Could Caitlyn Clark compete with D1 men?

[steve B]

Baseball and basketball are so very different.

As far as baseball goes, a couple bits of info/suggestions.

Go find a batting cage that's up around 90. Many places have them now.
It's a real eye opener. The realization that the guy whose batting you laughed at by the stats like anyone under .200..... Is far more talented than nearly anyone. (I couldn't really even see the ball, and was happy to get an audible foul tip on the last of 50 pitches. And that's with a fairly consistent machine that wasn't trying to get me out or throwing inside. )

I played softball with a couple people who were amazing.
One had played college baseball, but left when the coach said he would have to choose engineering or baseball. -He went with the odds.

The other was a female Olympic hockey player. And was maybe the best player on the team. The guy had control trouble on infield throws because of trying to throw gently enough for the rest of us.
The Olympian? Made a throw home that I couldn't have made at all. And mentioned after that throwing like that made her unrepaired rotator cuff sore.
I usually caught, but played outfield with her a couple times. She was never out of position, never. Which made me a better outfielder, because I could go for balls I'd let drop with anyone else in the field. Simply because I knew backup was in the right spot, and had a much better arm.

I figure a woman in baseball is a someday thing.

Other sports, maybe not, or maybe only a chance thing with the right team/coach/player/situation. But in some ways that's the same thing holding many athletes back.

[Jewish-collector]

I'm curious what level of men's tennis would the top women's tennis player in the world (ie Iga Swiatek or whoever it is) be able to defeat a male in a series of games ? Men's Division III college top player ? Boys High School top player ? JCC retired guy recreational player Thoughts ?????

Same question with swimming.

[bk400]

I would agree that women have a better chance in non-contact sports. This said, size and speed will make a difference in tennis. I'd probably give even odds to the world number 1 female tennis player against the number 3 ranked high school male tennis player in Florida.

In swimming, I think you'd have to go long course, open ocean, where a woman's body fat percentage works in her favor. I haven't looked at the data, but I wouldn't be surprised if the female world record for crossing the English Channel is pretty close to the men's record.

[maniac_73]

Originally Posted by bk400

I would agree that women have a better chance in non-contact sports. This said, size and speed will make a difference in tennis. I'd probably give even odds to the world number 1 female tennis player against the number 3 ranked high school male tennis player in Florida.

In swimming, I think you'd have to go long course, open ocean, where a woman's body fat percentage works in her favor. I haven't looked at the data, but I wouldn't be surprised if the female world record for crossing the English Channel is pretty close to the men's record.

Here are the english channel records.
Men Germany Andreas Waschburger [39] 06:45 Sep. 2023
Women Czech Republic Yvetta Hlaváčová 07:25 2006
Men two ways New Zealand Philip Rush 16:10 1987
Women two ways Australia Susie Maroney 17:14 1991
Men three ways New Zealand Philip Rush 28:21 1987
Women three ways United Kingdom Alison Streeter 34:40 1990

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by bk400

I would agree that women have a better chance in non-contact sports. This said, size and speed will make a difference in tennis. I'd probably give even odds to the world number 1 female tennis player against the number 3 ranked high school male tennis player in Florida.

In swimming, I think you'd have to go long course, open ocean, where a woman's body fat percentage works in her favor. I haven't looked at the data, but I wouldn't be surprised if the female world record for crossing the English Channel is pretty close to the men's record.

In a state like Florida, I'd probably go with the high school player. Just too much difference in how hard men and women hit the ball.

[quinnsryche]

Let her take a flagrant foul from Draymond Green or run over by Lebron and see how long she lasts - 1 sec. - before they have to take her off the court in pieces. That's a question constantly asked about females in a male sport and I have NEVER ONCE heard an argument that ends well for the girl.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by quinnsryche

Let her take a flagrant foul from Draymond Green or run over by Lebron and see how long she lasts - 1 sec. - before they have to take her off the court in pieces. That's a question constantly asked about females in a male sport and I have NEVER ONCE heard an argument that ends well for the girl.

Just in the ordinary course of a game, assuming people didn't let up on her, she would get the crap beaten out of her if she even tried to cover anyone, or go for a rebound, or go around a pick. The whole discussion is rather inane. This is a skinny young woman we're talking about. It's fantasy. And that takes nothing away from her, it's just biology.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

And that takes nothing away from her, it's just biology.

Biology is an offensive construct of an oppressive system and cognizance of it enables bigotry.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by quinnsryche

Let her take a flagrant foul from Draymond Green or run over by Lebron and see how long she lasts - 1 sec. - before they have to take her off the court in pieces. That's a question constantly asked about females in a male sport and I have NEVER ONCE heard an argument that ends well for the girl.

I would say this is completely proven in any Iowa game with Audi Crooks in the key. They have near zero ability to handle size. Audi has a 2.5" vertical and takes forever to cross the court but can still drop 40 just in layups?

That said, I can't believe that Audi could score a single basket in a game against any men's team because it would be stuffed consistently....but I sure as hell wouldn't take a charge from her. At 6'3" she has to weigh more than any NBA player of her height in the history of the league. There have definitely been bigger players, but I would like to see one at 6'3" or under.