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3.31.2007
No bullying: Astute readers of this feature know that Jim B., Cyd and I have a real problem with hazing. Add in the homophobia and misogyny that's often a part of those lame-ass rituals and it's something that we implacably oppose. This week the Michigan legislature took a small step in the right direction. Bills back by governor Jennifer Granholm would require Michigan schools to adopt anti-bully and anti-harassment policies.
What's of interest in terms of Outsports is that sexual orientation would be added to the laundry list of protected categories. Predictably, religious conservatives are having a fit, seeing it as a sinister plot by us homa-sechs-yuls to lure kids in to this abomination of a lifestyle (I sure wasn't lured, I jumped in with eyes wide open). Or something like that, it's all so nutso, it's hard to parse what they're on about. The bills face an uncertain fate in the Republican controlled state Senate, but it's a good sign that they've gotten this far.
That's Ms. Umpire to you: A minor milestone was reached in the area of women in sports this week when Ria Cortesio umpired a spring training game between the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks. There's never been a female major league umpire working a regular season game before, of course, and Pam Postema was the last woman to do a spring training game, back in 1989. What's different this time is that Cortesio actually in on track to make the big leagues.
"She's good. She's breaking down barriers and she's persistent and she makes all the right calls and that's what they are supposed to do. I just couldn't imagine being in her shoes" said Cubs second baseman Ryan Theriot.
Ms. Cortesio currently umps in AA ball; according to Cortesio, once a slot opens up in AAA, it's hers. That's significant because she then begin to be evaluated by major league supervisors. It's a hard life for an umpire--Ria Cortesio is in her ninth year of umpiring, and if she has what it takes, it could easily take another five years or more before she gets a shot at being abused by major league fans for missing calls. There's still many steps to go before she'd even be considered for a few regular season games as a fill-in ump, but she's determined to do it. "Absolute best-case scenario, we're looking at 2009 to get a couple of games". --Jim Allen
3.30.2007
Title IX debated, again: It's offically known as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (United States). It's a piece of legislation that declares that "no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance". Title IX covers all educational activities, but for our purposes, we'll focus on the sports aspect.
Tied in to the women's Final Four this weekend in Cleveland, Title IX will get an intellectual going-over in a symposium about the controversial provision. Title IX has had a profound effect on men's and women's sports in college and it's one of those minefield topics that uses statistics like blunt instruments.
Pro-Title IX advocates point to a raft of stats that show the law is working as it was intended; women's sports have blossomed in the years since 1972; who even heard of women's Final Four in 1972 outside of hardcore women's basketball circles. Anti- forces use statistics that point to a relative decrease in men's participation in college athletics. As the famous saying by Mark Twain goes "There are three types of lies - lies, damn lies and statistics".
While both sides are batting statistics back and forth like a badminton shuttlecock, the one thing that bugs me is that the main men's complaint, that men's sports are dropped to satisfy Title IX, is undeniable. What my gripe with that complaint is boils down to two things. First, nowhere, as you can see, does Title IX mandate *how* its requirements are met.
That leads me to my second gripe, that since that is the case, I'd really like an anti-Title IX person to explain to me how they never seem to acknowledge that one of the reasons men's sports get cut for budgetary reasons is because football (an exclusively male sport in terms of official NCAA championships) and men's basketball are like monetary black holes in athletics departments across the country, sucking up vast resources, which don't really get evenly distributed back in to the athletics department budget. Until that issue is fully addressed, I think there will be a stalemate in both pro- and anti- positions. --Jim Allen
3.29.2007
Teammates' intimacy: There was an interesting post on the London Guardian website about the reticence of modern athletes to show affection to teammates. The jumping off point was an Outsports article by Eric Anderson on how oldtime jocks had no problem hugging or embracing their mates. Anderson reviewed the book "Picturing Men," which had several great images of oldtime athletes bonding in team photos. "I'm not the only one to have noticed the tendency our sporting great-grandfathers had for a degree of male intimacy which these days would automatically be taken as evidence that a chap" is gay, Guardian writer Steven Wells says. He is talking not about spontaneous on-field celebrations -- where it is still permissible to embrace and even kiss a teammate -- but in how jocks relate off the field. "Modern professional sports are so crippled by homophobia that the only times players can show physical affection is when celebrating," he says.
Wells recounts an incident that happened to him a few years ago: "I reported on the gay football [soccer] world cup in South London. I was introduced to some American players, one of whom took my proffered hand, pulled me close and kissed me aggressively on the lips. It was an obviously political gesture, devoid of eroticism, intimacy, comradeship or friendliness. I was startled. And then saddened, not by the kiss -- that was kind of cool (if a little scratchy). But by the fact that in the 21st century, a man kissing another man is a political issue." Wells concludes on this note: "We've made terrific advances with regards to sexuality in the last 50 years or so. But looking at the photographic evidence, it seems we might have lost something as well."
His point is well taken. As gays have become very visible and accepted, any public display of same-sex affection is seen as being "gay," and not simply two men (or women, though that is much more accepted) bonding. I am as guilty as the next person in looking for "evidence" in pictures of two jocks kissing or hugging. For me, it's the hope that some of these guys are gay and might one day come out. For others less accepting, it's a way to mock such jocks and imagining them as being lovers (calling someone a faggot is still the ultimate sports putdown. Just ask Joey Porter).
Wells also points to a fascinating English website "that endeavors to collect same-sex romantic/erotic stories about football [soccer] player and/or personalities." On the site are dozens of photos like the one above (with Steven Gerrard hugging Michael Owen) that show soccer players kissing or embracing. They are even indexed by name, making it obvious that teammates love to touch Michael Owen (Check out this one.) The fictional stories imagining various soccer stars getting it on are even given ratings similar to movies, and most are NC-17 (I would not read these at work). --Jim Buzinski
3.28.2007
Thorpe still not gay: New flash -- for about the 10th time, retired Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe has announced he's not gay."I became a gay icon when I was 15, which was a little bit weird. When I was 17, everyone had started that speculation about me," Thorpe told the Australian Good Weekend magazine. "I don't have a problem with being a gay icon. It's not a big deal to me. But I think the gay speculation, along with when I was accused of taking drugs in 2000, was an attempt to pull me down from the top. Some people think it's an insult to say, 'Oh I think he's gay,' but I don't take it that way. I'm not gay. I'm lucky that within myself I don't care enough to get worried or upset over it."
Excuse me while I yawn. I think Thorpe's gay icon days are over and people have moved on to someone else. I'll just take him at his word that he is not gay. But if he changes his mind, then I'll care again.
