Sugar Land Skeeters fans are no stranger to sellout crowds, long bathroom lines, or parking in far-flung dirt lots. Fifty out of the 52 home games played at the $37 million Constellation Field, just a 25-minute drive from downtown Houston, have been sellouts.
What’s new to them, however, is tickets exceeding $200 (according to StubHub, 33 of them eclipsed that mark) or the national media coverage. But that comes with the territory when Roger Clemens, a 50-year-old seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is making his Skeeters debut, five years after his last appearance on the mound with the New York Yankees.
To read the full article on Clemens’ debut with the Skeeters, visit ESPN Playbook.
Jayme Lamm from The Blonde Side is an official Women’s Health Action Hero
A few month’s ago Women’s Health Magazine sought out “Action Heroes” for their upcoming race series, Run 10 Feed 10. It has been such an incredible honor (and even months before the race an already incredible journey) to be chosen as an Action Hero for the Austin, TX 10k on October 13th.
Recently, The Blonde Side was interviewed on WalkJogRun about the upcoming race and how training is going so far.
Here’s an excerpt from the interview:
WalkJogRun: Why is it important for you to run the RUN 10 FEED 10?
Jayme Lamm: It may sound silly, but social mediahas a lot to do with it. Aside from the simple and very important fact of giving back and staying in shape, I try and lead by example. I hope that many of my friends, or even acquaintances on Twitter can see the kinds of races I’m doing, see that I’m having fun and making a difference and hopefully they’ll want to join in on this race or upcoming races. Too often charities focus on things far away that we may not see or feel very often, but the RUN 10 FEED 10 race gives back within our local community – to me that is huge. I feel like I’m making an immediate difference right in my own backyard. With each race signup, 10 meals are provided to someone going hungry within the city of Austin – being able to help out so close to home while running in such a beautiful city – is there anything better than that on a Saturday morning?
WalkJogRun: How did you get started running?
Jayme Lamm: Although I run many races each year, I’m not a very good runner. I grew up playing softball and other sports and running was always my punishment. It’s hard to remember how great of an athlete I was many years ago and get beat by 70-year-old women in half marathons, but it keeps me going and pushes me!
WalkJogRun: Are you a morning runner or an evening runner?
Want this bag? Then sign up for Run10Feed10
Jayme Lamm: I live in Texas! I try to run anytime the temperature drops below 100, which lately seems to be never!
Want to join me for the run on October 13th in Austin? It’s easier than Angelina Jolie adopting another child:
Go to the Run 10 Feed 10 website and scroll to the bottom where you see the Austin date and click Register Now. The cost of the race is $40 and includes your entry, the all-the-rage-limited-edition FEED bag you see philanthropist celebs sporting, and MOST IMPORTANTLY that money will instantly provide 10 meals to those going hungry locally.
*If you do sign up, please email me (jayme[at]theblondeside[dot]com) your name so I can add to my team. You’ll also get big-slightly-inappropriate hugs resembling TSA from me if you do it. And if you can’t run it (or don’t want to), please consider donating a few bucks. Seriously, skip that $5 footlong at Subway tomorrow and donate to this great cause.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/R10F10_action_hero_badge_0c.jpg360600Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2012-08-15 15:53:152012-08-15 16:08:02Run 10 Feed 10 Interview for Women’s Health Magazine on WalkRunJog
Texans Duane Brown in a Smart Car (Photo: Sunshine Winters Photography)
Can an NFL tackle fit in a smart car?
Standing at 6-foot-5 and a “light” 320 pounds, as he puts it, you wouldn’t think Houston Texans offensive lineman Duane Brown could fit inside a two-seat smart car sitting in the media parking lot at Texans training camp.
The smart fortwo model stretches 106 inches in width, but the 5-year NFL veteran was convinced he could fit inside.
Brown towers over the car, and if he were to lie down, he would make up 79 percent of the car’s length. But he insists he can fit inside — and do so comfortably.
To read the full article on Duane Brown’s Smart Car ride, visit ESPN Playbook.
Duane Brown in a Smart Car (Photo: Sunshine Winters Photography)
Washington Nationals Third Baseman, Ryan Zimmerman
The success of The Blonde Side is due mostly in part to the off-kilter interviews with athletes in the hopes of finding a killer combo of humor, entertainment and of course, sports. Last week while the Washington Nationals were on their last regular season road trip to Houston (as Houston will join the AL West next year), I sat down with Nationals’ third baseman, Ryan Zimmerman for a quick chat.
