women playing in the NFL

[goalieboy82]

do you all think there will be a woman football player that will play in the nfl? it will happen one of these days i think but what do you all think.

[Mings]

hey some of those women playin football now are pretty beefy, and if ya p!ss one off im sure she could go ray lewis on your @ss

[habsfannova]

I won't say never, but not for at least 20 years. The develpomental structure for women in football is nowhere near the male one.

Plus, I mean, women can get into equal hockey programs, etc., but none have come close to playing defense/Forward in the NHL. Maybe someday, but not now...

[pcgd]

I think the first thing we'll see as far as women in mens sports is a female playing on a small college Basketball team. I think I could see that soon. That or a woman coaching a smaller college basketball team. I think the NHL and NFL are a while off.

[slapshot]

I don't know if women will compete on the same playing field as men in any of the four major sports. Soccer is most likely, since there seems to be minimal differences in playing styles, abilities, stamina, etc. But since biologically women are smaller, slower, and not as strong men, I don't see a team signing or using a draft pick on a woman of a certain size, knowing that a man of the same size will most likely be stronger than her.

Maybe football, if limited to kicking, or if you find an elephant of a woman to play linebacker. If there are women that can throw 90+ mph from the mound, then possible pitcher or an infield position.

It's possible that a woman could play basketball, but she would have to get used to a larger size basketball and bigger players guarding her. What the average size WNBA player, 6'0" maybe? Compared to around 6'7" or 6'8" for men, that's a big difference, especially with a 10-foot high basket.

There are many phenomenal female athletes who excel at their sports, against other women. The best women are definitely athletically better than the weakest men in the 4 major sports, but I don't think at this point they could compete with men in the long term. Most of the pro sports leagues for women are structured differenly than the male counterparts. It seems the equipment, times and sometimes even playing dimensions are proportionally smaller than the male versions.

I'm not sure about football, but for basketball, the women play two 20 minute halves. Forty minutes compared to 48 for men. And a smaller size ball. They only play about 32 games, compared to 82 for men.

Baseball...9 innings, 320 down the line, 400+ to center, 90 ft base paths. Softball, 7 innings, 220 to all fences, 45-60 ft basepaths.

Women's Hockey, it might just be international rules. I don't think checking is allowed, it's not allowed in college.

So for right now, women's sports in general would have to be structured a lot more similar to the male counterparts, and only then would we have a better idea of how close the two genders are to playing together.

[CaolinaJoe]

If a woman hasn't broken into the least physical sport yet, baseball, I can't see them in the most physical. Look at how many little, no power shortstops and second basemen have played the game.

I doubt Lisa Leslie or Sheryl Swoopes could play in the NBA. Mia Hamm might be able to play in the MLS.

Positions where women might break thru:

Baseball- great fielding SS or 2b. Maybe as a pitcher.

Basketball- point guard

Football- kicker

Hockey- goalie

But I honestly can't imagine any woman ever playing a major(NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS) professional sport. There are reasons why they have their own leagues. Even in the military they have different standards than men, and where they have equal standards are because male standards were lowered not female standards raised.

Not PC, just honest.

[goalieboy82]

its most likely going to be a kicker that is going to be playing on a nfl team.

[fiasco!]

Katie Hnida, UNM Lobos Placekicker

[goalieboy82]

one of these days a womens group will protest that there are no women in pro mens leagues.

[goalieboy82]

wasn't Katie Hnida one of the women that was raped at colorado?

[JQK]

do you all think there will be a woman football player that will play in the nfl? it will happen one of these days i think but what do you all think.

in a word, No.

[habsfannova]

Why should women be allowed in the NFL anyway? I mean, there are already all-women's leagues. And yeah, I feel the same way about the PGA.

[pcgd]

I don't know if women will compete on the same playing field as men in any of the four major sports. Soccer is most likely, since there seems to be minimal differences in playing styles, abilities, stamina, etc. But since biologically women are smaller, slower, and not as strong men, I don't see a team signing or using a draft pick on a woman of a certain size, knowing that a man of the same size will most likely be stronger than her.

Maybe football, if limited to kicking, or if you find an elephant of a woman to play linebacker. If there are women that can throw 90+ mph from the mound, then possible pitcher or an infield position.

It's possible that a woman could play basketball, but she would have to get used to a larger size basketball and bigger players guarding her. What the average size WNBA player, 6'0" maybe? Compared to around 6'7" or 6'8" for men, that's a big difference, especially with a 10-foot high basket.

There are many phenomenal female athletes who excel at their sports, against other women. The best women are definitely athletically better than the weakest men in the 4 major sports, but I don't think at this point they could compete with men in the long term. Most of the pro sports leagues for women are structured differenly than the male counterparts. It seems the equipment, times and sometimes even playing dimensions are proportionally smaller than the male versions.