Phelps is the man: American Michael Phelps set a world record in the 200-meter freestyle at the FINA world swimming championships in Melbourne, Australia. I watched the race on Fox Sports (which is airing a two-hour block each day) and was amazed at how easy Phelps makes it look. He has this underwater dolphin kick that makes him look more fish than man (I know a dolphin's a mammal, but you get my point). He is a phenomenal athlete and the crowd was buzzing as he set the record. Even a swimming novice like myself could tell he was outclassing the field. Check out this awesome image of Phelps in the meet from Getty Images that shows his wingspan and amazing back. Michael Phelps the person has always seemed a bit uninteresting, but the swimmer is transcendent.
Phelps shattered the 200 free mark set by Thorpe in 2001, a record that many said was almost unbreakable. Thorpe's mark was 1 minute, 44.06 seconds, and Phelps beat it with a 1.43.86. "I thought this 200 freestyle record by Ian would last for 10, maybe 20 years," said Pieter van den Hoogenband of Holland, who won the silver but finished 2.42 seconds behind Phelps, a mile in elite swim terms. "I will say," Phelps said, "everything was pretty close to perfect in that race." Phelps has already won two gold medals and had six races to go. "He is a heavy favorite to win gold in all but the 100 butterfly, in which his American teammate Ian Crocker holds the world record," the New York Times says.
And Phelps really knows how to celebrate. "Took two Ambien and I passed out," he said Wednesday (Australian time). "When I woke up this morning, I had 26 text messages from people I went to high school with, people from back home. ... Everyone was just firing texts away."--Jim Buzinski
3.27.2007
Sports fans and gay jocks: Another survey is out that suggests sports fans would not care much if their favorite athlete was gay. A poll by Witeck-Combs and Harris found that of 72% of "heterosexual adults say they would not change their feelings toward a 'favorite' male professional athlete if the athlete revealed he is gay." A similar survey done in 2002 found the number for the same question at 66%, and both surveys are in line with others done by ESPN and Sports Illustrated.
On another question, the survey found that 72% think other fans would have a less favorable opinion of a gay athlete. This is down from 80% in 2002. I've always found the responses to these two questions odd. They either suggest an "I'm tolerant but my neighbor is not" attitude, or one that says respondents are answering based on what they think is the publicly accepted answer ("I would be uncomfortable, but I'll say I wouldn't be.") I think the bigger issue to a team sport athlete coming out would be the acceptance of his peers, since they are the people the jock most closely identifies with. A majority of players in pro baseball, football, basketball and hockey would welcome an openly gay teammate, a Sports Illustrated survey in 2006 found -- 57% in the NFL, 60% in the NBA, 61% in baseball and 80% in the NHL.
Ultimately, I think most fans would get over the shock of having openly gay players on their team pretty quickly. After the initial news value wore off, I think the player would be judged on his performance and personality. This is why I think the fan element is less important to the issue than the reaction in the locker room.
Win and you're out: We now have two college basketball coaches who have been fired despite their teams making the NCAA men's tourney. Stan Heath of Arkansas was fired Monday, a week after the same fate befell Larry Reynolds of Long Beach State. That's a great example to show to the alleged "student athletes" at a school who played hard for their coaches -- what they think doesn't matter. Had either guy been sacked because his players did poorly academically, I might applaud. But in both cases the school administration wanted to go in another direction. --Jim Buzinski
3.26.2007
Peyton on SNL: The times I tune in "Saturday Night Live" remind me why those become fewer and fewer each year -- the show stinks and it has been a long time since it was consistently funny. So I tuned in this week to see how Peyton Manning would do as guest host and was not disappointed; SNL is still as lame as always and Manning played down to its level.
There was one reasonably funny bit the entire show, a spoof of the United Way NFL ads that showed Manning verbally abusing kids he was trying to teach football, finishing up with him showing them how to pick a lock on car. One reason the skit worked was that it was taped, meaning they likely did several takes before getting it right. The live skits showed weak writing, mistimed comic performances and (in what is SNL's biggest flaw), went on way too long. Manning was made up like one of the Persian freaks from the movie "300," bald head and all, and the gag went one about as long as the movie. It was also the only time we saw Manning shirtless, and let's just say that when it comes to having a bod, he's no Brady Quinn.
Final Four set: Heading into the NCAA men's Final Four next weekend we have two No. 1 seeds (Florida and Ohio State) and two No. 2's (UCLA and Georgetown). There is little doubt that all four teams are deserving but also little doubt that this has been the most lackluster tourney I can recall. There have been some good games, but overall the tournament has lacked pizzazz or memorable moments. It seems as if all the games these past four days saw one team go up by double digits, and the other rally back to make it close or win. Nothing distinguished the games, players or performances.
What an ending: To see an example of what's been missing in the Division I tourney, check out the amazing ending to the Division II tourney between defending champion Winona and Barton (watch the CBS clip.) In short, Barton came back from a 74-67 deficit with 39 seconds left to win on a steal and a layup at the buzzer. Barton's Anthony Atkinson scored 10 points in that stretch to snap Winona's 57-game winning streak. --Jim Buzinski
3.24.2007
Sweet 16, Day 2: Our friend J.P. is a big fan of teams from Tennessee. Going in to Friday's Sweet 16 games in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, it was kind of a mixed bag, rooting-wise. On Thursday, Memphis won and Tennessee choked, big time. Friday was the big one for J.P., with Vanderbilt playing Georgetown. Alas for our friend, another Tennessee-based team lost a heartbreaker, as the Hoyas used a Jeff Green shot with 2.5 seconds left to beat the Commodores 66-65. Ouch.
I'm generally a West Coast version of J.P., rooting for teams from California, just because. I just can't do it with USC, however. So imagine my horror when I tune in the USC-North Carolina game to find USC romping at the half 42-33. "Uh oh, Coach Roy is going to cry tonight", I thought, but once again, superior talent overwhelmed an upstart team as the Tar Heels not only erased that nine point deficit, they padded it by ten to end up cruising, 74-64. Hahaha, USC, you're a football school, not a basketball school.
My brackets going in to Friday were a disaster, so to retain some dignity, I needed the Florida Gators (who I picked to win it all) to win against the plucky Butler Bulldogs of Indianapolis. At one point early, the Bulldogs had a nine point lead, using physical play to neutralize the much bigger Gators. Sports, however, is a pretty unsentimental thing, however, and Florida eventually wore down Butler to win 65-57. Whew!
One of the features of March Madness is watching people who don't follow college basketball during the regular season getting all fired about a team. Case in point: my boss, an Oregon alumni. I thought the Pac 10 was going to do its usual choke job in the tournament, giving East coast-bias champion Billy Packer something to crow about. However, with UCLA still alive, Oregon represented for the Pac 10, using 33 points from 5'6" (!!) Tajuan Porter to book a spot in the Elite Eight as the Ducks beat the UNLV Runnin' Rebels pretty handily, 76-72. Excellent! My boss will be in a good mood on Monday.
