Bingham Cup Opens In Sydney

Mark Bingham's Mom Fires Back

TMZ interviews Alice Hoagland, the mother of openly gay 9/11 hero Mark Bingham.

"Yes, my gay son was known in our family for bringing me flowers on my birthday and Mother’s Day. He also was known for careening down the rugby pitch, and, on the morning of September 11, 2001, for charging unarmed down the aisle of a doomed Boeing 757 to face knife-wielding Islamist thugs in a hijacked cockpit."

She adds, "No one among his pick-up team of fellow passengers was asking 'Are you straight? Are you gay?' No one doubted that a guy who weighed 220 and stood 6’4” tall - who could run over a charging opponent on the field, and ran with the bulls in Pamplona earlier that summer - would be an asset to a desperate group trying to overcome a threat onboard an airliner."

"The world has its share of strong, heroic gay men. Gay men in sports uniforms and military uniforms have been winning America’s games and fighting America’s battles for a long time: quietly, humbly, and in the face of vicious bigotry." "I hope you and I may have an opportunity to talk sometime. I prefer to believe you didn’t mean to offend. Good luck to you."

BAM! Also: Suh-NAP!

Carson Daly Apologizes To GLAAD

"We live in a time where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals find courage every day to overcome adversity, stand up to bullying and find equality. I'm truly saddened that my words today suggested otherwise. I've long been a supporter of Gay and Lesbian rights, and I'm saddened that my comments, however unintentional, offended anyone, specifically members of the LGBT community. The fact that I have hurt anyone is devastating. I'm not that guy. I'm proud to be an ally of the LGBT community and will continue to fight with them." - Carson Daly, in a statement delivered to GLAAD.

Asshat Of The Day - Carson Daly

TMZ reports:

It all went down on Daly's L.A. radio show this morning ... when he was talking about the flight and said, "Most of the people were on their way to some sort of security conference in Las Vegas ... it was like a bunch of dudes and well trained dudes ... thank god." He laughingly continued, "With my luck, it would be like ... 'this is the flight going to [the gay pride parade] in San Francisco ... I mean, that would be my colleagues." Then, changing his voice to sound like a gay stereotype, Carson said, "Uh, we're headed down to Vegas for the floral convention."

Just now on Twitter...Clearly Carson Daly never heard of Mark Bingham.

Mark Bingham's Mom On Bin Laden

"I am going to miss my son every day of my life but this, the death of Osama bin Laden, seems to be perfect closure for the foul and evil deeds that that man has committed. Bill Clinton made a real effort to root out Osama bin Laden. George W. Bush promised the American public that we will not rest until we have Osama bin Laden in our control, and then Barack Obama was able to make good the promises and efforts of his two predecessors. I'm very grateful to all three men for their strength and their persistence in this project." - Alice Hoagland, mother of openly gay rugby player and 9/11 hero Mark Bingham, speaking to the Bay Area Reporter.

RELATED: The documentary With You, The Mark Bingham Story previews at the Castro Theater on June 18th.

VIDEO: The 2010 Bingham Cup

JMG reader Sean Chapin sends us his videos of this year's Bingham Cup rugby championships, where NYC's Gotham Knights beat defending champions the Sydney Convicts. In the second clip, Alice Hoglan, the mother of 9/11 hero Mark Bingham, delivers a great speech.

Remembering Mark Bingham

JMG reader Sean Chapin sends us his remembrance of Mark Bingham, the openly gay rugby player credited with helping foil the 9/11 hijackers of United 93, possibly saving the White House or the U.S. Capitol from the same fate as the World Trade Center. Bingham was memorably played by openly gay Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson in a movie recounting the heroics of Bingham and his fellow passengers.