FROM THE SKYBOX BY ERIC CARLYLE, CEO
The Growing World of Compete
W
hile it has been exactly five years since I first proposed the idea of a gay sports magazine to my best friend and now business partner, David Riach, it seems like it was only yesterday. Now, that original idea of creating a magazine – covering sports from a gay perspective, has morphed from Compete Magazine into Compete Sports Media. The original intent of Compete Magazine (at first called Sports Out Loud) was to build a bridge between the gay community and all things sports. We believe we have succeeded in introducing the world of sports to thousands of readers who may never have read a sports magazine as well as to others who have never seen sports covered through like-minded eyes. This year we have great plans for our media company. Compete Magazine will continue to cover all things sports with expanded features on professional and college sports (after all, this is our March Madness issue), celebrity and sports star interviews and continued coverage of gay athletes and sporting events. We’re truly a one-stop shop for athletes, fans and supporters. And now, access to Compete Magazine has never been better. In addition to subscription sales, it’s now available at Barnes & Noble, Borders® and other independent booksellers across the United States. Our newest media product, Compete Radio, is also taking off in a big way. What started out as five staffers huddled around an omnidirectional microphone has turned into a weekly radio show recorded in our very own radio studio. Compete Radio is now available on such great online stations such as radiotime.com. On March 5, we begin nationwide syndication of Compete Radio with our first on-air affiliate, KPHX, serving the Phoenix Metro Area. Additional affiliates are planned beginning in April. In addition to our flagship magazine and radio program, we are also expanding our independent websites which are connected via CompeteNetwork.com. At CompeteNetwork.com, you are the star! We offer you the opportunity to blog on the home page of our website with your own profile and blogging credentials. Go ahead, sign up for a free profile and tell the world about your tournament, match, training schedule or even your opinion on last night’s big game. And while you are there, connect to our great media products – Compete Magazine and Compete Radio. As we look ahead to our sixth year in business, we know that our original premise was correct – sports lovers love sports no matter what their sexual orientation may be. So we will continue to be the innovator in the world of sports, knowing that it truly is a bridge between the gay and straight worlds. Sport on,
Eric Carlyle, Co-Founder
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March 2011
Volume 5, Issue 2
18
Fasten Your Seatbelts
Set your GPS for March Madness, then park yourself at your local gay sports bar for all the hardcourt action
14-15
32-33
Flag Footballers meet in Palm Springs for second annual Duel in the Desert
Multi-sport athlete Eric Foster gets this month’s centerfold treatment
Pigskin Pride
MVP
34
Annual Strip Trip Tournament organizers hope to grow into Las Vegas winter sports festival
28
College Question
40
George Washington’s Kye Allums’ status means NCAA must provide answers regarding trans athletes
Gays really do love NASCAR, Queers for Gears proves
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Honest Engines!
KICK-OFF 8 Hear It From the Fans 10 Necessary Roughness 12 Intangibles
FOUNDERS Publisher/CEO Eric Carlyle • eric@competenetwork.com Publisher/COO David Riach • david@competenetwork.com
SWIMMERS EAR 46 Stories of Gay Sports
New Column from Athlete of the Year Michael Holtz. Author Ryan Quinn discusses debut novel The Fall
FITNESS CENTER 52 Staying Healthy by Making Whoopee
Sex does a body good … in many ways
OVERTIME 54 Scoreboard 56 Calendar 58 Sportlight 62 Yearbook
VP of Operations Connie Wardman • connie@competenetwork.com EDITORIAL Managing Editor Buddy Early • buddy@competenetwork.com Contributors Stacey Jay Cavaliere, Luis Garcia, William Henderson, Tania Katan, David Kimble, Lisa Mansfield, Brian Patrick, Heather Robinson, Beau Ryan, Patricia Nell Warren Photographers Gregg Edelman, Don Thompson, William Waybourn PRODUCTION Art Director Jay Gelnett • jay@competenetwork.com ADVERTISING Media Sales Executives Tony Lopez, Director of Sales Chris Herrington, Joey Jacinto ads@competenetwork.com PR Manager & Promotions Alfonzo Chavez • alfonzo@competenetwork.com CIRCULATION Vice President Teresa Salhi • teresa@competenetwork.com COMPETE RADIO & COMPETE TV VP of Broadcast Media Josh Fourrier • josh@competenetwork.com Copyright 2011 MEDIA OUT LOUD, LLC 4703 S. Lakeshore Drive, Suite 3 Tempe, AZ 85282 P: 480.222.4223 • F: 480-889-5513 www.CompeteNetwork.com Compete is a trademark of Media Out Loud, LLC
Monthly Readership: 45,00 - 60,000 (increasing)
ON THE COVER: Photo by John Gress
Mission Statement: Compete Sports Media provides the most comprehensive global sports information both to and for the gay community. Through our family of gay sports media brands, we promote the importance of sports to the gay community and the importance of the gay community to sports. We connect and inspire our audience to get involved and participate in sports as both athletes and fans.
HEAR IT FROM THE FANS
Letters to Compete Magazine
It Takes a Superstar
Pro Players Simply Need a Chance to Show Their Colors Congratulations on having New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie on your January cover. It is terrific to see heterosexual players like him coming out in support of marriage rights and equality. His participation in the NOH8 campaign, as well as the comments by the other NFL players mentioned in your story, shows that professional athletes are not afraid to get involved with these kinds of issues. If given the chance they will speak out and let it be known that in 2011 there is no excuse for discrimination. I think our community too often assumes that NFL and major league cultures are hostile places for gay equality, not to mention gay people in general. While there is still a great amount of truth to that, I think your story proves that things are changing. We would have never guessed people like Cromartie, (Scott) Fujita and (Brendon) Ayanbadejo would be so supportive if they hadn’t come out and said so. Similarly, we will never know how supportive the sports culture can be of a gay athlete until someone comes out. I think we might be surprised. Keep up the great work! Matty Falau New York City 8 | COMPETE
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Antonio Cromartie is a great player, a former Pro Bowler in fact. No offense to anyone else, but we need people like him to come out in support of gay marriage, rather than some guy at the end of the bench. Cromartie can make other people think about their beliefs. I also believe it will take a superstar coming out – the likes of Kobe Bryant or Derek Jeter – in order for it to have an impact. If some nobody from an awful team comes out, it will be very easy for everyone to dismiss him. Jeremy West Hollywood
Muscle Bound is Honest Portrayal of “Roamosexuals” It would seem that Brian Patrick who wrote the review of Muscle Bound (Compete: December 2010) would prefer that fiction writers portray gay relationships in only positive ways. His myopic negativity is difficult for me to understand. I thought we were past this need for posturing. Muscle Bound intentionally and honestly captures the obsession that many gay men have with bodybuilding and the milieu surrounding this aspect of gym culture, which of course includes the abuse of steroids. The characters in Muscle Bound portray the difficulty that (real) men can have in forming healthy relationships. Everyday difficulties like feeling insecure, afraid of
getting hurt, narcissism, and a whole range of other issues that can cloud reality for anyone. David Marlow captures hot muscle sex and muscle worship in exciting and engaging ways. Characters are both lovable and hateable, as it should be in a good novel of any genre. The lead character captures the essence of the roamosexual agenda, a name coined by the author to describe a gay man who avoids serious relationships – for reason(s). The author brings this saga to an end in a surprising and brutal way. It’s a great read. I highly recommend it! Conrad James
Helping Film Score With Audiences What a great article! Thank you so much for shedding some light on our film (Out For The Long Run). I don’t know if your article was responsible, but the very day we found the magazines, Logo called from New York and it seems they’re interested in our film. So, again, many thanks. If our film can reach just one kid who’s struggling, then our time was well spent. And at this point, I’d like to think you may have just pushed us to “First and Goal.” Best of luck in the future, I know I’ll be reading. Scott Bloom Tragoidia Moving Pictures, LLC
NECESSARY ROUGHNESS
BY BUDDY EARLY, MANAGING EDITOR
The Sports Bar: Our Greatest Treasure?
