2015 Williams Watch- Good And Bad News Quarterfinal Day

My fave tennis playing siblings made it to the quarterfinal round of the 2015 Australian Open and if they made it through their respective matches, would play each other in the semifinals with a Aussie Open finals slot on the line.

While Serena handled her business and took out 2014 Australian Open runner up Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets.6-2, 6-2, to move on to the  semifinals, unfortunately that wasn't the case  for Big Sis.

Venus came out flat against American teen phenom Madison Keys and lost in three sets 3-6, 6-4, 4-6 despite Keys suffering a left thigh injury that necessitated a medical timeout in the second set.

It is the 19 year old Keys who will face the world's number one ranked player for a spot in the final against the winner of the all-Russian Ekaterina Makarova - Maria Sharapova semifinal.

Despite Venus' time in Melbourne being done, Serena is still alive for her fifth Australian Open title, her first since 2010 and her 19th Grand Slam title overall.

2015 Williams Watch- Venus and Serena In The Aussie Quarters

I've been having some problems with my cable, which has prevented me from watching my fave tennis playing siblings kick butt in the 2015 Australian Open 

My cable problems have cleared up just in time for me to discover that Serena and especially Venus are having a successful so far business trip to Melbourne.

I'll start with Little Sis' road to the quarterfinals which started with a 6-0, 6-1 opening round waxing of Belgium's Alison Van Uylvanck that took only 61 minutes. 

That set her up for a second round 7-5, 6-0 straight set win over Russia's Vera Zvonareva in which she got off to a slow start, saved three set points but eventually kicked it up to Serena mode 
She was clinically efficient in that closing set, taking only 27 minutes to complete it and move on to the third round.

She faced Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, and after dropping the first set 4-6, she regrouped to take the second set 6-2 to even the match, then blitzed her 6-0 to move on to the fourth round.

Spain's Garbine Muguruza also took the first set in their fourth round match 2-6 before Serena flipped the script and roared back to take the second set 6-3 and the deciding set 6-2 to head to the Australian open quarterfinals for the first time since 2013.

The world number one and number one tournament seed faces 2014 Aussie Open runner up Dominika Cibulkova, who survived a three set battle of her own with Victoria Azarenka. 

18th seeded Big Sis is having her best Australian Open since she made it to the Aussie Open finals against her sister in 2003.  She's made it to the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2010 US Open.

Venus' path to the quarters started with a first round 6-2, 6-2 straight set win over Maria Torro-Flor of Spain.

That punched her ticket to a second round clash with fellow American Lauren Davis which ended with a 6-2, 6-3 straight set victory which propelled her to the third round.

She faced Italy's Camila Giorgi and battled to a hard fought 4-6, 7-6 (7-2) , 6-1 victory that sent her to the fourth round against 6th seeded Agnieszka Radwanska.    Venus took down Radwanska 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to advance to a quarterfinal match with American teen Madison Keys.

Should the Williams sisters win their respective quarterfinal matches, they will face each other in the semifinals for a spot in the 2015 Australian Open final.

Team USA Is In Group D In The FIFA Women's World Cup

One of the major sporting events we will get to look forward to in a few months is the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup which will be contested north of the border in Canada.

In addition to the expanded field of 24 teams, the prize money was increased to $15 million.
In addition goal line technology will also be in use during this tournament. 

One of the things the players also want in this tournament is to play on grass instead of artificial turf. an which the organizers and FIFA have been recalcitrant on for now.

But with the June 6 date for the World Cup rapidly approaching and the qualification round completed, it was time to find out the groups the 24 teams would play in for the initial round of the tournament.

The draw for the upcoming 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup was held back on December 6 in Ottawa, with Team USA being placed in Group D as one of the tournament's top seeded teams. 

The other teams joining them in Group D when play kicks off June 8 in Winnipeg will be Australia, Sweden and Nigeria.   Sweden is now coached by Pia Sundhage, who coached Team USA to the 2011 Women's World Cup final in Germany and the 2012 Olympic gold medal in London.  She returned home to her native country to coach their national team after the Games.  

So that June 12 match should be an interesting one for FIFA world number one ranked Team USA, who is seeking to win their first world title since 1999 and they lost on penalty kicks to Japan in 2011.

The groups ended up as follows:

Group A: Canada, China, New Zealand, Netherlands
Group B: Germany, Ivory Coast, Norway, Thailand
Group C: Japan, Switzerland, Cameroon, Ecuador
Group D: United States, Australia, Sweden, Nigeria
Group E: Brazil, Korea Republic, Spain, Costa Rica
Group F: France, England, Colombia, Mexico

Will be interesting to see how the tournament plays out this June.

Carli Lloyd's Coming To H-Town!

I see the Houston Dash were serious about putting a competitive team on the field after a challenging inaugural NWSL season that saw them finish last in the league.

The team recently announced they had acquired via a trade with the Western New York Flash US national team star Carli Lloyd in exchange for midfielder Becky Edwards, defender Whitney Engen and a 2016 NWSL third round college draft choice.

That's a lot for Lloyd, since Edwards and Engen were probably two of the best players on the Dash in the team's maiden season and Lloyd is going to be busy for a month in Canada next year during the World Cup.  But Houston Dash Managing Director Brian Ching believes the deal to acquire her services was worth it..

