jock
cup
jockstrap
underwear
gay
gay sports
gay jocks
gay pride
2.28.2004
Idiots: In 2001, Northwestern University football player Rashidi Wheeler died of bronchial asthma, compounded by possible neglect by the trainers, during a conditioning drill. You would think that college football coaches would be hyper-vigilant about the condition of the players under their guidance during practices to make sure there were no repeat incidents of the Wheeler tragedy. Apparently not.
Ball State issued reprimands to its head football coach Brady Hoke and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman after freshman receiver Chris Jackson suffered frostbite due to the boneheaded decision to discipline him by having him work out in minus 7 degree temperatures. And although a friend of ours doesn't believe in wind chill factors, in the interest of fairness, it must be reported that the wind chill factor in Muncie, Indiana at the time of the incident was minus 12. It will surprise no one reading this item to find out that Chris Jackson suffered frostbite to several fingers as he and several other team members carried 25 lb. sandbags up and down the steps of the team's stadium. Couldn't they have used the basketball facility?
2.27.2004
Closure?: In a week where steroids in baseball, the arrest of the Baltimore Raven's star running back Jamal Lewis on federal drug charges and other calamities have dominated the sports headlines, it was nice to see a bit of silliness happen on Thursday. Last fall, when Cubs fan Steve Bartman interfered with the catching of a foul ball that would have gone a long way towards helping the hapless Cubs reach their first World Series since before most of us were born, Mr. Bartman and that ball achieved a sort of infamy in Chicago. The ball was bought for $113,824 on behalf former Cub announcer Harry Caray's restaurant at an auction. The restaurant announced at the time that the ball would be destroyed, helping to bring "closure" to grieving Cubs fans.
Hollywood special effects guru Michael Lantieri was brought in, the ball was placed in a bulletproof glass container and, through a combination of heat, pressure and explosives, reduced to a smoldering pile of ex-baseball. While it's all in jest, hopefully Cubs fans will take the opportunity to realize that Bartman interfering with ball was but one aspect of the Cubs collapsing with only five outs standing between them and the World Series. Reports from Chicago indicate that Bartman is still pretty reclusive, perhaps fearing an attack by a nutso Cubs fan. He should just tell any fans like that the Cubs still had a Game 7 they could have won, but of course, logic often goes missing when it comes to sports nuts. Here's to hoping that Cubs fans can move on and enjoy the upcoming 2004 season, where their loaded pitching staff should again carry them far.
2.26.2004
Montreal 2006 Welcomes Labatt's: Montreal 2006, the multisport gay athletics event to be held in just over two years, has welcomed Labatt Breweries as a sponsor. Details of the agreement were not made available.
By signing this agreement, Labatt joins Montr￩al 2006's circle of supporting partners, including the Governments of Qu￩bec and Canada, the City of Montr￩al, Tourism Montr￩al, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Gay Games Welcomes Bruce Hayes: Bruce Hayes, 1984 Olympic swimming gold medalist and two-time Gay Games participant, has announced his support of both the Chicago and Los Angeles bids to host Gay Games VII in 2006.
"I spent my undergraduate years at UCLA and earned a masters' degree in journalism at Northwestern, so I know both cities very well," said Hayes. "It will be a tough choice for the Federation board because both cities have a strong sporting tradition and active LGBT communities."
The winning bid to hose the 2006 Games will be announced next week.
With Mark Tewksbury playing a major role in the Montreal 2006 organization, both groups now have a gold-medal Olympic swimmer to boost their cause.
2.25.2004
More From New York on Jeter-ARod Relationship: David Letterman weighed in on the controversial relationship between the Yankees infielders, throwing in some reference to the marriage debate as well:
"Everybody here in New York is excited about Alex Rodriguez playing third base for the Yankees, but there are reports now, insiders are suggesting there may be trouble between shortstop Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. There may be some friction, they may not be getting along. But, listen to this, the San Francisco Giants have a very different problem. I was stunned when I heard this. Their shortstop and their third baseman got married."
Redskins Building Winning Formula? The Washington Redskins are on the verge of landing their second big offensive weapon. After signing quarterback Mark Brunell last week, the Redskins are near a deal to acquire running back Clinton Portis for cornerback Champ Bailey.
With those two weapons joining new head coach Joe Gibbs, the Redskins are making a serious run at some preseason buzz that could easily put them among the elite in the NFL.
2.24.2004
Jeter says his relationship with A-Rod is fine: Derek Jeter interupted his workout on Monday to clear the air about his relationship with Alex Rodriguez.
"We don't have problems," Jeter insisted Monday. "Let's get that out there."
