Men’s major league sports coaches are proven leaders, role models, iconic authority figures, sometimes even larger than life. And, up to now in the US, they’ve always been men, but that may be about to change. San Antonio Spurs (NBA) player Pau Gasol talks about that possibility in this May 2018 essay in the Players’ Tribune.
Gasol, “An open letter about female coaches”
- Gasol expresses pride in the NBA, and he also asserts that the league is “just getting started.” What is it just starting to do? And why is Gasol proud?
- In the middle of his essay, Gasol pivots and introduces some discussion of the NBA becoming more open to European players and, recently, European coaches. Does that discussion strengthen and support Gasol’s main argument? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.
- Gasol makes frequent use of the strategy that Chapter 6 of your text calls “planting a naysayer in your text.” For example, he anticipates objections when he begins a section with “Another argument that I’ve seen tossed around…” Identify three other points in the text where Gasol employs moves that follow the advice in Chapter 6. Is his use of the strategy effective? Why or why not?
- What do you say? Should women candidates be considered for high level coaching positions in the NBA? In all men’s professional major leagues? Why do you think so? Use Gasol as your They Say and write an essay responding to the questions and explaining your position.
They Say I Blog 
Of course women should be considered for high level coaching positions. Woman should be considered for any job opportunity as long as they are qualified. But, if I may speak frankly I wouldn’t suggest women to aim for a male dominant field such as major league sports unless the woman are ready to fight for their rights. Honestly speaking the world is still stuck in their gender norms and gender roles, and the world will try to put these striving women “in their place”. Ultimately I believe woman should try for success in any field they desire, but major league sports will require work.
LikeLike
I think there is no difference between men and women in most positions, as long as you are qualified for that position. But each profession has its own particularities, and there are some potential rules. On the issue of the basketball coach, as long as she can train the whole team, it is entirely appropriate for her to hold this position. But for basketball coaches to wear high-heeled shoes is inappropriate, because the coach is to put into practical operations. Wearing high heels will affect her work.
LikeLike
the nba has taken huge steps in including women into the m=nba which they should have. when it could to sports the only thing that matter in winning and if he or she knows their stuff and hpw to win it shouldn’t matter gender. it 2018 we should be moving past the sexest stuff.
LikeLike
This was a great article presented by Pau Gasol. I love his illustrating of the critics that are against his opinions towards women coaches in the NBA. I personally believe in his opinions. More women need to be common in sports such as the NBA. We only idolize the men in the NBA but there is a lot of great women that go unnoticed. In this case, women coaches go unnoticed. A lot of people say that women should not be coaches because most of the men in the team would not approve. However, Pau presented that any men on his team approved of their coach and loved what she did as a woman coach for them. Gender biased activities need to be put to a stop because a woman can do as a man when it comes to any activity if they put their mind to it. I hope in the future that woman are more recognized in thew sports industry and I hope most of their work does not go unnoticed like it still is today.
LikeLike
Pau Gasol is surely right about females being a coach because, as some may not be aware, women have been seen as a less dominant figure and should stick to cooking. I believe that females have the right to coach equally as a male coach. Pau Gasol’s article was fantastic in expressing the reasons why females should be given a chance to coach and be equal with men. His personal examples of his home life shows that he has not been diving what a female should do and a male. I totally agree with Paw Gasol and loved how he helped stand up for females in general. Like Zaquanna said above, “Gender bias activities need to be put to a stop because a woman can do as a ,am when it comes to any activity if they put their mind to it”.
LikeLike
When it comes to women coaching in the NBA, I believe as long as they can win games nothing else matters. Fundamentally there isn’t any reason why a female coach can’t be as successful as long as they take the same approach to the game as any other coach and be given the same level of expectations as well. Anyone who says differently either doesn’t know how basketball works, or is still living in the 1950’s.
LikeLike
Pau Gasol on gender. Women aren’t qualified! Women aren’t capable! Like Pau i too have heard it before and I agree when he said most people think it’s absurd to think that that a woman can coach in the NBA. Just like pau, I think a woman can be just as or more qualified than her male counterparts. I remember a time when i was in middle school, and my mother coached my basketball team;all my friends thought it was funny that a woman was gonna teach us how to play basketball. Which was odd to me, because my mother is the one who taught me how to play in the first place. So, yes for me a woman can and should be one day a head coach of a NBA team.
LikeLike
Yes, women should always be considered for high level of coaching. I agree with Gasol an his views. He explains his message very well and I would hope that most would see that he is right. His personal examples on his parents complete his article. Women coaches often go unnoticed and for this article he is making it noticeable. Overall, I agree with Gasol and hopefully more women become coaches in the NBA.
