Hi Robin,

I have to be frank.

I completely appreciate what you did and the drive you had.  But you 

made my life hell!  Growing up in the 70's, the girls on the softball 

and basketball teams-- all-girl teams, of course-- were the "cool" ones.  

I loved sports.  I grew up 15 minutes or so from "The Frozen Tundra of 

Lambeau Field." I don't think I missed more than 10 Green Bay Packers games in all

18 years I lived there (some in the stands, the rest on TV.  It was 

the drought of the 70's though, when some games were not on TV because 

they did not sell out).  And there was a time in my town when that was 

a GOOD woman.  It is only now that I realize you helped make me feel 

inferior.

I don't remember a time where girls didn't play sports.  They were not 

necessarily equal, but because of Title IX, we had them.

Unfortunately for me, it could safely be said that I have the hand/eye 

coordination of a brick.  (I think you see where this is going).

So while I was allowed to wallow in the outfield at 9 and 10, by junior 

high everyone knew that I sucked at sports.  So whereas in past 

generations it would have been great for me to understand and love 

sports (I mean I DID get 100's on all my WRITTEN tests in gym class), I 

became a social outsider.  Just like all those boys who were good in 

music and academics, I was relegated to geekdom.

And yet, my dad still wouldn't buy me a train because "trains are not 

for girls."  (No, that doesn't belong here, just had to get that off my 

chest because it still bothers me).

So you see, had sports not been a part of my childhood, I would have 

fared better in life.  It is interesting that you say that you were a 

geek for wanting to play sports, and I say I was a geek because I could 

NOT play sports.  If we had been able to switch places, I wonder if I 

would have fit in and you would have been prom queen?

Nah.  I doubt it.  Had you not been you in your time, you would have 

been you in my time.  Either way, you would have changed the world.  

And made all of those girls who would have been geeks like you into the 

cool ones. 

And let’s face it, I think a dad who doesn't believe girls 

should have trains and my rooting for a football team that was .3445 for

the first 13 years of my life is probably more to blame for my

geekdom than you.