The Continental
Oh hey, DGWUS readers, it’s me again, prepare to be greeted with some hot sports takes birthed straight from the fertile shores of my femininity. If you live under a rock, or decided to sleep in on the only Monday in February that’s worth living for the US women’s hockey team beat the Swedes 6-1 with the US outshooting their opponents 70-9. So scores took to twitter declaring it time to eliminate women’s hockey from the Olympics because parity doesn’t exist.
Presenting my rebuttal, in easily digestible SEO optimized list form, it’s the only way to have discourse these days:
1. Sweden is a country of 9.5 million to the US’s 314 million! As of 2011 Sweden had 3,245 female players which is about as many kids go to high school at Williamsville North/South/East total.
Oh hey, DGWUS readers, it’s me again, prepare to be greeted with some hot sports takes birthed straight from the fertile shores of my femininity. If you live under a rock, or decided to sleep in on the only Monday in February that’s worth living for the US women’s hockey team beat the Swedes 6-1 with the US outshooting their opponents 70-9. So scores took to twitter declaring it time to eliminate women’s hockey from the Olympics because parity doesn’t exist.
Presenting my rebuttal, in easily digestible SEO optimized list form, it’s the only way to have discourse these days:
1. Sweden is a country of 9.5 million to the US’s 314 million! As of 2011 Sweden had 3,245 female players which is about as many kids go to high school at Williamsville North/South/East total.
This meatball hill is more like a meatball mountain
Keep thinking boys, I know you can keep up with us girls 2. The Slovakian men lost to the US men 7-1 but no one gave a shit about parity then, probably because of the novelty of cheering in earnest for Ryan Callahan hadn’t worn off. It’s more exciting to watch players we recognize versus faceless women we MAYBE only catch during the Frozen Four.
3. The parity argument again is a sexist sham, specifically Men’s Basketball. In 17 tournaments the US Men won gold in 14, silver in 2 and bronze in 1; that 2004 bronze team was a ~national embarrassment.~
3. The parity argument again is a sexist sham, specifically Men’s Basketball. In 17 tournaments the US Men won gold in 14, silver in 2 and bronze in 1; that 2004 bronze team was a ~national embarrassment.~
Point Differential of US by year: 12: +191 08: +161 04: +29 (they were murdered for this) 00: +146 96: +177 92: +229 (Dream Team)
— The Defenseman (@TheDefenseman) February 17, 2014 (@thedefenseman also points out no one had differentials above +50)
4. Before 1998 Canadian women won every World Championship but that year the US women won gold in the first Olympics that had women’s hockey and those teams have been pretty evenly matched since.
5. The US hit parity with Canada despite the fact WE DON’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT WOMEN’S SPORTS! How many jokes use the WNBA as its punch line? How quickly did the Women’s Professional Soccer league fail? Who can name the winningest college basketball coach of all time? But we sure as shit remember Brandi Chastain diving into the ground in her sports bra, because we always have the time of day to objectify women athletes.
4. Before 1998 Canadian women won every World Championship but that year the US women won gold in the first Olympics that had women’s hockey and those teams have been pretty evenly matched since.
5. The US hit parity with Canada despite the fact WE DON’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT WOMEN’S SPORTS! How many jokes use the WNBA as its punch line? How quickly did the Women’s Professional Soccer league fail? Who can name the winningest college basketball coach of all time? But we sure as shit remember Brandi Chastain diving into the ground in her sports bra, because we always have the time of day to objectify women athletes.
My ONLY great sports memory from 1999
6. The primary reason the US has great women's athletics now is Title IX. It took legislation to force universities and high schools to afford equal athletic opportunities for girls and boys. Forty years after Title IX women’s participation in sports has increased 980%.
Heh. Balls.
7. OMG! THIS! WIN!
Avg age Team Sweden = 22.6 Team USA = 23 NHL = 27.5 Imagine how good they can be if given a chance to continue to develop post college #CWHL
— Caitlin Cahow (@OchoCahow) February 17, 2014 8. College is largely the only opportunity women have to play since pro leagues have largely been such a massive failure or entirely ignored. The Canadian Womens Hockey League (which nine US roster members are a part of) doesn’t pay players, it covers: travel, ice fees, uniforms, and some equipment.
9. Hockey presents specific economic challenges for all players: it’s extremely cost prohibitive. Ice rinks are money pits to build and keep running, For players to get to the rink, the ice time, equipment involved, league fees, etc, it adds up to a six figure hobby pretty quickly for travel players. This point is also why there is a lack of diversity in hockey IMO but that is for another day.
In a Nutshell
10. Latent sexism, like latent racism is easy to deny and men have a really hard time getting past it, fuck, it’s something I struggle with too. Critical thinking is something we should all strive for, the fastest way I’ve seen this happen for men is to have a daughter, but going to the library and picking up books by Audre Lorde or Judith Lorber is WAY cheaper.
My opinion is also biased: my 11-yr-old daughter plays hockey. Women's Olympic hockey gives her something to aspire to.
— Kevin Snow (@kwsnow) February 17, 2014 
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