Sex Harrassment in Sports Reporting

There has been a lot of hubbub about Mexican sports reporter Ines Sainz and whether or not she instigated cat calls in the locker room while covering the NY Jets, because she is stunningly beautiful and does not dress in a shy manner.  This blog isn't about her today.  It was going to be, but there are two sides to her story, everyone is covering it...blah blah blah...my opinion on the matter is no woman at anytime should be verbally abused period, don't care if she's naked.  IF she is or dresses unprofessionally, that is poor judgment on her part but doesn't excuse derogatory comments.   Now, on to my next point.

I want to be very clear here...in this blog I do sometimes reference a great looking bicep, a gorgeous face, or even how "generally" awesome someone looks in their tennis outfit (fashion is a chick's second language, doesn't matter who is wearing it!). Never do I inappropriately comment on a person's body, or make any inappropriate suggestions/innuendo therein.  And always, the fluff comments are color commentary for the substance.  I talk sports first, tasteful flattery second.

Imagine how surprised I was then, and admittedly naive, to find a website (while researching the Sainz story) who's sole purpose was to sexualize and exploit female sports reporters. This "guy" who calls himself HogWild and considers himself a dating expert (gag!) has a page where he pictures his top five hottest women who report on the sidelines.  Not only does he post their photos, but the captions underneath those photos are disgusting. He speaks of what he'd like to do to the women, exploits their sexual body parts, and makes jokes about his own physical reactions to the pictures.  As his name depicts, he is a pig.  He is also a coward.  If he yelled out the things he posts on his site, down to the sidelines toward one of those women reporters, he'd get kicked out of the venue.

I understand there is free speech on the internet.  Mr. Pig does have the right to say what he wants.   What I'm hoping to do is to make people aware of such sites, and encourage them to boycott them.  Again, I appreciate the handsomeness of an athlete, (as does the Swuiss Chocolate company who, in one of their commercials, has Federer going through airport security, questioned by two female officers), but there are lines that aren't to be crossed.

The other bummer is how bad this pig makes men appear.  He talks like all men share his opinion.  I'm sure he has some followers, but real men don't behave in such a manner.  I guess if Mr. Pig is a dating expert, he is bound to find out that real chicks don't like what he is dishing out.  Yuck.

Hot Rafa Nadal takes it all in New York

What an unbelievable tournament in the men's U.S. Open finals in New York tonight.  Despite a break in momentum by both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic due to two rain delays....they came out of the storm and gave us quite a show!

The last set of the match was breathtaking...and I'm not just talking about watching Nadal play!  It was so fast, so focused, so strong!  That ball was flying across the net as each man tried to out strategize the other.  It was tennis at it's purest, yet most complicated best.  Nadal and Djokovic knew they had to do more than win with endurance.  There would have been no end in sight for the match without each opponent outwitting the other, making him run, making him reach, making him slide and lurch and leap! 

It was truly an emotional win for Nadal, his first US Open Title, giving him his first Grand Slam, and a little check for $1.7 million.  Djokovic was gracious (which surprised me because earlier on he had splintered his racquet in anger) and congratulatory.  Nadal was a true champion.

As I always say...beautiful tennis!

Yes, Lions. Yes.

There isn't too much to say in the matter. 

Yes, the Detroit Lions should have been up in points further than they were. 

Yes, there were other opportunities to prey on some Bears.
 
Yes, Stafford got hurt and that freaked everybody out but the team has practiced with Shaun Hill before

Yes, our defense held firm.

Yes, that was a winning Touchdown pass in the last seconds  of the game.

Yes, the league has it all wrong.

Terry Bradshaw: Big Kiss from women everywhere!

So I am watching the pre-game on FOX (about the only thing I will watch on FOX besides American Idol!) and my fave guy Terry Bradshaw made me so, so, so proud!  Bradshaw was one of the greatest quarterbacks in history.  He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they were at their absolute best.  Terry is a classy guy who has gone on to do great things for his career.  He is well respected in the NFL and out of it, on screen in the motion picture industry and is a super-duper announcer for FOX Sports.  That being said and with all the fluff aside, he's a true grit football guy, and that is what makes what he did today so impressive.

You might think someone like Bradshaw might protect his alum no matter what.  You might think he'd want his team's QB in the game to rack up the W's regardless of whatever wrong doings or bad behavior he had participated in. This is where class trumps macho.