“She’s a household name when it comes to the US women’s national team. It’s going to help build our brand even more. These are the types of players we want to go after, these are the types of players we feel need to be playing here in Houston, especially if we want to be considered one of the best clubs around.

“We feel that to pick up a Carli Lloyd, it makes your team 100 times better and we’re a team that is looking to compete for the championship. She’s the kind of player that we can build a team around while she is here.”

We'll see what other moves Brian Ching has in store for the Dash to fulfill their goal of turning the team into a perennial NWSL playoff squad, but Dash games at BBVA Compass Stadium just got a little more interesting.

Trinidad And Tobago Starts Their FIFA Playoff Leg Today

In the history of the FIFA Women's World Cup, a Caribbean based team has never played in the tournament. 

With CONCACAF tournament qualification play dominated by women's soccer powers the USA, Canada and Mexico and only 16 women's national teams around the world being involved in the tournament, that made it tough for a Caribbean based  women's team to break through a tough CONCACAF region and play on the big FIFA international women's stage.

Female players in Caribbean nations also had to contend with the sexist notion that soccer was a 'man's game'.  That resulted in little to no funding or corporate sponsorship for their teams.

;But with the FIFA women's tournament (finally) being expanded to 24 teams, and Canada hosting the 2015 edition, it created an opening for a Caribbean team to finally break through and qualify for the tournament.

The Reggae Girlz of Jamaica tried but were eliminated in the group stage after heartbreaking losses to Costa Rica and Mexico.

That left the Women Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago with a goldenGroup opportunity to grab that history for themselves

After holding the FIFA world number one ranked Americans to one goal in their initial group play loss, the rebounded to beat Haiti 1-0 and Guatemala 3-1 to finish second in their group.

They faced Group B winner Costa Rica in the semifinals with a berth on the line, but lost after a 1-1 draw on penalty kicks.   Trinidad and Tobago still had a shot to qualify with a win in the CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament third place game, but they fell to Mexico 4-2 in extra time. 

That sent them to a two leg aggregate score playoff starting later today that has the Soca Warriors facing the daunting task of playing CONMEBOL rep Ecuador in the 9300 foot altitude of Quito's Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa.   They will return to the friendly confines of Hasely Crawford Stadium on December 2 for the second leg with the last Women's World Cup berth on the line.

I'm paying attention to this playoff for multiple reasons.  I want to see the Soca Warriors make that history because it's their best shot to do so. With Trinidad and Tobago being a fellow CONCACAF member, I'd love to see another CONCACAF squad playing next June.

It also strikes a blow for women's sports in the region and will hopefully lead to better funding and corporate sponsorship if they pull it off.

There's a large cadre of Trinis that live here in Houston and I'd love to see the smiles on their faces if it happens.   Randy Waldrum,, the coach of the Houston Dash, is also the national coach of the Trinidad and Tobago women's squad

Will they do it?  We'll find out as the opening chapter of this sports story unfolds later today.

TransGriot Update:  Trinidad and Tobago 0-Ecuador 0  in a Leg 1 scoreless draw.  

Team USA Is Going To Canada!

The USA women's team on Sunday finished handling their CONCACAF business in PPL Park and captured their seventh title with a 6-0 rout of Costa Rica on the strength of Abby Wambach's four goals and another clean sheet by Hope Solo.

The Ticas aren't too disappointed.  They will be heading to their first ever Women's World Cup thanks to their showing in this CONCACAF qualification tournament in which they won their group and made it to the finals.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention Team USA also qualified for next year's Women's World Cup in Canada in addition to winning the tournament?

That qualification business was handled when Team USA beat Mexico 3-0 in the semifinals on Friday to avenge that 2-1 loss Mexico pinned on them four years ago.

Speaking of Mexico, they will be going to the World Cup next year along with the Ticas after beating Trinidad and Tobago 4-2 in the Third Place game to capture the third CONCACAF auto qualifying spot.

As for Trinidad and Tobago's heartwarming quest to make history and become the first ever Caribbean based female squad to make it to the World Cup, they will have to play a two leg aggregate score playoff against CONMEBOL rep (South America) Ecuador in order to punch their ticket to Canada.

Since the Mexican team plays their games at high altitude (7200 feet),the Mexican Football Federation has made the classy offer of a training facility in Mexico City to help Trinidad and Tobago get ready for that 9300 foot altitude November 8 first leg in Quito that awaits the Soca Princesses.   The return leg is in Trinidad and Tobago on December 2.

Congrats to Team USA and all the CONCACAF nations that will be playing next summer in Canada.   Hopefully Trinidad and Tobago will get to join that party. 

And I'm hoping Team USA finally gets to add that third star on their jerseys next summer.

The Reggae Girlz Fail To Qualify For 2015 Women's World Cup

After their heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Costa Rica after fighting back to tie the match on a Shakira Duncan goal in the 77th minute, the Reggae Girlz found themselves in win or go home territory in their quest to qualify for the 2015 Women's World Cup 


Since Costa Rica had already clinched Group B with 6 points and the wins over both Mexico and Jamaica, both teams were playing for the Group B runner up spot and a semifinal date with FIFA world number one ranked Team USA.

