A question for the ladies

[the worm]

Do you guys find that your evalutation or rating of a player is often impacted by their looks?

Now I'm a heterosexual male but I find myself often de-valuing a guy like Chauncey Billups primarily because he is one ugly mofo.

The closest parallel I guess most men would have is women's tennis, and I think it would be fair to say that looks to certainly play a factor in our interest.

My thesis is that you'd tend to underrate ugly players and overrate good looking ones.

Thoughts?

Worm Life

[Betts]

I don't think their looks affect how I rate them from an athletic standpoint. Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton are uglier than Chauncey, by the way. And what's his name whose wife followed him around from game to game was the ugliest. Did he play for Seattle or Salt Lake, cannot remember. There's an entirely different rating system for that, however!

Desmond Mason, Antawn Jamison, Serge Ibaka are the leading scorers in that contest, IMO.

[Trueblood]

I don't think their looks affect how I rate them from an athletic standpoint. Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton are uglier than Chauncey, by the way. And what's his name whose wife followed him around from game to game was the ugliest. Did he play for Seattle or Salt Lake, cannot remember. There's an entirely different rating system for that, however!

Desmond Mason, Antawn Jamison, Serge Ibaka are the leading scorers in that contest, IMO.

You may be thinking of Doug Christie. He's a Seattle native but made a name for himself with Sacramento. I think his wife found out about his cheating ways while he was with the Raptors and began following him around there and continued when he got dealt to the Kings.

[the worm]

I don't think their looks affect how I rate them from an athletic standpoint. Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton are uglier than Chauncey, by the way. And what's his name whose wife followed him around from game to game was the ugliest. Did he play for Seattle or Salt Lake, cannot remember. There's an entirely different rating system for that, however!

Desmond Mason, Antawn Jamison, Serge Ibaka are the leading scorers in that contest, IMO.

Hmmm, I wouldn't have picked Jamison. Surprised at the Prince reaction, thought he would be decent. I just find Billups' face to be borderline repulsive. Ibaka does seem like a strapping young man though, as the multiple threads highlighting his body have shown.

Maybe not from an athletic standpoint, but does it have an affect on how you would rate the players overall? Naturally the lookers would pique your interest more?

Just interested because as males, we don't really have that dimension to consider when consuming sports overall, given that a majority of major sports are male orientated.

Worm Life

[misplacedsooner]

i think different people gage interest in certain players differently. i know this is generally for women and their perspective but as a guy i will say some pick favorites from standpoints of flashiness, jumping/dunking ability, fundamentals, ect. i have always been drawn to flashy players, could care less what they look like as long as they can ball,lol.

[the worm]

i think different people gage interest in certain players differently. i know this is generally for women and their perspective but as a guy i will say some pick favorites from standpoints of flashiness, jumping/dunking ability, fundamentals, ect. i have always been drawn to flashy players, could care less what they look like as long as they can ball,lol.

Well that's the thing, being males, the whole looks thing isn't apparent to us when watching NBA games (unless it hits you in a Billups like way). When we men judge NBA players, we look at the stuff that you mentioned. The aesthetic appeal of a male sportsmen doesn't compute with us, hence we don't register it when formalising opinions on players.

That's why I'm interested to see how the aesthetic appearance of players impacts the way that females consume sport. I can't see how it wouldn't play a factor. I know it certainly does (wronfully maybe) for me when I'm watching a women's game.

Do you watch any women's sports? If so, when watching them, do the looks of the player impact on how you judge them?

Worm Life

[misplacedsooner]

you may be right, let me ask the wife.......

ok, she said both looks and playing ability factor in. she did say that she likes to see a good looking bench player get clock time more than say one she doesnt find attractive looking. she roots for the thunder pretty exclusively but she knows steve nash well, swears he looks like dracula but i think she has a soft side for him,lol

[the worm]

you may be right, let me ask the wife.......

ok, she said both looks and playing ability factor in. she did say that she likes to see a good looking bench player get clock time more than say one she doesnt find attractive looking. she roots for the thunder pretty exclusively but she knows steve nash well, swears he looks like dracula but i think she has a soft side for him,lol

That's the kind of stuff I'm interested in. I can imagine I'd have similar feelings if the genders were reversed.

Nash lol.

Worm Life

[Jimmy Early]

Since The Worm broached the topic...

