Midwest Chick's Place

(A.K.A. Non-Original Rants)

–Co-opting good stuff from all over the ‘Net and maybe some original thoughts—ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

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Battle of the Sexes, Redux

There are those of you old enough to remember the original tennis Battle of the Sexes between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973 which was actually the match that lit the ‘I am Woman’/Buffy/Xena/unrealistic-expectations-of-female-physicality era that led us to where we are today.

There have always been rumors that Riggs blew the match deliberately because even with the disparity of age between them, there never should have been a contest. Of course there were millions of dollars on the line as well as an agenda and a rumored mafia debt so….

Well, they decided to redo this particular battle with a man not even in the top 600 plus ranked male tennis players vs the number 1 female player.

And this time, it ended just the way you would think.

The most recent iteration of the “Battle of the Sexes” only hammered that point home after the 671st-ranked male, Nick Kyrgios, beat the top-ranked female in the world, Aryna Sabalenka, on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates.

And, as Reuters noted, it wasn’t especially close, with Kyrgios winning 6-3, 6-3 in the highly publicized exhibition match at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

Did I forget to mention the following about Kyrgios and the match?:

He’s nearing retirement.

He had a severe rupture of the scapholunate ligament in his wrist that has limited him for years, along with past knee problems.

He was handicapped by the organizers, who gave his female opponent a 9% smaller court, required single serves per point, and limited play to best-of-three sets.

He was in pretty bad shape and had the deck stacked against him and still defeated her by a no-sweat margin.

This matched the result of the US professional women’s soccer team when they went up against a high school boys team.

Several years ago, the US women’s national team competed against the FC Dallas under-15 boys academy team. 

The 2017 matchup was scheduled to help the USWNT prepare for a pair of friendly matches with Russia’s national team ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

This week, former USWNT star Carli Lloyd admitted that the women’s national team suffered a 5-2 loss to the under-15 boys team.

…

“They should beat us. Bigger, stronger, faster! Boys always gave us a run for our money! It was great prep,” Lloyd wrote in a separate social media post.

Reality is what it is. Men and boys are stronger than women, even well trained female athletes in their prime. There never should have been a question. And even in a dress, a man will best a woman any day, in any sport (except maybe shooting since it’s an equalizer).

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Midwest Chick

14 responses to “Battle of the Sexes, Redux”

  1. Eaton Rapids Joe Avatar
    Eaton Rapids Joe

    Women also excel at long distance swimming and extreme endurance events in the cold.

    Whether by God’s hand or Darwin, women don’t get their first but they outlast most men (hey, you only need one) in the long grind of famine and pestilence.

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  2. Eaton Rapids Joe Avatar
    Eaton Rapids Joe

    “…there…” darn it. I meant to write “there”!

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. boneman1959 Avatar
    boneman1959

    Racket sports can be an interesting matchup. I used to play tournament Table Tennis. Even held a USATT ranking at one time.

    Was utterly and thoroughly TROUNCED by a lady… and SHE… was playing in a WHEELCHAIR.

    There’s always that one instance, aye?

    But I would agree, on the whole, it’s not exactly a fair matchup for sure.

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  4. Unferth Avatar
    Unferth

    When my kids were in competitive swimming, I always thought the differences were interesting. As Joe pointed out, women trained more for distance and men for sprints. When the bear entered the camp, men needed all their energy now while women grabbed the kids and ran.

    But even then, men require over 30 seconds faster times than women to qualify for the 500 meter freestyle race. The average men’s marathon time is 30 minutes faster than the average women’s time.

    It is a bell curve of performance. Most women will beat me in a marathon. The average man will beat the average women. The top performing men will beat the top performing women.

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  5. Alvin/Maine Avatar
    Alvin/Maine

    It’s interesting that back in they day when I played paintball, women’s teams would, on average, have more wins then men. Given the fact that endurance didn’t really enter into it, (sneak, peak and shoot). Women are much better at intuitive thinking then men. Having run some combat missions with mixed teams this is certainly true.

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  6. Gerry Avatar
    Gerry

    As I recall Billie Jean was called in to rescue women’s tennis reputation after Bobby Riggs trounced Margert Court

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  7. Nemo Avatar
    Nemo

    August 18, 1920; a date which will live in infamy, has led us to fall far down the slippery slope which we find ourselves on today and from which emanated ALL of the perfidy and chaos we currently experience.

