Bleacher Report - Articles by Tori Willis

A 49er Fan's Prayer

Tori Willis — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:02:38 -0500

I'm not religious, nor am I a serious believer in sports superstition. However, I had an epiphany recently which caused me to write the following and paste it on my mirror, so I can read it several times a day.

I thought posting it on this website would further help the cause, in case God is too busy checking his email and blogs to catch the paper in my bathroom.

Dear sweet baby Jesus,

Please let my 49ers take the NFC West this season. Please have the red and gold take the nation by shock, the fans by sheer pride, and the haters can do whatever they want, because they secretly love the niners too. It’d be great to set some records, have an MVP, get some more Probowlers, and be compared to the greats: Montana, Rice, Young, etc.

In the memory of Walsh, and in the name of Singletary, Gore, and Willis, AMEN.

Sincerely,

A faithful

Top 10 NFL/NBA Team Music Videos Of All Time

Tori Willis — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:42:59 -0500

Most diehard football fans know the Super Bowl Shuffle, performed by the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears team. However, it is little known that the San Francisco 49er’s music video actually preceded the Chicago Bear’s Super Bowl Shuffle, and what started as a creative marketing tool paved the way for several other NFL teams to follow, and now fans can look back and enjoy an entertaining glimpse into their teams’ vault of entertainment talent.

There are several lesser known gems out there that should be just as widely broadcasted, due to their catchy lyrics, bobbing beats, ridiculous dress outfits, and hysterical choreography and story lines embedded in the music videos. These music videos, performed by some of the greatest players to have graced the field (and basketball court) are great snapshots of American sports and culture in the 1980’s. Here are the top 10 team music videos of all time.

Enjoy, and don’t eat or drink while watching these on youtube.com—you might choke from too much laughter.

10. Cleveland Browns- “Masters of the Gridiron” part two

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9QLgMVAZME&feature=related

The Browns’ video starts out with half the players adorned in rugged warrior wear, and the other half dressed like Samurais, and a fight erupts in the woods. Confused yet? Michael Stanley performs his song inside the Brown’s stadium, and the video is broken up with clips of actual game footage in between the fights.

This clip is part two of a story that is hard to follow; there is a ring that the players (still dressed up in warrior gear) are trying to take back from an evil villain. This video is for diehard Browns fans only; the following videos are easier to follow, and contain much more of a quality 1980’s touch.

9. Philadelphia Eagles- “Buddy’s Watchin’ You”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlR6ujpB89k&feature=related

The Eagles stand around their studio and each take part in a rap designed to intimidate their opponents. What is intimidating in this video is the display of horrendous knit sweaters donned by the players. Some of the players are noticeably bad at rapping; however these guys get paid to play ball, not rap (and certainly don’t serve as fashion icons, thankfully).

This team, like many showcased in the list, wear sunglasses inside as another brisk fashion statement.

8. Cincinnati Bengals- “Fear Da Tiger”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vby2hKBkkk

As popular a fad it was to create a team music video in hopes of reaching a Super Bowl, the majority of these teams did not in fact make the game despite clever lyrics, catchy tunes, and similar team video creations.

The Bengals didn’t seem to care about this fact, and came out with this song in 2005 featuring Bootsy Collins rapping with his hometown team. Although the beat is the best composition out of the selection, and the overall quality is vastly improved from the 80’s technology, we’re still left to wonder why Cincinnati felt the need to create a video in this day and age.

Perhaps they will inspire other recent teams to take the mic—it’d be quite the show to see Brett Favre busting out a rap or Peyton Manning singing his heart out. Personally, I think TO would be the first to step up to the challenge.

7. Oakland Raiders- “The Silver and Black Attack”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eEF8zplJY8

Al Davis is mentioned in this video; ironically, maybe the team and Davis should take a moment to watch this historical jewel from 1986 to recapture the spirit, and enthusiasm this team boasted during the filming of the video.

“We wear the silver, we wear the black, we never retreat, we always attack!” is the chorus of this team’s song, and is a refreshing, entertaining look at one of the league’s most intimidating teams (and their lesser seen, softer side).

6. Seattle Seahawks- “Seahawk Locker Room Rock”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-9AdWthjfU&feature=related

The Seahawks music video starts out in their locker room with the football players seemingly distressed and motivated. Once the jazzy piano music kicks in, however, the locker room is on its feet and singing away.

The Seahawks take the performance talent up a notch by actually singing, and not just rapping lines. A must-see moment: fast forward to 2:30 in the video to see Grandma. No further explanation can do justice to this scene.

5. Los Angeles Lakers- “Just Say No”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2eFdO7H7cU&feature=related

Adorned in cute, rainbow tank tops, the LA Lakers certainly keep one’s attention in this public service announcement music video. The clip preaches, “Cocaine and crack it’s all got to go/ we got to learn to just say NO!” and includes appearance from some of the greats, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kurt Rambis, and Magic Johnson.

Perhaps the funniest aspect is when a herd of children appear amongst the players, singing along “Just say no, just say no to drugs/ just say yes, just say yes to life.”

Perhaps what our drug awareness programs in schools are missing today is an inspiring, motivational announcement like this one.

4. Los Angeles Rams- “Ram it”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix081prSiNc

The Rams win points for choreographed dancing moves among the football team, as well as with the cheerleaders.

“We can’t sing and our dance isn’t pretty but we’ll do our best for the team in the city” is one classic line, as well as “I learned long ago you can ram it just right, you can ram it all day and ram it all night.”

The camera pans down the line of players, as they are hunched over on a rail, looking upwards and singing about ramming. The cheerleaders wave huge poofy pompoms as big as their 80’s hair, and an impressive trumpet solo by one of the guys rounds out this classic video.

3. Miami Dolphins- “Cant Touch Us”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJvTWmUYTII&feature=related

What Miami lacks in creativity certainly makes up for in hilarity in this music video. You know it’s going to be good when the first scene shows linebacker David Griggs wearing atrocious zebra pants and talking on a ‘cell’ phone the size of a meteor.

The video continues on to show the team rapping to M.C Hammer’s smash hit, “Can’t Touch This” and features scenes of players dancing on the field with cheerleaders adorned in vibrant, true-to-the-80’s clothing, and the quarterback riding up an escalator next to a Hooter’s waitress, leaving the reader with a clear warning, “you mess with Miami, you’re going to get burned.”

2. San Francisco 49ers- “We are the Niners”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtvxPezTY6U&feature=related

The only reason this video didn’t land the number one spot is purely due to the lack of popularity compared to its rival. The song has a funky beat, catchy chorus, classic 1980 computer graphics interspersed throughout the video, and features some of the most historic ball players of the decade (Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice included) rapping about their feats on the field.

The video includes scenes of the players goofing around in the studio, in a backyard, and countless other random acts.

1. Chicago Bears- “Super Bowl Shuffle”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJNC3dgreaU

The Chicago Bears success in 1985 certainly helped the popularity of their team song. The song reached No. 41 on the Billboard charts, and received substantial airplay. Although not as varied as the 49er’s song, the Super Bowl Shuffle features some of Chicago’s greats dancing and wiggling their bodies in tight football uniforms.

“Samurai” Mike (Singletary) is arguably the most amusing rapper to hit the microphone, donning thick glasses and rhyming in quite a memorable style.

“Punky QB” (quarterback Jim McMahon) actually admits he can’t dance; however these players get the thumbs up for effort and originality, and could certainly dance the football around the field.

Athletes Referenced in Song: Top 10 Lyrics

Tori Willis — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:25:40 -0500

Athletes in all sports listen to music to spike their energy levels, increase their adrenaline, and get their mind ready for fierce competition.

However, how many athletes can claim they have a song that actually references themselves in it? Here’s the breakdown of 10 songs that include athlete’s names, and the creative lyrics surrounding these great performers.

Chris Paul, point guard for New Orleans Hornets

“Gotta Chris Paul mind state, I'm never outta bounds”

"My Life" The Game feat. Lil Wayne

Chris Paul has to love this song; despite its slow beat, it is catchy and easy to fall into the rhythm of Lil’ Wayne and The Game’s rapping. The lyrics are just a small tribute to the guard’s amazing ability to control the ball and a nod to his consistent superstar performance on the court.