Mexico and Jamaica came into the game at RFK Stadium with a win and a loss in group play and 3 points.  Because Mexico scored 10 goals on Martinique in their October 18 match with them while Jamaica scored a 6-0 win with Martinique back on the 16th,  they entered this final group match with a +9 goal differential to Jamaica's +5.  That meant that if both teams finished the game with a draw, Mexico would advance.

The Reggae Girlz struck hard and struck first with Donna-Kay Henry's third goal of the tournament in the 14th minute.  It was a  rocket fired just under the crossbar inside the far post from the right side of the box to take the early 1-0 lead.   But Mexico struck back with a Sandra Mayor goal in the 29th minute to send to match to halftime drawn at 1-1.

Mexico broke Jamaica's hearts in the 59th minute with the first of Veronica Corral's two second half goals.   She added an insurance goal in the 79th minute for the 3-1 win that allowed Mexico to finish 2-1 in Group B play while the Reggae Girlz finished 1-2.  

Jamaica came close, but dropping that match with Costa Rica turned out to be the death blow to their effort to become the first Caribbean based women's team to qualify for the Women's World Cup.

Hopefully the Reggae Girlz will get a chance to do so again in 2019, and the Jamaican Football Federation and some corporate sponsors step up with the funding.  

Let's hope they get enough funding so they can play the friendly matches they need against the international women's soccer powers to strengthen their team and make that World Cup dream a reality.

Why Are The Big MMA Circuits Ignoring Fallon Fox?

One of the cool things to watch over the past year has been the rise of Fallon Fox in the women's MMA ranks.  

While some peeps have been transphobically hating on her like Ronda Rousey, Tamikka Brents, Charmaine Tweet and Matt Mitrione, others have been supportive like Liz Carmouche.

When she came out as trans last year, it appears that the many of the promoters of the larger MMA circuits like  UFC, Bellator, Invicta and World Series of Fighting smugly assumed that at age 37, Fox didn't have the skills to compete at that level or she'd fight a few times, then retire.

After the upset loss to Ashlee Evans-Smith saddled Fox with a 3-1 record, they were probably feeling quite secure in that assessment.

But since that loss, Fox has reeled off two  impressive wins to bump her record to 5-1, with the most recent one (and most satisfying so far to me) being a microwaved demolition of signed InvictFC fighter Tamikka Brents.

As Fallon continues to win, it's fairly obvious that Ms. Fox has skills and is definitely head and shoulders above WMMA regional ranks littered with female fighters with .500 records or less.

So why hasn't one of the Big Four MMA orgs signed her?   Because they are in a seriously awkward spot at this point and don't know what to do about it.  

And if you're trying to prove that WMMA is a credible sport, sooner or later the female fighters that are ducking her will have to fight her to enhance their own credibility and visibility to the Big Four MMA organizations..

The Big Four MMA orgs will feel the pressure to sign her increase, especially from the LGBT community as it becomes obvious that Fox is one of the best fighters out there and she is being
denied an opportunity to pursue it at the highest levels because of transphobia.

It's also hypocritical that you have a WMMA fighter in Jessica Rakoczy with a 1-4 record signed in the UFC and Fox has yet to get a call from the Big Four MMA orgs despite her demonstrated abilities.

If the trans and SGL community comes to the ossifying impression that Fox is being denied a place in their organizations because she's a transgender female, that's scrutiny the MMA will rue the day they invited upon themselves   It will cause GLBT advocacy organizations to review the previous grossly  transphobic comments aimed at Fox and the negative history that the sport has in general with the LGBT community.

So what are you going to do UFC, Bellator, Invicta and World Series of Fighting?   The ball is clearly in your court.   You can either sign a talented fighter, or by your inaction and stonewalling, invite more scrutiny upon you that you're not doing so because of transphobia

Reggae Girlz Trying To Qualify For 2015 Women's World Cup

While much of the attention in this CONCACAF Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament has been focused on Group A and the FIFA world  number one ranked USA squad, there is an interesting story developing in Group B worthy of being turned into a movie. 

For various reasons, including the perception that soccer is a man's sport, the Jamaican Football Federation hasn't funded a women's soccer program since it was disbanded in 2008. 

The frustrating part about that decision for women footballers on the island is that the Reggae Girlz were one of the top ranked squads in the Caribbean region. 

Jamaican female players who wanted to pursue their passion to play did so in other nations, but never gave up the dream of one day playing for their national team in a Women's World Cup.

The Reggae Girlz are back, and thanks to raising $200,000 via two crowdfunding campaign, Cedella Marley's enthusiastic support and being the Reggae Girlz international ambassador, the team is on the verge of making its Women's World Cup qualification dream come true. 

If the do so, they would be, like their male counterparts were in 1998, the first ever Caribbean based team to make it to the World Cup and it would do wonders for women's soccer in Jamaica.

Despite not playing any international friendly matches prior to the CFA and CONCACAF tournaments, they opened Group B play with a resounding 6-0 win over Martinique in Kansas City, and have a critical match with Costa Rica today in Chicago before finishing Group B play on October 21 in Washington DC versus Mexico.

