Playing for Our Team

08/26/10

Around The Sports World In 500 Words

It’s been a slow summer for LGBT sports news, so I thought I’d touch on a few relevant sports stories that are going on.First, Brett Favre is back with the Minnesota Vikings for his 20th year in the NFL. Most people are sick of hearing about Favre and chalk his waffling up to a needy ego. While there may be some truth to that argument, I can’t help but root for the guy. He’s so likeable and fun to watch. And while his back and forth routine of “should I or shouldn’t I retire” is as played out Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok,” when he finally pulls the trigger and returns to the football field I always welcome him back with open arms.For those all those Roger Clemens fans out there (insert sound of crickets chirping), your boy is being brought...

Posted at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/12/10

My Fantasy Football Advice

With the 2010 NFL football season approaching, fantasy football league drafts are taking place around the country.My fantasy football league draft was held on Sunday. I went in knowing which players I wanted, and came away with most of them. I participate with a fun group of guys. My wife and her best friend even decided to join up this season. For her, it makes watching football “more fun.” For me, it’s just another excuse to prop my butt on the couch for an entire Sunday afternoon to enjoy the games. I would enjoy watching football with or without a fantasy team. But I have to agree with my wife, it does add another element of “fun.”I know I’m not “technically” qualified to be an ESPN analyst, but I watch enough sports to hold my own....

Posted at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/05/10

Coming Out Takes Time, Especially For Pro Athletes

A couple of weeks ago, former NBA star John Amaechi dropped some knowledge on us. He advised gay sports stars to take their time with coming out. I agree with him completely.“For an under-prepared and psychologically stunted individual who plays sports at a high level to come out before they are ready is like being born prematurely,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “Unequivocally, being out is better than staying in, but those who do come out need support.”Amaechi knows what he’s talking about. After spending his entire NBA career in the closet, he came out during an Outside the Lines special report on ESPN four years after his retirement. Amaechi is the only openly gay player to address the issue of homosexuality in the NBA. Knowing what we know now,...

Posted at 03:52 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

07/19/10

The Sports Drought

During this time of the year it's time to enjoy the outdoors because you won't find good sport on your television.

Posted at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

07/02/10

Just A Friendly Game Of Kickball

I play in an adult kickball league every Monday night. My team is full of wonderful and friendly people. We usually laugh and joke around with the other team, never taking the game too seriously. How can you take it seriously? It’s kickball! I try to just enjoy the game for what it is—a game. But on this particular Monday night that was a lot easier said than done.I play third base in the field, probably because I’m quick to react when the ball is kicked and I have a good arm. Since I stand so close to the third base line, I usually interact with the other team’s bench (if they happen to be the “away” team). This was the case during Monday’s game. The other team and I began trading friendly barbs, and when someone made a good play (whether...

Posted at 07:56 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1

06/11/10

The WNBA Is Underway … And Still Under Appreciated

In case you haven’t heard, the WNBA is back for its 14th season. There were a few interesting story lines leading up to the tip-off on May 15. First, Marion Jones made headlines by signing with the Tulsa Shock. Everyone waited with baited breath to see how the former Olympic track star would perform. At 34, Jones hadn’t touched a basketball since playing point guard for North Carolina in college. And while her she was key part of the 1994 NCAA women’s basketball championship team for UNC, her debut for the Shock was far less than spectacular. Much to the disappointment of WNBA executives, the excitement surrounding the story quickly fizzled out. Those individuals who tuned in to see Jones play won’t be coming back for more.Then Condoleezza Rice made headlines for...

Posted at 01:17 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

05/20/10

In other countries, lesbian athletes fear for their lives

I know that we are still making strides in this country when it comes to acceptance of lesbian and gay athletes in the professional world of sports, but at least we are headed in the right direction. Sadly, there are many other countries in the world that are incredibly far behind. In fact, some are just down right barbaric in their approach. ESPN’s E:60, a noteworthy investigative reporting series about life inside and outside of sports, recently reported on a story that focuses on a disturbing practice called “corrective rape” in South Africa. Men who enforce this brutal practice are called “corrective rapists.” They target lesbian athletes (soccer players in particular) with the intent of subjecting them to sexual violence and humiliation so that they...

