Watching Womens Sport
Discussion
With the obvious exception of beach volleyball....is there any women's sport, individual or team sport, that you would rather watch over the men's game? Is it me in that if I see women's rugby , football, cricket etc I reach for the remote? I can see that some people would rather watch women's tennis because it's so slow and they have longer rallies but that argument doesn't cut it as far as I'm concerned.
Definitely tennis. I'd much rather see some decent rallies than just constant serve & volley. Wimbledon in particular is crap for men's tennis in comparison to women's.
Other than that, it's mainly the sports where they're in swimsuits. Or some of the athletics events... where the current trend for female athletes seems to be to run in swimsuits.
I have seen some very good women's rugby though. I think it's another game where lack of grunt can actually play to their advantage. Just take a look at the likes of Welsh rugby from the Seventies, and then compare it to now. The added bulk and fitness of the male players across the whole modern team is such that you just don't get the gaps any more for the small, fast backs (remember those?) to jink through and display some magic. I reckon there's a chance that now the women are getting full-time pro contracts, we might see the skill level increase faster than the bulking up, at which point I think the best of women's rugby will be better to watch than all but the very best of the men's game.
Other than that, it's mainly the sports where they're in swimsuits. Or some of the athletics events... where the current trend for female athletes seems to be to run in swimsuits.
I have seen some very good women's rugby though. I think it's another game where lack of grunt can actually play to their advantage. Just take a look at the likes of Welsh rugby from the Seventies, and then compare it to now. The added bulk and fitness of the male players across the whole modern team is such that you just don't get the gaps any more for the small, fast backs (remember those?) to jink through and display some magic. I reckon there's a chance that now the women are getting full-time pro contracts, we might see the skill level increase faster than the bulking up, at which point I think the best of women's rugby will be better to watch than all but the very best of the men's game.
I'm old Skool as far as sport is concerned but my attitude is definitely turning.
The skill levels across all sports have massively increased in the last five years or so.
I was genuinely impressed with the women's rugby recently and a great achievement.
Athletics has always been enjoyable for me as they have always been the best in their chosen event, the same for cycling.
Think the problem was in the formative years on ladies football for example, the professionalism wasn't there so you were more likely to see a better game down the park. This has all changed now and it's all the better for it.
You will not though get the intensity and physicality of test match rugby, or pace of the Premier league, but as others have said certain sports can benefit from this.
Either way, it's all good in my book.
The skill levels across all sports have massively increased in the last five years or so.
I was genuinely impressed with the women's rugby recently and a great achievement.
Athletics has always been enjoyable for me as they have always been the best in their chosen event, the same for cycling.
Think the problem was in the formative years on ladies football for example, the professionalism wasn't there so you were more likely to see a better game down the park. This has all changed now and it's all the better for it.
You will not though get the intensity and physicality of test match rugby, or pace of the Premier league, but as others have said certain sports can benefit from this.
Either way, it's all good in my book.
I enjoy watching Womens football, you have to accept its totally different to the mens game which has had over 100 years to develop. The womens game is slower and as a result seems to be lacking in skill but I like it and the lack of dramatics, cheating and diving is a welcome break. The level of respect to the Officials is greater too. Womens hockey is great too though there is less of a gap between the mens and womens game.
Kermit power said:
Definitely tennis. I'd much rather see some decent rallies than just constant serve & volley. Wimbledon in particular is crap for men's tennis in comparison to women's.
You really haven’t been watching much men’s tennis in the last decade, have you? Serve & volley went out with the ark. The balls and courts were slowed down significantly in the mid-2000s to reduce the dominance of the serve in the men’s game. It worked very well indeed. The current generation of top players play mainly from the baseline, and the matches are often hugely entertaining.
Bradgate said:
Kermit power said:
Definitely tennis. I'd much rather see some decent rallies than just constant serve & volley. Wimbledon in particular is crap for men's tennis in comparison to women's.
You really haven’t been watching much men’s tennis in the last decade, have you? Serve & volley went out with the ark. The balls and courts were slowed down significantly in the mid-2000s to reduce the dominance of the serve in the men’s game. It worked very well indeed. The current generation of top players play mainly from the baseline, and the matches are often hugely entertaining.
It sounds like I wasn't the only one, given the changes you say have been made....
.I find womens cycling a bit dull, its very predictable and they seem very short of tactics but then I dont think the 100km stages in the ToB are long enough for them to really generate any good racing to be honest. Its not her fault but Marianne Vos is just so strong that no one really has much of a chance over 100kms if she is there.
Kermit power said:
Definitely tennis. I'd much rather see some decent rallies than just constant serve & volley. Wimbledon in particular is crap for men's tennis in comparison to women's.
.
Men's tennis hasn't been about serve volley for about 10 years. in fact I cant think of a single serve vollier in the top 50! .
ascayman said:
Kermit power said:
Definitely tennis. I'd much rather see some decent rallies than just constant serve & volley. Wimbledon in particular is crap for men's tennis in comparison to women's.
.
Men's tennis hasn't been about serve volley for about 10 years. in fact I cant think of a single serve vollier in the top 50! .
To me, that makes the men's game duller.
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