After giving him some background and telling him I was aiming for “more fun and personable and not so much stats driven” he laughed. “So you picked one of the most boring guys in baseball to interview?” he countered, probably referencing one of his recent accolades as the “least quirky athlete in DC” courtesy of funny man Dan Steinberg and a few other media guys.
“I admit, I’m pretty boring for interviews because whether I’m playing good or bad, I’ve always been taught that you should be the same person, so that’s the way I’ve always dealt with media,” he said. I asked the Virginia Beach native why people had such a boring impression of him. The straight shooter that he is, “Well, because my interviews are pretty boring. Have you listened to them?” he joked.
Immediately, almost in defense of himself, he mentioned his commercials and you could just sense his pride. “These commercials were a chance to show fans I do have a personality, which I do. I have a lot of fun off the field. I really liked the Geico commercial I did with the caveman. I also did one with [Bruce Boudreau] the old Caps coach, and that was the most fun I’ve had with a commercial,” he said in a feeble attempt to reenact his lines before referring me to Google to look it up for myself.
The more he talked about this newfound commercial talent of his, the more excited he got. “I had fun and I think the fans liked it. It’s just so different from what they think I am, which is good I guess.”
Getting back to baseball and the game at hand, Zimmerman admitted he’s going to miss seeing Houston on a regular basis during the season. “I like playing here – it’s a good place to hit,” he said. Not taking the bait on whether he was referencing the short left field wall (315ft) and the Crawford Boxes or the subpar Astros pitching staff, he left it at that. “The stadium is nice and I’m thankful for the air conditioning. It’s a good place to hit,” he reiterated with a grin. In his last 30 at bats at Minute Maid, he’s has hit 7 long balls. Not too shabby.
These days a hot question for athletes focuses around social media, most notably Twitter. Maybe that’s a way to show your fans a bit more personality, I prompt? “No one needs to know what I do everyday – that I wake up and go to the baseball field. We do the same thing everyday. That’s boring right? And the things I do off the field I don’t think people should know. I think there’s a fine line – some complain all they want is a normal life but then they tweet where they go to dinner and you can’t really have it both ways. I think social media is great – it’s helped our game, it’s helped fans get in touch and see what it’s like to be us on a more personal level – more than ever have before. For me, it’s just too much effort. I wouldn’t have enough content to keep it entertaining,” he said.
Ryan Zimmerman, “The Face of the Nationals”
Zimmerman knows there are guys on his team that would excel at entertaining the Twitterverse, probably the same way they do on road trips, like outfielders Mark DeRosa and Michael Morse. “We’re all pretty bad, but those are the goofiest guys on the team,” Zimmerman admitted. “We just got a new music system for the bus. It obviously plays music but it has a microphone too – DeRosa is like our DJ. When you play games every single day and are constantly on the go and working so hard to win, you need guys like that to keep it loose.”
It may seem bizarre, but at 27, Zimmerman is considered one of the older guys on the team and the Nationals only remaining player from their inaugural roster back in 2005. He has rightly been coined the “face of the Nationals.” At 27, most people still need guidance, but in this D.C. clubhouse, it’s Zimmerman who offers much of it to his younger comrades like Bryce Harper, the “other” Zimmermann and a number of other guys. “I’ve definitely changed over the years. I used to go out more, but now you kind of have to pick your spots. It takes me longer to recover as I’ve gotten older and you have to be smarter. I’m also engaged now, which makes a big difference,” he says about his maturity both on and off the field.
Speaking of being engaged, it’s hard to type “Ryan Zimmerman” into Google without the Internet gods pre-populating “fiancé” prompting photos of the blonde bombshell. Blogs everywhere have taken a liking to calling her one of the hottest (soon to be) wives in MLB and Zimmerman’s smile says it all. “She’s amazing. She knew nothing about sports in the beginning which was great because the last thing we want to do when we get home from a long trip is talk baseball. It’s not easy to be a WAG [Wife and Girlfriend] in this business, obviously traveling as much as we do; it takes a special kind of woman to deal with us. I’m very lucky,” he said.
Another woman Zimmerman can’t stop gushing about? His mother Cheryl, the reason behind starting his 501(c)3, ziMS, which is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis. Cheryl, who was diagnosed with MS back in 1995, has helped shape Ryan into the man he is today, forcing him to take on responsibilities and roles most sons never do. This foundation has had such a profound impact on Ryan that even his current contract allows him to host his annual gala at the ballpark raising money and awareness for this disease that affects nearly 400,000 Americans.
