Connecticut Women’s Basketball Team is in a League of Their Own 4
The Connecticut women's basketball team raised their winning streak to 89 games with a dominating victory over Florida State.
Much has been made of the Connecticut women’s basketball team passing the 1971-74 UCLA men’s basketball squad for the longest winning streak in college basketball history.
It is truly an amazing accomplishment and one that should be celebrated and given significant publicity.
However, instead of simply recognizing the greatness of coach Geno Auriemma and the Connecticut program, many (including Auriemma himself) can’t get away from the gender issues related to this being women’s basketball.
Some former UCLA players, sensitive to the legacy of their beloved coach John Wooden, said in advance that they hoped UConn would lose. Other have been quick to assert that since this is women’s basketball, UConn hasn’t been challenged every night the way I guess they think UCLA was.
While I can understand the first reaction by UCLA players, it reminds me of the members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins who crack open a bottle of champagne every year once all NFL teams have lost a game. Much like the 1972 Dolphins, the legacy of Coach Wooden’s Bruins is secure and not in doubt just because another team has broken one of their records.
The argument that really frustrates me is the one about the Connecticut record not being as meaningful because they are playing against women. Read the rest of this entry →
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