After Atalanta

Making news internationally ( as far as China !), one of the world's most famous golf clubs, Augusta National, has finally admitted two women as members. Condoleeza Rice and Darla Moore, the VP of an investment company and major donor to the University of South Carolina (the business school is named after her). The controversy over the lack of female members has been been consistently cyclical. Every year when the Masters is played there, the issue is reinvigorated with various levels of vigor. Last year was a renewed burst of criticism/activism due to the then-recent naming of Virgina Rometty as the new chairperson of IBM--a position that has always come with a membership at Augusta. But Rometty was not one of the two women--because Augusta does things on its own terms. As former chairperson of Augusta, Hootie Johnson, said during the years when the controversy was highest (i.e. Martha Burk was protesting nearby), Augusta would make changes in its own due time and not "at th...

Maureen Dowd has a column, seemingly in honor of Easter, of the connection between the old boys' network, Jesus Christ (i.e. what would Jesus do about Augusta?), the recent decision by Saudi Arabia to not send women to the Olympics--and what the OBN the IOC will do about it. It's a little stream of consciousness and I was not a fan of her line about the Saudis throwing blankets over their women; but she makes some good points nonetheless.

Loved Christine Brennan's column about current Augusta National presiden t, Billy Payne. Earlier this week, Payne refused to talk about the women issue in a press conference noting--as have others before him--that membership issues are not discussed publicly. (Kind of like Skull and Bones--except they started letting women be members in the early 1990s--much to William F. Buckley's dismay.) As noted earlier, the issue has arisen again (appropriate so close to Easter) with more force because of the appointment of a female CEO at IBM. This position usually garners a membership at Augusta for the holder. But Payne wouldn't comment. Funny--he had a lot to say about it when he was involved in getting golf into the Olympics for the 1996 Atlanta Games. He wanted the competition--for men and women--to be held at Augusta where he thought women's participation would show those stodgy, old men of the club just what women could do. So, what happened? Payne even used the "n...

Shoving does not happen at Augusta National, of course. But the management does find itself in a tight spot these days. IBM--a sponsor of the Masters, and one of the few that returned after television sponsorship of the prestigious major was halted amid the no-woman controversy--just voted in a new CEO. And it's a she. Traditionally Augusta National has invited the CEO to become a member . What to do? What to do? Since the early 2000s when Martha Burk started her protest of Augusta for its failure to admit women as members (guests only!), the club has refused to talk about the issue saying it does not discuss membership. IBM never took a stand on the issue. As I said, the company chose to renew its sponsorship of the Masters, even when other companies took the opportunity to get out. If Augusta does not extend an invite, what will IBM do? Burk has been on various national media outlets talking about the current quandary. And is that a little bit of schadenfreude I detect in her...

Even I'm impressed by the luscious greens and landscaping at Augusta National. But it's almost too lush--and I don't even have HD. What is it hiding? What are they prettying up? Well it's all hiding a heck of a lot of chemicals, I would bet. And then there is the lovely history of discrimination against African Americans and the ongoing discrimination against women. Somewhat old news. The new news: a female reporter was not allowed into the locker room to do interviews. Haven't we dealt with this issue already--repeatedly? Apparently it was a mistake. Security thought women weren't allowed in and so they banned Sullivan. Luckily the reporter's male colleagues shared their transcripts of interviews they did with Rory McIllroy in the locker room. And in other unofficial creepiness...what was up with all the love for Tiger Woods? How quickly we all forget, eh?

Listening to NPR this morning, I heard (more than once and right now as I type) an advertisement for ESPN. Specifically the ad is for ESPN's early round coverage of the Master's, which starts next week. Why is ESPN advertising on NPR? And, I suppose, given NPR's recent troubles, they can't really turn down ads even if they do promote an anti-woman event/institution (Augusta National).

So, as somewhat expected, the LPGA players voted to eliminate the organization's "female at birth" participation policy. Yesterday the group decided, prompted by the recent lawsuit by Lana Lawless, to change its ways. So, yea! I don't have much more to say on this one. I recommend everyone take a look at Pat Griffin's blog where she has posted an open letter to the LPGA commending their actions and urging them to carefully consider what the new rules will look like, i.e. she asks them to consider a policy other than the Stockholm Consensus, the IOC's policy which mandates surgery.