No one in baseball has produced as many walk-off homers since 2006 as Zimmerman and he currently reigns as the Nationals’ all-time leader in runs (558), hits (1061), 2B (241), HR (144), RBI (564), and games (946).
Simply put, Ryan Zimmerman is a guy who appreciates things like the new reality show Duck Dynasty, surf movies like Blue Crush, the support of great family and fans and the opportunity and privilege to continue his career in a National’s uniform.
Less than animated interviews or not, having just signed a long-term contract extension through 2019, which quite possibly outfits Zimmerman in the same franchise uniform for 14 seasons, calling him the “face of the franchise” surely seems spot on and the interviews well worth it.
Will Texas A&M have it even worse than the Houston Astros?
There are grumblings all throughout Texas, and quite frankly, the nation, about two massive impending sporting moves.
The first, mostly because of historically better performances and a much stronger fan base is Texas A&M University starting what’s sure to be an uncharted, bumpy and probably oft-embarrassing road into the SEC (the Aggies’ first football game of the season is on August 30 vs Louisiana Tech with the Florida Gators chomping their way into Kyle Field the very next week for their SEC opener).
The second is the newly owned, underfunded-but-bring-your-own-wine-to-the-field Houston Astros making the move from the National League Central to the American League West next season.
It seems both are in for a rude awakening, but if you had to put your hard-earned dollar on just one of these teams surviving (with perhaps a bit of dignity), which team comes out on top? Texas A&M football or Houston Astros baseball?
SEC vs. AL West
As we all know, the SEC has been housing enough crystal to make an all-Waterford casino in Las Vegas, with the last six BCS National Champions hailing from the Mighty SEC (Florida and Alabama twice each, LSU and Auburn once each). Eight of the 14 total BCS champs have come from the SEC (that’s 57 percent for you math geniuses).
All told, the SEC has sent nine teams to the championship game with the only loser being LSU (which lost to fellow-SEC Alabama this January). Compare that to seven and six total participants from the Big 12 and ACC respectively. No ACC team has even made it to the BCS National Championship Game since the 2002 season.
In short, the SEC has completely owned the college football landscape since that Tebow guy, down on one knee, graced The Swamp with his otherworldly virgin presence back in ’06.
Compare that to the robust AL West. In that same time frame, from 1998 to present, three teams from the division have made it to the World Series, with only the 2002 Angels taking home the Commissioner’s Trophy. Sure the Texas Rangers have made it to the last two (one strike away!) and will be a huge threat to do it again, but the AL West has no unprecedented SEC-type run.
On top of that, only six times since 1994 (the inception of the wild card) has an American League West team even made it into the playoffs as a wild card. Needless to say, the competition isn’t nearly as fierce.
In the grand scheme things, the SEC is the tougher test, but is mostly top heavy, very top heavy, as in a Dolly Parton kind of way. As of right now and for the foreseeable future, the AL West will also be a pretty top heavy division with the Rangers and Angels battling it out for supremacy for years to come. Although the Aggies and Astros are joining two very different leagues, it’s clear neither team will be competitive right away.
It’s like they’re both starting over as the neighborhood cover band trying to win a battle of the bands up against the likes of Led Zeppelin and The Beatles.
Astros vs. Aggies
The Astros will most likely enter the 2013 season coming off the worst record in all of baseball (again) with seemingly no help in sight. They have a ball club unfit for even the National League and they’ll be taking it into a division that has Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Albert Pujols swinging for the fences. That already-bad team ERA is destined to be at least a full run higher in the American League.
Try higher than the DOW.
It’s not good to get swept by the Pirates and the Cubs in back-to-back series, but imagine a Red Sox and Yankees back-to-back.
So the Astros will enter the AL with Bud Norris and 5-foot-5 Jose Altuve as their cornerstones barring a big-time, free-agent signing this winter. Sure general manager Jeff
Jose Altuve, Photo courtesy of Michelle Watson | CatchLightGroup.com
Luhnow will have another top pick to work with next June, but who knows if we’ll even be around to see it (Mayan forecasts and all). Simple answer here is the Astros will be staring the worst record in franchise history in the face yet again.
The Aggies are in a similar, yet uniquely different position. Coming into the SEC, Texas A&M lacks the cornerstone of any team — an experienced starting quarterback. With the departure of Ryan Tannehill (and his smoking hot wife), the Aggies are going to have to find someone else fast to throw for 5,000 yards against the most feared defenses this side of Southern California.
