Throwback Thursday: Miracle on Ice

I meant to post this last week, but it’s better late then never.

We’ve been doing a bit of spring cleaning around the house, and I was crawling around the attic and stumbled across this copy of Sports Illustrated from March 3, 1980. It was randomly sitting on top of a few boxes, calling my name from across the room.

My dad has been collecting SI since the 70s, and every issue of the magazine since then is somewhere in my house. After finding this issue, I’ve decided to search for some iconic issues and start framing them. Wish me luck!

What I love about the cover is how simple it is. No headlines, no descriptions, no words. Just the pure joy of a couple amateur hockey players beating the best hockey team in the world.

Hump Day Hottie: WBC Team USA

As some of you may know, the USA beat Puerto Rico last night in the World Baseball Classic and it was kinda a big deal. So to honor the big win, we thought, why not feature our favorite Team USA hotties? (Sorry, Bee!)

Advent Calendar of Hotness Day 19: Carlos Bocanegra

So I’ve given you a bit of Boca in the past, so I won’t even lie that this post didn’t just start out as an excuse to post these spectacular pics from this year’s ESPN Body Issue…

But the I realized there’s so much more to share with you!

Advent Calendar of Hotness: Day 1

I’m starting us off on a bad foot by starting a day late, but hopefully the first two hotties are so hot that you’ll forgive me. (Also, you’ll understand that I bought a house and did a lot of packing and moving today.)

We Ladies… are long-time fans of U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, but his title as hottest summer Olympian was seriously in jeopardy this summer when we got a load of Nathan Adrian.

He’s got the killer body and ups the ante with an amazing smile – there are like five total pictures on Google where he’s not grinning from ear to ear. He graduated with honors from  Berkeley. And did we mention those abs.

Where Lochte is gimmicky and a bit blase, Adrian was fresh-faced and looked to be enjoying every minute. I found just one picture of him in a suit and there are few pics of him not in the pool. He seems goofy and fun and genuine. Here’s hoping we have a few more summers of hoping we can one day have a beer or two with Nathan Adrian.

“I’m the first entry in the Ladies… Advent Calendar of Hotness? YES!”

While You’re Waiting for the Fireworks….

Happy 4th, America! Hope you are all enjoying the surrealism of a Wednesday holiday. Here is the US Women’s Soccer Team just after their last Olympic tuneup match.  I’m a big fan of the (new?) striped kits, but I do think Nike missed out on a design opportunity by not making the goalie kit darker blue and covered with stars — just think how cool the above picture would look with Hope over in the left corner.

If you are having to work today (or are perhaps one of our Canadian readers), or if you just are looking for some entertainment before the baseball games and fireworks start, we’ve got you covered….

One Step Closer to the Olympics (U.S. Edition)

Trey Hardee, Shotput (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

With just over a month to go before the Olympics, countries around the world have begun selecting their teams. This week happens to be both the US Track and Field and the US Diving Trials (probably on NBC, albeit severely edited, this weekend), which are two of my favorite pre-Olympic events: Track and Field because I was raised by a track geek, and diving because it’s just really cool to watch, and you always know when someone REALLY screws up.

Pictures of striving Olympic hopefuls, and a lecture to the wire service caption writers, after the jump.

Annie Leibovitz has the Best Ever Life!

Ryan Lochte is ready for London. (Photo: Annie Leibovitz/Vogue)

Amirite? She’s photographed so many beautiful people in equally beautiful fashion. And surely she reads Ladies… and has noticed our affection for one Ryan Lochte, so she did this just for us. OF COURSE! Seriously, Annie, next time you shoot Ryan, call one of us. You could use an assistant, right? Yes, Annie, I’ll make Ryan wetter…

This photo is part of a spread for Vogue’s June issue in celebration of Team USA’s Olympic hopefuls, on newsstands May 22. But Vogue is crafty, and knew that by releasing these tasty photos we’d be snatching five copies apiece of this issue as soon as it makes its way to Wegmans and Shoppers Drug Mart (remember, I’m in Canada.)

Oh, but wait! There’s more!

Hit and Run: I Really Gotta Run Edition

What with the liveblogging early this week, and an unexpected trip out of town this weekend, I’ve barely had time to catch my breath.  Here’s a couple of quick, fun pictures before I get up and resume packing.