Steve Nash, point guard for Phoenix Suns

“Hey is that the truth or are you talking trash
Is your game M.V.P. like Steve Nash”

"Promiscuous" Nelly Furtado feat. Timbaland

Another commendable point guard in the NBA, Steve Nash once again reached great heights of popularity in pop culture with the summer smash hit in 2006. Nash, one of the league’s most prominent figures, won the league’s MVP award in both the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 season.

76er basketball players; Rocky Balboa

“If we got good grades, straight up A's
Our parents would take us to to a 76ers game
I got my game and there ain't no shame
Big shots for Mo Cheeks
And Moses Malone
Julius Erving called Philly his home
Bobby Jones, Daryl Dawkins
Andrew Tony sinking threes
Rocky Balboa comes from south Philly
So if you want to make it
On time to the show”

Also: “Get along 76ers
Charles Barkley dissed Larry Bird”

"I-76" G. Love & Special Sauce

This 1997 ditto pays homage to the artists’ home town of Philadelphia. Besides referring to the road I-76, G. Love and Special Sauce rap out an extensive list of the 76ers roster from the 80’s. The trio also slips in a remark about Larry Bird which reflects on the historic tension between the Boston Celtics and the Philly 76ers.

Wayne Gretzky, former NHL prodigy

“Wayne Gretzky, the only man I'd have sex with
Wayne Gretzky, I'd be intimate with
Wayne Gretzky, I think he's kinda sexy
Wayne Gretzky, I wonder what he looks like naked”

"Wayne Gretzky" Goldfinger

It is nearly impossible to listen to this song without cracking at least a smile. Goldfinger muses, “I wonder what it would be like/ To have sex with the league's leading scorer.” The song continues, “Ah, it'll never happen, it's just a pipe dream/ Wait a minute -- I'm not even gay, I'm married!/ Pssh, whatever.”

Many express love and obsession with their favorite sport; Goldfinger takes it to a whole new (and delightfully humorous) level.

Tiger Woods, golfer

“The flow’s insane and the stroke is crazy

I stroke so good, like Tiger Woods

Then I ROAR like a Tiger would”

"Get Buck" Akon feat. Ludacris

Despite the sexual connotation these lyrics hold, I doubt Tiger would be too offended by the reference to his golf prowess on the green. With such an unusual name, it’s surprising there aren’t more songs or parodies based on the phenomenal golfer. Then again, if my real name was Eldrick, I’d think of using catchy, ferocious nicknames too..

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard

“Could you get me out of jail?
(Shawty im a rapper man. I am not a basketball player)
Could you get me out of jail?
(Man this some bullsh*t, man this some Kobe Bryant sh*t.)
Could you get me out of jail?
(Man she came here willingly.)”

"Get Me Out of Jail" Petey Pablo

This is the song that inspired the column. Petey Pablo has a clever sense of humor in this song, as he sings about different ways he landed himself in jail. He pokes fun at himself, as well as the past Kobe Bryant scandal.

He references the basketball player more quietly in between the chorus lines, in order to defend himself against getting arrested for his relations with a lady friend. The whole song is tongue in cheek, yet Kobe would probably not be proud of being included in these particular lyrics.

Magic Johnson, retired Los Angeles Lakers point guard

“Kareem Abdul Jabbar
All time great super super star
I hate to burst your bubble but triple double trouble
Is coming to your town and he's going to make rubble
Does anybody want some Magic Johnson
L. A. Lakers fast break makers
Kings of the court shake and bake all takers
Back to back is a bad ass fact a claim that remains intact”

"Magic Johnson" – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Though it’s hard to determine the lyrics simply by listening to the song, the Red Hot Chili Peppers do an excellent job composing admiring, cleverly written lyrics about the legendary Magic Johnson.

“Lakers are the team that I watch on the telly/ cause they got more moves/than a bowl full of jelly” are definitely lyrics that any Lakers fan could relate to even today, especially considering the teams’ impressive start to the season.

Barry Bonds, former San Francisco Giants left fielder

“Comin' in the club wit that fresh sh*t on,

with something crazy on my arm
Here's another hit, Barry Bonds

We outta here baby!”

"Barry Bonds" Kanye West feat. Lil Wayne

Setting the controversial steroid debate aside, it can’t be argued that Barry Bonds has had his share of hits in his lengthy career. Kanye and Lil Wayne reference Bonds’ success with their one liner “we outta here baby!”

Kanye released this song shortly after Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s record of home runs in August of 2007. Whether Kayne reaches more "hits" in his music career than Bonds in his baseball career is up for the listener to decide.

O.J. Simpson, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Shaquille O’Neal…

“Athletes of today in the NBA, make me proud
But there's somethin' they don't say
Keep gettin' accused for abusin' White p*ssay
From OJ to Kobe, uh let's call him Tobe
First he played his life cool just like Michael”

"These are our heroes"- Nas

Nas takes his rapping to a deeper level than just song and lyric for this tune. He analyzes the definition of a hero, and compares a stereotype of what white people consider a hero for African Americans compared to what Nas views as his own personal heroes.

Nas pays homage to several athletes, including NBA players, as well as prominent African American figures in society.

Yet, at the end of the song, he announces he’s leaving in his limousine to catch a plane; Nas leaves the song’s interpretation up to the listener. No doubt though; he knows his cultural figures and famous basketball stars quite well.

Shaquille O’Neal, Phoenix Suns center

“I had a plan, that I could change the pace
I said, Yo Shaq you didn't tie your shoelace
He looked down, I stole the ball
I'm taking him to school now, watch me all
A three-pointer, nothing but net
Come on Shaq, had enough yet?
Down by two, I'm catching up
I guess your getting nervous
Cuz you already lost”

"How I beat Shaq" – Aaron Carter

This song might may cause a loss in "cool" points, but it had to be added in—the whole concept of the song is so preposterous that it actually gained quite a fan club when it hit the airwaves. (Granted, this was among pre-adolescents in the '90s).

The music video actually features the great Shaq, who can be seen on the court, looking somewhat befuddled. Can’t hardly blame the man; I would be too, if I suddenly found myself in an Aaron Carter music video.

Although these 10 songs may be considerably different in ideology, tune, and concept, they all reference great, successful athletes who have made considerable impressions in American culture and society. It may not be a sole determiner of success, but when an athlete can point to a song and find their name amongst the lyrics, it is a definite marker in the right direction.

Notable Sports Quotes Of The Week

Tori Willis — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:08:18 -0500

After mindlessly perusing ESPN.com like I do on a daily basis, I stumbled across some quotes that I just had to respond to. Here are a couple that caught my eye, and my opinions following the quotes.

"Our guys just hustled, and they made some great hustle plays, and all of a sudden, it was like a pinball machine—boom, boom, boom. Double bonuses. The lights were going on, and, 'Holy mackerel, we're up by a lot of points.'" — Coach K on the Duke men’s basketball team beating Georgia Southern, 97-54, Tuesday, in Cameron Stadium.

When one of the nation’s best teams regularly schedules no-name opponents in the beginning of the season, just to mercilessly pound them on their home court, it’s no wonder Coach K can make a statement like this.

While I admire the Blue Devils, there are many top teams besides Duke that repeatedly bring unheard of schools into their lair. The game ceases to be a competition between teams at this point; it becomes a spectacle for the fans. Who can score the most? How much can we win by? How many turnovers and dunks can we get? It’s embarrassing for the smaller teams; thankfully they get financial compensation for this humiliation. It is worth it though?

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"He's the only one that really knows football well enough to know exactly what happened." — San Francisco 49ers Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz, on receiving clarification from former head coach Mike Nolan on the final play in the Niners loss on Monday night to the Arizona Cardinals.

This heartbreaking ending in Monday night’s football showdown between San Francisco and Arizona showed how crucial it is for the coaching staff to be on the same page. Also, the same radio channel. And in tune with the calls of the referees.

