Calling it a brawl is inaccurate and stupid. Saying Rick Mahorn shoved Lisa Leslie to the floor is dishonest and mean-spirited. Tuesday night's nationally televised Sparks-Shock shoving match was a portrait of equality.

No one ever said equality was always perfect and gentle and positive. Equality was contaminated by the same forbidden fruit as everything else. There is no reason to act surprised that a bunch of women would lose their temper on a basketball court and resort to the same kind of emotional stupidity that afflicts men. The WNBA has been calling for next for at least a decade, and this is what goes along with running with the big dogs. You occasionally get bitten.

Leslie and all the other women on the court signed up for basketball equality. Leslie was treated like an athlete at The Palace. Not a mommy or role model. Just a basketball player.

This was bad publicity that will lead to a bunch of Don Imus jokes. Let's hope the league doesn't overreact and treat Mahorn in a way that signals the WNBA has no real understanding of true equality.

Jason Whitlock: 'Don't make Mahorn the bad boy in WNBA scuffle.'