Open season on Caitlin Clark

[Jerry]

She's getting mugged to the point of assault in one game after another.

Hell, Draymond Green of all people said Indiana needs an "enforcer" to protect Caitlin. (Link below.) And Draymond is something of an authority on such topics.

I can't imagine why she'd be such a target...

 

[amblernit]

She's getting mugged to the point of assault in one game after another.

Hell, Draymond Green of all people said Indiana needs an "enforcer" to protect Caitlin. (Link below.) And Draymond is something of an authority on such topics.

I can't imagine why she'd be such a target...

racist bleep going on!!

 

[amblernit]

racist bleep going on!!

if she were black this wouldn'n be happening!.

 

[NJPSU]

I can't imagine why she'd be such a target...

Because she’s getting all the attention and all the endorsement money.

That said they are idiots because the attention she’s bringing the WNBA is going to benefit everyone in the league.

 

[Jerry]

Oops, forgot the link:

 

[bcspsu]

Oops, forgot the link:

View embedded media

They can always sign a male who claims that he’s really a woman to come in and play like Laimbeer and Mahorn. That actually may get me to watch one of those games for a few minutes.

In all seriousness, I think we all know what’s happening here.

 

[LionDeNittany]

She's getting mugged to the point of assault in one game after another.

Hell, Draymond Green of all people said Indiana needs an "enforcer" to protect Caitlin. (Link below.) And Draymond is something of an authority on such topics.

I can't imagine why she'd be such a target...

This isn't a new thing across sports.

Young stars get the beat down and have to rise above.

As I mentioned in another thread, you'd never know it but the all time leading WNBA scorer is white.

Although she isn't straight.

Clark mostly has jealousy against her IMO. Not much else.

 

[knickslions]

Ya that was a pretty cheap shot yesterday. She handled it fine. Jordan took a beating early in his career too.

 

[bcspsu]

This isn't a new thing across sports.

Young stars get the beat down and have to rise above.

As I mentioned in another thread, you'd never know it but the all time leading WNBA scorer is white.

Although she isn't straight.

Clark mostly has jealousy against her IMO. Not much else.

Yeah, but there’s more that’s going into this than just a rookie earning his or her stripes. When Sidney Crosby was a rookie, he was abused like when he had teeth knocked out by Darian Hatcher of the Flyers with a high stick. That was considered to be part of the game back then in the NHL.

With the Clark situation, it’s obvious that there are racial and probably sexual overtones, and several journalists who write about that league have alluded to that. And let’s face it, this goes back to the 2023 NCAA Championship game against LSU.

 

[Jerry]

Ya that was a pretty cheap shot yesterday. She handled it fine. Jordan took a beating early in his career too.

She's handled it like a saint.

Jordan was targeted by the Pistons. Caitlin needs her own Charles Oakley. I think that was Draymond's point.

 

[knickslions]

She's handled it like a saint.

Jordan was targeted by the Pistons. Caitlin needs her own Charles Oakley. I think that was Draymond's point.

I met Oakley a few years back at Cavs game. He was of nicest guys for how tough he was on court. I had him sign a jersey of his and got good pic. One of my favorite Knicks of all time.

 

[Jerry]

I met Oakley a few years back at Cavs game. He was of nicest guys for how tough he was on court. I had him sign a jersey of his and got good pic. One of my favorite Knicks of all time.

Good stuff. I was a big fan of Oakley's game myself.

The league actually played serious D back in those days.

 

[knickslions]

Good stuff. I was a big fan of Oakley's game myself.

The league actually played serious D back in those days.

I miss that NBA

 

[PSU Soupy]

I bought some of his sunglasses. They are awesome.

 

[Obliviax]

They can always sign a male who claims that he’s really a woman to come in and play like Laimbeer and Mahorn. That actually may get me to watch one of those games for a few minutes.

In all seriousness, I think we all know what’s happening here.

Dennis Rodman?

 

[Ian]

Yeah, but there’s more that’s going into this than just a rookie earning his or her stripes. When Sidney Crosby was a rookie, he was abused like when he had teeth knocked out by Darian Hatcher of the Flyers with a high stick. That was considered to be part of the game back then in the NHL.

With the Clark situation, it’s obvious that there are racial and probably sexual overtones, and several journalists who write about that league have alluded to that. And let’s face it, this goes back to the 2023 NCAA Championship game against LSU.

There definitely is more to it than just breaking in a rookie. It’s HS pettiness but she has to rise above it! Would love to an Oakley handle things.

 

[psu1969a]

She's handled it like a saint.

Jordan was targeted by the Pistons. Caitlin needs her own Charles Oakley. I think that was Draymond's point.

Out of ancient history, she needs a protector, like Jim Loscutoff. He was the enforcer/protector on old Boston Celtics. Very effective.

 

[GregInPitt]

There definitely is more to it than just breaking in a rookie. It’s HS pettiness but she has to rise above it! Would love to an Oakley handle things.

Since this is the WNBA, and "wokeness" is all the rage, why can't she just get her older brother to dress up like an actual woman and play next to her and take out the scum that are attacking her??

 

[WaylonJ]

They can always sign a male who claims that he’s really a woman to come in and play like Laimbeer and Mahorn. That actually may get me to watch one of those games for a few minutes.

In all seriousness, I think we all know what’s happening here.

Rick Mahorn: "I got six fouls coming and they're all for you."

 

[Obliviax]

Rick Mahorn: "I got six fouls coming and they're all for you."

Bill Lambier and Isiah Thomas too. Add in Dennis Rodman. They were the dirtiest team in the history of the NBA. The Mark Price, Brad Daugherty Cavs were a much better basketball team. But the league let teams simply beat the crap out of them in the playoffs to the point where they were damaged when they got deep into the playoffs. That only changed when Jordan came along and the league finally realized that they needed to protect their stars. You can't breathe on Steph Curry in today's league but back in the day, he'd have never made it to the finals.

 

[Jerry]

Bill Lambier and Isiah Thomas too. Add in Dennis Rodman. They were the dirtiest team in the history of the NBA. The Mark Price, Brad Daugherty Cavs were a much better basketball team. But the league let teams simply beat the crap out of them in the playoffs to the point where they were damaged when they got deep into the playoffs. That only changed when Jordan came along and the league finally realized that they needed to protect their stars. You can't breathe on Steph Curry in today's league but back in the day, he'd have never made it to the finals.

Yup, they weren't called the Bad Boys for nothing. Remember the "Jordan Rules"?

But gosh, their playoff series against the Celtics, Bulls, and Lakers were fun to watch.

 

[Obliviax]

Yup, they weren't called the Bad Boys for nothing. Remember the "Jordan Rules"?

But gosh, their playoff series against the Celtics, Bulls, and Lakers were fun to watch.

not to me. the pistons, outside of Isaih, weren't very skilled basketball players. To me it took away from the game as I much more wanted to watch guys like Bird, MJ, Price, Pippen, McHale, Magic, etc play the sport. If the GS Warriors played 20 years ago, they wouldn't make it past the second round. Not because they aren't good players but because they'd never get to maintain that skill set for 14 playoff games. And isn't about just staying healthy, it is being able to keep your legs so that your shot retains its accuracy.

One thing that is interesting to note, the best three players in basketball are Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Caitlin Clark.

 

[Jerry]

not to me. the pistons, outside of Isaih, weren't very skilled basketball players. To me it took away from the game as I much more wanted to watch guys like Bird, MJ, Price, Pippen, McHale, Magic, etc play the sport. If the GS Warriors played 20 years ago, they wouldn't make it past the second round. Not because they aren't good players but because they'd never get to maintain that skill set for 14 playoff games. And isn't about just staying healthy, it is being able to keep your legs so that your shot retains its accuracy.

One thing that is interesting to note, the best three players in basketball are Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Caitlin Clark.

Fair points all, but I have to disagree with you on the Pistons of that era.

Joe Dumars was a great player in his own right, a total class act, and now in the Hall of Fame.

Rodman had freakish physical talent. Of course he later turned out to be a freak in other ways, but that's a different story.

Even the hated Laimbeer was an outstanding center, in my view, and just this year was nominated to the Hall of Fame.

And obviously Isaiah is one of the all-time greats.

Then add in Vinnie Johnson, probably the best 6th man in the game for a few years.

That was a great team I think.

 

[psu00]

Fair points all, but I have to disagree with you on the Pistons of that era.

Joe Dumars was a great player in his own right, a total class act, and now in the Hall of Fame.

Rodman had freakish physical talent. Of course he later turned out to be a freak in other ways, but that's a different story.

Even the hated Laimbeer was an outstanding center, in my view, and just this year was nominated to the Hall of Fame.

And obviously Isaiah is one of the all-time greats.

Then add in Vinnie Johnson, probably the best 6th man in the game for a few years.

That was a great team I think.

Laimbeer was also one of the few big guys who could head out and hit a 3 pretty consistently to be a threat. That wasn’t too common for bigs back then IIRC.