If what Martz says is right, I shudder for the Niners. The team fired the “only one that really knows football well enough,” and who are we left with? Coaches causing confusion and pandemonium on the sidelines. That’s just the assurance we fans need.

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"I'll hopefully play the full game tonight." — Greg Oden, Portland Trailblazers center.

Hopefully Oden won’t sustain another injury tonight either. Most basketball fans would like to see him play a couple games in the NBA. For being such a hot topic in the league, he sure hasn’t demonstrated his talent on the court much. Granted, it isn’t his intention to injure himself, but he sure needs to learn how to be more agile and avoid potential future injuries.

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“In the world of college football, the facts and statistics reflect an unmistakable bias and a systemic problem that has yet to be fixed. My deep concern is, why are the college football hiring practices out of sync?" — BCA executive director Floyd Keith, about the recent findings that although minorities are receiving more interview opportunities for jobs in NCAA Division I college football, there is a disparity still in job hirings.

While there is an increase in the numbers of minorities in coaching jobs, there is always room for more diversity, especially in a sport already transcending racial divides. However, no one will hire a person for the sole person of increasing the diversity on a coaching staff, and race should never be a pivotal factor in the hiring process (for either a positive or negative reason).

Another minority not even imagined in this issue is obvious in my mind: women. While there are countless reasons as to why women wouldn’t be considered in the coaching staff for college football (or NFL either), I could see many benefits in this option. Maybe Obama inspired me by planting the idea in my head that there is no limit to any occupation for an American. It may be a silly idea to entertain, but I’d love a chance to get out there on the turf and coach football. Maybe I could have saved the 49ers game on Monday. Who knows?

49ers-Cardinals: Devastation in the Desert

Tori Willis — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:00:01 -0500

There was no screen. No sports commentator. No replay. There was no television in front of me to yell at; no pillow and no couch behind me to madly punch in frustration. No bedroom to run into and slam the door and yell obscenities to Ziggy, my teddy bear. Nothing.

Nothing but the end zone in front of me. On the line, lay one of the 49ers on his back, unable to get up. Teammates were around him, all just standing stupefied, in obvious shock. What just happened? Now, I was grateful there was no television in front of me at this moment; I could avoid all replays of the disaster that just occurred in front of my eyes.

The San Francisco 49ers had just destroyed their last (of many, many) chances to run away with a victory against the Arizona Cardinals. And they had managed to do it in the national spotlight, on prime time Monday Night Football, nonetheless.

One irony of the game was the sight of the stadium; everyone was sporting the same shade of red (save for a few throwback 'Niner jerseys) and I perfectly matched my friend next to me, although we were supporting opposing teams.

The entire game was a roller coaster for both sides; sloppy plays, endless flags, and remarkable calls from the referees (usually in favor of the Niners) were too frequent. As my dad commented on the phone afterwards, “this was the sloppiest game I’ve seen in a long time; BOTH teams deserved to lose tonight.” I added that San Francisco had simply beaten San Francisco tonight. No need for pants dropping, though.

There were so many flags thrown up that everyone was irked by the final quarter. I groaned to my friend, “Flags belong up THERE!” and I pointed to the rafters, where the American and Arizona flag hung. On second thought...there were no recent division or Super Bowl banners to be seen in Cardinal Stadium.

I smiled to myself.

The last few minutes of the game had my legs shaking uncontrollably; my heart threatening to burst out of my chest, and I couldn’t stop from madly hopping up and down to keep from breaking down from pure exhaustion, excitement, and nervous anticipation of the ref’s calls on the field.

I had almost lost my ability to yell; although I managed to scream wildly several times when the referees continued to give calls in San Francisco’s favor.

The middle-aged men by me on all sides wanted to kill me. I could tell. I leaned to one of them, after I went on a wild, emotional frenzy during the last play review of the 'Niner’s attempt at a touchdown and excused myself, “sorry, but I’m a girl!!” We ladies get pretty emotional about issues (yes, I know this is obvious).

I managed to keep a strong front for the remainder of the game and held my own through the celebrations around me, and the taunting, through the masses of jersey-clad fans smiling and laughing in my face.

I held my sign tightly, purposely flashing the words, “WILL IS POWER #52” as my last defiant attempt at supporting my football team on my way out of the stadium. Last time I walked through the hallways of this stadium for a football game was back in February during the Super Bowl.

This was a very different tempo; although both close, mind boggling games, I now felt personally defeated.

I ran through options for the final play in my head and came up with a revolutionary idea (Singletary: take note). Instead of trying to rush through the center like what actually took place, I propose a risky alternative. Since the ball was on the one-yard line away from a touchdown, the center would just snap the ball barely to the quarterback, who’d quickly grab the ball and duck under the center.

The center would simultaneously push forwards while keeping his legs wide apart, allowing the quarterback to dive through.

Impossible?

Nay, the QB would have barely two yards to outstretch his hands and place the ball over the end zone line, resulting in a miraculous touchdown. Yes, this would end in a tremendous dog pile (as what occurred regardless), but the Cardinals wouldn’t have expected such an instantaneous, low move. Brilliant.

This morning, I, as the Tuesday morning quarterback, performed this exact maneuver for my friend. I used his dog Sweetie as my center, and the cracks in the living room tile as the line of scrimmage. It was truly a spectacle.

I managed to make it to the parking lot in relatively okay spirits. Ignoring the rude Arizona fans waving banners and singing in my face, I smiled and showed support to fellow disgruntled San Francisco fans. "Forever faithful" was the shared sentiment.

An older man driving a truck crept up towards me as I was walking down an aisle of cars, in search for my friend’s vehicle. He tipped his hat to me and gave a small, encouraging smile. I could see through the shadows from the parking lot lights that his hat read “SF.” I took a few more steps, and then ran back to the car.

I held up my hand in a slow high five, and he returned the favor.

“One for every Super Bowl.” He chuckled and agreed, flashing a genuine grin across his face.

No matter how close or devastating a loss, and as much as I stormed and complained through the minutes, there was absolutely no place in the world I would have rather been last night. There was no other way to watch such a game; and I am truly grateful to have had the experience of being present for such a notable loss. Forever faithful.

Why Nobody Likes Hockey: A Sharks Fan Comes to Grips with Being in the Minority

Tori Willis — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:48:05 -0500

I walked into class this morning, excited as the next person about the huge victory on Tuesday.

I’m talking about the San Jose Sharks' 11th win this season last night over the Minnesota Wild, of course.

When I announced to my friends that my Sharks were indeed 11-2, first in not only the Western Conference but in the entire NHL, I got a slew of sarcastic and cold-hearted replies.

“What’s the NHL? Is that a league or something?”

“What’s hockey? Is that a sport?”

I tried to defend myself by saying that the San Francisco Bay Area hasn’t had such a successful franchise in years, and I was really proud of my home team.

Few can claim actual residence in San Jose. Most fans live near enough to the city; not literally a step away from it. No matter, I just kept receiving taunting remarks. I slumped down in my chair, dejected.

Then the question arose in my head. Why don’t people like hockey?

There are a variety of factors. Many reasons will never come to light; I, myself, can’t understand why hockey isn’t adored by every single American citizen, but that’s just me and my extremist views of sport.

First off, let’s attack the general American public. Consumers like instant gratification. We want it, and we want it now. We’ve been brought up to believe that this is an acceptable thought process, and entertainment feeds it to us. With the addition of the Internet and improved technology, it’s even more attainable to have what you want, right now.

For example, digital cameras take away the suspense of what photos are going to look like. Point, click, and you have your picture right here, right now. Television shows are also centered on instant gratification.

In this day and age, the majority of consumers are too busy to devote an extensive amount of time to just one show. Therefore producers within each show create a plot, pathway, and solution all in the convenience of one tiny hour. You get your crime scene, your facts leading up to the apprehension of the criminal, and it’s solved. Case closed.

Now, what happened to the good ol’ days, when hard work and determination was what brought success and happiness? Did we forget about things being “worth the wait?” In a time with “get rich quick” schemes, earning online degrees in just months, and slim down diets in days, society has gotten caught up with being satisfied instantaneously.

