URL:http://www.southam.com/kitchenerwaterloorecord/columns/commentary1.html The Record DON'T COMPARE WOMEN'S, MEN'S GAMES By Karlo Berkovich Record staff Thursday, January 15, 1970 Evidence of some of the misconceptions surrounding women's hockey occurred even before the world championship started.Of two games selected for national television exposure, one was a no-brainer -- Sunday's final. The other seemed a slam dunk as well -- Canada vs. Russia. On the surface, a valid, if predictable pick -- the two traditional world powers in yet another installment of the ongoing battle for hockey hegemony. Besides Canada-U.S.A., which can't happen until the final, Canada-Russia seemed the automatic marquee matchup. One problem, though. Aside from program scheduling constraints, such a selection was based on old-line men's hockey thinking. And aside from the fact Canada-Russia has lost some of its lustre in the men's game, it's instructive to note that Canada-Russia has never held any lustre at all on the women's side. "Somebody came up to me before the game and said I must be charged up because of the rivalry," Canadian forward Lori Dupuis said. "But we had never even met them before in our lives." A lesson, then, in product marketing. Slap the handy men's brand name on what is a no-name product and you might get burned, as was the case when Canada hammered Russia 9-1. It's difficult to fault TSN, though. The national sports network is doing women's hockey a great service by broadcasting some of the games, and men's hockey is the reference point; in fact the only reference point. It's a difficult mindset to break, but that is what women's players are out to do. They want to show that their game, admittedly struggling in terms of depth of competition at present, should be appreciated on its own terms. Case in point. Somebody asked me the other day how the calibre of play in the women's tournament would compare to men's hockey. Midget Triple A? Junior B? Junior C? What level? Simply put, this is the highest level of women's elite competition. There is no comparison, certainly not financially or in terms of ice time availability, which is a growing concern as the women's game gains popularity. And no comparisons need be drawn, though in terms of the game itself, it's perhaps difficult not to fall back on time-honored men's reference points. But the gender division in the sport is the proverbial fruit basket of apples and oranges. Trying to find a men's reference point is probably asking for a slash to the shins from the likes of Dupuis, because the games are similar only in that they are distinct branches of the same tree. Think of it in terms of NHL plus-minus statistics. Comparing such stats for a player on a bad team to one on a good team reveals little; the numbers are better used in comparisons drawn between players on the same team. Or the same milieu. "We're used to it, and the response is, you can't compare us to men's hockey," Dupuis said. "There's no hitting, so it's very different, obviously. Maybe we're not quite as fast, but there's more touch to the game." And, obviously, a different pace. Goaltenders like Team Canada's Danielle Dube, who plays in the East Coast men's pro league, must adjust upon returning to women's play else they get caught making moves too early in anticipation of the harder men's shots. "They have to slow down their reflexes," Dupuis said. But the women's game is anything but slow, as anyone who has watched Team Canada defender Cassie Campbell wind up for a rink-length rush can attest. It is creative. It has its big stars, like Canada's Hayley Wickenheiser, who still has to answer what must be tiresome questions about whether she is related to former NHL journeyman Doug Wickenheiser. She is related, distantly. About as distantly as their respective impacts have been on the game. That is, if you're inclined to make comparisons. Karlo Berkovich can be reached at 894-2231 Ext. 686, via fax at 894-3829 or e-mail at: kberkovich southam.ca