 

[Jerry]

Laimbeer was also one of the few big guys who could head out and hit a 3 pretty consistently to be a threat. That wasn’t too common for bigs back then IIRC.

Exactly. I mean, we're talking about a 4-time league all-star who is only one of, like, 20 players in the history of the game to total 10,000 points and 10,000 rebounds.

 

[Obliviax]

Fair points all, but I have to disagree with you on the Pistons of that era.

Joe Dumars was a great player in his own right, a total class act, and now in the Hall of Fame.

Rodman had freakish physical talent. Of course he later turned out to be a freak in other ways, but that's a different story.

Even the hated Laimbeer was an outstanding center, in my view, and just this year was nominated to the Hall of Fame.

And obviously Isaiah is one of the all-time greats.

Then add in Vinnie Johnson, probably the best 6th man in the game for a few years.

That was a great team I think.

Yes and no. Dumars was a good player and not dirty.

Rodman was dirty and always was throughout his career. he was an incredible hustler and had value to the team but he was a dirty player and didn't have any basketball talent.

I don't think Lambier was very good. Again, he was just a dirty player. He'd have been far less effective if he wasn't allowed to cheap shot players in the paint.

So that really leaves Isaih and Dumars. That leaves a big hole in the paint if refs called games like they do today. But Joe Dumars was often the sixth man for most of his career. he was known as 'The Microwave' because when he was hot he was hot but when he wasn't he had little value to the team.

 

[royboy]

Yeah, but there’s more that’s going into this than just a rookie earning his or her stripes. When Sidney Crosby was a rookie, he was abused like when he had teeth knocked out by Darian Hatcher of the Flyers with a high stick. That was considered to be part of the game back then in the NHL.

With the Clark situation, it’s obvious that there are racial and probably sexual overtones, and several journalists who write about that league have alluded to that. And let’s face it, this goes back to the 2023 NCAA Championship game against LSU.

Leave it to the WNBA to jeopardize their biggest opportunity at additional public support and interest by these nasty hit jobs.

 

[Jerry]

Yes and no. Dumars was a good player and not dirty.

Rodman was dirty and always was throughout his career. he was an incredible hustler and had value to the team but he was a dirty player and didn't have any basketball talent.

I don't think Lambier was very good. Again, he was just a dirty player. He'd have been far less effective if he wasn't allowed to cheap shot players in the paint.

So that really leaves Isaih and Dumars. That leaves a big hole in the paint if refs called games like they do today. But Joe Dumars was often the sixth man for most of his career. he was known as 'The Microwave' because when he was hot he was hot but when he wasn't he had little value to the team.

I think you meant to say Vinnie was the "Microwave."

Keep in mind that what some call "dirty" others consider "tough" or "physical." Granted, the Bad Boys sometimes crossed the line.

Regardless, that 1988-89 championship team has made some lists as one of the greatest in NBA history. For example, see link below.

Of course this is one of those things that's fun to debate but impossible to prove.

NBA at 50: Top 10 Teams | NBA.com

NBA at 50: Top 10 Teams

www.nba.com

 

[NewEra 2014]

Leave it to the WNBA to jeopardize their biggest opportunity at additional public support and interest by these nasty hit jobs.

I have never watched the WNBA and I don't plan to do so in the future. But I do think it is hilarious to see the WNBA attempting to tear down the best thing that happened to that league in its history. If they injure Caitlen Clark or otherwise drive her out of the league, what do they think is going to happen?

 

[heckmans]

not to me. the pistons, outside of Isaih, weren't very skilled basketball players. To me it took away from the game as I much more wanted to watch guys like Bird, MJ, Price, Pippen, McHale, Magic, etc play the sport. If the GS Warriors played 20 years ago, they wouldn't make it past the second round. Not because they aren't good players but because they'd never get to maintain that skill set for 14 playoff games. And isn't about just staying healthy, it is being able to keep your legs so that your shot retains its accuracy.

One thing that is interesting to note, the best three players in basketball are Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Caitlin Clark.

You could probably say this about every team in today's NBA. It's nearly impossible to compare teams across eras. It used to be about owning the paint, and playing hard defense. Remember, Larry Bird never shot a 3 pointer until he was in the NBA.

Today, there are average HS players that shoot the 3 as good as NBAers of the 90s. The analytics say launch the 3, isolate vs team ball, and the NBA doesn't allow rough play. Let's not even discuss how it is almost impossible to get a traveling or carry call today.

The same exists in the NFL. WRs used to get roughed up by DBs. Today, minor contact is a penalty.

 

[tboyer]

She's getting mugged to the point of assault in one game after another.

