Paula Hunt at the San Antonio Express reports on the issue of male practice players.

Darlene Bailey, chair of the Commission on Women's Athletics, explains why they're looking into it: "There are health and safety concerns with men participating, and there is the philosophical issue of whether men should practice against women when we don't let them compete against them."

That is even stupider than the original purported "equity" rationale.

What "health and safety concerns"? Has there been a secret rash of injuries to women caused by male practice players? Even if there were such a problem, wouldn't every school have sufficient interest to police that on its own?

And what exactly is the "philosophical issue"? Is there some avant-garde theory of ethics and basketball that says you can't practice against people you don't play against? Has there ever been a serious basketball player in history -- man or woman -- who hasn't benefitted from practice time against outside competition?

I have yet to hear a remotely plausible explanation of why this issue even merits further study. I therefore can't help but wonder whether there's something else going on -- whether this really an attempt by some have-not schools to reduce the competitive advantage of the haves.

Coach Conradt politely disagreed with the committee's take. "At this point in the season you don't need to have all of your players doing everything all the time against each other because of the fatigue factor," she said. "These kinds of rationale need more insight and more discussion before someone just steps out there and says 'let's take this away.'"

Hunt also interviewed some of the players themselves. Before becoming a practice player for the Longhorns, Ryan McLearen didn't follow the women's game, but that's changed: "I have so much respect for them now." Tony Jones explains why he puts the hours in: "My payoff is going to games and seeing them play well."

Yeah, we better get guys like that off the court.