So, it comes down to the final eight teams in games on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, two #1 regional seeds (Ohio State and Kansas) take on the #2 seed in their respective regions (Memphis and UCLA), while Sunday sees almost a repeat of that scenario with #1 seed North Carolina taking on #2 Georgetown. Only #3 Oregon taking on #1 seed Florida spoils the symmetry. It's been kind of a predictable tourney so far, but I like how the presumed best teams are playing this late. --Jim Allen
3.23.2007
Sweet 16, Day 1: When the history of choke jobs in the NCAA men's basketball tournament is discussed, there will be a new team to add to the list: the Tennessee Volunteers. Jim B. and I watched the UCLA v. Pittsburgh game together tonight and it was a horrible game, really, and I'm a UCLA fan. Both teams couldn't hit the ocean from the end of a pier, shooting wise, so while we were watching the Bruins and Panthers throw up bricks, we noticed the score at the top of the screen for the Tennessee v. Ohio State game.
Ohio State, seeded #1 in the South regional, were laying an egg, big time. They were down by 20 at the half, but typical basketball game, that lead wasn't safe. All of sudden it was tied, Ohio State was ahead and....we were stuck watching UCLA and Pitt run the clock out. Arrrrggghhh! Stupid CBS! Stupid rules about what games a region watch! UCLA v. Pitt was finally put out of its misery and we were able to watch the last seven minutes of the Vols v. Buckeyes game. Wow! The game see-sawed, and in the end, Ohio State survived, just barely, 85-84. Now *that's* what this tournament is about, not the horrible UCLA v. Pitt game.
At my job, I've been helping a guy at an office in southern Illinois with some paperwork. In e-mails, he's been a really fired up Southern Illinois Saluki's fan and I could tell he'd gotten the fever, the "we're gonna make a Cinderella run" vibe. Alas and alack, he's probably going to drink himself to sleep for the next week as the plucky Saluki's lost a heartbreaker to #1 West regional seed Kansas. In the end, sheer talent often wins out and that's the case here. Southern Illinois guard Jamaal Tatum is gorgeous and he almost willed the Saluki's to the win with some crucial baskets, but ultimately, Kansas adjusted to their opponents slow-down game and booked their slot in the Elite 8.
Being on the West coast, it's a fact of life for sports fan that games are scheduled for the more heavily populated Eastern time zone. That means we Westerners often miss most of the early games and that was case with Memphis v. Texas A&M. It came down to free throws and in a shocker, the normally awful Memphis free-throw shooting was the difference in a 65-64 win. The Tigers converted 14 of 21 free throws, while A&M shot a paltry 50% in only going to the line ten times. Both regions that played Thursday are sending their 1 and 2 seeds to the regional final, which is OK on paper, but kind of boring in reality; there's been very few upsets so far and that's one of the things that makes March Madness so compelling.
It was great watching the games with Jim B. and Friend of Outsports Dave Kopay; I'm hoping the games on Friday are as interesting. --Jim Allen
3.22.2007
Tiger thinks Federer is the best: Since people are fascinated by the "who's best" debate, Tiger Woods makes it clear that he thinks tennis star Roger Federer is the most dominant athlete in the world. "He's a wonderful supporter of golf and I think it's pretty neat when you have probably the most dominant athlete on the planet in your gallery," Woods said as Federer watched him at practice in Miami. "What he has done over the last three years, no one's ever done. He lost at Indian Wells but, other than that, he's lost only five or six matches for each of the last three years. That's pretty good."
Tiger's also "pretty good," but the whole debate is silly and I can't get into it. It's hard enough to compare players from the same sport but from different eras, let alone people from different sports. But in one category I think Tiger is clearly No. 1: Most boring superstar athlete. I think of Tiger Woods and I think "golfer and commercial pitchman." Has Woods ever uttered anything remotely interesting or insightful about anything? Given the choice between dinner with Woods or with Tony Dungy, I'd pick the latter; at least I'd have someone to argue with.
I know boring is preferable to "interesting, in a Mike Tyson kind of way," but I've never understood the fascination with Woods. He comes across as a big bowl of plain oatmeal in nonfat milk, nutritious but bland. It also doesn't help that he plays one of our most boring sports. I used to play golf -- badly -- and the only fun I had was with my brothers and uncles driving golf carts after they had had a few. --Jim Buzinski
3.21.2007
Death in cricket: If Americans think about the sport of cricket it's usually as some sort of bastardized baseball played by people in all-white getups who stop for tea. It seems all so civilized and boring to us. But in many parts of the world, especially Britain, South Africa, the Caribbean, Australia and South Asia, cricket is a passion as big as the NFL. We take our sports seriously, but they usually don't involve suspicions of murder. Of the head coach of one of the favorites. A day after his team lost in a shocking upset.
Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, an Englishman, died a day after his team lost to underdog Ireland at the World Cup in Jamaica and was eliminated. Authorities in Jamaica have ruled the death suspicious and some media outlets are reporting that Woolmer, 58, was murdered. Former Pakistani player Sarfraz Nawaz said he fears Woolmer may have been murdered "by those who wanted to silence him on the issue of match fixing." Woolmer was writing a book on the sport and reports said he was going to blow the whistle on matches in Pakistan being fixed.--Jim Buzinski
3.20.2007
KC's happening gay sports bar: Two years ago we did a blurb on Outa Bounds, a new gay sports bar in Kansas City. It's nice to report that the bar is thriving and helping to dispel the myth that gays dont like sports (trying telling that to our readers). In a nice story in the Kansas City Star we learn that Outa Bounds has become a happening place, and not only for gay fans. "Outa Bounds has become a neighborhood bar and grill. On Friday, a group of lesbian KU fans cheered quietly at a table near the front. Straight women and straight couples who live in midtown stop in as well. Many say they like the clean atmosphere and the food. Straight men bring their wives or girlfriends because they know their significant others wont get hit on," the Star reported.
Outa Bounds fans are even loyal to baseball's Royals, who haven't been diamond royalty since the George Brett era. "And while most local sports fans give up on the Royals by May, gay sports fans have other reasons to stay interested. Last summer, it seemed like every time Royals center fielder and universal heartthrob David DeJesus came to the plate, somebody at Outa Bounds yelled, 'DAVIDS BATTING!,' " the Star said.
"It would be 12-2, Royals losing, and the bar would get very quiet when hed come to the plate," says patron Greg Razer, who used to tend bar at Outa Bounds. "Its not a stretch to say that David DeJesus has a lot of fans here."