W
henever someone tells me to go to my happy place, chances are I will end up at a sports bar. Bellying up to the bar – and if you know me, then you know that’s SOME belly – and watching a basketball game while having a few ice cold draft beers and some chicken wings is my idea of bliss. Sure, I may yell at the top of my lungs at the big screen and hold my head in my hands when something goes terribly wrong with my team, which might imply stress and tension, but I can assure you it’s shortlived. (I also like to bang on the bar and/or wall with an open fist when I like what my team is doing, which led recently to a few broken bones in my hand.) This month I may want to wrap my hands in bandages before venturing out to experience March Madness; I have a number of college teams that I root for – North Carolina Tarheels, for starters – so I’m sure I’ll be doing a considerable amount of pounding, both of my hand and of beers. I’m grateful for bosses who will let me take my laptop to the pub around the corner and work while catching the 10 a.m. (Arizona time) tip-offs of the first round games. In the last few years we have seen an increase in the number of gay sports bars in the U.S. For most Compete readers it is not difficult to find one near them, whether it’s Sidelines in Ft. Lauderdale, GymBar in New York City, Crew in Chicago or Nellie’s in our nation’s capital. I am lucky that I have Roscoes on 7th, the longestrunning gay sports bar in the country, in my neighborhood. (I’m determined to get my picture on the wall soon by completing their new Hot Wings challenge.) In our March Madness special section begin-
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ning on page 18, you can hopefully find a gay sports bar in your area where you can watch the tournament. If it’s not listed there perhaps you will find a tournament-showing bar on our Sportlight page: 58. I realize that not all Compete readers are into sports – a fact that makes me proud, since it means we are appealing to everyone in our community. You might find, however, that by making an effort and learning a little bit about sports an entire new world will open up to you. In the last few years alone I’ve converted several people to the sport of football, for example. These are folks who had absolutely no prior interest in the sport … but now they love it. This month I am hoping to convert non-basketball fans to lovers. And they’ll thank me for it later. (Insert obnoxious smiley-face emoticon here.) Throughout the years I have made hundreds of friendly acquaintances over game-viewing at sports bars. Within two minutes of sitting down to watch my Suns play last week I was engaged in a conversation about Amar’e Stoudemire with a gray-haired gentleman drinking whiskey neat. Our discussion got a little heated, as we had different views on whether or not Mike D’Antoni was a good coach, but when he got up to smoke he said “Go Suns!” I responded by telling him to take off his blinders with regard to D’Antoni, but it was all in good fun. The thing is: next time I see him at the same sports bar we’ll probably have a new topic to discuss, and we’ll do so with the same fervor. THAT’S why I love sports bars. So, before I run the risk of sounding like a complete booze-hound in this column – too late? – let me just say: Go Heels!
INTANGIBLES THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Annual Fashion Show and Model Search to Showcase the Hottest of D.C. The folks at Team DC are almost ready to crown the winner of the 2011 Model Search to benefit the Team DC College Scholarship Program. Throughout the month of February voters selected their favorites online and 12 finalists were then chosen to compete in the contest on March 12 at Town Nightclub. This is the fifth year the organization has hosted the event. The 12 models will walk the runway at Town in four different outfits: club wear, swimsuit, underwear and leather/sports/fetish. The fourth round on the runway will include a solo auction by each participant, and an additional fifth round will be held for miscellaneous auctions in pairs/groups.
(The fifth round will not be scored.) The Model Search also serves as a Fashion Show, with clothing provided by Thomas Christopher, the Leather Rack, Universal Gear, Fireboy and Skiviez. The model with the highest score will win $500 cash, an appearance on the cover of the May issue of Compete Magazine, a free professional photoshoot with Robert Mercer Photography, and a spot as an automatic finalist to be considered for the 2012 Ripped Genes Calendar. Additional prizes will be announced as the event draws closer. The online voting that occurred Feb. 10-March 2 will account for 25 percent of the total score.
THUMBS UP TO: Steve Buckley
In January the Boston Herald sports writer came out in his column that appears regularly in the paper. The 30-year veteran wrote: “I have read sobering stories about people who came undone, killing themselves after being outed. These tragic events helped guide me to the belief that if more people are able to be honest about who they are, ultimately fewer people will feel such devastating pressure…It’s my hope that from now on I’ll be more involved. I’m not really sure what I mean by being ‘involved,’ but this is a start: I’m gay.” Some have questioned the need for him to come out, saying his job is to write about sports, not his sexual orientation. We believe those people are not yet fortunate enough to understand the impact his coming out may have.
THUMBS DOWN TO: Ursula Holl
The lesbian German soccer player encouraged other gay athletes to stay in the closet. We encourage her to stay in the background.
THUMBS UP TO: Charles Barkley
Sir Charles lauded Martin Luther King Jr. on a TNT basketball broadcast, pointing out that MLK was about equality for all people. Barkley told his colleagues: “People try to make it about black and white. He talked about equality for every man, every woman. We have a thing going on now – people discriminating against homosexuals in this country. I love the people. God bless the gay people. They are great people.” He better watch out – he may become a role model after all. 12 | COMPETE
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GAY SPORTS QUESTION OF THE MONTH Q. Figure skater Johnny Weir has never finished lower than 5th Place at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. What was his highest finish? A. In eight competitions, Weir finished at the top of the podium three times, winning the U.S. title in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
KICK-OFF
Campus Pride and Compete Launch Out to Play Project
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obody knows the score when it comes to collegiate athletic programs and where they stand on inclusion and safety of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender players, coaches and staff. For the first-time ever, Campus Pride, in partnership with Compete Magazine, plans to find out who the winners are for LGBT-inclusiveness in college sports – and ultimately whether out LGBT athletes, coaches and staff are welcome. This month Campus Pride launched its newly formed “Out to Play Project” which is designed to address antiLGBT slurs, bias and conduct in college sports. As part of the national project, both Compete Magazine and Campus Pride will spend from March until June reviewing nominations of colleges and universities for the “Out To Play List.” The LGBT-friendly listing will be published in a special edition of Compete
Magazine and online at CampusPride.org profiling the “Best” in LGBT-inclusivity and college sports. The official call for nominations began March 1. To be eligible, the athletic program must be part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II or III, or the National Junior College Athletic Association. Former or current out LGBT and ally athletes, coaches, fans and campus staff are encouraged to nominate a college or university. Anyone can nominate an LGBT-friendly college athletic program online at www.campuspride.org/outtoplay. “Anti-LGBT attitudes and behaviors are prevalent, if not pervasive, in the world of sports. ‘Out To Play’ can change all that – by starting in college and setting the standard. The ‘Best of the Best’ listing will highlight college athletic programs that have demonstrated LGBTinclusion in policy and practice,” said
Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride. “If we know the score, everyone will be motivated to play harder – even those farthest behind.” Windmeyer, also the author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students, will lead the nomination review team, which will partly consist of select individuals who are current and former out LGBT athletes as well as researchers in the field of higher education. Once nominations have been received, the review team will contact college sports programs to undergo a further review. The review will consist of a series of LGBT-inclusive athletic questions as well as an assessment of the entire campus community through Campus Pride’s LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index (www.campusclimateindex.org). For more information, contact Campus Pride at 704-277-6710 or info@campuspride.org.
