Did you find what you were looking for?

I am always curious how those who are not the six regular readers of this blog find it. The search terms that people put together fascinate me. So this is going to be a semi-regular column where I try to address the inquiries all those anonymous readers have made through their searches.

1. I don't know what it was about Arizona Wildcat pitcher Taryne Mowatt's hair accessories but people want to know more about them. Maybe it's the red glitter. But several people have gotten to After Atalanta looking for "Taryne Mowatt's headbands." I don't know where to get them. Sorry. I did notice though that Northwestern pitcher Eileen Canney had a similar glittery headband in purple.
2. No, there are no nude pictures of Wimbledon semifinalist Ana Ivanovic here (or of Taryne Mowatt). And given that she is only 19, I don't think there are any at all. Guess all those searchers will have to get their fix from Amanda Beard.
3. There is an odd and ongoing fascination with new Texas head coach (and former Duke head coach) Gail Gostenkors's sexuality. Yes, she is divorced. That does not translate to "she is gay." In general people really want to know about female athletes' and coaches' sexuality and how they express it. Is Abby Wambach gay? Is Monica Seles married or have a boyfriend? Is Mary Jo Fernandez gay? (Could be, I suppose, but she is married and I have never heard a rumor to the contrary. Perhaps you are thinking of Gigi Fernandez who is openly gay.) Are people searching as fervently to find out if someone like Roger Clemens who is married with kids is gay? Or questioning divorced coach Phil Jackson's sexuality?
4. I'll end this inaugural column with an interesting question that a searcher seemed to be posing: do Maria Sharapova's grunts constitute cheating? I would have to say no. I have heard she is loudest of all the grunters but I think Venus Williams hits some high decibels when she gets deep into a close match. I also don't have the same issues with it as others who see the grunting as a perversion of some former "traditional" version of the game. It might constitute cheating if an opponent asks that she take it down a notch because it's a distraction and she fails to do so. But her intent is not to distract. If you want to get Maria Sharapova on cheating look toward her box where her father and sometimes her coach can be seen giving her signals and talking to her. Let's not forget last year's Banana-gate. Father Yuri has been warned before but that system does little to deter coaching from the stands. I think the player should be penalized with a warning, a point loss, and so on.