Here is an excellent story on negative recruiting based on sexual orientation in women's basketball. Geno Auriemma and Bill Fennelly demonstrate a particularly tone deaf understanding of how homophobia affects women coaches and women's basketball. Geno, in his typical over the top way, also suggests that anyone who thinks that the "focus on family" used by coaches in recruiting needs to be toned down should "go shoot themselves in the head." Thanks, Geno, for this wildly inappropriate and violent suggestion given the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords less than two weeks ago. Think before you speak for once. Oh, and Geno is president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Isn't that special. It seems to me that the president of the WBCA should have a more in-depth understanding of negative recruiting and a lot more class in discussing it in the media.
Bill Fennelly has the cajones to suggest that he is at a recruiting disadvantage because he and his assistant coaches are all straight, married and have children. Really? Poor Bill. What planet does he coach on? Breathtaking male and heterosexual privilege in action on the part of Geno and Bill.
Geno and Bill notwithstanding, the article is excellent. Thanks to ESPN for an in-depth and thoughtful piece on a persistent and unethical practice among coaches in women's sports.
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Im in Ames. A large number of gay and lesbian Iowa State fans have come out today in support of Fennelly. I know a few personally. People here think he's the least correct example of this kind the article could have found. He's had open lesbians on the team before without any issue. when he says family, he means the team itself is a family. Its not a code word. Missouri's coach, on the other hand, has this probblem.
Anonymous, It's great to hear that Bill Fennelly is supportive of lesbian players. My issues with his quote was his claim that his program is discriminated against because he and his assistant coaches are married straight people. That is absurd and, to me, completely trivializes the serious issue of negative recruiting in women's basketball.
Great read on the article you have shared. Thanks.
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Excellent post! I’ve bookmarked your weblog as well considering I found it isreally educational and I loved reading your posts.
The problem with sports. It isn't up to the player to be in the team. It is up to the coach and they should change for the sports to change.
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