After Atalanta

I've decided to start compiling incidents of "bad behavior" by and among athletes (and the peeps that surround them, too). I don't know why exactly. I imagine I might I want to draw on them at some later time. I will probably establish some parameters as I go along because if not I would be adding installments every day. For now I am going with things I witness and things that seem to have created a stir. I am not including doping incidents--that's a beast unto itself and amateur already covers it and in a much better way than I ever could. I imagine I might break these rules and redefine the terms as I go. But for the first installment I have 2 transgressions: The first is mentioned over on The Dees Diversions where I also commented. In her win (due to retirement because of injury) over Tatiana Golovin last night at the Nasdaq-100 Tournment in Miami, Maria Sharapova took some very convenient bathroom breaks seemingly in an attempt to disrupt Golovin's concen...

So I was pretty happy when Ebuz told me our gym was rectifying its former oversight of the NCAA women's basketball tournament by doing a women's bracket this year as well. We filled out our brackets (I am doing fairly well by the way, 3 of my 4 final four picks made it) and turned them in. The men's bracket results were posted the day after round 1 finished. Because the women's round 1 finished a day later I waited to inquire where our results were. When I did, I was told they would be up in a few days. It's over a week later--no results. Neither EBuz nor I have ventured near the front desk again to ask. We're a little bit afraid we are the only ones who filled out a bracket. Still---I'm pissed. We wonder, when members went to the desk to ask for their bracket, if the staff even bothered to ask "men's or women's?" Because there wasn't a women's bracket last year it's possible very few people even knew it was an option. Certainly...

Just back from the Twin Cities, the site of this year's Frozen Four tournament. It was a great weekend of hockey. Though my beloved Wildcats lost in the semifinals on Friday night, it was a great game and I think this marks the beginning of a few good years of being a contender. They had an amazing season, an incredible 25+ no-loss streak, and really developed their rookies, two of whom started on Friday night. I was somewhat disappointed in the crowd size. My father, who flew out from MA to meet us there, said there were more people at the UNH-Harvard match-up in the regional game last weekend. This was surprising given that Minnesota, though marked the away team because of their #4 seeding, was UNH's opponent. They had home-team advantage. It was their stadium and not as many MN fans came out to support them as I would have figured. Sunday's championship match-up between the Golden Gophers and Wisconsin however produced a lot more people. Fair weather MN fans perhaps? It...

The article about the validity of Candace Parker's two dunks and their effect on the game (and its naysayers) included an interesting--yet brief--comment about the audience of women's basketball. Here is the paragraph from Milton Kent's article : Truth be told, there's a market for women's ball, namely families with young children, older fans, African-American families, that may not be the standard, listen-to-talk-radio, live-for-SportsCenter sports fan. Um--Mr. Kent--you forgot the lesbians. Lesbians form a significant portion of the fan base for women's basketball. I know you know that--the WNBA knows it. It's just that no one wants to talk about it. Did Swoopes's (whom Kent mentions in the article) coming-out this year do nothing to show that it's ok to talk about lesbians and basketball? Apparently. It's disappointing. Sure all of us with toasters know the score--know the high numbers of closeted players and recognize one another in the stand...

In the first round of the NCAA tournament Tennessee wiped the court with first-time tournament participant Army. The highlight of the game though--at leat according to every commentator and story that followed--was the two-dunk performance of Candace Parker . Indeed, it was a history-making performance--the first woman to do it in the tournament and she did it twice. What I kept wondering what it all means. Before I begin my musings I want to say that in no way do I think that Parker or any other woman shouldn't be dunking. So that being said--what does the emergence of a female dunker say about the women's game? Certainly it is a sign that more women will follow. The proverbial bar has been raised. Seems like good news. But on the other hand, I frequently hear people say they appreciate or enjoy the women's game because it doesn't have players doing flashy dunks ever other shot--that the women's game is more strategic, more thoughtful, etc. (Note this is also the a...

After Martina Hingis's upset of Lindsay Davenport the other day, she fell in straight sets to Maria Sharapova in the semifinals of the Pacific Life Open. The 6-3, 6-3 match was allegedly closer than the score indicates and writers and commentators hail Hingis's comeback efforts. Indeed, kudos for Hingis for putting in the time and incredible effort than has allowed her to rise rapidly up the rankings. One article I read noted though that Hingis is still without a title in her post-comeback. Well seriously--she's only been back since January--there are plenty of people ranked above her who are without a title too. But it reminded me of how Hingis went out--no not with ankle and foot problems but with a consistency (arguably brought about by her determination and excellent strokes) that kept her in tournaments until the quarters or semis. So pretty much the same place she is in now. She can beat almost every time those ranked below her but can beat only some of the time thos...

