Good morning and welcome to The Huddle for today, September 4, 2020. It’s finally Friday, and a long, three- or four-day holiday weekend is at hand for many, including us! Just please, for your sake and everyone’s, take the proper coronavirus precautions.

Your need to read time today is a lightning-fast 75-seconds, so you can start your holiday.

This Morning’s Sports Headlines:

The Caledonian: Student athlete Kolton Niemann named finalist for NCAA LGBTQ Student-Athlete of the Year

USA TODAY: From bathrooms to ball fields, transgender rights advance in wake of Supreme Court ruling

The Advocate: Johnny Weir among the big names on Dancing With The Stars this season

ICYMI in Outsports last night: U.S. Sailing to host panel next week on LGBTQ diversity, equity and inclusion

And mark your calendars for Sept. 9: Join Outsports for a conversation with four Asian and Asian-American LGBTQ athletes about the unique challenges they face.

OutShouts:

Coach Jamie Hazelton is offering a FREE Labor Day webinar on Monday, on health beyond diet, exercise and disease: “As a coach, it is my mission to help those grow into their optimal potential,” she posted in the Equality Coaching Alliance Facebook group.

If you’re an LGBTQ person in sports looking to connect with others in the community, head over to GO! SPACE to meet and interact with other LGBTQ athletes, or to Equality Coaching Alliance to find other coaches, administrators and other non-athletes in sports.

Highlights from Social Media:

When Equality is the Prize: this panel of accomplished trans athletes discussed and shed light on barriers trans athletes still experience today, featuring our Karleigh Webb, Dr. Juniper L. Simonis, Juniper Eastwood, Kirsti Miller and CeCé Telfer.

Karleigh also had the opportunity to interview trans athlete Chris Mosier in an event sponsored by the New Haven, Conn. Pride Center.

Trans powerlifter JayCee Cooper tweeted her view of all the hubbub over trans athletes.

I don’t know Tim, but I love this quote he tweeted about my late, great, childhood hero, Tom Seaver, the second man I ever loved (after my daddy).

The WNBA Players Association’s message: “Vote like your life depends on it!”

And finally, some wisdom from educator and LGBTQ youth advocate Micah Porter: “Challenging days should never prevent you from taking care of yourself.”

Podcast Du Jour

Nearly every day of the week, Outsports has a new podcast for your enjoyment. Today is Friday so Ken Schultz is taking us out to the ballgame (virtually). For the first time since 2016, there’s a contending Toronto Blue Jays team, thanks to the rules of pandemic baseball. Jays podcaster A.J. Andrews of Locked On Blue Jays stops by the Outsports podcast 3 Strikes You’re Out to celebrate.

This and all Outsports podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and on every platform where you find Outsports!

Today’s Sports Calendar

WNBA: NO NATIONALLY-TELEVISED GAMES

Chicago Sky vs. Washington Mystics at 7 p.m. EDT

Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings at 8 p.m. EDT

Seattle Storm vs. Los Angeles Sparks at 10 p.m. EDT

NBA PLAYOFFS:

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat at 6:30 p.m. EDT on TNT

Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers at 9 p.m. on ESPN

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS:

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche at 4 p.m. EDT on USA

Vancouver Canucks vs. Las Vegas Golden Knights at 9 p.m. EDT on NBCSN

MLB NATIONALLY-TELEVISED GAME:

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs at 8:15 p.m. EDT on ESPN+

TENNIS:

Click here for ESPN’s schedule for the U.S. Open and yesterday’s results.

SOCCER:

Click here for ESPN’s schedule of soccer action today.

Share your thoughts in the comments below or email us at [email protected]

Thanks for reading all the way to the end. We’re taking a holiday break so the next edition of The Huddle will appear Tuesday morning on Outsports.com Stay safe!