It’ll be interesting to see how coach Kevin Sumlin and his new Aggies perform against the hefty SEC defenses with that Cougar High spread system he ran at the University of Houston.
They will also be switching from a 3-4 to 4-3 defense, which we’ve seen a number of teams have trouble adapting to in football. This could be a good move if it weren’t for their exceptionally thin D-line which should make the Marcus Lattimores of the world pretty giddy. They do return a fairly experienced nucleus with tailback Christine Michael, a Julian Edelman 2.0 in wide receiver Ryan Swope and preseason All-American left tackle Luke Joeckel — it’s a pretty safe bet to take them over the Norris-Altuve combo.
To add to that the Aggies are working on a great 2013 recruiting class which hopefully will pay off and help in the transition. But the greatest thing Texas A&M gets to work with is the great tradition and support it will receive from its fans — some of the strongest, arguably even cultish, fans in all the land. Considering the fact that the Aggies’ two-deep roster will outnumber the amount of total fans at a future Astros-Mariners game, the 83,000 strong who will show up at EVERY A&M game will give them an edge their opponents may not be completely ready to face.
While Texas A&M may not hit the SEC championship game in the next 10 or even 20 years, there’s a high chance it will be bowl eligible right off the bat. There are plenty of Kentuckys and Ole Misses to beat up on and they will stand toe to toe with the representatives from Mizzou, Mississippi State and Auburn.
It may not be the start Aggie fans are hoping for, but they’ll bring some noise early on.
When it all boils down to it the Astros and Aggies are going to have a few things in common They both will get beaten handily by teams that will vie for championships. They both will be going to strange new lands filled with some of the best and baddest players in their respective sports — things neither team has much of.
There will also be some things they don’t have in common. The Astros will be moving divisions without anyone to lead their team. The Aggies will at least have some top-notch athletes to grace the field as well as their sidelines. The Astros will be sitting firmly in the cellar of their own division, while the Aggies will be playing for some form of postseason life, probably a bowl in Mobile or Boise, or something as equally unimpressive, but a bowl nonetheless.
Putting their leagues in perspective, the Astros just have to win some games for fans and analysts to see progress and a vast improvement over the past few years, whereas in college football, the only perfect season is just that — perfect, zero losses. Remember, the Aggies left of their own volition while the Astros hands were forced into this new level of domination, otherwise soon to be known as hell.
At the end of the day, each organization will go on. Diehard fans will cheer and argue whether or not this was a smart move for either team. In the end, the Aggies will have the upper hand. You’ll see.
This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.
To the tune of the famous John Fogerty song, except replace baseball’s Centerfield reference for a football tackle and you’ve got Mitch Unrein’s theme song for the past two seasons in the NFL.
“Put me in coach… I’m ready to play… TODAY.”
Having entered the NFL with the Texans as a college free agent back on May 7, 2010, Unrein has been center-stage to one of the most homegrown stories you’ll hear in the NFL – that is, if you’ve ever heard of him.
Odds are, if you’re not one of the 3500 people from his hometown of Eaton, CO or an avid fan of the Denver Broncos, this is the first time you’ve heard his name.
I had the chance to speak to Unrein last week while in Denver just after he finished another grueling day at training camp. At 6-foot-4, 291lbs, the guy is considered small for his position at tackle, which is clearly an odd concept for a little blonde gal barely standing at 5-foot-2.
Unrein, who went from an undrafted player at Wyoming, to being cut by the Houston Texans, to a regular on the Bronco’s practice squad, to last year finally finding a spot in the defensive rotation, now finds himself again in his second active season, yet again trying to make an even bigger name for himself. A more memorable one for coaches and fans. Preferably one with a few key stats resting along side it. Last year as a reserve defensive lineman for the Broncos, Unrein racked up seven tackles; five of which were solo tackles – not too shabby for a bench-warmer.
Trying to keep his roster spot, Unrein says his biggest focus this season is on becoming a more complete player working on his size and speed mostly. Having played defensive end in college, Unrein didn’t quite have the speed to play the position at an NFL level. “It takes a lot to block 325lb guys,” he admitted.
No longer eligible for practice squad after suiting up in 14 games last season, Unrein stresses, “it’s all or nothing now.” Adhering to the motto hardwork does pay off, Unrein has been living day in and day out in the NFL as if it were his last. “I’ve always had something to prove, and I still have that fire. I’m still trying to reach my full potential,” he said.