Back to hockey. Instant gratification is not seen on the rink, nor in the eyes of the players, fans, or referees. Sure, one could argue that one could get quite the instant satisfaction of a quick blow across the face of an opponent, but that is not the main goal in hockey.

But it is understood by the ones involved that scoring and winning does not rely on a fast break, an interception, or a quick turnaround.

Perhaps when a sports fan realizes this, they, too, can appreciate the aesthetics and mesmerizing draw of the sport of hockey. Passion sets apart hockey fans from other sport fans; hockey fans love to love their sport, and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Hockey is a sport that can hold one’s breath yet just as quickly take it away; it is a combination of speed, strength, stamina, agility, and teamwork unparalleled in any other sport.

Sports that require so much time and dedication to achieve a single goal usually have low-scoring outcomes. This may be another discouragement and reason as to why hockey hasn’t picked up as large a following in the U.S., when compared to that of football or basketball.

Low-scoring competitions reflect perseverance, an ability to work hard, sweat it out, and keep trying and trying, even after countless failed attempts. When a team finally does pull out a goal, it’s most gratifying and overwhelmingly electrifies the arena.

One can see this electricity running through the crowds of soccer fans as well; these two sports share more similarities than die-hard fans from either sport would readily admit.

While they take place on different surfaces, the setup of goals, strategies on how to attack the goal, emphasis placed on assists, and ending tumult that occurs with a successful goal are all extremely alike.

Soccer does not have as quite a big following in the States, either; this could further prove the need Americans place on instant gratification and high-scoring sporting games.

Perhaps there are cultural differences further separating hockey from the more popular sports in America. Hockey originated in the neighboring country of Canada and has since traveled south to find homes in many East Coast cities, as well as less likely (due to warmer climatic) southern cities such as Phoenix, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta.

However, hockey has been assimilated into American culture so seamlessly that recently teams in the U.S. have been outperforming many Canadian teams on the ice.

Maybe it is just a sport that one has to grow up with to appreciate—or live in the right climate or demographic area.

Hockey requires specific equipment and is much harder to come by versus playing a simple game of pickup basketball or touch football. Yet this argument doesn’t hold true for its cousin soccer, and therefore cannot be a true reason for why it doesn’t house as many fans per capita in the U.S.

Until Americans can appreciate the hard work and blood, sweat, and tears that goes into making a single goal in a game of hockey, it seems that the sport will never have as large a following as football, basketball, or baseball—America’s three most popular sports.

Hockey will just have to sit, satisfied in fourth place, never receiving the top television spots or largest marketing offers.

It is important to realize that this is not because hockey is lacking in any aspect; on the contrary, consumers need to understand what comprises the sport and increase their patience.

Yes, there is no basket or yardage gained every minute; but when a forward gets hold of the puck, spins around in one fluid motion, and angles the puck right into the net underneath the goalie’s outstretched skate, it’s magical.

Until then, I’ll continue to watch the San Jose Sharks dominate the ice. Heck, it’s not like the Warriors or 49ers are making it back to the playoffs anytime soon. Then again, one could argue that these two teams are not relying on instant gratification, either.

Defensive Tactics against Writer's Block

Tori Willis — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:07:24 -0400

These past couple months I've gotten into some extensive collections of Rick Reilly’s work. And I must say, the more I read, the more attached I become to Reilly’s sentimental approach to sport writing: the endearing subject matters, the story of the average citizen being profoundly changed in a positive way due to a fierce bond with a particular sport, the little team that could, and the athlete who ignores all setbacks and handicaps and achieves success and glory.

Reading Reilly's work is like drinking hot chocolate on a frosty, autumn day; it warms the insides and makes the reader content with simple happiness—and he does this purely by covering inspirational stories about sport.

The more I read articles like his, and Bill Simmons’, and other well known sports journalists', the more I wondered, "What can I really add of worth to the mix?" and thus started my dismal writer's block.

I bounced ideas back and forth, but nothing seemed to stick. It was as if my idea, in the symbolic form of a football, couldn't be passed from the quarterback to any wide receiver or running back.

Heck, even if an idea could get in the hands of another hypothetical player, it wouldn't get past the intimidating defensive line, and thus my writer's block took the form of a formidable linebacker.

Last night, after a long evening of various meetings involving student government and student sections (I'm on the crew where these two ideas intersect), I threw my overbooked agenda on my bed and flopped into my uncomfortable chair in my shabby Tucson apartment. I had been sitting a total of seven minutes, mindlessly browsing espn.com when I realized I needed to get out and feed my subtle—but apparent—internal nagging for an adventure.

Ten minutes later, I pulled up in front of Barnes & Noble and happily hopped out of my car. I had no chosen destination in mind, but lo! and behold (and to no one's surprise), I found my way to the sports section of the bookstore, in which I took a seat in the middle of the aisle and opened a book about hockey.

And a book about baseball. And three on football. And one on basketball, and Wooden, and the Cubs, and Tiger’s swing, and a female’s guide to football...and it just hit me.

I had faded into a world all my own, surrounded by heroic tales of high school football teams, words of wisdom from beloved coaches, words of "wisdom" from the delightful Yogi Berra, and no one could have stolen me away from the pure happiness surrounding me like a protective bubble.

The feeling was spectacular. I'm sure it might've looked odd from an employee's point of view. Here, a girl, looking somewhat "Californian" in appearance—long, blonde hair, ripped t-shirt, flip flops, was completely absorbed in books on teams, athleticism, coaching, and sports like baseball, basketball, and football. But I'm used to getting odd reactions, and I kept reading.

Tonight, as I write this, comfortably sitting in a local Starbucks next to my best friend as we engage in a regular study session, I can rest assured that my writer’s block period is over.

The football is back in commission, ready to be passed, or run, or kicked. I realize now that I can tackle sport in any aspect I choose.

Rick Reilly isn't an opponent I need to sidestep on my way towards the end zone or someone I should critically compare my own writing to; he is an encouraging coach on the sideline, giving me inspiration through his stirring collections of writing.

I suddenly got that warm, fuzzy feeling on the inside again. Maybe it's the "signature" hazelnut hot chocolate I just sipped, but something leads me to believe it's more than just that. In a nutshell, it's the unshakable combination of passion, contentment, and happiness, all stemming from the power of sport that inspires me.

Mascotology: Predicting the First Round in the Big Dance

Tori Willis — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:12:39 -0400

In the spirit of March Madness, I will add yet another desperate attempt to claim the winning bracket to the pile. Yet this bracket is the battle of the mascots, the duels of the devils, catfights, dogfights, golden eagle and bear attacks that make up the 65 (who are we kidding, 64) teams in the tournament. Included is analysis of first round key matchups by mascots, and potential headlines for the other matchups.

Midwest

Notable matchups:

Vanderbilt Commodores—Siena Saints. The Siena Saints are really Saint Bernard’s; cute and all, but cute doesn’t win in fights. If Siena were real Saints, I’d let them win this one.

Wisconsin Badgers—Cal St. Fullerton Titans. The Titans are pretty much crazy enough to beat any other mascot, save a Sun Devil (oops; NIT!) or Blue Devil.

Georgetown Hoyas—UMBC Retrievers. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and the pit bulls of Georgetown would definitely tear up the gentle, obedient golden retrievers.

Other Midwest Matchups

Portland State Vikings empower Kansas Jayhawks

Clemson Tigers outp—ounce Villanova Wildcats

UNLV Running Rebels chase away Kent State Golden Eagles

USC Trojans set up toy horse and destroy Kansas State Wildcats inside out

Gonzaga Bulldogs fall to vicious Davidson Wildcats, it’s raining cats and dogs!

East

Worthy matchups:

Indiana Hoosiers—Arkansas Razorbacks. First and foremost, a definition of each mascot for those who are unfamiliar: Hoosier (n): any awkward, unsophisticated person, frontiersmen, hillbilly. Razorback (n): a wild or semi wild hog with a ridge like back, common in the southern U.S. Honestly, I think in this match up, both mascots lose.

George Mason Patriots—Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Now, GMU doesn’t have a Patriot as a mascot; they have Gunston, the goofy green fuzzy Sesame Street reject who lacks any comparison to any Muppet or Pokemon. The Fighting Irish definitely take this fight hands down (or hands curled in, reality).

