Breaking My Fever
Caitlin Clark is a phenomenal basketball player. Incredible even. Shooter, scorer, passer—getting better on defense. Girl has GAME.
But..
I never want to go to an Indiana Fever game ever again. At least not anytime soon and in THIS political climate.
If you haven’t guessed it yet, this will be one of those personal posts…stay with me if you want, I hope you do, but I also know no one really cares what I feel or have to say.
The Good
Let me start with what I see as the good of the rise of CC in basketball. The WNBA, of which I have been a fan since its inception, has seen tremendous growth that coincides with her arrival. It coincides because it isn’t JUST her even if media doesn’t portray it that way. She IS a big reason and contributor…but there are other players too. A ton of them. And contrary to the belief of the stupid boys behind me at the game today— they can play.
And for the record ‘Chad’ Angel would hoop on you and make you cry…
But anyway— back to today.
Caitlin Clark is an Avatar
No, not the blue things in the movies that take too long to come out, but in the sense that a lot of racist bigots see themselves and their hopes and dreams in her. They see this white girly(ish) girl in a Black sport doing well and they finally care. They see themselves returning to the master role and putting us in our place.
Too much? Too dramatic?
Maybe, but you should hear the things that were being said in the stands about this person they have never met.
I mean— here is a small example:
DJ says Angel Reese, who is wearing a literal suit— is a slut AS USUAL.
Contrast that with what DJ said around the same time of the Indiana walk in.
Word DJ? I mean… I don’t mind the fit at all, I would have done a complementary color for the blazer or the top but I am no fashion pro like Lynsey Jordan Cavallo but I can put together a fit time to time.
But I thought this was about Caitlin…why bring her into it?
Well that is the thing. These new ‘fans’ who followed her into the league and see her as their in with the W, they don’t care about the history of the game or the Black bodies it took to make this lane exist for her.
I remember being in 4th grade and reading about this proposed women’s NBA and the women who were trying to make it happen led by Sheryl Swoopes. It was 99.999% Black women fighting for a place to play for all women. And they made it happen.
Too bad for a long period, the people like DJ didn’t care to watch.
It was just ‘manly Black girls’ playing a game.
Then ESPN started hyping up CC.
And again, SHE IS A BALLER, but there are a lot of them in the league— they just either happened to be Black OR they blended into the culture and didn’t appeal to the ‘newer base.’
And let’s be real— statistically there were other people on her level or surpassing it. UConn had a bunch of people at that level they just happened to be on the same team. So the numbers were different.
I give you…
Some of the best to EVER play the game and they were playing on the same team. And what did they have in common— they balled and recognized the game for where it came from.
That didn’t cut it for a certain crowd.
Paige Bueckers for example is one of the best to ever do it but didn’t get the bump because she also takes every moment to thank the people who got her there.
But again…back to the game. Focus, Terrance, Focus.
A Microcosm of the USA
As the game played on, it was clear the ‘fans’ were more anti-Angel than anti-Chicago or pro-Indiana. They booed when she touched the ball, booed when she fouled, cheered when she missed a shot.
But it wasn’t just that—
It seems like Caitlin…likes this.
And not just likes it, she plays off it. Throughout the game she antagonized and agitated Angel. She had two hard fouls on Angel go uncalled and each time gave an extra little shove and said something with a smirk. She then got a foul called on her when she hit someone else and immediately yelled at the ref. On the next play, she hit an amazing looking three from the corner and went to that same ref and said something to him again. She then went back towards Angel and said something else and smirked.
That gets us to THE PLAY when she was finally called out. On that play, she didn’t go for the ball on a shot by Angel, instead she wrapped her body and knocked her to the ground.
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Afterwards, Angel got up with something to say and Caitlin—the victim— walked off running her mouth (and acting like she didn’t do anything) while her Black woman teammates took to physically defending her.
Where have we seen that before? White women being clueless and Black women still trying to help save them from themselves?
Oh yeah…there. 92%
In that play…the foul by Caitlin was later upgraded to be flagrant but Angel and the Black woman teammate of Caitlin who stepped in to defend her were also assessed technical fouls.
So they were punished for a thing she started. And she was able to walk off…no biggie.
Not only that, the crowd was even more behind her after that moment and they were irate she was even nominally punished.
There it is though.
This is NOT a Rivalry
As much as people try to make it one, this is not a rivalry. They bring up Bird and Magic or Michael Jordan and Thomas. There are rivalries in the W right now but this ain’t that. They don’t play the same position, neither has won it big over the other, and it is still new. If you weren’t NEW to the WNBA you would know this, but all the fake fans are acting like this is both a rivalry, and needed. It is neither.
What happened today was cheap, and inflammatory, and yes— for the guys in the stands making monkey sounds as Angel shot her free throws— incredibly problematic. I worry for Angel’s and other Black players safety as this continues to escalate and be leaned into.
Sports Should be an Escape
Look. I understand and appreciate a good foul. I played basketball. I also have competed in sports most of my life. I love sports.
One thing that sports should do for those who aren’t playing is serve as an escape. In those 4 quarters we should be able to get into the game. Follow the players and the stories and the vibes.
But there I sat, a Black man in red Indiana. An arena filled with mostly white people jeering and making disgusting comments about the opposing Black player. It felt uncomfortable. One older white lady told me I was in the ‘wrong arena.’ We left in the 3rd quarter.
But with where we are in the larger society in the country right now it feels equally hostile. The problem is there is no way to leave in the 3rd quarter with life.
Sports should not be an extension of that. One of the beauties of sport has been the ability to bring people together even just for an hour.
It doesn’t feel like that right now.
At least in Indiana when #22 is on the court playing a predominantly Black woman’s game
.