re: Kim Mulkey interview on OTB

quote:

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These types of on the court altercations are common in basketball. It’s pretty much why I decided to quit watching the sport on any level. The proximity to other players, the same players, for that amount of time, mixed in with the physicality that has developed in the game make it inevitable that players will lose their cool. 20 years ago the sport had a more controlled approach to the elbowing, hip checks, tripping, and hands to the face.

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Are you sure you really watched basketball at any point beyond the last few years? The game used to be MUCH more physical than it is now and fights FAR worse than this little push and shove were commonplace. Jordan, Bird, Ewing, Dr. J, Barkley, Kareem, the entire Detroit Piston's team, etc were often getting into fights. Not a couple of pushes. But actual punches thrown. Guys went inside at their own peril because they knew the hard contact was likely coming. They all laugh at the faux "physicality" of today's game. That's why you hear Mulkey laughing at the notion this was a "fight". She played in an era where the game was actually physical.

Basketball is as non-physical today as it has ever been largely due to the emphasis on increased three point shooting and spacing. If this level of "physicality" bothers you, PLEASE do yourself a favor and avoid watching games from the 70's, 80's, and 90's