RebKell's Junkie Boards

[mzonefan]

[rykhala]

1. Were you a MBB fan before you were a WBB fan, or did your basketball interest start with some level of WBB?

My hometown was very tiny, and our high school boy's basketball team was the main draw. Everybody in town went to the games. The girl's basketball team usually played on the same nights as the boy's team, but earlier, so I would watch those games. It wasn't until I attended Southwest Missouri State University (Missouri State) that I really started following women's college basketball. When I was a junior, Jackie Stiles was a freshman. I got swept up in the Lady Bears wave. I attended my first Women's Final Four in 2001, and I have been hooked on both WCB and the WNBA ever since.


2. Do you currently watch just WBB or both WBB and MBB?

I watch every second of WCB that I can find. I watch several of the marquee men's college games and the conference and NCAA tournaments. I usually watch nearly every WNBA game and the playoffs. I watch several NBA games and most of the playoffs.

[Oldfandepot2]

Started playing and watching basketball in the mid 50's in basketball crazy Connecticut. (What else was there to do in 50's in snowbound Connecticut).

My late friend Bob in the early late 70's early 80's coached a girl's HS team and I helped out. Went to a UCONN women's game with Bob in the 80's at the old Field House. Later, I co coached my daughter's team. Became disillusioned with all the me first crap of the men's game. The women's game with it emphasis on fundamentals and academics became my favorite; follwed only in passing though with Nancy Leiberman and Cheryl Miller. Became more interested when Kerry Bascom arrived at UCONN but still knew little about the other schools as I was UCONN centric.

Still remember opening the local newspaper to the sports pages after a women's game there would be as usual on the first or second page the picture of a very young Geno completely out of control screaming at an official and also as usual, Chris holding on to him for dear life.

_________________
Cave Canem!
We must listen to each other no matter how much it hurts. Bishop Desmond Tutu.

[ClayK]

I started coaching girls' basketball in 1978 ... and had written about it prior to that.

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Oṃ T�re Tutt�re Ture Sv�h�

[CalwbbFan]

I loved all sports as a kid. For a while I wanted to be a pro football player until I realized that, as a girl, that was unlikely to happen. I grew up in the late 60s and 70s when opportunities for female athletes were few and far between. My junior high offered nothing in the way of girls sports save for intramural bowling.

I created a stir when in 9th grade I wrote an editorial for our school paper after investigating the where the money from annual candy sales went. While girls sold 2/3 of the candy, it was allocated so that $10,000 went to boy's sports and only $450 went to girl's intramural bowling. Needless to say it raised some eyebrows....and even got the attention of Gloria Steinem. She got me my first paid writing gig when I wrote about the issue for a national teen magazine.

At any rate, with regard to basketball, I was pretty much self-taught, playing hours in my driveway. We lived on a hill so if I missed, often times the ball would careen down the road. I managed to play on some local rec teams, but it wasn't until I was a senior in high school that TITLE IX kicked in and a girl's team was established.

When I entered Harvard the following year, women's sports were just really getting off the ground. I played 3 sports-field hockey, basketball and lacrosse. The basketball team, of which I was a member, had a coach everyone hated...in fact some of more senior players staged a walkout at one point and demanded that the Athletic Department get a "real" full-time coach. The following year we did and we won the New England college championship of some sort.... (note this in the AIAW days, and before the Ivy League had established a league championship...there was a tourney, but not league standings).

My senior year I didn't play since all the girl's who'd had the benefit of Title IX in high school were playing and my skills weren't as good. Instead I opted to be an assistant coach at a nearby private school, Buckingham, Brown & Nichols. That was fun, though taxing at times. Our starting five was fantastic, but we've have to make sure to be up by 20 points when we put our subs in because they were guaranteed to bring the point spread back down to single digits...the team ended up being undefeated and winning the NE prep school championship (forget the actual acronym).

Outside of school I was passionate about advocating for women's sports and spent the summer after my sophomore year working as an intern for womenSports magazine in New York. It was great fun and I got to rub elbows with some of the legends. Billie Jean King was still a part-owner and I played a couple games of tennis against her at an indoor court in NYC and watched her play, sitting next to Larry, at Forest Hills...also met Diana Nyad who was friends with one of the editors and some other notable female athletes.