LikeLike
The NBA is one of the most progressive sports in the world. Its also helping change the culture of women in sports. Becky Hammond will get the opportunity to coach eventually in the NBA. You cant say that about most other sports. Gender bias has an unfortunate hold on the big leagues though. Like when camnewton said unprofessional comments towards a reporter because she was a woman. another. A lot of people think just because they don’t or never played the game they don’t understand or should have an opinion on the sport. This is completely ridiculous
LikeLike
I agree with the author that there shouldn’t be a stigma against women coaching in the NBA. As he said early on, the only thing that really matters is that you’re qualified and well equipped for the job, regardless of biological sex. If women are underrepresented then they may have a spotlight on them at certain times, but then that could also be used as extra motivation to perform well, exceed the role’s expectations, and put much of the unfounded criticism to rest. Ultimately I think Gasol makes an excellent point that forward thinking shouldn’t just stop at a particular industry like the NBA, but it should extend to all industries, and the most qualified person should get the job.
LikeLike
Yes, I do think that Gasol’s statement about the league opening up on European players and coaches supports his statement about female coaches in the NBA. Even though, as he stated it, it is not the exact the same situation with European coaches and female coaches, as the European coaches are still men. However, it shows that a process started in the league for more openness. Said openness is contemporary as it is a topic that is not only relevant to the NBA but the whole world. This openness might start with European coaches but hopefully will end with female or LGBTQ coaches in the league. Sticking to male coaches because it is a men’s league seems outdated to me, as the league might miss out on the best basketball possible due to sticking to male coaches only. So overall it makes absolute sense for Gasol to mention European coaches to prove the point he made about female coaches in the league.
LikeLike
This was a great story and interesting topic. I feel that if a woman is qualified for any career than so be it! I believe that a woman is capable of all things. And if being a NBA coach is a desire than go for it. There is no rule that only men can be coaches. Society has done a great job at separating the career jobs with gender profile. Which may be a result from the past with coaches only being men. Gasol used a great example, dad being a nurse and mom being a doctor and mom having the more dominant career job. should we say men are not able to be nurses!? Women can be NBA coach and get dressed to come to a game with suits and high heels!
LikeLike
Yes, women should be considered for positions in high level sports really any position in any field women should always be considered as long as they’re qualified for the job. The NBA is one of the most progressive leagues in the world and I believe as time goes on the league will be filled with even more diversity and set an example for other professional sports leagues like the NFL or MLB to follow.
LikeLike
This article by Pau Gasol was excellent. I totally agree that women have the capability to coach in the NBA and should be looked at more seriously for coaching roles. If a woman is qualified, then she should be considered for the job without any hesitation. It is just a historical normality as to why there have only ever been male coaches in the league, and I believe it is time that the norm is broken. The story Gasol told at the beginning of the article was great for this topic. His dad being the nurse and his mom being the doctor is just another example of a social norm. I myself am in school right now as a male to become a nurse, and expect to see this social norm pop up in my life. It was a great article by Gasol and it pointed out a real problem in our society.
LikeLike
I personally like that Pau Gasol was not trying to argue that she was qualified to be an NBA coach, he was simply voicing his opinion on it and why she is such a great coach to him. Everyone is raised a different way, and he was raised seeing that there was no specific jobs for a gender. I think this essay is very important seeing as though there are on going arguments about gender in the world today. I agree with Pau Gasol, just because men normally coach for the NBA does not mean a woman can’t live up to them.
LikeLike
In the article Coach wears high heels by Pau Gasol, he shows pride to the NBA and the reason he said they are just getting started is because just one protest against racial problems, one parade supporting the LGBT movement and just one female coach in the NBA doesn’t mean that is going to stop the racial problems and gender inequality. With this he means that they can do a lot more to help and support this cause. I agree with Gasol’s ideas about females coaches. Of course a woman is capable of coaching. Females can coach at the same level male coaches do.
LikeLike
Today”s average adult n America has multiply devices to stay connected and well advised with things happening in their community. I’m sure we all have had those days where we are running around like chickens with our heads off. I believe that this article addresses a free and effective way to unwind the chaos in ones busy and over packed day. Taking just a couple of minutes or an hour to simply meditate your mind on a simple topic, can be therapeutic. This article gives good examples of this method and may help others when they are stressed and over worked, to remember to take a break and relax.
LikeLike
Yes, I agree with Gasol when he talks about gender equality. One should be able to have a chance to coach men at high level. My thing is if any female can coach at a really high level and is a good role model, then yes they are capable to coach in the NBA. I love how brought up his mom being a doctor and his dad being a nurse, and his mom was looked at as female doctors the just doctor. It would be nice if the NBA let females be a head coach because others sports would notice and give it a try.
