Happy New Year! Do you need a calendar?

...because there's another naked calendar featuring female athletes.

And it's selling out! Not surprising. A little surprising that the women of the Old Boys University rugby team thought it wouldn't be popular, though, and only printed 1,000 copies.

At first I thought this was a joke. Not because I am surprised that female athletes would pose naked, but that there is a place called Old Boys University. But indeed there is. It's not a university though--or at least not what Americans think of when we say university. It's a rugby club--co-ed now. Since 1991 I believe.

Miss March, Bekki Abernethy is "blown away by the coverage. I walked into the local dairy and saw that my buttocks made the front page of The Dominion Post. And I choked when I saw myself on the South African Sports Illustrated site."

Though she acknowledges that there has been controversy, she said even the negative responses bring attention to the sport.
Just like all of Natalie Gulbis's risque photo shoots and calendars has really made women's golf take off in popularity.

I was curious about the following statement by Abernethy:

"It is about breaking down the stereotypes and encouraging potential women players to see that you don't have to be a certain size, temperament or demeanor to play."
Oh, well that seems good, I thought to myself.
But then I read this about where the proceeds from the calendars will be going:

"At the moment we play in the boys' hand-me-downs," Abernethy said. "They were skin tight and fitted on them but on us they're like parachutes in the wind. However, right now it looks like we'll have expenses covered for a few decades so we're looking into giving a portion to a charity."
Good for the charity donations, but ALL the boys' shirts are too big? Makes me wonder what "certain size " actually means. And temperament and demeanor? Could it be that what Abernethy was saying is that women who play rugby do not have to be big, and aggressive, and dyke-y? All true, of course. But what's wrong with being large and aggressive and maybe even a lesbian? It's not as if size is a detriment in rugby. Or aggression for that matter. And lesbianism doesn't seem to have a performance-enhancing effect--at least on the pitch.
Anyway, if you want a calendar--you may be too late. They are on back order. Maybe next year.