|
Wednesday, July 2. 2008
There is something I should have mentioned in yesterday's post but didn't, because I didn't realize it at the time. That being, Aneta Florczyk finished her Dancing on Ice stint on May 17. This means she only had a week to focus her attention on preparing for the World's Strongest Woman competition, which makes her fourth title grab that much more impressive.
This piece at ABCNews.com rightly calls attention to how absurdly thin Angelina Jolie is in Wanted, and then it bothers to ask if that is really a good thing. The answer seems self-evident to me. No, it isn't. True, the image a rail-thin action heroine projects is harmful to young women, which the article seems to concede, but what is more, it makes for a bad movie, perhaps a risible one, too. (It's hard to imagine her arm not snapping if she were to strike someone, and harder still to imagine that the blow would actually inflict damage on the other person.) This isn't a new problem, either. Jolie was a letdown as Lara Croft, for instance—she even complained about the intense physical training and the (very slight) effect it had on her body. Thus I was disinclined to go see Wanted, the type of movie I'd normally rush right out to see, and it appears I was smart to stay home.
Tuesday, July 1. 2008
I should have noted this earlier. Aneta Florczyk has once again earned the title of World's Strongest Woman, winning her fourth championship this year at the contest held May 24 in Tczew, Poland. During a break in the competition, Aneta entertained the crowd by pressing a man over her head—for reps:
And earlier this year, Aneta competed on the Polish version of Dancing on Ice, where she made it all the way to the semifinals. Aneta seems intent on smashing stereotypes, and she's doing a good job of it. Showing us that a woman can be extremely powerful, far stronger than most men in fact, yet still graceful and alluring in that ineffable way a beautiful woman simply is:
Saturday, June 28. 2008
I hope you've been following the tournament. There have already been some big upsets— Ana Ivanovic was dispatched yesterday, and Maria Sharapova went out in the second round. Perennial favorites remain, however, and Venus Williams (the best athlete on the tour) once again looks healthy and focused, so watch out. Little sister Serena is still in and looks to be playing well, too. Or this might be Nicole Vaidisova's year to overcome the mental breakdowns that have plagued her in the past and live up to her physical potential, which probably rivals that of Venus and Serena.
Wimbledon.org is the best place to get results, highlights, and player information (I especially like the My Wimbledon feature). For those of us who are primarily interested in the women's game, Women's Tennis Blog is a good resource as well.
Friday, June 27. 2008
This isn't Candace Parker's first dunk (she's been dunking at least since high school), but it no doubt is a special one:
Courtesy of Current.
Monday, June 23. 2008
Indeed they can. (The football trainer gets that much right anyway.) As promised, part two of the Al Jazeera report:
Friday, June 20. 2008
This Al Jazeera piece about Muslim female athletes is fascinating, and it features some truly amazing women:
I'll post the second half next week.
Wednesday, June 18. 2008
She explains in this recent interview for CombatWire. You may remember Felice from Fight Girls.
Monday, June 16. 2008
Editor's note: Today's post comes to us courtesy of Apryl DeLancey. Apryl produces the Women Like Sports blog, which is founded on the idea that some women just plain like sports, all kinds of sports, both as spectators and participants. There, you will find her covering about every sport imaginable, including women's tackle football, the topic she writes about for us here. We're grateful to have Apryl as a contributor to the Athletic Women Blog.—RM
One of the most exciting reporting subjects to cover for me has been the Southern California Breakers football team. Part of the Independent Women’s Football League, this team has everything that is exciting about professional football. Being on the sidelines for each home game was so exciting that I look forward to next year with an eager anticipation. At times the game would mesmerize me so that I would nearly forget to keep tabs on what was happening so that I could later report it.
I first met the team before the season started during a practice. It was a Saturday, and the women would train from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. This is the case every Saturday in the off-season. Other than about an hour of discussion and other break periods, this was all activity. In addition, they practice every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm both during the season and in addition to the Saturdays in the off-season. All of this is in addition to personal training regimes and full-time careers. Come game day, everyone is ready to play.
Not only are the Breakers exceptional athletes, but they have equally formidable opponents. The California Quake and Las Vegas Showgirlz are two tough teams that they’ve gone up against this year. No one is standing around doing their hair and nails, they’re playing ball as hard as any pro teams. In addition, each player is there to pick up her teammates when they are down. If someone misses a tackle or fumbles the ball there is no trash talking or belittling. These women encourage each other and work together to win and lose as a team. No one shares the loss alone and they all bask in victories together. I’ve witnessed the true example of "sportswomanship" while watching them play. Many know players on the other teams as well and the overall attitude is that of camaraderie and promoting the sport.
