FCP: What we're trying to do, and why

It’s been 11 years now, and it occurs to me that it’s probably time to reiterate what we’re trying to do here at Full Court Press, and how we see our role in the world of women’s basketball.

First, and hopefully obviously, we are advocates for the sport. All of us involved – for little glory and less money – feel strongly that women’s basketball has a lot to offer to participants (in all roles and at all levels) and also serves an important function in society. (No further proof of the latter statement is needed than the words ‘Don Imus.’)

But advocacy, it seems, has often become confused with cheerleading in the women’s game, and we do not cheerlead. When praise is deserved, in our estimation, we praise; when criticism is deserved, we criticize.

This has not made us as popular as we might be, for a variety of reasons. First, there are those who feel strongly that the game must be presented in as positive a light as possible as often as possible –- and that pointing out flaws is merely ammunition for the many critics.

There is some logic in this position, but danger as well. If all anyone or any institution ever hears is praises, then the likelihood of improvement drops dramatically. And we believe that women’s basketball has plenty of room to improve, and is not well served by ignoring those areas as if they don’t exist. In the long run, any organization, any sport, must evolve and change with the times, and women’s basketball is no different – but if no one ever points out what might be wrong, the impetus for change will certainly be lost.

Another reason for the urge to cheerlead is the nature of the fan base for women’s basketball. On the men’s side, fans tend to be more fans of the sport in general than fans of their particular team and players, and so they are more willing to compare and contrast their team with others, often in a negative light. Most women’s fans, as I’ve noted, are caught up in the Our Girls’ Syndrome, and root primarily for their teams and their players.

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with OGS, but it does lead to excessively thin skin when the fair maidens are criticized. Over the years, I have been accused of hating Tennessee, Uconn, Stanford, Purdue and a host of other teams that I have forgotten. I don’t hate any team or school, and though some, as a sports fan, I cheer for more than others, in my job as a journalist, I am more concerned with the sport than the school.

So if a Tennessee team underachieves, I will point that out. If a Stanford team does, I will point that out as well. Some years, it sounds like I’m picking on a particular school; others, it appears I’m picking on someone else. I’m doing neither – I’m just reporting on what’s going on, and supplying perspective and analysis.

And that’s the second thing about FCP: You can find the scores on-line. You can look up the stats. But nowhere else can you find consistent perspective and analysis of what those scores and stats mean. Nowhere else is the entire women’s game put into context, a context that includes but extends beyond the NCAA or WNBA or high school. Full Court Press covers as much of the sport as it can, given our limitations, and it does by looking beyond the standings and heartwarming people features at the real issues that affect the players, teams and game as a whole.

ESPN, for example, doesn’t want to do that – and there’s no reason why it should. After all, ESPN is in business to sell advertising, and women’s basketball is not one of its most profitable programs, so why would it give viewers a reason not to watch? The criticism of the major sports does little or no damage because those audiences aren’t going anywhere, and in fact the criticism, whether of players, teams or the game as a whole, may make viewers more eager to watch.

ESPN’s draft coverage of the WNBA is a perfect example. Though there was a token admission by the panel that almost none of the players taken after the first round would make a roster, the commentators still gushed about every individual’s strengths and how she could help their team. In truth, contraction means that even in a good draft, rosters will be tough to make – and this wasn’t a good draft (though you wouldn’t have read that anywhere else).

Which brings us to point three: The writers at FCP, for the most part, have followed the sport for years, and unlike the newbies who get the women’s basketball beat at the networks or the national sports’ web sites, we have a sense of perspective, and a solid background, so that we can make valid comparisons. We don’t have to rely on media relations’ department to tell us what’s going on; we’ve heard the quotes about the incoming classes too many times (‘an exciting group of athletes’); and we can bring to bear knowledge that other writers for other outlets just don’t have.

All this expertise, however, has not made us beloved, as mentioned above, or even particularly popular. FCP has managed to survive the dot.com boom and bust, and has done so by underpaying everyone involved and relying a small subscriber base that appreciates what we do.

To them, much thanks, and they clearly understand our goals. We’d like to say we reach them all the time, but obviously we don’t. There are many things I would like to see improved at FCP, but the limitations we work under cut into our options.

So we do the best we can do to bring analysis and perspective, criticism as well as praise, and informed opinion to bear on the sport of women’s basketball. We love the game, or we wouldn’t be doing what we do, but we don’t wear pom-pons and we won’t cheerlead. The cost of that is directly financial, as too many women’s basketball fans are unused to criticism, and certainly don’t want to hear any about their girls, but the game deserves better than that.

Hopefully, 11 years from now, I’ll be able to write a similar column, which will mean the game, and Full Court Press, will have woven their way through the minefield of the future. In the meantime, thanks for those who have read (and subscribed), and thanks to those who are reading right now. It’s important to remember that we’re all in this together, and we all have our roles to play to help women’s basketball survive and thrive.