Fifty Shades of Football – The Blonde Side’s Guest Post on GirlsGuideTo.com
When’s the last time you put all your faith in a man, much less 11? Well it’s time.
The NFL and College GameDay are back (sans the lovely Erin Andrews) and it’s time to brush up on some gridiron lingo, some do’s & dont’s and just some fun ways to make it through the season with your sockbun in tact. There’s no two-hour window to call in and vote for your favorite, just 60 minutes to sweat it out for the W and then get in everyone’s face screaming and cheering.
Tight Ends– No, not just Ryan Lochte and Magic Mike, but otherwise known as an offensive player who is usually one of the bigger guys on the team and plays a dual role of a blocker and a receiver. Good example: Owen Daniels with the Houston Texans (for all of the above reasons).
GameDay Colors– The ability to finally recognize the difference between Texas A&M “maroon” and Florida State “garnet”. Not to mention all the various shades of orange, including but not limited to the burnt variety.
Eye Black– Just a smidge under your regular non-season eyeliner, at an all-time thickness of about 1/2inch, otherwise known as the grease applied under a player’s eyes to reduce the glare.
Replacement Refs– Kind of like that one time your hairdresser went on vacation and you used her assistant and ended up with a real life hot mess on your head. Replacements are never as good as the real thing.
GameDay– Let’s not overcomplicate things…
Tailgating– The only time hanging out in a parking lot isn’t considered trashy (unless you’re in Gainesville, then be sure to add jorts). Also, calorie counters needn’t apply.
32– A number that refers to NFL teams in the league, not just Baskin Robbins flavors.
Accent Nails– During football season, your middle finger becomes your only “accent nail” to opposing fans for 17 straight weeks, no matter what Glamour or Vogue Magazine says.
“ing”– In grammatical terms, adding “ing” to a verb is known as a gerund. In football terms however, it is known as the newest way to turn a player’s last name into a verb.
Example #1: Griffining – the pose Washington Redskins quarterback, RG3 makes while on the ground after throwing a touchdown pass, with both hands in the air for celebration.
Example #2: Tebowing – getting down on one knee as a signal for prayer or to give thanks for a ridiculous hail mary that should not have been caught that will air over and over on ESPN for weeks.)
To see this full article in its original version, be sure to check out GirlsGuideTo.com.
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Olympian, Allyson Felix (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Aside from being great musicians, what do Sade and Jay-Z have in common?
They both set the tone for Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix.
Just named USOC SportsWoman of the Year, Felix is at the top of her game. At this point in time, it’s no one else’s game but hers. Sure, she might have run a perfect 200 in London and be the beautiful face behind Nike’s motivational running campaign, but that doesn’t mean the track and field athlete doesn’t get star struck from time to time. Especially in front of Jay-Z, where she admits she gets tongue-tied. “I’ve been a fan for a long time. I passed him on the red carpet once, but that was it. I was way too shy to go up to him,” laughs Felix.
It took Felix three Olympiads and more than eight years of competition to reach the pinnacle of individual gold in London where she made history. Her third Olympic certainly appearance proved to be her most successful, snagging three gold medals and becoming the first woman to accomplish such a feat since 1988 when Track and Field icon Florence Griffith-Joyner did it.
Felix admits that music plays a large role not only in her training, but in her personal life as well. On the track, it impacts her mostly during training and warm ups. “It sets the tone and gets me in the right mood to be ready to tackle a tough workout and pumped up to perform, and in a longer run it helps me to get through it,” Felix says.
As for the “in” music currently buzzing on radio frequencies everywhere, Felix laughs at the mention of Carly Rae’s Call Me Maybe. “It’s very catchy and was probably the song of the summer. I didn’t really listen to it but I saw the swimmers did a really cool music video and whenever I turned on the radio I think that song was playing.” Equally trendy is Justin Bieber’s Boyfriend, which Felix admits is probably her guiltiest pleasure on her iPod right now. “It’s hard to admit it, but it’s on there,” she laughs.
For sprinting, she admits the beats change dramatically because it has to in order to match her pace. “It’s completely different when I’m sprinting – it’s more about getting pumped up and aggressive. I like to listen to Jay-Z and Kanye,” Felix says. “Sprinting is like my alter-ego – I’m really laid back but to get into that phase and be able to perform, that’s really what I use the music for,” she says noting that gospel also helps her perform at an elite level and gives her that “boost of encouragement.”