Boris Struebel/Getty Images

The US Women are in the World Cup final, and Abby Wambach has another beautiful header goal. The Final is Sunday right when I’ll be heading back from my trip, but I’ll be with them in spirit.

Hit and Run: I’m too hot to come up with a theme

Hope Solo shall have none of your silly goal scoring nonsense. (Photo: Getty Images)

We hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend! I’m still unpacking and cleaning up gear from the Great Island Campout of 2011, in which I did not end up on Princess Kate Watch and did not get to celebrate Brad Richards signing with the Maple Leafs.

And tonight? It’s warm! Summer warm! Finally! Also building heat is Team USA, who defeated Columbia 3-0 yesterday in Women’s World Cup action in Germany. The win clinches them a spot in the quarter finals. They face Sweden tomorrow at 2:45 ET.

Back to hockey for a minute…

Advent Calendar of Hotness: Day 14

Sensing a serious lack of ink in our lovely ACOH – today’s hottie comes fully loaded.  For your viewing pleasure ladies – Devin Thomas.

Now for a little MORE good news…

With the Cardinals officially eliminating themselves from the MLB playoffs and the Jets managing to embarrass themselves on and off the field, this week has me in something of a funk, sports-wise.  So I took  a cue from Bee’s Steve Nash post, and went hunting for some sports news that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face:

• First off, let’s congratulate Kevin Durant and the rest of the US team on winning the World Basketball Championship, the country’s first since 1994.  If Kevin Durant smiling doesn’t make you smile, check your pulse.

This post brought to you by the letter ‘E.’

As in, Group E. Oh, yes. It’s time for another installment of ‘Seriously, there’s a reason folks the world over love the World Cup, and it ain’t all about the footwork.’

But before we start with the glorious, glorious eye candy, we just have to ask, since this is going live before the (unholy early) 7 AM EST Korea Republic v. Greece match: Does anyone feel like, you know, winning a World Cup match? Just saying. Ties are like kissing your sister. Or, well, brother, in our case.

Anyway, the hotness.

The Netherlands own Robin Van Persie.

Holy Patriotism, Batman!

The Olympics can bring out the best and worst of one’s allegiances to their country.  I’ve never found myself hating on countries like Germany and South Korea in the past, but make them the USA’s latest competition, and I loathe them.  I’ve also encountered another sort of conundrum.  Being a huge hockey fan, I have allegiances to certain players because they play for my favorite team.  None of the players that I love play for Team USA.  Uh-oh!

So after the jump experience my patriotic conundrum. 

It’s MILLER TIME!!

USA! USA!

Apologies to our own Lady Bee in advance, but we’re not just talkin’ country pride here. We’re talkin’ hometown pride. That’s right – the Buffalo Sabres’ own RYAN MILLER is a force to be reckoned with, and that means you, Canada! 45 shots on goal is impressive and all, but Ry’s stopping 42 of them and helping Team USA on to a 5-3 win over Canada this past Sunday is even more impressive in my book. More after the jump on the, well, crap that my hometown hero had to go through leading up to that kick ass night.

Ladies…now with more liveblogging

If you follow us individually on Twitter, the past two days you’ll have witnessed a lot of snark flying around about figure skating.  Though it seems a bit out of character for some of us, it turns out there’s a lot of figure skaing love shamefully lurking beneath our sports fan facades.

That and a love for all things Johnny Weir have led us to live blog tonight’s men’s figure skating short program. Join us at 7pm CST as we liveblog tonight’s Olympic coverage for snark, sequins, sarcasam, skating and sass!

We’ll be using Cover It Live again, so check back here tonight and join in the conversation

Johnny Weir tonight! Not that NBC mentioned him…

A strange NBC promo made NO mention of the Fabulousity That Is Johnny Weir. As fans of La Weir, the Ladies will not stand for this snub.

Check out the promo, then vote in the poll below.

Leaving Weir out of Olympics promo:
(polls)

Hump Day Hottie: Team USA

Since I’m snowed in today, I have snow on the brain.  And, as most of you know, I usually have hockey on the brain.  So why not show you a glimpse of some Team USA Hockey hotties?  So follow me after the jump for some hotties to watch for in the next coming weeks!

Congratulations New Orleans Saints, your Super Bowl 44 Champs

We could post picture upon picture from last night’s game and celebration, but let’s be honest, we’re all smitten with Drew Brees after the images of him holding and talking to his child while tears streamed down this face.

