Progeny of Title IX prove as tough as males

By Christine Brennan, USA TODAY One of the strangest traditions left in sports is our propensity to call female athletes "ladies," as if they are demure, tea-sipping, pinkie-extending wallflowers from a bygone era. You hear it all the time on TV and radio, especially. It's the Lady Vols, even though no one in Tennessee would be silly enough to attempt to rename the men's basketball team the "Gentleman Vols," much less try to tell us they are more dominant and ferocious than the women's team. The LPGA isn't the WPGA, although it probably should be. Tennis drops in a "ladies" semifinal or final now and again, despite the fact that there's nothing dainty about a 120-mph serve. And figure skating still insists on calling its female athletes "ladies," even though, 14 years ago, the sport gave us Tonya Harding. A long time ago, my... [read full story]