LikeLike
In my personal opinion, biological sex is not a quality that needs to be observed for a high position job in the NBA or for any job for that matter. I think there is no difference between men and women in most positions, as long as you are qualified for that position. On the topic of the basketball coach, as long as the coach can appropriately and effectively train her team then she/he has every right to uphold that position. But, being a woman myself I feel it is necessary to speak on behalf of all women in the workforce. Personally, I wouldn’t suggest that any women aim for such a male dominant position if she is not willing to face the backlash that is going to come with it or the fight she will have to go through to get it. Nowadays, we live in a world where many people want to tear down these successful women. At the end of the day, I believe women should aim for a job in whatever they please even if it does require some more work and to push some extra boundaries
LikeLike
Yes, I believe that women should be considered candidates for any high-level coaching positions in the NBA as well as all major league teams. Gasol continuously speaks about the gender inequality that is occurring in the NBA and how he believes that gender shouldn’t matter. He points out the idea that we are striving to make changes and sports shouldn’t be an exception. Gasol states “I guess it just reminds me that, for as much progress as we’ve made as a league over these last few years … we still have a ways to go”. Considering how big of a push there is for gender equality, women should be given the same chances as men coaches. Overall, I agree with Gasol’s views about how women are capable of coaching in the NBA as well as any major league sport.
LikeLike
I believe that Pau Gasol makes a very good point in his article. Gender doesn’t determine the skill somebody has in any profession and he supported it very well. A lot of women are overlooked and just because this is a men’s league doesn’t really establish the reasoning behind why women shouldn’t be able to coach in the league. We understand that they can’t play because there is a WNBA but they should be able to coach in the NBA if they have the skill for it. A lot of men that are in the NBA at the coaching position aren’t necessarily good at it. Having a female take the male’s position is something that will be good for women and the league as well. Becky is better than most of the coaches out there and Pau defends her with strong evidence. The staff of the team and the players support her and respect her being there. No one is against the fact that she’s a female and around men all the time. It just doesn’t make sense to even be against it if she’s good at what he does. If Becky wasn’t good at coaching than we can understand as to why people may dislike her being there because no one likes a bad male coach either that’s why you see them get fired all the time. It’s hard for women like Becky to receive support in such a situation because the world is stuck in their gender norms and roles but one day it will change and we will most likely start seeing more females coaching in the NBA alongside Becky.
LikeLike
I found this article to be quite interesting mainly because of my love for the game of basketball. It was a huge part of my life up and until very recently. However, I love seeing things like women making strides in areas never done before. It is they way things should be. To hit on what Gasol said about his coach Becky Hammon being a great coach in general, not just because she is a woman or it is P.C.. His point was if you can coach you can coach. Bottom line. It has nothing to do with gender. I 100% agree with what hes saying, because in my many years of playing ball i feel where he coming from. Sometimes you have these coaches that may seem good from the outside looking in but in reality just can’t coach
LikeLike
This article is about women coaches and how it shouldn’t matter about gender as long as a woman can do her job. Pau Gasol put great examples and made good points in his article about gender inequality in the NBA. I completely agree with him, it shouldn’t matter that she is a woman. What should matter is that she is great at what she does and loves doing it. I support women coaches in the NBA in the future, they should give them a chance.
LikeLike
The league is only at the beginning stages of accepting the things in life which society has not fully accepted: the LGBT community, the black lives matter movement, and even gender equality are all things this league is beginning to stand for publicly. Gasol is proud that these things are finally being addressed and supported by the NBA, but he is also excited because he knows that more movements will rise and more change for the better will be made. As for the pivot towards European coaches and players, I believe that this strengthens his main argument because it displays another example of how the league is working and changing to be more accepting of the world.
Gasol made a great point when he stated that a position should not be given based on gender but rather on qualifications. I believe this mind set should be taken to not only head coaching positions but also to any other gender dominated job within the work force. As both a female and college level athlete, I admire Becky and the things she is pursuing. I will always agree with equality and the true meaning which that word implies.
LikeLike
In the article “An Open Letter About Female Coaches” Pau Gasol argues that female coaches belong in the NBA just as much as male coaches. I agree with Gasol that as long as women are coaching efficiently they belong as a head coach in the NBA. I feel this way because many males have dominated sports, however just because the NBA is not the same as the WNBA does not mean women are not capable. Gasol references Becky Hammon as one of the greatest coaches he has ever seen. The article mentions she was star player herself and just as qualified as a male coach. I agree women deserve every opportunity as a man.