The Reggae Girlz will want to #StrikeHard and finish first in Group B so they get the Group A runner up in the knockout round.  That way Jamaica won't have to face a match with FIBA number one ranked Team USA until the CONCACAF title game.

The six goals they scored against Martinique will definitely help them out if it comes down to goal differential to sort out the Group B standings for the knockout round.

Top three squads punch their tickets to Canada for next year's World Cup, while the fourth place team in this CONCACAF qualifying tournament has to play the CONMEBOL third place squad Ecuador in a two leg playoff for another World Cup berth.
.
Let's hope the Reggae Girlz make history for their nation, they get the funding and corporate backing they need, and we get to see them in Canada next summer at the Women's World Cup..

TransGriot Update: The road to World Cup qualification just got a little bumpier.  Costa Rica beat Jamaica 2-1.

2014 FIBA Women's World Championship Watch-Title Number 9!

The 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women title game was held this afternoon my time in Istanbul, and the FIBA world number one ranked Team USA was facing off against Spain for the title and the automatic bid to the Rio Olympic Games that went with it.

Both teams were unbeaten, had won their respective groups and breezed through the tournament until the semifinals. 

Both teams also survived tough semifinal matchups the day before to get to the title game, with Spain knocking off the host Turks and Team USA dispatching their Australian rivals once again.

Team USA wanted to get off to a quick start and seize control of this title game from the outset, and with tournament MVP Maya Moore reeling off eight quick points to get the basketball party started, Spain quickly found themselves looking at a 15-5 double digit deficit.

Moore finished with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal as she made the All-Star Five Team along with Brittney Griner. Australia's Penny Taylor, and Spain's Sancho Lyttle and Alba Torrens.



It didn't get any better for the EuroBasket champs as they headed to the halftime locker room trailing 48-29 and 67-48 at the end of the third quarter as Team USA kept up the defensive pressure and showcased the depth of their predominately veteran roster they brought to Turkey.  

Spain did close with a late rally and held the USA to just 10 points in the quarter to make the final score 77-64.   Spain with the runner up silver medal finish had achieved their best finish ever in FIBA tournament play, and the Australians hammered host Turkey 77-44 to earn the bronze medal.

For my Canadian readers, you finished fifth after knocking off China 61-53.  I think the Canadians might have had a shot at the podium had Natalie Achonwa been able to play.

Team USA with the win repeated as FIBA world champs, captured their ninth overall world championship and most importantly, locked down the automatic bid for the 2016 Games.  

USA Head Coach Geno Auriemma said while reflecting on it, "It is very difficult to win the Championship.  There are some great teams and they are getting better all the time."

"Although just because we are expected to win, doesn't make it any easier."



One thing that definitely won't be easy is selecting 12 players from the vast talent pool Team USA has to choose from for the 2016 women's Olympic b-ball squad.

But we'll see how that plays out two years from now.

Congrats to Team USA for the FIBA repeat.
 
 

2014 FIBA Women's World Championship Watch-On To The Finals!

It was Semifinal Saturday in Istanbul earlier today as the four surviving teams in the 2014 FIBA World Championship For Women tournament faced each other for a spot in tomorrow's finals.

Spain was taking on the host Turks, while the unbeaten Team USA was tangling with their longtime Australian rivals who were also unbeaten despite not having Lauren Jackson on the Opals squad.

In the early semifinal game the European champions broke the hearts of the Turkish faithful dreaming of an appearance in the FIBA final by knocking them off 66-56.

Team USA handled their basketball business against Australia in the other semifinal, sending the Opals to the third place game to face off against Turkey after beating them 82-70.




Tina Charles did the damage this time with 18 points and 9 rebounds to put the USA one win away from repeating as FIBA world champs and qualifying for the Olympic basketball tournament in Rio two years from now. 

2014 FIBA Women's World Championship Watch-On To The Semis

The quarterfinal action took place in the 2014 FIBA World Championship For Women yesterday with Spain taking on a China team that upset Belarus 72-67 and the host Turks taking on Serbia in the upper half of the bracket. 

In the lower half of it Australia took on Canada while the defending FIBA champion USA got a 2012 Olympic finals rematch with France.

France came into this game with a semblance of confidence after handing Team USA their first loss in an international basketball game since 2011.   France beat Team USA 76-72 in a September 21 prep game before the tournament started.

Spain beat China 71-55 to punch their ticket to today's semifinals and they will face Turkey after their narrow 62-61 win over Serbia. 

Turkey had to overcome a 10 point fourth quarter deficit in order to send the home country fans home happy as they punched their ticket  to the semifinals.

Australia beat Canada 63-52 to remain unbeaten in this FIBA World Championship tourney.  Their reward is facing their longtime b-ball rivals Team USA, who got payback for the friendly game loss pinned on them by France.  




France upset them in Paris back on September 21 as Team USA was sorting out the final spots on their FIBA championship squad and was missing Brittney Griner. 

