Even Christine Brennan is pissed

posted by After Atalanta
Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 9:36pm EDT

A blog focused on issues of gender and sport.

When Christine Brennan starts getting a little peeved about the state of women's sports...well then you know things are bad.
While I appreciate Brennan's presence in sports media, I often find her a little too happy-happy/cheery-cheery. And I know that she didn't ask to be the spokesperson for women in media, but since she is invited to speak all over the place about issues of women in sports media and women in sports, well, I sometimes expect a little more than her (neo?) liberal speeches.
But in her column this week, she's not really holding back. Well, probably a little bit.
She brings out her inner snarkiness when she talks about that "other" tournament going on right now--the women's tournament. How despite the fact that the quality is at an all-time high, even less attention is being paid to it.
She discusses the ubiquitous one-bracket-only pools most people and organizations--including her own USA Today--run.
Alas, I don't agree with her final conclusion that the women's tournament should be run at a different time than the men's tournament so women can have their own spotlight. I believe it carries more weight to say, "hey, there's a women's tourney going on right now, too--cover it, participate in it, etc."
The WNBA has its own separate season. Not so helpful.
Women's intercollegiate ice hockey runs its Frozen Four this weekend. Two (or three maybe) weekends before the men's tournament. I bet it won't even make the ESPN ticker (yes, the men's tournament does get that much).
I don't think going further in the separate but equal direction in sports is helping.

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March Madness 2011

View Original Post at afterata.blogspot.com | View ken's Full Profile

There is 1 comment on this post. Join the discussion!

mcjack says:

Sorry, but Christine Brennan is a hypocritical hack.

Browse through her column archive (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/)

There are two - count 'em, TWO articles about women's hoops in her docket, and both complain about the lack of attention it receives. Think about that. A regular columnist from the highest circulation newspaper in America - who hasn't written a single article to promote women's basketball - complains that nobody talks about women's hoops.

And I always get a chuckle when she (being a featured columnist from the broadest circulated paper in the country) refers to the "mainstream media" as if she thinks she writes for the local indy in Portland.

I'm a huge college hockey fan, and you know what, I will watch, talk, and enjoy the frozen four. All the while caring less that my next door neighbor could'nt give a rip and couldn't tell me who the #1 team in the country is or name one player. And caring less that ESPN will barely notice at all.

Will never understand why those who are passionate about women's hoops can't enjoy the action and excitement, talk about it, and watch it, without getting upset that everone else isn't doing the same.

Friday, March 18, 2011 at 11:46pm EDT

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Even Christine Brennan is pissed

March Madness 2011

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