Supporting women’s athletics, not just paying lip service (Go Badger Women’s Hockey!)

I’m absolutely loving this column Val Ackerman is doing over at ESPNW where she is speaking to prominent male sports executives about the future of women’s sports. It’s at once fascinating, heartening and upsetting. Her most recent is with recent Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke. Burke is probably best known around these parts for his no bigotry stance – he’s one of the few high-level executives out there consistently saying all the right things about why skin color, sexual orientation and really anything other than your athletic ability shouldn’t matter on the playing field.

Ackerman talks to Burke about the rapid growth of women’s hockey. I’m a huge women’s hockey fan and supporter and this was the first I’d heard that Burke was, as well, so I’m always happy to hear that high level men’s execs are also behind the women. I started wanting to break down some of the things Burke says, but ultimately, this quote of his is really what it comes down to for me:

“Don’t just say you support Title IX, don’t just say you support women’s athletics; buy a ticket, bring your family. Buy a sponsorship on a team, put some money behind this thing, help it grow. If you really believe in women’s sports, there’s an opportunity to show it in a very direct way. Fans vote with their feet. Show up at a game.

”— Brian Burke

I can’t stress enough how important this is and I’m going to go ahead and call each and every one of your out. When was the last time you went to a women’s college or professional game? Do you donate to your local college’s scholarship programs? Buy season tickets? Go to a game? Even at the high school level? Do you support fund raisers or pay admission?

If you do, do you drag your friends along? Do you extol the virtues of your favorite game or team? Do you introduce your friends and family to a sport or team they’re not familiar with and get them as excited about it as you are? Do you take your sister or niece or grandkid to as many different sports as you can and foster their love in a way that we didn’t get when we were little?

Because I didn’t used to do that and this year I made a concerted effort to change that. I’ve always been a hugely vocal supporter of Wisconsin women’s hockey, but I’d never put my money where my mouth was before now.

Follow the jump for more on Badger women’s hockey, Team USA and $5 world class talent

Crappy sports weekend – redeemed!

Heading to Miller Park for tonight’s Brewers/Cards game I was in a sports funk.

My Wisconsin Badgers had lost the hockey National Championship, the Bucks had lost to the Celtics – and I work with two obnoxious Boston fans, and the Brewers had lost two straight to division rivals the St. Louis Cardinals – the first on a blown Trevor Hoffman save and the second in embarassing 7-1 fashion to a rookie pitcher on Fox Saturday baseball.

To top it off, the Brewers are historically awful during nationally televised games and they were about to face Chris Carpenter.

If it weren’t for the bobblehead giveaway, I might not have gone to the game at all.

Follow the jump to find out why I’d have hated myself if I’d stayed home

Wisconsin Badgers Hockey! (and other Frozen Four teams, too)

This weekend 16 teams competed in the college men’s hockey regional tournaments and we now have a Frozen Four field set.

Wisconsin, Miami (OH), RIT and Boston College will be playing for the National Championship on April 8 and 10 at Ford Field in Detroit.

Follow the jump for more info on the teams

Frozen Four: Battle Of The Initials

I don’t think anybody, from the hardcore college hockey fans to the ones just watching it for the first time, expected the results that came about on Thursday night. Especially the first semi-final game. At least in how lopsided it was. You know what’s hot? Having a hat trick. Here’s to you, Nathan Gerbe.

Boston College beat North Dakota for the third straight time (damn) 6-1. Maybe there should be a moratorium on these two teams playing in the semi-finals for now on, ok? Can’t they be bracketed on opposite sides?

Frozen Four: North Dakota

There’s another ND in the Frozen Four and it’s the Fightin’ Sioux of the University of North Dakota.  To finish out the regular season, the ND Sioux went on a winning (or tying) streak that dated back to January 4th.  They stumbled a bit in their conference tourney, but rebounded to beat Princeton and Wisconsin on the way to the Frozen Four.  They’ll face Boston College in the first round on Thursday at 5 pm. Below is your All-Hottie team.  I’m partial to Kyle Radke myself.  Call me!

The best part about this picture is the man nonchalantly sipping his Diet Coke…

NCAA Frozen Four: Michigan

Like Andie I caught some of the college hockey this past weekend. Let me rephrase that, I caught the two Michigan hockey games this past weekend. It’s easier when you realize you have ESPNU and the other games aren’t really on television. While watching I realized two things: 1. Even though I know nothing about hockey I can tell that Michigan has a good team. and 2. I want one of those helmets. And a hockey jersey. But mostly the helmet.

Anyway, Michigan will go in to Denver as the #1 overall seed and try to win their 10th National Championship, their first since the 1997-1998 season. Team hotties after the jump. Go Blue!

NCAA Frozen Four: Notre Dame

The Other Final Four was decided yesterday, as Michigan, Notre Dame, North Dakota and Boston College punched their tickets to Denver. While watching bball, I also managed to catch two Miami OH games because my friend CJ went there for undergrad. I was his designated high-fiver for when something good happened. Anyway, watching so much hockey (hey, two games in two days qualifies as “so much” for this girl) inspired me to do a Hockey Hottie feature for each team. Today is Notre Dame.