ArtButMakeItSports: Athlete Look Backs

Caitlin Clark Makes History

ArtButMakeItSports — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 18:41:11 GMT

Last night, Caitlin Clark pulled up from the logo in transition to hit a three, and in doing so broke the NCAAW all-time scoring record in the coldest possible fashion. It’s something we’ve become accustomed to seeing from Clark; her nonchalant approach and execution of things mortals couldn’t even comprehend attempting has become the Iowa guard’s calling card, and it’s led her to not just surpass Kelsey Plum’s record 3,527 points, but also translated into team success, as her hometown Iowa Hawkeyes are ranked top-5 and poised for a deep postseason run.

But you’d be remiss to not also extrapolate the meaning of Clark’s run & record past the individual and team level and up to women’s college hoops in general. As our friend Hayley McGoldrick pointed out last night, it’s easy to forget that “it was just two years ago the NCAA women's tournament was even allowed to also use ‘march madness’.” Here we are today, where the women’s game airs on network television, puts up competitive ratings with year-over-year compounded growth, and now has a star far brighter than anything the men’s side has produced in years. Caitlin Clark and her approach has ushered in a new era, with a wave of energy that’s lifting all ships. People may initially tune in to see what Clark does, but they’re returning because of what they’re seeing from women’s hoops as a whole. That’s powerful, especially when a group of first year stars like JuJu Watkins & Hannah Hidalgo all but guarantee that momentum will continue to snowball.

With that, let’s take a look at some of our favorite moments from Caitlin Clark over the years, as art! And also, for more on her and women’s basketball in general, check out , from friend of the program Jane Burns.

Procession portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, by George Vertue, 1601, photo by @owenaanestad

An October Day, by Winslow Homer, 1889, photo by @HawkeyeBRay

Echo, by Robert Payton Reid, 1859, photo by @StephChambers76

From Wald (Forêt) Series, by Gerhard Richter, 1990, photo by @stephenmally

Spanish Ballet, by Édouard Manet, 1862, photo by Michael Conroy

Three additional memes for paid subscribers

Ja Morant Returns

ArtButMakeItSports — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 15:45:08 GMT

It’s reasonable to assume that you, the reader, don’t condone the incidents that led to Ja Morant’s most recent 25-game suspension. Multiple instances of carelessly brandishing a firearm in public rightfully deserve to be met with criticism and consequences. But it’s also fair to treat his return with tempered enthusiasm, especially as multiple players are somehow allowed to suit up with far more egregious rap sheets (see: Miles Bridges, Josh Giddey). Ja is a 24-year-old who by all accounts got caught up with the wrong people and on the wrong path, and now has an opportunity to point back in the right direction. Hopefully the time spent away was used to reflect, mature, and come back with a focus rooted squarely on basketball, and we get to look back at this as a turning point in a Hall of Fame career. As we anticipate new moments Ja will give us on the court, let’s revisit some of his past highlights.

Subscribe now

Ascension of St. John, by Giotto de Bondone, 1320

Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata, by Mariotto di Nardo, 1408

The Fall of the Rebel Angels, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1620, photo by Joe Murphy

Standing Ashura with Four Arms, 925-950 Cambodia, photo via Dan Devine

Pietà with Saint Francis and Saint Mary Magdalene, by Annibale Carraci, 1602-1607

Two additional memes for paid subscribers

Draymond Being Draymond

ArtButMakeItSports — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 15:46:18 GMT

Remind me if you’ve heard this one before: Last night Draymond Green was ejected, with victim du jour Jusuf Nurkić receiving a nasty thwack to the side of the head, this latest fracas coming just two weeks after Draymond’s return from a 5-game suspension for putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold. In addition to capturing last night’s incident - as you can see below - I wanted to take a look back at Draymond over the years, through art.

Venus Led by Cupid to the Dead Adonis, by Jacopo Bertoia, 1560-66, photo by Mark J. Rebilas

From the Gobert incident. The Head of Saint John the Baptist on a Charger, by Andrea Solari, 1507

From the Gobert incident. Child playing with goose, Boethos of Chalcedon, 2nd Century ad

Draymond stomping on Sabonis in the Playoffs last year - he received a 1-game suspension. The Massacre of the Innocents, by Nicolas Poussin, 1625-32

Share ArtButMakeItSports

Upset despite being surrounded by friends. Three Kings, by Bisa Butler, 2018, photo by Noah Graham

During happier times. Female Figure, ca. 3500-3400 B.C.E, Egypt, photo by Ezra Shaw

Busted eye after getting elbowed by Xavier Tillman during Game 2 of the 2021/22 Western Conference semis. La Celestina, by Pablo Picasso, 1904

Two of the league’s most upstanding citizens. The Kiss of Judas, after Ludovico Carracci, 1589-90, photo via @WorldWideWob

Upgrade to see a brand new bonus meme (from Draymond choking out Gobert)

Shohei Ohtani...

ArtButMakeItSports — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 00:13:38 GMT

Let's celebrate the best player in baseball, who just signed a 10-year, $700M contract with the Dodgers. The Ellsworth Kelly - which I took a little bit of artistic liberty with by combining two of his works - and the Cariani are both ones I’ve posted before. All the others are brand new. Paid subscribers get access to five additional memes after the fold.

Subscribe now

La Bohémienne, by Frans Hals, 1628-30, photo by Ringo H.W. Chiu

Red, 2001, and Blue (For Leo), 1997, both by Ellsworth Kelly, placed adjacent and on a background by me, photo by Lindsey Wasson

Portrait of a Man with a Dog, by Giovanni Cariani, 1520, photo via @TalkinBaseball_ on Twitter

Gabrielle d'Estrées and one of her sisters, Unknown artist, 1594, photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea