Conventions
As a writer for the premier blog in college hockey, I am often invited to engagements in the college hockey world. I was a keynote drinker at the RCBF '07, moderator for Dinner with the Legends, and now, panelist at the Minnesota Chapter of the WIB convention. The WIB convention is not, as you would expect, a Wine In Box convention (I stopped attending those in college), but is the Women in Blogging convention.
And by that, I mean Let's Go Mavs and Win Twins (along with their personal body guards) visited me at my place of employment.
Topics of the WIB Convention included:
Hotties and How To Rate Them
Who's Hot? Hottiewatch 07
We're Dumb Girls Who Don't Know Anything About Anything
Like, Oh My God
I Don't Know What Satire Is
Jersey Chasing Techniques
You know, because that's all we care about. Right?
We actually talked about the Twins game they had just come from, LGM's interactions with various Mavs players, my careful avoidance of any interaction with any Bulldogs players, the inept WCHA standings predictions of the Great Unwashed USCHO posters, how LGM should go about getting a date with Donald, that weird racist diatribe that was left as a comment on both of our blogs (possible by a certain blogger I will not name), weird fans, and some other topics.
We also talked about stereotyping. It was a timely topic, as they informed me of a comment that was left on another site in response to a silly comment I made. I was excited to go home and read this comment, because there is nothing I enjoy more than seeing what people think about me. ME! The most interesting person in the world! This person was really concerned about my personal life. S/he wrote "Running with the dogs- you need to switch to women's hockey because you blogs are as boring as women's hockey. Great, let's hear about the cutie report. PS- Get a date once for once and stop writing about stuff that you would expect from a high schooler."
That's awesome. I didn't know anyone cared so much about me that they were concerned about my social life. I have definitely reached a new level. I'm also wondering if maybe this person wants a date with me, but doesn't know how to ask. I'll have to politely decline. I don't know why anyone would be interested in an old hag who stalks barely-legal hockey players, but I'm flattered at the overture! (I should add that by writing about hotties, I am just giving the people what they want! Do you know how mean people come here by searching for "[Your player here] hot?" Even the ugly guys are sometimes listed!)
Overall, this adds to the list of bloggers I have actually met. It's a short list: Ciskie, LGM, DG, WT, Dirty, Eliot Olshanksy, MEg, and Booster. Oh, I kind of met the guy from tSecond Best Feeling in tWorld, but not really. Others, take note: get on my list. I am funny. Despite what that comment said.
16 comments:
You are funny. Ignore that stupid comment. You know it came out of some loser SCSU fan. The few SCSU fans that are on USCHO and blogs commenting really give SCSU fans a bad name I think!
It was nice to meet you. Always good to put a face with the writing:)
As far as I remember, there was no talk of me dating Donald...but there was talk of RWD/LGM/WT world domination!!
Ummmmm, I know you sometimes forget this, but I am a SCSU fan LGM!! And, I do comment on blogs and such!! Take care when writing such all-encompassing things using the term "loser SCSU fan." :)
World domination would be nice, wouldn't it? I'd start by deleting most hockey fans who post on the internet, present company and a few others excluded!! It would make my life so much more peaceful!!
RWD, it was nice meeting you. If I wasn't near death's doorstep, I would have been much more into the conversation.
Why wasn't I invited to the party? !? :(
I also take the blame for naming the ugly guys as hot because well......I have HORRIBLE taste in men and I can admit it. WI needs to do a better job of taking pictures for their site though because it makes my taste in men look even worse!!
So when men walk around saying 'she's hot, I wanna do her' about supermodels and movie stars it's okay, but you can't blog about how hot a hockey player is? (not to mention it's on your own personal blog that they don't have to read Did I miss the memo that said us women aren't allowed to think people are attractive or think at all for that matter?
It isn't a double standard for men to talk some stupid bs about super models versus womyn (note I used the queer feminism spelling) bloggers rating players looks. They're completely different things. Super models by their nature have objectified themselves. Both womyn and men freely and equally prattle about which celebs they'd "do".
The one womyn's sport I follow is U.S. National Soccer and honestly it never occurs to me to think of the players in terms of their "hotness". Womyn sports fans won't truly reach equality in "Fandom" until they stop considering "Who is cutest?" It is so far beyond the core of what being a fan is.
Consider a male blogger writing about a WNBA team. It would be considered very bad form if that blogger rated the players by their looks. In fact, that blogger would and should be villified. But I don't see men evaluating women sports figures by their looks. It doesn't happen.
