Just to show you how absurd professional sports has gotten, let me give you a contrasting basketball story. University of Connecticut forward Nykesha Sales was one point away from being the school’s all-time highest women’s scorer in the next to the last regular season game, when she tore her Achilles’ tendon and had to be sidelined. Instead of saying "too bad" and dashing her dreams of breaking the record, her coach, Geno Auriemma, conferred with Villanova coach Harry Perretta, who UConn was to play next and asked him if they’d let Nykesha make her basket to break the record. "Sure," says Perretta. "You bet," said his players. "Absolutely", said the previous record holder. "Why not," said the athletic directors.

So Sales went in for a conveniently injured teammate, the Villanova players found better things to do than guard her, and she made her basket. The way sports fans and critics went crazy, you would have thought that someone had crucified Michael Jordan! They complained that the integrity of the sport had been compromised and that Nykesha didn't deserve her "gratis" basket and record. Oh yeah, like she’s the only player in the history of sports that got a freebie – Gordie Howe, Mickey Mantle, and ALLEN IVERSON.

Commissioner Michael Tranghese said that he only okayed it because a woman was involved, "Men compete, get along, and move on," he told the press, "Women get emotional." Really, Michael? You might want to make Latrell Sprewell aware of that. I’m trying to imagine getting physical with my last boss, who is a very elegant New England blonde. The kind who pahks her cahr in the Hahvard Yahd. Except that her "cahr" is a sport utility vehicle that could mow down a Humvee. Brrrr…

Personally, I think the opposite is true; men are so conditioned to win that they forget about things like compassion, respect and cooperation. How many times have you heard the old joke, "We may have lost the game, but we won the fight afterwards"? Have you ever heard a woman say it? Of course not! Women like games where everybody walks away a winner. They don’t bite their opponents or trash their hotel room after a loss – they shake hands and say "good game", then go off for a beer together.

The point is that Mr. Sprewell choked and threatened to kill his head coach and had his teammates, as well as various public figures, defend him. He got his position back and Billy Hunter said "the decision is a victory for all NBA players as well as for Latrell Sprewell." Yet let a coach and his team agree to let a young woman break a record that she certainly would have anyway if she hadn’t been injured, and everyone loses their minds. By the way, Villanova got to make a free basket, too, to make up for Sales’ unimpeded shot. Who would you rather have your children emulate, Mr. Sprewell or the ladies of college basketball?