Seymour Flops
Diamond Member
Legendary Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer took issue with how LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne was earning big bucks in name, image and likeness (NIL) sponsorships.
Dunne boasts more than 6.2 million followers on TikTok and 2.3 million followers on Instagram. The 20-year-old at times posts scantily clad photos and videos, which is partly the reason why her brand is as incredibly successful as it is.
VanDerveer, a staunch supporter of women’s rights who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, said she saw the trend as a "step back" for female athletes.
"I guess sometimes we have this swinging pendulum, where we maybe take two steps forward, and then we take a step back," she told The New York Times in a recent interview. "We're fighting for all the opportunities to compete, to play, to have resources, to have facilities, to have coaches, and all the things that go with Olympic-caliber athletics.
I disagree that a sexy public image sets women's sports back. Playgirl magazine often featured male athletes with no damage to their sports that I know of. But I can respect the opinion of a woman who is a pioneer in women's sports. Sports are great for females, and I was very happy that my own daughter went in for track.
But I can't find any place where Coach Vanderveer has anything to say about the harmful effects of allowing men to compete against women in women's sports. The first time a "transman" gets a scholarship for the women's basketball team, the floodgates will open. Schools will recruit these hormonally advantaged "ladies" so that they can win championships.
Maybe Vanderveer will do the right thing and speak out, instead of fretting about a gymnast who flaunts her body. Lord knows body-flaunting is an important part of the sport of gymnastics, almost as much as beach volleyball. Has Coach seen the shorts that women track runners wear now? Or should I say bikini bottoms?
Dunne boasts more than 6.2 million followers on TikTok and 2.3 million followers on Instagram. The 20-year-old at times posts scantily clad photos and videos, which is partly the reason why her brand is as incredibly successful as it is.
VanDerveer, a staunch supporter of women’s rights who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, said she saw the trend as a "step back" for female athletes.
"I guess sometimes we have this swinging pendulum, where we maybe take two steps forward, and then we take a step back," she told The New York Times in a recent interview. "We're fighting for all the opportunities to compete, to play, to have resources, to have facilities, to have coaches, and all the things that go with Olympic-caliber athletics.
I disagree that a sexy public image sets women's sports back. Playgirl magazine often featured male athletes with no damage to their sports that I know of. But I can respect the opinion of a woman who is a pioneer in women's sports. Sports are great for females, and I was very happy that my own daughter went in for track.
But I can't find any place where Coach Vanderveer has anything to say about the harmful effects of allowing men to compete against women in women's sports. The first time a "transman" gets a scholarship for the women's basketball team, the floodgates will open. Schools will recruit these hormonally advantaged "ladies" so that they can win championships.
Maybe Vanderveer will do the right thing and speak out, instead of fretting about a gymnast who flaunts her body. Lord knows body-flaunting is an important part of the sport of gymnastics, almost as much as beach volleyball. Has Coach seen the shorts that women track runners wear now? Or should I say bikini bottoms?
