball, Money, Power & Politics, The Athletes, The Coaches | 1 Comment »

Six Sports Thoughts: From women’s B-ball to golf pay gap

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

By Laura Pappano Who says people don’t watch dominance? UConn’s NCAA Tournament run brought ESPN more viewers than in 2009. According to Nielsen, the final UConn-Stanford game drew 3.53 million viewers, up 32 percent from the 2009 final of UConn vs. Louisville. The Final Four averaged 3.16 viewers, up 22 percent ...

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What does “female” leadership look like? Just watch UConn.

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

By Laura Pappano It’s time to think beyond the court. Sure, there’s a lot of back-and-forth about whether UConn’s dominance – winning streak of 78 and beating almost all opponents by double-digit margins – is bad or good for women’s college basketball. The basic argument: Is it too boring to watch? Or ...

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It is time for the UConn women to play against the guys?

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

By Laura Pappano Obviously, the UConn Women's Basketball team under coach Geno Auriemma isn't merely good. They are dominant. Of 20 games played so far, they have won 14 of by more than 30 points (including four by more than 50 points). The closest game was a 12-point win over Stanford. So ...

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