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Duel in the
Desert Photos by Tom Weigand
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l
January 15-16 • Palm Springs
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Name: Email: Address: City/State/Zip: Payment:
❍ Cash
❍ Check
❍ Credit Card
Card Number:
CCV:
Card Type:
Exp. Date:
Signature: DEMOGRAPHIC INFO Sex: ❍ M ❍ F Age: ❍<18 ❍18-29 ❍30-39 ❍40-49 ❍50+
Or fill out and mail the form at right with payment to: COMPETE • 4703 S. Lakeshore Dr. • Suite 3 • Tempe, AZ 85282
Relationship: ❍ Single ❍ Partnered ❍ Married ❍ Other Sports Involvement: ❍ Participant ❍ Spectator/TV ❍Spectator/Amateur Event
❍ Spectator/Professional Event
2011 NCAA
Basketball Tournament March 13 March 15-16 March 17-20 March 24-27 April 2 April 4
Selection Sunday First Four First & Second Rounds Sweet 16 & Elite 8 Final Four Championship
NCAA Tournament Champions 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975
Duke North Carolina Kansas Florida Florida North Carolina Connecticut Syracuse Maryland Duke Michigan State Connecticut Kentucky Arizona Kentucky UCLA Arkansas North Carolina Duke Duke UNLV Michigan Kansas Indiana Louisville Villanova Georgetown NC State North Carolina Indiana Louisville Michigan St. Kentucky Marquette Indiana UCLA
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1974 NC State 1973 UCLA 1972 UCLA 1971 UCLA 1970 UCLA 1969 UCLA 1968 UCLA 1967 UCLA 1966 UTEP 1965 UCLA 1964 UCLA 1963 Loyola (Ill.) 1962 Cincinnati 1961 Cincinnati 1960 Ohio State 1959 California 1958 Kentucky 1957 North Carolina 1956 San Francisco 1955 San Francisco 1954 La Salle 1953 Indiana 1952 Kansas 1951 Kentucky 1950 CCNY 1949 Kentucky 1948 Kentucky 1947 Holy Cross 1946 Oklahoma A&M 1945 Oklahoma A&M 1944 Utah 1943 Wyoming 1942 Stanford 1941 Wisconsin 1940 Indiana 1939 Oregon
| March 2011
March Madness Returns For Another
I
n sports circles this is one of the most exciting times of every year. It’s March Madness, the three week tournament that features the best college basketball teams in the nation … and, yes, a few that aren’t among the best but the committee has to fill those 68 slots with someone! The annual dance of teams culminating with a Final Four that usually nobody has predicted tips off this year on March 13. The “Play-in” game that used to open the tournament is gone, and replaced with a “First Four.” Unlike the Play-in game, which for the most part featured the number 64 and 65 teams (think Austin Peay, Sam Houston State or Maryland-Eastern Shore), two of these First Four games will feature squads battling for control of a 12 seed (think Virginia Tech, St. John’s or Richmond). Essentially, these games will pit the final four at-large teams in the field. The other two opening round games will be traditional contests between 16 seeds – the least impressive of the automatic qualifiers, whether it’s the best team from a struggling conference or a
MARCH MADNESS
Round of Basketball Excitement 12-18 underdog that somehow managed to scrape out a win in a conference tournament. The new format was a terrific compromise for the NCAA, which had been pressured to expand the tournament from 65 teams to 96. Had that happened, “bubble talk” that dominates sports news in early March would have been significantly tainted. Instead of arguing the merits of a 20-13 Washington State versus that of a 23-9 Charlotte, the selection committee would be debating which 16-15 team from a mid-major deserves a chance to play with the best. Talk about diluting the field. For now, at least, we can move forward with this 68-team configuration – that is, until the money factor rears its head again, and university presidents, coaches and NCAA officials decide it’s time to revisit the conversation. This year’s tournament is bursting with numerous tantalizing storylines. Can Duke overcome injuries suffered during the season to repeat as National Champions, a feat
they accomplished in 1991-1992? Can traditional powerhouses like Michigan State, Kentucky and North Carolina finish strong and make another run at a Final Four? Which mid-major team – Brigham Young, San Diego State, Xavier or Cleveland State – will step up and capture the title of this year’s Cinderella? Which player will single-handedly carry his team to glory? What 2, 3 or 4 seed will flame out in the first round? Who will benefit most from the tournament and cement his status as a top pick in June’s NBA draft? All these stories and sub-plots will play out during the three weeks at the end of the month, concluding with the Final Four April 2 and 4 at Houston’s Reliant Stadium. Get your office pools ready. This figures to be a wide-open tournament and, as we’ve seen plenty of times before, anything can happen! www.CompeteNetwork.com | COMPETE
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MARCH MADNESS THE NUMBER OF GAY SPORTS BARS ACROSS THE U.S. IS ON THE RISE.
Roscoes on 7th
This long-standing central Phoenix neighborhood sports bar has been collecting accolades since it opened in 1996. By always staying one step ahead of their clientele to provide a top-notch sports environment, they’ve maintained their status not just as a great gay sports bar, but as one of Phoenix’s best sports bars period. Cardinals, Suns, Diamondbacks and ASU Sun Devils are naturally popular, but since the Valley of the Sun welcomes transplants from all over, the odds are decent you’ll find a fellow (fill-in-theblank) fan at Roscoes. With 13 LCD screens and some of the best “bar food” in town, there’s no reason to stay home for March Madness this year; the craziness can be found at Roscoes on 7th.
That’s good news for sports fans in our community, who want and deserve a place where they can hang out with like-minded friends and catch their favorite teams. This March Madness, the following gay sports bars will be rocking with college basketball fans wearing their team’s colors and chanting things like “Bear Down,’ “TAR … HEELS” and “Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!”
Sidelines All of south Florida knows about Sidelines, which carries the torch as that region’s only gay sports bar. Located in the gay mecca known as Wilton Manors, sports fans are never more than a few feet from a hi-def screen, so catching tournament games here is a breeze. The owners never take a day off from ensuring the best possible experience for their patrons, and it shows. In early 2011 they reopened after a $20,000 renovation, and are boasting a new smoke-free policy. Staying ahead of the curve is the way Sidelines stays on top as one of the country’s most admired gay sports bars. 20 | COMPETE
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4531 N. 7th St. Phoenix
2031-A Wilton Drive Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
MARCH MADNESS
Gym
167 8th Ave. New York City
Guys head to Gym because they like men, sports and a good time. And all three of those things can be found in heaps, thanks to a reputation in the community that keeps growing and growing. Here the competition to stay afloat can be fierce, which is why Gym remains both classy and welcoming, and why it is a home for many gay athletes in the city. Gym gives as much to the community as it gets. Oh, and when you watch the NCAA tournament at Gym, you better know your stuff – this is New York City, the biggest sports town in the world!
Nellie’s
900 U St. NW Washington D.C.
This is probably the most historic of the gay sports bars we are recommending. The building is included on the AfricanAmerican Heritage Trail, residing in the rich-in-tradition U Street area of D.C. Antique showcases, historic photographs and a vintage scoreboard also add to the old-time feel of the place. Featuring 10 flat-panel TVs, a stadium-sized screen, three distinct bars, free Wi-Fi, and a menu featuring everything from traditional Nachos to Tzatziki and Pita and their famous Nellie Burger, this mid-Atlantic bar is the perfect home to fans of the two biggest powerhouse conferences in the land: the Big East and the ACC. See who comes out on top at Nellie’s.
Greatest Tournament Upsets Since the tournament’s expansion to 64 teams in 1985 no 16 seed has ever beaten a 1 seed. However, 2 and 3 seeds have fallen in the first round a number of times. A few of the most exciting upsets: 1986 #14 Cleveland State def. #3 Indiana 1989 #14 Siena def. #3 Stanford 1991 #15 Richmond def. #2 Syracuse 1993 #15 Santa Clara def. #2 Arizona 1997 #15 Coppin State def. #2 South Carolina 1999 #14 Weber State def. #3 North Carolina 2001 #15 Hampton def. #2 Iowa State 2005 #14 Bucknell def. #3 Kansas 2006 #14 Northwestern State def. #3 Iowa 22 | COMPETE
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Woof’s
2425 Piedmont Road NE Atlanta
The regulars at this eight-year old establishment are very adamant about its status as the best gay bar in the country. We should expect nothing less, since folks down South take their sports very seriously. Sports is number one at Woof’s, being gay is second. But no matter what, you can always find this place bursting at the seams when a big game is on. With 31 televisions occupying the 3,800 square feet, basketball fans can expect to miss none of the action when it comes to a tournament that may have as many as six games going at once.
serves up!
Balmy Weather Signals a Return to Sand Volleyball Courts
One of Compete Magazine’s newest partners, Charlie’s Bar, will soon find its volleyball court in demand again. With colder temperatures having passed, the outdoor court at the Phoenix location will be the spot for high-energy, action-packed games. Visit any of the four Charlie’s locations (Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix) and support a new member of the Compete family.
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MARCH MADNESS 26 Chandler @ Berkley Street Boston
Fritz As a pro sports town, Boston has few equals. The fans here love their Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins. College basketball may not be on the same level here, but you can still expect Fritz to be the place to be come tournament time. Boston’s only gay sports bar boasts a high-definition satellite system and six flat screen plasma TVs located throughout the bar, so you’ll always get a prime view.
The after-work crowd is always happening at this South End establishment, but count on the action starting even earlier in March, as games tip off just in time for Fritz’s daily opening at Noon. 4804 N. Broadway St. Chicago
Crew
With its close proximity to Wrigley Field, sports is always in the air at Crew. Since 2004 the owners of this establishment have made sure that important sports action is never anything but top priority. The staff here is required to know what games are on and at what time; that may present a challenge with so much happening in the early rounds of the tournament, but the customers here have come to expect it. Big 10 fans have a lot to be excited about this year, so expect them to turn out in droves to Crew, which features 16 DirectTV screens, 3 HDTVs and one giant 92-inch screen as the bar’s centerpiece.