You'll find few men that would take the time to clue you into this. The rest of the men don't consider WIB their equal. So they accept the "hottie ratings" as par for the course (i.e... they are women sports fans of course they can't talk about the "core") . WIB do themselves a disservice by continuing the practice.
In the grand scheme it's all not that big of a deal however I felt compelled by nin's question to provide an answer.
And oh yeah ... getting a date with me is easy ...
Be ambulatory ...
Oh, my dear Donald.
First of all, the most recent hottie ratings were in response to a MALE reader's request. Second of all, hockey players themselves have contacted me to lobby for their inclusion on the All-WCHA Hottie Team.
The purpose of RWD is not to compete with male bloggers (or female, or transgendered, or nongendered bloggers). I don't need to, nor do I want to. I started this site before any other college hockey blog existed, inspired by Bat-Girl, who wrote a Minnesota Twins blog that was immensely popular, even though she featured such posts as Name That Butt (with photos of various Twins players's butts) and Minnesota Twins Hottest Chick (pictures of the Twins "made over" as women). I'm not offended when people say that they don't like the hottie list, or that it makes me look like a jersey chaser. Other people think that it's funny. Runnin' With The Dogs is not an informative blog. You really won't see me writing up predictions of the WCHA this year, or if I do, it'll be with some sort of twist. I don't want to be compared to any male or female bloggers, because the only site that even comes close to having a similar philosophy is Let's Go DU. It has nothing to do with gender, but with style. I'm not knowledgeable enough about hockey to write an analytical site, but I love the game, and this site has helped me enjoy it more.
It is a fallacy to say that women in sports are not judged on their looks. What about Anna Kournikova? Or Amanda Beard posing in Playboy? I've seen more than a few female athletes in Maxim. There are plenty of instances in which male hockey bloggers have commented on how ugly some player is (Phil Kessel, Rhett Rhakshani, etc), which is the exact same things as commented on how attractive someone is. And people talk about how ugly female athletes are all the time. In fact, a lot of female athletes are assumed to be unattractive. It goes back to the idea that female athletes are unfeminine, that a woman must lose her femininity in order to be taken seriously as an athlete. A girl can either be a pretty cheerleader, or a dog-faced hockey player.
I would never give a thought-provoking response like this to the anonymous WCH commenter, because I laughed at the comment. I know that person would never say it to my face, although I would love to meet a person who would. However, Donald, you prompted a response because you, of course, identified yourself, and also because I know you were making a serious point, not just trying to insult my site.
I disagree that the Hottie List insults female sports fans. I shouldn't have to write entirely sterile articles just so I can be taken "seriously." It would be hypocritical for me to write articles that are not my style, just so people would like me more, or so I could be some sort of banner for the feminist movement, or what's left of it. The fact is, the reason you don't see more people commenting on looks is because the majority of sports blogging and sportswriting in general involves men commenting on other men. The reality is that everyone judges everyone else on appearance, unless that person is blind. Just because people don't blog about it does not mean it isn't true.
Bottom line: RWD is not interested in being anyone's equal, if it means changing the fundamental purpose of this site. It's entertainment, not journalism. It's satire, not serious articles.
I know plenty of men who say, "I only watch tennis if Anna is playing" so you can't tell me that men don't base some opinion on if somebody is good by their looks. It isn't like you can watch a hockey game and say, "wow he's hot" from the stands. I mean they are only wearing 100 pounds of gear and a helmet that covers their face.
And is isn't like RWD writes, "oh and I think (insert name) is an awesome player because he's hot". She critques them like usual all season and then poll on their hotness once a year. She is just doing us women bloggers a courtesy by giving us something to poll on rather than stats. You make it sound like her blog is nothing but whos hot and whos not.
I'm sorry I'm not just a fan of hockey, but also a fan of good looking men. Am I not allowed to tell my other friends that are fans of good looking men if I think somebody is hot? If you're feeling left out, you can poll on who you think is hot.
PS....RWD I just tried to post as the exact same time as you and it sent my computer into a frenzy...that was creepy
I don't think Donald was saying that my blog is just hottie ratings. In fact, I am fairly certain that he doesn't feel that way, although I guess I could be wrong. There's a first time for everything.
RWD:
I'm sure you're aware that I'm a fan of your blog and like what you do here. You do present things with a certain style and humor. But like I said, I'm sure you already know I think those things; if you didn't know so, then I shoulda made them clearer in the past. My opinions about this are mine (and like so many of my opinions ... probably somewhat unique). They aren't a reflection on anything you do or how you do it.
