Will Womens Sports Ever Be Popular?

In Class we learned about the Profeminist Men's Movement. Dr. Spencer says Profeminist men believe men and women should have equal access to sports. Some examples of Profeminist men are athletes that support women by showing up to events such as WNBA games, NCAA Women's college basketball games, and even tennis matches Serena and Venus Williams play in. In my mind there a few Profeminist men that stand out. Geno Auriemma, in my mind is one of the biggest Profeminist men around. Auriemma has made the University of Connecticut's Women's Basketball Team a power house and one of the most respected teams in all of College Basketball, for all the National Championships they have won. Another Profeminist would be Bill Laimbeer. Laimbeer, now an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Laimbeer coached and the led the WNBA's Detroit Shock to multiple championships. Another example of a Profeminist would be Tennesse's Men's Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl. Pearl is an avid supporter of The University of Tennesse Women's Basketball Team, routinely attending the women's game shirtless with a painted chest. Many say society would improve when gains are made by women in sports. The question looms will women sports ever be popular? Rarely are women's sports such as the WNBA televised and if they are they usually can only be seen on ESPN 2. There simply isn't a market or enough interest for women's sports to become relevant. If society wants gains in women's sports then there needs to be more coverage of Women's sports on ESPN and ABC. Until more coverage is dedicated to women sports, it's popularity will keep declining and men's sports will always dominate.

Give Gill A Chance

Recently in class we have been discussing the fact that in college sports, especially college football there is a scarcity of African American Head Football Coaches. I believe there around around 120 Division 1-A teams and under 10 black head coaches. That number is astounding and unfair. If you look at the NFL many African American coaches have had success and Super Bowl appearances including Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Lovey Smith, and Marvin Lewis as a coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens. You would think this would help translate more opportunities for head coaching jobs for African Americans in the college ranks but it hasn't. Today there was a segment on ESPN's Outside The Lines regarding the recent head coaching search of The University of Auburn Tigers. The Auburn Tigers hired Gene Chizik, a white male to be their new head coach. Despite having major success as a defensive coordinator with the Auburn Tigers in the past, and the Texas Longhorns, Gene has been a poor head coach. Chizik recently coached two seasons at the University of Iowa State, recording an overall record of 5-19, including ten losses in a row and no road wins. Chiziks competition for the Auburn job was Turner Gill. Gill was a coordinator at Nebraska for 13 seasons assisting them with three national championships. In 2005, Gill was hired at the University of Buffalo. When Gill was hired, Buffalo was considered one of the worst programs in all of Division 1-A football. Gill turned the team around and they won the MAC last year in football. Comparing the two resumes, the question of race comes into play. Clearly Turner Gill has a better coaching resume but he was turned down in favor of a white coach with a poor coaching resume. There is no proof of race being a factor but you have to think it may. According to the Outside The Lines episode sources from coaches within the SEC conference said because Turner Gill is in an interracial marriage he wouldn't get hired. The issue of race will always be brought up, and college football needs to institute a similar rule to the "Rooney Rule" in the NFL, where during a coaching search, colleges must interview at least one African American candidate.