Clay Travis on the WNBA

Guy Chamberlin said:
Just looked up the 50 highest scoring teams on NBA history, and only 8 were in this century. 
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Because of pace of play and the things mentioned above. Since 1973, this year's 115 pts per 100 possession average is the most ever. Teams didn't break 100 until right before the introduction of the 3 point line. Just in the last decade, average team points per possession is up over 9 points per game.

Guy Chamberlin said:
One of the takeaways from the send-a-message Caitlin Clark knockdown is that the WNBA is resembling the NBA more than ever. 
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This cheap shot aspect of the Clark saga is over hyped for the headlines. One of the criticisms of her at Iowa was she does virtually nothing without the ball in her hand, so teams are picking her up full court and denying her access. Of course they're being a bit physical with her, she's a frail 3 point shooter, but it's largely by the book. She doesn't need rule changes as much as she needs better teammates.

 
brophog said:
Because of pace of play and the things mentioned above. Since 1973, this year's 115 pts per 100 possession average is the most ever. Teams didn't break 100 until right before the introduction of the 3 point line. Just in the last decade, average team points per possession is up over 9 points per game.

This cheap shot aspect of the Clark saga is over hyped for the headlines. One of the criticisms of her at Iowa was she does virtually nothing without the ball in her hand, so teams are picking her up full court and denying her access. Of course they're being a bit physical with her, she's a frail 3 point shooter, but it's largely by the book. She doesn't need rule changes as much as she needs better teammates.
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Sure. If it seems like I'm taking a position, it's that I think League rule changes have generally produced better games in both the NBA and MLB. Not quite sure about the NFL yet. Some contend more offense means less defense, but I think defense is as important as ever -- you just have to be better at it. You can still get pretty nasty, too.

9 additional points per possession sounds like a lot, but it's one additional basket per quarter. And you're still not topping a lot of those 1960s teams that pre-dated the three point line. 

Clark is getting the treatment given one-dimensional teams that run through one player. And it's rare that player is a rookie. She'll be fine, but you're right --- it's gonna fall on her teammates.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
9 additional points per possession sounds like a lot, but it's one additional basket per quarter. And you're still not topping a lot of those 1960s teams that pre-dated the three point line. 
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To put this in context, the year of the introduction of the 3 point line the average team scoring per 100 possessions was 105 points. The NBA for decades stayed within a point or so, fluctuating up and down a point or so per year but staying right in that range. That 9 points we are talking about represents basically the entirety of the per 100 possession scoring difference for the 3 point era.

As to the 1960's, unfortunately we don't have reliable possession data from that era. There are a lot of stats from that era that we don't have, which maybe accounts for some of the reason that era is not given the respect it should receive.

Guy Chamberlin said:
Some contend more offense means less defense, but I think defense is as important as ever
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Of course it's important. Let's take the argument to its extreme in either direction for an alternate possession game like basketball or football.

As you move towards the limit of never scoring, the team that gets one score wins the game.

As you move towards the limit of always scoring, the team that gets one stop wins the game.

 
brophog said:
They're being petty because she hasn't done anything. She has the potential, which is why ESPN updates every basket she makes, but she's a nobody in this at this point and the other players are feeling (rightly) disrespected that this newcomer is getting all of the attention.
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https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5552091/2024/06/09/caitlin-clark-usa-olympics-roster-comments/

“I’m excited for the girls that are on the team,” Clark said Sunday. “I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could’ve gone either way of me being on the team, me not being on the team.

“I’m excited for them. I’m gonna be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics, so it’ll be fun to watch them.”

When asked if there was any disappointment about the omission, she responded, “Honestly, no disappointment.”

“I think it just gives you something to work for,” she said. “That’s a dream. Hopefully one day I can be there. I think it’s just a little more motivation. You remember that. Hopefully in four years, when four years comes back around, I can be there.”

Her answers to the crap that happens around her are why she is making millions and part of what endears her to fans.  Some other payers seem petty and jealous, but it keeps giving Clark the opportunity to show class. I saw a stat the other day about average attendance at games when Clark is playing 17k vs < 10k without her. It will wear off if the Fever don't start winning and she doesn't do well, but 30 points, 10 assists and 8 bounds the other night helps.

