Wednesday, January 27, 2010

If A Pictures Worth A Thousand Words...


Sports memorabilia stirs unique feelings of spirit, happiness and closeness to your team or favorite athlete. A picture is worth a thousand words...
This saying holds true, especially in athletics. I possess a small collection of photographic memorabilia, none more prized than photos taken at N.C.State during a regular season game (1989) versus a feisty Stanford Cardinal team which featured, Jennifer Azzi and Val Whiting among others. I have fond memories of the many games I have attended but I'm no photographer. Most times I'm not in close proximity to take a really good picture nor do I own a high powered camera lense to capture those far off golden moments. You can rest assured a solution is available.
Replay Photos, an exclusive athletic and campus photography site, takes the work out of taking high quality action shots of your favorite athletes, teams, sports and campus landmarks. Products start at $15.95. The site is easy to navigate and it allows you to get started by choosing a store. Stores happen to be a particular college or university and they are broken down into different categories, sports, stadiums, traditions, campus and more. The site offers:

Personalized Gifts
Your name or unique message on select school photos
Custom Framed Photos
Replay Peels (think fathead)
Limited collection of mascots, players, stadiums & coaches
Panoramic Photos
Canvas Gallery Wraps

Also:
NFL Photo Store
SI Collection
SI Covers and Photos straight from the vault
Gift Certificates

Replay Photos work with colleges across the nation to scour their archives for their best photographs, digitally restore them if necessary and categorize them for easy viewing. When asked about photos which date back a few years the response given was this, "if we do not have what you're looking for, on our website, we would be glad to put in a request with the school to see if they would have it available".

This is a great concept and an excellent way to collect memorabilia of your favorite NFL or NCAA schools, players or teams. When you access the site be prepared to lose time just browsing the many offerings. With photographs so vivid and action oriented you can be sure you are getting a prized piece to start or add to your own collection.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Naming Practices of Women's Sports Teams

A recent post on the Womentalksports network by Fair Game News, titled Six Troubled Trends in Women's Sports (and what we can do), offered a look at six trends to concentrate on in the fight for equality in women's athletics. The fourth trend listed was particularly intriguing. It called out the naming practices of women's team nicknames. It cited the use of the prefix "Lady" (ex. Lady Bears) as a way to create, enforce and publicize women's teams as a second class status. In 2008, a sociology professor, Cynthia Fabrizio Pelak, published a report focusing on 249 schools, in 9 southern states and found that 69.5 percent of schools employed what she coded as a sexist form of naming. Most consisted of the "Lady" prefix which Pelak explains is sexist because it "imparts a tone of frivolity and lightness to the strivings and accomplishments of women."

Do women's sport team names invoke a trivial or frivolous value? Is this thinking only limited to the southern states? How does the rest of the 41 states play into these naming practices. What is the sentiment of the general public in regards to "frivolity of women's athletic accomplishments"?

Please participate in this survey, Naming Practices of Women's Athletic Teams, which is geared to collect the populations opinion on whether or not using the term "Lady" or "ettes" is demeaning to women's sports. It is not the intention of the survey to delve into gender equality or fairness of athletic programs across the country and their financial allocations to male sports and female sports. This survey strictly measures the opinion of the public on their feelings about using the "Lady" term. The survey asks only a few simple questions. It is open for submissions now and will close on February 28, 2010. The findings will be published soon thereafter. You can subscribe to this feed to ensure you will get the results or simply bookmark this site and check back. In order to get a good representation of the population feel free to pass the survey link along. Male or female, athletes as well as non sports fans are encouraged to take part. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Are You Ready For Some Football!



The Superbowl is around the corner, the grand prize for the National Football League. With the NFL season coming to an end, it signals the start of another. Currently all around the country open tryouts are being held for the Independent Women's Football League, a full contact women's tackle football league which fields teams all over the United States.

I made a resolution for 2010, to support women's athletics and promote them as much as possible. Included in that resolution was to see for the first time a women's professional football game. I got a preview of that when I was allowed to observe the open tryouts in Atlanta up close, for the Atlanta Xplosion. The Xplosion have been around since 2003 finishing it's first season with a 9-1 record. The brightest moment thus far has been a National Championship in 2006.

So on a rainy day, in a sterile and cold concrete warehouse filled with weight equipment, tumbling mats and a 50 yard field, about 40 plus ladies were put through the paces. I had no real expectations for what I would see. So, before going I pondered... what would I really like to know about women playing football? Who are they? Why do they play? What's their background? I am no stranger to women participating in sports, I am one,... but football? Having to endure bone shaking hit after hit for no pay (they are not compensated) is not on my bucket list. I love to watch it, but wouldn't want to experience it. So again, who are they?...career women, wives and mothers, motivated by the love of the game for some and the call of mid-life crisis for one. For her 45th birthday last year, Patricia, a consultant in the wireless industry, contemplated a bike ride across the country or trying out for the Xplosion. She became a 45 year old football rookie. Now she is a veteran with this years squad. Denise, 23, is a former track and field athlete who used to practice with the boys football team (her mom wouldn't let her play).

