Defending Women's Basketball, While It Still Lets Me

The Schloss-Blog is watching a lot of basketball - especially college basketball, and sees things that are good and some not so good.

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Don't get made at me, ladies, but watching the women's ACC Tournament left me disappointed. I watched women inexplicably try to play the way Michael Jordan and LeBron James play, and they can't. They just can't.

For instance, Florida State's star guard, Ta'Niya Latson, averaging 25.4 points per game this season, went up and the down the court out of control against North Carolina and looked like she was in over her head; looked like she was in junior high competing against pros.

This is one of the best players in the country and I'm struggling to see how she's leading the nation in scoring.

She doesn't shoot the ball; she throws it at the basket. Literally. She rushes to the basket, often 1-on-3, and throws up a God-awful shot without waiting for support. She and her teammates rushed shots when they should've been working the clock, holding for the last shot in any given quarter.

OK, go on, jump on me for being this critical. But watching this game unfold, I'm watching player after player make believe she's Michael Jordan.

And watching the coach let it happen; she didn't pull Latson (or anyone else) aside or take her out of the game to calm her down, to get her refocused. And it cost them the game.

Not that North Carolina was much better.

Much the same in the next game I watched, Kentucky versus Oklahoma in the SEC Tournament. Two highly ranked teams, nationally.

Kentucky had the only player I watched all day, Georgia Amoore, from Australia, who had court sense, could create her own shot, knew where everyone was around her, on both teams, and more often than not was able to generate a high-percentage shot for herself or one of her teammates.

She's 5-4; that's 5-feet, 4-inches. Far and away the best player I watched all day. Played the way all the ladies should - within herself, within her capabilities, within her game. Smart. Polished. Sharp.

I love women's basketball - covered hundreds upon hundreds of women's high school games as a sports writer for two different major newspaper chains. Lost 11-7 to a star player one time in an impromptu one-on-one contest. OK, actually, the score was deceptive - she kicked my butt. Some of the best coaches, though, are in the women's game.

But ladies, stop letting the game get ahead of you. Play within yourselves. I always loved the ladies' game because women play defense, box out, rebound and make the extra pass to hit the open 'man' and do all of that much, much more than 3-point-chucking, slam dunk-loving men do.

I'm watching the women's game trend away from that and I don't like it. Ladies, slow down. Help me keep my faith in your game.

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In the time it took you to read that last segment, Donald Trump changed his mind about the tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China.

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OK, the men's game, by contrast, is the Michael Jordan derby, the race to see who can make moves that will impress MJ or LeBron, regardless of who you consider to be the GOAT.

They go crazy on every college and pro bench every time someone routinely makes a breakaway slam-dunk or an open 3.

And no, men's college varsity players, you are not the next LeBron or Michael, not even Magic or Larry.

This is what should earn a "going crazy" reaction - Larry Bird, in a 60-point performance, hits this ridiculous shot as the opposition Atlanta Hawks bench falls off the end.

Instead, guys, try taking a charge from LeBron. Try making Luka give up the ball. Try blocking out LeBron. Try making SGA take a tougher shot.

Try playing defense before the playoffs start.

The NBA game is ridiculous until the playoffs start. No defense, no boxing out, no nothing.

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By the way, unless your name is LeBron James, when you drive the lane in the NBA, you get tackled by a bunch of guys who otherwise can't play defense.

Just ask Jalen Brunson, clobbered by ... LeBron James.

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Donald Trump just changed his mind.

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Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Dawn Staley.

More Sunday night on my Radio Free Phoenix rock 'n' roll show.

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Donald Trump just changed his mind again.