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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2001)
Women football players tackle stereotypes ■ Potential athletes for a pro football team are more concerned with giving their all than with breaking a nail By Erin Middleton for the Emerald As a cool breeze blew across the green turf field next to the Recreation try out for a new professional women’s football league. Women’s football? “What’s this?” I asked myself. Is it like powder puff, the game I tried to organize as a fundraiser in high school with other girls? I tried, but in the end, the game fell flat on its face because we could never get it together. Or would it be like tag football, the fifth- and sixth-grade PE game we used to play with boys and girls run ning around grabbing a colorful rib * 9 9 ""'9 %9 --9 Reporter’s NOTEBOOK Center Satur day, about 40 young women stretched, sprinted, and prepared to bon from somebody’s waist? I soon found out this was the real deal, I would not find any ribbons in this game, nor would this be a fundraiser. It was going to be full contact football, just with women. Now, don’t get me wrong. I think women playing football is a great idea, something that’s never been done before, but I had to ask the coach (in not so many words): “How are you going to get rid of the stereo type of big-breasted, beautiful women running around in tight clothing, wrestling in mud together?” “Hey, this ain’t no powder-puffin’. It’s just as fast ... as strong ... as men’s football,” owner and manager Randall Field said. Field stressed the point that the women trying out were “full-fledged athletes” and were going to be “more vicious than men playing football.” As women assembled on the field, coach Osbourn Thomas, in an at tempt to gain their attention, called out “Hey guys!” Then, after a brief pause, he corrected himself, saying, “Ladies,” followed by a brief smile and a laugh. I can see Thomas is go ing to take some time adjusting to the ODE itofiei ore archived on-line at www.dailyefflerald.com 011539 2598 Willamette 342-4041 Open 7 days a week PLfiV IT fiGfiin SPORTS we rent roller blades! 009724 —AIR "FORCE 110 sophomores & juniors AFROTC is looking for qualified University of Oregon students graduating in 2002 to become officers. Our “STAR” program is an accelerated commissioning program uniquely designed for college juniors! Interested in becoming a pilot er navigator? The Air Force has many career opportunities. Plus GUARANTEED SCHOLARSHIPS for qualified juniors! We otter experience and leadership, skills coveted in today’s job market. Call Major Tighe-Smith for more details, 1-800-633-7352, ww.orst.edu/dept/afrotc. aim men > fact that females are now going to be running the show — literally. As I watched women of all ages, heights, weights, hair colors, nail colors, bra sizes, and shoe sizes run 40-yard sprints, I realized they meant business. I reminisced about one of my favorite all-time movies, “A League of Their Own.” You know, the one starring Tom Hanks, Madonna, Geena Davis, Rosie O’ Donnell, and a bunch of other peo ple, playing in the first-ever all women professional baseball league. Hanks has a hard time coaching fem inine characters in a male-dominat ed sport, but the women drive on with spirit and charisma. I love that movie! Go women! I asked some of the prospective players what their thoughts were about being in the first-ever professional Women’s American Football League. “I think it’s fun. It’s a good oppor tunity for women to get out and play some ball,” said Christie Harden brook. Hardenbrook, along with oth er women, said she had always wanted to play football. Well, now I guess this is their chance. As Thomas gave the team a five minute break, I wandered to the sideline to talk to some women get ting a drink of water, when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Player Cindy Ottley’s knee was covered in clumps of turf and bright red blood. She sat calmly, but I freaked out. “I dove for a pass ... it’s all right,” she said. “I played soccer and was goalie. It’s part of sports.” Ottley did not need any assis tance, not even a Band-Aid. When I asked Ottley what position she hoped to play, she responded, “Hopefully I’ll be a linebacker, so I can hit people.” I definitely do not want to get on her bad side. This team is for real — women are going to play football. There’s not go ing to be make-up or pretty jewelry, and whining will not be tolerated. These are the criteria of the Oregon Unforgiven, one of two teams in the new Women’s American Football League from Oregon. The other team hails from Portland, known as the Rose City Wildcats. The 40 or so young women stand ing on the turf eagerly awaited their next order to do push-ups, sprints, shuttle runs or passes. They weren’t as ready to go home as I was. I ad mired their stamina. As tryouts were coming to an end and I was exhausted from just stand ing around, Thomas yelled out, “This is the fourth quarter. This is where we get better. I want every sec ond to count.” Every second to count, I thought. I’ve been out here for two hours. I’m tired, let me go home. I am proud of my fellow females for doing something they’ve never been given the chance to do: play a sport that only men, up until now, have excelled in. As I packed up my stuff to go home for the day, I remembered what Amy Howard told me before tryouts: “All my girliness is at home.” Well Amy, all MY girliness is go ing home. Today, I will do my nails, primp my hair, and watch my eight minute-abs tape. I will turn on re runs of “Saved by the Bell” and re lax. But I will not be playing football. Let it be said that I support those women who had the foot-“balls” to tryout. Much information still confidential in civil rights complaint against UO ■A complaint of alleged discrimination has been filed against Project Saferide, but no details have been released By Emily Gust Oregon Daily Emerald A complaint against the University singling out Project Saferide