The story also chronicled the rise of sports bars in Boston, San Francisco, Atlanta, Austin, New York, Fort Lauderdale and Washington D.C. One notable exception to this list -- Los Angeles, where I live. For some reason, a gay sports bar has never been attempted here despite there being tons of gay sports fans. L.A. can be a tough place to organize anything, which might be one reason. The time might be another -- its hard to pack a bar for Monday Night Football or the World Series at 5:30 p.m., when many people are at work or on the freeway. And, finally, people in L.A. seem to be from somewhere else and they bring their fan loyalties with them, making it hard for a bar to coalesce around a local team. Or maybe L.A. is just filled with shallow gym queens who think March Madness is getting properly buff for the White Party; see, even I can't resist lame stereotypes about the place. --Jim Buzinski
3.19.2007
Sweet 16: For the first time since 1995, the NCAA men's college basketball will not feature a team with a double-digit seed. That's both good and bad. All four No. 1 seeds advanced, as have three No. 2's, three No. 3's, three No. 5's, and one No. 4, 6 and 7. The Southeast Conference and the Pac-10 each have three teams, while the ACC and Big 10 have only one each. Of all the teams I saw these past four days (I watched off and on) the most impressive was North Carolina, which makes me regret my pick of Texas (bounced by USC) for the Final Four. I think the Tar Heels are the class of the East Region.
Here's why the Sweet 16 is both good and bad. It's good because having this many high seeds makes it more likely the best teams will wind up playing for the title. While George Mason made for a nice story last year, it was a stretch to argue they were one of the top teams in the country. It's bad because upsets in the first two rounds are what make the tournament memorable. The first round was maybe the worst since the field was expanded to 64 there was little drama and only four lower seeds won; two of them were No. 9 seeds, hardly upsets. The games on Saturday were more dramatic, but Sunday went back to being fairly pedestrian; I imagine only fans of the teams that were playing were that engaged. My biggest beef lies with the awful shooting I saw (how did Wisconsin manage to win 10 games with the way they shoot?); it was less about tough defense than about players who missed layups and wide-open looks.
The trials of Kay Yow: The New York Times has a fantastic profileof North Carolina State women's coach Kay Yow and her battle with Stage 4 breast cancer. "Yow has persevered even though the disease has spread to her skeleton and liver, and she knows that it will probably become fatal," Jere Longman writes. "The cancer treatment has left her feeling weak, dehydrated, short of breath, lacking in appetite. Once an avid golfer, now she longs just to take a walk. The other day, it took her 50 minutes to finish a bowl of oatmeal. Always the coach, she timed it.
"Food tastes metallic, everything a meal of coins. She has lost her hair, her eyebrows, her eyelashes. A rim of tears persists on her lower lids, and she must dab them frequently with tissues. Her toes feel numb. Her face and her hands have grown as dark as a July tan. Sores irritate her mouth. She is beginning to lose her fingernails, which are spotted brown and pop up like the hoods of cars." In addition to the disease, Yow lost her father last week. Her story is both sad and inspiring at the same time and well worth a read. I know who I want to win the NCAA women's title.--Jim Buzinski
3.17.2007
March Madzzzzzzzzzzzz: What a boring first two days of the NCAA men's basketball tournament it's been. On Friday, both #1 seeds, Florida and Kansas, romped in their regions, Midwest #2 Wisconsin played horribly in the first half but still ended up winning by 13 and so on. There's been no shocking upsets, and plenty of blow outs (see: Tennesse 121, Long Beach State 86, for example). Hopefully the Round of 32 on Saturday and Sunday will be a little more compelling.
All in all, I can't complain, however, again going 13-3 for a cumulative total of 26-6 in the Outsports bracket; I'm currently tied for 20th. Go Florida!
Ewwwww From devoted reader Mabutimoose comes a story so bizarre that...it's just bizarre. Jerome Hunt is a wrestler for a high school in South Dakota. He has a special move, a move so special he's been put on trial on rape charges because of it. And what's that move? Putting a finger up an opponents bunghole.
Hunt is claiming that's not what he does, exactly, and it's no big deal, just a part of wrestling. Some of his opponents beg to differ, claiming that they were a victim of his "skinning" when they were done outside of competition. I'll go out on a limb here and say that I don't think that Hunt is homosexual, but he sure is a wrestler who engages in dirty tricks. The trial concluded this week, a verdict should be forthcoming. --Jim Allen
3.16.2007
That way Madness lies: Like a lot of sports fans, I love March Madness. Hope springing eternal, even for 16 seeds; the one-and-done nature of it all;
the way hot players from small schools that you've never seen before and so on. Thursday's opening round of games didn't offer much in the way of drama or
surprises, as evidenced by the fact that I usually make horrible picks but managed to go 13-3 during the opening play this year.
Both #1 seeds that
played cruised, North Carolina not causing coach Roy Williams to cry by easily dispatching Eastern Kentucky 86-65 and Ohio State also winning by 21 in
beating Central Connecticut State. Duke's mediocre season came to a merciful end as they lost one of the few cliffhangers of the day to Virginia Commonwealth, 79-77. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski summed up the game afterwards: "We got our butt kicked". If he wanted to be more accurate, he would have said "We couldn't hit free throws down the stretch". It's the first time the Blue Devils have lost in the first round since 1996. *sigh* No more Josh McPherson and Greg Paulus to look at this year, though former Dukie Christian Laettner, seen in the stands, still is a babe.
Closer to home for me, UCLA romped 70-42 over a hopelessly outclassed Weber State. However, living in Los Angeles like I do, it pointed out one of the flaws of CBS' coverage. I think they are contractually mandated to stay with "the local school" until the end of that game no matter what and that's very frustrating. While UCLA was emptying the bench in garbage time, Duke and VCU were in a tight game. Didn't matter, we Angelenos still had to watch UCLA until the bitter end. I've loved UCLA since the Walton Gang days, but I'm a sports fan more than anything. I want to watch the games that are, you know, not 28 point blowouts.
On to Friday's games, where #1 seed Florida should have no problem with Jackson State. Kansas, the other #1 seed playing Friday, can be iffy in the early rounds of the tournament. While they *should* beat Niagra, I wouldn't be shocked if they totally screw up my Western Regional bracket and lose. Go Jayhawks! --Jim Allen
3.15.2007
Tim Hardway still not really sorry: Tim Hardaway just doesn't get it. The former Miami Heat star was roundly criticized last month for saying, "I hate gay people." He has since sort of apologized, but everytime he opens his mouth it's apparent he's still clueless about why people are upset.
In an interview this week with Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Hardaway said, "I've got to make sure people know I don't hate gay people."
OK, that's good, but what is he going to do about it? Spend a day with gay North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns, who made such an offer? No, Hardaway says, "because that was more for publicity for him." Talk to John Amaechi, the former NBA player whose public coming out sparked Hardaway's comments? "I wasn't interested in what he had to say about [my comments]. I'm not interested in trying to sell his book," Hardaway said. Take diversity training? "Why should I go to that? I'd rather go straight to [a gay organization],' Hardaway said.
The use of the word "straight" was perhaps unfortunate, but Hardaway says he plans to meet with as many as three unidentified gay organizations to "make them understand" why he made his comments. I guess that's a start, but most of the Herald interview was Hardaway crying a river about how tough his life has been the last month.
