Section I: Introduction

     Did you watch the Louisville Cardinals defeat the Michigan Wolverines as their fallen teammate Kevin Ware criticized their mistakes and cheered their successes? Most of America did watch the game that is already being called one of the greatest ever. On the following night, did you watch the women from Louisville fall to the Connecticut Huskies? Probably not. The game didn’t have the drama of Ware sitting in a wheelchair, but Geno Auriemma and the Huskies tied Pat Summitt and Tennessee for the most wins in women’s basketball history. And the difference in attention to the sports doesn’t end there. On playgrounds, crowds gather to watch boys play basketball. On average, 20,000 fans attend NBA games while WNBA teams draw around 7,000. Did you ever stop to think about why people find Men’s basketball more interesting than Women’s? Well, throughout my paper I’m going to explore how men’s and women’s basketball differ and how that affects fan interest.

Answering My Questions

How does women's basketball differ from men's basketball? In basketball the speed of the game for Men & Women. Women's basketball they usually run more of a pattern-scripted play on a regular basis which results in teams looking for the best shot every possession. But Men's basketball is more of a fast-break, looking for more opportunities to dunk.

Who are the best female basketball players? The best Women's basketball players are Candace Parker, Lisa Leslie, Brittney Griner, Cheryl Miller, Maya Moore

Who are the best male basketball players? Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, Magic Johnson

What skills are needed to succeed in women's basketball? Everybody has a different skill they have to bring to the court. But some skills that they need to know are: boxing out, free throws, understanding of offenses & defense, how to play good one on one & how to be a good team player.

Are they different than the male game? There really isn't a diffrence for men. If people can do box out, make free throws, understand the difference between offense & defense, play one on one & be a good team player , they will succeed in basektball.

Who are the best basketball coaches in the NBA & WNBA?

How does the women's college basketball differ from the high school game? In high school girls play 4 quarter 8 minute quarters. In college they play 2 quarter 20 minute quarters. Also in college girls have a shot clock.

Why is it easier for men to go to the NBA then it is women to go to the WNBA?
Why domen basketball players get paid more then women basketball players? Supply & demand . More fans go to men's basketball games then they do women. So the more fans they have, the more money they make.

Why do people find men basketball more interesting then women basketball? The research I found said that because men's basketball has been around longer more people like it, but women's basketball didn't become as popular until the 1980's. Also because men's basketball is more of a fast-pace & there is A LOT more dunking than women's, people really enjoy that.

What WNBA team is the best in the league? Lady Sparks

Does the states that have NBA teams have WNBA teams also? There are only 10 states that have a NBA & WNBA team.
How many WNBA basketball players can dunk? From what I'm seeing there have been 4 females that has/can dunk in the WNBA
How many WNBA teams are there? 10
What does it take to get into the WNBA?
How many WNBA women Coaches are there?
How many WNBA men Coaches are there?
Did the Coaches play basketball at anytime of their life?
Were any of the Coaches in the NBA or WNBA?
What NBA team has the most wins?
What WNBA team has the most wins?

Capstone Proposal

I would like to study the strategies of basketball, because I want to find out what teams do during practice in order to make themselves better so that I can improve my game and be ready for college competition. I want to know how long they work on drills & what type of drills do they do. I am interested in this topic because I play basketball & it's like a stress reliever for me. It keeps me sane when I'm feeling myself about to go crazy & pull my hair out. I don't think other people are as interested in basketball as I am. But, most people are at least interested in watching it & I can build on that. For my exhibition product, I want to develop a plan for practice with players in SAC. If youth coaches run better practices, girls could develop better skills at a young age.

The best sources I have found so far are listed below:
Sum It Up by Pat Summitt
The Secret of Geno's Success
The Coaches' Clipboard

Twitter Mining

Some interesting articles I found about basketball follow:

Geno's success

Geno's Success

Relationships of coaches with players
ESPN Tourney Connection

Benefits of Sports
Facts

20 Questions

                                           

How does women's basketball differ from men's basketball?
Who are the best female basketball players?
Who are the best male basketball players?
What skills are needed to succeed in women's basketball? Are they different than the male game?
Who are the best basketball coaches?
How does the women's college basketball differ from the high school game?
Why is it easier for men to go to the NBA then it is women to go to the WNBA?
Why do men basketball players get paid more then women basketball players?
Why do people find men basketball more interesting then women basketball?
What WNBA team is the best in the league?
Does the states that have NBA teams have WNBA teams also?
How many WNBA basketball players can dunk?
How many WNBA teams are there?
What does it take to get into the WNBA?
How many WNBA women Coaches are there?
How many WNBA men Coaches are there?
Did the Coaches play basketball at anytime of their life?
Were any of the Coaches in the NBA or WNBA?
What NBA team has the most wins?
What WNBA team has the most wins?

Things that Make Me Go Hmmm

Right now, my ideal career would be a physical therapist. I chose this due to the fact that since I play basketball I would be great at helping injured players get better quicker. I could show them what type of exercises to do and what not to do that could possibly increase their chances of more injuries. I could also travel with the team. I really like to travel. I could go places I've never been before and see different places and how they play basketball.

The one law I would change in the state is driving schools. I would change this because there are some people who can't afford the $400-$600 to take the classes and then they have to wait until they're 18 to take the driver's test for free. I think if the price is lowered to where a lot of students' parents can afford it then teenagers won't have to depend on their parents a lot to take them places and it also shows the teenagers a little more responsibility.

There are a few things I would solve in the world, but one major problem I would solve is the world starvation and homelessness. I choose this because the U.S. has all this money and we're spending it on unnecessary things. We need to focus on what's more important. Giving the less fortunate something to live for instead of trying to make it on their own knowing that they could die sooner or later isn't something I want to happen. I feel we can do more for them than what we're doing right now. I believe that if every billionaire, millionaire, rich and famous person who has money should be able to give at least a million if not more to those in need of the help. The money could feed, bathe, clothe, and possibly even educate them. I think we need to think more about the world and not ourselves all the time. We should make peace with the world instead of war. But that's just my opinion.

If I could choose a place I really want to travel to it would be Jamaica.

If I could give little freshman Quamari some advice, I would tell her to DO YOUR HOMEWORK so you will be able to play sports!!!!!!

My Passions

My passion is basketball. I like to play basketball, so if I had the opportunity to play for free I gladly would. I say this because it's something I love to do. Honestly, if I were being payed to play I wouldn't take the money. No money can even come up to the amount of time I practice playing basketball. I believe that if I took the money then it would defeat my purpose of playing. Basketball isn't only a hobby, it's also my life.

If I could play basketball for hours at a time during the day, I would. But because I have school & other things to do during my day, I can't. I truly lose track of time during a game and even practice. Playing basketball takes my mind off the daily stuff I go through every day. Basketball is like a drug to me & I'm addicted.

I feel good about myself when people confide in me. My friends trust me with their problems.