WNBA Problem and Solution

 Here’s what I’ve determined is what is at the core of the WNBA’s problems…and the solution.

First, I have to explain my interest in the league. It started when I read about a girl in college who was setting scoring records and was the most exciting player in the country. That was Caitlin Clark, of course. I watched her whenever the games were televised and was fascinated by every aspect of her game…shooting, ball handling, passing and attitude. Subsequently, I viewed all the videos of her high school and college…even playing soccer. I became a Hawkeye fan and developed an interest in all the other players on the team. I continue to follow the Hawkeyes as well as the players as they progress. I must confess to knowing very little about basketball before being so enthralled with Clark’s game…I am, after all, just a doddering old man. I continued watching as she entered the WNBA and became a Fever fan as well…now having an interest in all those players. 

Watching the Fever games wasn’t enough. I found myself watching other WNBA teams and learning just how athletic so many of the women in the league are. Caitlin Clark was not the only star. However, I was convinced that she was still unique. She had brought her outstanding play to the pros and did, indeed, stand out as the most exciting player in the league (in my opinion, of course).

In seeing so many great players and having the most exposure to the Fever, I was dismayed to see people like Wheeler and Fagbenle leave but I followed them to there new teams and watched their games just as I followed Martin and Olsen after they left Iowa. I like the play and attitude of some more than others…Wheeler from the Fever and Olsen from the Hawkeyes for example. I marveled at some of the athletes…Bonner, Chennedy Carter, Carrington, Ionescu (shooting in the 3-point contest!), Arike’s all-star performance and many others…Wilson seems unstoppable at times. The WNBA is filled with remarkable talent. 

There are some things I don’t like…the intentional violence and boring play. While Bueckers is highly regarded, I find her play to be boring…a lot of simple, pull-up jump shots…she’s no Caitlin Clark…there’s only one of those. Wilson isn’t exciting either but definitely has some moments. There are many, mostly unheralded, great athletes to see. There are others who are highly touted by the media or who speak highly of themselves who are…not very good. I can think of one…Reese. She seems to be extremely uncoordinated but has a knack for getting rebounds. Dennis Rodman comes to mind. She’s one of the players I’d be happy never to see in a game. (I do find great humor in seeing the myriad of YouTube videos of her inept performances, though!) The violence and physical assaults by some players is out of control. Actually, there are several who exhibit wonderful physical dexterity and are wonderful players but also are overly offensive, physically and, even though I respected their game earlier, I’d rather never see them again. 

Well, I think I’ve gotten off track. (I’m not writing this in one sitting…leaving for hours at a time and such. The inconsistent officiating, the prison-ball violence, the favoritism shown to some players. All this is available for anyone to see either live or on video. Everyone can see it. For one example, the time when Mabrey decked Clark…or later in the game when Sheldon lowered her shoulder and plowed into Cunningham with no effort at all to shoot the ball (this was the play that Cunningham reacted by grabbing Sheldon behind the head and was given the “T” even though it was instigated by Sheldon)…Carter slamming into Clark and Reese laughing about it…Bueckers pushing Cunningham (or was it Hull?) out of the way with both hands and Cunningham being called for the foul…there are countless examples of women elbowing, pushing and throwing to the floor, hooking, attempting to punch, eye gouging etc. (By the way, why in the world are these players allowed to wear those fake nails?..wearing those silly fake eyelashes and wigs is bad enough! This is a basketball game, for Pete’s sake!)

The WNBA is populated, predominantly by women of color and, I suppose, predominantly by lesbians. Personally, I don’t give a flip whether a player is white or black..or whatever. I don’t give a flip if they’re interested in women, men…or whatever. I only care if they are athletic, play well and play fair. There is a problem for which I can offer no solution…that is when two players are married or in some relationship off court. Whether they are on the same team or playing against each other…either way…there is a problem. Unfortunately, that same issue probably extends to the coaches and referees.

I suppose I could go on and on with examples of horrible, physical play that has been condoned by the league…players like Stewart running full-tilt into a crowd of defenders under the basket…and when one of them moves, it’s a foul on the defense. Special whistles! 

So…I began all this by claiming to have a solution to the most serious and glaring problem at the core of the WNBA. The real problem is the officiating. It is consistently inconsistent. I don’t know why some referees appear to be so incompetent or why they make so many blatantly incorrect calls…I don’t even want to go there because the inferences are just too demeaning to the officiating crews who may or may not be corrupt, coerced, compromised...or just plain incompetent. The individuals who are doing the officiating are probably underpaid and are certainly under-appreciated. The solution to the WNBA’s problem is to upgrade the officials. If that means tripling their salaries…fine. If that means firing them all…fine. If that means replacing them all with NBA caliber referees…fine. The most egregious aspect of WNBA games  rests with the referees. All fouls must be called, consistently, whether for against a perceived star. Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart and the other big names (the untouchables) in the league have to be held to the same standard as everyone else. The referees cannot consider which individual or which team is involved in a play…only whether there was a foul committed or not…and by which player. No bias based on a referee’s personal feelings…just call the game fairly.

