Jump to content

Sydney Leroux signs with Vancouver Whitecaps


jpg75

Recommended Posts

Oh come come, not that again? Get over it Vic. I sense a whole lot of Whitecaps envy in this thread.

Edit: How many of you who are still whining about the painted model ever saw the actual image? The model wasn't even naked or exposing any body parts not plainly visible on any public beach where women are wearing bikinis.

Again? The only time I've commented on the ad in the past was an informational piece (http://goo.gl/28tnX). Does that sound like I need to "get over it?"

The point is if you're into objectification, man up.

Any organization can talk women's support, but few have the balls to understand what it means and actually do it. Jennifer Doyle at Duke University in her blog From a Left Wing commented on the Sian Massey incident. These are a couple of outtakes of hers which are a good read for any fan of the game:

........................................................

Anyone who has spent time with football knows full well how sexism and homophobia are seamlessly integrated into sports culture. The banter in which [Richard] Grey and [Andy] Keys engaged, a lighthearted exchange of insults to women (or gay men), helps them cement their relationship to each other. It's the sexist handshake - one of the most banal rituals through which members of the boys club identify themselves to each other. (Hi, are you a sexist? Yes! Great! Let's get to work!) This sort of thing forces everyone around them to adopt one of three positions: be complicit and go along with it, leave the room (a passive form of complicity), or protest at the risk of losing one's job and becoming the punch-line of another joke.

Jeff Pearlman, a columnist for Sports Illustrated has written an article for CNN about the internet "trolls" - the people who jump into public forums and call people "f#cking retards" and worse. He tracked down a couple recent offenders, and was surprised to discover they were decent guys - sports fans who turn up the volume on their comments because they don't feel like anyone is really listening anyway (or that this is the only way to be "heard" - by which I assume they mean "noticed").

I couldn't really relate to his article. Because the guy who called me a "split arse tart" is probably a "nice guy". That's the thing about sexism, homophobia and racism. It's not the exclusive property of a$$holes. Most of the people who engage in these cultures of hate and discrimination are not obvious monsters. They are normal people.

The worst offenders are probably "great guys" AND sexist pigs. Richard and Andy meant no harm with their sexist banter, and Sky didn't take the culture of its workplace seriously because it's just boys being boys. And maybe the fact that these boys are doing it with a smile and no deliberate malice makes it worse.

........................................................

And by the way, if it matters at all, I don't have Whitecaps envy.

sian-massey-pic-reuters-153450276.jpg

There's a woman that doesn't need to sell anything or get bodypaint to have my respect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 116
  • Created
  • Last Reply

^ Quote from your own post: "Alan, just curious, have they shot the male bodypaint (whatever the equivalent of T&A is) ads for the women's team yet? Surely Whitecaps fans sitting in their living rooms with the wife and boys enjoy looking at man-ass. I mean really, if you're going to sign Leroux at least give the Whitecaps women something to feel good about."

I wasn't reacting to anything earlier than that Vic, no need, the above was more than enough provocation. But otherwise I have the highest regard for your undying support for the women's game, we need more like you and CoachRich in that regard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I am guilty of baiting. It just seemed like the right time.

Both the the Whitecaps and the Fury have been out in front of the women's game in Canada for a long time. So any thorns, even if it's in my books only, are still in perspective. They run an exceptional program.

They're also starting to announce their roster:

RETURNEES

(D) Lexi Marton

(G) Kristen Funk

(M) Monica Lam-Feist

(M) Amy Vermeulen

ADDITIONS

(F) Tseng Shu-O (Taipei)

(F) Carrie Patterson (WPS Philadelphia Independence)

(F) Tiffany Weimer (WPS Boston Breakers/ AIK Sweden)

(F) Sydney Leroux (USA U20/UCLA)

(D) Erica Campanelli (captain regular season champions - Hudson Valley Quickstrike)

(G) Erin McNulty (Hudson Valley Quickstrike)

Unlike Ottawa, Vancouver has traditionally been a Canadian breeding ground, so this is a shift and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the team carves out. Either way though, with four marquis strikers they will certainly play an attacking brand of the game and have a very large amount of entertainment value.

With the defending champions Buffalo out of the picture this year, Vancouver look to be lead rabbit out of the gate.

I'm not a big fan of Leroux's Canadianism, and I have no problem calmy and rationally sharing that, but it wouldn't stop me from getting out and watching good ball and supporting the Canadian women who do matter and deserve it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alan, just curious, have they shot the male bodypaint (whatever the equivalent of T&A is) ads for the women's team yet?

Interesting historical note. In 2002, during the David Stadnyk era, players from the Whitecaps women's team pitched the idea that they be photographed wearing nothing but body paint to help promote the team. I repeat, this was the women players who came up with the idea and presented it to front office staff. As I recall, they already had a body painter lined up and were all set to go ahead. I was actually the one who talked them out of it, thinking it might be too controversial for the uptight puritanical types.

The prudes can thank me; the rest of you can hate me :-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unlike Ottawa, Vancouver has traditionally been a Canadian breeding ground, so this is a shift...
Yes there is a shift for sure, due I believe in preparation for joining WPS in 2012. Hubert Busby broadly hinted at it a a month or more back and Bob Lenarduzzi has been quite open for a while about the club's intention to join WPS at some stage.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting historical note. In 2002, during the David Stadnyk era, players from the Whitecaps women's team pitched the idea that they be photographed wearing nothing but body paint to help promote the team. I repeat, this was the women players who came up with the idea and presented it to front office staff. As I recall, they already had a body painter lined up and were all set to go ahead. I was actually the one who talked them out of it, thinking it might be too controversial for the uptight puritanical types.

