The College Fix

A story in the Daily Camera on Tuesday described how some “CU Boulder alums” are upset about the school’s upcoming “Football 101 For Women” clinic. The story then proceeds to quote three feminist alumni who are insulted at the very idea!

Yeah, because every woman can easily articulate the difference between a 3-4 defense and a Cover 2 defense.

As a woman, I am not ashamed to admit that most men who grew up watching, playing – and in some cases living and breathing – football, know more about the intrinsics of the game than I do.

But one woman, a talent agency VP, called the clinic a “slap in the face.” Another “brand strategist and lifelong athlete,” chimed in with: “It seems very medieval or backwards.” Said the third feminist, a LGBTQ activist:  “Being a woman, I know I need some education in football, but I also have several male friends who need education in football. I don’t think we stand alone.”

OK, that last comment is at least a coherent response. But ultimately, is it so wrong to offer women a class that, let’s face it, many if not most could benefit from? As someone who has watched NFL games nearly every Sunday for the last umpteen years, of course I get the basics, but so much of the nuances of the game and its complexity are over my head.

Being a strong woman is also being willing to admit when you don’t know something. And why do feminists always have to presume to speak for all women?

CU athletic department spokesman Dave Plati told the Daily Camera the university has hosted the class since the mid-1990s and has never received complaints about it. Many other campuses across the nation offer similar clinics, including Notre Dame and the University of Southern Mississippi.

“You won’t hear about the very basics of the game, such as a touchdown is worth six points,” Plati told the Camera.

The three-hour class includes a film study, and it taught by Coach Mike MacIntyre and other CU football coaches.

“The ladies really enjoyed it, it gives them more knowledge of the game,” MacIntyre said in a newsletter advertising the clinic, according to the Daily Camera. “They’ll learn a lot about the game, and they’ll be able to meet our staff. Some will know a lot about football, and some won’t, but either way it really helps them watch and understand the game and understand what our players go through.”

Sounds like fun – and educational – to me.

Jennifer Kabbany is editor of The College Fix. ( @JenniferKabbany )

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