I'm not sure about football, but for basketball, the women play two 20 minute halves. Forty minutes compared to 48 for men. And a smaller size ball. They only play about 32 games, compared to 82 for men.

Baseball...9 innings, 320 down the line, 400+ to center, 90 ft base paths. Softball, 7 innings, 220 to all fences, 45-60 ft basepaths.

Women's Hockey, it might just be international rules. I don't think checking is allowed, it's not allowed in college.

So for right now, women's sports in general would have to be structured a lot more similar to the male counterparts, and only then would we have a better idea of how close the two genders are to playing together.

Like I said, small college team. I think that would be a huge step for a woman to play with the men in basketball, and its possible. So far its been as a kicker or a goalie. But to be a point guard, I think it'd work.

Does anyone know of a girl playing HS basketball on a boys team and playing decent? Or even at all? We always joked about one girl at my HS that we thought could play on the boys team. I really think should could have come off the bench and played ok.

I don't know about soccer. I've seen the college level of both, and the vary greatly. The mens game is very physical compared to the womens game. We had a very good womens team and a terrible mens team, and I don't think the best woman could have evan began to play with the men.

Interesting topic!

[pcgd]

Why should women be allowed in the NFL anyway? I mean, there are already all-women's leagues. And yeah, I feel the same way about the PGA.

There's a part of me that greatly agrees with you. If a woman can play on the Men's curcuit, whats stopping men from competing on the womens?

But, if a woman can compete legit on the PGA tour, I think she should be allowed. But sponsor excemptions don't count. Qualify and she'd have my blessing.

[RyanB06]

If a woman hasn't broken into the least physical sport yet, baseball, I can't see them in the most physical.  Look at how many little, no power shortstops and second basemen have played the game.

I doubt Lisa Leslie or Sheryl Swoopes could play in the NBA.  Mia Hamm might be able to play in the MLS.

Positions where women might break thru:

Baseball- great fielding SS or 2b.  Maybe as a pitcher.

Basketball- point guard

Football- kicker

Hockey- goalie

But I honestly can't imagine any woman ever playing a major(NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS) professional sport.  There are reasons why they have their own leagues.  Even in the military they have different standards than men, and where they have equal standards are because male standards were lowered not female standards raised.

Not PC, just honest.

How quickly we forget Ila Borders...

Ila's Website

[CaolinaJoe]

If a woman hasn't broken into the least physical sport yet, baseball, I can't see them in the most physical.  Look at how many little, no power shortstops and second basemen have played the game.

I doubt Lisa Leslie or Sheryl Swoopes could play in the NBA.  Mia Hamm might be able to play in the MLS.

Positions where women might break thru:

Baseball- great fielding SS or 2b.  Maybe as a pitcher.

Basketball- point guard

Football- kicker

Hockey- goalie

But I honestly can't imagine any woman ever playing a major(NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS) professional sport.  There are reasons why they have their own leagues.  Even in the military they have different standards than men, and where they have equal standards are because male standards were lowered not female standards raised.

Not PC, just honest.

How quickly we forget Ila Borders...

Ila's Website

I'm talking about REAL professional major leagues. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS. Not just signing someone as a freak show or to sit on the bench.

Manute Bol played hockey, Manon Rheaume was signed by the Lightning, I believe. But both were publicity stunts. A few women have been kickers on college teams, but none were ever regular kickers; they got 1,2, maybe 3 kicks in a career.

Plenty of girls are playing with boys on high school teams now. Mainly for 3 reasons-

1.) small schools without the resources or people to field boys & girls teams.(soccer, basketball, baseball)

2.) there is no girls counterpart(wrestling, football)

3.) they are good enough to make the team.

Some even make it through to play in college, but you don't need more than two hands to count them up.

[vicfurth]

No reason why they couldn't/shouldn't. C'mon, girls can beat the living [fill in blank] outta any guy.

[Nick 1733]

wasn't Katie Hnida one of the women that was raped at colorado?

yes, but she wasn't raped, she was sexually assaulted.

technicalities, go figure.

[CaolinaJoe]

wasn't Katie Hnida one of the women that was raped at colorado?

yes, but she wasn't raped, she was sexually assaulted.

technicalities, go figure.

Technicalties are she was "alledgedly" assaulted. No charges have ever been filed against anyone, let alone, someone convicted.

I would think with all the investigations that the Colorado States Attorney put into this, if any of the charges were valid, charges would have been filed somewhere.

[Nick 1733]

wasn't Katie Hnida one of the women that was raped at colorado?

yes, but she wasn't raped, she was sexually assaulted.

technicalities, go figure.

Technicalties are she was "alledgedly" assaulted. No charges have ever been filed against anyone, let alone, someone convicted.

I would think with all the investigations that the Colorado States Attorney put into this, if any of the charges were valid, charges would have been filed somewhere.

Yes, this I know and I agree. I was just answering his question with the short answer.