After I graduated I eventually moved to SF and started to work for a company that published yearbooks and media guides for NFL and MLB. I love sports, but wasn't all that interested in writing about men's sports. I decided to go back to graduate school and ended up a Berkeley in their journalism program. After that it was on to a career in television news. For a time I worked as a videographer for a local NBC affiliate and was able to shoot a lot of sports. I took pride in the fact that as a woman, I was one of the better sports "shooters." I shot 49ers games, Giants, As, local college, hockey, etc....great fun, though I didn't much enjoy the post-game locker room scene (or smell).

Over these past few years I've helped coach my daughter's various rec teams in soccer, basketball, and softball but as she's grown older--and the teams got more selective and competitive--she's moved on to other recreational pursuits like horseback riding.

At any rate, these days, I remain a passionate fan of women's sports of all types, but basketball is my favorite. Looking back I am somewhat discouraged that many of the same battles for recognition and press coverage still exist nearly 40 years later. I was hoping that at this point in my life our society would be more supportive of female athletes than it is. Regardless, I believe providing unfettered opportunities for girls and women to compete in sports and experience the comraderie that results provides lifelong benefits.

Sorry for the long-winded post, but you asked...

[FrozenLVFan]

I was also a tomboy and played most sports as a kid, including HS basketball back in the 70's. I was a rabid Celtics fan (a friend's uncle worked in their front office and could get us tickets), and I watched HS and college MBB as well. In 1976, I saw the first women's Olympic games in Montreal and became a huge fan of a feisty player named Pat Head. I went on to play college ball until I had repeated knee injuries, but continued to follow WBB, Coach Head, and the Lady Vols. It was difficult in those days because media coverage of all women's sports was pretty limited.

Over the years, WBB coverage has increased, and my interest in the NBA has waned as the league became more about hot dogs and publicity stunts and less about team play. My interest in MCBB followed the same path. Right now, I watch WCBB almost exclusively. I watched the ABL whenever I could find a televised game, but I have too many other things to do in the summer to follow the WNBA.

[CompSci87]

MBB first. Growing up in Milwaukee, I followed the Bucks right from their first year in the league, on radio (!) and TV. They won the NBA championship early on with Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) before he forced a trade to the Lakers. Then I started college at Marquette the year after the Warriors (now Golden Eagles) won the NCAA championship and Al McGuire retired. Went to quite a few MU games.

After I started grad school at Stanford, I didn't have much time to follow sports. I lost touch with the Wisconsin teams as this was pre-Internet and pre-300-cable-channels. I did start following Golden State a bit.

I stayed in the area after graduation and eventually became aware that Stanford had a great WBB team and they might be fun to follow. I didn't really get started until the tail end of the Nicole Powell era, and didn't start going to games right away. I've been a season ticket holder for a few years now. I go to an occasional Stanford MBB game too, and follow Golden State on TV.

[beknighted]

[TheWildJacko]

WBB fan first. My parents started taking me to Stanford games when I was 5, during the 1989-90 championship season. Don't remember those games much, but I do remember vividly going to the 1992 Final Four with my dad when they Stanford won it all again. The Stanford-Virginia semi-final was epic.

I mostly watch WBB but I'll watch MBB if Stanford is doing well, or during the NCAAs to see an interesting matchup. I'll also watch the NBA playoffs on and off.

[Beemer]

Oddly enough I hated basketball growing up. Didn't like to play or even watch it, not even when my sister played in HS. But she & our dad are huge fans so I ended up watching a lot of NBA and MCBB games anyway.

Fast forward to 1994. My mother gets me hooked on UConn women's basketball and the rest is history. I love the women's game, college and pro,

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Go Huskies! Go Sun!

[gopher5]

I started watching basketball in the early 1980s with my Dad (and I still watch with him). This mainly included the men’s teams (local high school, Gophers and other NCAA, and the NBA). My favorite NBA team was the 76ers and I loved watching the Big East. I was aware of Ann Meyers, Nancy Lieberman, Cheryl Miller and Anne Donovan and read about whatever coverage the Gopher women’s team received in the paper.

I watched the few women’s games that they were on tv, but did not see any in person until college. My college went to the D-III Final Four in 1993 when I was a student and I went to a lot of their games.

I went to my first Gopher women’s game in 1995 and continued going occasionally until Lindsay Whalen’s sophomore year and was hooked. I had also become more interested in women’s basketball during the 1996 Olympics and the launch of the WNBA. I signed up for season tickets when they announced MN was getting a franchise and have remained a sth since then.

I still watch men’s games (high school, NCAA and NBA) on tv, but not nearly as often as women’s basketball. I occasionally attend a men’s game in person.

