Wiggins Trashes WNBA Culture

[UConnNick]

Lobo retired in 2003, so if you're talking about her direct experience, more like 14 years ago. However, as she states in the article, she has continued to maintain friendships with players in the league, and says she's never heard anything like what Candice is claiming.

Just because Lobo's experience was different, and she's never heard of any behavior like Wiggins described, doesn't mean that what happened to Wiggins didn't happen. That's patently absurd logic. It's not like any player or players guilty of such behavior are going to tell Lobo about it if it did in fact occur.

 

[Plebe]

Devereaux Peters weighs in on Wiggins-gate:

 

[Plebe]

Just because Lobo's experience was different, and she's never heard of any behavior like Wiggins described, doesn't mean that what happened to Wiggins didn't happen. That's patently absurd logic. It's not like any player or players guilty of such behavior are going to tell Lobo about it if it did in fact occur.

Ugh. No one is saying it didn't happen. In fact, virtually everyone who has responded to Candice's comments has specifically said that they can't know everything she experienced and that they're only speaking from their own experience. This is the way free speech works: Candice is free to say her piece and present a narrative about her own experience, and then others get to respond and talk about theirs.

Any claim of abuse or bullying in the workplace merits a thorough and earnest investigation. But Candice is refusing to give any information specific enough to even allow an investigation to move forward. And it defies logic that this is a systemic cultural problem if in the 20-year history of the league, and out of hundreds of current and former players, coaches and team staff members, not a single other person has said they've ever experienced, witnessed, or even heard about anything resembling what Candice has described.

 

[Orangutan]

Devereaux Peters weighs in on Wiggins-gate:

I love that Dev was petty enough to get t-shirts printed in time for this video:

 

[Plebe]

I love that Dev was petty enough to get t-shirts printed in time for this video:

I'm not sure. Maybe she simply enjoys wearing T-shirts conveying her preferences in dairy products.

 

[Biff]

I'm not sure. Maybe she simply enjoys wearing T-shirts conveying her preferences in dairy products.

Nah. If that were true, wouldn't it look like this?

 

[Bigboote]

I love that Dev was petty enough to get t-shirts printed in time for this video:

I personally thought it was clever -- if they're looking for heteros, she's putting a target on her chest.

In Re (quoting Fasteddy) "overtly gay people around": An elder family member once said, "I don't mind people being gay, I'm just not comfortable with them acting gay."

A few years later, he was visiting from Connecticut, and when we were waiting for the metro, said, "I just saw two men kissing!"

I couldn't resist and said, "You've got gay marriage in Connecticut, time to get used to it."

Also, I've been to a few WNBA games and I can't think if any "overtly gay" behavior, but as you can see from the above, my point of view may be different from others'.

 

[easttexastrash]

I love that Dev was petty enough to get t-shirts printed in time for this video:

She looks like the character, I believe Wanda, from "In Living Color" in this pic.

 

[easttexastrash]

Diggins is in her prime of getting money, you think she's gonna take sides on a issue like this... aint happen'

If Diggins were to come out and say that she feels bullied...she would REALLY get bullied. The true testament will be if other retired players come out to report that they were bullied. No current player is going to come out and say that they have been bullied. I have only heard of one professional athlete claim publicly that they were bullied. It would come across as a sign of weakness to some other players.

BG stated in her book that she was bullied. Nobody questioned that so why are we so quick to question Wiggins?

 

[UConnNick]

I personally thought it was clever -- if they're looking for heteros, she's putting a target on her chest.

In Re (quoting Fasteddy) "overtly gay people around": An elder family member once said, "I don't mind people being gay, I'm just not comfortable with them acting gay."

A few years later, he was visiting from Connecticut, and when we were waiting for the metro, said, "I just saw two men kissing!"

I couldn't resist and said, "You've got gay marriage in Connecticut, time to get used to it."

Also, I've been to a few WNBA games and I can't think if any "overtly gay" behavior, but as you can see from the above, my point of view may be different from others'.

I've had conversations with parents of young children who took them to random sporting events, not necessarily WNBA but any sports, and their kids saw two women kissing each other in the stands. Some parents aren't thrilled by the prospect of having to explain to young kids what that's about when they're still at an age when they don't already know. Parents like that are going to avoid attending WNBA games if they perceive that type of behavior is more likely to occur there.