The prudes can thank me; the rest of you can hate me :-D

You have seen the promotional calendar the Highlanders women have been selling all year? Thought not bodypaint, it is swimsuit edition quality. I am surprised the prudes haven't been whining about that one, perhaps they've been buying up all the copies they can get on the QT!

I was chatting this afternoon with Kim Jackman (Marketing Director) and Rachel Lewis (COO) for the 'Caps and mentioned the body paint job, they were highly amused at the reaction it evoked and agreed that less skin was exposed than is visible on public beaches in Vancouver.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have seen the promotional calendar the Highlanders women have been selling all year? Thought not bodypaint, it is swimsuit edition quality. I am surprised the prudes haven't been whining about that one, perhaps they've been buying up all the copies they can get on the QT!.

As to prudes Richard...I personally was ,waiting for you to weigh in on the topic, and now you have..... are you jealous of the swimsuit edition quality .. and for the record from what i saw on You Tube... no swimsuits in fact just photos of athletic women in various soccer inspired tops with a soccer ball as a prop, no subtle photograps of exposed breast or other "sexualized curves"

I was chatting this afternoon with Kim Jackman (Marketing Director) and Rachel Lewis (COO) for the 'Caps and mentioned the body paint job, they were highly amused at the reaction it evoked and agreed that less skin was exposed than is visible on public beaches in Vancouver.

I have to always smile when Richard drops his "connections to the mighty" then a day or to later will deny he is a kool aid drinker for the Caps as in everything done by the Caps is the right move or right motivation or damn...its just right cause its the Caps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a German player who's a porn star. Does that make it better? Women strip and hook on Davie. So what's the big problem right?

If I ever go to Marketing Director for lessons in ethics shoot me. There's a serious problem with respect for women in soccer and the Whitecaps being a first-rate organization I thought would have understood that and have a zero-tolerance policy and not sold it down the river for seat sales. I don't think it was respectful or classy. That's my opinion, and I recognize yours.

My challenge was if objectification is game and they're truly not sexist - prove it. Do the same for the ladies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a German player who's a porn star. Does that make it better? Women strip and hook on Davie. So what's the big problem right?

If I ever go to Marketing Director for lessons in ethics shoot me. There's a serious problem with respect for women in soccer and the Whitecaps being a first-rate organization I thought would have understood that and have a zero-tolerance policy and not sold it down the river for seat sales. I don't think it was respectful or classy. That's my opinion, and I recognize yours.

My challenge was if objectification is game and they're truly not sexist - prove it. Do the same for the ladies.

You seek an ideal world Vic, it doesn't exist.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I have to always smile when Richard drops his "connections to the mighty"

I was in the press box on game day Saturday, the two ladies came in and I approached them, they politely answered my questions in light of this thread and I subsequently quoted them. If that bothers you it's your problem not mine. I have no more connection to the Whitecaps than any other accredited media person except perhaps the fact I have been covering the club longer than many folks in the front office have worked for the organisation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I have to always smile when Richard drops his "connections to the mighty"

I was in the press box on game day Saturday, the two ladies came in and I approached them, they politely answered my questions in light of this thread and I subsequently quoted them. If that bothers you it's your problem not mine. I have no more connection to the Whitecaps than any other accredited media person except perhaps the fact I have been covering the club longer than many folks in the front office have worked for the organisation.

Geez Richard i have missed your byline in the Province or the Sun are you writing for a print media or only for your BC soccer website hobby ?

Hey more power to you that you have followed the Whitecaps since you moved West...and blogged about them or written about them etc., but I have never heard you claim to be a member of the professional media before.... good on you, but of course as a media member it somehow taints some of your opinions in posts on the Voyageurs site dont you think ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"objectification" when it comes to sports is a huge discussion and there are many sides to the fence when it comes to the women's reasons and those of a business. My thinking is it's best to determine whether the content is appropriate for the audience and their locations. In this respect the Caps got a failure from me as a their content was put in the view and discussed in public.

The Caps front office got it wrong to compare their painted nude in public to what women wear at the beach. Their painted nude wasn't at the bench but everywhere else. At the beach women have the choice to be topless or they can go to Wreck Beach and be nude like everyone there. They are at the beach and not walking downtown, in the press, on some building or directly associated to a sport that is almost 50% female. The Caps failed to see the difference and the connection to youth.

The Highlanders calendar is quite different in how it's presented and who it is targeted for. I see it being used as a PR and fundraising vehicle much like female athletes have been doing for quite sometime now. It's quite tame compared to some calendars or other pictorials some females athletes have done.

Other female athletes have chosen different types of vehicles to get PR and funding or generate personal income. Lindsey Vonn's pictorial in SI just before the Olympics raised a few eyebrows http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010_swimsuit/winter/lindsey-vonn/10_lindsey-vonn_2.html Then there are the female athletes who have done nude http://bleacherreport.com/articles/508035-the-20-hottest-athletes-to-pose-nude I find these ones to be somewhat like the WC nudes which I find have no connection at all to the WC. sport and being in public.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...