It seems the WNBA is very guarded about the topic lesbian players in the league. Well I know this is a duh statement, but I found this article very interesting. Here is the link:
http://www.latimes.com/features/printediti...-home-headlines
Full Version: WNBA...Guarded Topic
Interesting article. As a Houston Comets fan, I was relieved they no longer had to deal with Latasha Byears on the court in competition. I'm very sorry this is how she was basically "banned" from the WNBA. She was an impact player (with championship ring on her finger to prove it). Good luck to her in the future.
Previous to Michelle Van Gorp coming out, the only other out WNBA player that I'm aware of is Sue Wicks (now retired) who played for the NY Liberty. She's now an Assistant Coach at her alma mater, Rutgers.
The WNBA has broken down barriers in women's professional athletics in our country. Let's hope they eventually break through the "gay ceiling" as well.
Previous to Michelle Van Gorp coming out, the only other out WNBA player that I'm aware of is Sue Wicks (now retired) who played for the NY Liberty. She's now an Assistant Coach at her alma mater, Rutgers.
The WNBA has broken down barriers in women's professional athletics in our country. Let's hope they eventually break through the "gay ceiling" as well.
Wow, great article. Did her story ever make it to ESPN b/c this is the 1st time I ever heard about this. I hope she wins her lawsuit #1, and #2, I hope some team out there give her another chance in the league. After all, she's been vindicated.
I konw the WNBA is trying to promote a wholesome, squeeky clean image and appeal to families, but she's just playing a role that's been played by the likes of Dennis Rodman, Bill Laimbeer, and the Charles Oakley's of basketball.
Again, thanks for the article and keep us updated on her.
I konw the WNBA is trying to promote a wholesome, squeeky clean image and appeal to families, but she's just playing a role that's been played by the likes of Dennis Rodman, Bill Laimbeer, and the Charles Oakley's of basketball.
Again, thanks for the article and keep us updated on her.
amazing how it took all of this time to get just this kind of coverage, this could be an ESPN peice that would be the antithesis of the Andrew Goldstein story a few weeks back.
In another thread, dupontred posted
It's sad, but I disagree with Byears contention that its because she's a lesbian. I think its because she's percieved as a thug. Society, for better or worse, is ok with men acting like that, but not women.
It's sad, but I disagree with Byears contention that its because she's a lesbian. I think its because she's percieved as a thug. Society, for better or worse, is ok with men acting like that, but not women.
Can't read the article because you have to register.
However, as an avid fan of the WNBA, I will say that "Tot" (aka "Pot" - for routinely not passing the drug tests) did have a bad image in the league. She routinely boasted she wasn't scared of anyone - especially after "growing up in the hood playing against guys named 'Neckbone', 'Blood', and 'Killa'." The gold teeth, tatts, and the big shorts that she had to pull up every trip down the court didn't help either......oh.....remember that huge fight against Seattle she got into? I can't remember who the player was, but it was also a big event at the time.
Basically, I have no pity for Tot.
However, as an avid fan of the WNBA, I will say that "Tot" (aka "Pot" - for routinely not passing the drug tests) did have a bad image in the league. She routinely boasted she wasn't scared of anyone - especially after "growing up in the hood playing against guys named 'Neckbone', 'Blood', and 'Killa'." The gold teeth, tatts, and the big shorts that she had to pull up every trip down the court didn't help either......oh.....remember that huge fight against Seattle she got into? I can't remember who the player was, but it was also a big event at the time.
Basically, I have no pity for Tot.
QUOTE
It's sad, but I disagree with Byears contention that its because she's a lesbian. I think its because she's percieved as a thug. Society, for better or worse, is ok with men acting like that, but not women.
The two are not mutually exclusive. She may have few friends because she's perceived as a thug, but would a lipstick lesbian be considered such a threat? Isn't it more like she's a thug, typical dyke?
QUOTE
NEW YORK (AP) July 13, 2002 -- Latasha Byears and Michelle Marciniak were suspended Friday by the WNBA for their part in a fight the previous night.
Byears, of the champion Los Angeles Sparks, was suspended for two games and fined $1,000. Marciniak, of the Seattle Storm, got a one-game suspension and a $500 fine.
Storm coach Lin Dunn said the team would appeal any suspension handed to Marciniak.
Byears was dribbling on a fast break when Marciniak fouled her. Byears tossed the ball from close range off Marciniak's face. Marciniak came at Byears with her hands up before Byears shoved her to the ground.
Los Angeles coach Michael Cooper, who already had a technical foul for arguing about the game's physical play, charged onto the court. Both players were ejected with 9:51 left in the Storm's 79-60 victory.
The fight followed a play in which Sparks star Lisa Leslie and the Storm's Lauren Jackson battled for a rebound and Leslie elbowed Jackson in the chest. No foul was called.
Byears's suspension covers Friday night's game at Portland and a July 17 game at Indiana. Marciniak's suspension was for Friday night's game against Cleveland.
By the way, Michelle Marciniak, now an assistant coach at South Carolina, is said to be gay. Byears, of the champion Los Angeles Sparks, was suspended for two games and fined $1,000. Marciniak, of the Seattle Storm, got a one-game suspension and a $500 fine.
Storm coach Lin Dunn said the team would appeal any suspension handed to Marciniak.
Byears was dribbling on a fast break when Marciniak fouled her. Byears tossed the ball from close range off Marciniak's face. Marciniak came at Byears with her hands up before Byears shoved her to the ground.
Los Angeles coach Michael Cooper, who already had a technical foul for arguing about the game's physical play, charged onto the court. Both players were ejected with 9:51 left in the Storm's 79-60 victory.
The fight followed a play in which Sparks star Lisa Leslie and the Storm's Lauren Jackson battled for a rebound and Leslie elbowed Jackson in the chest. No foul was called.
Byears's suspension covers Friday night's game at Portland and a July 17 game at Indiana. Marciniak's suspension was for Friday night's game against Cleveland.
To me, the LA Times Magazine story (why wasn't it in the sports section?) seemed very one-sided in Byears' favor.
Back then I read that photos of the assault (taken on a cell phone) were posted on the Web for awhile. Disgusting.
[quote]Scamp:
[quote] To me, the LA Times Magazine story (why wasn't it in the sports section?) seemed very one-sided in Byears' favor. [/quote]I should hope so since Byears was fingered (no pun intended) for sexual assault and made to look like a sexual predator and rapist.
Although she was later vindicated in a court of law, her basketball career remains in shambles. No WNBA team will even give her a try out.
[quote] To me, the LA Times Magazine story (why wasn't it in the sports section?) seemed very one-sided in Byears' favor. [/quote]I should hope so since Byears was fingered (no pun intended) for sexual assault and made to look like a sexual predator and rapist.
Although she was later vindicated in a court of law, her basketball career remains in shambles. No WNBA team will even give her a try out.
QUOTE
Although she was later vindicated in a court of law, her basketball career remains in shambles. No WNBA team will even give her a try out.
LA Times Magazine: Late last month, authorities officially closed the two-year-plus investigation into the alleged sexual assault. Byears was never arrested or charged in the case. Gina Satriano, a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney, cited "insufficient evidence" for the decision to drop the matter.My understanding is that the alleged victim lives in South America. She does not want to come back to LA. She's afraid. Without her testimony, there wasn't enough evidence to bring charges. By no means was Latasha Byears "vindicated."
I agree that the level, if any, of Byears' involvement is open to question. What is not open to question is the different treatment accorded to Byears and Kobe Bryant by the same organization. If they said up front that it's a business and he makes a lot of money for them while she does not, they could at least be respected for honesty. But they gave all this drivel about standing by a player who was not yet found guilty blahblahblah. But only for him.
Not for her.
Not for her.
Very funny
Why anyone would be shocked that a Multimillion dollar athlete on a probably the biggest franchise in the NBA... gets better treatment than someone on a low level sport with very little fan support... that no one pays attention to...
Shocking, just shocking.
In other news, the sun came up yesterday.
Why anyone would be shocked that a Multimillion dollar athlete on a probably the biggest franchise in the NBA... gets better treatment than someone on a low level sport with very little fan support... that no one pays attention to...
Shocking, just shocking.
In other news, the sun came up yesterday.
You can't equate Byears with Bryant.
Bryant basically had a squeaky clean image until the incident and was a leading face of the league.
Byears was basically a thug who should be more compared to Rasheed Wallace, Ron Artest, or Rodman.
I don't know if any of the organizations would have supported Wallace/Artest/Rodman the same as Bryant was treated.
Bryant basically had a squeaky clean image until the incident and was a leading face of the league.
Byears was basically a thug who should be more compared to Rasheed Wallace, Ron Artest, or Rodman.
I don't know if any of the organizations would have supported Wallace/Artest/Rodman the same as Bryant was treated.
QUOTE
Scamp:
My understanding is that the alleged victim lives in South America. She does not want to come back to LA. She's afraid. Without her testimony, there wasn't enough evidence to bring charges. By no means was Latasha Byears \"vindicated.\"
Oh, c'mon... you know exactly what I'm getting at here. We are talking about a player who has been unfairly ostracized by the WNBA. She was accused of a crime. The keyword here is - ACCUSED. QUOTE
Although she was later vindicated in a court of law, her basketball career remains in shambles. No WNBA team will even give her a try out.
LA Times Magazine: Late last month, authorities officially closed the two-year-plus investigation into the alleged sexual assault. Byears was never arrested or charged in the case. Gina Satriano, a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney, cited \"insufficient evidence\" for the decision to drop the matter.My understanding is that the alleged victim lives in South America. She does not want to come back to LA. She's afraid. Without her testimony, there wasn't enough evidence to bring charges. By no means was Latasha Byears \"vindicated.\"
I was wrong when I said, she was vindicated in a court of law. Nevertheless, she was NEVER charged or arrested. So, based on this account, shouldn't she be allowed to get her job back? Or better yet, she shouldn't have been fired in the first place.
On the surface, it sure looks as if the WNBA played a hand in keeping her out of the league. Let's put this in perspective: She was a key player, an enforcer if you will, on a championship L.A. Sparks bb team and now can't even get a tryout? You have got to be kidding me! This has league conspiracy written all over it. She's being blackballed. I also think it scared them having an out lesbian fluanting her bravado on the court tainting their wholesome image. I hope she sues the hell out of them.
To Allinsf: Actually, I agree with you that Latasha Byears should not have been fired immediately by the LA Sparks. Suspending her while the alleged assault was investigated would have been fair. (I also think that Kobe Bryant was treated far too well by the Lakers.)
If the Sparks had kept Byears on the payroll, the owners would had a public relations (and economic) incentive to lean on the LA police and DA to press charges or drop the investigation. And (something I hadn't thought of until now), the Sparks could have paid to fly the alleged victim--their former player--back to the USA to give a statement and, possibly, testify, if she was willing to.
A side note, I am harder in my judgements of women, especially lesbians, than I am on men. I expect dykes to behave better than straight men. Unfortunately, we're fallible humans, too.
It just makes my heart ache to know that, aside from Sue Wicks (retired and an assistant coach at Rutgers) and Michelle Van Gorp (apparently retired after serious injury), Latsha Byears is now the public face of lesbians in the WNBA.
If the Sparks had kept Byears on the payroll, the owners would had a public relations (and economic) incentive to lean on the LA police and DA to press charges or drop the investigation. And (something I hadn't thought of until now), the Sparks could have paid to fly the alleged victim--their former player--back to the USA to give a statement and, possibly, testify, if she was willing to.
A side note, I am harder in my judgements of women, especially lesbians, than I am on men. I expect dykes to behave better than straight men. Unfortunately, we're fallible humans, too.
It just makes my heart ache to know that, aside from Sue Wicks (retired and an assistant coach at Rutgers) and Michelle Van Gorp (apparently retired after serious injury), Latsha Byears is now the public face of lesbians in the WNBA.
Scoop Jackson of ESPN.com's Page 2 has a new column posted, "Hard Time with Latasha Byears." As Ted of Women's Hoops Blog writes, "It is rambling and melodramatic...but worth reading."
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...on/050907&num=0
It's interesting to me that Byears is getting support in the media now--now that the case against her has been dropped.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...on/050907&num=0
It's interesting to me that Byears is getting support in the media now--now that the case against her has been dropped.
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