[hyperetic]

I started watching bits and pieces of NBA basketball back in the 70's. Dr. J blew my mind. I liked it but I wasn't fanatical. My interest waned in the early 80's but picked back up in the 90's. Lots happened in the 90's. I started back trying to play again. My kids were born. The WNBA started. Before the W, I had watched some college and Olympic women's games and I was really excited women would get a chance to play professionally. I was so limited in my knowledge of women's basketball I didn't know our women could and did go overseas to play professionally. To put it in perspective though, for all intents and purposes, I am a feminist and its mainly because of my mother. When my kids got old enough to hold a ball, we were able to bond over it too. Once I got the W bug, I started paying more attention to WCBB again. Not a great whole lot but some. These days I am a pretty serious BB fan. I'm still more pro-centric but I do watch more college ball these days. Since my kids are out of high school watching amateur ball is more far and in-between. I've started keeping up with a lil international ball of late. I'm behind on that too because I only recently realized how entrenched basketball is in some of these not-the-US countries. But I am excited about it. I kinda want to get some more of that height and athleticism of the Dinka tribe into the W. BG wouldn't be such an anomaly.

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https://www.facebook.com/tonyboydphotography

[larmarch5]

My dad put up a bb goal in our back yard in the Texas panhandle around 1958 or 1959 when I was 9 or 10. The biggest challenge was to not allow a long rebound into the sticker (goathead) patch near the alley.

I joined the 7th grade team which had district wide UIL competition. We were undefeated our 7th and 8th grade years. I was on the Freshman team in High School, then the B-team my Sophomore year, and a starter my Junior and Senior years. We always had a lot of fans (parents) come to the games, mainly because there was no other entertainment in these small towns.

The only male player from the 60's that I even recall knowing about at the time was Rick Barry; I knew about his bucket shot, so I guess I saw him play, but, right now I'd have to google what team he was on. I remember watching a pro men's game maybe 20 years ago and was appalled that they are allowed to carry the ball and take extra steps. It's more like a track meet with dunks. That said, I would like to see more women dunk the ball in games. We know they can; we see them in practice.

I went to Texas Women's University'67-'70 and played on our dorm team in intramurals. I tried out for a school-wide team, but was taking 18 credit hours and working 20 hours a week and didn't have time for practice.

I lived in Austin, TX in the 70's and 80's and went to the Lady Longhorn games, witnessed their national championship in person.

It's frustrating watching the women's game right now -- too much fouling allowed; they call it physicality. My definition of physicality is clumsy slow players being allowed to maul more talented players. It makes women look like they can't score.

[pasteurize]

My mom has always been in love with the Sixers, so I grew up watching basketball (the NBA) and actually really got into it over time.

Then, I went to college (Rutgers) in the mid 2000's. Since I was a fan of basketball, I decided to go to a couple men's games my freshman year. I quickly realized our men's team wasn't so terrific but heard that our women's team was quite good. Since fans always have more fun cheering on a winning team, I found myself enjoying watching the women's basketball team quite a bit. I became addicted! And watching several Rutgers players transition to the WNBA made me a fan of the league as well (even if the Liberty aren't setting the world ablaze).

[ArtBest23]

I played basketball constantly when growing up. High school varsity, CYO, backyards, driveways, and the great playgrounds of northern NJ. Was a huge Knicks fan - Reed, Frazier, Barnett, Bradley, DeBusschere, Don May, Walt Bellamy, Phil Jackson, etc, Used to attend the NIT at MSG. For girls, NJ Catholic schools still played the NJ variant of 6 on 6, with 3 dribble limit, 2 offensive, 2 defensive, and 2 full court players. Went to some games, but was never a huge fan.

Went to Notre Dame when it was all male, and went to nearly every MBB home game for four years. Was in attendance for both ends of the UCLA 88 game win streak. In 1971 the Austin Car-led team was the last team to beat UCLA, and in 1974 the Johns Shumate, Gary Brokaw, Adrian Dantley team broke the string. (Three weeks before that I was also at the Sugar Bowl in old Tulane Stadium when ND beat Alabama to win the national championship in football. It was a good senior year for a sports fan.) ND became coed in the midpoint of my time there, but did not yet have women's basketball, or any women's varsity sports that I recall, by the time I graduated.

