I couldn’t help identifying with Josh Harris, the new owner of the Philadelphia Sixers who was featured in this yesterday’s Washington Sports sports page.   It seems that he grew up with our Baltimore Bullets; Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes and Phil Chenier; our guys!   And to quote him, “More thrills, less frills.”

How I agree with him! Less flashing overhead advertising, more clothes on the dancers, more fun at the games.
 
I also heard him loud and clear when he said he loved going to games and playing when he was younger, but he had to accept that he would never play in the NBA because he was only 5’8″ !!    My husband Abe, (who was only 5’11 3/4″)  learned a lesson very early as an owner:  you can do everything right:  market the team, lower the ticket prices, change the uniforms, etc.,  but when the players go out on the floor, it is out of your hands.

Again, to quote Josh Harris: “It’s like getting in an airplane and waiting for take-off.”   It is out of your control.
 
Still, that is the thrill of not only owning a team, but the thrill of professional sports. When the game starts, you will not know how it will end.

Men care about women.  Women care about men.
 
I know this statement sounds simple.  But honestly, when it comes to “gender” medicine, believe me, there have been arguments about this over the years.
 
One common thought not too long ago: men don’t care about women’s health. 

Believe it or not, in the 1980’s there was a huge discussion about this.  It was discovered that a number of cancer research studies did not include women and certainly did not consider the differences between men and women’s bodies.  This was while I was on the board of the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  There was a shock and even lots of anger coming from women around the world.  The women were raging against the men of the medical professions, clinical and scientific, for not doing anything about women’s health.  I was angry but I was surprised that no one had made these critical distinctions. 

Then, knowing the wonderful men serving with me on the NCI Board, who had been doing studies forever, I knew it was not out of some vendetta against women that women were left out of studies.  It had just not occurred to the men doing the studies. 

They didn’t hate women – they loved their mothers, wives, daughters and sisters.  They all agreed that change in protocol would have to occur and it did.  There was never any malice intended.
 
I’m glad that this critical information finally surfaced which now allows vital gender studies to take place.  I felt that the men involved didn’t need to be attacked for purposely leaving women out of studies.  It was simply part of the evolution of women’s health care.
 
I’d like to add here on a personal note how many men have been involved in my women’s heart disease prevention work over the past 12 years.  And, I couldn’t have done this without them.  Beginning with my sports oriented husband, and also our hockey and basketball players who took time to help bring awareness to the issue, as well as many friends and colleagues.   Your help was important to raise awareness for both breast cancer and heart disease.
 
Thanks, guys, for all your help in the past and in the present!