LikeLike
This is a really good article written by Pau Gasol, I agree that women should be allowed to coach in the NBA because they can teach the same skills as the men. They can also bring some different skills to the table when it comes to coaching. Gender should not matter when it comes to the work world a woman can do the same job as a man. These women know a lot about basketball because they play it themselves and could be a big help to any NBA team. A lot of people including NBA fans feel women should not be coaching in the NBA. Women should be allowed to coach in any mens professional league, including baseball and football without people saying “she should not be coaching a mens sport.” I support having women coaching in the NBA and hope more and more women start to become coaches.
LikeLike
Pau Gasol argues that male coaches need to be on the look out for the up and coming female coaches.
LikeLike
The essence of what gender and specific role which fits into a certain career has always been a question at hand. When considering a nurse, many people view females holding those positions. When considering a NBA coach however, the majority of the nation will associate males to fill those roles. And, whereas I concede that some people are more qualified for certain jobs, I still insist that if a woman can uphold the duties in the same manner a man can, then there should be no doubt she can succeed in a male dominated career, like a major league coach. Gasol’s ideas are completely correct in stating that females have just as much knowledge and potential to thrive in leagues apart for the WNBA, leagues that overpower the world’s entertainment. While I am a woman and may seem bias, I would like to hear a good argument to oppose why a woman could not be qualified to coach, and more precisely, teach in the NBA or other major league divisions.
LikeLike
Pau Gasol is currently an NBA player. Gasol grew up with his mother being a doctor and his father being a nurse. Many people would probably guess the opposite if he told people what his parents did for a living, and this gives him a unique perspective. In this article, NBA player Pau Gasol discusses his views on women coaching in the NBA and the future it presents, and gives his opinion on his coach, Becky Hammon. This article is extremely credible because of the career Gasol has had. Pau Gasol is a very accomplished NBA player that has played in a number of big games in his career. He has played with exceptional players like Kobe Bryant and has won championship games. Gasol right away says that Becky Hammon can coach at the NBA level, no question. When Gasol says this you believe him because of his credibility. She has the mindset of an elite point guard and can see the way defenses are set up and their rotations. Gasol has played for arguably the two best NBA coaches of all time, Phil Jackson and currently Greg Popovich. These two have a combined total of 18 championship rings. So, Gasol can spot a good coach when he sees one and he raves about Hammon’s vision of the game. Right away, in my opinion, just the fact that Greg Popovich and the fantastic Spurs organization hired her should have shown she was more than capable of coaching. The Spurs have been very successful and them hiring Hammon is purely a basketball move, not for the press of having a woman coach. When you play basketball at a high level and have experience and time around other greats you learn and gain so much knowledge. This is something Hannon has plenty of. Gasol goes on to laugh and reluctantly brings up the point if there would be any awkwardness with a women in the locker room and things of that nature. I find that to be just as dumb as Gasol did. These are professionals and this is their job. Most people can be professional about this and I am confident in saying that. We just need to see Hammon as a coach and not a female coach. What is great about Hammon is that she is opening the door for other opportunities, not only for women, but European coaches. The world has been moving forward with gender equality for years and sports are behind everyone else, but the NBA is starting to move in the right direction. People want to win in sports and that is the most important thing. If a girl coach can lead you to victory then there should be no hesitation to hire her. I believe the NBA will have a girl as a head coach in the next fifteen years. Mainly what I take away from this is that if you know basketball well enough and can teach it to others, you can become a coach in the NBA, regardless of gender.
LikeLike
The NBA is starting to expand the league in all aspects, from having women as coaches to having European coaches. To see the NBA expand throughout the course of Pau Gasol’s career makes him very proud. The expansion of the NBA and it’s coaching situation strengthens Pau’s argument of the Nba expanding but not towards the situation of Becky Hammon and women being a coach. Pau how ever realizes this by saying,” And i dont mean to compare Igor to Becky, because I don’t think it’s exactly the same.” I believe that women should be candidates for a high level coaching positions in the NBA especially if they have a background to the sport like Becky Hammon does. Women, especially female athletes bring a better mental toughness in sports and many other aspects. As stated before the NBA has taken huge leaps. Becky Hammon will eventually get a head coaching job as she should. The NBA is about winning and if Becky knows her way of winning on a basketball court why shouldn’t the NBA offer her a job as a coach?
LikeLike
I agree with Gasol when it comes to gender equality. When he says that things was started to change, he was talking about how things are going to change now that the NBA have their fist female coach. It doesn’t matter if you are a male or a female, anybody can become whatever or whoever they want as long was you are good at the job. I believe that women can be as good as men and men can be as good as women. Everyone have their own different type of skills and weakness and strengths.
LikeLike
Paul Gasol is proud that a change is finally happening. He is encouraging the diversity in the league. This woman is doing something that no other woman has ever done.i think that it should be an even plain field for women and men when it comes to coaching in the NBA. This kind of change can encourage young kids around the world that want to do these types of things and can be a great example that it is possible.