Defensive Tackle, Mitch Unrein
Not only focused on his spot on the Broncos roster, Unrein was also antsy about the Olympics during our chat. His girlfriend of over a year, Corey Cogdell was getting ready to participate in her second Olympic Games. A bronze medalist in Women’s Trap Shooting in 2008 in Beijing, Cogdell shot Saturday, although not medaling this time around. “I’m so incredibly proud of her. I like that she’s a high profile athlete – we understand training, postponing dates, etc. I like cheering for others, not being cheered for. I grew up the youngest of six so I”m used to cheering them on too,” Unrein said. “It’s certainly a nice change of pace and I know how important having people in your corner can be.”
It’s hard for an Eagles fan like myself to talk to any NFL player without some reference to my kelly green team so it seemed reasonable to chat about Brian Dawkins and his recent retirement. One of the questions circling the interwebs since then has been who was going to step up on defense as a leader in his extreme absence. “We’ve brought in more veteran guys and more guys are stepping up,” Unrein said. “There’s no way to replace a guy like Brian Dawkins – he’s such a professional. The guy is a physical freak-specimen; his speed, his passion. He was an emotional leader in Denver and it was awesome to watch,” he said.
Unrein admits it still hasn’t hit him that he’s made his dream of becoming an NFL player. “You can never be satisfied in the NFL because someone always wants your job. I’m a young guy – I still haven’t had that ‘ah-ha’ moment that defines me as a player. It’s a blessing and I always keep working hard. I know this game isn’t going to last forever.”
Rapid fire with Mitch Unrein:
The Blonde Side: Who are your top 5 fantasy players?
Unrein: I don’t play.
The Blonde Side: What’s the most random fact about you?
Unrein: I’m color blind. One of my brother’s is too. I used to confuse Red/Brown, Blue/Purple and Green/Orange.
The Blonde Side: Are the Broncos blue or purple?
Unrein (laughing): Duh, blue.
The Blonde Side: Of course I have to ask – Super Bowl predictions?
Unrein: We’ll see. We’ve got 16 games to see if we can make it…
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Sprinter “Doc Patton”, photo courtesy of Victah Sailer
Having represented Team USA three times for men’s Track & Field and having already set foot on the Olympic stage twice, Darvis Patton, who prefers to be called “Doc”, is expected to bring a veteran presence to London at the 4x100m relay. And the Dallas native is OK with it.
Patton explains how this time around he’s been searching deep within to see how he can improve from year’s past. Asking himself things like “how can I be a tenth of a second faster,” which in his sport is a light year.
Although he’s a native to the sport and the Olympics, he’s still charged with a lot of pressure heading into the Games. “I haven’t had a lot of luck with the relays lately, I’ve been a part of the mishaps,” Patton admits as he recalls being labeled the “black cat” by fans.
“We owe it, especially myself as I can’t speak for everyone else, to the fans of Team USA a gold medal, a finished relay. We want to show the world that the U.S Track& Field men’s team is #1,” Patton said. The U.S. Men’s 4x100m relay team hasn’t finished a relay since 2007, and Patton has been at the helm of those botched baton passes and other disqualifications in 2008, 2009 and again in 2011.
“I’m blessed beyond belief to get another shot at the Olympics. I feel I’ve been given another chance to bring success to U.S. Track & Field. Other athletes wished they didn’t strike out at their last at-bat in the College World Series, but I’m lucky enough for a chance to correct that wrong,” Patton explains.
Coming off one of the fastest times of his career, Patton urges fans to keep the faith for him and his teammates. “Everyone’s rightfully calling London ‘redemption’ and I’m just happy to be a part of it,” he says. Quick to be humble, Patton credits much of his success to his teammates, coaches, family and even his massage therapist.
Photo courtesy of TrackTownPhoto.com
Patton holds a silver medal from his showing back in 2004 in Athens (along with three other medals from the World Championships and Pan Am Games) and confirms he’s going to return home to Texas with more. “I need more of those. I’m coming home with more hardware this time – preferably gold,” he confirms.
“I’m extremely blessed to be where I am,” Patton said. “You have a better chance of winning the lottery than making an Olympic team – with that I just may go play the lottery. After I win another medal,” he chuckles.
Follow Patton and his Olympic quest on Twitter @Doc_Patton
This article can be read in August 2012 print issue of 002mag, on page 37 where you can also read about some other Texas inspiring Olympians or online.
