Napheesa Collier recently unloaded about WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s leadership and revealed some of the comments that she made about players and officiating. WNBA players have taken Napheesa’s side and the fans as well are wanting Cathy to resign from her position. While a lot of the players fully supported Collier, Sue Bird also provided a possible solution for the league’s future.
On the recent episode of her podcast, Sue Bird sat down with ESPN’s Ryan Ruocco and discussed Napheesa Collier’s statement. While Ruocco expressed how disappointed he was with the league leadership and Cathy’s comments. Sue Bird, then, chimed in with a memory from a few years ago and suggested 1 way to improve the WNBA.
“Every now and then, USA basketball would do a college tour. Our most recent college tour was right before the pandemic. Everybody remembers this college tour cuz we lost to Oregon. So, we’ll just push that to the side for a second. But when we have to play in those college tours, we have to use generally it’s agreed upon that we’re going to use the college refs and the college rules. Now, some of the refs are the same. So, some of them are, you know, we could name the names, right? Like some of the refs in the WNBA are the same in college, vice versa, but learning how to play with the college rules is very difficult cuz now we’re being told we have to have less contact. We can’t hand check. So, it really is. I just want to emphasize again like this is I agree with you also on the refs and having empathy and understanding like I don’t think it’s easy. I really do see that as well. But I believe that players we are going to play in a way in whichever way the refs allow.” Bird shared.
She continued to tell how her experience playing against a college team had its own challenges. She emphasised that referees do have a big impact on the course of the game. Sue Bird recalled how the calls were called differently in college. Bird believes that the same discipline and efficiency can change everything, and that following the values and rules of college basketball will help the WNBA in the long run.
Fans react to Sue Bird’s solution for the WNBA
Fans had mixed reactions to what Bird suggested.
“I’m a former college basketball official. Let’s not overthink things here. You as an official set the tone early and the players will adapt. Right away you start communicating about clutching, grabbing, illegal screens, etc. During the game you constantly talk to them telling the to “get off her” or “put your hands down”, “stay set on the screens”, etc. Communication is the key!!!!” One user defended the officials.
“Things you can do in the WNBA that you can’t do in the NFL: pushing someone down in front of a ref, handchecking, tripping, punching, shoving from behind, slamming someone’s head…. Seriously, go watch a football game and watch the yellow flags fly when these things happen. THAT league has prioritzed player safety. How is it the WNBA WON’T?” another sounded off.
“That’s the level of sane and sensible conversation which should have been occurring in the commissioners office, if she was doing her job rather than dishing out fines,” another said.
“As a fan, I 100% support Collier and her sentiment of the game is getting too rough. If it continues, the WNBA will lose a season ticket holder of an upcoming expansion team. Cathy’s comments are offensive and sound like men are behind the message,” one commented.
“I think Sue touched on the phrase we need: We need a more “college” style set of rules for the WNBA regarding fouls, hand checking, etc, ” one fan said.
“For everyone criticizing Sue here, she was upfront from the start that she couldn’t speak freely about this topic. BUT she got around this by having Ryan say what needed to be said,” one fan defended Sue Bird.
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