ESPN Body

July 12th UPDATE: The mag comes out tomorrow but a few of the pics have leaked already.

In this order: Megan Hodge, Stacy Sykora. Destinee Hooker, Alisha Glass and Nellie Spicer.

The only 2 players whose images we have not seen are of Heather Bown and Cynthia Barboza. Can someone leak share and send them to us?

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Before anything else…

Let’s not forget Kim Glass as the first indoor player (as far as we know and correct us if we’re wrong) to pose for ESPN’s Body Issue a couple of years ago.

Remember this?

Now, ESPN decided to feature the USA Women’s Volleyball Team for their 2012 issue which hits newsstands this Friday.

The featured players are Nellie Spicer, Heather Bown, Cynthia Barboza, Destinee Hooker, Alisha Glass, Megan Hodge and Stacy Sykora.

This is the pic which has caused an uproar from USAV fans when they posted the link of this image:

“I was a little nervous about doing the shoot, but looking back, I’m glad I did it. I thought it was a cool, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show the world the work we put in every day.” -Megan Hodge.

“My fiancé wanted to be at the shoot because he thought other men … were going to be there. He doesn’t like the thought of others seeing me nude, but it’s an opportunity of a lifetime.” -Destinee Hooker.

Here comes Team Disappointed.

Let’s start with this one by ThePeanutsGang.com:

Nudity doesn’t somehow equal empowerment.

At first glance, a photographer (and even lay persons) may agree that the photograph is “tastefully” done. But these aren’t supermodels. These aren’t high paid actresses. They are members of the U.S. Women’s Volleyball Team. They have been chosen for their athletic ability to represent the United States in the Olympic games. They are powerful, strong, athletic women.

And yet, in one photograph, in one magazine feature, we have stripped them down to the bare natural essence of womanhood by using nudity.

I don’t care to hear the argument about “selling magazines” either. Regardless of ESPN’s motivations, I truly wish these women would have stood up and felt empowered to say no regardless of the consequences.”

Followed by this…

“Are they really hurting THAT much for publicity?”

A concerned mom wrote this comment:

“I have to say that I am disappointed. While I can appreciate the blood, sweat, & tears that go into being an Olympic athlete, I can certainly think of other ways to demonstrate or show off their athletic bodies. My 12 year old daughter plays volleyball at a competitive level and looks up to many of these athletes. Posing nude does not send a good message to the young girls that look up to these athletes.”

Then this one:

“This is wrong. Volleyball already exploits women for their bodies through beach volleyball. It cheapens their role as athletes and simply makes them sex symbols. They deserve better than that.”

A father of 2 wrote in disbelief:

“Very disappointed to see this. My 10 and 13-year old daughters play in USAV events and admire these women. There are hundreds of other ways to ‘celebrate the human form’. This is more about selling magazines and advertising for ESPN than it is anything else, end of story. Anyone affiliated with USAV should be disappointed and ashamed of the organization and the team. I know I am.

And from an extremely disappointed supporter:

“Why does a female athlete have to appear nude to get main stream media coverage?! Female athletes are athletes, not strippers. I’m disappointed, USA Volleyball.”

While it appears Team Disappointed has more members, Team It’s Okay has these words to share:

“The fact the the US Women’s Volleyball Team had to get nude to be on the cover bothers me but the fact that they chose them to be on the cover is hopeful about “coverage” of volleyball as a sport. More volleyball and less of the unending coverage of sports that aren’t as popular. And it was the indoor team, too! Go USA!”

“So are you all complaining about the athletes, including men, who have also posed for this issue? Our just the female athletes? How many of you offended have never heard of the body issue prior to this post by USAV?”

This lady should be the captain of the ship:

“These top-notch athletes are not posing in an inappropriate way at all. If you’re worried about what your child may think, explain to them that these women are grown adults who make decisions for themselves. I’m sure it took an enormous amount of courage and consideration for these women to participate in this shoot. Don’t overreact to and condemn something that shows SO much courage.”

Can we add this too? Hah!

“So, are we celebrating the pervs that watch volleyball for only one reason? Or are we just celebrating the human form at it’s best? I guess it depends on your view of volleyball.”

This one too…

“insecure people,,those people who can’t play volleyball and will never get to achieved these bodies will always have something to say against them,,but for me,,i get inspired seeing this and to continue playing to be as sexy as them..period”

Finally, someone took time to educate us about the mag:

“Fyi to the uninformed, the women are not on the cover. There are six special covers featuring one of the following athletes: Rob Gronkowski, Tyson Chandler, Daniela Hantuchova, Jose Bautista, Ronda Rousey & Candace Parker.”

In Europe, several players have posed either naked or with less clothing for mainstream magazine covers. Francesca Piccinini posed for Playboy Italia while Milena Sadurek-Radecka and Anna Baranska-Werblinska strut their naked bodies on Playboy Polska. Other athletes like French middle blocker Victoria Ravva and her RC Cannes teammates posed for a sexy calendar, Kim Glass on Sports Illustrated last year, Logan Tom for FHM and some Brazilian players like Jaqueline and Mari Paraiba have also had sexy and racy pictorials.

But then again fans are free to share their views and opinions.

So What Do You Think?

So What Do You Think?

So What Do You Think?

Per Wikipedia:

The Body Issue is an edition of ESPN The Magazine that featured over 30 athletes in nude and semi-nude photographs. It reached newsstands on October 9, 2009. It attempts to rival Sports Illustrated′s Swimsuit Issue. The issue was a response to the decline in advertising spending resulting from the financial crisis of 2007–2010 and late-2000s recession that saw a 24% decline in ad revenues for the first six months of 2009 compared to the same six-month period in 2008.

The 2009 edition had six alternative covers featuring Serena Williams (tennis), Carl Edwards (NASCAR), Adrian Peterson (NFL), Dwight Howard (NBA), Gina Carano (mixed martial arts) and Sarah Reinertsen (triathlons).[3] The Serena Williams edition sold the most copies. The 2009 issue was a financial success, achieving double the normal edition sales, greater sales than any bi-weekly issue in over two years, and 35% more ad sales than comparable issues, which led to plans for extended marketing of the 2010 edition.

The edition included the regular sports coverage. In the bodies section athletes were featured on and off the field. Even a picture during a knee surgery was included. The “Bodies We Want” section was a feature of the best bodies in the world of sports all posed nude but with strategic coverage of private parts.[5] Another section showed the damage done to the human body in athletics such as Laird Hamilton’s cracked heel and Torry Holt’s crooked middle finger. One action photo captured six members of Major League Soccer’s D.C. United simulating a free kick defensive wall while covering their genitalia.

(source: people.com/ quotes: USA Volleyball Facebook Page. images: People.com/ ESPN.com)