Tennessee Volunteers—American Eagles. As much as the pride of the country should always pull through, I feel that because Tennessee is so willing to step up and do the right thing (i.e., volunteering), they win by the spirit, adrenaline rush, and feeling good about giving unto others.

Louisville Cardinals—Boise State Broncos. Louisville wins completely. Tell me with a serious face that you wouldn’t be terror struck if that cartoon cardinal came swarming down at you. Still aren’t satisfied? The Cardinal pokes the eyes out of the Bronco. Game Over.

Other Matchups in the East:

North Carolina Tar Heels (but really the Rams) stampede the Coppin St. Eagles (or Mt. St. Mary’s Mounts)

Wash St. Cougars claw apart the Winthrop Eagles

South Alabama Jaguars rip the Butler Bulldogs

South

Cornell Big Red-Stanford Cardinal. Well we could use our second grade chemistry lesson here; which is a more fierce colorbig red or the cardinal shade of red? Let’s make it easy and take the Cornell bears, who easily claw up the goofy dancing Stanford tree. (Oregon State Beavers might have some luck with this logic too).

Miami Hurricanes—St. Mary’s Gaels. St. Mary’s will definitely not be in Miami anymore! Maybe we’ll see you in Scotland in the highlands after the natural disaster is done with you. Hold tight to those bagpipes.

Austin Peay Governors—Texas Longhorns. The Governors can use all sorts of rules, laws, regulations, policies, and legislatures (not to mention political scams, bureaucracies and conspiracies) to lock up the Texas Longhorns for good. Let’s hope this doesn’t really happen.

Michigan State Spartans—Temple Owls. The Owls may be wise and all-knowing, but knowledge isn’t enough when it comes to battling the experienced Spartans.

Other Matchups in the South

Mississippi St. Bulldogs bark up a storm over Oregon Ducks

Pittsburgh Panthers claw up Oral Roberts Golden Eagles

Marquette Golden Eagles fall to Kentucky Wildcats

Texas-Arlington Mavericks round up Memphis Tigers

West

Notable matchups:

Drake Bulldogs—Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Bulldogs win this; even the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs would win this one. Just because you sit on a hill and have no other descriptors as a mascot, it’s an automatic loss.

UConn Huskies-San Diego Toreros. The Toreros (bullfighters) bring their Spanish pizzazz and expertise in bullfighting to the ring, where the Huskies can’t keep up.

West Virginia Mountaineers-Arizona Wildcats. Mountaineers provide a good fight in this match up, but the Wildcats manage to win by using the element of surprise.

Other West Matchups

Miss. Valley State Devils send the UCLA Bruins below; Duke Blue Devils spear Belmont Bruins (and why not just use the word ‘bear?’)

Baylor Bears steam up the Purdue Boilermakers

BYU Cougars ravage the Texas A&M Aggies

Xavier Musketeers shoot the Georgia Bulldogs and after Michael Vick, these bulldogs probably welcome this quick and painless fight.

From Childhood to Fanhood: Brainwashing in the Early Years

Tori Willis — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:04:03 -0500

“Honey, I’m pregnant.”

The first thoughts on your mind as the expecting father, should be a flurry of questions concerning your first child.

You hope that your child makes the right decisions in life. The child grows up to be a productive member of society, and is never influenced by evil.

More specifically, as a sport-extraordinaire, you’re terrified that your child will grow up to be a fan of the team you despise more than anything.

What can a father do?

Thankfully, there are steps to take to ensure your child will indeed grow up to make the right decisions in life—whether it be as a Pacers fan, a Penguins fan, or a Panthers fan.

For the baby shower, do away with traditional pink and blue clothes. Tell friends and family your baby is simply a Laker’s fan (or insert favorite team here), and therefore all baby clothes must be purple and/or yellow.

Plan the expectancy date around the team’s schedule. Avoid the entire season, if applicable, and most importantly, the few weeks of playoff games. If all else fails in planning, have a TV in the hospital—A-Rod’s home runs can serve as an excellent distraction for the female while delivering the baby.

Get one of those annoying bottle openers that sing your team’s fight song and replace it with the music maker on the nursery crib mobile. The baby can learn to sing the “Indiana Fight Song” in its first months, as well as fine tune those early musical recognition skills.

Concentrate on the team’s mascot as much as possible; some teams have more kid-friendly mascots than others. Buy a stuffed lion, bear, or eagle for your baby to have as their first stuffed animal. You might have to get creative for the Chargers or Stanford, and sew your own lightning bolt or tree.

Toys are easy to take care of for your child. Buy generic sports equipment and toys (suitable for a toddler or baby) and place in every room in the house. To personalize the play toys with your favorite team, buy pennants, and stickers that can be firmly tacked on to the wall, within eye level of your child.

The first words spoken from a child are of the greatest importance when evaluating their character and potential later on in life. A little known fact: Larry Bird’s first words were “most valuable player.”

Write a list of short, easy words that are related to your team, and use them quite frequently in speech around your toddler. For example, refer to your significant other as “coach,” and instead of using “good” and “bad,” substitute “goal!” and “foul!”

Associate the great childhood idols with your team: Santa, the Easter Bunny, Leprechauns, and the Tooth Fairy. Have the Tooth Fairy give game tickets instead of cash, and the Easter Bunny can deliver orange and blue Easter candy to the Florida fan household.

The first day of kindergarten is an important day for every child, and photos to mark the occasion are a necessity. Naturally, your child should be dressed from head to toe in the latest fan wear—you wouldn’t want the teacher to jump to any conclusions if your child rolled out on the first day of school in a throwback Marino jersey.

Sports can instill in a child a love, a passion, a sense of unwavering commitment in a way nothing else can. While some parents may mistake these bits of advice for brainwashing or pure insanity, they will have a hard time explaining why their child is the antisocial mathematician of the classroom, while parents who follow this advice will have their child be the sports star in the playground spotlight.

Ticketing the Super Bowl: One Fan's Experience

Tori Willis — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:02:19 -0500

I'm your ticket into the Super Bowl. Literally.

To get into the Super Bowl, one must go through the highest of security measures—second in the nation only to the White House. If you pass the pat down, the metal detector, and the wand, you may proceed.

Then you get to me.

If you don’t get through me, you don’t get to be inside the stadium.

If I allow you through—well, have an amazing time, sir, and have fun for me. I’ll be sitting outside here for another couple hours, scanning tickets, checking for counterfeits, having interesting chats with fans, and being highly entertained by the countless array of shenanigans and acts people put on to try to get into the game.

I was hired as a one-day employee of the NFL by S.A.F.E Management—the company that runs the Super Bowls and select football stadiums throughout the country—for Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Arizona.

I was assigned, with three of my buddies from school, the lowly job of taking tickets. I was on an emotional rollercoaster the whole morning, my highs being thoughts like “Will I work inside the stadium?” or “Will I see any famous sports stars?”

My lows were “crap, my security badge doesn’t let me inside the stadium,” “I’m sure my other friends got cooler jobs than this,” and “I can’t believe I got this close to the Super Bowl, and I can’t go inside at all.”

Don’t worry—that last thought became even more painful later when I was given an extra ticket to inside the stadium. Face value? $700—and that was for the nosebleed section.

We were instructed to tear off the bottom stubs and keep them. This was extremely painful for the majority of fans to watch, most of whom kept their ticket safely strapped around their neck in a plastic pouch, and many of whom grossly overpaid beyond the face value of the ticket.

A man told me that I could take the bottom of his ticket because I was so pretty. Umm, you’ll let me take the bottom of your ticket because if I don’t, I won’t let you into the Super Bowl and you just wasted $1,300.

One fan in the morning even tried to bribe me with a $20 to let him keep the bottom of the ticket. I said no.

My friend, Tracy, told a guy that she needed to take his stub. The guy responded with a chuckle, “I haven’t heard that in a while. But you’re too young for me.” We had a good laugh after that one.

