UConn Huskies – This Beer is for You!
Congrats to the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team on their 89th consecutive victory surpassing John Wooden’s 1971-74 UCLA team. Anyone trying to discount this accomplishment needs to check their sexism at the door. This streak is amazing no matter how you look at it, and to the detractors that say otherwise, please understand that Wooden’s UCLA team and this UCONN team have more in common than you realize.
John Wooden put together a phenomenal run between 1971 and 1974 winning 3 consecutive championships and a measley 88 undefeated streak. Phenomenal. As, I’m sure you’ve heard the University of Connecticut Huskies, led by Geno Auriemma and Maya Moore, have surpassed that feat and holds the longest consecutive games winning streak in all of college basketball. Amazing.
But, this hasn’t been without a fair share of controversy. Haters and detractors want to claim that there is no competition in women’s basketball and the feat doesn’t compare with what Bill Walton and the great John Wooden were able to accomplish. These same people say that this feat isn’t on the same level as the UCLA streak. Please, get over yourself and congratulate these ladies.
Eighty-nine consecutive games, spanning three years while dealing with changing lineups, graduation, possible pregnancy (not something you deal with in men’s sports as much.) and injuries is phenomenal. I struggle with doing anything 10 straight times, let alone 89. I bet you don’t drive to work the same way 89 straight times. This isn’t men’s pro basketball pre-free agency, where you could keep a solid 5 starters together for years to come. The NCAA has rules against that, you know. No, this is the development of a true and pure dynasty that rivals something the Chinese did thousands of years ago. This is domination.
But don’t assume that because this is women’s basketball that it’s any different. While, today, it may be true there is not as much PARODY in women’s basketball as there is in men’s, that is not there is not as much COMPETITION.
Look, in the men’s game, kids are one and done, if they go to college at all. Imagine if Kevin Durant had stayed at the University of Texas through his senior season… he’d be a rookie this year. How dominant would Kentucky be if they had LeBron James for 4 years? I’m not saying either of these schools would have a winning streak even close to the UConn women, but there sure wouldn’t be parody in college basketball. That’s how UCLA dominated for so long. Back then, you stayed in school for 3-4
years. The NBA wasn’t offering millions of dollars to top draft picks and college games regularly out drew pro games. How is this different than women’s basketball today? It’s not. People don’t go to WNBA games as much as top tier women’s collegiate basketball. See Tennessee Lady Vols vs. Baylor Bears game December 14th that drew over 10,000 people, almost 2,500 more than the average 2010 WNBA attendance.
To be clear here, I’m not trying to denouncing what Wooden, UCLA, Geno or UConn have done. I’m here to celebrate both accomplishments for the feats they are. Just like UCLA did for college basketball in the ’70s, UConn has elevated and brought attention to women’s college basketball today. Just count the number of Women’s basketball here on Sports Collision. You’re reading it. Never before has there been so many good teams. Brittney Griner and the Baylor Bears, Pat Summitt and Tennessee, Florida State, Duke, Texas A&M, Rutgers and of course the Huskies are all very dominant and quality teams on a year in year out basis. Congratulations Ladies for your commitment to excellence and bringing some national attention to women’s sports, Sports Collision thanks you. This beer is for you.
