Topics

Blogs

PQA Today

Gay jocks reach 10 in Beijing

The list of gay jocks taking part in the Beijing Olympics is now up to 10, thanks to a running tally by Outsports. That's a jump from the six reported earlier this week. The list is dominated by lesbians and includes just one gay man, Aussie swimmer Matthew Mitcham.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 8, 2008 | 6:19 PM

Beating the August doldrums

With the big summer events behind them, gay sports groups and leagues are focusing on recruitment.

The Atlanta Team Tennis Association hosts its Tennis Block Party on Saturday to try and lure people back to the sport. On Sunday, the Hotlanta Softball League holds registration for its Fall Ball, a more informal and shorter season that opens on Sept. 21. HSL also hosts sign-up events Aug. 9, 16, 17 and Sept. 6.

Also coming up is Rugby 101 from the Atlanta Bucks Rugby Football Club, an hours-long primer on the sport that serves as the unofficial start to their fall season. That kicks off Sept. 13.

The Atlanta Gay Sports Alliance also hosts an Olympic watching and recruitment Aug. 17.

For more on the events, read my new Southern Voice sports column.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 8, 2008 | 5:58 PM

olympics

Gay Olympians face rough terrain

With the Olympics opening tonight, Southern Voce explores the event and gay jocks who have taken part. Included in the cover story is an interview with Bruce Hayes (photo), the former Atlantan who won gold in the 1984 Games.

“I think I had the same kind of fears that anyone coming out has, particularly since it was 24 years ago, but I think the environment actually made it worse,” Hayes said. “When you’re in an athletic environment, when you live in that environment year-round, there’s just not a comfort level of coming out and sharing that kind of information with people.”

A closeted Olympian who won silver in 2004 also speaks out. And the paper includes a story on what gay tourists and athletes can expect in Beijing. The Beijing Games offers six openly gay athletes who will join the list of 19 former Olympians who are gay.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 8, 2008 | 5:40 PM

Under Armour’s new image problem

Under Armour, the hyper-masculine line of workout gear, might just have muscled its way into an image problem with the same gay men who wear it proudly at the gym.

A piece from the New York Times explores the company and its meteoric rise since former college football player Kevin Plank launched it in 1996.

But while the style attention focused on the crazy and colorful new underwear and skinny emo-boy clothes, Under Armour underwear and athletic wear stealthily infiltrated the closet and consciousness of the modern man’s man. Well known and much loved by military personnel, sports teams, weight lifters and, more and more, those who aspire to the above, Under Armour has not only redefined gym-pumped machismo for a new generation, it has put it on steroids.

And like most things on juice, Under Armour sometimes doesn't think too clearly. The owner of a sports-underwear web site accuses Under Armour of being afraid of the gays.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 7, 2008 | 9:07 PM

AirTran swaps Michael Vick for Matt Ryan

Making Matt Ryan the new face of the Atlanta Falcons wasn't the primary reason the troubled franchise inked him to an expensive and long-term contract earlier this year. But it didn't hurt, either, to bring on board someone with his cover boy good looks to replace the misbehaving Michael Vick.

AirTran likes it, too. They've inked Ryan to a two-year endorsement deal that includes at least four billboards featuring him around town. He'll also be included in radio spots. "Laser Rocket Arm. Head For Low Fares" reads one; "Touchdowns As Often As We Do" is another. It's the same sort of campaign Vick was in until the airline didn't renew his contract last year.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 7, 2008 | 5:38 PM

Gay tennis on the block

The Atlanta Team Tennis Association has pulled out their rackets and is swinging hard.

The gay tennis group is on a push to up the interest in the sport, add to the their membership rolls and raise funds for their signature event, the Peach International Tennis Championships held over Labor Day Weekend.

On Saturday, ATTA hosts its Tennis Block Party from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Glenlake Tennis Center. The free event will include drills, racquet demonstrations and snacks.

On Aug. 16, the group holds its annual variety show to raise funds for the tournament. Speaking of the Peach, registration closes Aug. 9.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 6, 2008 | 9:58 PM

olympics

Six openly gay jocks head to Olympics

Count 'em. It won't take long.

The list of openly gay athletes taking part in the Beijing Olympics stops at six, led by the most prominent of the bunch, Aussie swimmer Matthew Mitcham (photo).

Why is the list getting so short? After all, there were 11 in Athens in 2004 and seven four years earlier in Sydney. Jim Buzinski, co-founder of Outsports, explores why the list is getting ever shorter.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 6, 2008 | 9:15 PM

Digging deep for answers at Piedmont

The possible return of sports leagues and Atlanta Pride to Piedmont Park took another hit as park caretakers announced their efforts to dig a well failed.

Now the Piedmont Park Conservancy will try again, drilling a second time beginning Wednesday. If they can hit water, the park hopes it would be enough to irrigate the park and skirt the drought-related regulations that prompted the booting of sports and large-scale festivals from the area earlier this year.

Without a well, the conservancy says, the park won't be inviting its former inhabitants bak anytime soon.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 6, 2008 | 1:25 AM

OLYMPICS

Phelps says yes to plaid

While half-listening to Brian Williams read the news on NBC last night, I perked up when the chatter turned to the Olympics. I was well rewarded.

The piece about the games made mention of Michael Phelps arriving in Beijing and attempting to quietly make his way to the Water Cube for practice. Phelps was sporting a not-so-cute new mustache (what is it with pro jocks and their outdated facial hair?) and an oh-so-very-cute plaid swimsuit. Nothing like going for a record eight golds at one Games in style.

Ah, yes. Seventeen days of Olympic beauty.

For more on the Olympics, check out a new blog from Outsports.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 5, 2008 | 9:09 PM

SPORTS

Will the NFL crack its glass ceiling?

Take a close look the next time you watch the NFL, MLB or NBA. You won’t see a woman with a whistle in her hand, with the exception of one or two females who have broken through the male-dominated bastion of pro sports to work NBA games.

That’s why the appearance of Sarah Thomas at the New Orleans Saints training camp on Friday caused such a stir. Thomas, who last fall became the first female to officiate an NCAA Division I-A game, turned a few NFL heads during the scrimmage. For its part, the league wouldn’t say if they are scouting for their first female ref.

Her appearance, of course, prompted the hetero-macho, chest-thumping reaction you’d expect. But it was a nice distraction from the only other story out of the NFL since training camp started. Yeah, that guy.

read more | Comments (0) | Posted Aug 5, 2008 | 8:17 PM

Page 2 of 38 pages < 1 2 3 4 > Last »

Gay Atlanta loses another: John Speaks, 64

Gay Atlanta lost another activist and friend with the death Aug. 27 of John Thomas Speaks Jr.

Gay chamber gala celebrates allies, activists

Nearly 300 people joined the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce on Friday to celebrate the gay business group's annual Community Awards Dinner.

Photos

Photo Gallery »

Topics

Blogs

Categories

About Us

Contact Us

Advertise

Subscribe

RSS Feed