Sunday, Rodriguez admitted their close relationship was bruised in 2001 after he made less-than-praising remarks about Jeter. Even after A-Rod was traded to the Yankees, there seemed to be some distance between the two.
"We're going to be together for a lot of days," Jeter said. "We're going to be together from now until the end of October."
Whether they'll be sharing a room on road trips has not yet been determined.
King James earning his nickname? After beating the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and winning at Madison Square Garden over the weekend, the Cleveland Cavaliers came back from a 25-point deficit to topple the New Orleans Hornets Monday, 104-100.
LeBron James lead the charge with 21 points, while fellow rookie Jason Kapono finally showed some life in scoring 19 points - his career high.
2.23.2004
Does A-Rod have a boyfriend? We loved the item on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" about the trade of Alex Rodriguez to the New York Yankees. The anchor said that the Yankees had an ace in the hole in their negotiations with A-Rod: "What could the Yankees give A-Rod that Boston couldn't? A boyfriend!" A picture then went up of Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter.
Two for the ages? With Duke and Mississippi State men's basketball losing again this week, Stanford and St. Joseph's widened the gap between themselves and the rest of the nation. Now, not only are those two teams the only undefeated teams in the nation, but there isn't even another team with only one loss.
The losses by Duke and MSU will probably leave four non-powers, the two undefeated teams plus Pittsburgh and Gonzaga, at the top of the AP poll. That Final Four would have been four Cinderellas not so long ago.
Weir nearly loses it: Mike Weir barely averted an ignonminious collapse on Sunday, blowing a seven-shot lead in the Nissan Open to hang on in the end for the win.
Shigeki Maruyama tied Weird in the waning holes of the fourth round, only to watch Weir pull it out in the end, making him the first repeat winner of the Nissan Open in nine years.
"That's a good way to end it," Weir said.
2.21.2004
"New" coach at CU: Well, possibly. Colorado University football coach Gary Barnett was suspended for his role in the Katie Hnida story detailed below. He made a really bone-headed comment: "She was not only a girl, she was terrible", in reference to her kicking skills. It's the sort of flippant remark that gets people in to trouble, and so it came to pass for Barnett. He was suspended with pay for his remark, pending a university investigation in to Hnida's story. It's bad news in a widening scandal for the Colorado University football program (NCAA sanctions loom), but on a football-only level, they tried to restore some stability on Friday by naming longtime assistant Brian Cabral as interim coach. Cabral insists that Barnett will be back, but that may be a large dose of wishful thinking. Katie Hnida's allegations are very serious and college sports teams have been put on probation for a lot less.
One of the sad aspects of this story is that a certain percentage of people will say variations on "Well, she was a chick, she shouldn't have been playing football anyway". While the idea of a woman playing middle linebacker in college football will likely never become reality, being a kicker is actually the one position that a woman could realistically play. It's hard to imagine the parents of any girl who expresses a desire to kick for a football team in college being enthusiastic about the prospect after the developments this week, but one of the jobs of Brian Cabral will be to restore integrity to the CU program. A lot of other college programs are in serious trouble (see: Alabama's Crimson Tide), but the alleged incidents at Colorado are particularly disturbing because of the nature of the allegations. Trying times in Boulder indeed.
2.20.2004
Stiff?: As we've previously reported, the former Ohio State Buckeye football player Maurice Clarett won the first round in a potentially ground-breaking legal case when he won the right to jump from college to the National Football League before completing his eligibility under current NFL rules. The NFL holds what it calls a "combine" each year, a chance for scouts and personnel people to get a gauge on all the incoming rookies. A good performance can raise a player's stock, as a bad one can hurt it. It's a very important event for incoming rookies. So what does Clarett do? Show up out of shape.
NFL people were dumbfounded to find Clarett weighing a "doughy" 237 lbs., not a very good weight for a running back who relies on speed to make an impact. In addition, Clarett didn?t say the right things when he was questioned about the issue by the press. He seemed unconcerned and claimed that when he has his actual tryout in about a month, he'll be in proper shape. Maurice Clarett has been dogged by controversy the last year or so, and the NFL is allergic to controversy (though that doesn't stop the league from generating it). NFL General Manager's are already downgrading Clarett from a possible second-round pick in the upcoming draft to as low as the fourth round. That means a big difference in money for a player who basically had one great season in college ball. If teams start whispering that he's a head case who might have attitude problems before he gets to training camp in the summer, he could find that path from freshman in college to the pro ranks is tougher than he thought. It's hard to tell sometimes who is advising pro athletes, but it seems that Maurice Clarett needs someone to take him under their wing and give him a dose of reality about what is expected of him.