Bearing that in mind my response was a reply in general to the issue and/or more specifically to the "double standard" question. Additionally, (if this clarifies my statements) any inferences and or commentary from professional sportscasters regarding the "looks" of any particular athlete causes me to change the channel.
Unlike RWD, my comments are not well thought out I guess. I see where you're coming from. I don't get why people make comments complaining about other people's blogs when is all they have to do is not read them if they don't like the conent. Obviously you like her halarious, well written blog, but don't care for some of what she writes. I just kinda go with the if you don't have anything nice to say......(yeah a highschooler thing again I know)
Nin,
Don't worry about Donald. He is certainly welcome to his criticisms, as they keep me on my toes. And part of the reason I enjoy him so much is, he never has anything nice to say.
RWD
Nin,
Regardless of the BS about me never saying anything nice .... Check my blog. Put "RWD" or "Donna" and you'll find absolutely nothing but glowing positive comments about her and this blog from me. In fact, if you or anyone can find anything on my blog that is negative about her then I'll buy you a an evenings worth of beer.
Nin,
Actually, nevermind. I've done it for you and here are all the nice things I've said on my blog about RWD. Not a single negative ...
Last week I sent emails to several bloggers asking them to "help a brudda out" and RWD was the first to share an opinion (with her usual irreverence). Nicely done "Run". You're officially "The Shit" in my book.
And honored with my last Linkage is RWD with her most recent Gauntlet with Bulldog's radio guy Bruce Ciskie. How awesome would it be to have an interview with the radio guy. I wish I'd thought of that. During the interview Bruce gave me a big raspberry for not stopping by and meeting him when UMD was here and well ... I deserved it. I promised to meet him twice next time.
I watched the traffic regularly all through the year and I think it was in August or so that I started having a race with RWD over at RunningWiththeDogs. It is exactly the kind of race that most all of us have had at one time or another in our car. You're driving down the highway and everytime you begin to speed up just to get some distance between you and the guy in the next lane (just in case you might want to change lanes) he seems to speed up. It's on. Now you're racing the guy (he doesn't know it of course). That's the sort of race I've had with her.
Besides the razor sharp commentary she is becoming known for at UMD's message board RWD has her thanksgiving list up. UMD is the Seawolves next opponent and she has this awesome series called "The Gauntlet" and apparently I'm her next victim. So far this season she's humbled the aforementioned DG, FireHelmetGuy from gopherland, and sweet little MeanEgirl from MTU. She's decided that SCSU doesn't have anyone in need of humbling (my words) so she's skipping them this week. I tried to encourage her to throw down said Gauntlet to "The Pope" so I could read his colon-laced answers but she didn't bite (and who can blame her really)
RWD has recently totally ignored her blogging responsibilities but appears to have returned to use physics as some sort of excuse for that laziness, practice some text formatting, and detail the qualities of new volunteer assistant Bill Watson; all in one post!
Over at Runnin With The Dogs, the wonderful Donna says she is both "lazy" and "surly" (alas I thought I had those particular "states of being" copyrighted). I always appreciate her way with words and as a fellow hockey blogger she keeps me on my toes. Read her more often than you do ... k?
I think the key words from keyboard that are relevant here are ... "The Shit", wonderful, razor sharp, and um awesome.
Now the big question is when is Blogger gonna start letting people use emoticons in the comments section so I can use the "sticking my tongue out" one here. So there.
RWD-I don't mind Donald, I'm just having fun with the banter. And ya'll have well thought out responses and I don't so it makes him frustrated I'm sure.
Donald-I didn't say that you don't ever having anything nice to say, I said if people don't have something nice to say they shouldn't comment the not nice stuff. I read your blog all the time too and I know you like RWD. I was actually referring to blogging in general when I said, "if you don't have anything nice to say.....". Like the jackass that will call you a dumbass just because you think your team will finish higher than they think. And I am so going to write a message to the help center in blogger requesting that we be able to use emoticons because I love putting smileys on everything.
Nin,
I was referring to RWD saying that I never say anything nice but you gave me an opportunity to prove myself so its all good ....
Cripes ... mouse over the link to my blog on the left side of the page and a bubble comes up that says "Angriest Man In Alaska". She Hate Me.
You live in Alaska. It's cold there. I don't think anybody blames you for being angry all the time.
I guess there's lots of pissed off rubes in Minneapolis since it's colder there during the winter than it is in Anchorage. :-)
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