Women’s Champions 2010 Connecticut 2009 Connecticut 2008 Tennessee 2007 Tennessee 2006 Maryland 2005 Baylor 2004 Connecticut 2003 Connecticut 2002 Connecticut 2001 Notre Dame 2000 Connecticut 1999 Purdue 1998 Tennessee 1997 Tennessee 1996 Tennessee 1995 Connecticut 1994 North Carolina 1993 Texas Tech 1992 Stanford 1991 Tennessee 1990 Stanford 1989 Tennessee 1988 Louisiana Tech 1987 Tennessee 1986 Texas 1985 Old Dominion 1984 USC 1983 USC 1982 Louisiana Tech
Individual Tournament Single-Game Records Points 61 Austin Carr, Notre Dame 1970
Assists 18 Mark Wade, UNLV 1987
Steals 8 Ty Lawson, North Carolina 2009
Rebounds 34 Fred Cohen, Temple 1956
Blocked Shots 12 Shaquille O’Neal, LSU 1992
Three-point Field Goals 11 Jeff Fryer, Loyola Marymount 1990
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MARCH MADNESS
Woody’s
4011 Cedar Springs Road Dallas
There are over a dozen gay bars in and near the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, but only one fills the needs for gay sports fans. The key here is the friendly and helpful staff that keeps customers happy and well-imbibed. With two levels and three outdoor patios featuring 20 flat screen TVs, the game you want to watch never has to be out of view. And since football season will have been over by a month (this is Dallas Cowboys territory, after all), expect this 70+ year-old building to be packed to the rafters with basketball fans come tournament time.
Pilsner Inn
225 Church St. San Francisco
Since 1980 Pilsner Inn has been home to many of the Bay Area’s gay sports teams, and a spot many sports fans go to catch their favorite team on TV. It has repeatedly been cited as having the best beer selection in San Francisco, with over 30 on tap. The garden patio is a great retreat for those times when a number 1 seed is playing a number 16. But at all other times you can enjoy the action on two widescreen televisions inside.
This is a football town, and the folks here are still reveling in the Seahawks surprising success in the NFL Playoffs. But with Isiah Thomas’ son (Isiah Thomas Jr.) leading the nearby Washington Huskies into the tournament – with a chance to go deep – this will be THE place in Seattle to catch all the games. As you might expect in the Pacific Northwest, this spot has an impressive selection of micro-brewed beers on tap.
Madison Pub
1315 E. Madison St. Seattle
Future Final Four Sites 2012: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans 2013: Georgia Dome, Atlanta 2014: Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas 2015: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis 2016: Reliant Stadium, Houston
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The Questions of Gender
Trans Athlete Opens Doors, Creates Debate for NCAA With Regard to “Mixed” Teams by Cristina Picozzi
I
n November, George Washington University junior Kye Allums told the world she was transgender and that she wanted to be socially identified as a male. The scenario brought forth a host of topics that could change the NCAA and the way it regulates collegiate sports. Allums has played on GW’s women’s basketball team as a guard for the past two years, and last year he came out to his teammates about wanting to change genders. Allums told the website Outsports that he felt that he was being secretive by keeping this information from people he was really close with such as his coach, Mike Bozeman. “I was gonna have to hide a piece of me that was really important,” Allums said. “All my teammates knew. I don’t like keeping things from coach; I’m a very open person. It got to the point where I decided I wasn’t going to go through a whole season with my coach not really knowing me, even though I knew it would probably make him feel uncomfortable.” 28 | COMPETE
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According to USA Today, it took a few days for his mother to accept the news, but his teammates, coach and school supported his decision right away. However, is this something that the NCAA is prepared to handle? After Allums told GW about his decision and the media began to cover the story, the NCAA released this statement from their spokesperson Erik Christianson: “A female who wants to be socially identified as a male but has not had hormone treatments or surgery may compete on a women’s team, and the team remains a women’s team. A male who wants to be socially identified as a female but has not had hormone treatments or surgery may compete on a women’s team, but the team becomes a mixed team for competitive equity. Hormones, including testosterone, are included on the NCAA’s list of banned substances. But there is a waiver process available for medical exceptions.” Christianson’s statement has raised some questions with some
coaches at Utica College, a private college of about 2,500 in central New York, especially those who coach sports that are considered contact when played by a men’s team. The NCAA clarified that currently NCAA rules state that a male student competing on a female team would make the team ineligible for a women’s NCAA championship; however, the team would be eligible for a men’s NCAA championship. A female student competing on a men’s team would not impact the sport because the team would still be eligible for a men’s NCAA championship. “Once a team is considered mixed,” the NCAA said, “it retains that status until the end of the academic year.” Although Allums is not the first athlete to come out as transgender in collegiate sports, he is the first for Division I, which has more regulations and guidelines than other divisions. The strict regulations and rules in Division I sports make transgender athletes a target for controversy.
While a lot of people believe that transgender student-athletes should have the opportunity to play, they also see the harm in competing as a mixed team.
affects these four parts of the game, especially the physical aspect. Overall the pace of the game is much faster. For females, mixed teams are an extreme competitive disadvantage.”
Men’s lacrosse is considered a full contact sport and therefore players wear protective gear such as helmets with face guards, mouth guards, shoulder and arm pads, gloves and an athletic supporter. Mike Parnell is entering his fifth year of coaching men’s lacrosse at Utica, and although he said he has no issues if a transgender athlete wants to be a part of his team, he did say that it would affect the way the sport is played.
Calabrese said that the point of the NCAA is to help with the student-athlete experience. By forcing mixed teams, the NCAA is “hindering that experience morally and ethically.” Calabrese also said that most games do not have a mercy-rule and scores could be damaging to a team.
support.”
“You can’t compare players to each other,” Calabrese said. “Each player is different.”
“It’s not really fair (for the NCAA to make mixed teams),” Calabrese said. “In college there are intramural sports if a student wants to play on a co-ed team; however, “Transitioning is a huge decision made playing at the by an individual and it’s hard on them collegiate level already and being in college is a crucial means playing varsity sports.” time in their life. They need a lot of
“Men’s lacrosse has a lot of contact,” Parnell said. “Women’s lacrosse has no contact at all. The overall rules and rules about contact would be an issue because there would be concern for the safety of players.” Parnell said that there would be potential for an unfair advantage for a female team that has a male athlete playing because of natural testosterone produced in a male’s body. However, the concept of mixed teams could be damaging because males tend to be bigger, faster and stronger, and it would only take one male on the female team to make it a mixed team; and therefore force them to play against other mixed or male teams. Utica men’s soccer coach Joe Calabrese agreed that something such as mixed teams could be devastating to female teams in the NCAA. “There are four parts to soccer,” Calabrese said. “They are technical, tactical, physical and psychological. Genetically, men are bigger, faster and stronger than females, and this 30 | COMPETE
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Females have already crossed into what are considered contact sports, such as football. Katie Hnida played Division I football for University of Colorado and University of New Mexico as a backup kicker. According to ESPN, Hnida was also the first woman to play and score in a Division I game. Women’s ice hockey coach Dave Clausen said that he does have some of the same concerns as the NCAA as far as male-to-female transition is concerned, because of the competitive advantage males already have. However, he recognizes that some of the concerns the NCAA have would be valid if they were governing professional sports, but in collegiate sports “it’s a little crazy.” Similar to Parnell and Calabrese, Clausen does not think mixed teams are a good solution. “You have to accommodate these players,” Clausen said. “It’s clear that
men have a significant advantage, it wouldn’t be hard for them to beat a team of women.” Clausen said, “Women’s ice hockey is a great sport and there’s great competition,” but for some of his best players, playing on a mixed team could be harmful to them athletically. “For most of my girls their ice hockey careers would be over if they play on a mixed team,” Clausen said. “They wouldn’t stand a chance. It’s not because they aren’t good players or athletes, but because of the way men’s ice hockey is played.” Clausen said that there would be a possibility for more injuries, and it would be dangerous for females to play against males because men’s ice hockey is full contact. Male ice hockey players also go at a faster speed not just because of their skating abilities, but also because of their strength. Their strength allows them to hit the puck harder, to send the puck farther around the rink. Women’s basketball coach Michele Davis has been coaching at Utica for 11 years and knows that transitioning is not something that athletes want to do to enhance their career; it’s an emotional decision and process. Although she understands that the NCAA wants to be equal she does not understand how creating mixed teams are an equal practice when it is clear that the rules are different from men’s to women’s basketball. “Women can’t play men’s teams,” Davis said. “There’s a difference between men’s basketball and women’s basketball and that’s contact.” Like Parnell, Clausen and Calabrese, Coach Davis said the sport would be hurt as a whole because “men are bigger, faster and stronger.” “You can take the best player (on my team),” Davis said. “She won’t be able to go against a men’s team.” “It doesn’t matter how good they
are,” Davis said. “I have girls that are under 5’5” and you need to look at this from the whole team. You want to make (players) feel comfortable, and there’s no doubt that they would be comfortable on my team, but because of one player the team becomes mixed, that hurts the whole team. You’re going to lose every game.” As far as how team dynamics are concerned, Utica junior guard Katie McGee said nothing would change for Lady Pioneers basketball. “You can be pink, blue, gray or polka dot,” McGee said. “We don’t care. If you’re personable and can play well, then you can clearly hang with us.” McGee said: “The NCAA should recognize transgender individuals, but calling teams mixed, unisex or co-ed is not necessary.” “By making teams co-ed or
mixed, or whatever they want to call it,” McGee said, “they’re giving someone an unfair advantage because one person can make 2010-11 George Washington Women’s Basketball Team. the difference on Kye Allums is third from the left in the back row. an all-female team According to the NCAA, “Educaor mixed team. tional resources are being developed Collegiate teams are supposed to be now and are expected to be reviewed gender specific, otherwise they’re by NCAA committees in April. Dejust club or intramural sports.” velopment of a formal NCAA policy Another issue McGee talked will come through the normal govabout was harassment, although ernance structure involving member she said it would not happen on her colleges and universities. Whatever team. policies are adopted, the NCAA’s priority is to ensure they are in the “Girls can be mean,” McGee said. best interest of student-athletes’ “Transitioning is a huge decision well-being.” made by an individual and it’s hard on them already and being in college Cristina Picozzi is a senior is a crucial time in their life. They journalism student at Utica College. need a lot of support.”
