Iron Maidens — the women’s rugby kind

1. Rebecca, get a clue, and a new job.
   First, you didn’t quote anyone or anything correctly, not even the song, “Days of the week”.(Which by the way you can find on ANY rugby song website, in case next article you wanted to do some research)
   You portrayed these women ruggers as vulgar humans who delight in being inappropriate in front of young children.
   Did you forget to mention the thousands of dollars the Maidens have raised for the Rainbow Babies and Children’s hospital, or did you neglect to ask those kinds of questions, because you had your own ideas on how you wanted the Maidens to look in print? I’m sure Clevelanders aren’t at all interested in what they’ve done to better the community only your foggy view of what a Women’s rugby team is like.
   Just because you use words like tawdry and miffed doesn’t mean you should be a journalist.
   These women approached you to write an article for the team so they could gain appreciation for a sport they love, that unfortunately because of people like you has no respect.
   Go Maidens!!

2. Rebecca,
   As a boyfriend of a former maiden and a friend and fan of the team I’m appalled as to how you portrayed these women. Not only do these women raise money for charities, some are now coaching youth Rugby along with playing for the Maidens. Things that should have also been mentioned in your article. I hope your next article is a little less biased.
   Go Maidens!

3. Rebecca Rebecca Rebecca how old are you??? Obviously your not qualified to write in a REAL paper! These girls are awesome! I just started watching them and the attention they pay to the young girls wanting to learn is amazing…and don’t you think having a 2 year old in a bar you should be concerned about having a social working looking into why you would celebrate a 2 year olds birthday in a bar???? Did you mention that in the article?? Oh wait you left that out…you suck as a reporter…I think you need to review what you really saw and what really happen and tradition!! You have no concept. Your a woman you should be supporting something like this not writing a fantasy!!! Can you spell RETRACT???? Maybe you should go to another game and other celebration after the game….have a little fun!!!! I have to say this one more time YOU SUCK

4. Hey Pat: I bet Rebecca can spell “retract” better than you can spell “you’re.” It’s “you’re,” not “your,” fuckhead.
   Go Maidens!

5. If your intention was to perpetuate the negative stereotype surrounding women’s rugby without providing accurate information or enlightening your readers concerning any of the positive things women’s rugby and/or the Cleveland Women’s team does you have succeeded. It seems that your only intention was to provide a piece ripe with social deviance while leaving out any facts that may take away the sensational value your “story” may possess.
   Left out were:
   -the very basics of the game (which were explained to you, that look NOTHING like mud wrestling or the WWE) -the history of the sport itself (both American football and basketball have their roots in rugby) -the history of the team (which in less than four years has become one of the best teams in Ohio) -the volunteer work its members do (ladies are involved with youth rugby through the YMCA, others coach at a Catholic girls high school, as well as the fact that the team raised over two grand for a children’s hospital) -the accolades the ladies have received both on and off the field (we have members that have been on state, midwest and national all star teams) -the dedication it takes to successfully run a team in a sport that is not cheap, with little outside funding (sponsorship is hard to come by especially when people like you re-enforce harmful inaccurate stereotypes, fundraisers and high dues are a MUST)-the fact that not only was no one drunk when the songs were sung (at the author’s request so “she could get the whole experience”), but we were concerned about the neighboring birthday party as well as the bar patrons, and shut the door to the party as to keep the language away from the youngsters. Normally we are in that room as to not disturb other bar patrons, and so they do not disturb us.
   You could have said that the women on our team come from different age, cultural, religious, and professional backgrounds. You could have said that in spite of that we share a bond like that of family, and treat visiting teams with respect rarely given by adults in social settings, especially those that are little more than strangers. You could have said that we work equally as hard on the field as we play off the field. You could have said we devote 15-20 hours a week to games, practices, travel, fundraisers, and community events, and do not get paid a dime. Our reward for the hard work, uncomfortable and long car rides across states, bumps, scrapes and bruises, and countless payments out of pocket for another thing our team can’t afford is the privilege to play for Cleveland, and promote a positive image of rugby.
   You could have taken this assignment and highlighted an amazing, friendly, fun-loving, loyal, talented group of women that you were fortunate enough to meet. Instead you took advantage of their good nature, ate their food, drank their beer, took a business card and wasted their time putting out something that was misquoted, false, and damaging. The team and its collective supporters will pick themselves up and brush themselves off. They will work harder at dispelling the myths that your ignorance once again breathed life into, and they will succeed.

6. Gotta

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