Becky Hammon is one of a long line of women in all fields whose skills are seen as heroic rather than standard, when standard is sufficient for positions on the sidelines or in the boardrooms. If hired, will her salary be commiserate with other coaches? Will she hire her own assistants? How many will label such a hire as political correctness—the-one-side-fits-all shorthand smear so outrageous it smothers a response. Political correctness is simply another flop after at the end of a successful hard drive. It is a distraction, a deflection, a fake movement when skill is insufficient.
Of course, the question becomes how male players will react—not whether she can coach, run substitution patterns successfully. Something called team chemistry will be cited as suddenly being important; million dollar athletes will have to fill good about her role as a woman—not her skills as a coach.
Maybe it’s time the country engaged in some wind sprints to refocus on what matters. In a country where being grossly unqualified doesn’t disable our national leader, who is crude, has called athletes and countries ugly expletives, and clearly has no strategy for any quarter, isn’t it time to stop ignoring anything other than qualifications and real track records? Besides, nobody will ever spank Becky and tell the nation on television!
A Reply by me to a comment: Shamrock, how unlucky you are to miss the obvious: the column is about success, qualifications, public perceptions. It is not limited or restricted to discussing only Hammond or to not discussing anyone else, including Spanky, except in the drought of your thought. But those who cannot not think, regulate. And set imaginary rules for everyone else. So with the 1st amendment in hand, I say evidence shows daily Trump can’t hit a free throw–or run a government!
[http://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/opinion/nba-becky-hammon-women-bucks.html?comments#permid=27107878]
Black History 360* 