 

[easttexastrash]

I've had conversations with parents of young children who took them to random sporting events, not necessarily WNBA but any sports, and their kids saw two women kissing each other in the stands. Some parents aren't thrilled by the prospect of having to explain to young kids what that's about when they're still at an age when they don't already know. Parents like that are going to avoid attending WNBA games if they perceive that type of behavior is more likely to occur there.

What I really hate is when the straight people start acting overtly gay. I find that hard to be around.

 

[easttexastrash]

I've had conversations with parents of young children who took them to random sporting events, not necessarily WNBA but any sports, and their kids saw two women kissing each other in the stands. Some parents aren't thrilled by the prospect of having to explain to young kids what that's about when they're still at an age when they don't already know. Parents like that are going to avoid attending WNBA games if they perceive that type of behavior is more likely to occur there.

I have gay friends who I know want to purposely push the envelope when it comes to proving that they have the "right" to do what is acceptable for straight people. But in their effort to prove their equality they go overboard on purpose, even to the point that the rest of their gay friends are uncomfortable. I have been witness to this many times and I have no doubt that there is a small percentage of gay men and women at WNBA games who are guilty of this. I don't want to see two people trying to swallow each other's tonsils, where they are gay, straight or from Mars.

 

[Jeff H]

I have gay friends who I know want to purposely push the envelope when it comes to proving that they have the "right" to do what is acceptable for straight people. But in their effort to prove their equality they go overboard on purpose, even to the point that the rest of their gay friends are uncomfortable. I have been witness to this many times and I have no doubt that there is a small percentage of gay men and women at WNBA games who are guilty of this. I don't want to see two people trying to swallow each other's tonsils, where they are gay, straight or from Mars.

I've never been to a WNBA game, but I'm getting the impression that they're filled with gay people making out in the stands. Just wish they'd show that on kiss cam on tv so I'd know for sure.

 

[JudgeSCR]

We just have to grow as a society and that will take time. The same arguments were made about why we couldn't desegregate lunch counters, bathrooms and other public facilities -- people weren't thrilled to have to explain ... or come into contact with ....

I don't doubt that people feel that way. As society changes and those changes push against cultural norms, religious beliefs and old prejudices we have to explain whatever our values are to our children. They have an amazing capacity to understand. Even the young ones.

Raising my daughter after her mother passed away I was stunned to see that often my daughter was way ahead of where I thought she would be. When she was in 3rd grade I took her to a sleepover at her friend's house. Her friend had two Mommies. I tried to explain this to her so she wouldn't blurt out some uncomfortable questions or show surprise. When I did my daughter just looked at me quizzically and asked "Why do you care that she has two Mommies?" We then had the most wonderful discussion about accepting difference. She was way ahead of where I thought she was.

 

[eebmg]

Wow. This conversation has left me bewildered. I have been to many NY Liberty games and I have never observed open make out sessions of any type although I admit I am almost always focused on the game and not the stands. I have never felt the slightest hesitation to take my nieces to games (from a young age).

However, walking the streets of NYC, you observe many gay couples who are very open in affection and my nieces never even noticed (or if they did, never said anything).

 

[HuskyNan]

I've had conversations with parents of young children who took them to random sporting events, not necessarily WNBA but any sports, and their kids saw two women kissing each other in the stands. Some parents aren't thrilled by the prospect of having to explain to young kids what that's about when they're still at an age when they don't already know. Parents like that are going to avoid attending WNBA games if they perceive that type of behavior is more likely to occur there.

From the NHL

 

[HuskyNan]

I've had conversations with parents of young children who took them to random sporting events, not necessarily WNBA but any sports, and their kids saw two women kissing each other in the stands. Some parents aren't thrilled by the prospect of having to explain to young kids what that's about when they're still at an age when they don't already know. Parents like that are going to avoid attending WNBA games if they perceive that type of behavior is more likely to occur there.

Major league baseball

 

[HuskyNan]

I've had conversations with parents of young children who took them to random sporting events, not necessarily WNBA but any sports, and their kids saw two women kissing each other in the stands. Some parents aren't thrilled by the prospect of having to explain to young kids what that's about when they're still at an age when they don't already know. Parents like that are going to avoid attending WNBA games if they perceive that type of behavior is more likely to occur there.

And the NFL

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I've had conversations with parents of young children who took them to random sporting events, not necessarily WNBA but any sports, and their kids saw two women kissing each other in the stands. Some parents aren't thrilled by the prospect of having to explain to young kids what that's about when they're still at an age when they don't already know. Parents like that are going to avoid attending WNBA games if they perceive that type of behavior is more likely to occur there.

What type of behavior is that? Love?