Month: August 2008

Matthew Mitcham made me cry. It takes a lot for me to weep while watching sports, but that's how moving his gold-medal diving performance was Saturday in Beijing. I teared up when he first saw the score from his final five and looked on in disbelief. Matthew Mitcham made me cry. It takes a lot […]

Battles on the court at the U.S. Open, which started today, always provide athletic entertainment. But off the court, the fashion wars are heating up. Nike is remaking Rafael Nadal, long known for packing his muscular frame into sleeveless shirts and capris, while Andy Roddick and James Blake are tripping over one another for the […]

It’s been a while since USA men’s basketball stood atop the international-competition basketball world, but on top they are now after a 118-107 win over Spain in the gold-medal game in Beijing. LeBron James said after the game that it may go down as “one of the greatest Olympic games ever.” I can’t wait to […]

The real story that Bob Costas won't discuss — because NBC invested $900 million in broadcast rights for Beijing and had to deliver a feel-good Olympics for their advertisers — is the explosive dimension of athlete activism before the Games. Jacques Rogge won't discuss it either. But as IOC president, Rogge was surely involved in […]

A terrific 15-minute video edited from the worldwide Olympic feed showing all six of Mitcham's final dives, the celebration after where he hugs practically every diver, the medal ceremony and him jumping into the stands to give his flowers and a kiss to his partner, Lachlan Fletcher. After the jump. A terrific 15-minute video edited […]

When Matthew Mitcham greeted the media after winning his 10-meter platform diving gold, he raced over to hug reporter Jessica Halloran of the Sydney Morning Herald, who wrote Mitcham’s coming out story with great sensitivity back in May. Halloran followed up today with the only article I could find that discusses Mitcham’s relationship with his […]

Cataclysmic letdowns and showdowns ahead at 2008 U.S. Open. Neither Nadal nor Federer will make the final. By Wyman MeersOutsports.com Rafael Nadal is the new world No. 1 in men’s tennis, having won not only his customary French Open title this year but also every tournament of note since, including his first Wimbledon championship and […]

It was disappointing to see NBC not mention anything about Matthew Mitcham's sexuality. The biggest reason for me is a journalistic reason: It's a big story. The only openly gay male athlete in Beijing pulled off one of the great upsets at the Olympics in a spectacular fashion. If he had had cancer, or if […]

So, I'm sitting here, doing something I promised myself not to do –actually watch even so much as a second of the men's basketball games– and NBC cut away at half-time for an interview with Bob Costas and IOC President Jacques Rogge. If this interview were a sport, Rogge would be on the stand accepting […]

Suarez is the talented Cuban who won the bronze in the decathlon. Outsports contributing photographer Finneye captured these great images of Suarez at a meet this May in Austria. Suarez is the talented Cuban who won the bronze in the decathlon. Outsports contributing photographer Finneye captured these great images of Suarez at a meet this […]

Rogers (the guy with the facial hair) and Dalhausser (the bald guy, right) won the men’s beach volleyball gold. Rogers is known the “The Professor” and Dalhausser “The Beast.” Brent Mullins has shot the team in Southern California tournaments and presents some great shots after the jump. Rogers (the guy with the facial hair) and […]

The best images from the final day of competition, including gold medal diver Matthew Mitcham, a shirtless javelin champ and more, courtesy of Finneye. At right, is part of an awesome portrait of the German handball team. Links after the jump. The best images from the final day of competition, including gold medal diver Matthew […]

Matthew Mitcham’s boyfriend, Lachlan Fletcher, was in the stands when he won the 10-meter platform gold. I found this Reuters picture and was wondering if anyone out there knows if the guy on the left is Lachlan? Thanks! Update: It is Mitcham's partner, Lachlan. Screen capture from Aussie TV after the jump. Here is a […]

Cuba’s Angel Matos earned a special place in Olympic History as “Dumbest Olympic Athlete” today. He was taking time out for an injury and he delayed too long getting ready to fight again. The referee ejected him and Matos decided to strike back. Jim Lampley said in his broadcast, “…Because after all, it’s the first […]

That was a question we touched upon in my gays in sports media panel at the NLGJA Convention this morning just after Mitcham won gold. They didn’t mention it Friday night during the semis. But for them to not mention that the only publicly out male athlete in Beijing won a gold medal would be […]

Bob Ballard is covering diving for the BBC. He wrote this account of Mitcham’s gold-medal performance for Outsports. By Bob Ballard We knew it was a good last dive – everyone in the commentary area sprang out of their chairs like they had suddenly been electrocuted, but when the marks came up, a hush descended […]

In one of the biggest upsets at the Beijing Olympics, out diver Matthew Mitcham won a gold medal in the 10m platform. The Chinese were heavily favored in the event, and Mitcham was behind Zhou Luxin by about 35 points going into the final dive. But Mitcham hit an unbelievable score of 112.10 on his […]

Statistically speaking, out athletes have been, as a group, disproportionately successful at these Olympic Games. The 11 openly GLBT athletes Outsports has followed over the past two weeks raked in 4 golds, 2 silvers and 1 bronze medal. In other words, 64% of out athletes won a medal; a third of all out athletes won […]

Great video of Matthew Mitcham talking outside the diving arena after winning the gold medal, flanked by his mom, Vivienne, and his partner, Lachlan Fletcher. Mitcham is very funny and endearing: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tm33-KoxXA Great video of Matthew Mitcham talking outside the diving arena after winning the gold medal, flanked by his mom, Vivienne, and his partner, […]

Just a quick note to let everyone know about a panel I’m hosting Saturday morning at the NLGJA Convention in Washington, D.C. The discussion will revolve around gay issues in the sports media: Gay reporters in the locker room, asking the gay question of athletes, etc…. We’ve got a great panel with ESPN‘s LZ Granderson, […]