The combination of looks and skills definately moves a player up in my mind. Taking women's basketball for example, Candace Parker is the whole package (and by the way, OKC native Sheldon Williams married WWAAAAAAAAYY out of his league!). Some (sexist) friends and I name all-conference and all-american women's basketball teams based on the combo of looks and game. Maya Moore is definately an All-American, but Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins is the Player of the Year. A couple of years ago, OU had the top-rated team in the nation with Chelsi Welch, Britney Brown, Erin Higgins and all-star bench players Krista Sanchez and Lauren Selmon. Baylor may be big time on the court, but Brittany Griner makes their games almost unwatchable from a girl-watching standpoint....

One of my sporting highlights was when Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams went grunt to grunt in the U.S. Open semifinals.

On the men's side, I'm no expert, but Sam Cassell is definately the captain of the all-time all-ugly team. For current players, Coby Bryant is definately a first-team all-ugly player (does anyone else think he looks like a weasel?), along with Sam Dalenbert, Spencer Hawes and Kevin Garnett.

Women that I talk to seem to think Dwyane Wade is the MVP of the NBA's all-looks team (I don't get it, with that sleepy eye of his, but I guess he's ripped). They think Westbrook is the hottest Thunder player, although Ibaka is making a big stretch run.


OK, back to the women's input....

[Betts]

I polled the daughters who pretty much only watch the Bulls and Thunder

Desmond Mason is an All-Star from their point of view, and they don't care that he isn't playing anymore. Serge Ibaka is daughter number one's favorite (she has his jersey and wore it to the last Bulls-Thunder game in Chicago). Daughter number two agrees about Serge, but says Westbrook is "cute" and she wears a Durant jersey. Go figure. They say no one on the Bulls comes close, which is probably why they wear Thunder gear. Haha! Jeff Green is my favorite, especially when he's dressed in street clothes on the bench. He has great taste in clothes.

I forgot about Sam Cassell. He is definitely on the All-Ugly team. And, I feel bad about this one but Charlie Villanueva is up there too. I feel bad because he probably wouldn't be if he didn't have alopecia universalis.

I have to agree that I root for the good-looking ones to play well, but I don't think it blinds me to their abilities.......too much;)

[the worm]

I polled the daughters who pretty much only watch the Bulls and Thunder

Desmond Mason is an All-Star from their point of view, and they don't care that he isn't playing anymore. Serge Ibaka is daughter number one's favorite (she has his jersey and wore it to the last Bulls-Thunder game in Chicago). Daughter number two agrees about Serge, but says Westbrook is "cute" and she wears a Durant jersey. Go figure. They say no one on the Bulls comes close, which is probably why they wear Thunder gear. Haha! Jeff Green is my favorite, especially when he's dressed in street clothes on the bench. He has great taste in clothes.

I forgot about Sam Cassell. He is definitely on the All-Ugly team. And, I feel bad about this one but Charlie Villanueva is up there too. I feel bad because he probably wouldn't be if he didn't have alopecia universalis.

I have to agree that I root for the good-looking ones to play well, but I don't think it blinds me to their abilities.......too much;)

That's kinda what I was expecting, it's only natural.

With a new CBA coming up, maybe it's time for the NBA to institute a clause where each team has to carry at least a couple of good looking men (at least one in the starting lineup), so as to further pique the interest of the female demographic.

We could have female season ticket holders vote on which players would qualify as a good looker. I'd imagine that the debates would be lively and could potentially be crucial to the contending status of some teams.

It's fine to be discussing concepts like revenue sharing and contraction, but I think this should be an important issue. It can be the NBA's way of making it up to female viewers for having to put up with 48 minutes of a Billups like face.

As for Sam "Gollum" Cassell...this one's for the ladies!!!

http://chzupnextinsports.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/sports-pictures-sam-cassell-my-precious1.jpg

Worm Life

[the worm]

Since The Worm broached the topic...

The combination of looks and skills definately moves a player up in my mind. Taking women's basketball for example, Candace Parker is the whole package (and by the way, OKC native Sheldon Williams married WWAAAAAAAAYY out of his league!). Some (sexist) friends and I name all-conference and all-american women's basketball teams based on the combo of looks and game. Maya Moore is definately an All-American, but Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins is the Player of the Year. A couple of years ago, OU had the top-rated team in the nation with Chelsi Welch, Britney Brown, Erin Higgins and all-star bench players Krista Sanchez and Lauren Selmon. Baylor may be big time on the court, but Brittany Griner makes their games almost unwatchable from a girl-watching standpoint....