Although the season is coming to an end, there are IWFL teams all over the United States. I encourage you to check them out and support this growing sport. Every fan comes away from the game with a newfound appreciation for the sport of football and the remarkable women that participate. Interested in playing? Check out your local team and try out – they’re always looking for new talent. Every woman that I’ve spoken to about playing has told me that the experience has enriched their lives immensely.
Photos courtesy of Eddie Perlas
Friday, June 13. 2008
The Incredible Hulk opens today, and according to Trey June (I've lost track), this is the 17th live-action film featuring a Marvel character in the past eight years. Sadly, though, we won't be seeing a superheroine on the big screen this summer, or next for that matter (unless she is part of an ensemble cast), largely because our best known and most popular superheroine, Wonder Woman, who should have at least one feature film by now, is being held captive by the handwringing bunglers at Warner Bros.
Oh well, it's only a matter of time before Marvel gets around to making a She-Hulk movie. Casting ideas anyone?
Wednesday, June 11. 2008
Amazon feminism put into practice with a catalog:
lol
Tuesday, June 10. 2008
Here bodybuilder and strongwoman Kathy Bertram snaps a baseball bat:
Impressive, huh? Kathy performs her feats of strength as part of a Christian ministry, and there's no question that she is remarkably strong—so strong that it's almost enough to make a believer out of a heathen like me.
Monday, June 9. 2008
Amazon.com has a new MP3 widget that I couldn't help trying out. (You'll find it somewhere over on your left.) If you have a blog, this, along with a few other widgets Amazon has added recently, is a good way to liven things up a little; and it may even help pay a few expenses, though don't expect to get rich.
My widget of course reflects my own eclectic taste in music—which, yes, includes country music believe it or not. Besides, Elizabeth Cook's "Sometimes It Takes Balls to Be a Woman," well, that one just seemed too fitting to pass up.
Friday, June 6. 2008
An informative piece about this at NYTimes.com, although readers of this blog shouldn't be surprised to learn that so many young women are eager to compete in a full-contact sport.
Wednesday, June 4. 2008
I couldn't resist sharing this Alias montage—edited beautifully by Clara—with you:
Ah, fond memories! Little reminders of just how brilliant Jennifer Garner was as Sydney Bristow. Jennifer understood what it would take to be widely accepted as a female action star, and set herself purposefully to the task. She built up her statuesque and already athletic (from years of ballet training) frame into a genuinely daunting physical presence—consequently, when Sydney gave some menacing hoodlum a beating it looked routine—and she even did many of her own stunts and fight scenes. Jennifer, in fact, became so convincing that for a time she was the biggest action star on television, male or female, period.
Alias was a high watermark in female action and paved the way for what hopefully will be even more to come. We have Jennifer Garner to thank for much of that.
Monday, June 2. 2008
Gina Carano was overweight—4 1/2 pounds over the limit—and not in her best fighting shape, but she managed to defeat a dangerous (and quite game) Kaitlin Young anyway, the fight stopped at the end of the second round because of swelling under Kaitlin's left eye. Gina thus remains undefeated in MMA with a 6-0 record (her Muay Thai record is 12-1-1).
Gina continues to amaze me. I was a little worried about this fight, and it turns out rightfully so: she couldn't make weight and was visibly winded at times. But Gina has an innate gift, one that came through for her Saturday night: the power to strike hard, so hard that she damages an opponent virtually whenever she connects with a punch or kick. This is not something that you can be taught; you're pretty much born with it.
Soon, though, Gina will have to make a decision. She already has a lot going on, and even more opportunities await her. Besides being a great athlete, she is beautiful, articulate, camera-friendly, and charismatic, and her star is rising. But eventually something will have to be left behind because she can't do everything else and continue to compete at this level; MMA is just too demanding (maybe the most demanding sport there is). I think Gina knows—especially after Saturday's fight—that sometime soon, though probably not just yet, she will have to decide how important MMA is to her and how much of the other should or should not be sacrificed for it.
|
latest comments
Mon, 30.06.2008 12:52
Monica, you're not alone. I wa s shocked to see Ivanovic go o ut so early. On the other hand , Vaidisova is having a [...]
Mon, 30.06.2008 10:49
I'm following Wimbledon on ESP N tv. Now I can see more match es because the Euro 2008 is ov er. I can't believe how [...]