What would happen if the major sports leagues opened its doors to women athletes? Of course, not every female standout could cut it playing with the big boys, but there are a couple who might at least make intriguing test cases.
And by "test cases" I mean chicks we'd actually pay to watch. Women with that rare combination of athletic skill and sex appeal...
Here are a few who give true meaning to the term Fantasy Picks:
Baseball: Jennie Finch
Trying to hit Finch’s blistering fastball is practically impossible from the 43-foot distance of a softball mound, but could she make it work from 60 feet, 6 inches and with a smaller ball?
The effect would probably be similar to the arm action used by sidewinder pitchers – the ball would come out so low that even at a slower speed it’s harder for the hitters to pick up.
And if she winds up sucking, well... at least she could distract the hitters.
Soccer: Hope Solo
Soccer is the one sport where you can actually image a woman playing. After all, the biggest thing you need to play is stamina. It doesn’t ever get too rough, because the refs call fouls at practically any contact (which is how pretty boys like David Beckham get to thrive).
But Solo is a perfect candidate – as a goalkeeper, she has the skills that transfer without any special needs.
Plus, as the U.S. team’s national keeper, she’s faced high quality teams and
tons of pressure, so stepping in against the weak sisters in the MLS wouldn’t really shake her confidence.
Basketball: Sue Bird
Yes, the best players in the WNBA are probably interior players like Candace Parker or Lauren Jackson, but they would get eaten alive by even the worst power forward or center in the league.
No, the kind of player that could actually do something in the NBA would have to be someone with a quick trigger, so she could get up her shot over taller players and utilize screens.
Our vote goes to Sue Bird, the high-scoring guard with the Seattle Storm, who can ball and also isn't too bad to look at.
MMA: Gina Carano
You’re not going to throw her in against Brock Lesnar, but wouldn’t you be a little intrigued to see “Crush” in the ring against one of the lighter fighters?
The poor sap that drew Carano would be in an unenviable situation – beat up a woman and get ridiculed (Oh, sure, you beat up a chick... what happened, the 9-year-old had homework and couldn't make it?)... or lose to a woman and get laughed out of the sport.
Football: No one
Nope. There isn't a single female pro football player out there right now we think could make it in the NFL, let alone our fantasy team... so instead, consider this an excuse to post pics of the lovely ladies of the Lingerie Football League, groping... I mean tackling... each other.