The proud papa brought the whole huge party back to a human level and there were plenty of folks who were crying right with him.

Congratulations, Drew, Sean Payton, and the rest of the New Orleans Saints. Well played, guys. Well played.

You can see tons of photos from the celebration and the game in this gallery at nola.com

Hump Day Hockey

I’m jumping in here for a moment to bring you the recently released Olympic women’s hockey schedules for both Team USA and Team Canada.

The best part? They’re being fully televised!

(h/t to Badger Hockey Blog 60 Minutes)

Feb 13th: Canada vs Slovkia 7 PM (CNBC)
Feb 14th: USA vs China 2 PM (USA)
Feb 15th: Canada vs Switzerland 4:30 PM (MSNBC)
Feb 16th: USA vs Russia 4:30 PM (MSNBC)
Feb 17th: Canada vs Sweden 4:30 PM (MSNBC)
Feb 18th: USA vs Finland 4:30 PM (MSNBC)
Feb 22nd: Semis 2 PM (USA) & 7 PM (CNBC)
Feb 25th: Bronze 1 PM & Gold 5 PM both on MSNBC

all times are CST

NBC’s Olympic website also has some nice profiles of all the Women’s Team

I was there: US Olympic Hockey

Last week, the University of Wisconsin men’s and women’s hockey teams hosted Team USA teams.

On Tuesday, January 5, the women played the US Olympic Team as part of Team USA’s Qwest Tour, a round of warm-up games heading into the Olympics.

The following Saturday, the men hosted the U-18 team.

I was lucky enough to be at both games.

Future Hump Day Hotties: IIHF World Juniors

While the world of hockey has been buzzing about the upcoming Winter Classic and the 2010 Olympics, the IIHF World Junior Championships have been going on in Saskatchewan, Canada.  I’ve been catching some of the premier games on the NHL Network, and tomorrow’s big match-up is USA vs. Canada. (Check it out live at 8pm on NHLNet in the US, and TSN in Canada)  In honor of this so-called clash of the titans, I thought I’d introduce the Ladies… readers to, what will some day be, a few future Hump Day Hotties. 

Right now, these boys are just cutie-patooties because they’re way too young for me (now – ahem).  So follow me after the jump for some up-and-coming hockey hotties, and stay for a mini-preview of tomorrow’s match-up.  (I promise the boys after the jump are hotter than the ones before it!)

Ladies and Gentlemen, the US Men’s National Team.

I love the smell of nationalism in the morning.

I want to paint you a little picture, readers. You see, for the last eight years or so, I’ve spent Saturday mornings waking up, rolling downstairs, and flipping on Fox Soccer to watch the day’s matches while my husband made snide comments about soccer being lame and boring.

Tonight? My husband not only voluntarily turned on the Gold Cup SemiFinals, but I’m a little concerned he may actually lose his voice screaming in support of the US Men’s National Team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Finals on Sunday. My victory is nearly complete. As soon as he picks a Premiere League team to root for (please, Jesus, not Chelsea), I can start openly celebrating his utter conversion.

That’s beside the point, dear readers. The point is that after many, many years and many, many attempts, soccer may just be on the verge of arriving in the US. Oh, sure, it’s because the men’s team is playing incredibly well right now, but I’ll take it.

I think it’s high time the Ladies… met the US Men’s National Team. Join me, after the jump, won’t you?

Hump Day Hotties: Tour de France

Well, I’m not a big cycling fan, but I figured there had to be hotties racing in this year’s Tour de France.  So, I went on a mini-mission to find some hot boys to share with you.  Did you know there are a lot of cyclists entered in this year’s race?  I decided to pick a few and let you be the judge.

Hop on your bike, and follow me after the jump!

Happy Fourth of July from the Ladies…

It’s that time of years, folks, when we celebrate the birth of America by stuffing our faces full of barbecue and ogling explosions in the sky.

We here at Ladies…have our own hot date with some marching bands and sparklers. (Not at the same time, kids. Practice safe parading.) As such, we’re taking a bit of a break to celebrate America, apple pie, moms and baseball.

And good looking men doing delightful things involving sports.

Happy Birthday, America. Here, have Mike Rowe singing the National Anthem at a Bowie BaySox game.