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To be included in our MVP section, e-mail MVP@competenetwork.com
AGE: 25 CITY: Phoenix HOMETOWN: Springfield, Missouri SPORTS: Softball, Volleyball TEAMS: BS West (Softball), Team Rehab (Volleyball) SINGLE OR TAKEN: Single INTERESTS: Traveling, hiking, snowboarding, psychology, foreign culture, movies LIKES: Family, whiskey, the lake (especially when all three are mixed together!) DISLIKES: Back-seat drivers, mustard, smokers, obstinate and implacable individuals BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE: Eyes FAVORITE ATHLETE: Steve Nash: “One of the most enjoyable and brilliant guys on and off the court.” WHY HE LOVES HIS SPORTS: “Because the camaraderie and competition experienced with my teammates are feelings that are unmatched by anything else. It’s also a chance to stay active and participate in an activity that perpetuates unity and solidarity.”
TEAM COMPETE MV P
ERIC FOSTER
Photos by SAKI Photography
Happening Sin City Softball Tournament Growing Into Annual Sports Festival
Story by Buddy Early | Photos courtesy EyeconInternational.com
W
ith with the Gay Games and Outgames happening only every four years – and since those competitions focus primarily on individual sports – there is certainly room for an annual sports festival inclusive of a variety of team sports. That’s what Los Angeles athlete Eric Rian is hoping to provide for U.S. athletes who play softball, basketball, football, volleyball, rugby and any other sport imaginable. For the fourth consecutive year Rian and his fellow volunteers have successfully produced the Sin City Shootout, a softball tournament held in Las Vegas. Over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend 137 teams showed up, making it the largest NAGAAA (North American Gay Amateur
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Athletic Alliance) tournament outside the Gay World Series. This year, however, those softball squads were joined by 27 basketball teams, as the National Gay Basketball Association came on board with its own tournament. The organizations shared resources, held a joint registration party, and experienced the Las Vegas Strip like never before. Over 2,000 gay and lesbian athletes partying on the Strip over three days – now that’s an event! And in the coming years Rian hopes to double that number. “Las Vegas is tailormade for big events,” said Rian, adding that the city is the perfect place to stage such a large-scale sporting event. Registartion for the January tournament entitled athletes to dis-
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counts to various Vegas attractions, and even a chance to win gift certificates to restaurants, shows and concerts (including Cher!). “I tried to get Cher to come to the event,” Rian
admitted, figuring you never know unless you ask. “Scheduling-wise she wasn’t able to make it.” With a tournament that has tripled in size in its short four-year
history, Rian is confident that he can make it work when more sports sign on for the future. Discussions have begun with flag football representatives, and he has reached out to those who could bring volley-
no more volunteers to handle it.” At this point he has been operating with mostly the same volunteers since year one. Having the same field directors year after year, he says, makes it easy
in Vegas ball and golf competitions to the table. “My ultimate goal is to make this a winter sports festival,” he said. “Each year I’d like to keep adding one sport, until we reach our capacity where we have
to pull off, particularly since he (and his committee members) come from the Greater Los Angeles Softball Association. While producing a softball tournament in one city – from another city – can be difficult, Rian makes sure his
bases are covered by making 5-6 pre-event trips to Las Vegas, and by arriving in the city four days before the start. And after participating as a player the first year Rian, who plays for the L.A. Batboys, realized he could help things run smoother if his only role was as Tournament Director. Devoting his full attention to running the event is how Rian has been able to grow the tournament and receive almost 100 percent positive feedback from
attendees. It validates the vision he had five years ago when he approached the GLASA board of directors about producing an annual softball tournament in Las Vegas. “The field quality in L.A. leaves a lot to be desired,” said Rian. “They used to have the Tournament of the Stars
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– it was actually embarrassing to invite people from across the world to play on those fields.” But the top-notch fields and sports complexes Vegas offers, as well as the temperate climate and inexpensive hotel rates in January, not to mention the hospitality of the city itself, lends to one incredible weekend of athletics. In addition, Rian has found ease working with the Convention & Visitors Bureau and host hotels and businesses, all of which have been extra accommodating. This year’s host hotel was the Rio, and official events were hosted by
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Cathouse at the Luxor and Revolution Lounge at The Mirage. “One of the best compliments we had was that everybody enjoyed being at high-class, mainstream venues,” Rian said. The tournament has been such a success that after its first two years it spurred interest in the local community to start a Las Vegas gay softball league. It’s things like that that makes Rian believe a full-scale annual sports festival is possible, and that his hard work is paying off. “I truly enjoy putting on an event and seeing
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everyone happy,” said Rian. “Every opening Friday when Registration is open and everything is underway, I get this emotional drain – everything has come together.” If Rian is successful in growing his event into a sports festival with numerous tournaments all taking place at the same time, then the U.S. will have something to rival the Gay Games and Outgames. Only at these games, athletes will not have to wait every four years and at the end of the day only the best of the best get a championship trophy.
