Water Polo Day 1
At the Gay Games water polo match between the West Hollywood All-Stars and the Chicago Riptide, I expected rainbow bunting, Madonna and Cher on the PA system, and guys in Speedos. I only got one of three, plus an ordinary, if lopsided match as West Hollywood defeated Chicago 22-3.
With no opportunity to indulge my prejudices (other than West Hollywood's red Speedos with yellow polka-dots), I let them go. The Gay Games (at least in water polo) seem to be more about the Games than the Gay. Of course, if I wanted spectacle, maybe I should have attended the opening ceremonies. I had thought, though, that gays were always spectacular...
The match was never in doubt. WeHo scored the first seven goals, five in the first three minutes. They swam quickly, efficiently, both on the fast-break and on the set-pieces. The Riptide's defense seemed resigned to foul their powerful opponent.
Chicago broke through with :14 left in the first quarter with a tricky, knuckling 5-meter lob from #8 that glanced off the goalkeeper's hand and floated on the goal line a moment before deciding to cross, rousing raucous, optimistic cheers from the Chicago contingent.
The other highlights for Chicago included a rifle-shot from 10m at 2:17 in the 3rd period from #11, known to us only as "E," and a fourth period penalty-shot from #6, Dan (a straight ringer), that fooled a California man on its way to the upper right corner of the goal.
With no opportunity to indulge my prejudices (other than West Hollywood's red Speedos with yellow polka-dots), I let them go. The Gay Games (at least in water polo) seem to be more about the Games than the Gay. Of course, if I wanted spectacle, maybe I should have attended the opening ceremonies. I had thought, though, that gays were always spectacular...
The match was never in doubt. WeHo scored the first seven goals, five in the first three minutes. They swam quickly, efficiently, both on the fast-break and on the set-pieces. The Riptide's defense seemed resigned to foul their powerful opponent.
Chicago broke through with :14 left in the first quarter with a tricky, knuckling 5-meter lob from #8 that glanced off the goalkeeper's hand and floated on the goal line a moment before deciding to cross, rousing raucous, optimistic cheers from the Chicago contingent.
The other highlights for Chicago included a rifle-shot from 10m at 2:17 in the 3rd period from #11, known to us only as "E," and a fourth period penalty-shot from #6, Dan (a straight ringer), that fooled a California man on its way to the upper right corner of the goal.
posted by JMH | 9:36 PM
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