    Some might say that it all began with an apple in a garden, long ago.

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  8. B Avatar
    B

    Feminism 2.0 and 3.0 have been lying to everyone, (especially women) about that…

    Men are, on average, stronger, faster, and better equipped by evolution for “combat” type sports.
    Women excel in other aspects.

    “Anything men can do we can do better” is a lie, and everyone, even most women, know it…but it makes women feel better about themselves so they repeat the lie….and men let them say it because we know better and we expect women to lie to themselves…Such is the society of modern women. Falsities and lies and prevarications so they can feel better about themselves and their role in society.
    In nearly any sport, women have been given the advantages and they still fail to come up on top. They simply can’t in a physical competition, be it tennis, or soccer, or baseball or basketball or softball or even things like car racing. There is a reason there are Ladies Tees in golf, after all. Real women know this, understand, and accept.

    Those 15 year old boy soccer players? I bet you they weren’t as tough on those women players as they would have been against men, or even boys their age.

    Unless, and until, women start to acknowledge the differences, they will still look like fools to the rest of us.
    Modern feminism’s lies are hampering the forward evolution of modern society. Ultimately, women will end up with less for it.

    (sorry for the long rant)

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  9. Bill Lytton Avatar
    Bill Lytton

    Your memes are always a destination for myself and my wife. The Old Style Beer Sign meme is a giveaway for both age and location, but I don’t want to give anything away. Once I had my first real job, I was an assistant manager for a local department store chain. S+H stamps anyone?
    Anyway, my father was giving me the business about THE GREAT TENNIS MATCH, and I was stuck watching the only
    T.V. in the house, and made to view all the sport shows on the weekends with film and videotape of the upcoming man vs. woman game of the century. When dinner came, my father asked me who I thought would win. I told him “She’s faster, younger, at the peak of her career. Riggs is 55, flabby and is training by drinking and giving interviews. ” Dad shot me a grin.
    I think the match was on a Saturday. I was working my way around the store, and the furniture dept was full of husbands whose wives had insisted they shop on this Saturday afternoon. The store “jocks” were assembled and watching a color console with a huge 25″ screen! “Who’s gonna win big shot?”, a fellow male employee asked? I said ‘He’s 55, chubby and not in shape.” “Riggs will start off good, but she’ll win the match.” “Wanna put some money on that ?” “No !” CHICKEN! come on, I’ll give you double or nothing.” “Don’t want your money. ” Yeah, we got a bet whether you want it or not!” Saw this guy at a funeral a few years ago. He still won’t talk to me!

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  10. Old NFO Avatar
    Old NFO

    I must have missed it… anyhoo- Happy New Year to you!

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  11. Midwest Chick Avatar
    Midwest Chick

    ERJ–Perhaps in the long haul/endurance, but not in sports like this.

    boneman–It happens but is rare.

    Unferth–Exactly.

    Alvin–I can’t speak to that but interesting!

    Gerry–Forgot about that part–thanks for the reminder!

    Nemo–Definitely agree on the first part!

    B–Excellent points all and you explain the issue to which I was alluding. Thanks!

    Bill–Glad you and your wife enjoy the memes and thanks for the story!

    NFO–Happy New Year to you too!

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  12. Thomas Avatar
    Thomas

    USATT table tennis ratings are gender blind.If you’re a 1600, that means a certain level of play and your rating is adjusted based on further tournament results. I date back to when it was the USTTA and it was the same then.

    I recall an exhibition hockey game in a small town back in the 1970’s where the women’s all star team (mostly hi school and college aged) play a U12 boys team as a fundraiser. No contact allowed. U12 won by over 20 goals and the boys were clamoring to get on the ice because they normally didnt get to score very much. Their coach was trying to reign them in to make it closer but those kids absolutely would not listen- it was like a chained dog that finally got loose, there was just no reasoning with them.

    The sexes are built different in every way. Thats life. Lets just all appreciate each other for what we are.

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  13. Midwest Chick Avatar
    Midwest Chick

    Thomas–I absolutely agree!

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  14. wheels Avatar
    wheels

    Serena Williams, back in 2013, said that men’s and women’s tennis were effectively different sports, and she would not want to compete against men. She and Venus lost to the 203rd-ranked man in 1998.

    Ref: https://dailycaller.com/2023/09/07/serena-williams-david-letterman-clip-women-men-tennis-different-sports/

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