Sports

Wambach says US win caps historic gay marriage day

Published

10 years ago

June 27, 2015

The United States team celebrates a 1-0 win over China in a quarterfinal match in the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer tournament, Friday, June 26, 2015, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

By Anne M. Peterson
Associated Press

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — That the United States capped Friday with a victory over China to advance to the semifinals at the Women’s World Cup had special meaning for forward Abby Wambach.

Earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples across the nation have the right to marry. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion: “No longer may this liberty be denied.”

U.S. Soccer posted to Twitter: “More than ever, today we are #OneNationOneTeam #LoveWins.”

Wambach has been married to her partner, Sarah Huffman, since 2013.

“Obviously it impacts my life personally, but everybody on our team was super happy and excited about it. And to cap it off with a win, moving on to the semis at the World Cup, for me it doesn’t get any better,” Wambach said.

The United States defeated China 1-0 on Carli Lloyd’s goal in the 51st minute. The win sends the second-ranked Americans to a semifinal on Tuesday in Montreal against top-ranked Germany.

The Supreme Court ruling will put an end to same-sex marriage bans in the 14 states that still maintain them.

UNCERTAIN PAYDAY: Australian midfielder Katrina Gorry is far more concerned about facing Japan in the Women’s World Cup quarterfinal than she is about a pay dispute happening back home.

“We’ve come to the World Cup to compete with the best teams in the world and show the world what we’re capable of,” Gorry said, Friday. “So all those other things will take care of themselves, and it’s something we’re really not focused on.”

Gorry was responding to a question over how much the Matildas should get paid from Australia’s governing body, Football Federation Australia. The players’ union, Professional Football Australia, has put off discussions on the national women’s team pay to instead deal with the more pressing issue of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement for the country’s pro men’s league.

Gorry said the women’s team has tuned out much of the chatter about the talks.

“We are just kind of in our own little clam,” she said.

MAYBE HE’LL WEAR A COAT: Australian coach Alen Stajcic scoffs at questions about how hot it might get on the field in Edmonton for his team’s quarterfinal match against Japan on Saturday.

The forecast calls for temperatures approaching 90, and the game to be played at 2 p.m. local time, when the sun will be near its peak.

“To be honest, if it’s 30 or 31 degrees (Celsius), that’s in the comfort zone for our players,” Stajcic said. “When we play back home in our summer leagues, we often play in temperatures 35 to 40 (95 to 104 Fahrenheit), even 41. So 30 degrees is mild for us.”

With games being played on artificial turf, the on-field conditions will feel like it’s 100.

Stajcic also noted that Australia and Japan played in even hotter and more humid conditions at the Asian Cup last year in Viet Nam.

IT’S ROUGH OUT THERE: France midfielder Kheira Hamraoui entered the quarterfinal match against Germany in the 11th minute of extra time, and she almost left it five minutes later after taking an elbow to the face.

Hamraoui’s face was drenched in blood, sending her to the sideline. After the team’s medical staff stopped the bleeding, she had to change her jersey before returning to the field. But just as she was ready to re-enter, the fourth official pointed out some blood on her shorts, further delaying her return.

This left France playing with 10 for several minutes of extra time in a game that went to penalty kicks tied 1-1.

According to FIFA’s Laws of the Game: “Any player bleeding from a wound must leave the field of play. He may not return until the referee is satisfied that the bleeding has stopped. A player is not permitted to wear clothing with blood on it.”

Germany won the shootout 5-4 to reach the semifinals, where it will play the United States.

RECAPPING: The United States defeated China 1-0 on Friday night, after France and Germany played in an epic quarterfinal that was won by Germany on penalty kicks after a 1-all tie. Those two teams will meet in the semifinals in Montreal on Tuesday.

UP NEXT: Hosts Canada plays England at BC Place on Saturday, while Australia faces defending champion Japan at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

___

AP Sports Writers John Wawrow in Edmonton and Jimmy Golen in Montreal contributed to this report.

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Barbara Lee

WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

1 month ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

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Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

4 months ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

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Activism

OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

Published

4 months ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.

First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.

The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor. I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.

But I did.

Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.

As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.

I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.

History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.

Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.

For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.

Football and Identity Politics

My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.

Not if they were White.

Still, he believed in America. He never gave up.

Sort of like Nikko Remigio.

My dad would have loved Nikko.

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?

Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.

Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.

That’s all I needed to see.

He’s our Filipino guy.

Detractors may call it “identity politics.”

People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.

I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.

For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.

But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.

I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.

I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.

Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.

But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.

The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1 Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok