When men and women's sports combined, it opened new administrative positions for women, but what these women found were that they were constantly being pushed down to the bottom of the pile, to the least authoritative positions. Men were the head coaches, and the head of the physical education departments Men organized the teams schedule for the season and organized practice hours. Also, "male sexist attitudes ensured that male rather than female athletic directors and heads of physical education departments were almost automatically appointed to direct merged departments". This male over female preference continued right up to today. As of 1992 there are more men in administrative sports positions than women.
Women have been playing basketball for over a century before the Women's National Basketball Association came into existence. It was here at Smith College where many women got their first taste of the game. Women were described as having a "masculine performance style... rough and vicious play... worse than in men”. This aggressive playing style had to be modified because the violence and rough-housing that was going on were becoming intolerable. Eventually the Official Women's Basketball Rules were modified in that there was no dribbling allowed on the court at all, players were not allowed to make physical contact with each other and women were not allowed to grab the ball out of each others hands.
Women have been playing basketball for over a century before the Women's National Basketball Association came into existence. It was here at Smith College where many women got their first taste of the game. Women were described as having a "masculine performance style... rough and vicious play... worse than in men”. This aggressive playing style had to be modified because the violence and rough-housing that was going on were becoming intolerable. Eventually the Official Women's Basketball Rules were modified in that there was no dribbling allowed on the court at all, players were not allowed to make physical contact with each other and women were not allowed to grab the ball out of each others hands.
The NBA hosts many men who are considered the "bad boys". Think of Dennis Rodman who gets just as much publicity for public violations as he does for his skill in handling the ball on the court. Society fills our heads with images of the African-American inner-city thug or gangster that would be selling drugs on the street corners if it were not for his basketball talent. The typical male player in the NBA embodies what it means to be a man. He is tough, strong, aggressive, and has an almost intimidating physical appearance that commands control.
When the WNBA merged, it turned the sport into a male versus female battle, much of which was fueled by society's publicity. Because it is hard to convince the public that basketball can be a "girly" sport like figure skating, society has felt the need to create obvious differences between male and female players. The public is not satisfied with letting players be players who are all there just to play the game with the intention of winning, but they feel the need to differentiate playing styles. Publicity has turned female players into soft characters that have found the perfect balance between athleticism and femininity. "The players of the WNBA function
as morally superior athletes in comparison to those of the NBA. In the society’s eyes, the Dennis Rodman's of the NBA simply do not exist in the WNBA. Female players use etiquette both on and off the court. Society has publicized these women's marriages, children and even the clothes that they choose to wear.
When the WNBA merged, it turned the sport into a male versus female battle, much of which was fueled by society's publicity. Because it is hard to convince the public that basketball can be a "girly" sport like figure skating, society has felt the need to create obvious differences between male and female players. The public is not satisfied with letting players be players who are all there just to play the game with the intention of winning, but they feel the need to differentiate playing styles. Publicity has turned female players into soft characters that have found the perfect balance between athleticism and femininity. "The players of the WNBA function
as morally superior athletes in comparison to those of the NBA. In the society’s eyes, the Dennis Rodman's of the NBA simply do not exist in the WNBA. Female players use etiquette both on and off the court. Society has publicized these women's marriages, children and even the clothes that they choose to wear.
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