"People have been trying to kick me when I'm down," he told Jackson. The reaction was "very, very shocking. People saying my wife left me -- that's not true. My family is OK and my finances are OK. . . . I'm looking for a second chance and trying to clean up my image. I haven't been in trouble with drugs or guns. I'm an upstanding citizen. Like I told my children, life is not easy. This is a big bump I have to overcome. I'm going to deal with it like a champ. I've got to make sure people know I don't hate gay people."
He lost one endorsement and said "people are not coming as frequently" to a chicken wings restaurant he owns. He also hopes to work again in the NBA as an assistant coach. His former coach Pat Riley said, "We are a country and city that forgives," But he added, "I'm going to reach out to him, but he's got to admit if there's a problem, he's got to fix it. . . . I think people who know Tim know he's a good person." Until Hardaway stops his pity party and denial, he'll get no sympathy from me.--Jim Buzinski
3.14.2007
Field at 64: With Niagara's 77-69 win over Florida A&M on Tuesday, the NCAA's men's college basketball field is officially at 64 teams. What's cool is that the win counts as an official tourney victory, Niagara's first in 37 years. "We want Kansas. We want Kansas," Niagara fans shouted at the end of the game. The Purple Eagles have their wish as they face No. 1 seed Kansas on Friday.
On a related note, I got this from an Outsports reader: "My company shut down ALL sports websites from now until April 1 because of March Madness. They believe it slows productivity. HOWEVER, Outsports isn't blocked ... so you better have good articles because while I am sitting at work, I want updates!"
I am not sure whether to be flattered that Outsports is still accessible or upset that the computer filter doesn't consider us a sports site; either way, we will have updates.
On that same theme, I chuckled when I saw this on the Indianapolis Star's Colts message board discussing our coverage of Tony Dungy speaking to an anti-gay group: "Is Outsports a sports site or not? Apparently not. Why is it promoting its own political agenda? Look around the site -- it is a gay site. At least Tony is honest in his Christian beliefs and position. Outsports is apparently trying to cloak its true purpose: attract young males using sports as a demographic filter." He's right -- the photo galleries are a great conversion tool!
Amaechi gets endorsement deal: Former NBA player John Amaechi has a book that's No. 19 on the New York Times bestseller list and now he has an endorsement contract with a head-care product. Not bad for a guy who just publicly came out of the closet a month ago.
Amaechi's endorsement deal is with HeadBlade, which makes products for guys who shave their heads. "I think it's fantastic that HeadBlade has approached me to endorse the brand," said Amaechi in a press release. "I jumped on the HeadBlade bandwagon the first time I found out about the product almost six years ago, and have been using it ever since. Whether you're black, white, straight or gay, a shaved head is a shaved head, and it requires specialized maintenance." Amaechi told the New York Times that "I have to shave my head every two days. I would love to tell you its a style thing, but I have a bald spot."
HeadBlade, with revenue of about $10 million a year, called it a landmark deal, saying it's "the first time a mainstream company has sponsored an openly gay male athlete." That's technically accurate but a tad misleading. In 2003, Chili's restaurants featured former NFL player Esera Tuaolo in a commercial; he had come out a year earlier. Being featured in a national TV spot is surely every bit of a landmark as Amaechi's deal. Nonetheless, it's a sign that that some companies will embrace an out athlete, contrary to the commonly held belief that marketers would flee such a person. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said this last month: "From a marketing perspective, if you're a player who happens to be gay and you want to be incredibly rich, then you should come out, because it would be the best thing that ever happened to you from a marketing and an endorsement perspective. You would be an absolute hero to more Americans than you can ever possibly be as an athlete, and that'll put money in your pocket. On the flip side, if you're the idiot who condemns somebody because they're gay, then you're going to be ostracized, you're going to be picketed and you're going to ruin whatever marketing endorsements you have."
Cuban has proven to be something of a prophet. The New York Times reported that head-care firm Bald Guyz "recently fired its first athletic endorser, the former pro basketball player Tim Hardaway, after Mr. Hardaway attacked Mr. Amaechi and homosexuals in sports, declaring on a Florida radio show, 'I hate gay people.' " Howard Brauner, chief executive, told the Times: "Bald Guyz, like baldness, does not discriminate based on lifestyle choice, color, education, financial resources, religion, physical capabilities or any other way." It's true what they say about payback. --Jim Buzinski
3.12.2007
Tournament time: With the draw announced Sunday for the NCAA men's college basketball tournament (the women's bracket is revealed today), we enter a three-week period where even casual fans talk about seeds, dunks and RPIs. It seems everyone is in some sort of NCAA pool (don't forget to sign up for ours) and it all culminates in the April 2 title game in Atlanta/
Each spring we are reminded again why college basketball is superior to college football -- the tournament. Polls and computers mean relatively little in college hoops (save for who is seeded where), while they mean everything in football. In basketball there is no dispute as to the champion -- it's the team that wins its last six games of the season. In football, teams like Boise State (this year) and Auburn (three years ago) can go unbeaten and have no chance at the title. While I like football better than basketball, the tournament totally kicks the ass of the bowl system when it comes to drama and an ultimate resolution. --Jim Buzinski
3.10.2007
Disgusting: We don't write much about the NHL here unless it's about labor strife or the Stanley Cup finals, so apologies to hockey fans for writing about the sport for the first time in ages about something really negative.
I had SportsCenter on as background noise last night and this certainly got my attention: a vicious, thuggish hit by the New York Islanders Chris Simon on the New York Rangers Ryan Hollweg. WARNING: sound will start when you click the link. It's being compared to the assault by the Vancouver Canucks Todd Bertuzzi on the Colorado Avalanche's Steve Moore but I think this is worse. Bertuzzi mugged Moore but some of the damage to Moore (who still has physical problems) might have come when the players fell and Bertuzzi fell on Moore. This...this is different.
It's clear that Hollweg whacked Simon in to the boards but using your stick as a baseball bat on someone's face is beyond the pale. A few inches lower, he hits Hollweg's throat and Chris Simon might be up on murder charges.
I've loved hockey since the early 70's when my family moved to New Jersey with my Air Force dad. I became a huge fan of the Montreal Canadians of that era for their skating, passing and the awesome goaltending of the gorgeous Ken Dryden. About the same time, the Philadelphia Flyers were becoming the Broad Street Bullies, fighting their way through the NHL. I hated the Flyers and that style of play and I still do (um, the style of play, not the Flyers--they suck too much to get worked up about).
