De Blasio Pays Off On Hockey Bet

NHL Reaches LGBT Rights Milestone

Associated Press: "The National Hockey League is the first major league sports association to have players from every team voice support for LGBT rights.

Final Sochi Medal Count

Russia added two more gold medals during today's final events at Sochi.

Purists will say the Olympics is really all about individual sporting achievement, but for the national Olympic committees, medal counts do matter. And for Russia, this haul has to be a point of pride — even if the men's hockey team failed to make it to the medal round. This is the fourth time the host nation of an Olympics has emerged victorious in the medal count, making a strong case for the idea of home field advantage (U.S. in 1932; Norway in 1952 and Canada in 2010). Athletes in Sochi couldn't help but be motivated by the deafening chants of "Russ-ee-ahhh" in every arena and mountain venue. Team USA ended up with 28 medals (9 gold, 7 silver and 12 bronze), including a bronze secured Sunday by Steve Holcomb and his four-man bobsled team. The team just barely beat out Russia's second bobsled team by .03 seconds. Holcomb also won bronze earlier in the games in two-man bobsled.

At least Canada took the gold in Putin's favorite event today.

Worst Bet Ever

Canada beat the US in hockey, so we have to keep Justin Bieber.

Billboard Of The Day

President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper are betting cases of beer on Olympic hockey, but the above Chicago billboard offers much more satisfying stakes. (Tipped by JMG reader John)

Obama Bets Canadian PM On Hockey

Harper is already owed one case of beer as moments ago the Canadian women took the gold. The men's teams meet tomorrow for the semi-finals.

National Hockey League Partners With Anti-Homophobia Sports Group

The National Hockey League announced today that they will formally partner with the anti-homophobia sport group You Can Play. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed:

"Our motto is 'Hockey Is For Everyone,'" NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement announcing the news, "and our partnership with You Can Play certifies that position in a clear and unequivocal way. While we believe that our actions in the past have shown our support for the LGBT community, we are delighted to reaffirm through this joint venture with the NHL Players' Association that the official policy of the NHL is one of inclusion on the ice, in our locker rooms and in the stands."

Patrick Burke, who started the You Can Play Project in part to advance the legacy of his brother Brendan, an out collegiate hockey coach and former player who died in 2009, called the NHL's move historic. "I think the most important thing is that we're seeing a major professional league and a major professional players' association step up and make an official statement about inclusion. This isn't, 'Oh, we'll deal with it.' This isn't, 'Oh, we'll tolerate it,'" he said. "This is the hockey community saying to the LGBT community, 'You are invited. You are welcome. You are embraced here.' This is huge. From a sports perspective, this is historic."

Ohio State Hockey: You Can Play

(Via JMG reader Michael)

VANCOUVER: Students Stage Anti-Bullying Flash Mob At Pro Hockey Game

The Province reports:

Various videos of the anti-bullying flash mob that stole the show at the Vancouver Giants' game Sunday are popping up on YouTube. Just over 1,800 students, all in pink shirts, were part of a dance number in the north end upper deck to One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful. It was to promote Pink Shirt Day, which is Feb. 27. Giants vice-president of business development Dale Saip said it involved schools from "five or six districts," and Sunday was the first time that the entire group was together. "It was an amazing amount of work and an amazing production and a tribute to the people who put that together," he said. "We're happy to accommodate and it works well with our message of anti-bullying."

Toronto Marlies: Against Homophobia

Lesbian Proposes At Hockey Game

Towleroad points us to this bit of sweetness:

On Saturday night at Scotiabank Place, a Toronto Maple Leafs fan named Alicia stood on the ice during the second intermission wearing a blindfold. When it was removed, she looked up at the video scoreboard and read a message from her girlfriend, an Ottawa Senators fan named Christina. Schmaltzy music played. Out walked Christina. They embraced and had a brief conversation, as the crowd began to wise up to what was about to happen. Christina dropped to one knee while holding Alicia's hand. The fans roared. She slid the engagement ring on, they shared a kiss and the Senators mascot proudly raised a sign that read "SHE SAID YES."

Would the crowd have roared its approval for two men?