...well you know the rest of that cliche--one that I found to be very appropriate yesterday when I was casually reading the sport section of the Chicago paper (I don't remember which one however) while waiting for lunch at my favorite downtown wrap establishment. With March Madness upon us (it even got a reference in last night's episode of ER! ) I expect I will hear--as I do every year--about the increasing depth of the women's game. And a hearty Rah! Rah! Rah! to that. This year it seems any one of the number 1 or 2 seeds could take the whole thing--though it seems fewer upsets are likely (I may be eating those words after this weekend of course which I would be more than happy to do). But back to Chicago--or rather their sport section--the growing depth and popularity (marked by--if nothing else--the cost of a first round ticket $60!) does not seem to translate into better media coverage--or print coverage since that was the medium I observed yesterday. The paper had 5 p...

The other day as I was reading a post over on sports babel about Cinderella stories in sport. Of course I had heard the fairy tale reference applied to sport before--most recently the movie Cinderella Man--but I hadn't really pondered the reference until now. (Why now--who knows.) Admittedly I have not gone searching out the etymology of the phrase. Maybe I will later but right now--untainted by actualy research--I am curious as to how such a very feminine reference came to be used favorably in men's sports. Usually anything feminine is used in a disparaging way in men's sports (and some of this has carried over to women's sports now too--yeah progress?!) For example, I frequently hear and hear about coaches calling players "girls" or "sissies" and other misogynist and homophobic lovelies. So has Cinderella been so well-received or at least never questioned? Like I said, I don't the answer because I don't know the history of how it came into ...

Well my gym came through and did a bracket for the women's tournament. Of course I found out that my girlfriend had written a note on the comment sheet a week or so ago imploring them to do so. But I guess it's good that they listen to members. So now I actually have to fill it out! All my planning had been how to get them to do a bracket in the first place--I hadn't really thought about who to pick. Anyone have any good tips?

March madness that is. I am not really a basketball fan. I know next to nothing about the game but being at a Big Ten university one has to acclimate. So we have been going to women's b-ball games for a while now and even before coming here paid some attention to the women's tournament. So I am pretty excited that the women's selection gets its own night tonight on ESPN rather than playing second fiddle to the men's. The big question though is whether my local gym will have a draw sheet for those of us wanting to do picks. There is a sign up that says to pick up your draw sheets today--the 13th--of course the women's wouldn't be ready until tomorrow. Last year we asked and they didn't have the women's tourney at all. We were aghast. I mean women's basketball has been a tradition around here since (to use my students' common phrasing about anything historical) "way back in the day." At the high school level, it has been more popular than...

In honor of the Oscars I thought I would take a survey of 1) your favorite sport movie and 2) the movie you want to see made. I realize the first part isn't really a new concept. You can check out E!Online's top ten here . Or Sports Illustrated (organized by sport) and ESPN's respective countdowns here and here . My favs do not fall on these lists though. Not suprising considering how testosterone-filled these lists are. My list also includes documentaries, though. Here are my top picks. I'll get back to you about the best sport movie not-yet-made (right after I pitch it to Paramount!) ken's favorite sport movies (in no particular order) 1. A Hero for Daisy : an amazing documentary about the early days of Title IX. 2. Hockey Mom --a little known but very sweet Canadian movie about female hockey players. 3. Girl Wrestler : documentary that follows one teenage girl as she attempts to enter the male-dominated sport of wrestling in the very patriarchal state of Texas. ...

This Olympics marked the first time the female figure skaters were allowed ot wear pants in competition. That actually surprised me. I guess I had always thought there were no such restrictions (at least in this the twenty-first century!) and that women chose not to don pants. (I suppose I could try to deconstruct why women would have wanted to to keep wearing those flitty little skirts but I am not in the mood.) So bronze medal winner Irina Slutskaya wore a very attractive pants outfit in the short program and I thought she looked great. She went back to a skirted outfit in the long program (perhaps the reason for her letdown???) But others came out in pants including Slutskaya's team member. (Hers was not as attractive, though.) And I found a little blurb about the other skaters who have embraced the skating federation's 2005 rule change: "Other women who have gone the pants route are Fumie Suguri, competing for Japan; Elena Sokolova of Russia; Tatiana Totmianina; ...

So apparently I was not the only one to think that maybe it was time for Ben Smith, USA Hockey's women's national team head coach. During the bronze medal game (which the US won 4-0 over Finland!) commentators discussed as interview Smith had given prior to the game. Apparently he was evasive about whether he would return but he hinted around that he was ready to leave (because he sees the writing on the boards perhaps?). But I give him considerable credit because he said that perhaps it was time for a female coach to lead the team. Canada was the only team with a female head coach, as I have mentioned previously, in the field of eight teams. Canada has a commitment to grooming female head coaches. It is time for USA Hockey to follow suit. Commentator A.J. Mzelcko said while it would be nice to have a female head coach, USA Hockey should find "the most qualified person for the job." This is the spiel I heard from many female hockey players when I did my master's t...

A little over a week ago my alma mater, University of New Hampshire, made headlines (mostly in New England) for taking off of the hockey playlist the song Black Betty . Black Betty is traditionally played when the team comes onto the ice and fans start clapping in sync. Apparently various constituencies at UNH have been protesting the song for years and trying to get it removed because of its racist overtones. I had never heard anything about it when I was there--maybe because coming out against a hockey tradition at UNH is like coming out against University of Iowa's pink visiting team locker room football tradition. You're going to draw a lot of fire. But for some reason Athletic Director Marty Scarano chose to finally take Black Betty off the playlist this year. He did not cite a particular group or person's complaint that caused the decision but apparently there was at least one made recently according to Scarano's statements to the press. The 1970s rock song has be...