Have always been a men's college basketball fan, and still am. Have lost most interest in the NBA over the years and rarely watch or attend today. Became a WCBB fan because of the success of the Notre Dame team. Until recently it was hard to be a fan because there was little WCBB on TV. Now I watch every ND game I can find, men or women, and lot's of other men's and women's games, depending on what's on any of DirecTV's many sports channels, or now, on the internet as well.

Watch some WNBA, but don't often attend the Mystics, but then I don't often attend the Wizards either.

I was looking forward to ND being in the ACC so I could easily go see ND play MD in football, men's and women's basketball, soccer and lacrosse. And then Maryland bailed out. Sucks.

[Oldfandepot2]

[ArtBest23]

[Brinx]

My father is a huge MBB fan, so I grew up watching him yell and cheer at the TV and over the years fell in love with it too. (Still watch plenty MBB) Then when I was in 6th grade and started playing basketball my dad thought it was important that I saw women basketball played at a higher level so he started taking me to UCLAwbb games. As I got older, he exposed me to more and more wbb, so he started taking me to see the Sparks, CSULA, Mater Dei and whatever teams he thought I could learn from...in doing so we both became pretty big WBB fans (Giving away my age here, but watching college basketball together during the Taurasi era while I was in high school was a lot of fun). To this day we still go to UCLA games together and he often calls or emails me about WBB news or big games.


I currently watch MBB (though mostly UCLA) but spend far more time keeping up with WBB and the WNBA.

[allenleavell]

1)I grew up playing basketball in Texas.I played in High school and some in College.
2)In high school I realized that girls basketball games had all the ladies there at the games.I fell in love in watching women sports.
3) My father loved watching all sports especially his Rockets.
4) My daughters begin playng basketball at early age and playing AAU.
Older teammates would go off to college so we followed.
5)My wife played basketball in College and a basketball junkies.
Way of life !!!!

[Howee]

Played basketball in jr. high. Loved it, but didn't play after that.(Tennis consumed my high school and college years). My only interest in pro basketball was when Ernie Digregorio played for the Buffalo Braves.

Then. I got roped into coaching my utterly winless niece's basketball team while I was in college. That 'qualified' me to coach (male and female) when I began my teaching career. I spent much more time coaching girls, tho, and really enjoyed it much more.

I followed *my* girls into their college careers, and from there, I became addicted to college wbb. Pros? I'm the opposite of Queenie....professional wbb is my methadone from the NCAA season.

_________________
Oregon: Go Ducks!
"Inévitablement, les canards voleront"

[tfan]

[backinball]

As a kid, I was always busy playing something - basketball, softball or soccer. Even in the summer, I picked up a tennis raquet and hit the ball around on the street rather than be in the house watching something.

I became a three sport athlete as a freshman in high school, and my earliest recollection of watching a basketball game on TV was the AIAW National Championship in 1974. Immaculata played that day, and I decided, sitting on the floor in front of my TV, that I would go there and continue the tradition as a Mighty Mac.

Fast foward ahead a few decades (OK, more than a few) and I have never lost the passion for the game in general, but especially womens basketball. I have to be tied down to watch the NBA, but I have suffered through a few game in the past year. I like the WNBA, but I miss the ABL because of the purity of the league and the dedication of the older players. My true passion is college basketball, and nothing makes me happier than a triple header on a Saturday in early February, when the games really matter.

To sum it up, I will probably die with a basketball close by. Basketball has been so very good to me. I have been extraordinary places, met extraordinary people, and had extraordinary experiences that most people can only dream of. Hope that answers your question.....

[backinball]

As a kid, I was always busy playing something - basketball, softball or soccer. Even in the summer, I picked up a tennis raquet and hit the ball around on the street rather than be in the house watching something.

I became a three sport athlete as a freshman in high school, and my earliest recollection of watching a basketball game on TV was the AIAW National Championship in 1974. Immaculata played that day, and I decided, sitting on the floor in front of my TV, that I would go there and continue the tradition as a Mighty Mac.

Fast foward ahead a few decades (OK, more than a few) and I have never lost the passion for the game in general, but especially womens basketball. I have to be tied down to watch the NBA, but I have suffered through a few game in the past year. I like the WNBA, but I miss the ABL because of the purity of the league and the dedication of the older players. My true passion is college basketball, and nothing makes me happier than a triple header on a Saturday in early February, when the games really matter.

To sum it up, I will probably die with a basketball close by. Basketball has been so very good to me. I have been extraordinary places, met extraordinary people, and had extraordinary experiences that most people can only dream of. Hope that answers your question.....

[Howee]

[TheLoneGranger]