Lacing Up for the Lingerie Bowl

(CBS)  If you think the sports term "lacing up" refers only to athletic footwear, you obviously haven't been going to the same sorts of games that our Bill Geist has been frequenting:

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Hello sports fans! In a matter of hours the eyes of the nation and the world will be focused on this field, the site of Super Bowl 44. (XLIV for those of you who speak Latin.)

But it's not like the Super Bowl is the only bowl in town. There was the Dog Bowl this week the Celebrity Bowl, and the Bikini Bowl - but they don't even play football!

Special Section: The 2010 Super Bowl

One I found particularly fascinating is the Lingerie Bowl - a game played not by Colts or Saints.

Geist asked two deacons: "I've never heard of that per se, but I don't think we'll be in attendance!"

One NFL player said if asked to play in lingerie he'd find a new profession.

Another said, "I'm not trying to see another man in lingerie and I'm definitely not trying to tackle a man in lingerie - he can have all the touchdowns he wants!"

Tackle Jeremy Parnell had a different take: "That's like a dream." Granted, with players like these:

Lingerie football, created as a pay-per-view half-time diversion during the Super Bowl, is now an entire league, where ten teams with names like the Dallas Desire, the L.A. Temptation, Chicago Bliss and the Miami Caliente, play a complete schedule - in incomplete uniforms.

Commissioner Mitch Mortaza founded lingerie football.

(CBS)

"There's three things we look for in LFL athletes," Mortaza said. "First and foremost, you have to be beautiful. We have to be able to market you, which means you have to be in shape. And then you have to be confident. To play in your underwear in front of millions, there's got to be a level of confidence. And then, you have to be athletic."

Lingerie football is not the powderpuff variety, not flag football or touch football. It gets downright ugly out there.

Taira Turley of the Miami Caliente seems like a real sweetheart. But what are people's reactions when she says "I'm a pro football player"?

"They laugh," Turley told Geist. "They look at me and go, 'You're a linebacker?'"

"Do you like hitting people?" Geist asked.

"Yes, I do!"

Danielle Monet is a cornerback of the undefeated Chicago Bliss.

"I know the reason why people come and watch us is the lingerie, the sex appeal," said Monet. "But what keeps them in their seats is when they see the ability we have and they see our plays and that we're the real deal."

(CBS)

(Left: LFL uniforms offer scant opportunity for displaying each player's number.)

Summer LaViolette is a defensive end on the Bliss, who said she'd "pretty comfortable" in her outfit.

"I think it's very empowering for women to be sexy and tough," she told Geist. "We get turf burns, we might have a little 'wardrobe malfunction,' but it's all about football."

"We play games in 12 degree weather in lingerie, with snow falling in Denver, outside, so to say these girls are tough would be putting it lightly," said Mortaza. "Anything and everything you'll see at the NFL, you'll see here."

And more!

Brittany Nielson is a cornerback. "As far as injuries my linebacker tore ACL. I've had several broken fingers, torn muscle in my quad, and we keep coming back 'cause guess what, we love it so much. Just like any man that plays in the NFL loves it, we love it so much, and they probably don't believe it but we do!"

They practice four and five times a week.

Anonka Dixon is the star quarterback of the Miami Caliente. "I've been playing football since I was six years old. After you reach a certain age as a girl you can't play with the guys anymore."

Sort of the Peyton Manning of the LFL, only she's faster. She can throw a pass sixty yards with pinpoint accuracy.

On the receiving end is Tina Cacavalle, who looks like a model and leads the league in receptions and interceptions.

"I've always loved football," she said. "My parents wouldn't let me play. I was the water girl."

(CBS)

"It's like a dream come true," said Dixon. "We finally get to show the world that beautiful women can play football. It's no joke. We're not into the hype, we're not into the glitz and glam. We want to play football as hard as we can. We're women and we want the respect."

Game time … the playoffs on Thursday night. The prize? A trip to the Lingerie Bowl.

In this epic battle of strength, skill and human will, there will be cleavage.

The teams emerge from a tunnel through clouds of smoke. The "crowd" at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was light and scattered, but highly enthusiastic. The action: fast, furious, ferocious!

This night Temptation trumped Desire, the Bliss overcame the Caliente, the winners moving on to the pinnacle of lingerie sports.

Because the Lingerie Bowl was recorded last night for air today, we can't divulge the winner … but the beauty of lingerie football is . . . most fans don't really care!


For more info:
Lingerie Football League
Lingerie Bowl VII

[WTFRUdoing]

I cant say women should not have to rite to play football but if this league is trying to get viewers to watch sexy girls to show they ultimately can play then why is he in issue of Playboy, on a FOR men channell MTV2.. The majority of girls dont really want to play football they are there for fame. The ones that do want to play.. you can spot in a moment and they wont ever get that chance for real acknowlegdment because they have to play in skimpy outfits..why not sports bra and bootie shorts? Tell me this is about football..NOT ON YOUR LIFE and why in the world would you put this on Sunday Morning TV.. This will attract men and of course men will love it when it is on..but dont see the family alignment or the girlfriend date nite
this is for those lonely old guys who are bored with marriage and have no family or girlfriend.. This guy who runs this is a marketing hero.. He is good as hell at covering his true feeling that he is dirty pig..Look at his video Blind Date REALLY???