2.19.2004
At Colorado, a former female kicker cries rape: Katie Hnida, the only woman to score in NCAA Division I football history, has told Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly that she was sexually assaulted by her former teammates at Colorado. In addition to the rape, she said that many of her teammates verbally assaulted her, groped her in the huddle, and threw footballs at her head.
When asked why she never told coach Gary Barnett, she said that he did not want her there in the first place; when asked why she didn't tell police, she said she thought the teammate who raped her may attack her, and she didn't want a huge media mess.
She has now certainly got the media mess she knew she would.
She left Colorado after her sophomore year and went to New Mexico where she kicked two extra points for the Lobos last year.
Hnida is now telling her story only after several other allegations of misconduct by members of the Colorado athletic department. She is also looking for a sixth-year exemption from the NCAA, so she can return to the Lobos this season.
Paralyzed high school player stabilizing: The condition of Tucson High basketball player Joe Kay has improved since being moved Friday to Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital.
Kay suffered a stroke and was paralyzed on his right side in a celebration after Tucson's victory over Tucson Salpointe on Feb. 6. He was tackled by a fan and piled on by others. His carotid artery was torn.
2.18.2004
Gumby Gets Married: One of the couples who wed in San Francisco over the weekend was our very own Coach Eric "Gumby" Anderson
and his boyfriend Grant-Tyler Peterson. The openly gay former track coach and author of Trailblazing flew to the Bay Area from his home in Long Beach with Peterson, and added their names to the growing list of married gay couples.
Gumby told Outsports this afternoon that the couple braved the rain of Monday morning as San Francisco residents offered the awaiting group with food, coffee, and encouragement.
Grant and Gumby have been planning a wedding for this summer, but decided to jump at the unique opportunity in San Francisco this weekend. They are still planning on a ceremony this summer, and also plan on pursuing a court case as far as they need to if the courts or state try to nullify their marriage.
Their union got a small boost in the first court challenge on Tuesday as two judges both refused to stop the county of San Francisco from issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.
2.17.2004
Gay on the Court:No one ever accused most college students of being the best and the brightest. So it's not too surprising that college basketball fans and players would resort to antigay taunts to try and demean an opponent. We had two examples in the past week.
Read the story here.
A Barkley Gem: You gotta love NBA analyst Charles Barkley, who always speaks his mind in a funny yet insightful way. Here is what Sir Charles said during coverage this weekend of the NBA All-Star Game:
"I think in America the gay people should be allowed to get married. But when you see Beyonce, why would you want to be gay?"
Two words, Chuck: Tom Brady.
2.16.2004
A-Rod a Yankee: As soon as the deal is OKd by baseball commissioner Bud Selig, Alex Rodriguez will be traded by the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees. Texas will pay $67 million of the $179 million left on Rodriguez's $252 million, 10-year contract, and will get All-Star second baseman Alfonso Soriano.
The deal shows all that is wrong with baseball. The Yankees, whose payroll will reach $190 million, again simply buy one of the two or three top players in the game. It?s hard to see anyone save for Boston or Anaheim seriously challenging the Yankees in the American League this year. Why should fans in Baltimore or Toronto even bother to buy tickets to any games when it?s so obvious they have little chance? ''The disparity is not healthy for the sport,'' Arizona owner Jerry Colangelo told AP. ''But everyone runs their team the way they see fit, and they did it by the rules.''
Earnhardt Wins Daytona: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Daytona 500 on only his fifth try but said he felt like his dad, the legendary Dale Earnhardt was riding with him. The senior Earnhardt (who needed 20 tries before winning the race) died at Daytona three years ago. ''He was over in the passenger side with me,'' said Earnhardt Jr., who beat Tony Stewart with 20 laps to go. ''I'm sure he was having a blast.''
2.14.2004
Jammin': This weekend is the NBA's equivalent to the NFL's Super Bowl: a chance to showcase the premiere talent in the league while also providing its corporate partners a chance to party. Living in Los Angeles like some of us do, we are in the vortex of All-Star mania. Friday night at the downtown Staples Center, a game between NBA rookies and sophomores took place in almost a carnival atmosphere. As is typical of these affairs, defense was an afterthought, the second year players romping to a 142-118 win. The big draw of the rookie squad was the chance to see the "saviors" of the NBA, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, on the same team. They certainly played well, including a nice play where 'Melo dished off to LeBron for an emphatic ally-oop dunk.