...please for the US women's national team that lost in a shootout to Sweden today 3-2. Alas I did not get to see the game (these damn academic things like teaching and studying are truly getting in the way of my own Olympic experience). But, like any good blogger, I certainly have some things to say about the loss. First, I am truly sad and actually almost glad I was not able to watch because I would have been devastated. I had a firm plan to ditch all things school-related Monday and make it home (or to the nearest sports bar) to watch the gold medal game. I don't even know when the bronze medal game is being played. And I am very nervous about this game given that Finland was a tough opponent for the US a few short days ago. The team is going to have to very quickly go through all the stages of mourning in order to get psychologically ready to compete in the bronze medal game. Second, the numerous comments about the lack of depth in women's hockey should wane somewhat no...

OK I hate to be the Debbie Downer of the Grandma Luge celebration but I have some concerns over how she is portrayed and how she portrays herself . I am wholeheartedly in support of Anne Abernathy's representation of the power and ability of women over 50. She counters stereotypes of the aging woman. But she simultaneously reinforces stereotypes of the role of women over 50 by calling herself Grandma. (I don't even think she is really a grandmother--but I couldn't find any family bio information.) The nickname also reifies common connotations of older women as nurturing and kindly (often read as passive and only good for comforting others) when clearly Abernathy is quite different from the stereotypical grandmother. Viewing her website it is clear that nickname is an asset to Abernathy's career. Who wouldn't want to (economically) support Grandman Luge? And I do want to support her and I feel nbdly she couldn't race in Torino--I just want her to change her nickn...

Maybe that title is a bit scathing for what follows but what the heck. So, if I truly am an academic I will be able to turn my few observations/anecdotes into a theory about which I can write and publish a paper, which will lead to a job, which will lead to tenure, and so on and on... But for now here is something to ponder. Watching the two games the US hockey team played this weekend was pretty interesting. Of course the games--handily won by the US--were exciting (OK not so much exciting as fulfilling to someone who never gets to see women's hockey anymore living out here in the midwest.) But, as always, commentary is the topic that draws my attention. Cammi Granato is doing the studio coverage of the hockey tournaments with some dude (S.D.) I have never seen nor heard of. Another guy was interviewing players between periods. They were pretty good interviews actually, but S.D. seemed to be more interested in how the players looked without their helmets on. He commented on the wo...

Michelle Kwan withdrew from the Olympics today because of a groin injury--allegedly a different one from the injury that prevented her participation in the US Nationals that serve as the Olympic trials for figure skating. When Kwan received a bye from the powers-that-be I was almost entirely supportive of this move despite my sympathy for Emily Hughes, the third-place finisher at Nationals whom Kwan replaced essentially. I was a little suspect of the possible economic motivations for the bye (i.e. Kwan's appearance in Coca-Cola Olympic-themed commercials and Visa too I believe) but she is the reason the US could send 3 skaters this year and she is an icon--one who's ability has not, in my opinion, waned. But her withdrawal makes me a little uneasy. This was it for Kwan--her last chance. The competition is still a few days away. Kwan always seemed like the type to push through adversity. This situation reminds me of the one a few weeks ago in Australia when Justine Henin-Harden...

I meant to post this yesterday but the opening ceremonies were so riveting that I couldn't bear to look away. Yeah, not so much this time around. I am not sure what it was; maybe NBC's coverage, the modern industrial-themed dances, the somewhat hackneyed cirque-de-soleilesque acrobatics. I am sure it had something to do with Bob Costas and whatever news guy was co-commentating with him last night. How long has Costas been doing the Olympics? And he still isn't good at it? I think he just gets too enamoured of his own smooth voice and doesn't think about THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF HIS MOUTH! Maybe I am just getting too old, have seen too many opening ceremonies but they all seem the same now. There is always a little kid component, some interpretative dance number, the acrobats, the diplomat speeches (thankfully short this year, I thought), and the lighting of the torch--the last does not seem less meaningful thankfully. I was disappointed that when the US team wal...

I stuck around my house for a few extra minutes this morning to catch the Today show's feature on the US Women's Hockey Team. It was a correspondent who conducted the interviews with four of the veteran players about their training but Matt Lauer is scheduled to get in goal when he heads to Turino later this month. It was a pretty standard segment: shots of practice spliced with interview comments. One of the segment's themes was the whole women play hockey too and this is how the game differs (and maybe is even better) than the male version. And somewhere along the line, when noting that just because the women are not allowed to check, the interviewer noted that these women are still dangerous (shots of players being held against boards and fighting for the puck along the boards) but wait, it's ok, because they're cute. Oh good. I was worried the women representing the US in hockey would be ugly. Who the hell cares if they're cute? Oh, that's right the peop...