Norman Chad: Women just need a chance in man’s world
David Stern suggested a woman could be playing in the NBA within a decade. Indeed, there eventually could be women with the athletic skills to play basketball, baseball or football with the big boys.
But right now women could coach or manage in the NBA, MLB or NFL.
Why not?
It’s understandable that physical barriers prevent women from competing with men directly on most playing fields in sport. But only social – and attitudinal – barriers prevent women from standing on the sideline or in the dugout calling the shots.
Let’s be honest: Looking back over the course of human history – and, more recently, U.S. history – it might appear to a neutral observer that the fairer sex has been treated somewhat unfairly by the not-as-fair sex.
Here are five things we know about women:
1. You can’t live with ’em, you can’t live without ’em.
2. Even when they’re barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen, they run a pretty good household.
3. Nothing beats a woman’s intuition.
4. They tend to pay for groceries by check in the express lane.
5. They’re smarter than men.
Given these inarguable, indisputable and incontrovertible facts, it is amazing that women have been second-class citizens since Glenn Beck’s prehistoric ancestors were throwing rocks at their caveman neighbors.
These days, we are fascinated by the prospect of Michelle Wie perhaps playing on the PGA Tour or, as Stern suggests, a female Michael Jordan making her way into the NBA. Those would be great accomplishments; however, with a little sociological adjustment, we could see women overcoming other sporting hurdles.
But virtually every culture has been slow to let women do what men do.
(What do men do? We’re always told a woman’s place is in the home. Oh, really? Well, a man’s place – or at least his butt – is on the couch, doing nothing but clicking, belching and whining about the way things used to be.)
There is no good reason half of Congress isn’t female. No reason half of symphony conductors aren’t female. No reason half of poker players aren’t female.
No reason except blockheaded men protecting their lifelong turf.
We finally just took a small but significant step – the NBA Developmental League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks that will begin play in 2010-11 hired Nancy Lieberman as its head coach.
Wow. Somebody who wears pants figured out that somebody who doesn’t can supervise men as sharply or shabbily as the next guy.
Ask The Slouch
Q. When you tell your wife that you love her, do you mimic football coaches and use a clipboard so the neighbors can’t read your lips? (Jim Welsh; Oakmont, Penn.)
A. Toni, a.k.a. She Is The One (And Then Some), would point out that you are asking a purely hypothetical question here.
Q. Is changing wives similar to changing cleats when facing poor field conditions? (Mike Stotz; West View, Penn.)
A. Pay the man, Shirley.
Norman Chad is a syndicated columnist. You can enter his $1.25 Ask The Slouch Cash Giveaway. Just e-mail asktheslouch@aol.com and, if your question is used, you win $1.25 in cash!