LikeLike
He says the “ideal” image that woman can coach college ball, WNBA but the NBA is different. he says they aren’t “capable” of doing that.He also said that “Becky Hammon” can coach the NBA, that woman When he said “just getting started” what he meant by that was that his progress has just started there is still more to come. He’s proud because everyone is doing a good job and that he can call them his family.
Yes, it does support his argument because it helps us understand how he feels. It helps me understand why he is doing this.
The three points he used in the text were “first i’ve gotta tell you”, “it goes to the idea that”,and “so when i see arguments..” .His use of this strategy is effective because it helps us understand where he stands.
Woman should be able to do anything they want. If they want to coach the NBA they should be able to. They have the same right as men, they can coach major leagues just like men. There isn’t a difference. Woman are just as capable as men, this is because we can use our emotions as strength and get through it.
LikeLike
Pau Gasol clearly and concisely talks about his views regarding the NBA League and how it is taking steps in the right direction. He delivers his ideas very well and has pride in what the League has begun to accomplish in terms of equality and acceptance. Gasol also desires for the League to not be complacent, but progressive. He wants to see the League to continue it’s growth in these difficult but important issues, and I agree with him.
LikeLike
In the article “An Open Letter about Female Coaches,” Pau Gasol argues that the NBA has a lot more work to do for diversity on the coaching staff. Gasol’s purpose in this article is to prove women have the same ability to coach as men. He uses Becky Hammon as an example of how far the NBA has come. The NBA has an assistant coach that is a woman, but she is not a head coach and she is the only woman coach. Gasol does admit that the NBA has come a long way, but they are just getting started. He disproves many arguments against having women as head coaches in the NBA like women not being capable to coach men, awkwardness in the locker room, and the only reason women would get the job is for good P.R. Gasol loves this league, and he sees so many strides outside of the NBA being taken for diversity and equality. He does not want to NBA to miss out on those same opportunities. He wants the NBA to take strides to become more diverse and equal—like the rest of the world.
I agree with Gasol that the NBA coaching staff needs to become more diverse. I do believe that the NBA has come a long way between hiring Becky Hammon—the woman assistant coach for the Spurs—and Igor Kokoškov—the first European-born head coach. The NBA is acting almost complacent. They think that since they have made these small steps, they don’t have to do anything else. This is wrong. I do have confidence, though, that as the world makes advantages and acceptance of diversity, the NBA will do the same. I do realize there could be some concerns for women coaches that Gasol did not even point out. For example, the players might not want to accept a woman’s opinion compared to their men coaches, but women have the same skill set as men to coach in the NBA. And when the players notice that she knows what she is talking about, they will be willing to listen. There are many concerns for women coaching men, but all those walls can be broken down as women are integrated in the coaching staffs. As the world recognizes the capability of women in the male dominant profession, the NBA will be flooded by women coaches.
LikeLike
In his article, Pau Gasol argues the importance of the NBA reflecting the ever changing and evolving real world. Specifically, Gasol finds the lack of hiring qualified female coaches to run NBA teams ridiculously behind the environment of the real world today. He claims that sports have evolved in ways that reflect society in regard to having inclusive attitudes toward minorities and embracing immigrant players, but the league continues to fall short with the inclusion of women. The bulk of his argument is based on the situation of the highly qualified female basketball coach, Becky Hammon. Hammon has coached for a long time and has had experience coaching with some of the greatest coaches in NBA history, Gasol believes she is undoubtable qualified for a position and the idea that she has not yet been designated as a head coach to an NBA team proves how slow the league is to promote gender equality in the world of sports. Gasol believes the NBA is a powerful organization recognized by our country and allowing there to be so much separation between men and women means that the league is sending a message -consciously or not- that females are inferior to men in the world of sports.
I concede with Gasol’s overarching idea that while the NBA has made strides toward equality in the past, it needs to be revolutionized in terms of the inclusion of qualified female leaders. If Gasol’s assessment of Hammon is correct, then she seems to be equally qualified, if not more so, than her male constituents and she is clearly deserving of a head coach position. The fact that she does not have one proves there is a significant obstruction for women in the world of male sports. The idea that males need only male coaches’ feeds into the archaic mindset of male superiority over females. As long as it is the predominant idea that female head coaches in the NBA are insufficient compared to male head coaches, equality for women in coaching basketball is severely hindered. While I do agree with Gasol’s claim that the NBA needs to be modernized, I do not feel that the NBA is the biggest or only way to include women in sports. His argument focuses on the idea of the NBA being slow to embrace women, but all popularized sports have a similar position toward female coaches. Female coaches are virtually nonexistent in professional football and baseball as well. Irradiating the prejudice against female coaches in the NBA is a start, but by no means will it completely equalize the playing field for women in sports.