A few minutes later, however, I asked a high school-aged boy to “please pull it out for me” (referring to the ticket, of course). His dad laughed and told me, “You might not want to say that to him—he might really do that.” That certainly brought a blush to my cheeks.

The three levels of tickets were the terrace (or nosebleeds) for $700, the club level, which was the middle section, for $900, or the front and center for a mere $2000. And may I remind you, this was just face value.

The fans were fantastic. I got to meet a lot of great people, even in those short few moments of scanning and tearing off ticket stubs.

There were the Patriot fans, dominating the landscape at security. I’d ask Patriot fans, “Who’s going to win tonight?” with a big smile on my face. Most of them would state their obvious answer.

I’d ask Giants fans the same thing, and get the naturally opposite answer. When fans would ask me who I wanted to win, I’d honestly answer “Niners!” and start laughing.

Then there were fans wearing different team jerseys. I saw a couple Eagles fans, a pair of Packer fans, one guy sporting a 49er Willis jersey (that made my day!), and Vikings gear.

One man, wearing a Dolphins jersey, happened to be getting talked down from a Patriots fan when he was getting his ticket scanned. I interrupted, and patted the fan on the shoulder, and said, “You’re a true fan! The Dolphins will have a better year next year, and they’ll make the Super Bowl! With the Niners!”

The Patriots fan just laughed at me (karma?). I smiled at the man in the Marino jersey and told him he was a great person for sticking with his team.

Even though Miami was the furthest possible team from making it to the Super Bowl, the spirit was carried into the stadium with that one single fan. It felt good to watch.

A Pats fan was waiting for his friend on the other side of the gate, and I asked him if he was from New England. He said yes, and asked me how I knew.

“It was your feet.” He looked down, and back up at me, confused.

“You wouldn’t be wearing sandals on a day like this if you were an Arizonan.” The weather all day was grey skies and a chilling breeze—not the best representation of what Arizona has to offer in the middle of the winter.

“Are you going to pat me down too?” Some guy with a big goofy grin held out his arms, ready for me to check him personally for smuggled items. No, definitely not happening.

One of the most entertaining aspects of being a ticket taker was watching the ridiculous attempts of fans trying to get into the game without tickets.

A 20-year-old blonde girl, wearing a low cut shirt and push up bra “had to go pee.” She was bent over “in pain” and making gruesome facial expressions, whining how badly she needed to use the restroom.

Blondie attempted to enter several ticketing gates, pleaded with security, police (and me) and received the same answer—NO! Her friend was already on the other side of the gate, and as retribution, she offered that her friend would give us his ticket to hold, to prove that they would come back out.

Nothing worked, and she finally gave up, but not before I heard the friend from behind me whisper, “if you find tickets and get inside, call me.”

What a despicable, dishonest attempt. I’m glad she didn’t get in.

Another memorable attempt was a middle-aged man dressed from head to toe, eerily matching the Minnesota Vikings mascot. He too was denied entry for failure to produce a Super Bowl ticket.

I had a couple fans try to sweet talk their way through me, openly admitting they didn’t have a ticket. They didn’t get through.

One man in a nice suit (this was in the third quarter) was bringing several cones through the metal detector, and almost passed through us ticket takers, until a security guard stopped him and asked us why we didn’t take his ticket.

The man sheepishly smiled and said he was just trying to help, and slinked through the exit.

Two six-foot tall girls, one in each team’s jersey, explained to a fellow ticket taker next to me that they were performing for the halftime show. Funny, but no amount of makeup, glitter, tight skirts, or boots can get one in the game.

Counterfeit tickets were easy to spot after I got used to the feel of the legitimate bowl tickets. These had a different gloss or finish, no perforation, and felt or bent differently.

If the scanner didn’t approve the ticket, I’d send the patron to a supervisor, and the fan’s worst fears would be confirmed: the ticket wasn’t real.

A dad came back in the second half with a new pair of tickets with his seven year old son. After these new tickets were scanned, he gave a big sigh of relief and said that he lost $1500 on the first pair of counterfeit tickets.

Throughout the day, our ticket gate had about six instances of fake tickets. Those poor people. Lesson learned: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Well into the game, most of the fans had already entered through the security gate and ticketing stations, and we felt like our job was complete. Tracy decided to run though the metal detector, setting it off with her ticket scanner hanging around her neck.

I thought it was pretty cool to goof around like that, in front of Super Bowl security guards, and get away with it. Anyone else trying to pull that off would end up in handcuffs.

The only “celebrities” I saw in person were Grant Hill and former wide receiver of the Raiders, A.C Caswell.

Caswell was at the Bowl signing autographs, and somehow landed himself and his four sons outside the game, and was trying to get back inside. I had the pleasure of chatting with him for a good ten minutes about football and sports. I did manage to tell him I was a 49er fan, much to his dismay.

It was an amazing day. Long and exhausting, but amazing. I hold more respect for all the behind the scenes action that goes on for sports events. One doesn’t realize all the hard work and organization that makes these games possible; before Sunday, I would just hit the power button on the TV, settle back on the couch, and watch the game.

It was a once in a lifetime experience. For me though, that isn’t good enough.

I want to make the Super Bowl at least a twice in a lifetime experience.

BCS: From Distress to Success

Tori Willis — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:59:24 -0500

After tonight’s yawner of a game featuring Ohio State and two-loss Louisiana State, it is clearer than glass that something needs to be done about the Bowl Championship Series in college football.

There have been talks about instituting a Final Four for football, or some series of playoffs to determine the two most deserving collegiate teams to battle it out to claim the national title.

Football commissioners from every Division I conference in the United States are meeting in April to discuss this very matter, among other topics.

So, commissioners, before you decide on a groundbreaking, life-altering change for the sport of football, please make some careful considerations. You already stole the name of the sport from Europe’s “futbol.”

Please don’t steal the Sweet 16, Elite 8, and Final Four from the sport of basketball. And taking the “Frozen Four” from hockey is out of the question; not only is it unoriginal to steal the name, it doesn’t make any sense.

Football is a unique sport; a sport that fuels intense debates, a sport that causes middle-aged men of most households to pace the living room floor in anxiety, a sport that is the cause for celebration all over the nation come Super Bowl Sunday, and a sport that is governed by rules and regulations unlike any other (besides rugby, which you kinda stole from too).

Because it is arguably America’s favorite sport, football should have its own individual road to the national championship. And for once, the sport can claim its own originality in a notable category.

This is the chance to revolutionize the sport of football; to prove that a true American sport can, in fact, come up with an idea completely uninfluenced by another sport.

The argument of a four-week playoff schedule is a suitable substitution for the current situation of the BCS games to date. The season’s top 16 teams would face off in respective seeds, and would be eliminated until the final round would determine the year’s national champion.

This schedule could easily replace the month of bowl games, and, luckily enough, there are already numerous stadiums prepared for postseason football games.

However, nicknames of every round would simply have to be different from that of basketball if this idea was to take effect. I propose the following:

The Select Sixteen

Also worthy of consideration: savage, (because football players usually are) scholastic, (that’s why they are in college.. right?) or seasonal (playing one year doesn’t grant you an automatic bid for the next).

The Electric Eight

Also worthy of consideration: enlightened, (Buddhists would enjoy this one) epic, (football is always of epic proportions) or essential (life without football is no life at all).

The Favorite Four

Because even though the teams might not be your favorite, they are certainly someone else’s, and it’s an appropriate title for the finalists of America’s most loved sport.

Also worthy of consideration: fantastic (wait, is that one already taken?), famous (you can’t play without getting some sort of fame) fanatical (that includes us, the loyal supporters), fast (have to be to win), ferocious (refrain from Michael Vick jokes please), fiery (this bowl to be played in Sun Devil Stadium), or, the football four (simple, straightforward, and descriptive- not to mention boring).

If these don’t sound too enticing, don’t be alarmed. Many other sports do without cutesy nicknames. Most sports simply label their tournaments as a championship, regionals, semifinals, or for baseball and softball, the World Series.

Bowl Over.

Jump Rope 101

Tori Willis — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:48:17 -0500

“Jump rope isn’t a sport.”

You wouldn’t believe how frustrated I get when I hear these five words.