 
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I actually read a story that CC wasn't eligible for the Olympics because she could not attend the team tryouts due to the NCAA tournament run. If that's the case, I'm glad the team didn't make an exception for her, because I'm sure other players would have been in the same boat in previous Olympics. She'll be ready for the next one. 

 
nic said:
I saw a stat the other day about average attendance at games when Clark is playing 17k vs < 10k without her.
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It would be interesting to see how many of those are new fans, returning fans, fans that have attended multiple games this year, those sorts of things.

The raw data difference from last year is pretty insane. The Fever went from second worst average attendance of about 4000 per game, to leading the league in average attendance at 16500 per game. They have about as big of a lead in average attendance over second place as they had in attendance a year ago. Away games are well attended, too, and attendance league wide has taken a big jump.

The numbers are massive compared to post COVID years, but not that striking from the 2016-2018 era. They're still up, but by the end of the season they'll likely be pretty similar for the bulk of the league. The Fever and Liberty will very likely still surpass that era's top average performers.

 
The biggest development is that sports media just went all-in on women's basketball. In the middle of baseball season & the NBA and NHL playoffs, ESPN and sportstalk radio are giving big chunks of time and hot takes to the Caitlin Clark hard foul and getting left off the Olympic team. In the process they've bumped up WNBA game coverage and elevated a dozen or so players to the everyday conversation. Also seeing WNBA players featured in CarMax, State Farm, and Gatorade commercials. No doubt some affirmative action there as they aren't recognizable to most, but it all raises the awareness level so that when my sports buddies and I get together and talk sports, everyone has a take on something happening in the WNBA, which has never, ever happened before.   

 
Comments on how CC handled the Olympic Team decision.  I refuse to call it a snub. I am not sure if this is just her or coaching from a publicist, but either way this attitude will keep making her $$.

"Humble, classy, professional, I could go on and on," NHL analyst Colby Cohen wrote on X. "The other players in the @WNBA should take a lesson from Caitlin.

ESPN anchor Jon Buccigross wrote, "She continues to rise above all the pettiness and selfishness of those around her. Impressive person. Good Midwest stock. (still thinks she ends up on the team)."

College football analyst Danny Kanell wrote, "As great a player as Caitlin Clark is she is even better at handling every bit of BS  that’s been thrown at her. What’s even better is it makes her brand stronger and her haters angrier!"

WNBA legend Rebecca Lobo wrote, "Caitlin could not have handled this situation any better."

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
No doubt some affirmative action there as they aren't recognizable to most, but it all raises the awareness level so that when my sports buddies and I get together and talk sports, everyone has a take on something happening in the WNBA, which has never, ever happened before.   
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I think it's less politics and more smart business. ESPN the last few years have tried to invest more into women's athletics because the men's sports have become so astronomically expensive.

 
brophog said:
I think it's less politics and more smart business. ESPN the last few years have tried to invest more into women's athletics because the men's sports have become so astronomically expensive.
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I think the attention has driven the demand. Prior to right now, the demand didn't recommend business investment. The WNBA has been operating in the red for 28 years, and the TV contracts, salaries, and travel budgets seemed to hit their ceiling. Some people obviously took the long view,  but I don't think the numbers looked promising before this year. They stayed in it because it was the right thing to do. 

It's other stuff, too. I honestly think Memorial Stadium hosting the most attended event in women's sporting history has a piece in this. 

 
I love this guy.  

Not because he's from the south, and talks with a southern drawl like me. 

This guy is just good at what he does - doing research and then giving his opinion on college football, some NFL, some hoops and now... the WNBA.

In this video, This is what @teachercd has been preaching. 

And if you don't have 14 minutes in your day, no problem.  Maybe listen to the first minute.  Then you can keep skip to the 9:45 minute mark for the meat and potatoes of the whole WNBA situation with Clark and Reese.   ;)  

It's pretty entertaining.  But is he really wrong ???



 
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