Pro Hockey Against Homophobia

Via New York Times:

Hockey is joining the drive to end homophobia in sports with a public-service message featuring eight N.H.L. players, including Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers, Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks and Daniel Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators. You Can Play, the campaign the players will introduce, is another in a series of efforts by hockey’s Burke family to open doors for gay athletes to participate in sports. It is intended to “make locker rooms safe for all athletes, rather than places of fear, slurs and bullying,” said Patrick Burke, a scout with the Philadelphia Flyers and a founder of the project.

Photo Of The Day

At the Vancouver hockey riots.

Vancouver Riots Over Hockey Loss

Tweet Of The Day - Uptown Hockey

Uptown Hockey, a Canadian sports agency representing dozens of NHL hockey players, yesterday tweeted their disgust with New York Rangers star Sean Avery, who has recorded a video clip in support of marriage equality. Canada's National Post got this quote from Uptown Hockey's president, Don Reynolds:

"It’s sad. I mean, my personal position is that I do not support gay marriage, and I think it’s wrong, as well. It’s not politically correct to, I guess, give your opinion about a thing like that. It’s politically correct on the other side, for people to say, ‘sure, I support gay marriage.’ But the majority, I think, of Canadians would say that they don’t agree with gay marriage – that man and woman were created to be married, not man and man or man and horse, you know?”

Man and horse. SRSLY.

Sean Avery For New York Marriage

CHICAGO: Pro Sports Heroes Cheered At Gay Pride Parade

A massive crowd cheered the first-time appearances of major league sports teams in yesterday's gay pride parade in Chicago.

An eclectic mix of stars -- the Stanley Cup with former Blackhawk Brent Sopel, the Cubs' Ernie Banks and country singer Chely Wright -- basked in the celebration of an estimated 450,000 who attended the 41st annual Pride Parade in the Lake View neighborhood Sunday. Sopel, who stood on the float of the Chicago Gay Hockey Association, said he participated to honor the memory of the gay son of his former general manager. Brendan Burke, son of Brian Burke, the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, came out when he was 21. He was killed in February in a car accident. Banks rode on a float with the Ricketts family, who bought the Cubs last fall and who made the team's first official appearance in the parade. Banks said he participated at the Ricketts' behest and to thank the neighborhood Cubs fans.

CHICAGO: Hockey's Stanley Cup Trophy To Be Hoisted At Gay Pride Parade

Representatives of the Chicago Blackhawks will bring their just-won Stanley Cup trophy to this year's pride parade.

Blackhawk defenseman Brent Sopel has volunteered to represent the team. "I am honored to do it," said Sopel, who will be accompanied by wife, Kelly, and his four kids, Jacob, 12, Lyla, 8, Jayla, 6, and Paul, 20, whom they adopted three years ago after Paul's parents died within six months of each other. "The power of the Cup is incomprehensible, and we recognize the importance of doing this," said McDonough, who has arranged for the Stanley Cup to be flown back from the National Hockey League draft in Los Angeles 15 hours early. "It's important for the city and important for the franchise."

Last week, the Chicago Gay Hockey Association issued an invite to the Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup to join them at the parade. They were hopeful, but "we know the realistic chances of them joining us for the Pride Parade are slim," CGHA President Andrew Sobotka told Sneed last week. It was a different story Monday, when Sneed delivered the news. "We are thrilled and honored for them to consider and accept our request," said Sobotka. "It's just the news we wanted to hear. For the Blackhawks to do this is amazing. It is wonderful to know everyone is helping to make 2010 a year to break down barriers."

Sopel says he will also be marching with the Cup in honor of Brendan Burke, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, who was killed in a car accident shortly after coming out last year. Sopel: "When Brendan came out, Brian stood by him, and his whole family stood by him, like every family should. We teach our kids about accepting everybody. Tolerate everybody, to understand where everyone is coming from."

Photo Of The Day

Canadian hockey fans reacted to their defeat by the Americans with the above photo.

(Sent by JMG reader Cheyenne)

Brendan Burke Dies In Car Accident

Brendan Burke, the openly gay son of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, died in a car accident in Indiana on Friday afternoon at the age of 21. The Burkes made international news in December when the story of Brendan's coming out to his very supportive father was the subject of a profile on ESPN.com. The crash, said to be snow-related, also took the life of Brendan's 18 year-old companion. Horrible, horrible.