WNBA Players Tell Trolls to be More Creative

[CamrnCrz1974]

Video features three UConn alums -- Diana Taurasi, Stef Dolson, and Gabby Williams

 

[psconn]

I'm on board with the sentiment, but I really think this just gives the trolls lots of oxygen and something to shoot for. I sure hope those aren't real handles on those troll posts because if so, those trolls are in Troll Nirvana right now. Getting attention is what it's all about.

 

[j66kicker]

Video features three UConn alums -- Diana Taurasi, Stef Dolson, and Gabby Williams

Just feeding the trolls...

 

[Lawrence]

Video features three UConn alums -- Diana Taurasi, Stef Dolson, and Gabby Williams

That's so funny. Bless those women for responding as they did. BRAVA !

 

[Rema64]

Nothing wrong with women telling men we are not objects and should never be ashamed of what makes us different from men.

 

[YSRFrisbee]

I'm happy to see the players speaking out on this issue, even if it's in a light-hearted way. This actually reminds me of a heartbreaking PSA featuring Sarah Spain and Julie DiCaro from a few years back. At first glance, it seems like a segment from Jimmy Kimmel, but then you realize the impact of the video. Although it's been censored, the language is strong and I cry every time I see it. This level of hatred and harassment has no place online, at work, at schools, or...anywhere. PERIOD. Our words matter. Thankfully I am part of a community here where such dialogue will NEVER be tolerated (thanks, Mods!).

"Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it."- Albus Dumbledore

"I hope your boyfriend beats you": watch men read shocking hate-tweets about women

A viral PSA shows men saying out loud the horrible things people tell women sports writers on Twitter.

www.vox.com

 

[psconn]

Identifying the author and reading their tweet is like the ultimate validation/motivation for these a55-clowns.
Again, a sharp response may be called for but let the trolls wallow in their miserable anonymity.

 

[EricLA]

First of all, let's be honest - really the only people who will be seeing that video are folks who are fans of the WNBA. I don't know if the trolls will even be aware that they even got punked.

Second, one of the underlying messages of NOT objectifying women is really front and center from some of the ignorant troll comments.

3rd, all of the women did a great job, but specifically, Griner and Williams. Griner's comment "Learn the difference between 'honesty' and 'honestly' before you come at me", and Gabby's comments regarding the "menstrual cycle" were classic.

Lastly, @YSRFrisbee - anyone who can quote Albus Dumbledore deserves 1000 likes IMHO...!!

 

[bantamlaker]

"Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it."- Albus Dumbledore

Lastly, @YSRFrisbee - anyone who can quote Albus Dumbledore deserves 1000 likes IMHO...!!

Agree with you @EricLA. At times I think we need Albus here on the BY.

 

[southofnorth]

To those saying they're just giving the trolls more validation or recognition: what should they do instead? They're doing it in a lighthearted way in the same way Jimmy Kimmel does in his "Mean Tweet" series. It's for the enjoyment of the fans to see these players laugh at the lack of creativity the trolls hit them with every day while also taking aim at those trolls to let them know they (the players) aren't having any of it. It's kind of along the same lines as "fight fire with fire". Telling them it seems like no woman loves them and pointing out their grammatical errors is just a way to get their attention and invalidate their comments. "Just letting it go" or anything like that (i.e. ignoring the comments) is the same as being complicit to the trolls' actions. No sense in letting them think it's okay when it's not and not all attention is good attention even for an internet troll.

 

[Striper69]

The WNBA players should just ignore the ignorant H8TERS.

The WNBA and WCBB are playing the best basketball on the planet- game in game out.

 

[lne001]

The WNBA and WCBB are playing the best basketball on the planet- game in game out.

And yet a minimal numbers of fans desire to watch it. Very strange, that.

 

[DaddyChoc]

what is a "Troll"?

 

[meyers7]

what is a "Troll"?

 

[reno tony]

I don't see the problem with trolls exercising there right to free speech.

 

[tchalla1]

And yet a minimal numbers of fans desire to watch it. Very strange, that.

The inherent quality of a product shouldn't be judged solely by its totality of viewership. You'd probably agree that "Avengers--Endgame" isn't a better movie than "Citizen Kane" or "Casablanca". If women's basketball is good enough for John Wooden to watch and inspired him to comment that the purest form of basketball is to be found in the women's game, then it's good enough for me...

 

[CL82]

The inherent quality of a product shouldn't be judged solely by its totality of viewership.

Uh, maybe not, but that's the key criteria for it's profitability and thus its viability.

 

[southofnorth]

Uh, maybe not, but that's the key criteria for it's profitability and thus its viability.

This is what women in sports have been fighting with. People tell them they have a lower quality product and that they can’t ask for more money, more recognition, or better treatment until they gain more of a following, which is hard to do when people automatically stereotype and belittle the product without ever watching it. That’s why they say they need more exposure to generate more fans and viewers. You can’t gain more fans and viewers when some people don’t ever get a chance to see it. That’s like expecting to sell more cars without having any on the lot to show or test drive and having minimal advertising for the cars.

 

[CL82]

This is what women in sports have been fighting with.

Capitalism?

 

[tchalla1]

Capitalism?

It is not so much capitalism that is the problem, it is, as southofnorth aptly pointed out, it's the unfair and unreasonable expectation that the women's game face when there exists disparate marketing, advertising and unsuitable promotion of the women's game. Another huge challenge is the unfortunate comparison to the men's game: the excellence achieved in the women's game should not be diminished or discounted simply by the fact that the athletes are not as big, fast, strong, and dunk less than the men--just as welterweight Floyd Mayweather's accomplishments in the ring are not diminished because he is not as big, strong and doesn't punch as hard as heavyweight Mike Tyson. If we can accept excellence in this regard without comparison, we should be able to do the same in women's basketball...

 

[lne001]

--just as welterweight Floyd Mayweather's accomplishments in the ring are not diminished because he is not as big, strong and doesn't punch as hard as heavyweight Mike Tyson.

This analogy would be more appropriate for womens' basketball if you compared Cecilia Braekhus to Alejandra Jimenez.

Who, you ask. Exactly.

 

[Striper69]

And yet a minimal numbers of fans desire to watch it. Very strange, that.

The WNBA has a lot going against it. The NBA season is winding down when their season starts. People are programmed to start watching baseball or do outdoor things at this time. Add to that tennis and golf.

Besides, people are brainwashed into believing that women can't play basketball as well as men.

I told my 69 year old neighbor to watch a WNBA game on tv. He watched the Sparks play Indy a few years ago when Parker was out and it was a pretty bad game to get someone interested. He said he couldn't watch the game.

I wanted to take him to a Washington Mystic game as my guest but had to move before I could. All the games I attended that year were as exciting as any NBA game and perhaps more so.