The year is 1986. The Sports Illustrated article is headlined Belles of the Ball: Off the court they're ladies, but when they put on basketball uniforms they become Lady Techsters—Louisiana Tech's all-business dynamos.
A quote:
Of course, not everyone is cut out for Lady Techsterism. In Ruston, where there is no great tradition of Women's Lib, the team carries an almost antebellum image, and Lady Techsters are required to be ladylike. A Lady Techster is likely to be a good student and a devout Christian, probably favors needlepoint over Madonna tapes on airplanes and fears a drug test about as much as she does an airport metal detector.
"We like them to be winners on court, but nice-looking ladies off it," says Mulkey, who might wear pigtails on court but is the picture of proper southern womanhood as a coach and recruiter. "You don't wear raggy old jeans to class. There are some things a Lady Techster just can't do."
The photographs are... well... omigod, Spoon! Scroll through the thumbnails to page 118-121 (real page 108).
Check out another SI on Spoon and LaTech, circa 1988.
For while senior forward Erica Westbrooks was providing the points - a game-high 25—Weatherspoon, a 5'8" whirling dervish from Pineland, Texas, was performing a minor miracle. Auburn's Ruthie Bolton had taken 'Spoon for 16 points in the first half, as the Lady Tigers grabbed a 31-19 lead. But over the last 20 minutes, Weatherspoon flawlessly directed Tech's attack (seven assists, one turnover) and energetically disrupted Bolton's (no points, six turnovers). Weatherspoon said later of her offense: "I love pressure. Pressure makes you a better basketball player." And by way of explaining her sensational defense, she said, "It upsets me when somebody scores like that on me. In the second half, I'm out to shut them down."
posted by Helen at 10:56 AM
