With college football starting this week, the Wall Street Journal looks at what it terms “college beefcake photos,” which have become more widespread thanks to the Internet (see gallery below). What’s missing is any discussion of the homoerotic aspects of the photos, though there is some discussion about “sending the wrong message.”
At some schools, as many as half the players, sometimes more, will strip to their uniform pants, lather up with oil and flex their pectorals while posing with an ever-more-eclectic array of props including chains, sledgehammers, hard hats and, in one recent case, a $120,000 orange Lamborghini Gallardo. These unofficial photos aren’t widely distributed. They’re printed in small quantities and given to players to hand out to friends and family as evidence of their progress in physical training.
Peyton Manning posed for such a shot with his Tennessee Volunteer teammates in the 1990s (alas, I can’t find that photo anywhere. Update: Thanks to a reader it is posted below).
Colts quarterback Peyton Manning says that when he played for Tennessee in the mid ’90s, a spot in the front row was a “pride thing,” and he and his teammates would arrive to the weight room as early as they could on photo day to do enough lifts and push-ups to make their muscles bulge. “There was a lot of baby oil involved,” recalls Mr. Manning. “It helps with muscle definition.”
Players take these pictures because they are justifiably proud of the results of their hard work in the gym, and one player’s mom last year ordered 15 copies of the poster. But the article, written by Hannah Karp, points out that “even some unofficial team photos where players are fully clothed make schools nervous.” She points to the shot of Virginia Tech players “holding hands and leaping gleefully in the air on media day.”
A school official deemed the shot “not in our best interest.” Translated: It made our players look gay. The homoerotic aspects are the unspoken of 800-pound gorilla in this story. As one commenter, who disproved of the practice, wrote: “I wonder if these stud-muffins realize that a vast majority of their consumers are other men?” So what? Why should jocks, who are never bashful about showing all they got in a locker room — as anyone who has ever been in one can attest — suddenly turn into 85-year-old nuns at the thought that another man might be looking at them approvingly?
What is weird is that Karp could not find any examples for this season (she asked me to help in her search and I came up empty). USC did take a shirtless shot, but has yet to release it. If so, it shows how uptight these programs are getting. These are great marketing tools — these images get a lot of hit on websites, both gay and mainstream — so why hide some of your best assets?
Here are some of the past shirtless shots from the past few years:
(click on an image for a larger view and on that image for a full-sized view):
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- Find Peyton Manning in this pic.
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- Photo by Michael Heinz/Courier and Journal
on Aug 31st, 2010 at 10:38 PM
Can we get the swimming teams to pose for some of these picks? Come on, who’s with me?!
on Aug 31st, 2010 at 11:02 PM
Jim, I happen to have a copy of the Vols pic with Peyton you were referring to… if you would like to see it.
on Aug 31st, 2010 at 11:36 PM
Hey Penn State:
E-mail to kandreeky@gmail.com and I can post it.
Thanks!
on Aug 31st, 2010 at 11:41 PM
Sent… enjoy.
on Aug 31st, 2010 at 11:49 PM
Thanks! It is now posted.
on Sep 1st, 2010 at 7:49 AM
They should be proud…while they can.
In this age of obesity most of them probably will not dare show their waistlines in 20-30 years (post-career).
Take it from someone who knows…
on Sep 1st, 2010 at 2:13 PM
“Why should jocks, who are never bashful about showing all they got in a locker room — as anyone who has ever been in one can attest — suddenly turn into 85-year-old nuns at the thought that another man might be looking at them approvingly?”
Oh, I don’t know, because some don’t like the idea or want to be looked at by other men? I’m sure most of those jocks think, little do they know, that it’s girls who are going to look at them.
Lets me honest here, it’s one thing that they are posting shirtless, but it’s another thing to think that they are OK with guys looking at them, at least not all…
on Sep 1st, 2010 at 5:40 PM
Find Peyton Manning in this pic
Easy, just look for the tall doofus! [looks] Hahaha, he was a sexy dork in college, he’s a sexy dork now.
on Sep 1st, 2010 at 7:19 PM
Jim Allen nails it!!
on Sep 3rd, 2010 at 11:56 PM
Never could figure out why french and aussie rugby players, european soccer players are apparently quite comfortable throwing off shirts, and some times shorts on the field to throw them to fans or for calendars or “making of ” videos and yet we are so hung up on it in this country. The best picture I ever saw was of a swim team standing in the pool with everything from the waist up in the picture…
on Sep 4th, 2010 at 12:10 PM
I think I just turned into a lolcub…
“OMGS I haz a woof now!”
on Sep 5th, 2010 at 12:19 PM
It just goes to show how insecure, and homophobic America is. I see red sometimes thinking about how ridiculous it is. If these men were truly happy, secure with themselves, and possessed a strong sense of self, this wouldn’t be an issue at all. But they aren’t, so that’s why it’s such a hot topic. I know I’m gay, and nothing I do, or say is going to change that. I know myself, I’m secure with myself, and happy. Sorry to repeat myself, just trying to get my point across. So, it’s despairingly obvious that more than just a few people have something they think they need to hide. I don’t think many people realize just how much homosexuality there actually is. But to back track for a second, just to drive my point home. A straight man shouldn’t be concerned with going scantily clad, showing what he’s worked on, and what he has, if there isn’t something that he’s trying to hide. Furthermore, if the guy’s straight, just because other men are attracted to him, or look upon him favorably does NOT change, even touch his sexual orientation one bit! He should know that. Finally, let’s say this, “masculine, muscled, shirtless, straight, good looking jock”, is hanging out with his buddies, has a girlfriend, screws her when she’ll let him, jerks off to Playboy when she won’t . . . if he were truly, unquestionably straight, attracted to women . . . then, if he were to notice another guy’s, or his friend’s kick ass body, nice teeth, pretty eyes, whatever, and consciously think something along those lines . . . what’s wrong with that? Nothing. That doesn’t mean he wants to bend his buddy over, or the guy he saw at the beach, and give it to one of them. Why does it make a man gay, to notice another guy’s good looks, especially when that other guy has spent countless hours in the gym sculpting his body, and not just what it is. Noticing the time and effort that the other person has put into their own physical appearance. Obviously, the guy spending all the time at the gym is doing it for a reason . . . to look good, and feel good, and be fit, essentially, to be admired, if you will. Still doesn’t mean that one wants to bone the other, simply because muscle definition is noticed, appreciated, and displayed. Doesn’t mean either is gay. Considering of course, that each was born straight. So, I guess, what it really comes down to is, someone’s either born a certain way, or they aren’t, and just because they’re running around shirtless together, and noticing the hard work of each other, that they’re doing with their bodies, isn’t going to, “turn”, someone gay. Anyone that thinks otherwise, or is uncomfortable with what I’ve mentioned above . . . is obviously trying to hide something, and they need to come to terms with themselves. Thank you for taking the time to read what I’ve written, if you’ve made it this far, and I apologize for ranting on, and on, and being a little confusing at times. I just get so damn angry at homophobia, and people’s choices to act on such fears.
on Sep 7th, 2010 at 12:13 PM
Anyone else surprised by the lack of chest hair in these photos? Seems like they must be using the baby oil AND the razors.
on Sep 8th, 2010 at 3:59 PM
These types of spreads need to stop. First Tim Tebow did it for GQ and now EVERYONE! Stop the madness!!1!
on Sep 25th, 2010 at 1:06 AM
All are looking handsome. I don’t have pics like this.
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