LikeLike
Chris Lord
Professor Smith
English 102
10/6/19
Progressive for Sports
“An Open Letter About Female Coaches” by Pau Gasol highlights the importance for the National Basketball League to unite and continue the fight for global equality. The article references issues related to feminism, the LGBTQ community, and the Black Lives Matter Movement to emphasize the importance of unification for change. Gasol uses personal anecdotes about female coaches and players from abroad in order to increase his credibility and broaden his audience to a vast amount of society. He addresses the importance of continuing the fight as a league, family, and society as a whole.
I personally agree with every point of Gasols argument, specifically the aspects regarding the talking points made against Coach Hammon’s candidacy and the idea of females in the NBA. Gasol disproves the argument that a woman isn’t capable of coaching men and supports it with evidence from female Coach Becky Hammon. It is important to increase our social awareness on this issue and create more of an inclusive world, specifically in the sports world. Protest is not enough to change the ways of the world; everyone must take their part in solving the issue of gender diversity in our workplace. I agree with Gasol that we are making progress; however, in my opinion, if people do not start making change in the ways that they approach sex diversity, then we are going to get nowhere. I am excited to see the change that Gasol believes we are working toward, especially in the NBA and sports world
LikeLike
In the article “An Open Letter about Female Coaches”, the author Pau Gasol is arguing that in the NBA, women are just as capable as men at coaching professional basketball. Pau Gasol is a professional basketball player who has been in the league for 17 years and has won two championships, yet there has never been a female head coach in the history of the NBA. Gasol begins his argument by including some background information on himself and his family. Gasol grew up in a household where his mother was a doctor and his father was a nurse. Gasol describes how people would often get their roles mixed up due to the fact that it was more common for a man to be a doctor rather than a woman. However, Gasol entails how he never saw his mother any differently than just a doctor. In order to further his argument, Gasol utilizes the example of one of his assistant coaches named Becky Hammon who was a female assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. He describes a specific memory of his where Coach Hammon was able to pick apart a drill Gasol and his teammate were practicing in order to enhance the efficiency of how they played basketball. Gasol provides emphasis to his belief that it’s not about if you are the right person for the job. Rather, he believes it’s about how well equipped you are for the job. Gasol continues his argument by disproving many myths that involve women holding coaching positions in the NBA. For example, there being an awkward tension in the locker room with a female being there and sports being an exception for social equality. Furthermore, Gasol concludes his argument by bringing this topic of equality to a broader scale by including other social issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, Black Lives Matter, and Europe born individuals having a position in the NBA. Therefore, Gasol believes that the NBA should undergo the same type of social movement so hiring women coaches is not an odd thing.
I agree with Gasol’s argument that women are just as capable at being a coach as men. In today’s society getting a job should not be about what you are; rather, I believe that the professional field should worry more what your qualifications are. Personally, as a black male, I understand that in America higher tier jobs may be harder to acquire due to my race. However, the age of this social inequality is progressively decreasing, and women should also experience this improvement in our society. Therefore, women should have the same opportunity as men to obtain a coaching position in the NBA.
LikeLike
This article “An Open Letter About Female Coaches”, Pau Gasol, an 18 year NBA veteran, argues the debate that female coaches do/do not belong in the NBA. He speaks about his experience being coached by Becky Hammon, the assistant coach of the NBA team the San Antonio Spurs. He starts off by recalling a memory of her correcting him and a teammate and how the correction stuck with him for a long time ever since. He says “She noticed a small detail out of the corner of her eye-and then instantly located both the problem and the solution.” He also points out the way they communicated so well and how It was so important and It stuck with him for a while. He then argues the point that It would be “awkward” in the locker room with a woman there. He immediately shuts that idea down and says its absolutely ridiculous that that would even be an argument. He says “But I think its worth taking seriously, too, for a moment-just in terms of how embarrassing It is for us as a league that this is something people are actually talking about.” He then goes on to say how proud he is of the league and to be a part of the league, with one of the teams hiring their first European born coach, him being a European player himself being drafted into the league 3rd pick, and the league becoming more involved with important issues like Black Lives Matter and the LGBTQ community. I completely agree with Pau Gasol’s points all throughout his article. I think he makes really amazing points and honestly is an inspiration. How he sticks up for women, black lives matter, and the LGBTQ community, is so inspirational and so awesome. I completely agree with Pau Gasol and all of his points and I hope to see the NBA doing more great things in the near future.
