Because soccer isn't gay, but once in awhile it kinda is.
Guys & Gals We Like
Landon Donovan Talks to HuffPost About Gay Athletes
05/17/13
Landon Donovan did a chat with Huffington Post Live while in New York yesterday, and one of the questions raised was about LGBT issues in soccer.
Among issues surrounding gay soccer players in general, he talked about Robbie Rogers’ time training with the LA Galaxy:
Robbie’s a friend of mine and it’s very nice to have him there. To be honest it’s been sort of seamless, it’s normal. After the first few days there was probably some hesitation and [being] careful what you say or what you do but again we’re all human and he’s just like all of us and it’s been really nice.
Alex Morgan Talks to ESPN About Gay Athletes
05/15/13
Portland Thorns and US Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan spoke with ESPN last week, and one of the topics was gay athletes:
On Robbie Rogers:
I remember watching Robbie in person at Columbus and he always caught my eye because he’s so fast. He’s quick. He’s a great soccer player. And I think that the US really needs someone who feels comfortable in their own skin and he is openly gay and he has semi come out of retirement right now training with Galaxy. So I hope he continues to feel comfortable and a team picks him up that he wants to play for. It looks good so far but all the best to Robbie.
Robbie Rogers Poses for the NOH8 Campaign
05/13/13
Robbie Rogers posed for the NOH8 Campaign last month while visiting New York City, and he and the campaign released the resulting photograph over the weekend:
The NOH8 Campaign originally started as a silent protest to the passage of Proposition 8 in California reversing gay marriage legislation in the state. It has since grown to stand for human equality in marriage and beyond.
If you like this photo of Robbie Rogers, you can order it (as well as those from current MLS-ers like Jay DeMerit) at their website to help support the campaign.
Another way to support them is by participating in one of their open photo shoots. Their next one in the United States is at the W Hotel in Boston on June 1. The shoot is from 3 to 7 PM and it’s great scheduling because the Revolution home match that weekend is on Sunday the 2nd. Also for this Boston event proceeds will not only benefit the NOH8 campaign, but also the One Fund set up to assist those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings and their families. You can get all of the details here.
Robbie Rogers Returns to the Training Field
05/01/13
Multiple Major League Soccer clubs express an interest in having the winger on their side
Robbie Rogers training with the #lagalaxy . twitter.com/LAGalaxyInside…
— Adam Serrano (@LAGalaxyInsider) April 30, 2013
Robbie Rogers began his anticipated training stint with the LA Galaxy, leading to further speculation as to his full-time return to MLS and interest from multiple coaches.
Robbie Rogers Speaks to CNN and ABC
04/30/13
Robbie Rogers tweeted this photo of his interviewer Amy Robach and him.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 and ABC’s Nightline both aired previously recorded interviews with Robbie Rogers last night in the wake of NBA player Jason Collins coming out.
They were originally scheduled to air two weeks ago, but the breaking news from Boston have obviously been a priority for coverage since the Marathon bombings. It would be interesting to see the interviews in their entirety or as they were originally intended to air, as they have been clearly cut to fit into the narrative of the day.
With Anderson Cooper on CNN’s AC360:
The Anderson Cooper interview brought the quote of the night from Robbie Rogers:
There’s a good chance that I might come back to [soccer] but I need a few months to chill out, hang out with my family, go surf in California, just relax.
Juggling in Underwear for a Cause
04/23/13
World Malaria Day is coming up on Thursday, and to help promote awareness MLS alumnus Jared Montz has been juggling across the country in his Soccer Walking Tour.
On the Los Angeles leg of the tour, Jared takes his juggling to a different level by juggling around the city in a pair of boxer briefs from Ellen Degeneres’ eponymous talk show. From Dodger Stadium to rooftops to the Hollywood Walk of Fame Jared shows off his juggling skills in addition to plenty of skin.
This is all leading up to his Online Soccer Academy’s Juggle-A-Thon on April 25, to help raise money for Nothing but Nets, who provides mosquito nets and instruction on their use in parts of the world where malaria is prevalent. Ally Jay DeMerit and out player Lori Lindsey are both participants, among others, so please give to help the cause! Just ten dollars provides a mosquito net to someone who needs one.
Lohman and Sanderson Named to Advocate’s 40 Under 40
04/22/13
Joanna Lohman and Lianne Sanderson of the NWSL’s Boston Breakers have been named to The Advocate magazine’s 40 Under 40 List this year.
Lohman and Sanderson met as teammates at the Philadelphia Independence of Women’s Professional Soccer and played together for DC United Women last season. Together they founded the JoLi Academy to teach girls around the world soccer, especially in parts of the world where it might be difficult for young women to have access to soccer training.
Lohman is also an advisor to GO! Athletes, which provides training, consultation, and peer support to make school environments better places for LGBT student-athletes.
Go Joanna and Lianne!
Jimmy Conrad Visits Austin Texas
03/20/13
I love my city of Austin, Texas. And I love Jimmy Conrad and KICKTV. So naturally I like this video of Jimmy Conrad and the KICKTV crew visiting the SXSW Festival here in Austin.
Yes, that’s the top of my head in the one shot. Yes, that’s Jimmy in front of a gay bar on a pedicab. Yes, Austin, Texas is exactly as awesome as it looks.
Glad to have y’all down here for SXSW and hope you guys come down again.
David Testo Honored as Past Montreal Impact Champion
03/19/13
David Testo on Facebook
The Montreal Impact had their home opener this past weekend, and out alumnus David Testo was honored as captain of their 2009 USL championship-winning team.
As part of celebrations for the club’s twentieth anniversary, the team wore their new third kits that are a nod to past and held a pregame ceremony featuring players from their three championship seasons prior to joining Major League Soccer.
David Testo came out of the closet in the fall of 2011 soon after being released by the Montreal Impact as they worked to transition from NASL to MLS. He has often cited not being able to thank his partner has he captained his team to the championship as one of the most difficult points in his life as a closeted athlete.
Also honored were Testo’s teammates Matt Jordan, Rocco Placentino, Eduardo Sebrango, and Patrick Leduc, as well as António Ribeiro who won the 2004 USL Championship and multiple Voyageurs Cups with the Impact and John Limniatis who was on their 1994 APSL Championship team.
The Impact went on to defeat Toronto FC 2-1, continuing their perfect early season.
Pia Sundhage Releases Debut Single
03/14/13
She may be behind a different team on the sidelines now, but we still love Pia Sundhage who just released a single in Sweden, “Follow Me Through the Winter.”
We’ve seen her sing at press conferences and on the soccer field, so it’s about time that she brought her musical talent to the masses via iTunes, Spotify, and other streaming services.
The track is a song originally written by Sundhage’s nephew and performed by her for her brother’s sixtieth birthday party, but a small record label heard it, liked it, and thought it was time for the Swedish National Team coach to go pro.
She told the Swedish site fotbollskanalen.se:
I thought “oh my God, when you get to a real artist who can this stuff and who is good at singing,” but the record company representative insisted. He said there was much emotion and passion in the song and I conveyed it in a good way.
So give it a listen, it’s actually pretty good.
(With thanks to Grant Wahl on Twitter)
