Turn of Phrase - Top WNBA Draft Pick Is Gay

Brittney Griner - #1 WNBA draft pick

"If I can show that I'm out and I'm fine and everything's okay, then hopefully the younger generation will definitely feel the same way."

- From Brittney Griner, the number one overall pick in Monday's WNBA draft. 

The 6-foot-8 Griner, who led the Baylor Lady Bears to a 40-0 season and the NCAA women's basketball title in 2012, acknowledged her lesbian sexuality this week in a Sports Illustrated interview.

According to Griner, public recognition of her sexual orientation "wasn't too difficult," as she has lived openly and never attempted to hide who she was. It also helps that the trail for professional lesbian athletes has already been blazed by women like Sheryl Swoopes, the three-time gold medalist and first woman ever signed by the WNBA, and by tennis legends Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova. 

Coming out on such a big stage takes guts nonetheless and Griner should be commended for having the mettle to be open about her sexuality. Gay kids across the spectrum need all the support we can muster, and out gay and lesbian role models in professional sports are still pathetically few and far between, particularly among male athletes.

John Amaechi and Glenn Burke

Gay men have played in the big four professional sports in the U.S., but few have ever publicly acknowledged their sexuality and none have done so before retiring from their respective leagues. John Amaechi, who played in the NBA off-and-on for several years between 1995 and 2003, came out in 2007 and was the first NBA player (albeit a retired one) to do so. Similarly, MLB outfielder Glenn Burke, who had a brief career with the LA Dodgers and the Oakland As, came out in 1982 after retiring from baseball at the tender age of 27.

Can you imagine the hullaballoo that would surround a current top NBA draft pick who came out? Better yet, what if RGIII had announced he was gay just after signing with the NFL's Washington Redskins? I'm not expecting such a revelation anytime soon in mens' professional baseball, football, or basketball, but the world is ready. 

Now, we just have to hope there's a young gay male athlete somewhere out there with as big a heart and as much courage as Brittney Griner.

A Day At Indian Wells In Pictures

Posted By: Jeff McKown

The SoCal Desert right
outside the tennis center

A post for my fellow tennis geeks....

Paul and I made a whirlwind road trip this week to visit friends in Southern California and to stop by the BNP Paribas Open.

We drove from NorCal on Sunday and played tennis in the afternoon before enjoying a phenomenal Cuban dinner. On Monday, we left LA and headed to the Indian Wells Tennis Center.


The weather for our drive was amazing. Things were sunny and warm in the valley, but snow-capped mountains lined the horizon.

SoCal springtime as seen from I-5

Snow-capped mountain peaks
 (with a little bug smear on the windshield).

Indian Wells is an oasis in the middle of the desert near Palm Springs. The setting is gorgeous for tennis, or anything else for that matter.

Practice courts

Stadium 1 and the mountains beyond

The world's best tennis players participate in the tourney at Indian Wells (excepting a Williams sister or two), and we saw loads of tennis stars on both practice courts and in match play. Some highlights for us:

• Big guns - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and relative newbie Milos Raonic
• Gifted up-and-comers - Sloane Stephens, Ernests Gulbis,  and Jerzy Janowicz 
• Talented Frenchies - Marion Bartoli, Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon, and Benoit Paire

American men's tennis is in a bit of a slump right now. Depending on the performance of Sam Querrey this week, it's possible that no American man will be ranked in the top 20 for the first time in 40 years. If there's a bright spot on the horizon though, it may well be twenty-year old midwesterner Jack Sock.

Jack Sock practicing his backhand.

As one of the bigger tennis events in the United States, Indian Wells attracts a celebrity crowd. Who knew Gladys Knight was a big tennis fan? (Yes, she did do a couple of verses of Midnight Train to Georgia.)

Gladys Knight taking questions during lunch
in the tennis center food court.

One last photo - Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez was there. He sends his love.

Spanish tennis player Feliciano Lopez.

BONUS: The organizers of the BNP Paribas Open put on a phenomenal event for both tennis fans and players. Here's a fun video clip they put together of the top five ranked men being quizzed on how well they know each other.

A Phenomenal Show of Sportsmanship

Posted By: Jeff McKown

This isn't the first video clip of a touching act of sportsmanship in a high school basketball game, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Still, you can't see enough good news stories, and these moments of kindness and generosity should be shared and celebrated.

With one simple act, Jonathon Montanez gave a developmentally disabled teenager the gift of a lifetime, and without intending it, he gave the rest of us something lovely to smile about (and maybe weep a little, too).

(Hat tip to Kyle Sheridan for sharing the video clip.)

Bad Lip Reading in the NFL

Just in time for the Super Bowl, the folks from Bad Lip Reading are taking their "talents" to the NFL. I took a break from BLR videos after the November election, but this one is too good not to share.

All your NFL favorites - Adrian Peterson, Tom Brady, Payton Manning, and more - spouting gibberish that will make you laugh 'til you pee.