This time Team USA shattered and splattered France's pipe dream of a semifinal matchup.  Team USA raced to a 29-14 first quarter lead they never relinquished thanks to 92% shooting, and sprinted to a 20 point halftime lead.   The 94-72 win secured their spot in the semis against the Opals. 
Brittney Griner led all USA scorers with 17 points

Once again we have a clash between unbeaten USA and Australia squads for the right to move on to the title game.  Should be fun to watch.
  

2014 FIBA Women's World Championship Watch- On To The Quarters

The FIBA World Championship For Women started in Turkey on September 27.

Team USA is multitasking during this tournament.  They are not only trying to defend their world title and keep their long winning streak alive, they are also trying to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

The 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship squad is comprised of Brittney Griner, Tina Charles, Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Angel McCoughtry, Odyssey Sims, Diana Taurasi, Candice Dupree, Nneka Ogwumike and UConn's Breanna Stewart.

The Geno Auriemma coached Team USA squad got their title defense off to a strong start when they took out China in their opening Group D matchup 87-56 in Istanbul.  

Maya Moore and Brittney Griner were the leading scorers in this game for Team USA with 15 points apiece.  My Houston homegirl also made some FIBA history when she threw down the first ever dunk in FIBA Women's World Championship competition early in the first quarter.  



The next day (September 28) Team USA took out Serbia 94-74.  This time it was Diana Taurasi doing the damage with 20 points to lead all Team USA scorers as they clinched their spot in the quarterfinals with one pool play game left today against Angola.

If Team USA does what we expect and wins the game against Angola today, Team USA will finish atop Group D and play on October 3 in Istanbul the winner of the Brazil- France knockout round game. 

France and Canada play today in Group B to determine who finishes second in their group.   Winner plays Brazil on October 1 in the elimination round while the loser plays 2010 finalists the Czech Republic in an elimination round game.

The USA's longtime international b-ball rivals Australia are on their side of the bracket and won Group C.  If they handle their quarterfinal business would meet Team USA in the semis. 

You know the Opals are just itching to dish out some payback and knock off the FIBA world number one ranked Team USA short of the October 5 finals, but may not have enough firepower to do so since Lauren Jackson is sitting this FIBA tournament out.

We'll see on October 5 if Team USA accomplishes its mission of repeating as the best FIBA women's basketball squad in the world.

TransGriot Update:  Team USA knocked off Angola 119-44.  My other Houston homegirl Nneka Ogwunmike led all USA scorers with 18 points while grabbing 12 rebounds.

Fallon Fox Beats Brents!

There's an old saying in the Black community that goes "'Don't let your mouth write a check your body can't cash."

Fallon Fox's opponent should have heeded that comment before she started flapping her transphobic gums last year.   After letting  those comments fly, she also denigrated Fox's WMMA skills and punctuated it with a desire to battle her in the cage.

Well, Brents got her wish tonight, but it didn't turn out the way she expected. 



After she was all Betty Badass last year, it was put up or shut up time during their Capital City Cage Wars co-main event bout earlier tonight. 

The 'Queen of Swords' made short work of Brents with a dominating display of her WMMA skills and talents that resulted in a first round stoppage of the anticipated fight in Springfield, IL.  

Fox is now 5-1 while Brents is now 2-2

Fallon Fights Brents This Saturday

Our fave WMMA warrior will step into the cage in Springfield, IL this Saturday for her Capital City Cage Wars co-main event battle with Tamikka Brents at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.  

Should be fun to watch since Brents was one of the loud and wrong WMMA transphobes flapping her gums when Fallon was outed last year.   Wouldn't be surprised if Brents entered the cage on Saturday while a certain transphobic Aerosmith song is blaring over the arena speakers..  

Brents was also loudly claiming last May she wanted this fight with Fallon while disparaging her fighting abilities.  Well, be careful what you wish for, you may not like the result when you get it.



For those of you in the area who want to attend Fallon's upcoming bout, here's the link to purchase tickets for it.

Go get her Fallon!   May you emerge victorious Saturday night..    
 

2014 Williams Watch-Serena Goes For The US Open Threepeat

Number one seeded Serena Williams has been all business and brutally efficient in this march to the 2014 US Open final.  

Taylor Townsend went down 6-3, 6-1 in 55 minutes in the opening round..  Her 6-0, 6-1 second round demolition of Vania King took just 56 minutes. The third round 6-3, 6-3 straight set win over Varvara Lepchenko took an hour and 35 minutes.  The fourth round 6-3, 6-3 win over Kaia Kanepi took 65 minutes.  Sending Flavia Pennetta to the US Open sidelines 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals also took 65 minutes, but ironically the first set took 29 minutes despite Serena being down 0-3.

And Ekaterina Makarova, who knocked out two time US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka, was no match for Little Sis, who took an hour to steamroll her 6-1, 6-3.

And now Serena goes for her 18th Grand Slam title against Caroline Wozniacki, who should be quaking in her tennis shoes after she pulled this stunt in 2012.  Serena is also 8-1 lifetime against her.

The media may be trying to push this 'Serena and Caroline are friends' storyline, but if y'all think the African-American community (or Serena) forgot how she was dissed by Wozniacki in Brazil, I have some Louisiana waterfront property to sell you along I-10 in the Atchafalaya Swamp. 