One of the interesting subtexts of the weekend is the fact that this is THE African-American party event of the year. While the NFL Super Bowl events are basically geared toward pampering white corporate America, the NBA All-Star events are overwhelmingly geared toward the African-American elite in sports, entertainment and the corporate world; it's the black community's chance to gather and party. There are huge parties all over town this weekend, such as the one promoted by the Lakers Gary Payton and a "Playa's Ball" concert featuring Snoop Dogg. The hot ticket is TNT announcer Kenny Smith's blowout, but we're sure the parties at the Playboy Mansion will get play too. Oh yeah, there's an All-Star game on Sunday too!
One of the angles the NBA is playing is Retro Chic, hyping long-forgotten teams like the Syracuse Nationals in an effort to sell to expensive throwback jerseys. The local Lakers at least acknowledge their roots as the Minneapolis Lakers but it still is kind of odd to think that the hapless Los Angeles Clippers actually started in Buffalo, and took a detour in San Diego, long before the odious Donald Sterling got involved in running them in to the ground.
2.13.2004
Busted: A while ago, we reported on investigations by authorities in to the sale of steroids to major athletes by a Bay Area company called BALCO (Bay Area Lab Cooperative). On Thursday, criminal indictments were handed down that could have reverberations throughout the sports world.
Two officials of BALCO, Victor Conte Jr., the president and CEO and James Valente, the vice-president, were named in the indictments. Of more interest to pro sports fans though, were the names Greg Anderson and Remi Korchemny also in the indictments. Anderson is San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bond's personal trainer and Korchemny is a track coach who roster includes banned sprinter Kelli White. During the grand jury phase of the investigation, a number of prominent athletes testified, though it must be emphasized that none have been charged with any wrongdoing. BALCO are accused of steroid distribution, possession of human growth hormone, fraud by falsely labeling drugs and money laundering. Amongst the drugs that were supposedly distributed by BALCO were anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and THG, which the Food and Drug Administration has labeled "untested and dangerous".
The indictments come during the ramp up to the 2004 Athens Olympics, where steroids figure to be a prominent storyline. The IOC are promising the best drug testing ever in Athens, but as the old saying goes, "where there's a will, there's a way". This story is far from over.
2.12.2004
An Issue We?ll Skip: Can?t those heteros think about anything but sex? '' To celebrate the launch of the 40th Anniversary edition of the famed Swimsuit Issue, Sports Illustrated hosted an all-out extravaganza with 35 of its past and present swimsuit models and athletes, including Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley, Anna Kournikova, Bridget Hall, Melissa Keller, Molly Sims, Carolyn Murphy, Vendela and the issue?s current cover model, Veronica Varekova. ''
Yao Schools Shaq: The Los Angeles Lakers had Kobe Bryant back in the lineup, but Houston?s Yao Ming was notto be denied. Yao had 29 points and 11 rebounds, outplaying Shaquille O?Neal, who had 24 points and nine boards, but fouled out in the Rockets? 102-87 win. Shaq was anything but gracious in defeat. '' He made the shots, but he got the whistle, too,'' O'Neal said. ''He's a big guy and has a soft touch. I don't think he'll ever be able to play me one-on-one, ever, ever, ever. We let this one slip away. They played with a lot of effort. We just made mistakes.'' Shaq?s the last guy who should ever bitch about not getting calls.
2.11.2004
Higher Education: Students from the University of Houston and Rice University hired topless dancers for parties. These parties possibly involving recruits but without the knowledge of the institutions, said Steve Lower, head of Denver-based Hardbodies Entertainment Inc., which has branches in Houston and Las Vegas.
"The last couple of years we've done a few parties," Lower told AP. "They may have been recruiting parties, parties for players. ? Yes, these have been our girls doing it and no, the college has absolutely not paid for it, condoned it, or been aware of it. It's a tradition handed down from player to player to player."
The company?s website boasts that "Hardbodies Entertainment presents the VIP experience you and your guests will never forget."
Frank, Nets Win Again: The New Jersey Nets won their eighth game in a row under new coach Lawrence Frank, a guy who looks like the towel boy and not the head guy. The Nets beat Detroit and are still the only team with a winning record in the NBA Atlantic Division.
U.S. Soccer Out of Olympics: Olympic men?s soccer fans in the U.S. will have to move overseas to see any action after the American team lost to Mexico, 4-0, and failed to qualify. The U.S. team had made the past five Olympic tournaments. Don?t expect NBC to be showing much men?s soccer in its coverage. The U.S. men join the American baseball team on the sidelines for the games in Athens.
Rating the Announcers: For those of you NFL fans who either love or hate the announcers, check out the rankings by the esteemed Dr. Z of Sports Illustrated.
