So.... Caitlin Clark

[Kblaze8855]

I’ve seen all the clips. There is no difference in any of this. It’s just athletes talking shit. And Clark from what I can see is a Larry bird or Gary Payton type who makes it a specialty. The pearl clutching over somebody doing it back is just another example of of the growing softness of society. We don’t even need to go into the double standard aspect which is obvious.

None of it justifies complaint going either way.

[Phoenix]

Clarke, if she pans out as projected, should dominate the WNBA and perhaps draw in some more casual interest in the best case scenario. As far as her being in the NBA, she quite clearly has the 3point range and a level of craftiness in her dribble and movement that clearly goes beyond what we've seen from past female players ( that I've seen, anyway). But as far as being an actual rotation player, well after seeing moments of her being defended well by Morris yesterday I'm envisioning her being defended by the likes of Jrue Holiday or having to stop Donovan Mitchell who we have empirical evidence of dropping 70 and...



She would get both torched and too well defended, even with todays slack defensive rules, by even the average NBA player to think she would be given anything but novelty minutes during a blowout.

[ShawkFactory]

There's clip of her doing it. It appears as though it was to a teammate, not an opponent.

It's not that big of a deal either way, but acting like it's a double standard is a reach.

[Kblaze8855]

You think she’s telling a teammate she can’t see her? It’s all to clown the opponent. Like all the other shit she does to clown opponents. There’s obviously a double standard at play even if we don’t choose to see the racial issue, which I have no interest in discussing. People have been aware she’s an over the top disrespectful shit talker all year:





Thats before the game. The pearls do not need to be clutched over players like that getting clowned with their own gestures when they lose the big game. It’s a big nothing.

[RRR3]

Is this only a big deal because they’re women or something? NBA players mean mug and flex after plays constantly

[bison]

Hopefully the LAkers can draft her.

[ShawkFactory]

You think she’s telling a teammate she can’t see her? It’s all to clown the opponent. Like all the other shit she does to clown opponents. There’s obviously a double standard at play even if we don’t choose to see the racial issue, which I have no interest in discussing.

It doesn't matter what you think the intentions are though. The gesture was made to her teammate. I feel like that's perfectly normal thing to do to a teammate and friend when you're jacked up after a big win. But even IF that isn't the case, to use your middle finger analogy: yes I do think that flipping a quick bird at someone is a little different than following them around for 10-15 seconds with your middle finger in their face.

Again...I don't really care. I just don't view it as the same thing. And the racial connotation plays no factor in that for me.

For what it's worth, I've always hated talking shit after a game has ended. Before or during is cool but after is lame to me. Of course there's exceptions, but in general.

[Kblaze8855]

There’s no question what the intention was. The gesture has a meaning. A meaning which was returned to the preeminent shit talker of her sport on the occasion of her coming up short, which is exactly the way sports are expected to go. It is an absolute nothing. And if it isn’t a Nothing, I would call it a positive. Clowning somebody who talked shit to everyone before you beat them? It’s just competition.

[Kblaze8855]

And when are you supposed to talk about defeating somebody if not after you accomplish it? Talking about it in advance is, if anything, even more arrogant.

[bison]

Didn't the article state (unless I misunderstood) Clarke did it when walking towards her bench, while obviously Reese basically did it in her face? Slight difference...

Huge difference. The former is just hyping up your own team, the latter is poor sportsmanship. and yes basketball is a white woman's game now, and the sistas can't stand it. EDD, stewie, sabrina, Kelsey plum are dominating the W, with Buecker, Caitlin Clarke and hailey van lith coming down the pipeline. The NBA too, will be dominated by Euros if it isn't alread.y

[ShawkFactory]

And when are you supposed to talk about defeating somebody if not after you accomplish it? Talking about it in advance is, if anything, even more arrogant.

So if someone does that you after winning a big game, your thoughts are just..well that's how it's supposed to be, I lost? Maybe I just am not a graceful loser, which I can accept if that's the case. But idk man.

Talking shit before a game is just hypotheticals and/or attempts to intimidate or gain an advantage. It's not a reality, and because of that it doesn't bother me as much. You're right in that it's a competition. And for me, once the competition is over then it's over. Why would you need to talk about defeating somebody? You defeated them...it happened and everyone knows that it happened.

[Phoenix]

Is this only a big deal because they’re women or something? NBA players mean mug and flex after plays constantly

As in if this happened in the NBA last night would it be given this level of attention? Not even a back page story....

[ShawkFactory]

As in if this happened in the NBA last night would it be given this level of attention? Not even a back page story....

I would be willing to bet that there would be a dustup if this happened in the NBA. Luka and Booker almost fought because Booker pointed at the floor after a missed shot in crunchtime.

[Hey Yo]

As in if this happened in the NBA last night would it be given this level of attention? Not even a back page story....

It probably would if it were the same circumstances.

Player A does it during a playoff series and Player B does it to A's face in the closing moments of a blowout game 7 finals loss. Doubt A would let that go on without pushing or shoving. B away and possibly further escalation.

[tontoz]

Clark talked a lot of crap and got it thrown back in her face. Nothingburger to me.