What is she jamming to right now? “I love R&B and soul music. And anything pop and hip-hop,” she says while noting her playlist rotates with what’s currently “in”. The Olympian gushes about her affinity for the ultra sultry Sade and her greatest hits album, The Best of Sade, especially when she has to slow down for longer runs where she takes time to enjoy the process of her sport (and confesses Adele’s swoon is another favorite).
Olympic Gold Medalist, Allyson Felix (photo via Team USA)
As for the infamous power boost song that really pumps her up? “I know it sounds cheesy, but probably Eye of the Tiger, especially in the long run, which is not my thing. It comes in handy,” Felix jokes. No surprise there as Nike execs released a statement at this year’s SXSW in Austin that Eye of the Tiger was the #1 power boost song for their popular Nike+ running app.
Felix loves enjoying the music that inspires her on the track, off of it as well. “Recently my favorite concert was Watch the Throne,” she admits. The tour was co-headlined by none other than Jay-Z and Kanye West and grossed over $40million. The Olympian also gushes about a live performance where she caught a performance by India Arie. “It was amazing,” says Felix.
Even with the gold around her neck, Felix admits the chances of getting tongue-tied again during her next Jay-Z encounter are pretty likely. And so are the Rio Games where she thinks athletically she can run even faster.
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My delay for not getting with the Pilates movement decades ago when the rest of the world was, went a little something like this:
I’m an athlete – pilates and yoga don’t make me sweat and I’d rather concentrate on beating someone to the finish line instead of rhythmic breathing, downwards dogs and pelvis tucks. I want to hurt the day after my workout – that’s proof I pushed my limits.
“You want your arms to burn tomorrow?” Sullivan asked. “No problem!” she said with a challenge-accepted look on her face.
This was exactly how my private session at The Athletic Club at The Westin, which recently completed a beautiful $1million expansion featuring more than 27,000 square feet of wellness offerings including the new Pilates Studio, started yesterday.
Still a skeptic to the whole Pilates practice, I quickly attributed my heavy breathing after just two minutes of activity to the Rocky Mountain altitude. Looking at Sullivan, at the age of 51, my qualms started dissipating with each passing rep. With her immense energy, glowing skin and fit body, surely she wasn’t more than 35-40 years old I inaccurately guessed.
Ok, Pilates, I’m listening…
The first glaring sign I was a novice at this whole Pilates thing? I showed up in my Brooks pure flow running shoes, ready for action. Looking down at my bulky shoes, Sullivan kindly asked me to remove them and then head over to the reformer.
Doing work on The Reformer
The reformer? Where’s the mat? Doesn’t Pilates involve some sort of mat, I asked? According to Livestrong.com, “a reformer is an exercise machine used to incorporate the Pilates exercise technique for a challenging and intense workout.” There are springs that allow the instructor to create more or less resistance providing an individual workout all while using the same machine. Resistance, I found, not weight, is really all one needs for a full-body workout.
As Sullivan explained, Pilates is a rhythmic practice of precise and “controlled movements” ultimately focusing on multiple parts of your body while keeping your core (abs/midsection) engaged the entire time. “Pilates is all about core and strength – your core is engaged in every single exercise. The attraction to Pilates is that it’s an all-body workout without being hard on your joints. Another benefit is that it lengthens your muscles without bulking, which is key for many women. The premise started as a method of rehab many years ago,” she explained.
The reformer looked like some of the apparatus, one I used many times throughout my physical therapy career – on the receiving end of course. (Remember I’m currently on 23 surgeries and hopefully not counting, so PT and I are well acquainted.)
I again was right back to my original skepticism – if this whole process started as a form of rehab when elite athletes were injured and not performing at the highest levels, why would an able-bodied fitness-craving individual want to do Pilates? But then something clicked, as each movement got harder and harder. PT was good for me back then, why wouldn’t it be good for me now? I saw firsthand how it built muscle and strength and never caused injury (like many workouts today do), so clearly Pilates was a good fit for me, right?