[webstaradvisor]

I TOTALLY LOVE THESE GIRLS !!!

ROCK ON !

Alan
http://myspace.com/modelassistant

[sageykat]

I am really disappointed in this story and the show! I did not think that this was the kind of show that would want to take part in exploiting women. Maybe if you had a different angle on the story like these women are very talented and want to play football but in order to do that they are reduced to playing in their underwear so men have sexual eyecandy. And then show the pimp or dude in charge as creepy and disgusting along with the jeering fans. And end it with a plea to stop the exploitation. Instead of participating in it! Also women are 55% of the population and I think it is about time we started acting that way....I know that if there was a professional league for women's football with correct saftey gear I would support it. I suspect that I am one of many women that would support it with their dollars. I am actually lucky because my city just got a professional women's soccer team and I have been able to buy my PSA season seat. I am so excited and will be cheering on all women's sports but I will not participate in exploiting them as sexual toys and CBS Sunday morning you should not either.

[dcline5]

This is a really stupid comment. The girls are doing what they want to do, and there is nobody being exploited.

[edixope4842]

I wonder what percent of women complaining about the "exploitation" of woman are old, buttt ugly, or have lost their husbands to younger women?

Woman make the cosmetics industry incredibly rich with the vanity gig. But let them catch husbands or boyfriends glancing at female that is better looking, more "endowed" or even younger and out come the morality claws. Want proof? Let's see how many morally outraged responses I get to this post. Latisse anyone?

[lcochrum]

I wish I could say I am angry about the Lingerie Bowl piece but the fact of the matter is that I feel betrayed by a show that is very dear to me. A show that had such a wonderful piece on Nancy Meyers not so long ago has been reduced to the level of Hooters. What were you thinking? Maybe I should take the advice of so many on this board and not watch and let another good show go to the dogs.

[MinnesotaParent]

Bill, are you losing it? My 16 year-old daughter and I watched this segment and I told her 'journalism is dead'. These atheletes are brain-washed into thinking their prowess is more 'feminine' and more highly esteemed by playing the rough sport of football in their underwear. My grandfather had more protection playing college football in the early 1900's. Shame on you for presenting this sad commentary on the ultimate sport of 'pimp-ism'. These women should do a 180 - ditch the pimps, start a female football league that gives them safe equipment and sue Sunday Morning for showing their criminal coaches respect. You are abetting the horrible images and modern day heroes that tell our children 'sex sells' and women are pawns. Phooey!

[Noval53]

Great job Mr Bill. Nothing like a little controversy to boost ratings. I suspect Mr. Geist and CBS Sunday Morning will gain far many more viewers than they lose. I suspect 90% of the women complaining about this episode would gladly participate in the sport if they could "wear" the uniform. No one is nude, topless, or acting lude; they simply look fine in what they're wearing. It's the Lingerie Bowl not the Burka Bowl.

[skeezix06]

Here's a novel notion. Let them wear padding and uniforms exactly like the high school and pro football players wear.

[Noval53]

Lots of uniforms are a soft & light mesh. We could make them fit like a glove; sounds good to me. Perhaps we can run teams through the sprinkler system; to cool them off a bit. I like the idea; could work.

[skeezix06]

And you wonder why sexism is so systemic in our country?

I usually watch the latest Geist episode for the Sunday morning laugh, but I'm glad I missed you yesterday morning. I expect to continue missing you from now on. I won't tolerate open use of women as sex objects on my tv during hours when my daughter might be watching.

[AttentionDeficit]

skeezix: then i suppose you will have the tv off most of the time. from commercials to even the most sedate show, it is normally the attractive people who get the roles. hence, they are there as sex objects

[Noval53]

Football can be a beautiful game; especially with beautiful women. If you don't enjoy the view (boo hoo), you can certainly change the channel. Let's not pretend that this is any different from what we see in programming all through the TV, advertising, music, and entertainment business.

[skeezix06]

There's a difference between evening programming or cable programming and Sunday morning programming when young impressionable children might be watching.

[joe_Texas]

I also saw a couple of this game in youtube, and these girls really have skills playing football. Just wondering why can't the NFL have women's version w/ proper uniforms, like NBA have the WNBA.

[cidaia]

Without the gimmick, why would anyone prefer girl-football to real football? Isn't football a sport that is all about displacing aggression?

A proper football game ought to be about big, smelly, tough ogres smashing each other to the ground.

[Homerbase]

What are we teaching? Sunday Morning is no place for this kind of porno! Would Bill like to see his granddaughter displayed like this? The girls today have enough trouble tryinjg to make sense of it all. Don't do this to this program . . . you were of a higher quality! This was not appropriate for Sunday Morning. You know that Meet the Press is invading your time zone. Keep this up and I'll have no problem missing Sunday Morning.

[displeased]

Did you also complain when CBS did stories on Victoria Secret's lingerie show?

Porno? That's funny stuff.

[cidaia]

I suggest you teach your daughter to have more self-respect. There always have been and always will be a ready supply of those willing to exploit any girl willing to take her clothes off for the camera.

And, of course, there always have been and always will be a ready supply of those willing to exploit anyone, male or female, willing to trade dignity for silver.

People don't seem to realize that the value of the fool involves a form of scapegoating: it's fun to watch other people do degrading things because human beings enjoy having others lower than ourselves.