Terry Bradshaw made it very clear today on his FOX pregame appearance that star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should be out on his tail.  Bradshaw said, "I'd have gotten rid of him."  He spoke out about how "in his eyes" what Roethlisberger did is inexcusable, pointing out the partying and disrespect of women. 

Now I have been booing Roethlisberger for months and months as he continues to get away with alleged rape (I have to say alleged because he's not been formally charged), abominable behavior patterns with women that any other man would be locked up for.  But he's "Big Ben" and the Steelers need him so I guess the NFL Commisioner and the Steelers machine think winning games is more important than women's rights.

Anyway...HUGE kudos to Terry Bradshaw. Muah!  He is a guy's guy, an NFL icon and he has bigger cojones than not-so-big Ben will ever have.  Thank you Terry.  You've made my first Sunday of the season a proud one.

Down with the sweet, Up with the spice

U.S. Open Tennis in New York today was electrifying.  For those of you who read me, when it comes to the Men's competitors, I am a hardcore fan of both Swiss Roger Federer (sweet) and Spanish Rafa Nadal (spice, and seen left, as if you didn't know!).  Both of them competed in the semi-finals today.  Nadal played Youzhny of Russia and easily overtook him 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.  I definitely look forward to seeing Nadal in the Final tomorrow.  He is SO driven, forcing every ounce of energy into every point, he is really fast and really explosive on the court. He looks fantastic in his new short hair and he is also a class act, as he totally acknowleged the very real and important date he was playing on today, the 9th anniversary of 9/11.

Now, for my bummer-mobile to roll in.  Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic (Serbia, seen right) duked it out, like, forever.  It was the kind of tennis match that keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly back and forth, passing the advantage back and forth as much as they were the ball.  And the shots!  Unbelievable reach and speed.  Unfortunately (according to me, of course), Djokovic came out on top leaving my sweet Federer out of the finals.  Ho hummmm....at least I'll only have one guy to really root for tomorrow.  Let's hear it for Spain!

As for the ladies...neither of my gal pals played the finals.  Serena was out of the tournament altogether because of a foot injury and Venus was beat in the semis.  The only cool thing, is that Kim Clijsters (Switzerland) is the one who beat her, and I just love Kim Clijsters.  She is a mom and is still rockin' it out on the court.  Tonight, she played Russian Vera Zvonareva and took the title easily in two sets.  The only thing that bugs me about Zvonareva is her temper on the court.  She crashes her racquet on the ground, yells, etc.  She's a lot like Djokavic in that regard.  He hits himself in the head with his racquet and slams it around too.  Gimme a break.  Clijsters won tonight for her 3rd U.S. Open title.  Atta girl Kim!  With the win came a check for 1.7 million dollars, and a $500,000 bonus.  All in a summer's work, I guess. 

Sports Concussion Conference to be held

Perhaps, like me, you've received a phone call in the middle of your son's football practice from his trainer. "...he took a pretty hard hit to the head". Not the call you want to get.

Sure enough, after picking up my teenager and taking him to the emergency room for evaluation, he was diagnosed with a concussion.

It is frightening to see your A student struggle to count backwards, really have to concentrate to come up with the backward sequence of the months in a year, or look like he just woke up and is still a little foggy, and see him stay that way for the rest of the day.
My son is fine now, but I was rattled a bit. Thus the reason I think it is important to pass along this information about a Sports Concussion Conference coming up on Sept. 12.

The Michigan NeuroSport Concussion Program and Michigan Athletics is holding a conference called, "Keeping your head in the Game." It is for parents, trainers, coaches, athletes or whoever else wants to learn the ins and outs of all things related to concussions, including how to manage concussions and when it is safe for your child to return to play.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, director of Michigan NeuroSport and Team Neurologist of Michigan Athletics and NCAA and Big Ten Conference Concussion consultant and advisor. Sounds like he knows his stuff!

You'll need to register to attend. Here is all of the information:
Registration:
734-998-7432 or email
concussion.registration@umich.edu
Date & Time:
Sunday, Sept. 12, from 3-5 p.m.
Location:
Detroit Country Day School
Performing Arts Center
22305 W. 13 Mile Road
Beverly Hills, MI 48025