DAILY DIRT: Will Clark-fueled WNBA eventually surpass popularity of NBA?

There’s a lot to digest here. Sit back, relax and take it all in … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,057 of The Daily Dirt

1. Jason Whitlock got on his soap box earlier this week, and it’s hard to argue with him.

“The WNBA is going surpass the NBA, in terms of relevance here in America,” said Whitlock, the host of the “Fearless” podcast who formerly worked at ESPN, Fox Sports and other major media outlets. “I’ll give (the WNBA) five to seven years (to be on) being on equal footing or surpassing the NBA .”

And of course, Caitlin Clark is the primary reason. Clark was good — well, really good — in the first half of the WNBA season. Since the league’s all-star break, Clark has been flat-out great, averaging 25 points a game and near double figures in assists. Oh, and the girl can rebound, too. 

“And you know why (Clark is so popular?)?” Whitlock continued. “Because Caitlin Clark seems to share my values. She doesn’t hate America, she seems quite pleased (being from) middle America in Iowa, doesn’t seem to hate men … and she’s an underdog story. I love her.” 

And so do American sports fans, judging by the sellout crowds she attracts and the TV ratings the WNBA now commands.

Cowherd’s on board, too

Colin Cowherd, who hosts “The Herd” on Fox Sports, is another mainstream media guy who is all aboard that runaway Caitlin Clark train. Herd, who first gained national prominence while at ESPN, recently blasted Clark’s fellow WNBA players in general for their pettiness and jealousy toward her. Much of that jealousy and pettiness occurred in the early part of the season. As Clark has repeatedly shown her hype was no exaggeration, at least some of that ill treatment has appeared to subside, although the rookie still leads the WNBA in “hard fouls” against, according to Cowherd

“Caitlin Clark is way better, way sooner than anyone wants to admit,” Cowherd said. “This is Taylor Swift in sneakers.”

Herd feels the WNBA is finally coming to grips with the face Clark is a special talent it truly needs to embrace. If the WNBA is going to advance in the way Whitlock feels it will, it will be Clark leading the way.   

“The league has finally got its arms around that,” Herd said. 

What’s up with Geno?

UConn’s Geno Auriemma is probably the greatest coach in women’s basketball history. He has won more NCAA titles (11) than I have fingers. So I wonder how he could possibly have made the following comments in early June on the syndicated Dan Patrick Show:

“The delusional fan base that follows (Clark) disrespected the WNBA players by saying she was going into the league and tear it apart. These people are so disrespectful and unknowledgeable and so stupid that it gives women’s basketball a bad name. She’s on the wrong team and has the wrong skill set to handle the physicality of that league.”

Nick Wright, who writes for si.com, quickly took Auriemma to task. Wright wondered if Auriemma’s remarks may have been spurred by Clark’s Iowa team eliminating UConn from last season’s NCAA tournament and that former UConn standout Paige Bueckers, also a WNBA rookie, has been under Clark’s shadow all season.

“Geno just say you’re a UCONN guy, and you thought this was gonna be Paige and instead it’s Caitlin,” Wright said. 

My thoughts?

• A. At first thought, I felt Whitlock was probably overestimating the eventual impact of Clark, but the more I dug out into the numbers (statistics, attendance records, etc.) he may have hit the nail right on the proverbial. Clark comes across as the All-American girl, the kind of figure we love to be a hero.  
• B. There are still too many “hard” fouls against Clark, administered by some of those WNBA thug-like figures. But to Clark’s credit, she simply accepts it. I do wish, however, some of Clark’s teammates would apply a well-positioned elbow to the side of the face of some of those opposing players administering the cheap shots.
• C. Geno was simply wrong. Dead wrong. And if he’s half as smart of a guy as I presume he is, I would fully expect some sort of retraction/apology at some point.  (PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Geno’s always been an asshole. JRG)                                                                                                                                      

2. Did you know (Part 120)

That before he directed “Armageddon” and “Transformers,” Michael Bay directed Meat Loaf’s “I’d Do Anything For Love” video. 

That the original choice to play the skipper on “Gilligan’s Island” was Carroll O’Connor, not Alan Hale Jr. Things worked out, however, for O’Connor, who went on to become Archie Bunker.

That the NFL established a Week 1 TV ratings record, averaging 21 million viewers per game. The league and Nielsen said Wednesday that the per-game average on TV and digital platforms was a 12 percent increase over last year. Nielsen began electronic measurement of viewing in 1988. (PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Remember all of the people who were never going to watch the NFL again because Colin Kaepernick took a knee, or because somebody got arrested, or their owner was an idiot who moved their team? Riiiight … JRG)

That the cost of a 16-ounce beer at NFL games this season are led by: Washington ($16.49), Las Vegas ($14.99), Tampa Bay ($14.25) and San Francisco ($14).

That Martin Sheen’s role in “Apocalypse Now” was turned down by Clint Eastwood.

3. For the second straight week, we have a new member ascending to The Great Plate Debate medal stand. JAWHAWX has knocked out TOY BOX, which was only around for a week.

We’re down to 3 1/2 months remaining in the third annual challenge to find the most entertaining license plate from West-Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri. In both of the first two competitions, the eventual winners were not spotted until late in the calendar years of 2022 (IMDUMB) and 2023 (BE A BETH), so the best may be yet to come … again.

• Gold medal: GEM CITI
• Silver medal:STARVED
• Bronze medal:  JAWHAWX

Best of the rest over the past week:

• KARMA 81
• BUSHI
• BANG 2
• WILD IVY
• HIGGY

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Another interesting note I came across concerning Caitlin Clark: When asked what she thought about “The View,” the often controversial women’s talk show on ABC, she replied, “I’m honestly just not a fan”. Good for her.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Yes, Steve, just like soccer will over take American football in popularity in the USA, the WNBA will eventually become more popular than the NBA. Are they going to clone Caitlin Clark every 10 years?