has been filed with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) — but details about the com plaint and who filed it are under lock and key. The University received a letter written March 23 by Nicholas Rock, the OCR investigator handling the case. The letter said a complaint had been filed alleging gender discrimi nation by Saferide because only fe males are allowed to participate in and take advantage of the program. Saferide is recognized by the ASUO, which means it receives funding from student incidental fees. But the University administration said that’s all it knows. “We know almost nothing, but we’re trying to find out,” said Anne Leavitt, vice president for student af fairs and dean of students at the Uni versity. “We’re still out of the loop.” Roger Murphy, U.S. Department of Education OCR spokesman, said the complaint was filed Jan. 31. In accor dance with the Privacy Act of 1972, however, the name of the person or persons who filed the complaint will never be released. The actual wording of the complaint has not been revealed to the adminis tration, Leavitt said, which makes it hard for the University to respond. University General Counsel Melin da Grier said the administration had received a phone call from Rock, in troducing himself and saying that there was an investigation underway. Rock said he would be contacting the University more as the investigation continues, she said. Grier said the administration will cooperate fully—as it always does in a situation such as this — and pro vide the investigators with all the in formation they need. Until then, Leavitt said, the admin istration and the others who would be involved in the action, including the ASUO and the Office of Affirma tive Action, will remain irvth'e dark. “It’s going to be a very interesting conversation, but I don’t know yet how it’s going to unfold,” Leavitt said. Grier pointed out that any move ments made now are “really prelimi nary,” and that while an outcome is possible within a few months, it may not arrive for up to a year. “It’s so early right now that it’s real ly hard at this point to have a sense at what it’s going to be looking at,” Grier said. The way such complaint investi gations typically play out, Murphy said, is that the involved parties reach a resolution. In extreme cases in which the sides are unable to come to an agreement, steps can be taken to stop federal funding to the school. But Murphy emphasized that hardly ever happens. “That’s a very extreme and a very rare case,” Murphy said. “Very rare.” Calendar Tuesday, April 17 Career Center presents: “How to Work the Fair.” 12:30 p.m. River Room, EMU. For information, call 346*6020. Workshop: “Negotiatinga Job Offer.” 2 p.m. River Room, EMU Free. For infor mation, call346-6020. Architecture and Allied Arts Faculty Lecture: Richard Sundt.art history, dis cusses “Maori vs. Missionaries: Cultur a! Interference and Compromise in the Decoration of Traditional Maori Churches in 19th-Century New Zealand." Mary Ann Beecher, architec ture, presents "Stories My ChairTold Me,” a look at what designed objects and the built environment reveal about aspects of American culture. 4 p.m. Room 206, Lawrence Hall. Free. For information, call 346-2077. International Film Series: “St. Michael Had a Rooster" (Italy) tells how Italian International memberGiulio Maniere, sentenced to life imprisonment for il legal activities, holds onto his political ideals while struggling against insanity in the loneliness of prison. This is part of the “You Say You Want a Revolu tion?” series of fi Ims shown i n thei r original languages with English subti tles. 7-9 p.m. Room 122, Pacific Hall. Free. For information, call 346-4011. Oregon Daily Emerald P.O. Box 3159, Eugene OR 97403 The Oregon Daily Emerald is published daily Monday through Friday during the school year and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc., at the Uni versity of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. A member of the Associated Press, the Emerald operates independently of the University with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union. The Emerald is pri vate property. The unlawful removal or use,of papersas prosecutableJty law., „ NEWSROOM — (541) 346-5511 ■ Editor in chief: Jack Clifford Managing editor: Jessica Blanchard Community: Aaron Breniman, editor. Lindsay Buchele, Kendall Larsen, reporters. Freelance: Jenny Moore, editor. Higher education: Andrew Adams, editor. Brooke Ross, Hank Hager, reporters. Student activities: Emily Gust, editor. Kara Cogswell, Beata Mostafavi, Lisa Toth, reporters. News aide: Ben Lacy. Perspectives: .Michael Kleckner, editor, \ Y. \ Rebecca Newell, Pat Payne, Eric Pfeiffer, columnists. Pulse: Bevin Caffery, editor. Mason West, reporter. Sports: Jeff Smith, editor. Peter Hockaday, Adam Jude, Robbie McCallum, reporters. Copy: Sara Lieberth, Katie Mayer, copy chiefs. Jessica Davison, Michael Kleckner, Julie Lauderbaugh, Lori Musicer, EricQualheim, Jessica Richelderfer, copyeditors. Online: Carol Rink, editor. Timur Insepov, webmaster , , Qepign: Katie Mi|lef, editgr. Brooke Mo^sefin, , * SeanSraf;Russ Weller,‘designers'< ....... Bryan Dixon, Giovanni Salimena, illustrators. Photo: Tom Patterson, editor. Adam Amato, Jon House, R. Ashley Smith, photographers. BUSINESS —(S4ttti6-y>12 Judy Riedl, general manager. Kathy Carbone, business supervisor. Sarah Goracke, receptionist. Masahiro Kojima, John Long, Jeff Neely, Laura Ramelli, Mike Chen distri bution. CLASSIFIEDS — (S4l) Trina Shanaman, manager. Katy Hagert, Amy Richman, Laura Staples, assistants.* ADVERTISING — (541)346-3712 Becky Merchant, director. Doug Hentges, Katie Harsany, Nicole Hubbard, Trevor Kuhn, Jesse Long, Chau Nguyen, Adam Rice, Hillary Schultz, Chad Verly, Lisa Wood, sales representatives. Erin O’Connell, Van Nguyen, assistants. PRODUCTION — (541) ^46-4^81 Michele Ross, manager. Tara Sloan, coordinator. Laura Chamberlain, Cassie Keller, Melissa O’Connell, Laura Paz, Ross Ward, designers.