The NHL acted swiftly and predictably on Friday: an indefinite suspension until a disciplinary hearing can be held. There's a real possibility that Chris Simon could face charges from civil authorities as well; Bertuzzi, for instance, plead guilty to causing bodily harm. I realize that hitting and even fighting is a part of the NHL --though I wish it wasn't-- but using your stick as a weapon just because some guy leveled you with a perfectly clean hit is a no go. --Jim Allen
3.9.2007
Look, don't touch: Common sense dictates that there's a percentage of female women's college basketball coaches who are bisexual or lesbian. In sort of the female equivalent of men panicking because a gay man might be within 500 feet of a locker room and *gasp* see their dick, college female basketball coaches get the whisper treatment: "Don't send your daughter to [insert name of school where alleged lesbian coaches], otherwise, well, you know". Total rubbish in most cases, but a breaking story could give the whisperers some ammunition.
I admit, I don't follow women's college hoops at all, so the name Pokey Chatman drew a blank when I first read this story. She's the now former head coach at LSU. I say "former" because she resigned on Thursday, as her number 10 ranked Lady Tigers were preparing for the NCAA tournament. Fine, people resign all the time but just before a big tournament? Chatman was originally going to resign after LSU's season ended, but persistent rumors of "an alleged inappropriate sexual relationship between Chatman and a former player on Chatman's team" (in ESPN.com's wording) caused her to quit before the tournament.
Of course, "alleged" is still the operative word here, but appearances count too and quitting like that isn't a good sign. Sports homophobes will jump all over this story, even if the allegations are unfounded, but in a larger context, just the fact that the story is out there can't help lesbian coaches who don't have sexual/romantic contact with their players. --Jim Allen
3.8.2007
Making a difference: Outsports reader Rick Moglia of Florida proved that perseverance pays off and he struck a small blow against homophobia in sports. Moglia was upset back in December when his local St. Petersburg sports talk station, WDAE-AM, made fun of then-Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia. "They love making fun of Jeff Garcia's voice by using sound drops like 'I'm Gay!' or play 'It's Raining Men' when they have quotes from him or similar sounding men," Moglia wrote to Outsports. Garcia has what can be described as an effeminate-sounding voice.
Moglia complained to the hosts, Ron Diaz and Ian Beckles, but was brushed off. "As a gay man that loves sports, doesn't talk with a swish, doesn't call people 'breeders' and tries to keep to himself, I am often taken aback by your constant comments, sound clips
and inferences about gay people," he wrote to the station. "Yesterday, [you made] fun of Jeff Garcia 'cause his voice 'sounds' that way. I know you guys preach live and let live, but some of things you say perpetuate the same old stereotypes that we all are trying to shed."
"They have on air, read my letters, sent me love, said they are not anti-gay but then two weeks later it all starts again," he told Outsports in an e-mail about the hosts reaction. After they again played a clip making fun of Garcia, Moglia fired off another e-mail: "Isn't there a way you gentlemen could be comfortable with your sexuality without making fun of others who were not made like you? I am begging you guys, please." He got this respond from an employee who works on the show: "I'm sure we offend a lot of all types of people but it's all meant in fun. Sorry you took it so personally. I can assure you that none of us have anything against gay people. Do not take it that way, and thanks for your continued listening." But Moglia refused to back down and in January sent the station links to Outsports' list of out athletes. "This is obviously a sore spot for me and I don't intend to back down anytime soon," he wrote us.
Fast forward to March and Moglia can claim victory. Garcia left the Eagles and was, ironically, signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, WDAE's "home" NFL team. Moglia sent this letter to the station this week: "Amidst the myriad of draft confusion I have noticed a change in your show's format. Now when you say 'Jeff Garcia' and play sound clips from him, you do it without playing 'It's Raining Men' or some other obvious sound drop. What gives?? If he comes and stays here, you may want to interview him at some point. I guess its different now, but I can't figure out why it was OK before and not now. Thanks for your excellent and insightful show everyday. You make me laugh and learn everyday." He received the following from the show: "After your e-mails, we decided that we were out of line. That was before Garcia signing with the Bucs."
Good job, Rick. Trying to make sports radio hosts change their minds about anything is often a losing battle and it was great that you stuck with it and would not let them get away with it. "I am having a strange feeling inside, that I don't think I've ever truly experienced yet in my lifetime," Moglia said. "I think it is pride." --Jim Buzinski
3.7.2007
The gay Super Bowl: Until I read these complaints to the
Federal Communications Commission posted on The Smoking Gun I was unaware that the Super Bowl pushed a homosexual agenda. Silly me. The 150 complaints about CBS' telecast focused on Prince's halftime show and the silhouette of him and his guitar, and on the Snickers ad where two men kissed and then reacted to it. Among the better comments (no spelling changed):
"During Prince's rendition of "Purple Rain" there seemed to be a shadow puppet of his penis. The sheet? That was the backdrop seemed to be (stained?) with something (semen?). My children were watching and now I have to explain to them what a wet spot is on a cum-covered sheet. Thanks CBS."
"It was obscene to show Prince, a HOMOSEXUAL person through a sheet, as to show his siluette while his guitar showed a very phalic symbol coming from his below midriff section. I am very offended and would preffer not to have showed it to my 4 children who love football. One of them has hoped to be a quarterback and now he will turn out gay. I am actually considering to check him for HIV. Thanks CBS for turning my son GAY."
"The snickers bar commercial promoting homosexual behavior was disgraceful. It's pathetic when you can't keep porn out of the suprerbowl, just because 6% of the population is gay."
"I was disgusted" by the Snickers commercial. "I didn't turn on the superbowl to be tricked into watching gay sex!"
I feel bad for the person whose quarterback son was turned gay by watching Prince and hope the poor lad was not traumatized. Would it make him feel better to know that there are already gay quarterbacks in the NFL? With an audience of 90 million, 150 complaints aren't many and some seem so bizarre that I wonder if they were intentional parody.
But I did laugh at the claim that the Snickers ad promoted homosexuality. That's the opposite of what some gay groups and commentators were saying when they protested last month. Outsports was lambasted by some for not being offended by the Snickers ads ("self-hating homosexuals" was one charge), and the reaction from the homophobes further convinces me that the whole dustup was silly and way overblown; there are a lot of outrages in the world and that should not have even registered. Finally, Prince as a homosexual? Who knew?--Jim Buzinski
3.6.2007
Nike's new basketball unis: From Men.Style comes word of new basketball uniforms being unveiled by Arizona, Florida (photo), Ohio State and Syracuse. Complementing shorts that are even baggier "are formfitting jerseys 10 inches smaller in the torso, resulting in a second-skin look that's more Bode Miller than Ben Wallace." Said a Nike spokesman about an added feature allowing players to accessorize stuff like kneepads and leg warmers: "There's sort of that tattoo mentality in basketball of guys wanting to share a similar look but also stand out within that look," said Hans George, GM of Nike's global basketball business. "We expect that they make take some of the componentry and do something we might not really have imagined ourselves." Only a marketing guy would make up a word like "componentry."
