Just dribble

The key to writing memoir — a form of creative nonfiction — is honesty. Readers of the memoir genre demand authenticity. They want the raw, unvarnished truth. Otherwise, they would just read fiction, right? As writer Steve Almond signed in his book, This Won’t Take But a Minute, Honey, to a struggling creative nonfiction writer in 2012: “Jennifer, run toward the darkness and shine.”

Yeah, that was me, absorbing the concept of radical disclosure. I had no idea what that meant back then. But a dozen years later, I’m much more open to it.

Here goes nothing, my dear demanders of brutal honesty: For some unknown reason, since my partial knee replacement surgery, whenever I get the urge to “go,” I’ve got to go. As in pee. Like, immediately. No three-second tape delay. Do not pass go – or a bathroom, for that matter. Because you will dribble.

I’m shocked at this turn of events, particularly since during my recuperation I was compelled to buy a new form of mini-pad never before considered in my 60-plus years: Always. Discreet. Made in Canada. “For bladder leaks.”

I swear, those post-menopausal gods are messing with me again.

Rebecca actually texted me from Kroger during a little shopping trip to clarify said item on our grocery list.

“Is this, um, correct? I can’t quite read your writing,” she wrote, followed no doubt by uncontrollable laughing and a cleanup in Aisle 3.

Who knew a little dribble was such big business? Rebecca did/does. Obviously.

And apparently, that is precisely what some voters would like WNBA rookie guard Caitlin Clark to do: Just dribble, honey. Stop with the liking and stay the heck out of politics.

Turns out, the Indiana Fever star “liked” something self-proclaimed “childless cat lady” Taylor Swift posted on Instagram last week endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and encouraging people to register to vote before Election Day.

Now, Swift’s endorsement may not persuade MAGA loyalists, but it could increase voter turnout, which makes a difference. Incredibly, the megastar’s post pushed more than 405,000 users to the site vote.gov the following day. Plus, she really ticked off TFG, who later posted to no one in particular, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”

Clark was one of about 4 million Instagram users who “liked” Swift’s formal endorsement within the hour it was posted after the Sept. 10 presidential debate on ABC.

This bold move caused some folks to get bees in their bonnets about Clark’s supposed political leanings, which she has never actually stated publicly. The 22-year-old Clark is a self-proclaimed “Swiftie” who adores the song “Enchanted,” according to a video from her college days with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Clark, didn’t go as far as formally endorsing Harris herself, but she did share her reasoning for trying to get out the vote in November.

“I think for myself, having this amazing platform, the biggest thing I would encourage people to register to vote. This is the second election I can vote. That’s the same thing Taylor did,” Clark said.

“I think continue to educate yourself about the candidates that we have and the policies that we’re supporting. I think that’s the biggest thing you can do and I would recommend that to every single person that has that opportunity in our country,” she added.

Last week, Clark – the 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick – broke the WNBA’s single-season assist record with the 317^th of her rookie season against the Las Vegas Aces. Also, Aces’ veteran center A’ja Wilson broke the league’s single-season scoring record with 956 points. Before that, fellow rookie forward Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky broke the WNBA’s single-season rebound record.

All of these women are the best basketball players in the world. They’ve got game, and they come to play. But the best part is that they’ve got basketball fans – men and women – watching the WNBA again.

(Aside: NBA mascots still earn more than Clark, including the Denver Nuggets’ “Rocky,” who commands an annual salary of $625,000. Clark’s base salary for her first year in the WNBA is $76,000. Endorsements help, of course, but that’s a subject for another blog post.)

The Women’s National Basketball Association has been around since 1996, but it appears that more people may be paying attention to it now for the first time. When they tipped off their 28^thseason in May, the WNBA finished with its most-watched start across each network. Ever.

Attendance is the highest it’s been since the 1990s, and viewership is up 183 percent from the 2023 season.

Why do you think that is? I’d say players like Clark and Reese have a lot to do with it. Their college sports rivalry carried over into the WNBA. And who doesn’t like a good sports rivalry? Think of NBA legends Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

(I’ll bet Clark and Reese might have to search for a YouTube video or two on those two competitors. Start with 1979, ladies.)

“All they want to do is win,” said women’s basketball legend Cheryl Miller, who had the honor of coaching Clark and Reese in the recent All-Star Game with Team WNBA defeating Team USA, 117-109.

The demand is there, but the WNBA’s profitability hinges on media rights.

In July, it was announced that starting in 2026, more than 125 WNBA regular-season games would be broadcast each season through an 11-year media rights deal worth about $2.2 billion (yes, billion) with Disney, Amazon Prime Video and NBC. According to ESPN (owned by Disney), the WNBA would receive about $200 million a year.

It’s all about the money, honey. And winning. One dribble at a time.

What’s not to like?