Racing Fans Follow Sport Via Queers4Gears by Heather Robinson “GAY NASCAR FANS” FOR MANY SOUNDS LIKE A SPOOF, like a vegetarian redneck or a tolerant terrorist. But unlike Hairy Jerry’s, the gay Yeti bar that is rumored to be found deep in the Canadian wilderness, gay NASCAR fans really do exist. They can be found at racing events across the country as well as at their online habitat, Queers4Gears.com. If after visiting the site you’re still not convinced, consider “Nasbian” – a word coined to describe Lesbians who love NASCAR (and presumably straight women who won’t give out their phone numbers at races). How could that word exist if there weren’t at least a few women who love women and NASCAR? My ambivalent response to the gay NASCAR fan phenomenon turned out to be rather common, at least in the large gay-themed metropolis where I did my highly 40 | COMPETE
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unscientific poling. I asked several gay men if they were NASCAR fans and got mostly blanks stares in return. The responses ranged from, “Watching a car go round and round in a circle doesn’t float my boat” to “I’m not even sure what it is.” On a more positive note one adorable bearded gentleman did indicate that “Their drivers are hot.” (Which turns out to be true on several levels as the temperature in racing cars can reach 120 degrees … and Patrick Dempsey likes to race.) One man went so far as to deny the very existence of this admittedly elusive species: “There’s no such thing as a gay NASCAR fan.” It could be that I was just looking in the wrong part of the country, as racing tends to be more popular in the South. Since NASCAR ranks second only to football in TV viewing popularity,
statistically it stands to reason that at least some of those race lovers must be gay. Michael Myers, who operates Q4G, has said on more than one occasion that “NASCAR has more fans who are accepting of me being gay than gays have been accepting of me being a NASCAR fan.” Myers has continued to be pleasantly surprised by NASCAR’s response to him and his site. He was granted press credentials without a fuss and has felt nothing but accepted by everyone in NASCAR media relations that he has come into contact with. “I know that being gay in the NASCAR thing is not traditional. … It may take them some time. But they have been ‘welcoming’ so far.” On a more cynical note, it may be that NASCAR’s openness to fans of all sexual proclivities has less to do with tolerance and more to do
with flagging ticket sales. (Attendance dropped in 14 out of 19 races in 2010.) So if NASCAR can welcome gays why can’t gays welcome NASCAR? And why are Evan Darling gays such meanies to other gays who like NASCAR? It might be that some gays don’t like NASCAR fans because they think that the kind of person who likes NASCAR doesn’t like gays. “They’d like to run us over,” one gay man I spoke to said, while his comrades rattled off characteristics they as-
sociated with race fans: “bigots, rednecks, republicans, rich people, rich companies.” Rich companies do fuel professional racing, which is an extremely expensive sport to be involved in. Indeed, funding a racing season starts at around half a million dollars. Evan Darling, currently the only pro who has raced out of the closet, has struggled throughout his career to find the funds he needs to compete. “There is no support for out athletes and in this sport if you lose your sponsorship your career is over,” said Darling, who was hoping to benefit from the deep pockets of gay-friendly corporations, but so far he hasn’t had any luck finding sponsorship. After five years of struggle he is considering throwing in the towel. “I’m the first pro athlete to come out while I’m still in the sport,” he said. “I love the competition, but I
Michael Myers of Queers4Gears.com also need to pay my bills.” Darling is dedicated to the sport and still hoping to find the support he needs to continue. He also loves men who look like truck drivers, which may be scaring off potential sponsors. While always enjoying the thrill of fast cars driven by good-looking men, Myers also has bigger goals for Q4G. “There are as many misconceptions and stereotypes about NASCAR fans as there are about gay people. I hope in some small ways Queers4Gears can help to change that,” he says on the
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welcome page of his website. He is also dedicated to creating a place where gay NASCAR fans feel safe and welcomed, and it seems to be working with responses like, “Great site!! I thought I was the only gay NASCAR fan” and “Seeing sites like yours and Gaytona makes me realize I (and many others like myself) are not alone. Thank you so much!” Whether they know it or not racing has lots of aspects that might appeal to the gay sports fan. Though Myers enjoys rooting for his favorite driver, he enjoys even more hating on the drivers he doesn’t like. Nobody enjoys being playfully hateful more than a gay man. Then there is the inherent drama, winners, losers, crashes and driving
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antics. It may not be Shakespeare on wheels, but there is certainly an arresting narrative arc. And if none of that grabs you, “I like to point out to potential gay fans – it is a bunch of young, really hot guys, driving fast and colorful cars,” said Myers. Myers thinks that NASCAR is having trouble attracting new fans because the races are too long. The Indy 500 can take nearly four hours, which is a large chunk out of anyone’s Sunday. Myers finds more converts at the smaller tracks where the races are shorter and the cars are smaller, but the action is still fast and furious. “The races are over fast and there is a ton of action. After three hours they might have seen nine different races with
nine types of cars. The tickets to these local tracks are cheap, too,” said Myers. The Q4G site features serious racing news and commentary as well as lighter gay-themed fare entitled “gaynalyses.” Currently the site has over 50,000 page views and is averaging over 2,000 unique visitors a month. Myers also wants to help queers of all orientations get a chance to enjoy live racing action, working with race promoters to score ticket discounts for Queers4Gears visitors to a November race at the Phoenix International Raceway. To find out more about the wide world of NASCAR and the gays who love it visit www.queers4gears.com.
SWIMMERS EAR STORIES OF GAY SPORTS: BY MICHAEL HOLTZ
5 Questions with Author and Former College Athlete Ryan Quinn
R
aised in an active family that took advantage of the Alaskan outdoors, Ryan Quinn was on skis long before he learned to read or write. While enjoying a ski scholarship at the University of Utah, Quinn was twice an NCAA AllAmerican. And during his sophomore year, he was one of the first NCAA athletes competing in a Division I sport to come out.
As his ski career came to a climactic end in 2003, when he and his teammates won the NCAA Skiing Championships, his writing career was barely getting underway. In January, Quinn’s debut novel The Fall — a coming of age tale about the intertwined lives of three college students — was published. I sat down with Ryan to talk about coming out in college sports, writing, and how both have impacted his life. Holtz: You came out to your
teammates on the University of Utah Ski Team. How did that go? Quinn: It was wonderful. Here’s the thing: before you come out, you fear the worst. And because you’re living so much in your head, it’s like this vacuum of isolation that can really distort reality and your identity. But then you come out and realize that your friends are your friends. I think on one level they admired my honesty, and on another level they didn’t care if I was gay. If anything changed, we became closer as teammates and I became a better skier without the distraction of having to live with a secret.
What advice would you give to high school and college athletes who are gay? Quinn: Come out. You’ll wish you did it sooner. I think being gay is a gift. It makes you more selfaware, and you should view that as a
Holtz: Do you think things have changed for gay athletes in sports? Ryan Quinn
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secret weapon, not as a disadvantage. If you’re honest and open, people will admire and respect you. Thousands of high school and college athletes have come out over the last decade and 99 percent of them found they had the support and acceptance of their teammates and friends. Coming out used to be hard. It was hard in the 50s and 60s. But in the 21st Century it isn’t hard. If you don’t come out you’re only hurting yourself. Holtz: Where did the idea for The Fall come from? Quinn: I think it started with my obsession about identity — where identity comes from, how much control you have over it, etc. But that was just something I spent a lot of time thinking about. What turned that random obsession into a story was the characters. The characters al-
ways come first in fiction, at least good fiction. Once I had these three main characters, I let the other details of the story form around them. I also think the book came out of a void I recognized in our culture. This was a book I would have wanted to read when I was in high school or college, but it didn’t exist. All books and movies about young gay people dealt with drugs, AIDS, or prostitution. Where were all the gay athletes? They weren’t on TV, they weren’t in movies. There was one book: The Frontrunner by Patricia Nell Warren, which is a book I love. It’s set in the 70s.
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There were no books about my generation coming of age that featured a gay athlete. So I wrote it myself. Holtz: Is The Fall autobiographical? Quinn: Everyone wants to know this. And the answer is more obvious than people expect. In an abstract sense, every piece of fiction created by an author, filmmaker, songwriter or other artist is autobiographical. Because we literally only have our own experiences to work with. My intellectual and emotional DNA is inevitably intertwined with the characters in The Fall, and with the journey they endure. That being said, no scene in The Fall actually happened to me. I made
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it all up, and I think it’s a way more interesting story than anything that happened to me in college. There are both obvious and covert pieces of me in all of these characters. But the creative part of writing — the thing that makes it fiction — is the way you pick and choose a mix of real experiences or themes and build a compelling story that is hopefully more universal in appeal than the author’s own private life. Holtz: What is the message readers will take away from The Fall? Quinn: That’s up to them. The cool thing about books is that the reader is part-creator in the experience. The words are on the page, but they don’t do the work for you like scenes on a
TV or movie screen. In order to input the story into your head, you have to build that world with your own imagination. A forced message can ruin the magic of that process, so I’ve tried to stay away from “messages.” They come off as preachy, fake or, worse, boring. I wanted to write a book that was honest and entertaining. With that in mind, one message readers might absorb from the book is the same message I hope I’ve always conveyed to people around me: be yourself, be self-aware. Take risks and go after what you want. The worst thing that will happen is you’ll have a pretty cool story to tell. The Fall is available for purchase at www.RyanQuinnBooks.com or at www.Amazon.com.
All
L Stars
Compete Magazine is assembling a team of All-Stars to improve your game and your life. This month, we welcome Dr. Gary London and Ken Hunt, Certified Personal Trainer. Read Ken Hunt’s Fitness Center column in this month’s issue and look for Dr. London’s new column, Ask the Hormone Doctor, beginning in April. In addition, listen for our All-Stars on Compete Radio.
Dr. Gary London, M.D. Gary London, M.D. has been in the private practice of medicine in California for over 40 years. A recognized expert in hormone restoration, he now limits his practice exclusively to helping patients delay or reverse the negative effects of aging. After graduating from UCLA, Dr. London received his M.D. from New York University School of Medicine, and then completed his postgraduate training at USC. In addition to his long career in direct patient care, he received awards for his clinical research, served as President of his Medical Society, was a Member of a California State Health Commission and served on a National Health Council in Washington, D.C. Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. London has delivered over 4,500 babies. In caring for thousands of patients, he gained vast experience in the use of hormones. Recognizing the anti-aging benefits of hormones for both men and women, Dr. London now specializes in age-management medicine and hormone supplementation. He has written and lectured extensively on the subject of aging. His book Thank You Suzanne Somers wins praise for its clear and concise explanation of the role of hormones in maintaining health. Suzanne Somers recommends Dr. London in her books.
