I was pretty impressed with both the men's and the women's beach volleyball matches in this year's Olympics. Not usually a sport I've paid much attention to, (my big events for the Summer Olympics are gymnastics, swimming and diving), I was captivated by both of these intense competitions. Kinda' awesome that both teams won the gold for the USA. And the players all seemed like fun & nice people when interviewed. But one thing I couldn't help but notice.... the marked difference between the men's and the women's uniforms. While the men, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, dressed in the typical long baggy shorts and loose sleeveless T-shirts favored by all of the other male competitors.... the women, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, wore what looked to be no more than a skimpy bra & panties outfit, (as did all of the other female competitors).
I have no problem with the women's outfits, I think they looked great. But I'm wondering what the public's reaction would have been if the men, Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser, showed up for the competition wearing white speedo micro-cut bikinis and tight shrunken tank tops, genitals bouncing as they made those jump shots at the net. (Just for the record, I wouldn't have minded this, either, although I thought they looked great as they were!).
I'm sure this is no great news to anyone out there, but I do find it somewhat amusing that this disparity in costuming doesn't seem to have been commented on by anyone else in the media. In any case, my congratulations to Todd Rogers, Phil Dalhausser, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, for your awesome accomplishments, and for making me a new big fan of beach volleyball!
9 comments:
hahaha, I would've loved to see Phil & Tom playing that match in tight white speedos! maybe it would've psyched out the other team. not that they needed to because they won.
but if I need to see tightie whities, I can always see Brad at kyle's b&b! if he hasn't shifted to boxers yet like so many guys these days, that is.
Typical of the worldwide panic over the male body. Women can dress like strippers, but God forbid we see even the outline of a penis. I'm glad the divers haven't started covering up their goods.
Griffin
interesting to read this after the previous post about the diver. that is one sport where the men are showing more flesh than ever. so I guess this panic about male bodies isn't universal.
They all seem pretty comfortable with each others bodies!
sad way of the world is men seem to have to cover up more - seeing a shirtless guy any place other then the beach or swimming pool and people go into a fit or call him a pervert or something.
Personally, I think all men should be naked as much as possible.
I like volleyball, would like it more if the guys played in speedoes (or how about naked volleyball? LOL)
The volleyball guys themselves have suggested that viewership would be improved if they wore the same shirts they do in the U.S. leagues--i.e., NONE! It's not what they "favor", it's the rules. See http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/volleyball/news/story?
id=3524222
Admittedly, they said "boarders" not "bikinis", but . . .
--GeorgeTSLC
Actually there were a few reports in the media here in Australia, just before the Olympic volleyball started, about the disparity between the male and female clothing requirements for the competition. The guys were specifically told to cover up, even though they compete shirtless in the pro circuit. It's all about maximizing the broadcasts appeal to straight male viewers, just like in basketball where the girls wear those formfitting bodysuits and the guys are kitted out in baggy knee-length shorts and tanktops.
I agree with Gary, except that men should have to be naked at all times, indoors and outdoors, and not allowed to cover or hide their manhood - any attempt at doing that should be punished by making them masturbate in public, videoed and put on the net and the cumshot put on the front cover of all newspapers and magazines.
Women in Beach Volleyball can now wear whatever they want. Some still choose to wear bikinis because they like them.
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