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With the Olympic Games underway, it’s time to pick your favorites. We’re all cheering for the big names — Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, Natalie Coughlin — but lets put some hometown pride in our Olympic pom poms this year. Out of the 10,490 elite athletes headed to London, here are six from Houston (or with close Bayou City ties) who I’m going to cheer loudly for.
Olympic Boxer, Marlen Esparza, photo courtesy of Facebook Vogue
Marlen Esparza
This Pasadena native was the first American female boxer to qualify for the Games as women’s boxing makes its long awaited debut in London. At 5-feet-3-inches and weighing 112 pounds, this flyweight can pack a punch. Literally. In a sport not highly touted for its beauty, Esparza brings a new light to everything we once knew about boxing. As the new face for CoverGirl, her ambitions will take her well beyond the ring in London.
In a sport not highly touted for its beauty, Esparza brings a new light to everything we once knew about boxing.
Esparza’s top two goals both in and out of the ring are to make the first women’s Olympic boxing team (check) and to graduate college. She was student body president at Pasadena High School and graduated in the top 2 percent of her class.
Esparza, who came to love boxing thanks to her father’s love of the sport, is now trying to show the world she, too, can fight. In a Los Angeles Times article she admits, “I got into a lot of street fights. Once after school I beat a guy up. My big brother was always getting into fights. So I’d jump in and help him,” she said.
Even Vogue Magazine has tabbed Esparza “America’s best hope for the gold” in its July issue.
Esparza turns 23 today —just two days after the opening ceremony — and I can’t think of a better present than an Olympic gold medal, can you?
Veteran Gymnast, Jonathan Horton, photo courest of Ralph Lauren
I had the opportunity to chat with Horton just days before heading to London and became an instant fan. This will be his second time heading to the Olympics; four years ago in Beijing he won a silver medal in the high bar routine as well as a team bronze medal.
When asked where his motivation comes from, Horton had a pretty standard answer: “From within. I set my goals and go after them,” he said. “I visualize being an Olympic champion — standing on the podium with my teammates and that’s what motivates me.”
Horton’s best event, the rings, is ironically his least favorite. “It takes a lot of strength and is a tough routine to get through,” he admitted.
Horton, who at 26 is six years older than the next oldest guy on the U.S. team, feels he’s much more mentally prepared this year compared to 2008. “Everyone knows how big the Olympics are. When I got off the plane in Beijing, it hit me — all the hype, the pressure. But this year I know what to expect. I feel I’m more prepared, a better gymnast and more technically sound,” he said.
“A lot of people are expecting me to retire [after these games], but I told my wife, as long as I can contribute to Team USA, I might as well stick around. After the London Games, I’ll reevaluate,” Horton said.
Trying for his fourth medal, this Sugar Land native comes from a family of Olympic athletes, all in Taekwondo. His brother Mark, who won silver at Beijing, did not qualify this year, but his younger sister, Diana, did (see below).
According to USA Today, “Only South Korea and Taiwan have more Olympic Taekwondo medals than the Lopez family.”
In Beijing, the Lopezes became the first set of three siblings to compete on the same Olympic team in the same sport since 1904 and all three came away with medals. (Can you imagine the roughhousing that went on at the Lopez house? As an only child, I certainly cannot!)
Steven, who was included in People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People, is the only member of the Lopez family to have won gold (doing so twice). He was 21 when Taekwondo made its Olympic debut in 2000 in Athens, where he took gold in the welterweight division. He has gold medals from the 2000 and 2004 Games and a bronze from 2008.
He heads to London looking for redemption after a controversial loss in Beijing. He was defeated after a bad call, which the World Taekwondo Federation later acknowledged as an “unintentional judgment error.” At 33, he is back and better than ever after putting in long hours to get not ready — physically and mentally.
The youngest in the Lopez family, Diana has taken gold in the Taekwondo Junior Nationals for 10 years in a row and is looking to snag a gold medal at the London Games. When she won the gold at the World Championships in 2005, she made the Lopezes the first three siblings in any sport to win World Championship titles at the same event.
Diana claims in an espnW article that she followed her brothers into the ring so she wouldn’t be left out.
Currently in her last semester at the University of Houston, where she studies childhood education, the 28-year-old who goes by “DLo” has put her studies on hold until London is over. Here’s hoping she returns to classes with a gold medal around her neck.
In her first Olympics (Beijing 2008), Loukas finished ninth in 3-meter springboard and contemplated retiring after her subpar perfomance. Lucky for us, she thought better of it and is now off to London to try and earn a gold.