2.10.2004
Brown, Cuban in Dust-Up: Larry Brown and Mark Cuban are two members of the NBA family who won?t back down and now they?re battling each other over whether NBA players should compete in the Olympics.
Brown, coach of the Detroit Pistons, was critical of Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks owner, who is dubious about letting his high-priced talent play in the Olympics for the U.S. and other countries. "Unfortunately, a guy like Cuban makes a ... statement, a guy who's never had an opportunity to represent his country and be a part of that whole process and understand the goodwill and the way we've improved the game," Brown told the Dallas Morning News. "Hell, if the Dream Team didn't go, maybe he wouldn't have half his players. Maybe these kids would be playing soccer or something else. That makes me sick."
Cuban, who once worked in a Dairy Queen for a day after shooting his mouth off, fired back. This is a topic that's easy for Larry to comment on," Cuban said. "He has never had to write the check for an NBA payroll in his life. Has he ever run a business in his life?
"He isn't responsible to fans, and he gets paid regardless of what happens. If things don't work out, a player gets injured or he doesn't like the way things are going, he can do what he has done everywhere else, just leave."
We can see Cuban?s point to a degree. Five of his players compete for national teams other than the United States, including starters Steve Nash (Canada) and Dirk Nowitzki (Germany). "If you're carrying Team Canada, you're really the only NBA player. You're going to be the target of the opposing teams," Cuban said.
On the other hand, competing in the Olympics is for many a once-in-a-lifetime thrill, and it would be petty for any owner to deny his player such a chance.
2.9.2004
Dog Days and Some Real News: The Sunday after the Super Bowl is traditionally one of the deadest in the sports year. The NFL is done expect for its meaningless Pro Bowl (won by the NFC, 55-52), the NHL is at its break, golf and tennis don?t have a major for a couple of months, the NBA is in the dead middle of its season and baseball's spring training is still weeks away. It?s also the time when the media gets excited over a bunch of pooches, who show their stuff at the Westminster Dog Show. These literally are the dog days.
With so little going on, we thought we?d present, as a service, some stories you didn?t see in your sports section but should know about:
--Former chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix accused London and Washington of exaggerating the threat of Iraqi weapons to justify waging war and said they should have been more sincere.
--President Bush denied he marched America into war under false pretenses and said the U.S.-led invasion was necessary because Saddam Hussein could have developed a nuclear weapon.
--The Russian presidential campaign has taken a bizarre turn with the disappearance of a candidate regarded as one of President Vladimir Putin's staunchest critics.
--Production of opium in Afghanistan surged to a record level last year as farmers in lawless provinces increased their output, threatening efforts to strengthen the government and establish a proper economy.
--Some 18,000 refugees, fleeing renewed fighting in western Sudan's Darfur region, are reported to have arrived in Chad over the last 10 days.
--And finally ? The internationally acclaimed play The Vagina Monologues has been banned in Shanghai because conditions in China are "not ripe" for the taboo-breaking drama.
2.7.2004
Speed: Our theme today is speed. Item #1: Young American tennis stud Andy Roddick whacked a serve at a speed clocked at 150 miles per hour during a Davis Cup match with Stefan Koubek of Austria. This beats the record of 149 mph set by Greg Rusedski. Amazingly, Koubek got his racket on the ball, but it didn't go over the net. For the record, the still only 21-year old Roddick won 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
Item #2: Sprinter Marion Jones, winner of five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, ran competitively for the first time in almost 18 months and picked up right where she left off. Jones won the 60 meters at the Millrose Games at New York's Madison Square Garden in 7.21 seconds, in just her second indoor race as a professional. Jones has to be instantly favored to win a clutch of gold medals at the upcoming Athens Games.
2.6.2004
Monumental: In 1925, Red Grange was a dominating football player for the University of Illinois. The Chicago Bears wanted him to turn pro during his senior year, and although technically Grange had exhausted his eligibility, in those days the NFL was less popular than the college game and thus didn't want to alienate the colleges, so they passed a rule that barred players from turning pro before graduating (and later added rules about how many years since high school the player had participated before he could turn pro). This week, it seems that rule is history.
