Reporter/Stripper Files Lawsuit

Some might say reporters and stripper have a lot in common - they both uncover things.

So , the former Houston Chronicle reporter who was fired after another publication exposed her second job as a night club stripper announced Thursday she had filed a federal gender discrimination complaint against the paper that let her go.

In her complaint, Sarah Tressler, 30, is asking the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to look into the Chronicle's decision to fire her. Tressler says an editor told her she was let go because she hadn't disclosed her side gig in her job application.

"I was very upset that I was fired because I had been told by many editors that I was doing a good job," Tessler said in a statement. "There was no question on the form that covered my dancing. I answered the questions on the form honestly."

Tressler announced she filed the complaint at a news conference with her lawyer, Beverly Hills celebrity attorney Gloria Allred. Later, Tressler tweeted: "Couldn't ask for anyone better by my side ... So grateful."

The Houston Press, an alternative weekly, first exposed the "double life" of Tressler in a feature story with the headline "Writer by day, stripper by night." It also drew attention to Tressler's blog - Diary of an Angry Stripper - which included pictures of her scantily-clad self, as well as rich detail from the inside of the gentlemen's club.

During her two-month reporting gig, Tressler covered high society, human interest stories, and fashion. She had previously worked as a freelancer for the Chronicle. Tressler "very rarely" worked as an exotic dancer, a skill that helped her pay for college, she said at the news conference, according to local TV station KPRC.

Tressler said she occasionally went to the club for exercise.

"And I didn't have a gym membership. So, on days off I might just go in there in the afternoon and do acouple stage rotations and knock it out," she said.

KPRC reports that Tressler, who has a master's degree in journalism from New York University, also teaches part time at the University of Houston.

"Most exotic dancers are female, and therefore to terminate an employee because they had previously been an exotic dancer would have an adverse impact on women, since it is a female dominated occupation," Allred, who is a self-described feminist lawyer, said in a statement.

"Sarah's work as a dancer is lawful and is not a crime. It does not, has not and will not affect her ability to perform her job as a journalist," the statement read.

The New #1 American in Tennis

John Isner

Regardless of how he does today against Juan Monaco in Houston, John Isner will be ranked No. 9 in the world on monday morning and will replace Mardy Fish as the top-ranked American.

I can't say I saw this coming when John broke in a few years ago, but I'm happy for him and think he still has a tremendous upside.

Matt Leinart to Start in Houston

One "Matt" is out and one "Matt" is in. With Matt Schaub out with a foot injury, Matt Leinart gets a chance to silence the critics and get his name back.

Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner for Southern California, re-signed with the Texans in the offseason after not taking a snap in 2010. He turned down other offers to return to Houston because he was comfortable with Kubiak and his offensive system.

Houston rank eighth in total offense this season (396.2 yards per game).

"Your time's going to come, and you've got to be accountable for when that opportunity comes," Leinart said. "They know that I work hard and I study hard and I'm prepared very well. We'll going to take this and go game-by-game and I don't think much is going to change."

Leinart guided Southern Cal to national championship games after the 2004 and `05 seasons, and went 37-2 as a starter in college.

He was drafted 10th overall by Arizona in 2006 and appeared in 12 games as a rookie under coach Dennis Green, throwing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He broke his collarbone in the fifth game of the next season, Kurt Warner took over and Leinart was mostly a spectator over the next 2 1/2 seasons.

Leinart talked openly during training camp about earning another starting job. Now he'll get it, just not under the circumstances he wanted.

"I'm bummed. My heart goes out for him," Leinart said. "But he knows and everyone knows that in this profession, things happen, and the next guy has to step up. That's my job and my responsibility.
"That's what I've wanted for a long time, and that's what I've worked hard for every day and prepared for every day," he said. "It's a great opportunity. I'm just excited about the chance."

Kubiak has been increasing Leinart's repetitions in practice, and he's confident Leinart is ready.

"He's played in big football games in this league, he's played in big football games in college," Kubiak said. "Matt's been around it. The key is the whole team rallying around him, and playing well as a team. Matt doesn't have to go win a game, the team has to go win a game. We'll rally around him and get him ready to go."

Schaub, acquired in a trade with Atlanta in March 2007, has started every game for Houston since the start of the 2009 season. Kubiak would not say if Schaub would miss the rest of this year.