At first glance I like the streamlined look of the upper body and this will go over big with players who have the bodies to pull it off. But someone with a physique like Charles Barkley will be less receptive. Of course, this is done to sell even more Nike product to impressionable people and the new gear ain't cheap -- the jerseys are $75 and the shorts $60! Factor in the cost of shoes and we're talking more than $200 for one complete uniform and there's something simply wrong about that. --Jim Buzinski
3.5.2007
Piss yes, gays no: In a profile on ESPN.com of forty-something San Diego Padres pitchers David Wells and Greg Maddux, we learn this about Maddux: "Maddux is a master of strategically timed nose picking, sidling up to an unsuspecting rookie in the shower and urinating on the kid's leg, and inventing just the right nickname for a teammate with big ears, a prominent schnozz or some other pronounced physical qualities." So, Greg Maddux, an almost-certain Hall of Fame pitcher (333 wins), is into water sports. Har-de-har.
Anyone who has spent time in a lockerroom at any level of sport knows that they are pretty juvenile places, even in the big leagues. Players tell fart jokes, tell gross stories about bodily functions, talk dirty about women and sex in general, and routinely check each other out. One Los Angeles Dodger star in the 1980s was known for walking around the clubhouse naked, flashing his rather large endowment for anyone to see. All this is considered acceptable behavior by players and the reporters who cover them, with the latter writing "cute" profiles that discuss the subject's urination habits. Boys will be boys, after all.
So it strikes me as so odd that when it comes to discussing having an openly gay teammate, so many of these same rowdy players all of a sudden become prudes and talk of how uncomfortable it would be to take a shower with such a teammate. This ignores the fact that any player who has reached the pros in any team sport has already showered with gay teammates, but they just didn't know it. I found myself in agreement with a post on a sports message board that was discussing Maddux: "I'm starting to suspect that all the homophobia in pro sports is just a cover for their rampant homosexual lusts. They talk like Tim Hardaway, but they're really Ted Haggard."
Greg Maddux has been pitching for 21 years, which means that for as many as 20 he has been pissing on people's legs in the shower. Yet I bet that not once did a teammate complain to management or ask to be traded, claiming he was uncomfortable. So the next time you hear some jock whine about how hard it would be to share a locker room with an openly gay teammate, just laugh in his face. --Jim Buzinski
3.3.2007
Quick hits: Cyd recently had a post about the complaints that Outsports gets about how much skin is shown on the site. I was reminded of this when I went to SI.com, Sports Illustrated's online arm, looking for something to write about. On the front page were:
* Jennifer Hudson. Huh? What's the singer/actress doing on a sports site? Oh, I see, it's a picture that emphasizes her large breasts. Never mind.
* A photo set of college cheerleaders. Not male, of course. Pervs.
* Irina, a swimsuit model, whose picture takes up about 1/8 of the page. Comes complete with a pull-down menu to see more swimsuit models.
At least Outsports features scantily clad people who, you know, actually play sports.
One of the favorite lust objects of Jim B. and I, now-former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Brandon Stokley, was one of a number of NFL players cut for salary cap/financial reasons this week. *sigh* No more Stokley hanging out with Peyton Manning on the sideline. Other big names getting axed were stud running back Jamal Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburg Steelers linebacker Joey "I might be clinically insane" Porter and another favorite lust object, quarterback Drew Bledsoe, now formerly of the Dallas Cowboys. What a brutal business pro sports ultimately is.
Major league baseball's spring training games have barely begun and there's already a steroids scandal brewing. In a widening legal case, the distribution of human growth hormone (HGH) has been linked to multiple players, including Gary Matthews Jr. of the Anaheim Angels and Jerry Hairston Jr. of the Texas Rangers. It's part of a nationwide probe of illegal steroid distribution networks and it's sure to net more names. Ah, those halcyon days of Oakland A's players shooting up 'roids in bathroom stalls. --Jim Allen
3.2.2007
Stupid in Seattle: Unless you've been living in a cave in Borneo for the last decade or so, it's been apparent that the WNBA has lesbian players and a large lesbian fanbase. The Seattle franchise, the Storm, were part of a package deal with the men's team, the (Super)Sonics, that was sold to two Oklahoma City businessman in July, 2006. Routine, right? Well, no.
Those two businessmen, Tom Ward and Aubrey McClendon, did something almost immediately after acquiring the team that's guaranteed to piss me off: threatened to move the team if they don't get state funding for a new arena. The tab varies between $200 - $400 million, depending on which way the wind is blowing. I'm totally, implacably opposed to using public monies in extortion efforts by sports team owners, but this one gets even more galling.
Columnist/sex advice expert Dan Savage's blog broke the story that the two owners donated approximately $1.1 million between 2004 and 2006 to vile homophobe Gary Bauer's hate group Americans United to Preserve Marriage. They basically bankrolled the whole thing and that has made some people in Seattle mad. Being the cynical bastard that I am, I could easily see this being a cunning plot by the new owners: piss of a good chunk of your fanbase, have attendance drop and then say "See! See! Seattle won't support the team, we have to move!" blah blah blah.
The one sliver of (unintentional) humor to be found in this thing is the response by the Sonics PR guy, Jim Kneeland, who said "People are entitled to have their views, they are not views that I happen to agree with but they are not trying to impose them on anyone out here". The hypocrisy, or stupidity, take your pick, of that statement is ginourmous: Ward and McClendon, using their financial clout, are trying to do exactly that, impose their views on everyone.
By the way, yes, Cyd, I'm totally sick of Brady Quinn (see yesterday). I suspect that he's going to be a huge bust in the NFL, so we probably won't have him to kick around in a few years. --Jim Allen
3.1.2007
North America Outgames? This has been in the works for quite some time, but GLISA finally got around yesterday to sending out email invitations for their first North America Outgames. Essentially, they have co-opted the Western Cup in Canada and branded it as (kind of) their event.
On the one hand, it's not a bad idea. They're never going to get hundreds or thousands of people to show up at a North America Outgames if it just shows up somewhere (though they're going to try to do that next year in Philadelphia). So, co-branding with an existing event isn't a bad idea for them.
On the flip side, it's terribly transparent and I don't see what the point is. Why does the Western Cup have to become the North America Outgames? Does that help anyone, or advance anything? I'm just kind of perplexed by it.
Of course, a big part of me would love to attend. They've got swimming and curling, both of which I love to watch. And I'd love to explore more of Canada. Alas, with five weeks notice, I'll be staying in New York that weekend. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
Already tired of Brady Quinn: This probably won't be one of the more popular comments I've made on this site, but somebody's got to ask the question: Is anyone else tired of Brady Quinn already? The last time there was this much hype surrounding a college player was, well, it was last year. But no one has gotten this much widespread coverage, from women's magazines to gay magazines, that I can remember. And the couple times I've seen him interviewed, he really comes across as some cocky, self-obsessed, witless, dumb jock. And it doesn't help that his face looks like that of a drag queen; Those cheek bones are just screaming for a little rouge.