Hell, Draymond Green of all people said Indiana needs an "enforcer" to protect Caitlin. (Link below.) And Draymond is something of an authority on such topics.

I can't imagine why she'd be such a target...

Too much is being made of this (which btw is great for Clark and WNBA ratings). People should watch the replay.

It was a frustration foul. Clark had just stolen the ball from Chennedy Carter on the previous play. Carter hip-checked her at the next in-bounds, Clark fell (you could say flopped) but in any case it was not a hard hit. It wasn't nearly as bad as, say, grabbing someone from behind on a layup and bringing them to the floor.

Refs called a foul (giving Clark a free throw that won the game), probably should have called a technical.

If you watch pro basketball, it is physical. Clark knows this. She is as physical as anybody but she cries to the refs every time she gets touched -- reminds me of Danny Ainge. It's just her style -- she's hypercompetitive, seeks every advantage she can get, it's what makes her the player she is.

So she won't get every call as a rookie. Neither did Larry Bird. But by Bird's second season, and for the rest of his career, he got the calls, and so will she. The sooner she stops whining on the court, the sooner she'll get the calls. This is called basketball.

 

[bvillebaron]

I have never watched the WNBA and I don't plan to do so in the future. But I do think it is hilarious to see the WNBA attempting to tear down the best thing that happened to that league in its history. If they injure Caitlen Clark or otherwise drive her out of the league, what do they think is going to happen?

The problem is many of them don’t/can’t think.

 

[bvillebaron]

Too much is being made of this (which btw is great for Clark and WNBA ratings). People should watch the replay.

It was a frustration foul (Clark had just stolen the ball from Chennedy Carter on the previous play). Carter hip-checked her at the next in-bounds, Clark fell (you could say flopped) but in any case it was not a hard hit. It wasn't nearly as bad as, say, grabbing someone from behind on a layup and bringing them to the floor.

Refs called a foul (giving Clark a free throw that won the game), should have called a technical, that was the only mistake.

If you watch pro basketball, it is physical. Clark knows this. She is as physical as anybody but she cries to the refs every time she gets touched -- reminds me of Danny Ainge. It's just her style -- she's hypercompetitive, seeks every advantage she can get, it's what makes her the player she is.

So she won't get every call as a rookie. Neither did Larry Bird. But by Bird's second season, and for the rest of his career, he got the calls, and so will she. The sooner she stops whining on the court, the sooner she'll get the calls. This is called basketball.

I missed the part about Clark whining. What I saw was she said it was not a basketball play (which it wasn’t) and that she wasn’t going to retaliate since it was more important to win the game and went and made the free throws in a 1 point win for her team. Your claim that she flopped is the most ridiculous post I have seen on this board and that covers a LOT of territory.

 

[Obliviax]

I think you meant to say Vinnie was the "Microwave."

Keep in mind that what some call "dirty" others consider "tough" or "physical." Granted, the Bad Boys sometimes crossed the line.

Regardless, that 1988-89 championship team has made some lists as one of the greatest in NBA history. For example, see link below.

Of course this is one of those things that's fun to debate but impossible to prove.

NBA at 50: Top 10 Teams | NBA.com

NBA at 50: Top 10 Teams

www.nba.com

We'll have to agree to disagree. I was a season ticket holder for the Cavs at that time in row 13 and saw 20 or so games a year. I met several of the players at various functions. I even played a couple of times against Kerr and Ehlo. They were just goons. They physically beat the crap out of anyone in the paint. Against the Cavs, led my Mark Price, they took at guard and beat him from the time the offensive possession started until it finished. They often knocked him down, like the hit on Caitlin Clark, away from the ball. At the time, that was just "hard nosed basketball". By the end of the series, you could watch Marc Price's performance go down.

I honestly hate those guys and have since I watched them. I don't know of any team in sports that I despise more than those Piston teams. But it isn't personal. The NBA allowed it so why not? But they weren't good skill players at all (exception of Isaih who turned out to be a creep later in life as well).

 

[Jerry]

Too much is being made of this (which btw is great for Clark and WNBA ratings). People should watch the replay.

It was a frustration foul. Clark had just stolen the ball from Chennedy Carter on the previous play. Carter hip-checked her at the next in-bounds, Clark fell (you could say flopped) but in any case it was not a hard hit. It wasn't nearly as bad as, say, grabbing someone from behind on a layup and bringing them to the floor.

Refs called a foul (giving Clark a free throw that won the game), probably should have called a technical.