USA Today ran this piece focusing on Lana Lawless, or rather leading with the golfer's story, but extending the discussion to gender in sport, i.e. when gender is not so neatly packaged. The LPGA was scheduled to gather for a players' meeting in which they would consider the "female by birth" rule that excludes Lawless and other transgender athletes from competing on the tour. But the USA Today article cites other cases--like GW b-baller Kye Allums--as well as some of my favorite people, Helen Carroll of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Dr. Heather Sykes of University of Toronto. There was also the seemingly obligatory call to Dr. Renee Richards who as a male-to-female transsexual sued for the right to play on the women's tennis tour in the 1970s. Richards, who is not exactly a vocal champion for transgender rights, simply said "It's a conundrum." Sykes kind of summed it up well, I thought: "The gender boundaries have never been clear,...

Well I take back all my previous criticisms of the LPGA. Ok, I don't exactly take them back. But I give the organization--now under new leadership--major props, praise, and applause. It appears that the recent lawsuit brought by golfer Lana Lawless challenging the organization's "female by birth" participation policy has inspired LPGA leadership to consider an amendment to its constitution. The membership will address the potential change on November 30. Leadership is encouraging the members to make the change. From the Golf Channel: In a special “one-agenda item” meeting at the Hana Bank Championship in South Korea at the end of October, LPGA players were briefed on the upcoming vote and the vital nature of it. According to sources familiar with the meeting, LPGA players were told the “female at birth” provision was created “in a different time” and would be a significant challenge to defend legally today. Players were also informed that the International Olympic Com...

Not sure why I thought the LPGA was allowing MTFs play on the tour. The USGA has adopted a policy governing the participation of transgender people, as has other international golf organizations. Mianne Bagger, a woman who was born a biological male, plays on the Australian and European Tours. I probably should have questioned why she was not playing in the United States and given the LPGA's fairly conservative philosophies (except when it comes to posing its tour members in bathing suits on golf courses in an attempt to gain some publicity), I should not have been so surprised. Whether the LPGA will be able to keep its no-trans policy is the question inspired by a lawsuit by Lana Lawless . I have blogged about Lawless before. She won, in 2008, the women's world championship in the long drive. The competition is run by Long Drivers of America which did not have a female-at-birth policy at the time which meant Lawless, who was born a male but had sex reassignment surgery in 2005...

Just a little anecdote for this Sunday morning. Was out shopping for golf clubs Friday evening (well I was tagging along on said shopping trip mostly as a info-gathering session). So my shopping friend was looking for a rescue club and was asking the salesperson at Dick's about various brands. When she asked about Callaway, the young man said he didn't have any women's Callaways at the moment. But he did have the rescue clubs Callaway makes for seniors and noted that they are very similar to women's clubs. Snarky me said (aloud) "'Cause being old is just as bad as being a woman." Young man mumbled something about the flex being similar. For the record, I don't understand much about golf club technology. I assume, like in tennis, there are a myriad of new materials and composites and even gimmicks. I liked the rescue clubs because they are more lofted than their comparable irons (I guess I sound like I know a little bit). But technology isn't being ...

Saw just a little bit of the US Women's Open yesterday and had seen the headlines about Paula Creamer making a strong run toward her first major title . But she has, um, choked in the past. And I am not a huge fan of Creamer anyway (way too much pink!) so I opted to get to my softball game on time and miss her winning putt on 18. I do admire her comeback from injury and playing with a thumb that is only at 60 percent (how do people figure these things out anyway?) and the way she kept her cool in the last round. Still--she wears all that pink and seems a little too sickly sweet. But I imagine the LPGA must just be nearly orgasmic with Creamer's win. A white woman wins a major and it's the US Open. (That's two majors in a row; Cristie Kerr won the LPGA Championships last month.) She speaks fluent English, looks very heterosexual, and has that pretty and winning thing going for her (versus someone like Natalie Gulbis). I mean just look at the head shots of her from the O...

...and apparel and equipment and a lifestyle. It's the last part that seems a little off when we think about--or when Christine Brennan makes us think about--Nike continuing to sponsor Tiger Woods, Ben Roethlisberger, and Kobe Bryant. Sure "image is everything" is Canon's slogan. (Of course it was famously spoken by one-time Nike client, Andre Agassi.) But clearly, as Brennan points out in a very good column* (and sometimes I think Brennan is a little too easy on certain aspects of sportocracy so I was pleased by this one) Nike does not think it's image will be harmed by continuing to be associated with these men. Conversely, Nike also sponsors out US soccer player Natasha Kai, so I guess their devotion to their stars cuts in many different directions. Former Women's Sport Foundation CEO Donna Lopiano felt that Nike's refusal to admonish their athletes sends a clear message to consumers about the image of the company (macho, edgy--Kai certainly fits the la...