Is there even a clearly defined meaning of ‘sport’ anyway? I’ve seen log rolling, poker, and wood-chopping on ESPN channels.

As a member of Jumping For Joy, a competitive jump rope team based out of Santa Clara, CA, jump roping provided me with unbeatable opportunities and heartwarming memories.

It gave us jumpers the chance to tour the nation (and for some, the world), put on performances at sports halftime shows and tailgate parties (like for the NCAA’s Hoop City, Stanford Football, and the Golden State Warriors), be on national television (Good Morning America and ESPN2) and teach students in schools about heart health through performances and workshops (in conjunction with the American Heart Association).

Certainly jump roping is a sport—it has all the common elements that any other sport has: training and hard work, practice and drills, cooperation and teamwork, strategies, uniforms, traveling, competition, tournaments, dynamic athletes, and dedicated coaches.

Training and Hard Work

Most jump rope teams (and there are handfuls of them located around the US and also all over the world in Europe, Asia, and Australia) practice several times a week for hours at a time. Jumping For Joy, my former team, practiced during the regular season twice a week for two hours and more frequently as competition neared in the spring. Nearly the entirety of those hours would be spent on the feet, hopping, springing, bouncing, jumping, and stepping our way to perfection.

Practice and Drills

Practice usually started out with a warm-up, which would require the entire team to jump in unison. Our signature routine is titled “Cotton-Eyed Joe” and in order to make the team initially, you must learn it. It is not difficult for seasoned jumpers and it makes it easier to throw together a last-minute performance since everyone can hit all the elementary tricks.

Next, we’d work on our speed portion of jumping, which is strictly fast-moving feet, no tricks. The rope turns around the body for each jump and the feet alternate left, right, left. A competitive score for a jumper in 30 seconds is 150 jumps; national winners have completed over 350 jumps in a single minute.

Speed jumping can take place with one rope and one jumper (as most people would traditionally think of jump roping), or double dutch speed, with two turners and two ropes.

Our coach set up exhausting drills that involved strenuous variations of push ups, sit ups, and rope-turning exercises interspersed between fast intervals of jumping with ropes.

After we worked on our endurance, speed, balance, and power (all qualities of a successful athlete), we’d turn our focus to the freestyle portion of jump roping—the tricks section. This is where the combination of creativity and skill, mixed in with jump roping and gymnastics, becomes limited only by one’s imagination.

Cooperation and Teamwork

Jumpers must rely on each other in routines. Whether it's single rope pairs, freestyle (two jumpers, each with their own single rope, completing a routine in unison), or pairs double dutch speed (two turners, two jumpers, jumping as fast as they can for a minute each), there is timing, coordination, and maneuverability unlike in any other sport.

In double dutch freestyle, tricks can range from flips, push-ups, or round-offs in the ropes, leap frogging over turners, assisting another jumper with a spin, flip, or gymnastics move, and turning the rope fast, slow, high, and low in an effort to wow the judges.

Strategies

In freestyle jumping, there must be a variety of forms of jumping—fast stepping in a rhythmic movement (called speed-dance), power (strength skills like handstand jumps, splits, and push-ups), and a double-under trick sequence (the ropes turn twice for every jump).

Every team has its own strategies in terms of practice and drills, types of shoes, ways to turn the ropes, methods of learning tricks, and types of ropes.

Uniforms

There are a variety of uniforms members wear and everything for my team was in the team’s sharp colors of teal and black. For competition we wore tight workout tank tops with black shorts. The best shoes for jumping are basketball shoes—they help with achieving maximum spring for height.

The girls’ hair is done in tight French braids, and makeup is kept to a minimum, unlike gymnastics or ice skating. However, this sport draws fans for the same spectacular displays of mesmerizing creativity, breathtaking display, and elite athleticism.

Traveling

Every year, the national tournament (hosted by United States Jump Rope, USJR) is held in June in Orlando, Florida at Disney World. After each tournament, the grand masters, or the winners of each category, are shown on ESPN2.

In general, there are competitions of all levels, workshops where jumpers can go to teach or learn new skills and strategies, summer camps, and opportunities to perform for media events held all over the nation.

Competition and Tournaments

To place for nationals there are many events and you must get a third, second, or first place medal for your particular age group in an earlier regional tournament.

One of the most highly anticipated events of each competition that draws many oohs and aahs is Group Show, which consists of a minimum of eight jumpers (and can include 16, even 24 people). Group Show is set to upbeat and dramatic music and every move is painstakingly choreographed.

Dynamic Athletes

The jump ropers are all ages and all different builds, and while the majority of participants are female, the males definitely stand out with their incredible power moves. There is such hard work and dedication put into the sport and the national champions work so closely together, that teammates are considered family.

Dedicated Coach

The coaches spend time analyzing film, creating new routines, fine-tuning practice drills, attending conferences and seminars, and teaching pupils of all ages the art of jump roping.

Jumping for Joy is sponsored through the Santa Clara City Parks and Recreation Department and the coach, Cindy Joy, teaches jump rope to elementary-aged students, as well as adults, in recreational classes. Once the jumpers pass the basic levels, some are invited to try out for the team. Many kids on the team start jump roping at the early age of six or seven and jump until high school graduation. Some of these jumpers go on to become coaches, international competitors, or perform for venues.

While there are no jump rope teams yet in the NCAA, college-aged students can still be active with a team. Recently, there have been considerations by the Olympic Council to feature the sport in the Olympics in 2012.

No matter how well it is described, jump roping is truly a sport that "you have to see it to believe it."

For a better idea of what an award-winning performance looks like, check out this Youtube video highlighted on ESPN2.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WeekJ_KK5ig

For the Love of Hate: Dissecting the 49ers-Raiders Rivalry

Tori Willis — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 08:15:45 -0500

From reading reactions to my last column about rivalries, it is clear that most football fans don’t realize the extent of the San Francisco 49er and Oakland Raider rivalry.

Now, I'm not saying that it is the most high-profile rivalry in the NFL, or even close to it—but I'd like to shed some light on the under-the-radar bitterness between the two teams.

As with most great rivalries, there is unfathomable love for one team and absolute loathing for the other. It doesn't help that fans for both squads live in close proximity to one another in the breathtaking Bay Area of Northern California.

And by close, I mean Oakland is a mere 12 miles across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco.

Yet even closer are the friends and neighbors (heck, the wives and husbands!) whose allegiances are split. While it's true that you're more likely to find clumps of Raider fans in East Bay towns like Richmond, Danville, and Vallejo, there are just as many diehard fans supporting the Maroon and Gold in the North and South bay, like in San Mateo, Palo Alto, and Santa Clara.

Some areas, though, mixed loyalties, and here is where you find a majority of the heated rivalries. Take San Jose, for instance. Located in the South Bay (so, geographically speaking, 49er territory), San Jose is home to a plethora of proud Raider fans.

The 49ers are currently in the progress of building a new stadium in Santa Clara. While suggestions for a name change have been floated, I couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of the “Silicon Valley 49ers.”

Ladies and Gentlemen, we now have the nerds of the NFL.

One hardly ever sees Niner jerseys (especially in the era after Rice, Young, and Montana) on fans outside of Monster Park—but Raiders tops are easy to spot.

Still, both teams share a similarity: The fans have an unwavering loyalty to their team despite disappointing seasons.

Both Bay Area teams failed to make the playoffs this season, but the true supporters in Northern California never leave their teams behind.

Locals joke that you don’t want to be in Oakland when they lose; Raider fans storm the streets, looking for cars to smash and mayhem to cause.

You don’t want to be in Oakland when the team wins either, because fans are wont to smash beer bottles in celebration.

While this Bay Area rivalry may not get the national attention or credit it deserves, the fans on both sides do their part to ensure bitter loathing for each respective team.

Many outsiders would argue that the teams don’t even play in the same conferences (AFC West for Oakland; NFC West for San Francisco), so the rivarly couldn’t possibly be as fierce as the between other NFL teams.

But the lack of games between the two squads ensures a big turnout when they finally do play each other. The built-up tension can end in a banner win or embarrassing loss on either side.

