Women's Sports

The women's NCAA basketball tournament—so far a tournament of upsets—continues this weekend, with regional semifinals airing on ESPN Saturday and Sunday. Alas, yours truly isn't doing so great with his picks. Methinks I played it too safe.

And tonight on ESPN, Her Story, a one-hour special hosted by Hannah Storm that spotlights young female athletes, the culmination of a celebration of women in sports to honor Women's History Month.

Today's ragbag ends with Gina Carano. Want to know what she's up to? Probably best to learn from her:

Already we are reminded that this is called March Madness for good reason:

The female bodybuilder is not only an athlete but also an artist; her body is her canvas; her strength, the beauty of her art—a beauty that is earned, genuine.

Observe bodybuilder Debi Laszewski at work in her studio, the gym:

A basketball tournament promotion that spotlights the women—hurrah! ESPN! Besides the fun to be had, playing the 2009 Women's Tournament Challenge is a great way to show that you support women's basketball, and women's sports in general. Megan and the rest of the Women Talk Sports crew have created a group so we can all play along together. Oh, and you could win some money too.

You have until Saturday to enter—the tournament starts then.

Time only for a short post today, but the following are noteworthy items that I didn't want to neglect.

Whatever you do in the coming days, make a point to watch Angel of Death, a Web miniseries starring esteemed stuntwoman Zoe Bell. Watch all ten episodes online, but be forewarned: this is not for anyone put off by blood, violence there is aplenty. Here, Zoe vividly reminds us that, when the right woman is put in the role (athletic, solidly built, and expertly trained), an action film or series can be equally impressive with a female in the lead—nay, even more so. If you are anything like me, you will be hooked after the first episode.

To be a Utah Jazz dancer means not only much dance practice but also demanding workouts. A Utah Stories feature gives a peek at what is expected of these dedicated young women.

The NCAA Selection Special airs tonight on ESPN. That's right, March Madness is here, and after tonight's selection show, you will be able to print a bracket and start making your picks.

A cute but telling compilation produced from the copious supply of online videos that exhibit girls/women beating boys/men in arm-wrestling matches. (You may want to turn down or mute the volume—there is a bit of strong language near the end.)

Teamwork is required to win championships in team sports. There is no way around it. I was reminded of this Saturday night as I watched the Mansfield Summit Jaguars upset Brittney Griner's Aldine Nimitz Cougars in the Texas Class 5A basketball championship match. (I pay for an extra sports package, so I can watch more women's sports, and once again it has rewarded me.)

The Jaguars made Griner inconsequential, as much as that is possible anyway, by not allowing her teammates to feed her the ball. Indeed, constant pressure from the Jaguars resulted in 24 turnovers by the Cougars. Griner had a good game (21 points, 12 rebounds, 9 blocked shots), but persistent hustle and great team defensive play from the Jaguars caused her Cougar teammates to fold.

No need for Griner to worry, though. I expect she will have many more opportunities to win championships, starting next in the NCAA with the Baylor Bears.

But for now: Congratulations, Lady Jaguars!

This news merits first mention, though doing so perhaps betrays a self-involved disposition on my part. I'm pleased to announce that this blog is now part of the Women Talk Sports Network. I didn't even have to beg; they let me join despite my inferior biology. This new network is both fun and useful—one-stop surfing for all things related to female athletes and women's sports. Be sure to bookmark it!

Brittney Griner continues to astonish the basketball world. Only two games away from a Texas state championship, she will lead her Nimitz Cougars in a Class 5A semifinal game tonight.

I also have Wonder Woman news. First, the DVD release this week of the animated movie (available on amazon.com). Second, this little tidbit, but I doubt it means anything, much as I like Eliza Dushku.

Speaking of Eliza, have you seen this commercial?