District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ruled that the so-called "Grange Rule" violated federal anti-trust statutes, thus potentially paving the way for Maurice Clarett's path to skip his final three years of eligibility at Ohio State and turn pro. The ruling, by extension, also means that high school players could jump to the NFL, but common sense (i.e. they're physically not close to being ready for the NFL) might mute the effects of that. The NFL, obviously, will appeal. Admittedly, Clarett is perhaps not the ideal candidate to do this as he's been in trouble with college football's ruling body the NCAA over various rules violations. But his case begs some interesting questions: as the NCAA has acted as virtually a farm system for the NLF, will the ruling force them to actually treat the athletes under their purview with some dignity, not as indentured servants, by allowing them a small salary so they won't be tempted by shady characters? Can the NFL simply dictate the careers of pre-pro players or will this end the facade that some players are "student-athletes" and are simply in college as a way-station to the pros? It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
2.5.2004
?Playmakers? Sacked: ESPN caved in to pressure from the NFL and canceled ?Playmakers,? its drama about a fictional pro football team. The cancellation came despite the series scoring high ratings for the network, including large numbers of women.
The show dealt with themes such as homosexuality, drug use and violence against women, areas where the real-life NFL has been in the news. But the league complained that the series distorted what pro football is really about, and some owners made veiled threats that ESPN would not be looked upon kindly when its TV contract was up for renewal. ESPN is paying the NFL $4.8 billion over eight seasons for the rights to Sunday night games
Mark Shapiro, ESPN's executive vice-president of programming and production, called admitted that the league?s displeasure factored into the decision. "We proved we could succeed in this genre," Shapiro said. "But at the end of the day, we thought if we brought it back, we would be rubbing it in the nose of one of our most important broadcast partners." Score one for censorship of a certain type.
2.4.2004
James Left Out: We have admired the maturity of Cleveland Cavaliers 19-year-old phenom LeBron James and earned more respect for his reaction to being left off the All-Star team for the NBA?s Eastern Conference.
"Not making it just tells me I've got to work harder,'' said James. "I've been earning a lot of things this year -- earning the respect of players, the respect of refs. That's another thing I've got to earn, to be a part of the elite group." James certainly could have been selected to the team, given his stats, but his adult reaction says wonders about his future.
Marino Says No to Fish: Dan Marino?s vice presidency of the Miami Dolphins lasted about as long as some in a banana republic. Marino, who was five weeks ago named to the post, abruptly quit to continue his broadcast career. It makes sense, given the brutal hours an NFL exec has to work versus that of a TV talking head. Marino doesn?t need the money or fame and his reputation as a Dolphin legend will remain unsullied.
2.3.2004
Boob Tube: It?s been amusing to watch the outcry over Janet Jackson?s right breast being exposed by Justin Timberlake during halftime of Sunday?s Super Bowl. Jackson, Timberlake, MTV and CBS apologized. The NFL expressed its anger and said it would never again have MTV, owned by Viacom which owns CBS, produce the halftime show. Michael Powell, head of the Federal Communications Commission, promised a "thorough and swift" investigation over what he called ?a classless, crass and deplorable stunt. Our nation's children, parents and citizens deserve better." Even the White House chimed in, with President Bush saying he was asleep and missed the incident.
These people are all hypocrites. Jackson and Timberlake almost certainly planned something risqu￩ and have to be loving the publicity. CBS had no trouble airing ads for products that showed a farting horse, a dog lunging at a guy?s crotch and a drug that promised a weekend of hard-ons. But the same network refused to let Bono sing about Africa?s AIDS crisis. Powell has no problem pursuing a ridiculous indecency investigation, while at the same time ignoring public opinion from all political stripes over rules to allow media giants like Viacom to own more or more of the nation?s airwaves.
The NFL is the worst hypocrite. It has for years promoted the soft-porn Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and pushes a game where violence is celebrated by slo-motion replays of crunching hits. But a flash of a naked boob has them up in arms.
I found myself agreeing with presidential candidate Howard Dean, who called the FCC investigation ?silly,? adding "I find that to be a bit of a flap about nothing."
The American public certainly couldn?t get enough of the rip-off. TiVo reports that the Jackson-Timberlake moment ?drew the biggest spike in audience reaction TiVo has ever recorded,? as people paused and replayed the moment over and over.
Jim Buzinski
2.2.2004
A Super Super Bowl:We saw Janet Jackson?s breast and 37 fourth-quarter points, but didn?t see a streaker. Sunday?s Super Bowl, a thrilling 32-29 New England win over Carolina, had something for everyone. Check out our take on the big game.
2.1.2004
Super Bowl Picks: In today?s Super Bowl XXXVIII between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots, we will see whether the Pats can win their 15th in a row or whether the Cats can pull off a big upset.
Jim and Cyd each have the Patriots winning?Jim says 23-7, Cyd says 34-7. However, the Pats are in trouble if Playstation is correct. In a computer simulation of the game, the Panthers beat the Patriots, 29-21. Wide receiver Steve Smith controlled the Panthers team, while his counterpart Troy Brown did the same for the Patriots. The last eight winners of the Playstation event have gone on to win the real game.
