Place Your Bets: Lesbians in Women's Sports

I have a problem--one among many, so I’m told. I habitually loose at betting. We all know it wouldn’t be a problem if I won, but that’s just not the case. I’m at my worst when it comes to sports-betting…whether it’s me playing or a professional, I just can’t seem to win.

Case in point, I recently lost a bet while on the golf course and had to make a “sand-trap angel.” Sounds cute until you’re 12 holes in with sand up your butt crack.

I can’t help it—I just think everything’s a little more interesting when you have money (or decency) riding on it.

Week one of the NFL season found me twenty dollars lighter and shampooing a standard poodle (no, that’s not a euphemism), and week two is almost here, so I did some deep reflecting and came up with a two-part, fool-proof answer.

1) I will no longer sell my heart away for my home team, or listen to sports “experts” to make my football picks. I will go to vegas.com and pick what the Mafia has chosen as the winner that week.

2) If I am involved in the sport, or Vegas doesn’t have odds, I’m invoking the George Costanza/Seinfeld rule. I will bet exactly the opposite of what I would usually bet.

Need an example?

I would bet that there are quite a few “out” lesbian basketball coaches out there.

…and I would be wrong.

There is in fact only one. Sherri Murrell, out and proud head coach of Portland State University Women’s Basketball team. 350 teams…and only one lesbian. I stopped looking up NFL team lines, and learned this about her instead:

At Washington State people knew she had started dating her partner, and at Portland State she made the official decision to make her sexuality public. When asked about the response, she said it has been positive from the administration, players and parents, but she understands why she is “the only one.”

Sadly, I wouldn’t have bet that people would be that receptive. With Rene Portland’s (Penn State) “No Drinking, No Drugs and No Lesbians” policy and the subsequent movie Training Rules, I’m impressed with Murrell’s bravery and her college community’s support.

She laughs that right now she has a very heterosexual team, but bets there’s one lesbian on every team in the United States. I’d bet that there were more. Jeez, do I have a problem.

Currently, there are no Vegas odds for the Portland Lady Vikings…their season begins Nov. 14^th vs. Washington.

Find more sports from Helen here!