Double Standard
I was watching the Bruins play the Panthers on national TV recently. There was something that happened when the studio crew was talking about the game that made me very upset. It especially struck a nerve with some recent women’s basketball news. Let me set the stage.
An article in Forbes was published calling out those criticizing Caitlin Clark and some of the other players for seemingly being too passionate. Clark’s competitive fire along with some of the other players showing emotion was a bit too much for the pundits sitting at home with nothing better to do. On top of that, former NHL player Bobby Ryan was removed from a podcast he contributed to for making negative and misogynistic remarks about women’s sports.
So apparently, we want female athletes to be robots - and I’m sure they won’t come out of the shadows, but naturally there are some who believe they shouldn’t be playing sports at all. Meanwhile, you have male athletes who get chance after chance and the benefit of the doubt for being repeat offenders with domestic violence, assault, and much worse. But yet, they face no real consequences for being complete menaces of society on and off the playing surface. Chauncy Billups is going to the hall of fame and is an NBA head coach while he should be in jail for being a rapist. But the Portland Trail Blazers had no problem overlooking that and overruling the OWNER of the team, who wanted Becky Hammon to be the coach. Hammon has led the Vegas Aces of the WNBA to back to back championships since then.
But now let’s talk about what set me off and why we’re here today. The Florida Panthers have a player named Matthew Tkachuk. He has become unhinged. Against the Bruins and in general, he plays dirty, mouths off, and does whatever he can to be a distraction. It’s gotten out of control. But instead of calling him out, the ESPN studio crew did nothing but sing his praises and say how rare it is to find a player of his caliber. They loved his attitude coupled with his talent. They were making him sound like the greatest there ever was. It was disgusting. Tkachuk’s energy and passion are applauded while the women are ridiculed.
Caitlin Clark having fire is part of what her makes her great, it isn’t a problem.
LSU talking the talk and backing it up is part of the image, it isn’t a problem.
Kim Mulkey’s personality is part of what makes her a successful coach, it isn’t a problem.
The problem is the double standard.
Problematic personalities are given an asterisk as male athletes. But it’s “un-lady like” or “bad for the game” if it happens on the other side. We criticize the female athletes for showing emotion during or after a game. But nobody is keeping the entitled, arrogant and self-centered personalities of the likes of the NBA, MLB, NFL, and NHL in check. They are put on pedestals no matter what and as quick as the women’s basketball players were lifted up, people are trying to bury them.
We are still a long way from equality in sports but supporting the women’s game is not just a necessity, but a responsibility. Kenny Smith can make disrespectful remarks about Sabrina Ionescu on a live mic and not face any negative ramifications. P.K Subban who is more focused on what outfit to wear on television than formulating an actual thought will continue to highlight a man putting a stain on hockey. But Caitlin Clark, Flau’jae Johnson, Angel Reese, and others get attacked for doing what they are supposed to do.
If I’ve learned anything in my time in the sports field, I can tell you people will continue to do the wrong thing more often than ever considering doing what is right. The talented, dedicated, and hardworking female athletes aren’t the problem, it’s the braindead critics who knock them down.