You know, Lorena Ochoa, I went to bat for you . When that idiot commentator asked whether you were thinking retirement when you announced your engagement last summer, I noted that no man would ever be asked that question. And your response that you would continue to play made my rant seem justified. So, really? You're retiring ? At age 28? To concentrate on your family duties and charitable work? I mean, I think you're good and all, and I know your new new husband, like, owns an airline and you probably don't need the money, but your first name is not Annika. I mean, if you want to pull a Kim Clijsters, I would be fine with that, but I am not so sure I can be as supportive of that comeback. I do have to thank you, though, for getting me out of this blogging slump I have been in. I was just whining about the lack of blog-worthy sport news when I casually glanced and Yahoo! sports and there you were! Ochoa will hold a press conference Friday to share more details about this ...

I know, it flew under the radar and all, but Tiger Woods is out of rehab and playing the Master's this week. And The Globe and Mail is wondering whether his return will offend women who make up a pretty decent sized segment of the golfing audience. They play less but spend more on the sport. (It's because halfway decent-looking golf clothes for women cost more than those ubiquitous polos guys throw on with their khakis. Women of course could wear the polo/khaki combo, but I, personally, have an issue playing a sport in khakis. I mean is it golf or casual Friday at the firm?) Anyway, some are worried that women are going to be offended if things are just allowed to go one without comment or sanction. Tiger cheated. Cheated with women deemed unsavory. And he got caught. It's a scenario "women" are familiar with. I wonder how many wives of August National members have an intimate knowledge of such things?? Give me a break. People cheat. I am not saying it is right; ...

That's the message I am getting after the start of the men's single luge competition was moved farther down the track in an attempt to temper the high speeds that seemed to result in the death of Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili,* during a training run last Friday. This story is not breaking news of course, but I started to hear the grumbles about the start's move pretty much the day it started. Why? Well, one because it corroborates the party line that Kumaritashvili died because of luger error and not because of the course, which is on record as the fastest in the world. And one would think that given the pride those involved in the endeavor had over the speediness that they would have taken certain precautions. But I guess all that hubris gets in the way of covering steel beams with padding. But the second and more relevant (to me) reason for the disgruntledness is because the new start is the women's singles start. I am sorry--it was where the women were slated...

Business Week came out with its list of the 100 most powerful athletes . Only eight women made the list (which was based on both on-field and off-field earnings). Only two (Serena and Venus Williams) made the top 50. If only off-field earnings were taken into consideration more women would have made the list--including Annika Sorenstam and Lisa Leslie. But the lack of on-field opportunities in team sports was a major factor. Lack seems to be an understatement actually: women have .037 percent the number of spots on team rosters as men. So when I hear that we don't need Title IX in college sports any more, I think about the professional realm which is not subject to gender equity regulations. And I wonder what things would look like in intercollegiate athletics without it. It would probably be better than .037 percent but how much?

...to name the athlete of the decade until it was the actual end of the decade, this might not have happened.

It's so lovely to find someone who agrees with you--especially on a cold, windy Friday morning as you feel a cold (but hopefully not the flu) coming on. The IOC has been making some changes to the summer games program, allegedly in the name of gender equity, that has a few puzzled. LA Times writer and blogger Philip Hersh is one of those and I agree with him--for the most part. The addition of mixed doubles to the roster seems a little silly. While I enjoy mixed doubles and seek it out when I am lucky enough to get to a tournament that actually has it (mostly the Grand Slams), it's another thing to include it in the Olympics where tennis should not be in the first place. Track cycling, with a much smaller international presence, has seen its events reduced--well the men's events anyway. The IOC, upon recommendations from the International Cycling Union (so it's difficult to know where exactly to lay blame), has dropped several events for men and added more for women. S...

[Apologies for the lack of consistent posting of late. I have serious blogger's block brought on by a myriad of other things I need to be doing. I expect to be back into the swing of things in a little over a week.] So remember how, a while back, Carolyn Bivens was ousted from her position as LPGA commissioner? And remember how there was significant speculation about who her replacement would be? Yeah, they didn't choose any of those people. The LPGA announced this week that Michael Whan will be the new commissioner. And he will be all about "grow[ing] the global brand." No word on what that will entail or the methods he will use to do so. I have to say--and this has nothing to do with Whan specifically--that I am a little wary of how the LPGA plans to increase its popularity. The nearly uncontested view that it is ok for the women in the tour to sell their sport using their (hetero)sexuality is a little worrisome. The article in the recent ESPN Body Issue, accompani...