I got my hair cut today (and got rid of the winter beard) here, thanks to the Internet coupon Jessie found. It's a good haircut (and a really good shave); it's also an almost comically "manly" salon, with brown leather, nearly bare walls, and Sports Center going all day.
The friendly barber-- also one of the owners-- follows the NBA very, very closely: we talked about last night's Celtics result, and then he told me about the Lakers and the Nuggets and the Cavaliers' results. And then he wanted to talk about Candace Parker. He's a Lakers fan (yes, in Boston), and he watches the W sometimes, and he likes the Sparks, especially now that they've got CP: he likes Michael Cooper too.
He wanted to talk about how the W's level of play has improved; he said he wanted to watch more WNBA games, if he could only figure out when they were on. (This year it's almost all Tuesday and Thursday nights, for those without local TV or NBATV.) He didn't know that he could drive down (or take a bus) one state away to see a game; nor did he know about Lindsay Whalen. (He does now.)
The other athlete on the women's side whom he wanted to talk about was Brittney Griner. He knew she could dunk, but not that she's going to Baylor.
The morals of the story?
1. The male NBA fans who would watch the W, if they could find it more easily, really are out there-- some are in cities where the W has no team.
2. Some are the same NBA fans who might not have enjoyed the W in, say, 1998, because they're seeking a certain level of athleticism, or a certain speed of play, and they're more likely to see it, more often, now than they were then. (I'd rather watch Lindsay than Deanna Nolan, but I'm kicking myself for not telling my barber about Nolan: she has just the kind of eye-popping highlight-reel game that should draw new fans in, and she's never been the focus of a nationwide publicity tempest, so far as I know.)
3. I wish the casino were closer to Boston. Or maybe in Boston.
4. SportsCenter matters, a lot.
And speaking of venues that mostly cover the men, but do seem to be trying: will Adrienne Goodson keep writing for SLAM? Hope so.
The friendly barber-- also one of the owners-- follows the NBA very, very closely: we talked about last night's Celtics result, and then he told me about the Lakers and the Nuggets and the Cavaliers' results. And then he wanted to talk about Candace Parker. He's a Lakers fan (yes, in Boston), and he watches the W sometimes, and he likes the Sparks, especially now that they've got CP: he likes Michael Cooper too.
He wanted to talk about how the W's level of play has improved; he said he wanted to watch more WNBA games, if he could only figure out when they were on. (This year it's almost all Tuesday and Thursday nights, for those without local TV or NBATV.) He didn't know that he could drive down (or take a bus) one state away to see a game; nor did he know about Lindsay Whalen. (He does now.)
The other athlete on the women's side whom he wanted to talk about was Brittney Griner. He knew she could dunk, but not that she's going to Baylor.
The morals of the story?
1. The male NBA fans who would watch the W, if they could find it more easily, really are out there-- some are in cities where the W has no team.
2. Some are the same NBA fans who might not have enjoyed the W in, say, 1998, because they're seeking a certain level of athleticism, or a certain speed of play, and they're more likely to see it, more often, now than they were then. (I'd rather watch Lindsay than Deanna Nolan, but I'm kicking myself for not telling my barber about Nolan: she has just the kind of eye-popping highlight-reel game that should draw new fans in, and she's never been the focus of a nationwide publicity tempest, so far as I know.)
3. I wish the casino were closer to Boston. Or maybe in Boston.
4. SportsCenter matters, a lot.
And speaking of venues that mostly cover the men, but do seem to be trying: will Adrienne Goodson keep writing for SLAM? Hope so.
posted by Stephanie at 8:37 PM