This match should be fun to watch.   If Serena is playing her dominant A+ game at Arthur Ashe Stadium, she should win her third straight US Open title and finally tie Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova at 18 on the all time majors win list.

Go get her Little Sis.

TransGriot Update:  6-3, 6-3  The threepeat is complete..

2014 Williams Watch-US Open Party Getting Started

The last Grand Slam of the 2014 tennis season cranked up in New York yesterday, and the question the tennis world is asking is will Serena break out of her Grand Slam mini-slump and finally win one this year and win her 18th to tie Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on the all time list?

We'll find out the answer to that question later today when number one seeded and world Number one ranked Little Sis takes to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court to begin defense of her US Open singles crown against Zina Garrison coached 18 year old Taylor Townsend.

The winner of this opening round match will move on to the US Open singles second round face the winner of the Vania King-Francesca Schavione match.

Big Sis won her first round match with Kimiko Date-Krumm at Arthur Ashe Stadium yesterday, but not without a struggle.   Venus had a rough first set as Date-Krumm kept her off balance with her repertoire of spins to take the first set 2-6.   Venus roared back to take the second set 6-3 and rolled to a 5-0 third set lead before Date-Krumm fought back to snatch the next three games and have two game points to chop Big Sis' once seemingly insurmountable lead to 5-4. 

But Venus recovered to stave off the two game points and eventually take the hard earned match 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.  It extended her career record in first round match wins at the US Open to an impressive 16-0.

Big Sis will face in the second round the winner of the Kiki Bertens-Timea Bacsinszky match, but before she does so, she may wish to cut down on those 36 unforced errors.

My fave tennis playing siblings are entered in the US Open Women's doubles tournament, with them having an opening round match with the seventh seeded team of Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic 

Best of luck ladies, and hope you have a long successful run in this tournament and piss off your haters.

Houston Dash End Tough Inaugural Season

We Houston women's soccer fans were thrilled to discover a few months ago that we'd been able thanks to the Houston Dynamo to get an expansion franchise in the National Women's Soccer League that is supported by the United States, Canadian and Mexican soccer federations.

The Houston Dash on Wednesday ended that inaugural NWSL campaign with a 1-0 road loss in New Jersey to Sky Blue FC.

The Houston Dash were born in a frenetic dash (pun intended) of offseason activity starting in December 2013 when they became the first ever NWSL expansion club and the second owned and operated by an MLS parent club.   Retired Dynamo star Brian Ching was named as the club's managing director as he and team president Chis Canetti set about the task of building a club in the Houston Dynamo mold of being a scrappy, team oriented unit that could compete for a top four NWSL playoff spot immediately.

Randy Waldron was hired as the team's head coach January 3 and the Dash selected Kealia Ohai with the first pick in the NWSL draft as they built their inaugural team. 

When they took it to the defending league champion Portland Thorns in a 1-0 loss in their inaugural game at BBVA Compass Stadium in front of 8,097 people April 12 and had a tying goal in stoppage time disallowed, it looked like the Dash were on the right track to actually meeting that lofty goal of competing for a playoff spot in their inaugural season.    

But season ending injuries to Lauren Sesselmann, Aya Sameshima and Brittany Bock.the 0-6-1 stretch between the April 20 comeback 3-2 first franchise win against Boston and the 2-1 May 31 win over Western New York, lack of team depth, international call-ups, and lack of experience playing together as a cohesive unit eventually doomed their chances to make the playoffs. 

The Dash finished last in the NWSL with a 5-18-3 record, but nine of those losses were one goal games, and that leads to hope of better results in 2015.   

The Dash also have a dedicated fan base.   Despite only winning twice at BBVA Compass stadium this season, the Dash's average attendance of 4,650 was second in the NWSL behind soccer mad Portland.

The ninth place finish means we'll have the number one overall draft pick in 2015, but it is hoped that with time to use the long offseason to improve the team and put them on the road to being consistent threats to compete for and win the NWSL title.

Fallon Has A New Fight-With Wannabee 'Advocate' Tamikka Brents

Our fave MMA warrior is now in training for her next fight with 24 year old Tamikka Brents

Y'all know I have much love for Fallon Fox and I'm looking forward to meeting her in person.  I wish the 'Queen of Swords' the best of luck as she gets ready to handle her business inside the octagon on September 13 in Springfield, IL.

And Fallon's probably got some extra motivation to be on her A+ WMMA game with this upcoming opponent after Tamikka Brents flapped her gums and let loose some dog whistle transphobia back on May 25, 2013. 

“I am tired of Fox getting all this publicity just for being a transgender fighter rather than having great skills. I think it’s unfair anyway but as long as the opponent knows and accepts the fight then go ahead… I mean Allana took her to the third and she’s not even a 145er; she’s a more of a 135er who can probably go even lower to 125 pounds. She’s using all that attention as a good publicity tactic – go ahead and ride that free publicity train as long as you can. I’ll gladly derail that s#*t quickly so the world can go back to giving the publicity and notice to the female fighters who earn it. It just pisses me off that Women’s MMA has fought to get away from being seen as a side show. She’s using that to further her career while setting Women’s MMA back in the process.”

