Cheap NFL Tickets NFL Betting Lines Catch Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio's "The Herd" for premiere sportstalk radio THE HERD Weekdays 10:00am - 1:00pm ET (6:00am on the West Coast) E-mail: theherd@espnradio.com MediaVault - Read These for more Info on the WNBA Brawl   Day After, WNBA Untangles Brawl The New York Times by: Mike Ogle WNBA Brawl has an Upside Sacbee.com by: Debbie Arrington WNBA Suspends 10 players, Mahorn Associated Press by: Larry Lage
		The WNBA's Cat Fight Conspiracy
		Brawling Basketball Babes ... sounds like the headliner for a roller derby event, but unfortunately or fortunately for the decade-old, fledging WNBA, this was the scene earlier in the week that dominated newsreels and left sportsfans (who've probably never watched a WNBA game) scanning YouTube for video clips of the fight. On Tuesday night, July 22 at the Palace at Auburn Hills, the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and Detroit Shock squared off in a good 'ol fashioned cat fight with 4.6 seconds remaining in a game won by the Sparks. The entire incident, resulting in unparalleled exposure to a league that rarely
		generates national headlines, begs the question, was this simply a case of heated, physical play rising to a boil or a uniquely contrived publicity stunt perpetrated by WNBA insiders desperate to put their struggling league on the map. It's no secret that the WNBA has been reporting annual losses each year since its inception in 1997.  WNBA franchises practically beg fans to fill the seats in empty arenas throughout the country and as far as a lucrative television contract is concerned, WNBA matchups have a hard time posting better ratings than the syndicated sitcoms pitted against them in evening time slots. Commissioner David Stern's pet project has been largely financed by the NBA and after eleven years of annual losses you have to wonder if the pressure from NBA owners is starting to get to Stern. The WNBA has been forced fed to NBA fans for years in a feeble attempt to bring a cross-over fan base from its big brother league. "We got next!", what a joke. "Expect Great.", expect great what? What the NBA brass is unwilling to admit is that men, who dominate the pro sports fan demographic, are just not interested in women in sports (unless its super-models in sports), and the women who watch professional sports are relatively uninterested as well. The only way to save the WNBA, which has been on life support since its formation, is to do something drastic, something that will bring universal attention to the game, something like the clutching and grabbing of a bunch of chicks going at it on national TV. Which is why I believe there is a concerted effort on the part of commissioner David Stern to resuscitate the WNBA at any cost. Let's look at the facts. The WNBA's fisticuffs played out at the Palace at Auburn Hills, the same venue that recently hosted another brawl between the Pistons and Pacers that garnered national attention and resulted in a multitude of player suspensions. It involved two of the better teams in the WNBA representing a large basketball fan demographic, and call me crazy, but am I the only one that sees the Patrick Ewing parallels in the L.A. Sparks draft day selection of Candace Parker?  The most recognizable female college athlete in the nation goes to the the largest basketball market in the country to team up with the league's most recognizable star, and nobody bats an eyelash?  It there a greater force at work here? A conspiracy to save women's basketball? Did the commissioner David Stern orchestrate what played out in millions of home on YouTube Tuesday night?  You bet he did.

		From : Shawn from Atlanta Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008          11:12 AM		Discussing he WNBA isn't even worth our time. I'm very put off by the marketing campaign designed to force the WNBA on NBA fans. What they don't seem to realize is that fans who watch NBA basketball are not interested in becoming fans of the WNBA. If the WNBA is looking to put asses in the seats, they're not going to find probasketball fans willing to become the solid fan base that will support women's basketball. The game is just not very good, it's slower, there's no action above the rim, and the girls are just not very good looking. To be honest, that what it all boils down to. If the women are hot, we watch. If they look like horses, we're not interested. Why do you think men watch women's tennis? Why do you think the LPGA has become more popular? Old men like to watch young, good looking women compete in sports. If there's no sex appeal, they couldn't be bothered.
		From : Chris from Charlotte Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008          12:54 PM		Is there a conspiracy to revive the WNBA, probably. I wonder if there's really anything there to revive. I think the WNBA has been going about the process of promoting women's basketball completely all wrong. Instead of trying to promote women's basketball in markets where NBA basketball has been successful, they should promote these pro teams in areas where women's basketball is an institution. They should be looking at placing pro teams in areas of the country where women's college basketball thrives, Connecticut, Tennesse, Norht Carolina, the D.C area, these are teh marketplaces that will support women's basketball. After they leave the NCAA, send these pro athletes back to the areas they're already popular in. Convert fans of NCAA women's basketball into fans of the WNBA by putting a pro franchise in their backyard. That's a recipe for success. Not trying to push the women's game in areas where fans couldn't care less. That or make 'em wear skimpier clothing and promote fighting.
		From : Anthony from Newport          News Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008          2:12 PM		Look lets get this right we saw a couple of females get a little pushy and whamo! Look the real story of this is how that 2 of the Biggest Goons that NBA ties had something to do with this mess. Bill Lambeir and Mcfilthy{Mahorn) should be ashamed of them selfs I guess it just the bad boyz in them coming out, They were THUGS when they played and not much has changed.
		From : Sean from Fairfax, VA Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008          5:33 PM		Yawn, its the WNBA...chicks fighting and still nobody cares.
		From : Bill from Detroit Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008          6:27 PM		A conspiracy theory about the WNBA? Doesn't someone actually have to give a crap about something for that to happen?

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