Turn of Phrase - The NFL Finally Comes Out

Kluwe, Ayanbadejo, and Burns

"I can assure you that gay people getting married will have zero effect on your life. They won’t come into your house and steal your children. They won’t magically turn you into a lustful c*ckmonster.

They won’t overthrow the government in an orgy of hedonistic debauchery because all of a sudden they have the same legal rights as the other 90 percent of our population—rights like Social Security benefits, child care tax credits, Family and Medical Leave to take care of loved ones, and COBRA healthcare for spouses and children.

You know what having these rights will make gays? Full-fledged American citizens just like everyone else..."

- From Chris Kluwe, punter for the Minnesota Vikings, in a letter he wrote to Maryland state delegate Emmett Burns, after Burns recommended the coercion and censoring of pro-LGBT Baltimore Ravens player Brendon Ayanbadejo.

Although the full story has been widely reported and Kluwe's letter has gone insanely viral online, it warrants additional discussion here nonetheless. 

For those of you who missed it somehow, here's the play in three acts. 

1. Baltimore Ravens player Brendon Ayanbadejo is a strong and vocal supporter of a November ballot initiative in the state of Maryland that would recognize same-sex marriage. 
2. A Baltimore County delegate, Emmett Burns Jr., is mortified by Ayanbadejo's public support of the measure. Burns sent a letter to the Ravens owner expressing his displeasure with Ayanbadejo and insisting the player be pressured to "cease and desist such injurious actions." 
3. Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, also an advocate for same-sex marriage, delivered a public and verbally brutal beatdown to Burns, in his very direct and powerful open letter. 

The online reaction to Kluwe's letter has been overwhelmingly positive, and LGBT rights groups are understandably thrilled to have both Ayanbadejo and Kluwe weigh-in so forcefully in favor of marriage equality.

The significance of the actions of these bold NFL players cannot be understated.

The Best and Worst Moments of Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick
Photo: Frank Franklin / AP

For the better part of the last decade, Andy Roddick has been the face of American men's tennis. Last week on his 30th birthday, the former world #1 announced that the 2012 U.S. Open would be his last tournament.

Roddick's tennis resume is bursting with accomplishments, including winning one of the sport's major events, the 2003 U.S. Open, as well as 31 other titles.

Additionally, the Nebraska native spent a remarkable nine consecutive years ranked among the top 10 players in the world.

Throughout his career, Roddick's sardonic persona, both on and off the tennis court, consistently propelled him into the midst of controversy, his forthright manner endearing him to some fans and alienating him from others.

With his loss to Juan Martin DelPotro earlier this week in New York, Roddick's career has officially come to a close. ESPN and the Tennis Channel have paid adequate tribute to Roddick; below are the words and images that best capture how I will remember him.

Angry, annoying, cocksure, whiny.
When sufficiently "provoked," Roddick took on line judges and chair umpires with ferocity.

Even tournament referees and directors could not escape the wrath of Andy.

Sarcastic, entertaining, hilarious, quick.
Andy was not always kind to the media either. He expected reporters to be as prepared and dedicated to their craft as he was to his, and if the media fell short of his expectations - he might just walk out.

He never suffered fools gladly, though he often did so with wit and humor. This trait, along with his willingness to be self-deprecating from time to time, made for some of the game's most entertaining press conferences and interviews.

Committed, passionate, honest, real.
Despite sometimes playing the role of villain, Andy's sincerity and earnestness often made him relatable and irresistibly likable. Who didn't feel for Andy after his heartbreaking loss to Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon final (16-14 in the fifth set)?

During his final moments this week in Arthur Ashe stadium, Andy showed the world what the game of tennis has meant to him with grace and humility.

Say what you will about Andy Roddick (he doesn't care what you think anyway), but his departure leaves a hole in American men's tennis that none of the current crop of younger tennis players, talented though they may be, is ready to fill.

Novak Djokovic Responds to Boy's Marriage Proposal During U.S. Open Practice

Novak warming-up in Cincy.
Photo: Jeff McKown

How do you become a fan favorite? Enjoy what you do and show it.

During a practice session this week at the U.S. Open, a boy shouted a marriage proposal to Novak Djokovic, the No. 2 ranked tennis player in the world.

Novak's response was charming and fun. The smart aleck kid doesn't get Djokovic's hand in marriage, but he does get an awesome surprise.

You can watch the young fan's encounter with Novak in the clip below.

(The proposal and Novak's response occur in the first 2 minutes and 30 seconds. The rest of the clip, while fun for tennis types, is Djokovic's serving practice.)

Here's a fun mini clip (14 seconds) Djokovic shared on Twitter this week. In the video, the star Serbian athlete shows off his serving accuracy with the help of a very brave member of his training/coaching team.

US Open - Predictions, Draws and TV Coverage

U.S. Open tennis kicks off on Monday August 27, and some of the biggest names in the sport will be in action on the first day of America's largest tournament.

