LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I am a longtime women's basketball fan and watch women's college basketball and the WNBA whenever I can.

But while more and more women's college basketball games are covered on TV, this past season it was hard to find a WNBA game on TV. It used to be there was a game during the week and one or two on the weekend every week during the season.

I thought it was a bad decision to move the majority of WNBA games to NBA TV. My cable company does not carry NBA TV or Oxygen.

At a time when the WNBA should be reaching more fans, they are making it harder to watch.

Steve Schneider

Monmouth Junction, N.J.

I have wanted to play professional basketball since I was 5, and I still want to. Now that people are saying the WNBA isn't going to be around for too much longer I wanted to share my opinion.

If they do end the WNBA, I will be very confused because I won't understand why they would give guys a shot at playing the one true sport they love but not girls. You never know - one day the WNBA might be as popular as the NBA. I just think people should give women the same right that they do the men.

Paige Sickmiller

Washington, Mich.

My wife and I completely disagree with your take on the Sue Bird spanking bet incident. I can think of few things more humiliating than a public spanking - violent or otherwise.

Canceling this bet may not have elevated women, but it did not teach young fans "that it's okay to renege on a bet if you decide you don't like the terms." I'm hopeful that what they learned from this is that it's okay to rethink and reverse your position on something you know to be wrong, even if doing so has consequences. It takes courage and integrity to do that.

David and Candy Marsh

Gales Ferry, Conn.

I am currently an eighth grade student. I am 5'7'' and I need some help on making baskets for free throws and 3-pointers.

Mesa Middleton

Via the Internet

Ed. Note: You need to get a hold of some back issues of Women's Basketball. Coquese Washington wrote about free throws in her Hoop Clinic column (Nov./Dec. 2002), and Laura Ramus detailed a training regimen that will assist with your 3-point shooting (July/Aug. 2003).

I like how Women's Basketball doesn't only focus on the "popular" players that the WNBA forces down our throats, but on a variety of talented players.

During this past season's playoffs, showing some games on Oxygen, others on ESPN and a few on ABC was such a disservice to the fans. I had to buy NBA TV to see all the game replays. My father is 74 and lives in Detroit. He could only listen to selected radio games or see games on ABC because he doesn't have cable. When is the league going to recognize that they are alienating some of their biggest fans through their television deals?

Pam Bazmore

Las Vegas, Nev.

Thank you so much for your wonderful article on Tamika Catchings. After meeting her during her freshman year at Tennessee, I instantly became a big fan of hers. It was an absolute pleasure watching her play for four years as a Lady Vol and now watching her play with the Indiana Fever. She plays with so much heart and passion and a fierce intensity that you rarely see nowadays.

She is truly an inspiration and role model both on and off the basketball court.

Vickie Worrell

Tazewell, Tenn.

I am a high school coach in Newell, S.D., who coaches one of the best point guards I have ever seen, my sister Jordan. She is extremely talented, but we live in an area where there is no AAU or BCI, so no one really knows.

Not that it is impossible to play in college, as both myself and my sister Taran played at the University of Wyoming.

I would appreciate any help you could give me regarding All America teams. There are awesome players who do not have the opportunity to play on club teams.

Courtney Stapp

Newell, S.D.

Ed Note: We suggest you do some research on the Net and then do what Coquese Washington suggested in a Hoop Clinic about recruiting, send out some video tapes. It might just yield impressive results.

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Copyright Ashton International Media, Inc. Feb 2004
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