Currently a resident of The Woodlands, but originally from Chicago, Loukas, 26, will be competing in the 3-meter springboard. (She and her partner, Kassidy Cook, barely missed qualifying in synchronized diving by less than one point.)
Less than two years ago, Loukas decided to give diving another chance and is now headed to London with a refreshed attitude and a renewed spirit, happy and thankful to have another shot at the Olympic stage.
Jason Richardson makes his Olympic debut in London in track and field
Jason Richardson
London marks this track and field star’s Olympic debut. Richardson, who was born in Houston and raised in Cedar Hill, has high hopes of snagging the gold in the mens 110m hurdles, where he is the reigning world champion in the event (he initially won silver but winner Cuba’s Dayron Robles was disqualified for impeding another hurdler).
In the Olympic trials semifinals in Eugene last month, he ran an impressive 12.98 seconds – becoming only the 13th man to break the 13-second barrier in the hurdles.
Richardson, 26, may have the best “what I want to do when I grow up” line as quoted on NBCOlympics.com saying, “I would like to amass wealth and prestige and invest well [enough] that I could sit up in the house and eat Skittles until I figure out what else moves me in life.”
Richardson, who studied sports entertainment management at the University of South Carolina, where he also, obviously, ran track, is eagerly awaiting his chance to show the world that his event may just be the best in all of track and field. A guy after my own heart, Richardson plans to handle the pressure with his “no-filter personality” and by making as many jokes as possible as he recently told a Vanity Fair reporter.
The Blonde Side editor’s note: my apologies for missing Camille Adams, Houston native and Texas A&M sophomore who is also competing. If anyone has her contact info, I’d love to do a solo interview with her – email me jayme [at] theblondeside [dot] com
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In support of TeamUSA and all the elite athletes who have spent the better part of their lives training for this moment, I’ve compiled a list of reasons to support London 2012. Let us not forget the summer of 1980 where the U.S. boycotted the Games in Moscow for political reasons — there is never a guarantee of the next Olympic Games and certainly not a guarantee your favorite athletes will return. These athletes, not to mention our country, deserve our undivided attention and quite frankly a few chestbumps interwined.
Allyson Felix reps Team USA
1. Allyson Felix
The 26 year old eight-time-world-champion (six-time U.S. champion) sprinter from Los Angeles is headed to London and she’s probably the best reason to tune in to the Games. Not only did I get the chance to meet this elite athlete at SXSW this year (she declined my challenge for a nice jaunt through Austin, but all is forgiven), this woman of firsts is also the same inspiration on about a million pieces of Nike training and motivational running collateral.
She is the first woman ever to win national championships in the 100, 200, and 400 meters and is a gold (a member of U.S. women’s 4×400 team in Beijing in 2008) and silver (200 meters) Olympic medalist. Aside from all she’s accomplished in the past, her tenacity and training regime are second to none. Literally, none.
You may recall a bit of controversy from the trials held in Eugene in June. Jeneba Tarmoh crossed the finish line in the 100-meter race to see her name pop up on the scoreboard for 3rd place, securing what she thought was her spot in London. Shortly after, it was ruled a dead heat with her training partner, none other than Felix as they both crossed the line in exactly 11.068 seconds.
The two were set for a rematch on the track days later on prime time television to see which would be heading to London alongside Carmelita Jeter and Tianna Madison. Perhaps the most talked about race in all of track and field, it never happened as Tarmoh pulled out at the last minute and conceded to Felix.
While it may mean Felix had it in her heart more than Tarmoh, it does mean one thing for sure: Felix is working that much harder to prove to the world she deserves to be there. In a statement in a recent Huffington Post article, she said, “I wanted to earn my spot on this team and not have it conceded to me so I share in everyone’s disappointment that this runoff will not happen. All I can do now is turn my focus to London.”
I can assure you this focus of hers is something you’ll want to tune in to.
Follow her tweets (@allysonfelix) and send her notes of encouragement during the next few weeks- the lady is beast-mode busy and has one thing on her mind: GOLD.
