Recently, the French women's basketball site LadyHoop posted an interview about Diana and her battle with the FIBA over the shorter-shorts. To get caught up with this, feel free to check out my previous blog post. Since it is in French, I decided to give it the run through on Google translate and post excerpts of it here. (For the original post in French, click here)
 
Headline:

The American player is mounted to the plate and denounces held "Slim" imposed by FIBA.

(Google translation - I think they might be insinuate that the new shorts are "slimming" and somehow, Diana is standing firm on her choice to play in long shorts. Either that, or they have permanently mounted her to a plate. I hope it's the former.)

 "If you want things sexy, read Playboy," she let loose in an interview with Spanish daily Ara.

I think this is kind of her way of telling the FIBA where they can stick their new uniforms. Not only that, she chose one of the more classier mens magazines as an example of sexy. Personally, I read it for the articles.

"It's been 20 years since I played with long shorts and I can not do otherwise. I know in tennis or volleyball, it's different [...] They want to show the sexiest basketball but basketball is not sexy, it's a sport. It is a physical sport that is played with speed. Our outfits are cultural and it's been years that we play like that, without tight jerseys. "
 
Nuff Said! Hopefully, the FIBA will stop trying to make it into a fashion show, and let them do what Diana and the other athletes do best...play basketball!

As February begins, trades and signings have been slowly trickling out across the league. From the Coleman/Quinn swap to Phoenix’s acquisition of Hornbuckle, these are the first, and by far will not be the last transactions we see happen before May.

So before I start commenting on said transactions, I’ll wait to see what shakes out over the next few weeks. It’s always a fun ride.

Earlier this week, in case you didn’t know (and if you are a regular reader of this blog and didn’t know, then shame on you!) National Girls and Women in Sports Day was celebrated. It was the 26th annual celebration of recognizing the significance of women in sports – not to mention on the heels of the 40th anniversary of title IX. It is a day when young girls can (and should) experience the joy of being an athlete and knowing they have the opportunity to live their lives as one, if they so choose.

As a guy who is a big fan of women’s basketball and many women’s sports (except probably lingerie football) I think it is important that all men should recognize this day. In every man’s life, women, on some level, have made an impact. Weather it is from a mother, wife, sister, girlfriend, niece, grandmother, aunt, or fiancée, men would not be here without them. (...and for the obvious reason). Men need to set the example that supporting women’s sports is an honor and something that should be encouraged. More men need to “come out” of the testosterone guys only sports closet and not be afraid to show some admiration for how hard female athletes work at their craft.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not insinuating that men should be forced to watch or be fans of the women’s game – far from it. Showing support doesn’t mean that you have to be front and center at every single women’s sporting event. (Although, I am not discouraging it) It just means that when you speak of women’s sports, it comes from a place of respect. When you are flipping though the channels and come across a women’s game, don’t spend time mocking it, but give it a shot, and if it’s not your preference, then move on. Supporting women’s sports is not making the moronic argument of “Well…they don’t have a MEN in sports day, do they?”

Actually they do, it’s called the Super Bowl.

I can really only speak from my experience with women’s basketball, but when it comes to support, it’s good to see guys out there at the games. It really shows that things are changing. Not to mention when more young women see men in support of women’s sports, (like their dad’s, brothers, and boyfriends) it shows them that not all men have a narrow view when it comes to women’s being viewed as the magnificently talented people that they are.

But alas, there is always those who persist to express the thoughts of their ignorant perspectives.

If you do a Google search of the words “WNBA” and “joke” – you’ll get back 433,000 results.

That’s more than Mitt Romney made in speaker’s fees last year. Scary.

As I try to often ignore the ranting, mainly because it is the same, tired, recycled, invalid argument, and I just get tired of hearing it. I did see a bit of a new slant, where one blogger, who wrote that, “I consider this post to be my first attempt at suicide” followed by referring to the WNBA as,”a financial drain on our society.” Yes, hard earned money buying WNBA jerseys and tickets are simply killing this economy.

Oh, why do these guys spend time writing this stuff if they dislike it so much? That is the eternal mystery. I think I will make this guy’s blog post the focus of one of my own…even though I would rather re-arrange my sock drawer.

But then I came across a tweet – one that caught my attention – and for all the wrong reasons. See for yourself.

@(name withheld) - If you watch #WNBA kill yourself!

Now, I am not sharing this guy’s twitter handle for one reason – anyone with an opinion like this is rarely convinced of otherwise. It would be a waste of time to even try to talk to him about the hundreds of ways this is wrong.

I am all for freedom of speech – but with it does come with responsibility. We live in a world of human beings, and words, as harmless as they may seem, make an impact. With this tweet, a message is being sent not only to WNBA fans, but to young women, all young women who read it. Since the guy who sent this only could do so within the confines of the 140 characters of a tweet – I’ll do him the favor of elaborating on the message his tweet conveys in an open letter: (which FYI is satire for those of you who don’t get the joke)

To: All Girls and Women –

In recognition of national girls and women in sports day, I decided to tweet a completely insensitive, ignorant message shrouded in the guise of honesty. This message is to serve as a notice that women’s sports, particularly the WNBA, have no right to exist - and that those who support this league should stop doing so, or end their lives. The WNBA actually serves to degrade the life of its fans and thus, should not serve to endanger anyone ever again. Let young women be inspired by anorexic super models, alcohol inflamed reality t.v. stars and other descent human beings.

Signed, I AM THE ONE!**

**actually taken from this guys twitter bio

The letter might have been satire, but it is a very clear message that is sent out every time a guy wants to express their "opinion" about the WNBA or women's sports.

Yes, the intent of the blogger and tweeter I mentioned meant to make a joke. These in themselves are not what concern me.

What concerns me more is – who was laughing?