Bad sports, good sports: Penn State and UConn women are showing how it’s done

Posted on December 20th, 2010 by Alan Spoll

I don’t spend a lot of time writing about women’s sports. That’s likely because I don’t spend a lot of time watching women’s sports. This week, though, I need to dedicate some column-space to a couple of remarkable accomplishments that are truly noteworthy, and both occurred in the world of women’s college athletics. One involves the Penn State women’s volleyball team and the other the women’s basketball team from the University of Connecticut.

Last year, I wrote about the Penn State team a couple of times. Once about its third consecutive championship and the other about its 100-game winning streak. The streak stretched to 109 games until a loss earlier this season. That was supposed to be the end of the run, though. The team lost its two best players after last season, and a number of freshmen were playing key roles this year. Things did not point to a continuation of the championship run. That’s why they play the games, I guess. Penn State beat California in straight sets Saturday night to take its fourth consecutive national championship. Considering the fantastic play of the team’s freshmen, including Final Four MVP Deja McClendon, the Nittany Lions look like they are set up perfectly to continue what is obviously a dynasty.

On Sunday, the UConn women won their 88th consecutive game. That ties the consecutive wins record set by the UCLA men’s team back in 1974. The Huskies did not back into this record, either. They beat 10th-ranked Ohio State by 31 points to clinch it. Earlier this season, they beat 2nd-ranked Baylor by one point. If you take that game out of the mix, the team’s average margin of victory is almost 42 points. That’s ridiculous. Coach Geno Auriemma deserves to be talked about among the greatest college basketball coaches of all-time.

As I watched the semifinal and final matches of the volleyball tournament, I thought about what a shame it was that more people don’t know about these teams and this sport. Incredible athletes doing astonishing things are always worth watching. Enjoy these teams while you can, because I don’t imagine their feats will be duplicated any time soon.

Good sports, continued:

2) The Miami Dolphins signed free agent wide receiver Kevin Curtis to a contract this week. Why is this noteworthy? Curtis hasn’t played in a year, as he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and was being treated for it. I wish him luck in his return to football.

3) If I were from New York, this would be a Bad Sports story, but since I am from Philadelphia, it’s just the opposite. Down 31-10 halfway through the fourth quarter of their game against the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles scored 28 unanswered points in the final seven minutes and change to win, completing the victory on a punt return for a touchdown by DeSean Jackson with no time left on the clock. This was one of the greatest comebacks I have ever seen.

Bad sports:

1) Disagreeing with a referee’s call is one thing. Attacking the ref for a call is another thing entirely. Check out this video of a high school kid in Florida and his minor over-reaction to a call he didn’t like. Yikes.

2) Rafael Cabrera-Bello, a professional golfer, suffered quite an indignity on Saturday. He was disqualified from a tournament in South Africa because he ran out of golf balls after a hideous start to his round. I know I have lost eleven balls in a round, but I didn’t think the pros were quite that bad.

3) Do you remember “Overtrained Athlete Syndrome,” the affliction Brian Cushing claimed had caused his 2009 suspension from the NFL for violating league’s policy against Performance-Enhancing Drugs? Cushing, a linebacker for the Houston Texans, insisted that he never took anything illegal. Well, I guess O.A.S. was also responsible for Cushing fighting with his own teammate in the middle of the field during the Texans’ game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Otherwise, Cushing is just another steroid freak with “Roid Rage.”

4) FIFA, the world governing body for international soccer, is not doing itself any favors these days. The organization’s president, Sepp Blatter, stated this week that any homosexuals who attend the 2012 World Cup in Qatar should refrain from sexual activities while there, as homosexuality is illegal in the predominantly Arab country. Yes, he really said that. Hey Blatter, maybe a better approach would be to not hold the World Cup in a country where bigotry is state-sponsored.

Bad Sports, Good Sports appears every Monday.

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Alan Spoll

Alan Spoll is a software quality assurance director from the suburbs of Philadelphia where he lives with his wonderful wife and children. He has spent his entire life as a passionate fan of the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, Flyers, and Penn State. Recent Phillies success aside, you will understand his natural negativity. Follow me on Twitter - @DocAlan02