The Raiders lead the series 6-5. The rivalry stems from 1970, when the SF Niners dominated the turf to clinch the NFC West Title (their first).

Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 was a big deal for Northern California football fans. It had been eight years since a Bay Area team was in the big game (SF in 1995, who beat the Chargers)—and both Niner and Raider fans were geared up for kickoff.

I was at a watching party in Santa Clara, with a considerable number of San Francisco and Oakland fans. The San Francisco fans wanted nothing more than for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to slaughter the Raiders.

At one point, I asked the Niners fans in the room why they didn’t want to root for the Raiders. After all, I said, “It’s all in the Bay Area anyway…”

Dead silence, a couple eye-rolls, and snickers were the quick reply.

The Niners fans were so passionate about the Raiders losing that they would have rooted for any other team in the Super Bowl—the Seahawks, the Cowboys, the Rams, anyone.

If you want to make peace with fans in the Bay Area, try some sport other than football. The San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics don't share a notably heated rivalry, and the whole Bay can bask in the glory of the Golden State Warriors.

I passed a memorable bus stop advertisement a few years ago. It read, “No Nation is strong enough to defeat the Faithful.”

If that doesn’t scream "RIVALRY!"...I don’t know what else would.

Passion at the Point: In Praise of Steve Nash

Tori Willis — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:37:46 -0500

Thirteen.

It’s the atomic number of aluminum. It’s the number of original colonies in the United States. It’s the number of loaves in a baker’s dozen. And it’s society’s most unlucky number.

But the stigma of the number 13 certainly didn’t stop notable figures in sports history.

A-Rod, Dan Marino, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaq, and Tim Duncan have all sported the unlucky digits on their jerseys at one point or another. Perhaps the most well known athlete sporting the big one-three on the courts today is Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash.

Maybe Nash feels 13 is lucky. He certainly has the stats to back it up.

Given the media frenzy surrounding Nash, I knew the Suns trip' to Sacramento to play the Kings on December 30th was one I couldn't miss.

(And with the whole trip funded on my parents’ dime, who could resist?)

After adjusting my eyes to the overwhelming display of purple on both sides of the court at ARCO Arena, I settled in to watch the mind-blowing athletic exhibitions of Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Grant Hill and, of course, Steve Nash.

When the Suns’ starting lineup was announced prior to tipoff, the expected silence followed each player’s name. However, when Nash was called last, the crowd erupted in cheers.

Nash was welcomed with such applause and support by the opposing fans that I felt, maybe for a moment, that number 13 wasn’t so unlucky after all.

Steve Nash isn’t the tallest guy in the NBA, nor does he come close to measuring up to his teammates in Phoenix. He doesn’t even have the boyish charm or dashing good looks of a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.

So what, exactly, does Nash bring to the table?

His style, or maybe more accurately, his lack of style makes Nash a captivating player to watch. Whether he’s anxiously hopping in place before receiving an inbounds pass, tossing a behind-the-back pass in the paint, or sending the ball full-force downcourt, Nash has his own unmistakable way of doing everything.

And it’s far from graceful.

Not that it matters for the two-time MVP, who manages to hit baskets, recover loose balls, and find open spaces on the court while making it look almost effortless. And that's to say nothing of his incredible assists—last night Nash scored a mere 12 points, but dished out 15 dimes.

I laughed out loud when I saw Nash’s goofy long pass firsthand. It’s not as funny-looking on television, and it's more impossible to describe accurately in writing—but in person, one can see the force with which Nash heaves the basketball.

What's more, his legs kick up awkwardly—but as with the great majority of his on-court efforts, Nash succeeds.

And admirably enough, Nash executes without being selfish—never does he hog the ball, and his assist numbers irrefutably prove his team-first attitude.

After all, he has set assist records at his alma mater, Santa Clara University, and in the NBA with Dallas and Phoenix.

The most memorable image I’ll keep in my head is that of Nash's presence on the court. Or maybe his lack of presence.

Most superstars have an aura that seems to follow them like a shadow. When Nash steps out to play, there is no aura, nor shadow—just a player willing to work hard, sweat a lot, and do what he loves.

Many basketball stars play for the fame, the titles, the records, the glory. Nash seems to play for the pure joy and passion that should fill every arena on any given night. Nash’s lack of beauty, ‘tude, grace, and presence is what makes him even better, even more unbeatable, and even harder to replicate.

When critics accuse professional sports of turning into a money-hungry industry, look no further than the hardwood. Nash is a refreshing reminder that there are still some athletes out there who play for the love of the game.

Maybe there is some merit to that “lucky 13” theory after all.

Take Her Out to the Ball Game

Tori Willis — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:21:42 -0500

Tired of being dragged to chick flick movies or to the mall? Here are some steps to ensure a quality date for you (and her). Just follow these simple guidelines and see why going to a sports game is a perfect date.

1) Do your homework. Make sure you know background information about her likes/ knowledge of sports. You don’t want to assume she doesn’t know who Vince Lombardi is. (This happened to me recently.) You also don’t want her to think you automatically assume she doesn’t know anything about sports. This gets annoying (and is belittling) to girls, especially for ones who actually do follow sports.

2) A game is a fun change of pace for family outings or a date with the wife or long-time girlfriend. It sure beats sitting home watching the latest celeb-reality show (or fighting over the remote when football is on).

3) You’ll know exactly how much the date is going to cost—no surprises there. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you’d like. This ranges from attending a mid-major college basketball game to nosebleed seats at a hockey game to front row seats at a NBA playoffs game. It’s your date—might as well be your choice financially.

4) Dinner before is an option. For first timers this should probably be included. Choose a local sports bar (don’t choose a seat too close to the television—you’ll have ample time for that later) or nearby venue to eat. This will save driving and parking time, and gives the driver a chance to sample the happy hour specials.

5) Offer to get your date a snack at the quarter or half. If she says she wouldn’t like anything, make sure to buy a bottled water for her on your way back from the bathroom.

6) You don’t have to worry about what to wear. I don’t think guys spend a lot of time worrying about their attire before a date. (Correct me if I’m wrong here.) Throw on that jersey or wear that free shirt you caught when the mascot threw it out—just keep the face paint and spray painted construction hat at home for this one game. You’ll thank me later.

7) Don’t be afraid to hold up a giant foam finger or cheer and yell for your team. This shows true loyalty, as long as you keep out the swear words and intentionally rude comments.

8) The beautiful thing about a sports outing is the amount of conversation you can choose to have, or not have. If you and your date hit it off well, you can chitchat throughout the entire game. (In comparison, a movie doesn’t give you a chance to talk at all). If it seems like conversation is forced, concentrate on the game instead. The great thing is, you’re not expected to carry on an extensive conversation.

9) A game’s atmosphere is usually casual and can reduce awkward pauses and silent moments that may typically arise on a first date. Time outs and halftime provide ample time to finish whatever you were talking about before that amazing touchdown, goal, or slam dunk interrupted her.

10) Girls like passionate guys. Your extensive knowledge about the Penguins' powerplays shows passion about something. You may not be able to use your sports trivia to make a living, but it impresses women to see such dedication and loyalty (and knowledge) about a particular subject.

11) Use this as a chance to get the girl actually interested in what you like or at least give her an idea of what makes you tick (and what she may be getting herself into).

12) It’s a great opportunity to explain the rules and regulations of the game. This makes you look knowledgeable and intelligent—always a plus.

13) Relate it to something she likes. If she works in business, marketing, finance, fashion (big stretch, but worth a try) find a way to connect to something she's interested in.

14) Casually point out all the families and kids there. If she grimaces at the idea of a toddler sporting a jersey, maybe she isn’t the one to raise your kids in the future.

So the girl didn't turn out to be the one from your dreams. No biggie—at least it wasn't a waste of a night. Heck, you got to spend your time at the arena instead of suffering through The Devil Wears Prada. Any night you get to watch your team play live (with an attractive female by your side) is a great night indeed.

Best case scenario: Boy meets girl. Boy takes girl on sports date. The two fall in love and get married. Ten years later boy can still vividly remember the first date when girl asks.

Now you'll just have to find another way to remember your first song...