2.Joe Buck will not be announcing
3.TheRyan Lochte vs. Michael Phelps matchup
Ryan Lochte, photo courtesy of Ralph Lauren
In 2008, American swimmer Phelps dominated every newspaper, every blog, every bit of Olympic coverage and every woman’s dreams thanks to his all-star performance in Beijing with a record-setting eight gold medals. This is the same Phelps who holds 16 Olympic medals and more world records than any other swimmer, but this year eyes aren’t juston him, they’re split dead even.While it seems last time we saw Phelps on the grand stage in Beijing, there wasn’t anything the Speedo-laden beast could have done to better prepare himself – either mentally or physically. He was king of the pool, not to mention the world and there was no denying that. Lochte on the other hand, has since changed his diet, started lifting heavier weights and gotten his mind right – although great in his last two Olympic appearances, he had room for improvement, where it seems Phelps did not.
Both 27, both in impeccable shape, both starving for gold, but perhaps Locthe is a bit hungrier. Although Lochte has won six medals in his last two Olympic appearances (including a gold alongside teammate Phelps in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay), he hasn’t had nearly the notoriety as Phelps. As with all things in life, change may just be around the bend.
Michael Phelps, photo courtesy of KerimOkten
It’ll be interesting to see what this additional training and focus does in the water and how it’ll serve as stiff competition for Phelps. In last month’s Olympic trials in Omaha, Lochte actually beat out Phelps in the 400-meter individual race which prompted addtional debate over who will reign supreme in London waters. This will be Phelps fourth appearance on the Olympic stage and Locthe’s third.
It’s no question we’ll get to witness two of the world’s best swimmers competing in parallel lanes in the 200-meter freestyle and the 200 individual medley, where Phelps is the defending Olympic champion. Lochte is certainly no stranger to the events by winning both world titles this year. The two claim to be close friends, but come Games time, the two are competing to see which hardbody will be donned with gold as the fastest swimmer in the world. No matter which one of these amazing athletes wins, it’s a win for the USA and will be worth watching.
We all love a feel good story, and this is the one. Almost four years ago, Nellum was shot three times in the leg after a Halloween party near the campus of the University of Southern California, where he was on the track and field team. Fearful he’d never walk again, it seemed any Olympic journey was out of question, but now, his dreams are coming true.
It took 44 months and three surgeries (his last one just last August), but now the most decorated high school sprinter in all of California just ran his personal best in the 400-meters (44.80 seconds) at the U.S. Trials in Eugene last month and is headed to London to chase his lifelong dream of not only making the Olympics, but coming home with a well-deserved medal around his neck.In a Los Angeles Times article, Nellum recalled his accident, “It’s crazy because I never did fall to the ground. I kept going, just to run to safety.”
Perhaps it was this need and persistence to keep moving that not only saved his life, but got him back on track, literally. The men who shot Nellum were tried for attempted murder and are now serving 15 years. When I asked Nellum via Twitter for a quote about his journey both past and present, he offered this: “When the odds are against you keep faith and never give up.”
You can follow Nellum’s inspirational journey on Twitter @bnellum1.
Missy Franklin, photos courtesy of Chris Schneider for The Wall Street Journal
5. Missy Franklin
She’s 17. And she rocks a size 13 shoe. The young girl who just two months ago went to her junior prom is the same girl (woman) to become the first American woman to swim in seven events in a single Games (four individual events and three relays). Franklin set a new American 100-meter backstroke record in Omaha where she qualified for her spot on the U.S. Swim Team sending her to London.
Even with all that gold, silver and bronze hunkering him down, Michael Phelps calls Franklin “a stud” with her 76-inch wingspan, which is three inches longerthan she is tall (standing at 6-foot-1). She’s got a body built for swimming and an attitude built for anything she can possibly dream.Franklin has already won a total of seven medals in major international competition, three gold, three silver, and one bronze in the World Championships and the fresh-faced youngster is now setting her sites on Olympic gold. Having dual citizenship (in both Canada and the U.S.), Franklin was urged to represent Canada during the Games due to the depth and experience already on Team USA. But showing her true patriotism, she went for it and is now a proud representative for Team USA.
It’s hard not to root for a gal like this both in and out of the water. Franklin has come a long way having competed in the 2008 Team Trials at the age of 13 and not making the trip to Beijing to now being a world record holder. Her toughest competition, 11-times medal winner Natalie Coughlin also happens to be her lifelong role model where both have shown immense support for one other.
Both Coughlin and Franklin will be ones to watch in London, but if I had to keep my eyes on just one, it’d be Franklin all-the-way.
You can follow this amazing athlete and inspriation to us all on Twitter @franklinmissy.
Those are just my Top 5 reasons to tune into London, but it seems almost every Olympian has a story worth telling and certainly one worth watching. What’s your favorite story heading into the Games this year? Perhaps we’ll compile a Top 10 list before the end of it all.
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