Once on the practice field the players prevailed through sprints, drills and more. Numerous times throughout the day they chanted "tick...tick...Boom!" It is symbolic for the countdown of an explosion for one, but also a battle cry, with meaning, for the team. Their head coach, a former NFL player, who stresses character, explained, the first tick means, "toughness identifies character" and the second tick is "teamwork with intensity wins championships". Both toughness and teamwork were tested as they continued their grueling workout. Veterans were eager to teach the rookies technique and quick to encourage their new teammates. It's a good chance all who came will make the roster. They usually suit up 45 players for a game. Injuries are a big part of any athletic team, football being no exception. I spoke to a member of last years squad who tore her ACL and asked what she missed most about the game? Her response, "I miss hitting people." Another was waiting for her doctor's clearance in order to lace up the cleats and play again. Her enthusiasm on the sidelines was infectious!

They have names like "Juice" and "Smooth". They have hardware, a championship ring from the 2006 season and they have knowledge. Because they play, many of the ladies speak about seeing the game differently. They read defenses, recognize formations and some even correct their sons little league coaches. It's a sisterhood and a bond. They are linked by a common denominator. Regardless the background, regardless the story, one thing that unites this group of varying ages and skill sets is the "passion for the game." I was proud of what I saw! I can't explain why. I left the tryouts speechless, amazed and stoked. I've bookmarked the Xplosion website, printed out the schedule and circled my first game date. All that is left, is the wait.

Tick...Tick...Tick...

Monday, January 11, 2010

2009 NCCS National Flag Football Championships

I consider myself a sports nut having grown up with a father who constantly watched sports year round. So, I have to feel a bit embarrassed that I was not aware of the athletes participating in the 2009 National Campus Championship Series (NCCS) National Flag Football Championships, sponsored by Powerade. This event was held on a chilly, University of South Florida campus in Tampa on January 3-5, 2010. Men's, women's and co-rec flag football teams from across the nation competed in this 3-day tournament. CBS College Sports Network aired the women's and men's championship games on January 10th.

They have team names, "Simply Marvelous" and "Allstars" and these athletic women battled the elements and each other, running and passing their way to a victory. The look of intensity on the faces of the competitors, gave you a feel for the passion and determination these players possess. They played hard, represented their institutions and represented women athletes everywhere.

The Florida A&M University squad, winners of this NCCS event in 2007 secured another national title against the host school, the University of South Florida, with a score of 14-13. The women's all-tournament team awards were as follows:

MVP-Ruby Nugent-FAMU
Tynequia Roberts-FAMU
Asia Evans-FAMU
K.K. Matheny-USF
Bryn Renda-USF
Chandree Hunter-Old Dominion
Danielle Low-Angelo State University
Marcia Walker-Univ. of Central Arkansas


You can catch video highlights and photos on the CBS/Powerade site. You'll also be able to find info on it's additional sponsored NCCS event, basketball, which concludes play at Vanderbilt, April 9-11, 2010. For information about the 2010 NCCS Regional and National Basketball Championships visit their link.

See if the FAMU "Simply Marvelous" squad can repeat as national champions. For more information on the 2010 flag football campaign click here.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Deja Vu

In the past, I have been dubbed a pack rat, a badge I proudly wear. I have gotten better about tossing out damaged or hardly used items, although I did release from my possession, my longtime, homemade collection of VHS recordings. The contents of these recordings were the 2000, 2004 women's Olympic events in basketball, volleyball and softball. Also included were a few choice games from the defunct ABL, the Sylvia Crawley blindfold dunk during the All-star dunk contest and a splattering of other ABL games. I also relieved myself of some dated NCAA gems. The 1989 game between Vicky Bulletts, Maryland Terrapins and the Texas Longhorns. The Dawn Staley led University of Virginia Cavaliers when they made a run at the National Championship in 1991. As I regret spring cleaning these choice mementos, I can take comfort in knowing all is not completely lost.

The NCAA has a site, NCAA On Demand, which allows you to purchase a dvd copy of past games. The dvd's are divided into sport categories. All sports offer division I,II and III championship games, matches or highlights. The games date back, for some, as far as 1982 and run to the present. Although the site is large, it is very user friendly. The capability to go directly to a specific game is a time conscious plus. You can search the dvd collection three ways. Browse games by sport categories, or search by school or search by year. In many cases box sets are offered. With over 1,700 women's specific dvd's available there are endless possibilities and you are sure to find classic match-ups from both past pioneers and personalities of today.

I must say my eyes lit up in wonderment at the thought of owning a super library of the greatest moments in women's NCAA sports history. I love it! After all, I am, a pack rat.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A New Year's Resolution

The holidays are over and the new year is here. If you are like me, I always take stock of my mismanaged resolutions of the past and begin fresh every first of the year. It's funny, the older I get, the better I do following through with my new year's declarations. Perhaps I pick a purpose that I am more apt to keep which allows me to have a greater success rate. So as I contemplate the things in my life to change or improve I check off the basics; family, spiritual life, friends, finances and to this list I add a new one. Although I have in the past been a supporter of all types of women's athletic events, I resolve to truly step it up and aid in it's prosperity. My assistance will come in the form of attendance, blogs, tweets, word of mouth and any other advertising avenues I can use. Attending collegiate or professional sporting events is not only accessible and inexpensive, but in some cases, it's free! Give the athletes of today some of your time. Will you join me in my pursuit to double my output from the past year? If you attended one event last year, attend two this year. Vow to assist for success your local colleges, universities and professional squads in 2010. I have already circled a few dates on the calendar including what will be two firsts for me. I will witness my first professional soccer match and women's professional football game. Of course my existence there will not be complete without purchasing licensed apparel. I will be sure to blog about my apparel choices and include pictures, so look for that in the future.

Happy New Year and see you at the games!