Posted at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

05/13/10

A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Sports

If you haven’t heard (then you haven’t been on Curve’s website lately), there’s big news in the lesbian world. Country singer Chely Wright has come out. In the conservative arena of country music, this is a monumental step forward for the LGBT community. It will be interesting to see how the country music community itself responds to Wright. It wasn’t too long ago that the Dixie Chicks were shunned after making disparaging remarks about George W. Bush. This is a whole other can of worms.You may be wondering why I am talking about a country singer on a sports blog. Well, there’s always a sports twist. In her autobiography, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, Wright “confesses” that she fell into the same stereotype trap that...

Posted at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

04/29/10

This Lesbian Field Hockey Player Is “Fearless”

I’ve never played field hockey before, but I can appreciate it. I’ve been to games, and though the rules were somewhat confusing, they were a lot of fun to watch. I find field hockey to be an intriguing sport, and one that takes a great deal of patience and skill to master. It’s also a sport that seems to accept gay athletes more than other sports (ahem, women’s basketball).That is why Ashley Gradwell, a sophomore and member of Quinnipiac University’s field hockey team, wasn’t afraid to participate in a photography exhibit that portrays gay and lesbian student-athletes from a variety of sports and various universities around the country. The exhibit is called “Fearless” and was created by artist Jeff Sheng, whose artwork is represented by...

Posted at 02:10 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

04/16/10

Coming Out To Teammates Isn’t As Hard As It Used To Be

As an athlete, I’ve been a part of many teams throughout my life. But there was a time when I was not out to my teammates. This was in high school, back when the LGBT community wasn’t as visible as it is now. Still, because I spent so much time with teammates during practice, games and throughout the school year, I often found myself on the verge of coming out with at least one of them. The thing that always held me back was fear. I wasn’t only afraid of their reaction, I was also afraid of what would happen if the rest of the team found out. A sports team is a like a family, and if your “family” doesn’t accept you the consequences can be severe. I didn’t want to risk not being able to be a part of the team, and play the sport that I loved so...