And this from a woman who claims in a November 2012 Bleacher Report piece she wants to be an LGBT advocate.   Well, she said she wanted this fight with Fallon bad, and she's about to get her wish. 

But let me focus on Tamikka Brents' advocacy, or lack thereof.   The only thing you've done is take a rainbow flag a few hundred feet into an octagon twice.   I haven't seen op-eds written by you in TIME magazine, the TransAdvocate, or much less my GLAAD Award nominated blog   I have yet to see you at an National Black Justice Coalition event or do anything in support of the SGL, trans or bi  community.

While you bump your gums in a puff piece about wanting to be an advocate for the LGBT community, Fallon Fox is role modeling it. 

So stop hatin'.

And here's your first advocacy lesson, Tamikka.  The 'T' in LGBT stands for transgender.  Without transfolks like Ms. Fox showing up and showing out at Stonewall in 1969 fighting for everyone's human rights including our own, you wouldn't have a movement to consider being an advocate for.

And what pisses me off Tamikka is you piling on Fallon.   She's handled this lemon situation of being outed and the subsequent microaggressive and macroagressive publicity it generated with class and dignity while trying to build her reputation in women's MMA.  

She has remained classy as you and several of your women's MMA colleagues like Ronda Rousey, Ashlee Evans-Smith and Allana Jones have been transphobically shady towards her while spouting jaw dropping anti-trans ignorance.

So yeah, looking forward to September 13.   

Fallon's Fun With Flawed TERF Sports Thinking

TransGriot Note: Been a while since I had a guest post up from my sis Fallon Fox and one slamming the TERF's. 

I get to gleefully do both at the same time with this guest post in which Fallon takes aim at the TERF's who are loud, wrong and scientifically illiterate while attacking trans women who participate in sports. 

TERFs. Every single time they have made, and will continue to make themselves look rather silly when they open their mouths against transgender women.

This reality struck me more than it has in the past with this recent small time WordPress blog from Culturally Bound Gender entitled "All the things you can't deny: Title IX, trans women, and the reality of neutrality.".

The article focused primarily on the physical height that some transgender athletes may have as a result of a likely ratio of taller transgender women in sports, and society in general. The moment I stumbled across this despicable piece of paranoid delusional drivel, I knew that it would be great idea to knock the dunce hat from atop it, grab it by the ear, drag it from obscurity, and pull it directly to the front of the room for the whole class to see. Pretty much the ones still actively promoting the ridiculous notion that trans women as a whole have 'unfair' advantages because of skeletal related 'advantages' are bigots, misinformed individuals, and TERFs also known as Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists.

The latter is an unfortunate offshoot of the feminist movement that most feminists (including the one writing this) tend to steer clear of because of their blatant hatred for men in general, and their day to day straw man attacks against transgender women. TERFs tend to see transgender women as men. A mindset that could not be farther from the actual truth, and actually goes against the documented peer reviewed findings and collective consensus of those in the fields of psychology and medical fields.

Because of not having the power to hurt men in any meaningful way out of spite for the wrongs inflicted on them by the hands of some, they seek to harm what they view as the next best thing - transgender women. They are so blindsided, so hate filled, so bitter about by their hatred of men, that they refuse to deeply fathom the reality that some women were unfortunately born with male genitalia, yet have female brains. 


A reality that has been stated repeatedly and accompanied by peer reviewed testing within the scientific and medical communities that study transgender women's brains. . This reluctance by TERFs to embrace the medical and scientific reality make me ponder if I should attempt to contact Lisa Vogel - the owner of the deeply transphobic Michigan Womyn's Music Festival  and propose that they build a gigantic mountain in the center of Michfest.    Then they could hold that shindig in the middle of winter with a womyn atop that mountain spraying it down with a fire hose just so that a small percentage of the participants who are against trans women's participation can have practice with ice skating uphill.

They'll need the ice skating practice.  Because as the months and years pass by, we learn more and more about transgender women's brains and bodies, especially when it comes to a sports setting.   Fighting the gravity of those findings is something they really need to get used to. On one hand, it hurts me to see someone so lost that they lash out on the innocent.

Because, it is truly tragic that TERFs are the way they are because of despicable misogyny against women. But, that's how many hate groups have been formed throughout history. And I almost think that it is a good thing that the TERF's continue to print and promote such rhetoric as what gets posted now and then on WordPress sites that not many within their right minds agree with.

Those irrelevant articles TERFs tend to write give those of us on the right side of history something to point at and say, "Now, look at the utter ridiculousness of what they are saying. Go ask those in the medical communities who actually study transgender bodies on a day to day basis the reality of trans women's bodies. Go ask the psychologist who actually work with transgender women on a day to day basis. They will disagree with these insane statements."

I learned a mindset within the martial art of jiu jitsu a long time ago. The thought process is, it is highly beneficial for one to sometimes use the energy and momentum of the attacks against oneself as momentum for ones own attack. This concept can be used in many situations. So that's part of the reason why, when I look at the forest before the trees, those articles that caused me to lose sleep in the past when I first came out as a transgender athlete are now the articles that cause me to sleep more soundly.

