S4E20 - Violence in the WNBA. What's going on?

<p><strong>A new version of an old Rodney Dangerfield joke: “I went to a women’s boxing match and a WNBA game broke out.” In the 30th season of the WNBA this seems to have been more true than not. Or was it?</strong></p><p>It’s the WNBA playoffs! This week Lamar and Tom explore the evolution of women&#39;s basketball, the increasing physicality and violence in the Women’s National Basketball League, and the social media narratives that influence public perception. They also talk about the history of women’s basketball, highlighting the contribution of fellow Iowan, Molly Bolin, the first woman drafted into a professional women’s basketball league. </p><p><strong>Learn more</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.theixsports.com/features/how-molly-bolin-kazmer-wbl-perceptions-iowa-cornets-womens-basketball/"><strong>How Molly (Bolin) Kazmer re-shaped perceptions of the woman athlete</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/02/20/a-magical-moment-for-iowa-cornet-basketball-and-machine-gun-molly/"><strong>A magical moment for Iowa Cornet basketball and ‘Machine Gun Molly’</strong></a> </p><p><a href="https://tools.nfhs.org/RecordBook/Record-book-result.aspx?CategoryId=1554"><strong>NFHS Record Book Results - Women’s Six on Six BB Scoring</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/wnba-fouls-officiating-86a9c366480034e61b44ba07799aaa20"><strong>WNBA foul calls rise slightly as the league cracks down on physical play</strong></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/08/26/nx-s1-5915634/amid-rising-threats-a-wnba-team-calls-in-experts-on-violent-extremism"><strong>Amid rising threats, a WNBA team calls in experts on violent extremism</strong></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.afro.com/sports/how-black-wnba-players-became-collateral-damage-in-the-caitlin-clark-culture-war-ea0d7b53"><strong>How Black WNBA players became collateral damage in the Caitlin Clark culture war</strong></a> </p><p><strong>Annual podcast highlighting Acts of Kindness </strong></p><p><strong>Hey! Yes, YOU!</strong> Tell us about an act of kindness you have received this year OR one that you have done for another person OR both! We want to highlight these in our November 24, 2026 podcast. </p><p>Click on this link to our<a href="https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5"> <u>Google Forms Acts of Kindness Survey</u></a> or copy and paste this address in your browser:<a href="https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2us5"> <u>https://forms.gle/5NQakn6bgeXpm2