The fact that he refused to throw in the NFL combine this past week just exacerbates all of the attention for me.
Peter King of Sports Illustrated did make a great observation about an interaction between Quinn and LSU's JaMarcus Russell:
"The two were friendly enough when they met on Sunday morning in a weight room at the combine for a photo shoot, shaking hands and bumping chests in the standard athletes' embrace. When the photographer asked them to face one another, inches apart, Quinn said fetchingly to Russell, 'You got such pretty eyes.' They both broke up laughing."
I knew the drag queen thing had some merit. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
2.28.2007
"S-U-M-M-I-T-T Summitt!" As promised, Tennessee women's head basketball coach Pat Summitt, the winningest Div. 1 head coach in history, made a special appearance at the men's home game against Florida Tuesday night. Donning a Tennessee cheerleading outfit, she led the crowd in "Rocky Top" and was hoisted to the top of a whopping three-person "pyramid." The Vols went on to hand Florida their third loss in the last four games.
The stunt by Summitt was in part a "payback" to men's head coach Bruce Pearl, who showed up shirtless with his shirtless team at a women's game earlier in the season. It's pretty cool to see coaches getting into school spirit and supporting other teams. It really helps build community, and I'm sure the Tennessee fans just loved it.
Unfortunately for the men's and women's Tennessee basketball teams, which are both headed for good seeds in the NCAA tournament, Tennessee alum Peyton Manning was on hand to grab some of the spotlight away from Summitt. They have to hope that Manning's poor playoff performances over the last 10 years didn't rub off on anyone in the gym last night. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
2.27.2007
Summitt letting her hair down: Tennessee Volunteers women's basketball head coach Pat Summitt isn't exactly known for letting her hair down. But at a Tuesday-night men's basketball game against Florida, we're all going to see a different side of Summitt, one of the most-recognized names in women's college basketball. The coach will be joining some of her team in cheering on the men's team; and she might, quite literally, be cheering. Speculation by the Associated Press on Monday has Summitt donning a cheerleading outfit and hitting the court. Tennessee men's basketball head coach Bruce Pearl donned blue and orange body paint earlier this season at a women's game; whether Summitt will go with bodypaint below the neck, however, is doubtful.
"I think people see me as being really serious," Summitt told the Associated Press, "and I've just always been a kind of person that likes to have fun and do things like I'm going to do tomorrow night. But I usually don't do it on camera in front of the whole country. & I figured, why not?"
She picked a pretty good game to attend. The men's team is 20-9 with an RPI ranking of 11; Florida is in the top 5 of both major polls.
Summitt is the NCAA's winningest basketball coach of all time, and she has led Tennessee to six National Championships, the last one coming in 1998. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
2.26.2007
Thank heavens sports champions are decided by the players: In the last few years I've grown more and more tired of the Oscars. The comedy that has come to dominate almost every nook and cranny of the event has gotten more and more crass. The movies have, collectively, gotten worse. And as the winners are announced every year, I simply get the growing sense that these awards have little to do with skill or excellence and reflect much more the friendships and politics of Hollywood.
Compare all of this to this year's Super Bowl, which was the worst Super Bowl I can remember. In the Super Bowl, two teams of four dozen players square off, and the championship is left in the hands of those on the field (whether they're wearing stripes or helmets). At the kickoff, no one in the world knows for sure what the outcome will be. The outcome of the Oscars, on the other hand, is determined by people voting weeks before the event. And one competitor's fate in the competition doesn't rest on how well he or she did but who likes them, what their body of work is, and what, if any, politics they put into their craft. If pro sports were run like the Academy Awards, Dan Marino would have three Super Bowl rings, Tom Brady would have none, and the Houston Rockets would have been a lock to win the NBA Championship when Charles Barkeley and Clyde Drexler teamed up there in the 1996-97 season. Thankfully, sports events are still great surprises.
The fact that it is a vote by a few hundred (or thousand, depending on the category) that determines the winner does tarnish the luster of the Oscars for me. It always has. And, I suppose, it's why I have lost interest in college football in the last five years. Who wants some "expert" in his living room deciding who was the year's best in anything?
To be sure, part of my growing disinterest in the Oscars is the lack of great movies to cheer for. This year, only one of my top five movies (they included United 93, Apocalypto, The Devil Wears Prada, Children of Men and The Queen) were actually nominated for Best Picture; and The Departed, which won the award, wasn't in my top 10. Interest rises when there is a front-runner like Titanic or Lord of the Rings. Or The Indianapolis Colts. Unfortunately, Hollywood is devoid of great movies (or refuses to nominate them for Oscars).
And with Clint Eastwood apparently suffering from dementia (what was he doing up there), we're sure to get fewer and fewer great movies in the years to come. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
Oscar, part 2: Cyd's points are all valid but I wanted to simply mention that the show was nearly four hours of unfunny, boring crap. Ellen DeGeneres was trying so hard to be nice that she was deadly dull and lame. A local cable access show in Topeka has better production values, and you can funnier bits by Taiwanese college students on YouTube. I seldom watch the Oscars and after Sunday night I was reminded why. --Jim Buzinski
2.24.2007
Equal pay at Wimbledon: To say that the All England Club, which runs the Wimbledon tennis tournament, are sticklers for tradition is to state the obvious. One of those traditions is undergoing change, however, and the women players will stand to benefit.
Last year, the men's champion, Roger Federer, took home a cool $1.27 million for winning the men's singles title. Out lesbian Amelie Mauresmo took home a still not shabby $1.21 million. Not bad for a fortnight's work! The discrepancy rankled the women players, who rightly see that their part of the sport as a major profit generator; while Roger Federer basically romps through the men's side, the old cliche "on any given day, anyone can win" truly applies to the women's matches.
As befits Wimbledon, it's the last of the four majors to equalize pay for men and women singles champions. Despite debates in Parliament about the issue and a vague threat of a boycott by major women's players, All England Club chairman Tim Phillips waved off such things as the sole reason for the change. "Now is the time to make this move. We listen to people, we listen to arguments, we make a judgment. We have a reputation, both with the Championships and the All England Club, and we are intent on looking after that reputation".
I don't know whether this is just PR smoke blowing or not but Phillips gave another reason for the increase in prize money: a girl with some athletic ability might be more inclined to take up tennis with the financial incentive there. "We hope it will also encourage girls who want a career in sport to choose tennis as their best option. In short, good for tennis, good for women players and good for Wimbledon" said Mr. Phillips. Is this the definition of a win-win situation? In any case, the women's singles at Wimbledon this year figures to be very competitive. The tournament, weather permitting of course, begins June 25th. --Jim Allen
