No doubt, it’s been an exciting and historic year for the Baylor Bears. First, RG3 became their first Heisman Trophy winner in leading the football team to only its second 10-win season in 112 years. Then, Brittney Griner was chosen AP Player-of-the-Year and became the first Lady Bear to win the prestigious Naismith Trophy in leading the Lady Bears to their second ever national championship and a perfect 40-0 record, pouring in 26 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and blocking five shots in the final ladies NCAA Championship game.
That was the first time any woman’s or men’s basketball team has ever reached 40 wins in a season! RG3 and Griner even danced together on the Denver hardcourt following the Lady Bears’ triumph. The 6’-8”, 208 lb. junior has truly amazed us all, and she has become THE dominant player in all of women’s basketball. Unfortunately, with all her success and dominance, Griner has had to endure never-ending insults and taunting all over the social media. She IS a freak of nature, sounds like a slightly gangster version of Lou Rawls, but plays basketball like no other woman I have ever seen!
Following Notre Dame’s 80-61 loss to Baylor in the national title game, ND coach Muffet McGraw remarked that “Griner is like a guy playing with women”. She later had to clarify that her statement was meant as a compliment. I totally agree with McGraw, but she should not have had to clarify what she said. When Griner laces up her size 18 (men’s) shoes, she comes to put on a show….to dazzle us! She has seven dunks in her career, and became only the second woman ever to dunk in an NCAA tournament game. She does things other women just can’t do on a basketball court, so what’s so wrong about that?! Ever since her days at Nimitz HS in Houston, Brittney Griner has been teased and ridiculed for the way she looks and the man-like manner in which she plays the game. Those that know her best say she’s an excellent teammate, hard-worker, extremely coachable, and a fun-loving personality. Those that observe her play from afar continue to focus only on comparing her to a man. That’s sad!
Brittney Griner has already altered the (women’s) game in much the same way Lew Alcindor did back in the late ‘60s playing for John Wooden at UCLA. For abnormally tall individuals, they move and play with the fluidity of a Baryshnikov, make their teammates better, and create defensive nightmares for their opponents. There’s no telling how great Griner will become. She’s emphatically announced that she’ll be back next season….with her entire supporting cast too! She certainly won’t change the way she has always played the game to appease others. Her impressive career numbers clearly establish her uniqueness in women’s basketball history……114 wins-3 losses, 21.6 points/game, 8.6 rebounds/game, and 5.3 blocks/game over her three years at Baylor. A long and successful WNBA career awaits her, but she wants to achieve even more at Baylor first.
Being on campus next fall in Waco will be exciting, as the Lady Bears go for their repeat. It’ll also be exciting to watch, Brittney Griner, the greatest women’s collegiate basketball player play like a man!
So… What’s your opinion about Brittney Griner?
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Brittney Griner is an athlete that comes around once in a generation. Women’s college basketball and women’s professional basketball have landed a true superstar of the sport. Brittney Griner’s ball handling, shooting and blocking skills are truly unique to ladies basketball! I’m not a big fan of ladies basketball, but she made me want to watch every game she played in the ladies NCAA Championship. She is one heck of an athlete! And, I give her an extra pat on the back for staying in school and finishing her remarkable college career!
Are you kidding me…..Brittney Griner says “no thanks” to the 2012 US Women’s Olympic Basketball Team. Maybe there’s a roster spot opening up on the Men’s Olympic Team she wants to compete for?