Gender Bender

Ah, the sportswriter.

Primarily thought of as a man sitting in front of his trusty typewriter, loosening up his tie while sweating profusely and chain smoking hoping to get the copy in by deadline.

However, this notion is as outdated as the ones preached in early issues of Good Housekeeping that provided tips for women on how to make sure the 'man of the house' is taken care of properly.

"Make sure to allow your man to sit down as you untie his shoes and prepare dinner for him."

Today's woman balks at those kinds of statements and laugh at such absurdity.

Same goes for the sportswriters of today.

The profession has knocked down gender barriers by ushering an entirely new generation of sportswriters of the female variety. And believe it or not Good Housekeeping, they're pretty damn good too.

They say the pen is mightier than the sword and in this case, it proves true. While it's no secret female pioneers in to the sports world experienced less than ideal treatment from athletes and peers, things have started to change.

Through the arduous process of earning trust and undeniable respect, female sportswriters have ascended to the highest levels of journalism. They roam the sidelines of the biggest of games and are counted upon by fans everywhere to provide the needed information regarding their favorite franchises.

While you can argue women like Suzy Kolber, Pam Oliver and most notably, Erin Andrews are simply glorified eye candy, you cannot deny their place in today's sports realm.

Hopefully there will come a day when a topic like this is as absurd as the issues of Good Housekeeping from decades ago. But until that time comes, give them a chance.

Who knows, you might actually learn a thing or two.