LikeLike
I absolutely believe and agree that women should be considered for higher level coaching positions in the NBA. Gasol stated that an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs Becky Hammon had sort of shocked him for pointing out small details that him and his teammates missed. This goes to show the amount of insight that someone with a high basketball iq can do, with no correlation to their gender. Gasol also stated that he believed that it wouldn’t be awkward to be coached by female head coach, but I believe different. This type of situation would be very awkward at first because in my opinion from being a fan of the NBA and knowing the character of some of these NBA stars, their huge egos would get in the way of making this transition clean. There are some very ignorant and sensitive people in the league, and I believe that if this were to happen it would take a while for the players and the media to truly start accepting this idea. The right situation must happen where a female coach is the leader of a winning franchise because they would be destroyed otherwise. Also, I believe that the this would be different for other leagues besides the NBA because they have a WNBA were they have women doing exactly what the NBA is doing just at a lower level. That would be hard to accomplish for the other various sports leagues in the country because they don’t have that connection.
LikeLike
This article about gender and the NBA brings up a lot of interesting arguments about why coach Becky Hammon would or would not be a good NBA head coach. Three specific arguments are discussed. One is a woman is not able to coach men. Becky Hammon is in the position because it is good “P.R” for the Spurs and there would be awkwardness in the NBA locker room between a female coach and the male players. All of these theories are disproved by the writer Pau Gasol. If you qualify for the position it should not matter if you are male or female. Society has stereotyped what a female can do versus what a male can do. Pau Gasol expresses pride in the NBA because they are beginning to venture out in the larger world, expanding their horizons.The NBA is beginning to take on important issues in society. Some examples of this have been the commissioner Adam Silver marching in an LGBTQ pride parade or players Demar and Kevin being vocal about emotional well being. Pau Gasol states the NBA is just getting started with not being closed minded with social awareness. They have come a long way and have shown a lot of growth but there is a lot more growth to do.
LikeLike
After years of having male-dominant players and coaches, the majority of NBA fans and audiences have come to see this as the standard. In his article, Pau Gasol mentions his view on gender diversity in the NBA as well as other inequality topics. Changes in the NBA have been made that have caught viewers’ attention. Pau Gasol talks about Becky Hammon, an assistant coach for the Sanantonio Spurs, and how she has an equal chance of becoming the head coach as much as anyone else. He addresses the arguments people have made against her and he responds with nothing but good statements about her. He claims “I’ve been in the NBA for 17 years… And I’m telling you: Becky Hammon can coach.” He’s on the side of equality and want’s it to spread. Overall he is loving that diversity is starting to take place within the NBA and his vision has yet to be fulfilled.
LikeLike
Pau Gasol, a six time NBA all star, a two time champion and an 18 year veteran in the league, has brought a great attention to the equality around the NBA. He argues that women coaches belong in this league and that they would do a magnificent job at the NBA level not just in the WNBA. Becky Hammon, assistant head coach for the San Antonio Spurs, has done a brilliant job as the assistant head coach behind head coach Greg Popovich who is one of the greatest to ever coach. “This is a team that won 50+ games for 18-straight seasons, and five championships in the last 20 years”, Becky is not only a female assistant coach in the NBA but she is a part of a winning culture and winning at a high level. “She noticed a small detail out of the corner of her eye — and then instantly located both the problem and the solution”, Becky has a very high IQ for the game of basketball and expects perfection and the best out of her players every single day. She communicates very well with her players and that’s another reason why this organization is so successful. “And these Euro guys — they’re soft, man. No, you can’t take this kid at No. 3”, Pau Gasol was that European taken at number three and went on to have an amazing career. Europeans have become more popular in the NBA over the years and the league has become more diverse. I believe that women candidates should be considered for high level coaching positions in the NBA. If you are intelligent enough and have what it takes for the position then being a female shouldn’t be holding you back. Becky Hammon is an inspiration for women around the world and this is just the beginning for women coaches in the NBA.
LikeLike
In my opinion, women should be considered for high-level coaching positions in the NBA and other major sports leagues. Getting a job shouldn’t be determined by your gender, but by your skillsets and qualification. Pau Gasol starts off by sharing his early childhood and how his mother was a doctor and his father was a nurse. He says that “I remember how people would often mistake my father as the doctor and my mom as the nurse — it happened more often than it should have”, people tend to associate certain careers with certain genders. Being hired for a job should never be a gender issue, but rather a qualification issue. More often than you would think women are just as and even more qualified for “masculine” jobs than men.
LikeLike
Pau Gasol, A retired NBA veteran is arguing that in the NBA, Females have the same capabilities as men at coaching professional basketball. He spoke about a specific experience when he was being coached by Becky Hammon, the current assistant coach of the San Antonio Spurs. He recalls the memory of her correcting him on a simple drill and how the correction has stuck with him since. Gasol describes the memory by saying that she noticed a small detail out of the corner of her eye and found the problem and the solution. Gasol argues that coach Hammon is undoubtedly competent in becoming a head coach in the NBA. Since this article was created there has still yet to be a female head coach in the NBA but there has been an increase in female coaches in the league. Gasol voices that it is not about who is right for the job but instead how well equipped you are for the job and he believes women are more than equipped for the job. Like Gasol, I believe that women should have the same opportunity as men to obtain a head coaching position in the NBA.
LikeLike
I agree with Pau Gasol in that women should be considered to coach at a high level like the NBA, as long as they get the results needed. I don’t think there should be a reason why women can’t coach in the NBA. This also goes for all major leagues in sports like the MLS, NFL, NHL, and MLB. If a woman has the qualities to coach at a high level then why not? They can also be as successful as the men, if not even more successful. I also like the story Pau Gasol told in the beginning of the article because it shows us how he was raised and how he didn’t view specific jobs for genders, like how his dad was a nurse and his mom was a doctor, something that was very uncommon at the time when Pau was a child. This article was written in 2018. As of today, there are many female coaches in different major leagues like in the NFL there are 12 female coaches, a record in the NFL history. In NBA history there have been 15 female coaches and of the 15, seven are still coaching in present day. In the MLB there are 23 female coaches, a record in MLB history. Hopefully more females are introduced into the major leagues and hopefully one day a female coach can win a championship.
LikeLike
The NBA is a space for everyone, especially women. Former NBA basketball player, Pau Gasol acknowledges that the league is “just getting started,” in terms of inclusivity for women in the NBA. In Michael Brody’s article, “Coach wears high heels: Pau Gasol on gender and the NBA” speaks about Gasol’s open letter to female coaches. In the article, Gasol extends on the inclusivity issue in the NBA, and how there need to be active roles taken to improve the league’s culture surrounding inclusivity for all types of people. Such as the NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, marching in an LGBTQ pride parade showing open support! Besides looking the part, taking genuine strides towards a more accepting and supportive environment transcends sports by being a lesson that is invaluable in life. When women are included, it provides different perspectives and ways of thinking due to the varying experiences one may have as a woman versus a man. This also applies to the ways of considering players’ performances, weak points, and strengths as every individual and gender may invest more value in different aspects. Overall, to have a well-rounded insight into bettering the league and their experience is to ensure that everyone is valued, just like in the game. With consideration and awareness bring the forefront, it supports keeping workplace morale. Besides morale, women may have more experience than a man and still be considered unqualified due to their gender. Consequently, a sexist decision like that would lead to numerous opportunities and jobs for women as coaches in the NBA being squandered due to a factor that is out of their control. Just as fairness is an important aspect of basketball, carrying that same essence within the league is just as important, and if not, more. This article was impactful as it reminds me of the movie, Hustle which included women being impactful parts of NBA commissioners’ and members’ lives which ultimately bettered and enriched the basketball team’s performance and morale.
LikeLike
This article highlights how easy it is for society to assign what they would see as the stereotypical career expected for a man to have and what would be expected for a woman to have. When thinking about the possibility of a woman being a coach for an NBA team, most critics, coaches, and journalists knee jerk reaction to this idea is that it is crazy. How would it be possible for a woman to know more about the game and be more qualified than a man? It is deeply rooted in our way of life that men belong on their side of the field and women theirs and there is absolutely no crossing over, period. What should be a norm and more prevalent in our society isn’t, and women are feeling beaten out each day simply because they are not viewed as qualified enough for a “man’s job”. There is no difference between the capabilities of a man versus the capabilities of a woman and we should not be treated as such. It is up to us to recognize these discrepancies and have the strength to stand up for our beliefs.
LikeLike
Women should definitely be apart of the higher level basketball games both college and NBA. It’s a right just because it is more make dominant does not mean a woman can’t achieve that. I say that men are given more chances to become leaders in the NBA because they are men but at the same time let a woman come Pete with a man, and she will stand equal. We should not exclude any gender or sex just because it isn’t the standard former NBA all American, become coach.
LikeLike
Women should definitely be apart of the higher level basketball games both college and NBA. It’s a right just because it is more make dominant does not mean a woman can’t achieve that. I say that men are given more chances to become leaders in the NBA because they are men but at the same time let a woman come Pete with a man, and she will stand equal. We should not exclude any gender or sex just because it isn’t the standard former NBA all American, become coach. I think in our world today we should have evolved enough as a society to let women get a chance to take over and be able to stand as coaches in the NBA. Equality and inclusion with anyone is important.
LikeLike