Play begins at 11am (Eastern) with last year's women's champion Sam Stosur taking on Petra Martic of Croatia in Arthur Ashe stadium. 

Subsequent first day matches on the main show court feature Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray, this year's French Open champion Maria Sharapova, and multiple U.S. Open winners Kim Clijsters and Roger Federer.

You can find the exact order of play here, and the complete draws for both men's and women's singles here.

As usual, unraveling the mysteries of U.S. television coverage is more challenging than understanding a David Lynch movie. In a nutshell, it goes like this for the first five days (thru Friday):

• ESPN 2 coverage runs twice daily: 1-7pm (Eastern) and 7-11pm (Eastern) and features the top-billed matches in Ashe stadium. 
• Tennis Channel coverage runs daily from 11am-7pm (Eastern) and includes matches played on secondary courts (other than Ashe).

CBS jumps in with coverage this weekend, including Labor Day Monday, and then again when things heat up near the end of the two-week tournament for the quarters, semis, and finals. If that's too much to keep sorted, and it probably is, here's a link to the complete television schedule.

The 2012 Open is sure to offer some intriguing storylines and maybe a few surprises.

Top Tweets - Lance Armstrong Calls It Quits

I can't pretend to know the truth about the doping accusations against 7-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.

According to the US Anti-Doping Agency, the evidence against Armstrong is overwhelming, and the cyclist is giving up the fight against the allegations to avoid the awful embarrassment of the truth.

In a statement released by Armstrong, he characterizes the entire USADA investigation as an unfair witch hunt, and says he will no longer fight the charges because "enough is enough."

When I can't decide where the truth lies in a public dispute such as this, I do the only thing I can. I turn to Twitter for perspective. And, jokes.

Practice Makes Perfect at the Western & Southern Open

Professional tennis players work to perfect their game every day. Here are some candid photos from the practice courts at Cincy's Western & Southern Open.

Even the world's best tennis players need practice and a coach.

Gold medal Belarusian doubles player Max Myrni.

Japan's Kei Nishikori practicing his backhand.

Spain's David Ferrer and France's Richard Gasquet,
warming up to play doubles (though not on the same team).

Canadian Milos Raonic - wondering what
else his coach wants from him.

Venus Williams - "Didn't we just practice that?"

Roger Federer reminding us - always hydrate. 

Professionals work hard on even the most fundamental shots - like the forehand.

Aussie Bernard Tomic shows step 1: prepare for the shot.

Croatian Marin Cilic has step 2: stay focused on the ball.

Sam Stosur and step 3: keep your wrist loose.

Step 4 from Novak Djokovic: follow thru.

Step 5 - Show your swagger
 like Italy's Fabio Fognini.

There are a few different ways to hit a backhand. France's Richard Gasquet knows them all.

The pros practice everything because they never know what's coming at 'em.

Poland's Aggie Radwanska can handle any shot....

...even on the run.

Argentina's Juan Monaco's prepares a half-volley.

Bulgarian up-and-comer Grigor Dimitrov stays low.

Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic skies for an overhead.

Whatever you do....never let 'em see you sweat.

Serena showing her frustration near the end of her QF match.

Roger Federer...always cool.

Notes and Photos From the Western & Southern Open (Women's Draw)

Venus Williams practicing her serve.

As with the men's draw, a busy summer tennis schedule and the Olympics have adversely impacted the women's draw at the 2012 Western & Southern Open.

Most notably, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova, the two top ranked women in the world, are absent from Cincinnati. Additionally, No. 10 seed Ana Ivanovic was forced to pull out of the tournament with an injury to her right foot.

On the plus side, all the remaining players seeded in the top 10 have advanced to the round of 16, with the exception of France's Marion Bartoli who was defeated in her opening match by Johanna Larrson of Sweden.

Fresh from her Olympic gold medal victory in London, Serena Williams opened her campaign with a straight sets win and has to be considered the favorite at this point. Several other women could present challenges to Williams though, including older sister Venus and top-seeded Aggie Radwanska of Poland.

Incidentally, Aggie Radwanska's sister Ursula is also a professional women's tennis player - and interestingly, Ursula has also made the round of 16. Unfortunately for Ursula, her next opponent is Serena, so it is unlikely that she'll advance and it won't be possible for both sets of sisters to make the final eight.

One final name to note in the women's field is Sloane Stephens, a young American hopeful who has been climbing the rankings and whose first two showings in Cincinnati have been impressive.

Okay, on with the photos!

Serena looks intense even during her practice session.

Sam Stosur (Australia) - 2011 U.S. Open champ.

Venus Williams shows off the wingspan.

Lisa Raymond and Liezel Huber - 2011 U.S. Open Doubles champs.

Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) - practicing her volley.

Sloane Stephens (U.S.) charging hard up the rankings.

Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) - former world #1.

Caroline W's famous boyfriend and
world #1 golfer, Rory McIlroy.