Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said he would not allow the Lingerie Football League to play in Oklahoma City. According to OKBlitz.com, Cornett said "that he would not let an LFL team to play at the Cox Center or Oklahoma City Arena. Both are city-owned venues. The Lingerie League would need city council approval on several fronts before it could play in the downtown arenas."
Having lived in Oklahoma for many years, I can understand the knee-jerk reaction that would make the Mayor take this stance, I think it is particularly funny in this instance because I've actually watched the LFL.
I'm not the biggest fan of 'good for'. There is good, and there is not good. When someone says, "They are good... for girls" or "They are good... for kids" or "They are good... for teenagers", it doesn't really mean that they are good, does it? It means that they can only be considered good in a certain context. But not absolutely.
Women's basketball is a good example. They are good... for women. But you can't say that it feels like real basketball when you watch it. Real basketball has dunks. Alley oops. Above the rim play. The kind of atheleticism you will not see in women's basketball right now. The high school basketball team that LeBron james was on would crush most women's pro teams. So, even though they are are good... they are only good for women.
I expected to see something similar when I first watched the LFL. Especially considering how it is marketed. It seemed like it would be completely exploitive. But I was surprised. The women competed with intensity and heart. They hit hard, they ran hard, and they played hard.
The skill level was questionable, especially for the quarterbacks. But it felt like football when I watched it. And so, I gave it a pass. Unfortunately, the mayor of OKC didn't.
Oklahoma is traditionally conservative, and it is smack in the middle of the Bible belt. I understand why they would be resistant to something like the LFL. But they are really missing the boat, because the league is legit, entertaining, and fun to watch. And lord knows OKC needs more fun stuff to do.