1.31.2004
No Fun League: We offer a few short items in anticipation of this weekend's Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers.
One of the more lighthearted controversies in the National Football League is the touchdown celebrations of players that have gotten increasingly elaborate (or silly) over the years. The nadir was possibly reached this year when the Saints Joe Horn pulled a cell phone out from a pad covering the goalposts and called, or pretended to call, someone. NFL owners, and if they are to believed, a majority of coaches are more than eager to clamp down on excessive celebrations, possibly adding heftier fines, more yardage to unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and even suspensions as deterrents.
Some people are less than excited about the matchup in this year's Super Bowl. For example, Brett Favre, the great quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. "Who's playing?" he told reporters in Houston. "I won't watch it. I really don't care. No offense to the two teams, but I'm sure there'll be enough people watching." If you're not going to watch the game, what are you doing in Houston then, Brett? Or is it just sour grapes that the upstart Panthers are playing this Sunday and your Packers aren't?
Programming note: we suspect Favre was being sarcastic, but for those who really don't care, NBC and Bravo are counter-programming with repeats of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and, in the evening, Bravo is continuing the counter-programming with repeats of the fine Gay Weddings series. Wonder how many gay men will watch those programs, tune in the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Janet Jackson and then return to NBC/Bravo?
1.30.2004
Dodgers Sold: It became official on Thursday: the Los Angeles Dodgers were bought--partially--by Boston real-estate developer Frank McCourt. Bought by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. in 1998 from longtime family owners the O'Malley's, their tenure was riddled with mistakes, the biggest one being trading franchise icon Mike Piazza. Murdoch only bought the team because he intended to launch a national sports channel to rival Disney's ESPN and needed a draw in the 2nd largest TV market in the country. That idea fell through and he, and Dodger fans, were stuck with each other. McCourt actually has a family history of baseball ownership: his grandfather was a part owner of the Boston Braves.
Frank McCourt will pay $430 million for the team, the second highest total for a baseball team sale ever, the Red Sox going for $660 million a few years ago. The $430 million buys McCourt and his wife Jamie, who will become Vice Chairman, 52% of the team; News Corp. will retain the rest as non-controlling partners. There was much speculation in the run-up to the sale about whether McCourt had that level of liquidity; apparently Major League Baseball thinks so. Another major mystery is what exactly McCourt intends to do with Dodger Stadium. Rumors are rampant that he plans to level the venerable stadium, build yet more luxury apartments and retail space (just what Los Angeles needs more of! NOT!) on the valuable real estate and use part of the money to build a new, state-of-the-art stadium in downtown near Staples Center. At the press conference announcing the sale, McCourt said the Dodgers will remain at Chavez Ravine "for the long term" but we don't believe him. He's a real estate magnate and real estate magnets don't generally sit tight on a 200-300 acre parcel of land valued at close to a billion dollars. Dodger fans are mainly concerned with whether McCourt's other promise--to rebuild the team's anemic offense so that they make the playoffs soon--is kept.
1.29.2004
The Apolitical Tom Brady: When New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady appeared at the State of the Union speech last week, it got tongues wagging about Brady?s political leanings and a future run in office (he has expressed a desire to run for Senate). It would be a start if the guy, who will play in Sunday?s Super Bowl, decided to vote once.
The folks at The Smoking Gun have revealed that Brady hasn?t voted in California since registering in July 2000 (he declared no party affiliation) . He missed the 2000 presidential election, the 2002 gubernatorial race and the 2003 gubernatorial recall race. In addition, Brady, 26, is also ?is also currently registered to vote in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he played for the University of Michigan,? the website reports. ?He registered there in September 1996, with the sophomore giving his address as a dormitory where football players resided. ? Brady, whose Ann Arbor registration remains ?active,? never made it to the polls during his college years, missing the Clinton-Dole presidential race and assorted local, state, and federal contests, according to a records review conducted by city election officials.?
1.28.2004
Player Sorry for Doing Gay Porn: Cleveland Indians minor leaguer Kazuhito Tadano is asking for forgiveness for what he called a one-time mistake -- his appearance in a gay porn video in which he engaged in a homosexual act, AP reported.
"All of us have made mistakes in our lives," Tadano said, reading a statement in English. "I was young, playing baseball, and going to college and my teammates and I needed money. ? Hopefully, you learn from them and move on." The video was made three years ago while he was a college student.
