Dear Tony Massarotti | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Sports

Dear Tony Massarotti

Defending UCONN WBB

45
Dear Tony Massarotti

If you take a brief look into the history of the sexes, you will notice a couple of different things. First, women have always been marginalized because of their gender identity, and typically by men. Second, men are absolute and utter douchebags. Does not matter if they are gay, straight, black, white, short, tall…they are pretty much douchebags in some way shape or form. That is not an eloquent way to say it, but quite frankly we are running out of ways to say it.

The latest example of this douchebag movement? Tony Massarotti. He http://sports.cbslocal.com/2017/02/15/massarotti-uconn-womens-basketball-winning-streak-doesnt-count/recently wrote on the topic of UCONN WBB and their recent historic streak of 100 wins in a row. He wrote, that it did not count. The language he wrote it, referring to the members of the Women’s Basketball program at UCONN as girls, diminishes the accomplishments of not only these women, but all women in sport everywhere. It represents each and every single one of their accomplishments individually but also collectively. He somehow managed to criticize the fact that UCONN had the top three picks in the 2016 WNBA draft on the roster, led by Geno Auriemma. He compares Auriemma to Wooden, and how Wooden often had the single best player on the floor, which builds up the accomplishments of Wooden and his UCLA squads.

Are you fucking kidding me? First of all, you are faulting Auriemma for his recruiting. Wouldn’t any coach love to be able to have three calibers such as Breanna Stewart, Moriah Jefferson, and Morgan Tuck? Ask any coach in the country and I am willing to bet they would take a trio like that on their roster any day of the week. It begins and ends with recruiting in college basketball. BCS caliber programs often compete for similar kids, and Auriemma more often than not will come out on top of a recruiting battle. This will piss off most other programs (Google search the Maya Moore recruiting battle that ticked off Tennessee).

Secondly, if Massarotti was an avid fan of women’s basketball and paid more attention to that than his ever growing ego, he would know Auriemma is beyond demanding of his players. He would be the first person to find something each player could not do as a freshman, and how over the course of four years they grew. Moriah Jefferson was a gifted athlete and basketball player; her speed and play as a point guard was exceptional as a senior. Auriemma would be the first to tell you she probably could not run full speed with the basketball as a freshman without turning it over. Stewart, he would probably say, could not handle the physical and mental demands of playing at UCONN. Auriemma is critical of any player, pushing them to maximize their talents and potential. Current Husky Gabby Williams, who recently had a triple double in one game, got benched in the first half for poor body language. Auriemma does not care if you are the top player or the beloved walk on: You are going to be challenged and pushed to your limits.

Winning one national championship is not easy. Winning 11 national championships is unheard of. Winning 100 games in a row? Unprecedented. I’m tired of men diminishing the accomplishment. If it was so easy to win 100 games, simply put, Wooden probably would have accomplished it. Or Coach K. Or Coach Calipari of Kentucky. I hope that if you have a daughter or do have a daughter in the near future, she reads your comments and feels devalued because of the words you write, and the attitude you displayed to a talented group of women who are demanded perfection with every possession. With every game, every practice, every lift. I would gather that I watched at least 95/100 games of this winning streak they are on. And I can tell you, that if you watched the five that I did not…you would not write a diminishing piece of historic history in sport. The challenges these talented young woman are rising to accomplish are not coming from Auriemma anymore. They are coming from sexist pigs like you who diminish them. So congratulate yourself, give yourself a pat on the back. You are on the wrong side of history, and will probably watching a 12th National Championship come to UCONN this year at the rate these women achieve this year. I just hope you do not piss all over that too.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

810
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

504
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199546
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20492
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments