SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Is it too late to jump on the Storm bandwagon?

Sep 12, 2018, 3:14 PM | Updated: 4:55 pm

storm...

Sue Bird, left, high-five's Jordin Canada (21) as they celebrate with teammates after beating the Washington Mystics in Game 2 of the WNBA basketball finals Sunday in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The Seattle Storm are on the verge of winning the WNBA Championship Wednesday night. I asked myself why I’m not more interested in the team? I have never been to a game or even watched one on TV.

RELATED: Safeco funding was the right move

Do I have some kind of hidden bias against women’s basketball? Is it the lack of TV coverage for the regular season? Maybe it’s the sports media’s fault? Let’s discuss.

I grew up a sports fan and follow most of the action in the major sports. I’m not an obsessive, but I give it some time each week. Especially during the postseason. I will watch postseason baseball and basketball even when I don’t necessarily have a rooting interest.

Watching the Cubs win a few years back was such a fun ride. And I think I watched at least part of every game of the NBA Finals last season.

So why do I have zero desire to jump on the Storm bandwagon?

Let’s look at bias first.

If you asked me if I support women’s athletics, I would answer, yes, in theory. But in practice, I do not. It’s one of those things I say I believe in, but haven’t given it much energy, time or money. Now it would be easy for me to just move on except that I will watch with great interest LeBron James battle Steph Curry for a championship. So what’s that all about? Intellectually, I would tell you that it’s not a quality of play issue. Obviously, men’s basketball has more dunking and they are larger human beings, but it’s the same game. Emotionally though, I don’t have the buy-in with the women’s teams.

So maybe I do have a bias against the WNBA. Subconsciously, I guess I really do want the size and the athleticism of the men’s game.

Next up in my theories: lack of TV. I don’t know if I’m off the hook here either. I thought for a minute that the games might not even be on TV, or that they are on some obscure channel. The postseason games have been on ESPN 2; I just haven’t made it a priority to check in.

Finally, could it be the sports media’s fault? I’m going to blame shift for a minute here. I get interested in the games in part because of the stories of the players. I hear those stories when I see them on a website or TV show. But with the Seattle Storm, I really don’t know many players. Sue Bird is all I have. I’ve seen Breanna Stewart’s name, but if I’m honest, I couldn’t pick her out of a lineup.

So in conclusion, it’s probably me. I most likely do have bias. My lack of interest has just snowballed over the years and I under-appreciate the accomplishment of this squad.

Winning a World Championship in any sport is a huge deal.

What could be the final game of the season is on Wednesday night. Is it too late to tune in and squeeze onto the bandwagon?

“What Are We Talking About Here” can be heard every weekday at 4:50 p.m. and 6:50 p.m. on the Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM.

Please follow our Community Guidelines

Members of the U.S. Secret Service police conduct overwatch during the IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Pr...

Associated Press

Three Secret Service officials have been placed on administrative leave pending investigation

Three U.S. Secret Service officials were placed on administrative leave Tuesday, pending the outcome of an investigation by the agency’s professional standards office. The three were operating in non-law-enforcement capacities and were being investigated for potential misconduct, the agency’s public information office reported. However, the cause for the action remained unclear as the Office of […]

43 minutes ago

fire engine...

James Lynch

Washington business owner buys fire engine to defend community from wildfire threat

With wildfires raging across Washington, one business owner has taken wildfire defense into his own hands — by buying a used fire engine.

53 minutes ago

President Donald Trump walks after a back to school event in the Rose Garden of the White House, Mo...

Associated Press

Trump has submitted civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress for review, AP sources say

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump has submitted to Congress for review an agreement with Saudi Arabia aimed at bolstering the kingdom’s civilian nuclear program, but continues to insist that it won’t move forward if Saudi Arabia doesn’t normalize relations with Israel, according to a Trump administration official. The classified document was submitted to Capitol Hill […]

1 hour ago

mail-in voting (1)...

KIRO Newsradio staff

‘Don’t freak out’: WA Secretary of State expects new injunction ‘very soon’ after Supreme Court mail-in voting ruling

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs expects a new injunction to be filed "very soon" after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on mail-in voting.

1 hour ago

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at a forum of The Americas Counter Cartel Coalition in P...

Associated Press

US military says it killed four in strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military attacked a boat suspected of being used to smuggle drugs in the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday, killing four people, as the Trump administration continues its monthslong campaign against alleged traffickers in Latin America. The latest attack brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by […]

2 hours ago

dolly parton death tribute...

Jake Skorheim and Spike O'Neill Show

‘A force of nature’: Jake and Spike pay tribute to Dolly Parton

Jake and Spike honor Dolly Parton's impact on music and culture following her death, reflecting on her remarkable life and achievements.

2 hours ago

Is it too late to jump on the Storm bandwagon?