Tadano, who is trying to make the Indians roster as a pitcher (not sure what position he played in the video), then felt compelled to tell the world?s he?s a 100% heterosexual: "I'm not gay. I'd like to clear that fact up right now."
A Frank Success: Lawrence Frank, the 33-year-old assistant plucked from obscurity to coach the New Jersey Nets, won his debut Tuesday, 94-76, over the Philadelphia 76ers. Frank replaced Byron Scott, who was fired despite taking the team to the last two NBA Finals.
1.27.2004
Bonehead Boone: Athletes are rarely regarded for their intelligence, but this may be just about the dumbest thing any of them have done - in the last week, anyway. New York Yankee third baseman Aaron Boone may miss the entire 2004 season because he decided to play basketball in violation of his contract.
Sources told CNNSI.com that doctors believe Boone tore his ACL playing basketball. As many athletes, Boone has a clause in his contract that prohibits him from participating in sports outside of baseball; the prohibitions in his contract, reportedly, specifically includes basketball.
Raiders Turn to Turner: Norv Turner will be the latest guinea pig to head to Al Davis' Oakland Raiders. Davis named Turner the Raiders' 14th head coach on Monday, nabbing him from the Miami Dolphins, where he was offensive coordinator.
This is Turner's second stint as head coach in the NFL. He helmed the Washington Redskins for seven seasons, accumulating a 50-60-1 record and advancing to the playoffs once. Turner made a name for himself as the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, winning consecutive Super Bowls in 1992-93.
The odds will be stacked against Turner in Oakland. Only two of the Raiders' last six coaches have garnered winning records; the other four didn't last longer than two seasons. The Raiders finished the 2003 season with a 4-12 record, which was bad enough to land them the second pick in the 2004 NFL draft.
Turner will spend the next two months praying to God that Eli Manning turns out to be as good as Troy Aikman.
1.26.2004
Mickleson Gets Win: Phil Mickelson, the ?Best Golfer to Never Win a Major? won his first tournament in 18 months with a playoff win over Skip Kendall in the Bob Hope Classic.
"It's terrific. I can't wait to do it again. I want it next week," said Mickelson. "I just have so much fun when I'm playing well. Not having been there last year, I realize how much I missed it."
A-Rod to Stay a Ranger: The Texas Rangers finally squashed trade rumors about sending Alex Rodriguez to the Boston Red Sox by naming him their captain Sunday night.
It was a weird event, held in New York where A-Rod was getting the American League MVP award. The shortstop met with owner Tom Hicks, general manager John Hart and manager Buck Showalter in a ceremony where they all wore tuxedos. ''I definitely think I'm going to be here for a long time,'' Rodriguez said. ''I'm probably pretty sure it will work out for the best.'' Rodriguez is heading into Year 5 of his 10-year, $252-million contract.
Brady in Demand: With the New England Patriots arriving in Houston for Super Bowl week, many are still talking about quarterback Tom Brady?s appearance at the State of the Union address.
Wrote Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post: ''The Patriots have one star, their quarterback, Tom Brady, who highlights his hair and carries a man purse. Brady was invited to the State of the Union address last week, and was strategically seated near Laura Bush -- a sort of anthropomorphic symbol of the Patriot Act. But it's unlikely Brady will be a Republican prop only. It's hard to imagine the junior senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry, not trying to put a move on Brady. Given that they're the "New England" Patriots, it's hard to imagine Vermont's Howard "Can We Just Pretend I Didn't Shriek Like A Banshee So I Can Have My Campaign Back?" Dean and Connecticut's Joe Lieberman not courting Brady as well. ''
1.24.2004
We Like It, Of Course: Style mavens might want to check out what's going on the world of sports uniform design. The Africa Cup of Nations is Africa's premiere event for the continents national football (soccer) teams; it starts this weekend. Already the Cameroonian team is in the news but not for their play on the pitch but for their new uniforms. Sports apparel maker Puma has designed and provided a one piece uniform that, according to FIFA President Sepp Blatter "..goes against the laws of the game". He's correct: rules state that a footballer's uniform must consist of socks, shorts and a shirt. It seems a bit pedantic, to insist on the strict letter of the law at this point, but Blatter is clear in how he feels. ""They cannot do it. You cannot play a game against the laws of the game. We are the guardians of the laws of the game - the laws are universal." Well, okay then!
The Cameroonians have been down this road before: two years ago they tried to use a sleeveless shirt, but the spoilsports at FIFA, the governing body for the world's most popular sport, smacked that one down too. It's difficult being on the cutting edge of fashion, but we're glad that Cameroon are willing to put up with the expense of having to redesign their uniforms if it means progress.
