This is the first in hopefully a long series of posts featuring members of this board. Thanks to a certain Yankee fan for this great idea.

And we start the series with one of our longest-term members:

CANMARK
Name: Mark Kari
Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
Present Location: Toronto, Canada
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Single Favorite Team: Toronto Blue Jays
Boxers, briefs or neither: Briefs, although I wear boxers to bed

How did you find Outsports?
Back in 2001, I did a Yahoo search for "gay" and "sports." I was intrigued, but intimidated, by the "old board." It seemed filled with such sports experts. I made a few posts, and when the "new board" came into existence I became a regular. I am now in the Top 10 in total number of posts.

What is your first great sports memory?
I think watching Nadia Comaneci at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. She won 3 gold medals, a silver and a bronze, and was the first to receive a perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics. Also in that competition was Olga Korbut, the belle of the previous Olympics, and the Nellie Kim. The three of them claimed most of the gymnastics medals.

What is the best thing that's happened as a result of gaybaseballdays.com?
That I've helped develop an event which benefits the LGBT community [the Toronto Blue Jays' "gay day"]. I think "gay days" are great, because they're fun community events that appeal to people of all ages, where we can interact with both gay and straight people, break down some stereotypes and that take us out of the Village and into the world where we might be recognized by the straight community as being equals.

If you could have a date with one athlete, who would it be, what would you do (keep it PG-13) and why would it be him?
Although I'm not a big boxing fan, I'd chose Muhammed Ali. The younger, loquacious Ali, who would verbally spar with Howard Cossell. We'd go to dinner, then watch films of his famous fights. He'd do all the talking, and I'd just listen to the music and poetry of his words.

How long will it be before a major team-sport star comes out of the closet while still playing?
At last year’s Blue Jays gay day I was interviewed on camera by Tom Harrington on CBC sports. He asked me a similar question—actually, I think he asked me why a major league athlete hadn’t come out—and I wanted to say, “How the hell should I know?” Ask the athletes why they haven’t come out. I don’t know. I think it’s like the cure for cancer: it might happen tomorrow, or next year, or years from now. I think it’s more likely to be the latter than the former.

Will the split between the Gay Games and Outgames hurt the gay-sports movement long-term?
No, and I think it may even help.

I think Mark Tewksbury said that the "competition" between the Gay Games and Outgames is forcing both groups to "step it up." Eventually, when the two events are on different years, and you have international competitions like the Eurogames and the proposed 'Continental Games' in North America, we're going to be seeing a lot of LGBT sports events and they will become as well-known in our community as circuit parties.

This will raise the level of competition, and pretty soon we're going to see broad participation and World class athletes coming out of the gay-sports movement. Recreational sports participation will increase, the number of sports fans will increase. I think this is a turning point for the gay-sports movement,

I just wish the parties would get over their petty grudges... and take out their frustrations on the playing field, instead.

Are the current doping scandals hurting baseball?
Yes. I think it’s bringing a cynicism and a don’t-care attitude among the fan base. With the proliferation of doped-up athletes in baseball, the Olympics, Tour de France, etc., the strikes and lockouts in the major sports leagues (MLB, NHL), the monstrous salaries, we start seeing sport more like entertainment—like the WWE.

If you were stranded on a desert island, who is the last athlete you'd want to be stranded with, and why?
John Rocker. The guy's an idiot, but he's also kinda hot. There'd be this whole attraction-repulsion kind of thing. And when you're on a deserted island, who needs that?

[ September 11, 2006, 09:25 AM: Message edited by: Jim at Outsports ]

This is a pretty cool feature...and a very cool guy chosen to be the first one profiled. :cool:

Awesome feature...

Congrats on setting up that stuff in T-O Canmark!

Also would like to highlight this guy from Buffalo, originally from Yugoslavia, who says, "I am honored and happy to have found your website."

Welcome to America Jan, and welcome to me humble city of Buffalo!