Ken Hunt, Certified Personal Trainer As the owner of Steel Gym, NY and an AFI Certified Personal Trainer, Ken’s goal is to help change people’s lives. Whether you want to lose weight, improve your health, increase your energy, change your food habits, or live a more balanced life, Ken can help. Personal training, fitness, health and wellness are his passions and his profession. Ken views his role as an educator, nutritionist, personal trainer, motivational speaker, life coach and sometimes even alarm clock. For Ken, personal training goes beyond the hour-long sessions in the gym; Ken wants to become a positive force for change in your life. 50 | COMPETE
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TIPS FOR STAYING FIT & HEALTHY: BY KEN HUNT
Stay Healthy (and Happy) Through the Wonders of
SE X
AS A PERSONAL TRAINER AND LECTURER, I am always being asked how to stay fit and healthy. Well, aside from the obvious – eating right, going to the gym, and getting plenty of rest – I have one important suggestion guaranteed to not only keep you healthy, but put a smile on your face. In one word: Sex! Scientific studies show that sex is extremely beneficial for our health. A 10-year research study showed that sex on a regular basis increases your lifespan.
Sex is everywhere in the media. You cannot get away from it (and who wants to), and sometimes the idea that we are vital, sexual creatures is still looked at with disgust or in other cases a bit of embarrassment. But if you take a look at how our sexuality adds and enhances our life and our health, you will see that the benefits are amazing. Sex does a body good in a number of ways, ways that are not just anecdotal or hearsay; these health benefits of sex are backed by scientific scrutiny. Sex is a great mode of exercise. It takes work to do it well from both a physical and psychological perspective. (See, it’s not just about a great pair of jeans and a tight t-shirt.) Our mental and emotional health balance is clearly influenced by sex. Abstinence is known to cause anxiety and paranoia, as well as depression. After having sex the brain releases endorphins that decrease stress, inducing a state of euphoria. And we all know how great good sex can be. But here are some interesting facts that you might not know. Ken Hunt is an [American Fitness Institute] AFI-certified trainer and owner of Steel Gym, ranked one of the top five gyms in the United States by Muscle and Fitness Magazine and ranked “#1 Gym in New York” by the AFI. Steel Gym is located at 146 W. 23rd St. in Manhattan. Call 212-352-9876, e-mail info@SteelGym.com or visit www.SteelGym.com for more information. Also follow Steel Gym at Facebook.com/SteelGymNYC and Twitter.com/SteelGym. 52 | COMPETE
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Did you know that …? Sweating while having sex cleanses the skin pores, making the skin brighter and decreasing the risk of developing dermatitis. Sex can make us lose weight. Quickies of 20 minutes weekly mean 7,500 calories annually. A sex session can burn about 200 calories. This is like running 15 minutes on a treadmill. And it’s much more fun! Sex strengthens our muscles. You can imagine the effort made by your muscles through those pushes and flexions. Of course it depends on how acrobatic you are in bed. And it’s clearly a lot more exciting than lifting heavy weights every day. The more active your sex life is, the more attractive you are. High sexual activity makes the body release more pheromones, chemicals that attract potential partners to you. Boosting self-esteem was one of 237 reasons people have sex, as collected by University of Texas researchers and published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. I think you will agree sometimes we have sex to feel even better. One of the reasons people say they have sex is to feel good about themselves. Great sex begins with self-esteem. If the sex is loving and connected, and if it’s what you want, then it will raise your self-esteem.
Sex sharpens our senses, at least the sense of smell. Following the orgasm, a rise of the hormone prolactin makes the brain’s stem cells form new neurons in the olfactory bulb, boosting your sense of smell. Sex is also a pain reliever. It’s 10 times more effective than Valium. The chemicals released during sex calm pain – from a minor headache to arthritis. Migraines also disappear because the pressure in the brain’s blood vessels is lowered while we have sex. So I guess the excuse, “Not tonight honey; I have a headache” will no longer hold any water. Kissing your partner daily means fewer visits to the dentist. Kissing stimulates salivation, which cleanses food left between the teeth and lowers the acidity in the mouth, the main cause of tooth decay. A good sex session can be a good remedy against a stuffy nose, being a natural antihistaminic that helps combat asthma and high fever. I bet you are breathing easier knowing that!
Urology International. When they followed men diagnosed with prostate cancer and those without, they found no association of prostate cancer with the number of sexual partners as the men reached their 30s, 40s and 50s. But they found men who had five or more ejaculations weekly while in their 20s reduced their risk of getting prostate cancer later by a third. The hormones released while we have sex, like testosterone, strengthen the bones and muscles. And speaking of hormones: having sex and orgasms increases levels of the hormone oxytocin, the so-called love hormone, which helps us bond and build trust. Higher oxytocin has also been linked with a feeling of generosity. If you’re feeling suddenly more generous toward your partner than usual, credit the love hormone. So, if you perform well in bed, then it might lead to the Cartier or Rolex watch you have always wanted. (p.s. that’s how I got mine!)
Having sex regularly, drops the cholesterol level, balancing the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
Sex is beneficial not only for the heart, but also for the blood circulation, especially in the brain, because of the increased heart rate and deep breathing.
Frequent ejaculations, especially in 20-something men, may reduce the risk of prostate cancer later in life, Australian researchers reported in the British Journal of
Sexual activity lowers the risk of getting colds and the flu. Having sex one to two times weekly means a 30 percent higher level of the antibody immunoglobulin A
that spurs the immune system. Sex leads to a better control of the bladder, by strengthening the pelvis muscles controlling the flow of urine. After orgasm, especially in the evening, we become sleepy. This is the effect of some good sex: it increases sleep quality. Following an orgasm, the body becomes completely relaxed, so that you can have a good deep sleep. And a good night’s sleep is important for maintaining good health. So, do you need any more proof that sex is good for you? I hope not! Have fun. Enjoy. Be Safe.
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OVERTIME
SCOREBOARD RESULTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
SOFTBALL RESULTS SIN CITY SHOOTOUT – LAS VEGAS
ORLANDO MELTDOWN
A Division
C Division
Champions: Phoenix Roscoes Toros 2nd Place: Atlanta Travelers 3rd Place: Long Beach Rough Riders
Champions: Tampa Crocs 2nd Place: Ft. Lauderdale Atomic Boom 3rd Place: Orlando Scrappers
B Division
D Division
Champions: Denver Stix 2nd Place: Boston Alley Gators 3rd Place: L.A. Express
Champions: Ft. Lauderdale New Moon Sluggers 2nd Place: Tampa G. Bar ACES 3rd Place: Orlando Wild Stallions
C-1 Division
Women’s Competetive Division
Champions: New York Eagle Wings 2nd Place: Las Vegas Rat Pack 3rd Place: L.A. Swingers
Champions: Ft. Lauderdale New Moon Sol Rebels 2nd Place: Ft. Lauderdale New Moon Lightning Strikes 3rd Place: Orlando Chix with Stix
C-2 Division
Women’s Recreational Division
Champions: Dallas Wrecking Crew 2nd Place: Minneapolis Edge 3rd Place: New York Eagle
Champions: Orlando Prime 2nd Place: Ft. Lauderdale Manor Vandals 3rd Place: Orlando Crazy Stix
D Division Champions: Las Vegas Mafia 2nd Place: L.A. Destroyers 3rd Place: L.A. Bulldogs Women’s C Division Champions: L.A. Rebels 2nd Place: San Francisco/San Diego Peacemakers 3rd Place: San Diego Aberration Women’s D Division Champions: New York Dirty Dozen 2nd Place: L.A. The Five Hole 3rd Place: San Diego Slammers
VOLLEYBALL RESULTS MARDI GRAS CLASSIC – NEW ORLEANS A Division Champions: Houston AMF 2nd Place: Seattle Battle Cattle 3rd Place: New York Pisco Sour II AA Division Champions: Houston Stars 2nd Place: Houston Hitmen 3rd Place: San Francisco Thai Iced Tea B Division Champions: Dallas Caucasians 2nd Place: New York BB Rejects 3rd Place: Chicago Bonheur BB Division Champions: Aremmo Tigers 2nd Place: New York/San Jose Nobody 3rd Place: Atlanta Mojo
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OVERTIME
CALENDAR GAY SPORTS EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY
3-6
12-13
18-20
Hotlanta Classic XIX (Volleyball) Atlanta www.hotlantavolleyball.org
Palm Springs Doubles 2011 (Tennis) Palm Springs www.deserttennis.us
St. Patrick’s Invitational Tournament (Bowling) Memphis www.spitmemphis.com
4-6
17-20
18-20
Chicago Pride Invitational (Bowling) Chicago www.cpi-chicago.org
Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament (Bowling) Phoenix www.prit.net
Vancouver’s English Bay Cup (Bowling) Vancouver www.vebc.ca
4-6
18-20
19-20
Heart of Texas Classic 9 (Tennis) Austin www.austintennisclub.com
Cincinnati Drama Queen Classic (Volleyball) Cincinnati www.dramaqueenclassic.com
Irvine Splash 6 (Volleyball) Irvine, Calif. www.californiastylevb.webs.com
11-13
18-20
25-27
Texas Traditional Rodeo (Rodeo) Alvarado www.tgra.org
Ladies Invitational Tournament (Bowling) Dallas www.igbo.org
Battle at the Beach (Cheer & Dance) Myrtle Beach www.spiritsports.com
12-13
18-20
25-27
Orca’s Emerald City Swim Meet Lone Star Classic (Softball) Seattle Houston www.igla.org www.montrosesoftballleague. com/lonestarclassic.htm 56 | COMPETE
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Sunshine Invitational Tournament (Bowling) Orlando www.sitorlando.org
OVERTIME
SPORTLIGHT ON BARS THE HAPPENINGS AT THESE COMPETE PARTNERS
4
1 Charlie’s Phoenix 727 W. Camelback Road Phoenix 602-265-0224
2 3
16 5
Afternoon Volleyball, 3-4-1 Drinks 4-7 p.m. Sundays; Line Dance Lessons and 2-4-1 Drinks Thursdays
2 Charlie’s Denver 900 E. Colfax Denver 303-399-4059 03/08 Fat Tuesday Bingo and Blackjack; Karaoke, Line Dance Lessons Wednesdays; ½ Price Drinks Thursdays
3 Charlie’s Las Vegas 5012 Arville St. Las Vegas 702-876-1844 Something Different Drink Specials, Games, Prizes Mondays; Drag Queen Bingo Tuesdays; Dance Lessons Thursdays and Fridays
4 Charlie’s Chicago 3727 N. Halstead St. Chicago 773-871-8887 Two-Stepping Lessons Fridays; $10 You-Call-It Pitchers Sundays; $10 Absolut Pitchers and Country Line Dancing Lessons Mondays; After-Hours Nightly
5 Sidelines 2031 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, Fla. 954-563-8001 In the Biz & Flight Night Mondays; Texas Hold ’em Tuesdays; Wild Wednesdays 2-4-1 58 | COMPETE
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6 Roscoes on 7th 4531 North 7th Street Phoenix 954-563-8001 03/12 Cactus Cities Softball League Chili Cookoff; 2-4-1 Tuesdays; Go-Go Boys on Friday nights
Where you can find sports-friendly gay bars in your community Cherry Bar Phoenix 602-277-7729 Gym Bar West Hollywood 310-659-2004 Pilsner Inn San Francisco 415-621-7058 Madison Pub Seattle 206-325-6537 Joq’s Portland 503-287-4210 Fritz Bar Boston 617-482-4428 Gym/Locker Room New York 212-337-2439 Boxers NYC New York 212-206-7526 PW’s Sports Bar & Grill Laurel, Md. 301-498-4840 Nellie’s Washington, D.C. 202-332-6355 Woof’s Atlanta 404-869-9422 Sidelines Charlotte 704-525-2608 Crew Chicago 773-784-2739 The North End Chicago 773-477-7999 Downtown Olly’s Indianapolis 317-636-5597 Tickles Minneapolis 612-354-3846 Woof’s Madison, Wis. 608-204-6222 Out A Bounds Kansas City 816-756-2577 Score @ OCH Austin 512-320-8823 George’s Your Country Sports Bar Houston 713-528-8102 Woody’s Dallas 214-520-6629
OVERTIME
Wealth with a Purpose by Connie Wardman Philanthropists are great people doing great work – serious people with serious money. You probably don’t expect humor to be part of that package. So imagine our surprise when we were introduced to Jim Casey, President and CEO of Los Angeles/Palm Springs-based Integrated Wealth Management (IWM). With a fully-developed sense of humor, Casey has been photographed emerging from his swimming pool wearing a bowler hat, a dark suit, white shirt and red tie; this in a nod to Surrealist painter René Magritte’s oft-repeated image of a dignified gentleman in a bowler that’s part of IWM’s branding. But make no mistake about this philanthropist’s strong belief in sharing his success with others. Now entering year three of a fiveyear fundraising commitment to Palm Springs’ Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.), Casey is again presenting sponsor for the organization’s main fundraiser, the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards. This year’s black tie gala is being held March 12 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. In spite of a struggling
ON DECK
economy last year’s event raised $1.14 million for D.A.P., $150,000 of which was donated by Casey’s company. The IWM sponsorship this year is for $225,000, adding up to a total donation to D.A.P. of over $1 million over Casey’s fiveyear sponsorship commitment. This year marks the 17th annual fundraiser honoring Chase, considered the top interior decorator and a serious art collector in the Palm Springs area from the 1970s until his death from AIDS in 1994. And while Casey has provided major funding to many nonprofit organizations, he admits that AIDS is a major priority, the result of “having dealt with a lot of friends who passed – who passed way too early.” Listed as one of the best financial advisers and top American wealth managers by many organizations and publications, Casey attributes his success to the strong work ethic his parents instilled in him and a real passion for what he does. His original career goal was to become an industrial psychiatrist, a plan that led to a dual major in psychology and business and a
What’s on deck for Compete this month? Check out the upcoming events we are promoting! We hope to see you there!
March 3-6 Expanding the Circle: Creating an Inclusive Environment in Higher Education for LGBT Students and Studies (A Campus Pride Event), San Francisco March 3-6 Western Regional LGBTQIA Conference with Campus Pride Voice & Action Award Presentation, Berkeley, Calif. March 12-13 GLBT Expo New York City* March 12-17 Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, Palm Springs, Calif.* March 12 Team DC Fashion Show & Model Search, Washington, D.C.* March 12 Cactus Cities Softball League Chili Cookoff at Roscoe’s, Phoenix* March 17-20 PUGBA Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament, Phoenix* March 19-26 Matthew Shepard Foundation Gay Ski Week Crested Butte, Colo.* March 19 HRC Arizona Annual Dinner and Gala, Phoenix* March 20 Florida AIDS Walk 2011, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.* March 31-April 2 West Coast Stop The Hate Train the Trainer (A Campus Pride Event), Napa Valley, Calif. April 1-3 Power of One NWLGBT Leadership Conference with Campus Pride Voice & Action Award Presentation, Portland, Ore. For more events visit www.competenetwork.com and click on Events. *Look for Compete at these events 60 | COMPETE
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minor in women’s studies. But his senior thesis on the psychological differences in investment strategies among men and women unleashed his entrepreneurial streak. And the rest, as they say, is history. While never an athlete, Casey was a theater kid in school and recently took up filmmaking, his version of a hobby. He and his partner of 23 years split their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Palm Springs.
OVERTIME
SPORTS YEARBOOK THIS MONTH IN HISTORY: MARCH
It was a monumental month for NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain. The all-time great hit a number of milestones in the month of March, including scoring 100 points in a single game.
TUE
WED
1
2
Wilt Chamberlain becomes 1st NBA player to score 30,000 points (1972)
8
Chamberlain scores 100 points in an NBA game (1962)
9
22 1st Masters golf championship begins in Augusta, Ga. (1934)
29
3
FRI
4
Bill (Willie) Shoemaker becomes 1st jockey to surpass $100 million (1985)
SAT
5
New York Yankee pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich announce they swapped wives (1973)
10
11
Eddie Sutton becomes only NCAA coach to lead 4 schools into playoffs (1991)
1st public basketball game is played in Springfield, Massachusetts (1892)
16
17
18
19
Temple defeats Colorado, 60-36, to win inaugural National Invitational Tournament (1938)
USA defeats Canada for 1st Olympic Gold medal in Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hockey (1998)
Michael Jordan announces he is ending his 17-month NBA retirement (1995)
NFL owners strip Phoenix of 1993 Super Bowl due to Arizona not recognizing Martin Luther King Day (1991)
23
24
25
26
Six-year-old Tommy Moore makes a holein-one in golf in Hagerstown, Md. (1968)
15
THU
Evil Knievel breaks 93 bones after successfully clearing 35 cars (1972)
30
NFLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Baltimore Colts pack up and move to Indianapolis in the middle of the night (1984)
1st Winter Olympic Games open in Chamonix, France (1924)
12
SUN
6
Muhammad Ali is ordered by selective service to be inducted (1967)
13
MON
7
Baseball decides 9 innings constitutes an official game, not 9 runs (1857)
14
Martina Navratilova and Judy Nelson settle their galamony suit (1992)
20
21
27
28 Chamberlain plays his last pro basketball game (1972)
31 Federal judge orders injunction to end baseball strike (1995)
Source: www.brainyhistory.com
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