That’s it. The problem is the referees and the solution is to upgrade the entire bunch of them…either with huge financial incentives or replacement. Just imagine how different things might be if Caitlin Clark’s assailants had been properly dealt with right in the beginning…if flagrant fouls had been called when warranted…if she had not been targeted by referees and called for non-existing fouls…if physical attacks had been met with immediate fines and suspensions. The same is true for every player in the league. No player should be subject to attack on the court which is then overlooked by biased referees. Every WNBA basketball game should be played by the rules throughout each game and those rules should be upheld fairly by an unbiased referring crew, always. The problem…referees. The solution…improve or replace.

Just to add to the above...This is 9/27 and the Fever lost to the Aces yesterday and have another home game before (probably) being defeated in the semis. I didn't notice the "special whistle" for Wilson but a lot of other comments claim she should be called for moving screens frequently. The Aces seem to be a much better team the the Fever. I really like the play and attitude of Mitchell (she's somewhat exciting to watch when she's hitting her shots) but she certainly could pass the ball more and learn how to help her team more with assists. I admire everything about the play and attitude of Boston but when I think of exciting players to watch, Hull stands far above everyone else...slightly approaching the sheer joy of witnessing the play of Caitlin Clark. So...when the Fever are eliminated (tomorrow probably), I'll be cancelling my League Pass because there's nothing else worth watching in the WNBA without Caitlin Clark. I enjoyed watching the Fever games all season because I had been exposed to all the players because of Clark. Beyond that, the poor officiating and prison ball permitted so frequently make the WNBA unwatchable for me.

Well, this is 9/27 and the Fever just won game 4 against the Aces...so I was wrong...again. I'll have at least one more game to watch. I also read that the Lynx without their coach and Collier lost to the Phoenix team. Shocking to me. Bonner seems to have learned to play basketball after leaving the Fever. I had such high hopes when she signed with the Fever but she chose not to even try. Oh...another thing about Bonner as relates to Caitlin Clark...there was so much criticism of Clark concerning how thin and slight she is...that she didn't have the body to compete in the WNBA. That's when I think of Bonner and others like Diggins...you don't get much slighter than that. Anyway, I'm not pleased that the Lynx have been knocked out by the likes of Bonner who screwed over the Fever.

Just a quick addition to the above...it seems that everyone involved with WNBA games (except referees) has issues with the lack of consistency and level of officiating in the games. The coaches, players and viewers have all been irate over calls for and against them. Some players are allowed to do whatever they want and others are called for non-existent offenses. Some players and coaches are handed technical fouls for almost nothing while, of course, others have free reign. 

If Paige Bueckers was guarded with the same physical intensity as Caitlin Clark, she'd probably be out, injured, by now...and would certainly not be scoring so well. On the other hand, if Caitlin Clark had been afforded the same "hands off" treatment as Bueckers all along, she wouldn't be injured and would probably be battling Collier, Wilson etc. for MVP...and the Fever would have a much better record. 

Obviously, I'm a Caitlin Clark fan and the way things have turned out with the abysmal WNBA officiating, I've lost interest in what could have (should have) been an exciting league to watch. As it is, and if the problem is not acceptably addressed, I hope Clark has the good sense to remain on the bench and/or just retire from basketball, take her money and go play golf. 

Next season could be very different in the WNBA. Having two more teams will dilute the talent level a bit and the hopeful changes to the officiating as well as the replacement of Engelbert may change the way the game is played. I wonder what players the Fever will protect in the expansion draft. Personally, I'd like them to protect Boston, Mitchell, Clark, Hull, Cunningham and maybe Timpson, Bibby and one of the guards. I think Howard is finished. If the Fever don't win today's game five against the Aces to make it to the finals, I suppose I'll just wait for Iowa's season to begin.

This is October 2nd...I did cancel my WNNBA League Pass right after they lost to the Aces. I have no interest in seeing the finals between the Aces and the Mercury. Seeing Bonner out there on the court actually trying after she played dead for the Fever would drive me nutso and watching Wilson get away with whatever she wants all game would be more than I could stand. While I didn't notice too much myself, there are numerous examples being shown in which the officiating seemed to favor the Aces against the Fever, especially where Wilson and Boston were involved. About the Fever next season (if there is one), I know I commented that the Fever could keep one of the extra guards like maybe Sims but I'm not so sure. Having two Mitchells running around without ever passing the ball should not be permitted. One MItchell is enough. I think the team should be built around Caitlin Clark's wizardry and Mitchell should not be the primary offensive threat. I also think that coach White would not (could not) do that. So...I think coach White has to go away and be replaced by someone like Brondello or Lisa Bluder. Caitlin Clark (I believe) is truly one-of-a-kind, a generational talent...and I don't think coach White can handle that. She has to go. Hopefully, the Fever organization will read this and follow my suggestions. Also, hopefully the league will also read this and follow my suggestion to get rid of Engelbert and revamp the officiating directives. The games should be officiated more like college games and/or the NBA, and fouls should be called when necessary and not based on referee biases. Prison ball should not be permitted and excessive violence should be dealt with immediately with suspensions, fines and/or permanent suspensions.