Month: July 2010

Notes from the Day 1 of the Gay Games in Cologne, Germany. A lackluster ceremony: There's not much to be said about the Opening Ceremonies. Pedestrian is about right (or I could just copy the headline from the Winter Olympics opening). The time leading up to the start, when the 9,000 athletes were clustered outside […]

We met athletes from around the world Saturday night at the opening ceremony for Gay Games VIII, and of course we brought our cameras. Check out 100 photos from the athletes of the Gay Games opening ceremony. We met athletes from around the world Saturday night at the opening ceremony for Gay Games VIII, and […]

The vuvuzela was in full force at the opening ceremony. As I tried to interview people on camera a couple hours before the start of the ceremony, this loud, obnoxious noise (there is no other word for it than “noise”) emanated from a corner of the teams’ gathering spot. Sure enough, it was Team South […]

Cutest city: Cologne. While visiting Berlin, my partner and I were surprised by how few men we found really attractive. No such shortage in Cologne, and the host team was well-represented. Close second: France. Most gregarious: Cheer San Francisco. No surprise here. They were everywhere doing tosses into the air and seemingly acting as the […]

Yet another sign that there is nothing to lose by coming out of the closet, openly gay Olympic speedskater Blake Skjellerup has gotten an endorsement deal with Air New Zealand to promote their new “Cuddle Class.” I’m not sure if it means the seats are so small you’ll feel like you’re cuddling with your neighbor, […]

Cyd and I will be in Cologne for the 2010 Gay Games, so posting on the Jock Talk blog will be light save for breaking stories (or more jocks posting penis pictures). We will be busy in Cologne, producing stories, photos and videos on our Gay Games blog, so check it out. Cyd and I […]

Gay Games VIII in Cologne managed to register 9,475 participants from 65 countries, according to numbers they released this week. While it’s down from the 12,000 they set as a goal several years ago, it’s still a solid number in this economy and is on par with 2006 registration numbers in Chicago and Montreal. Some […]

The gone fishing celebration by Stjarnan in Iceland. Brilliant and well-conceived: Deadspin has video of the same team with other celebrations. The gone fishing celebration by Stjarnan in Iceland. Brilliant and well-conceived: Deadspin has video of the same team with other celebrations.

From the ongoing annals of jocks exposing themselves, comes the heartwarming story of Dallas Cowbots tight end Martellus Bennett. From Media Takeout: NFL baller, and Dallas Cowboy, Martellus Bennett apparently has been doing his girlfriend dirty. So she is getting him back the only way she can . . . by releasing NEKKID PICS of […]

This one comes from the Stanford Daily, I’m afraid. One of their writers, Tom Taylor, has no idea what he’s writing about. None. He even gets some basic statistics wrong (he says there are 100 players on each NFL team, and he says there are about 100 openly gay professional athletes in the world) before […]

Pop singer Taylor Dayne will perform the official anthem “Facing a Miracle” at the Gay Games Opening Ceremony Saturday in Cologne. “Facing a Miracle” was written by a team of composers from Sweden and The Netherlands; Peter Hägeras, Bruce R.F. Smith, Dan Sundquist and Ralph van Manen. The song writers won the international composer competition […]

It’s only a 10-day forecast, but the Gay Games in Cologne could get off to a cool, wet start next Saturday. The forecast for the first weekend of action, including the opening ceremony: 60% chance of rain, high of 73. The RheinEnergieStadion, where the opening ceremony will take place, has a partial roof over the […]

To get you in the mood for what to expect from Cologne, we invite you to check out our coverage from the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. To get you in the mood for what to expect from Cologne, we invite you to check out our coverage from the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago.

Tom Reynolds is a decathlete from Northern Ireland who also models on the side. Reynolds, 25, stands about 5-11 and weighs 178 pounds. A big thanks to Trackpic, who sent us these photos he took of Reynolds at a meet in Finland. Tom Reynolds is a decathlete from Northern Ireland who also models on the […]

A New Zealand school that fired a coach for being gay must now pay him undisclosed compensation, according to the Associated Press. Middleton Grange School in Christchurch fired the girls netball coach, whose name was withheld, when they discovered he is gay. The board of trustees must also attend a human rights awareness class. The […]

Hudson Taylor When I profiled University of Maryland wrestler Hudson Taylor and his fight for gay rights in February, he was overwhelmed by the reaction he received. Having a champion straight athlete make a public stand on such as issue struck a chord with a lot of people. From the 400 e-mails and countless stories […]

One in a series of first-person articles from athletes competing in the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne, which start July 31. Sami HoltzSilver Spring, MD "Carry out your dream, no matter how unlikely it may seem." – Terry A. O'Neal Hi, my name is Sami Holtz and I am a 29-year-old soccer player from the […]

Edge magazine has done a nice job reviewing the Gay Games’ new anti-doping policy and previewing the random drug testing that all Gay Games athletes will be subject to in Cologne. The issue has supporters and critics, benefits and potential pitfalls. While athletes in certain sports were randomly tested in Chicago in 2006, this is […]