Month: September 2008

NFL referee Ed Hochuli, whose blown call cost the San Diego Chargers their game Sunday at Denver, is devastated by his mistake and has personally apologized to Chargers fans. “I’m getting hundreds of emails – hate mail – but I’m responding to it all. People deserve a response,” Hochuli wrote to fans, according to the […]

Note: Every week, I pick games against the spread on the Michael Irvin Show, and I’m putting them on our blog. After a disappointing 1-4 in Week 1 (predictable, given how much I hate betting on Week 1), even I was surprised by my rebound last week, going 5-1 against the spread and losing out […]

This excerpt is from Chapter 25 of Bill Konigsberg’s new novel, Out of the Pocket. Our protagonist, 17-year-old high school quarterback Bobby Framingham, has come out (not entirely on purpose). Because he is a sought-after college prospect, he’s become a national news story. After a trying first day at school, the second day is going […]

Author shares insight into his first novel, 'Out of the Pocket,' about high school football By Bill Konigsberg When I asked the high school football players sitting around the table what they would do if they found out their best friend was gay, I got a lot of expected responses: "I wouldn't have a problem […]

(Update: Fresno State president issues statement saying he is "deeply troubled by the homophobic slurs." See below.) It started out like a normal college football Saturday evening in Fresno, albeit with a little more excitement than usual. The nationally-ranked Bulldogs, for the first time in school history, were hosting another ranked team at home. And […]

Jamaican sprint sensation Usain Bolt won the Olympic 100 meters in a world record time of 9.69, but he showboated the final 20 meters. Now, some physicists have calculated that Bolt could have run a mind-blowing 9.55 had he sprinted full on until the end. They have submitted their findings to the American Journal of […]

A gay man who is a friend of mine sent me this link to "Lorenzo the Flying Frenchman" with the comment that he thought the horses and the guy were both hot. I agree, and want to share them with Outsports readers. The tradition of "Roman riding" and "Roman driving" has been around for a […]

NBC Olympic host Bob Costas agrees that his network should have discussed gold medal diver Matthew Mitcham being gay during its coverage in Beijing. In a wide-ranging interview on the subject of gays in sports with AfterElton.com, Costas said Mitcham was not an athlete he was focusing on, "But had it been, I would have […]

The National Center for Lesbian Rights got some strong news regarding the lawsuit they have brought against a San Diego college alleging Title IX violations and homophobia in releasing out lesbian coaches. The Office of Civil Rights has found "substantial and unjustified" violations. The press release after the jump. The National Center for Lesbian Rights […]

Who can ever get enough of soccer sensation Cristiano Ronaldo? Not me. So let’s recap some recent Ronaldo sightings and happenings. And yes, there are more photos after the jump. Who can ever get enough of soccer sensation Cristiano Ronaldo? Not me. So let’s recap some recent Ronaldo sightings and happenings. And yes, there are […]

Number thirty-one in a series. Broadcast: Pittsburgh Pirates on FSN Pittsburgh, Chicago Cubs at Pirates, 8/26/08; Announcers: Lanny Frattare (play-by-play), Steve Blass (analyst) A confession: I actually watched a Pirates-Mets game about ten days earlier, with Lanny Frattare and Bob Walk. Days later, when I looked at my notes, I found that I had written […]

Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley is sorry that anyone saw his penis on his blog (background here). On his blog, under the headline "We're Dumb," Cooley wrote this: Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley is sorry that anyone saw his penis on his blog (background here). On his blog, under the headline “We’re Dumb,” […]

Growing up in a Mormon house with five athletic brothers and a football coach father taught Rory Ray (photo) lessons about himself, sports and family. It also unwittingly helped prepare him for his latest gig as a member of an ensemble cast on the newest entrant into reality television. Growing up in a Mormon house […]

Please, Michael Phelps, for the love of God and all things decent, please, oh please, never ever accept another role on television. For the future of television, please, just say, "No thank you." Michael Phelps last night became one of the goofiest hosts of Saturday Night Live ever. And most uncomfortable. And unfunniest. I didn't […]

(Updated with new info at the end.) Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley seems like a cool guy. He once said he lost at Fantasy Football against a friend who had Cooley as his tight end on a day where Cooley scored three times. He also has a nifty blog, but that caused him a […]

How can you not like a wide receiver with amazing hands, terrific speed and toughness … and he reads Dostoevsky? That’s Indianapolis Colts second-year stud Anthony Gonzalez, who is fast becoming a go-to guy for Peyton Manning. He had nine catches for 137 yards and his heady lateral to Reggie Wayne after a 58-yard catch […]

With two weeks left in the regular season there's a lot of excitement still to be found in major league baseball. Sunday night, Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs no-hit the Houston Astros, 5-0. Zambrano hadn't pitched September 2 due to a sore rotator cuff, making the feat even more amazing. It's the first Cubs […]

In mostly lopsided set of victories for the top teams in the land, a couple notable teams managed only a scoreboard three-spot: Auburn, Ohio State. In a game I didn't watch, but wish I had, Auburn squeaked out a one point victory over Mississippi State. In a game I did watch, but wish I hadn't, […]

It's time for another weekly edition of college football's Dirty Dozen ranking the Top 12 teams in the country. This week, I was able to watch one of the nation's best teams in person, as I went to the Wisconsin-Fresno State game. After managing to catch some highlights of the Ohio State-USC blowout on TiVo, […]

A horrible call and bad kharma hurt the Chargers, the Vikings pull an el foldo against the Colts, Cyd sees the Pats win without Brady, and stick a fork in the SeahawksHow Cyd and Jim saw Week 2 of the NFL: Thanks to my friend Sergio Turbay (thanks Serge!), I got to watch the Pats-Jets […]