My New York: Gotham Knights reach rugby championship

For a while there, John almost managed to convince me that I should join the Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club. That's until cooler heads prevailed and I decided that if I had survived almost four decades without breaking a bone (well, not counting a finger), why start now?

Still, that's no reason why I shouldn't be happy for John and the team as the Knights are METNYRFU Division III championship-bound (boy, that was a mouthful)!

As you might know, the Knights are the local predominantly gay rugby team and - as John says over on his blog - the fact that they have reached the championship seems to be pretty historic:

"I do believe - I may be wrong here and I am sure as this entry gets read and spread that someone will correct me if I am - that Gotham is now the first predominantly gay rugby team in the US to compete for its Union championship."

Well, hooray!

Next stop, the championship: The Knights will travel to Montclair, New Jersey, on Saturday Oct. 27 for a 1:00 PM rematch with Montclair RFC for the union championship. Montclair bested Gotham 26-15 last month. Directions to Codey Field can be found here.

Then it might get even more complicated because both teams, by reaching this championship, also secured spots in a larger playoff next spring and - if they win that - the national playoffs for Division III. BUT, let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we.

Updates: From the Vacilón to Luisma

Looking at past blog posts, I thought that it might be time to bring people up to date on some of the postings:

In Spanish Media No Longer Immune (Sat., Aug. 13, 2005) I commented on the rampant homophobia (and AIDS-phobia) that exists in Spanish-language radio and on past skits performed during one of New York City's top listened radio station, La Mega, and their morning show "El Vacilón de la Mañana" (in one a man sings about getting raped the night before and how he pines for more of the same, in another a man is told that he might have AIDS and might die in hours if he doesn't seek medical help, and in another a 5 year old kid whose dad called the station is encouraged to tell dirty and homophobic jokes on air). Undaunted by anyone or anything, subway posters started appearing this summer announcing an upcoming "Vacilón" movie with the legend "Con La Mega No Se Juega" (Don't play games with La Mega). Well, the movie's out and has been generally panned by all the reviews I have read (not that this was unexpected). Unfortunately, those listeners are certainly flocking to the movie screens as today's New York Times reports (the Times mentions some of the bawdiness but doesn't detail any of the truly offensive stuff that they put out there).

In "Argentina a Goo-Goo" (August 19, 2005), I reported on how Argentina was in thrall about a gay couple, Andrew and Martin Farach-Colton, and their twins. The couple, who currently live in New York but were mulling a move to Argentina, are already back in New York and were thrilled when they saw the posting on my blog. I have referred the Farach-Coltons to the Spanish-language newspaper Hoy for a possible upcoming article and will be having lunch soon with them as my schedule and theirs allow. It's actually a great story and I was glad to write about it here first.

In Another Gay Man Murdered (September 13, 2005), I commented on a story in El Diario La Prensa (and a blurb in the NY Times) about Oswaldo Hernandez, a gay Latino man who was stabbed to death in Washington Heights. Alas, there are no updates to give. Just another murder of a gay man that becomes a blip in the city's consciousness.

In Jass Stewart Update: On to the Nov. 8th Runoff Election (September 21, 2005), I spoke of the exciting mayoral race happening in Brockton, MA, where Jass Stewart might be poised to become Brockton's first gay mayor. This week, the campaign sent out messages requesting support for Jass's campaign. Even if you can donate $25 to the campaign, it will be much appreciated. To find out more about Jass go here.

Finally, in Luisma: 275 pounds of love, pure testosterone (October 17, 2005), we introduced you to Luisma Molinari, a big chunk of goofy Argentinian beef, and the ad he did for a car maker. No, we still have not been able to confirm is that is his real name or if he really plays for an Argentinian rugby team but it took RuggerJohnnyD (a new addition to my Personal List at the right of this column) to point out that, yes, there are links to outtakes of the commercial in the ad site. Just go here and click on "Mira el comercial" (watch the commercial). As the commercial loads, you can actually click on 5 short outtakes on the bottom of the screen. For a translation of the original ad, please click on the Luisma link above. For translation of the outtakes, get a Spanish-speaking friend to watch them with you.

Luisma: "275 pounds of love, pure testosterone"

Not sure that Luisma Molinari is a real rugby player (I looked him up on Google and he doesn't show up anywhere) but I crossed upon this television ad from Argentina and thought I'd share it.

Click here (and, once there you have, click on "Mira el Comercial" - Once you are there you can also download a better-definition media file to your computer).

For those who are Spanish-impaired, here is a lose translation:

AD BEGINS

Referee blows whistle and a rugby match ends, Argentine rugby player Luisma Molinari walks off the field pouring a bottle of water over his body. Catches two girls oggling, he looks back, girls are still oggling. Luisma talks directly to camera:

And yes, it's just like that: [People shout] Luisma! Idol! Rugby player! 275lbs of love! Pure testosterone!

He points at his bruised neck:

You know what this is? This is a hicky from a couple of nights ago.

But what could it be? Could it be this [point at his chest]? The fact I play rugby? Or the fact I'm so macho? I even had to get some business cards done!

He points at headband:

You call this a rag? Well, you put it on and you become an native. Me? [I put it on and become] Master of the Universe!

Let's look. They're probably still staring at me!

He looks back at the 2 girls and realizes they're looking at his car instead.

Alright! The car, me. Me, the car. We're like a pact of love! [he clasps his hands together]

He lets out a sigh dissapointed that the girls are not looking at him and walks off the screen. Voiceover talks about the merits of the car. Off-camera Luisma says:

Nico! Do you wanna ride?

[Funny ad, only thing that marrs it is the racisim that creeps in about others looking like an indian when wearing a headband]