Posted at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

	08/26/10 Around The Sports World In 500 Words It’s been a slow summer for LGBT sports news, so I thought I’d touch on a few relevant sports stories that are going on.First, Brett Favre is back with the Minnesota Vikings for his 20th year in the NFL. Most people are sick of hearing about Favre and chalk his waffling up to a needy ego. While there may be some truth to that argument, I can’t help but root for the guy. He’s so likeable and fun to watch. And while his back and forth routine of “should I or shouldn’t I retire” is as played out Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok,” when he finally pulls the trigger and returns to the football field I always welcome him back with open arms.For those all those Roger Clemens fans out there (insert sound of crickets chirping), your boy is being brought... Posted at 12:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	08/12/10 My Fantasy Football Advice With the 2010 NFL football season approaching, fantasy football league drafts are taking place around the country.My fantasy football league draft was held on Sunday. I went in knowing which players I wanted, and came away with most of them. I participate with a fun group of guys. My wife and her best friend even decided to join up this season. For her, it makes watching football “more fun.” For me, it’s just another excuse to prop my butt on the couch for an entire Sunday afternoon to enjoy the games. I would enjoy watching football with or without a fantasy team. But I have to agree with my wife, it does add another element of “fun.”I know I’m not “technically” qualified to be an ESPN analyst, but I watch enough sports to hold my own.... Posted at 12:32 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	08/05/10 Coming Out Takes Time, Especially For Pro Athletes A couple of weeks ago, former NBA star John Amaechi dropped some knowledge on us. He advised gay sports stars to take their time with coming out. I agree with him completely.“For an under-prepared and psychologically stunted individual who plays sports at a high level to come out before they are ready is like being born prematurely,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “Unequivocally, being out is better than staying in, but those who do come out need support.”Amaechi knows what he’s talking about. After spending his entire NBA career in the closet, he came out during an Outside the Lines special report on ESPN four years after his retirement. Amaechi is the only openly gay player to address the issue of homosexuality in the NBA. Knowing what we know now,... Posted at 03:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	07/19/10 The Sports Drought During this time of the year it's time to enjoy the outdoors because you won't find good sport on your television. Posted at 05:38 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	07/02/10 Just A Friendly Game Of Kickball I play in an adult kickball league every Monday night. My team is full of wonderful and friendly people. We usually laugh and joke around with the other team, never taking the game too seriously. How can you take it seriously? It’s kickball! I try to just enjoy the game for what it is—a game. But on this particular Monday night that was a lot easier said than done.I play third base in the field, probably because I’m quick to react when the ball is kicked and I have a good arm. Since I stand so close to the third base line, I usually interact with the other team’s bench (if they happen to be the “away” team). This was the case during Monday’s game. The other team and I began trading friendly barbs, and when someone made a good play (whether... Posted at 07:56 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 1
	06/11/10 The WNBA Is Underway … And Still Under Appreciated In case you haven’t heard, the WNBA is back for its 14th season. There were a few interesting story lines leading up to the tip-off on May 15. First, Marion Jones made headlines by signing with the Tulsa Shock. Everyone waited with baited breath to see how the former Olympic track star would perform. At 34, Jones hadn’t touched a basketball since playing point guard for North Carolina in college. And while her she was key part of the 1994 NCAA women’s basketball championship team for UNC, her debut for the Shock was far less than spectacular. Much to the disappointment of WNBA executives, the excitement surrounding the story quickly fizzled out. Those individuals who tuned in to see Jones play won’t be coming back for more.Then Condoleezza Rice made headlines for... Posted at 01:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	05/20/10 In other countries, lesbian athletes fear for their lives I know that we are still making strides in this country when it comes to acceptance of lesbian and gay athletes in the professional world of sports, but at least we are headed in the right direction. Sadly, there are many other countries in the world that are incredibly far behind. In fact, some are just down right barbaric in their approach. ESPN’s E:60, a noteworthy investigative reporting series about life inside and outside of sports, recently reported on a story that focuses on a disturbing practice called “corrective rape” in South Africa. Men who enforce this brutal practice are called “corrective rapists.” They target lesbian athletes (soccer players in particular) with the intent of subjecting them to sexual violence and humiliation so that they... Posted at 11:17 AM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	05/13/10 A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Sports If you haven’t heard (then you haven’t been on Curve’s website lately), there’s big news in the lesbian world. Country singer Chely Wright has come out. In the conservative arena of country music, this is a monumental step forward for the LGBT community. It will be interesting to see how the country music community itself responds to Wright. It wasn’t too long ago that the Dixie Chicks were shunned after making disparaging remarks about George W. Bush. This is a whole other can of worms.You may be wondering why I am talking about a country singer on a sports blog. Well, there’s always a sports twist. In her autobiography, Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, Wright “confesses” that she fell into the same stereotype trap that... Posted at 12:28 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	04/29/10 This Lesbian Field Hockey Player Is “Fearless” I’ve never played field hockey before, but I can appreciate it. I’ve been to games, and though the rules were somewhat confusing, they were a lot of fun to watch. I find field hockey to be an intriguing sport, and one that takes a great deal of patience and skill to master. It’s also a sport that seems to accept gay athletes more than other sports (ahem, women’s basketball).That is why Ashley Gradwell, a sophomore and member of Quinnipiac University’s field hockey team, wasn’t afraid to participate in a photography exhibit that portrays gay and lesbian student-athletes from a variety of sports and various universities around the country. The exhibit is called “Fearless” and was created by artist Jeff Sheng, whose artwork is represented by... Posted at 02:10 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0
	04/16/10 Coming Out To Teammates Isn’t As Hard As It Used To Be As an athlete, I’ve been a part of many teams throughout my life. But there was a time when I was not out to my teammates. This was in high school, back when the LGBT community wasn’t as visible as it is now. Still, because I spent so much time with teammates during practice, games and throughout the school year, I often found myself on the verge of coming out with at least one of them. The thing that always held me back was fear. I wasn’t only afraid of their reaction, I was also afraid of what would happen if the rest of the team found out. A sports team is a like a family, and if your “family” doesn’t accept you the consequences can be severe. I didn’t want to risk not being able to be a part of the team, and play the sport that I loved so... Posted at 12:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 0

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