One of my sporting highlights was when Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams went grunt to grunt in the U.S. Open semifinals.

On the men's side, I'm no expert, but Sam Cassell is definately the captain of the all-time all-ugly team. For current players, Coby Bryant is definately a first-team all-ugly player (does anyone else think he looks like a weasel?), along with Sam Dalenbert, Spencer Hawes and Kevin Garnett.

Women that I talk to seem to think Dwyane Wade is the MVP of the NBA's all-looks team (I don't get it, with that sleepy eye of his, but I guess he's ripped). They think Westbrook is the hottest Thunder player, although Ibaka is making a big stretch run.


OK, back to the women's input....

I think the bias' that you mention are something that alot men would feel when watching female's sports. However given the fact that female's sport only holds a small section of the overall mainstream sporting landscape, it's not too big an issue for us.

Now flip the genders around and imagine you were in a scenario where female played sports dominated the mainstream sporting landscape. As a male who is conscious of a female's aethestic appeal (or lack thereoff) I'd imagine it would significantly change the way we consume sports.

Can't say I agree with the bolded bit. I'd imagine that Kobe, especially in his mini-fro days, was quite a handsome specimen.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Lipofsky_Kobe_.jpg

M i rite ladies?

Worm life

[Tydude]

this is a weird topic for a OKC Thunder fans forum

[reraom]

this is a weird topic for a OKC Thunder fans forum

it is.... however I must say that Ibaka is a good looking fellow and I'm not a woman. It's just that there are something you shouldn't be scared to admit. :o:D

[the worm]

We all know what happened reraom.

You ventured into the "Body Shot: Serge Ibaka" thread, and the result...well....your avatar probably depicts it best...

Worm Life

[Tydude]

worm who do you think we will thunder game tonight

[reraom]

We all know what happened reraom.

You ventured into the "Body Shot: Serge Ibaka" thread, and the result...well....your avatar probably depicts it best...

Worm Life

:D
:o
.....

[Doug Loudenback]

That's kinda what I was expecting, it's only natural.

With a new CBA coming up, maybe it's time for the NBA to institute a clause where each team has to carry at least a couple of good looking men (at least one in the starting lineup), so as to further pique the interest of the female demographic.

We could have female season ticket holders vote on which players would qualify as a good looker. I'd imagine that the debates would be lively and could potentially be crucial to the contending status of some teams.

It's fine to be discussing concepts like revenue sharing and contraction, but I think this should be an important issue. It can be the NBA's way of making it up to female viewers for having to put up with 48 minutes of a Billups like face.

As for Sam "Gollum" Cassell...this one's for the ladies!!!

http://chzupnextinsports.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/sports-pictures-sam-cassell-my-precious1.jpg
This thread is just waay too funny (even though I completely accept the fact that The Worm intended it for the purpose of provoking and providing serious and meaningful intercourse ... er, discourse ... on a heretofore un-thought-of-but-vitally-important topic -- and, for that earnest effort, The Worm is to be roundly and universally commended).

I will make no attempt to probe, to the males, the mysterious minds, senses, and/or libido's of humans of the feminine gender -- which, but for the obviously fictional movie, What Women Want (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0207201/), males have demonstrated a transcendent capacity and tendency to get it all wrong. But I would be remiss if I didn't add that, as an OSU grad, perhaps if not probably the main reason that I follow the Sooner's women's basketball team is because of the good-looking coach that it has.

At this point, I'll invoke the name of a former women's OSU basketball team coach, even though, sadly, she wasn't... Goodenough. At least, she had a cool last name. Now, if Sherri Coale's last name was Goodenough, and her middle name was Ismeralda, so that her full name might be Sherri Is. Goodenough, would that change of name increase male interest in the team?

You know that it would.

[Nasarre_mzn]

Serge Ibaka was in my town a few years ago and the women were very happy, but she love the young player Ricky Rubio more. She sayd that Ibaka and Ricky were going to play in NBA soon, but that probley happens

[Thunderstruck83]

I don't notice much as a dude that watches the games for the games, but I will say that James Harden's teeth are awful. Every time I see his shark mouth with rows of teeth I can't help but wonder why a millionaire can't fix that mess...

[REDL1NE]

A few of my girlfriends' friends have come over and commented on Ibaka. I think it was more for his magazine articles than anything else.