John wrote:
 
>The best reason to keep something like Title IX is the convergence of
men's and women's swimming and running times over the years, which
would indicate that that the disparity is as much social as physical.
(Do we really believe that there's not one woman in the country who's
as good as any of the thousands of men in major- and minor-league
baseball?  <
 
We're getting a long way from a college hockey discussion here, but,
Hey!, its off season, right?
 
There may be a convergence of men's and women's running times and
swimming times, but even though there is more overlap than difference
between men and women in physical ability, do you really think the times
will actually meet?  Men do have one distinct advantage when it comes to
physical sports:  Testosterone.  We pay for it with earlier deaths.  But
in the meantime, while great female athletes may be able to be
competitive in male-type sports, the two group averages will never meet
and the best male athletes will always beat the best female athletes in
those areas.
 
In terms of hockey, if the men played the women's version, many women
would be competitive with the men.  Perhaps balance and quickness would
more than make up for slower skating speed (or, potentially, stamina for
sustained high output).  But without the hitting, it really isn't an
equivalent game and few women would prosper in the men's game competing
with men.  In other sports there is more similarity between the games.
E.g., basketball or tennis.  But even there, men have an advantage.  In
tennis it is widely accepted (Bobby Riggs notwithstanding) that any of
the top 100 men would beat the top woman player (right now, Martina
Hingis) simply because of power and stamina.
 
In the end I suppose I support Title IX, but it seems there ought to be
a way to implement it without reduction of men's sports already in
place.
 
Tom Rowe                                     [log in to unmask]
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