olympics 2008

Weekly Political Roundup

A Zogby Poll found that more than six in 10 U.S. voters say they could support an openly gay candidate for president of the U.S. U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), chair of the House Financial Services Committee, is looking into a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) policy that disqualifies domestic partners from receiving coverage available […]

“She Got Me Pregnant”: Episode 40

Last week, Helen and I talked about Olympic athletes who are mothers. This week, we turn to the mothers of athletes, bringing you some of our favorite stories of supportive parents at the Beijing Games. We add an LGBT twist by revealing which character from an LGBT-themed show Michael Phelps’ mom reminded us of, and

Beijing Olympics in Legos

My love of both Legos and the Olympicsis well documented. My son is also obsessed with the former and learning to love the latter. I was thrilled, therefore, to see this astounding recreation of the Beijing Olympic facilities in Legos, including the Bird’s Nest, the Water Cube, the beach volleyball court, the equestrian arena, and

Mom Wins Gymnastics Silver

Oksana Chusovitina, a 33-year-old German gymnast and mother, won silver last night in the Women’s Vault, proving her presence there wasn’t just a fluke. I wrote about Chusovitina in a previous post (and Helen and I discussed in our vlog)—she kept competing past the “normal” age in order to raise money for her son’s leukemia

Sterling Performances by Dara Torres

Forty-one-year-old mother Dara Torres won two silver medals last night, bringing her count to three for the Beijing Games. Her first was in the Women’s 50m Freestyle, where she missed gold by one one-hundredth of a second. The second was in the 4×100 Medley Relay, where she anchored the team and closed, but did not

Because She’s a Mom

Helen and I have been watching the Olympics all night. Dara Torres just won her heat in the Women’s 50m freestyle. Before the race, she went over and spoke with one of the officials, an action that puzzled the announcers until they realized she was asking them to hold the race so Swedish competitor Therese

“She Got Me Pregnant”: Episode 39

Dara Torres isn’t the only older mom competing in the Olympics, and this week Helen and I tell you about some more of them. Several are previous medalists and two managed to have three kids each in between Olympic appearances. In a heartbreaking story, one mother even needed to keep competing in order to raise

Another Olympic Mom: Hero or Not?

I was excited yesterday to watch Melanie Roach, a U.S. weightlifter in the 53-kilo (117-pound) category, set a new American record and come in sixth in her competition. Roach is the mother of three, and returning to competition after a five-year break and a herniated disk that required surgery. One of her sons was also

You Thought Torres’ Age Was Impressive?

Olympian and mother Oksana Chusovitina is 33, a far cry from Dara Torres’ 41. I’m almost more impressed by her than by Torres, however, because she’s competing in gymnastics. That’s right, gymnastics, where most athletes hover around the 16-year-old minimum and there are rumors of some sneaking in at younger ages. This is the fifth

Dara Torres Is Not a Lesbian

A public-service announcement for the many of you who are finding this site today after doing a search for: “Is Dara Torres a lesbian?” Nope, she’s not. She is twice divorced from men, and now lives with David Hoffman, a reproductive endocrinologist, masters swimmer, and father of her child. Yeah, I’m disappointed, too, but hey.

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