There's a shift that's been happening, a momentum for widespread understanding of transgender people and their bodies that has taken off within the last year. There is no doubt opposition to the shift. But the more the opposition flails, the more they fight, the more they sink into the quicksand of their own hatred and bigotry.

There's even beginning to be a shift within government  and businesses around transgender equality. And let's just face it one of the major reasons why TERFs and the religious right are clinging to trans participation in sport is because if we're involved in sports in any meaningful number, that will speak to the "person on the street" in a way that sports personalities reach their fan base.

If society were to see a trans woman on the Olympic team, who won for the USA, as an example, that would send a shockwave through the right. Who would they have to hate if what some consider sports to be is the last bastion for equality of humans? What straw man could they erect for Americans to hate then?

We are winning, and I'm quite sure that behind closed doors they are whining to each other and responding within their group like bunch of near death Darth Vaders. They look to each other and say, "Our arguments are dying!". The response back is heavily breathed response, "Nothing... can stop that now."

Except I highly doubt that there will a redemptive move on their part that the audience of the world will applaud in the end. Yes, on a long enough timeline the TERFs are political toast. I say that not to encourage complacency. Actually, I propose the opposite. I suggest those of us on the more rational and all around more empathetic end of spectrum shine an even bigger light in their hateful ideals as much as possible. I think it's time to lay waste to that antiquated framing that bone structure in a minority group should be cause for concern within sports.

It's about time that we poke fun and at the hate groups who stand against transgender people like we do the other hate groups that attack other minorities and seek to exclude them. Then again, it's not like I even have to wish or call for it. It's already beginning to happen in some progressive circles outside of the transgender collective.

So, let's have a little fun with them shall we? Let's examine the TERFs claims. Gather round y'all, it's fun for the whole family. Let's examine the "All the things you can't deny: Title IX, trans women, and the reality of neutrality." nonsense.

Let's observe the height of Gabrielle Ludwig, the college basketball player the blog attempts to attack. Then, let's compare that height to the best WNBA player on the planet. Gabrielle Ludwig's height is 6' 6". Wouldn't you know it? The blog was correct! That's incredibly tall for an average woman in the United States, that is for certain, no?

Then we have Britney Griner, a cisgender woman who stands at a whopping 6' 8". Two inches taller than her transgender competitor.

Only, she's not Gabrielle's competitor.  Britney Griner is a WNBA player and one of best in the world.  Her skill level would likely crush our transgender college player if they played one on one.  That's not to say Ludwig is not talented. She is!  It's just - well, like other women, some can be more talented, or have a higher skill level than others.

If we think about the blog's perspective, that when certain minority groups have populations that happen to be taller than others, we should separate those groups in competitions all by themselves, we naturally have to consider what that would mean for minorities across the board.

See, what slipped by the TERFs is that height disparities among other minorities happen all of the time in sports. Take the Dinkans for example. Dinkans like model Atong Arjok are statistically the tallest group of humans on planet Earth. Yet nobody in their right mind would question their participation in the height category.

If you have a basketball player who happens to be of Dinkan ancestry, it's likely that they will be hella tall! Now, do we say that because of this, we ban all Dinkan people from basketball as we must look out for the interest of Asian people who may be at a disadvantage in the height department?

No, we don't. Because we realize doing so would be racist as hell. Not to mention that not all Dinkan people will be tall, and not all Asian people short. And what if all Dinkan people happened to be over 6' tall? Do we then say that no Dinkans can participate in basketball? No, we don't.

As I mentioned earlier. Asians are the shortest ethnicity by ratio. Almost everyone knows that this is a fact. You will rarely see a tall Asian in basketball within the United States, although it does happen. I only have to mention the names  Zheng Haixia or Yao Ming to illustrate my point.

Remember Manute Bol ? All 7' 7" of him? Remember how he was actually celebrated for his height? What a marvel! What a player we'd like to have on our team! What a hero! He had Dinkan ancestry yet nobody says a damn thing about banning Dinkans from basketball. Know why? Because being against Manute Bol's participation in basketball because of his height would be racist.

Guess what? Being against Gabrielle Ludwig's participation in basketball because of her height would be (and is) transphobic. Of course, it's quite obvious what is going on here. We happen to live at the time in our American history where we are at the tipping point where transgender people are beginning to gain rights, and the bigotry of years past is starting to fade a little bit as more correct information is getting out there, and people are starting to see us as fellow human beings.

And have we all noticed noticed how opponents of trans participation in sports have been laying off of the whole strength advantage nonsense lately because the correct medical authorities who were in the know, exposed their pseudoscientific ignorance within this last year?  Those who were more sane and educated beat the opposition back, and held a light to their bigotry. All of this happened because some had the audacity to actually stand up and fight for themselves, and their allies heard the drum beats of those calling for promotion of the truth, and took the initiative to stand with them. We will beat them back on this height and bone structure nonsense also. It's the last thing that they have to cling on to, and their grip is slipping quickly.

So, TERFs, I know that you're out there dabbing the sweat from your foreheads as you click and type away from your keyboards. My message to you is bring it! Give us more and more fuel to politically dump over your bigoted mindsets that are already going up in flames. This is comedy at this point. And I'm loving every moment of it. Please write more. We will be waiting.