If you watch pro basketball, it is physical. Clark knows this. She is as physical as anybody but she cries to the refs every time she gets touched -- reminds me of Danny Ainge. It's just her style -- she's hypercompetitive, seeks every advantage she can get, it's what makes her the player she is.

So she won't get every call as a rookie. Neither did Larry Bird. But by Bird's second season, and for the rest of his career, he got the calls, and so will she. The sooner she stops whining on the court, the sooner she'll get the calls. This is called basketball.

Full disclosure: I'm not a WNBA fan and only saw the play in question on tape, but I've been following the news reports and think you may be understating the issue.

This latest incident did not occur in isolation. Certainly the team feels like she's being targeted and has expressed its concerns to the league, which by the way upgraded the controversial foul to flagrant. See link.

Meanwhile, every single public comment she's made has been classy and gracious.

None of this is surprising. In fact, it was predictable. There are a couple elephants in the room that everyone sees but nobody wants to highlight...for understandable reasons.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/03/sport/wnba-chennedy-carter-flagrant-caitlin-clark-foul-spt-intl/index.html

 

[Jerry]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I was a season ticket holder for the Cavs at that time in row 13 and saw 20 or so games a year. I met several of the players at various functions. I even played a couple of times against Kerr and Ehlo. They were just goons. They physically beat the crap out of anyone in the paint. Against the Cavs, led my Mark Price, they took at guard and beat him from the time the offensive possession started until it finished. They often knocked him down, like the hit on Caitlin Clark, away from the ball. At the time, that was just "hard nosed basketball". By the end of the series, you could watch Marc Price's performance go down.

I honestly hate those guys and have since I watched them. I don't know of any team in sports that I despise more than those Piston teams. But it isn't personal. The NBA allowed it so why not? But they weren't good skill players at all (exception of Isaih who turned out to be a creep later in life as well).

OK, well as a good son of Cleveland and long-time Cav fan, you can be forgiven for some bias in this matter...

 

[tboyer]

I missed the part about Clark whining. What I saw was she said it was not a basketball play (which it wasn’t) and that she wasn’t going to retaliate since it was more important to win the game and went and made the free throws in a 1 point win for her team. Your claim that she flopped is the most ridiculous post I have seen on this board and that covers a LOT of territory.

I didn't directly accuse her of flopping but others might. She went down pretty easy. It wasn't much of a bump, and she is an excellent athlete with really good balance. Inbounds is physical battle for position so it wasn't like she wasn't expecting contact.

Just treat her like the world class athlete she is. Everything she does is calculated, including her WNBA-leading 3 technical fouls. She's no victim.

 

[Obliviax]

I didn't directly accuse her of flopping but others might. She went down pretty easy. It wasn't much of a bump, and she is an excellent athlete with really good balance. Inbounds is physical battle for position so it wasn't like she wasn't expecting contact.

Just treat her like the world class athlete she is. Everything she does is calculated, including her WNBA-leading 3 technical fouls. She's no victim.

I disagree. the woman yelled at her "you bitch" and came at her from the blind side She didn't know it was coming. She's only 6' 150lbs. And it wasn't just that play.

WNBA has to fix this. Their legitimacy as a league is on the line. If she suffers a major injury, the optics are going to be horrible.

 

[heckmans]

Too much is being made of this (which btw is great for Clark and WNBA ratings). People should watch the replay.

It was a frustration foul. Clark had just stolen the ball from Chennedy Carter on the previous play. Carter hip-checked her at the next in-bounds, Clark fell (you could say flopped) but in any case it was not a hard hit. It wasn't nearly as bad as, say, grabbing someone from behind on a layup and bringing them to the floor.

Refs called a foul (giving Clark a free throw that won the game), probably should have called a technical.

If you watch pro basketball, it is physical. Clark knows this. She is as physical as anybody but she cries to the refs every time she gets touched -- reminds me of Danny Ainge. It's just her style -- she's hypercompetitive, seeks every advantage she can get, it's what makes her the player she is.

So she won't get every call as a rookie. Neither did Larry Bird. But by Bird's second season, and for the rest of his career, he got the calls, and so will she. The sooner she stops whining on the court, the sooner she'll get the calls. This is called basketball.

She definitely did her best Lebron imitation on that.

EDIT: to be clear, it was definitely a foul. It was intentional, and potentially flagrant, but CC also flopped.

 

[FlyinLion1]

She's getting mugged to the point of assault in one game after another.

Hell, Draymond Green of all people said Indiana needs an "enforcer" to protect Caitlin. (Link below.) And Draymond is something of an authority on such topics.

I can't imagine why she'd be such a target...

Racist WNBA!!!!!!!!