I object to the term men's basketball ... discuss

I bow to no one in my contempt for political correctness but refuse to place "Lady" in front of the nickname for our girls' teams. Also do not refer to "girls' softball team" or "girls' volleyball team" as there are no boys softball or volleyball teams in our area.

And "Lady Techsters" is one of the dopiest nicknames in college athletics.

 

Agreed ... I coach girls basketball, and we've tried to eliminate the use of "Lady" with regards to our program. Still difficult to break old habits, though ...

 

E-Gad.

 

So I guess the women who are in the Basketball Hall of Fame shouldn't be there because they didn't play the sport of basketball?

Look, I don't even like women's basketball... and I've got no problem with 'Lady' anything... 'Lady' is a compliment. I also have no problem with a programs like UConn basically calling themselves "UConn Men" and "UConn Women."

But BB, the reason people are now having to say "men's basketball" is because women's basketball has, whether you like it or not, gained a modicum of mainstream-ness. So if a sportscaster, for example, leads into a set of highlights saying "UConn played Duke" without distingushing men or women, it creates enough confusion that you now need the extra word.

It has nothing to do with political correctness and everything to do with clarity. Sorry.

 

High school in Texas.
Boys: Steers.
Girls: Cissies.

Granted, Lady Steers may not work, but ...

 

Well, someone who goes by Jacks have a Jill counterpart.

Don't forget the Tarleton State Texans and TexAnns.

 

I don't usually call a team "Lady _______" unless the program is specifically calling its team that. However, I do find it practical to use "Lady _______" in headlines since almost all the high school and juco programs in Kansas, at least for league/conference play, play doubleheaders.

There's one school around here whose boys' teams are Mustangs and girls' are Fillies. The school tried to change it so both were Mustangs. The only half-solid reason it came up with for doing so was because it would be easier to make team merchandise. They were getting tired of merchants complaining they had to order two sets of things, one that said "Mustangs" and one that said "Fillies" (although you do see things over there that do say "______ Mustangs & Fillies")

The girls threw a fit, the town rallied around it and "Fillies" stayed.

At least they don't use "-ettes" much anymore. When I was in high school in the 80's, one of our rivals insisted on calling it's girls teams the Redskinettes.

 

There's a school in Wisconsin, Northland, whose women's teams go by Lumberjills. When WWE has a lumberjack match with all women, they call it a lumberjill match, but that's not the same thing.

Of the many Jills I know, I can't imagine any of them being lumberjills.

 

Elizabeth Lambert just walked on for the New Mexico women's basketball team and doesn't know why.

 

Big Spring High School in Texas is the Steers and Lady Steers.

 

Try telling some pioneers like Marian Washington that. Pat Summitt and others might be fine with "lady" but others aren't. Some don't see it as empowering, but belittling -- something that sets women's basketball down a peg from the men, something that expresses that they might play a polite game with no physical play or athleticism.

Just depends on your side of the fence. Pat Summitt and others are on one side, Marian Washington and others happen to see it differently from the other side. Personally, I'm in Washington's camp.

Now, if you will excuse me, I still have to watch the Gentlemen Jayhawks on DVR from last night.

 

they probably could sell a few shirts and hats if they did