Jayme and Elizabeth Sullivan – still smiling post Pilates session
It turns out the fitness craze is a workout. The controlled movements in Pilates are key – just as it is with lifting weights or running downhill. You don’t carefully lift 80lbs on a bench press and let the weight come crashing down on you, instead you control it in both directions making it twice as hard while still engaging your core muscles.
The toughest part throughout the entire session? Figuring out how to breathe on cue as Sullivan instructed. Leave it to a blonde to not know how to breathe.
Oh, and back to the whole I want my body to burn and hurt tomorrow thing? First thing this morning, I booked a massage at Spa Anjali (which was named the #4 U.S. Resort Spa for 2012 by Condé Nast Traveler), because my body did in fact hurt.
While Pilates still doesn’t jive with my regularly-scheduled workout routine and I felt like an awkward turtle the whole time, I will go the distance and say I can see why many people choose Pilates as their form of workout. And I do plan to check out Yoga and Pilates for Golfers on my visit to The Westin this winter.
This post was part of the The Blonde Side’s marriage of Sports + Fitness+ Travel: tying sports trips into travel trips and working out while doing it.
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Ted Batchelor, The Human Fireball (photo via Batchelor)
Getting Burned by Minor League Baseball
As a kid, did you ever think you wanted to grow up to be a firefighter? What about a doctor or astronaut or professional baseball player? What about setting yourself on fire? Well that’s what Ted Batchelor knew he wanted to do from early on after some prompting and daring from his high school buddies.
Saturday night, the Sugar Land Skeeters, an Independent Atlantic League Team with growing notoriety thanks to the recent signing of Roger Clemens, hosted Ted Batchelor, otherwise known as the “human fireball” at Constellation Field to add to the growing list of infamous minor league gimmicks.
Immediately following their shut-out win over the Long Island Ducks in front of 7,463 fans, Ted took his talents on the field, where fans watched him get doused in fuel and run the bases, where they watched in awe, some in horror. Having never been “on fire in Texas,” Batchelor was excited for this first. He has recently set out on a goal to be on fire in all 50 states. “This experience will be how I remember Sugar Land and the Skeeters,” Batchelor said. “I’ve only completed about 15 states, so hopefully more Minor League Ball Clubs start calling.”
How does one get started lighting himself on fire as a career?
The Chagrin Falls’ native says it’s quite simple. “One day in highschool I had a pretty typical dream, diving off waterfalls – something I’ve done since I was 10. This time I have the same dream except I’m on fire. Then I woke up and went to my creative writing class in school and wrote a poem about it. In the dream people bet me to do all kinds of stuff, like set myself on fire. People are always betting me to do random things like getting hit by cars, rolling down stairs, anything really. I was at a party and someone read my poem and bet me $400 to light myself on fire and jump into the falls. The next week was prom and I really needed the money to take this girl, so I did it. That was 36 years ago (May 20, 1976), and the rest is history,” Batchelor says.
Although he got the girl, these daredevil-like stunts landed him in jail a time or two. Perhaps part of the reason Batchelor doesn’t just market himself as a “human fireball” but rather a “Professional Stunt Man and Performer.” And teams are taking notice, like Tom Gorman, Executive Producer for the Sugar Land Skeeters. “ I found the Human Fireball off Ben’s Biz Blog on milb.com. I saw he was trying to run the bases while on fire in all 50 states. This being our first year in Sugar Land, I wanted to show the fans what makes minor league baseball different from other sports, and acts like Teds’ is what separates us from the rest. We like acts that are fun, unique, and entertaining. We’re always looking for new ways to entertain and engage fans…and an act like Ted’s is one of those ways,” Gorman says.
Having been on fire nearly 200 times and setting two Guinness World Records (longest distance run while on fire – 492ft, and the record for most people on fire which broke the Spanish record of 12 by doing 17), Batchelor has somehow perfected the art of lighting himself on fire and it goes a little something like this:
Based on his idea from when he was 18, one of his crew members (or fans) has a ball on the mound. Batchelor, standing at home, catches the ball and bursts into flames and runs the bases. “It’s a simple stunt, yet it’s dangerous,” he admits. His team shows up at the ballpark, gets dressed, and walks out onto the field along side their equipment (extinguisher, fire blankets). “Once I catch it, it’s go-time,” Batchelor laughs.
As he touches each base, each one lights on fire, then fuel from a fuel gun gets added to him (this is the part his wife used to participate in until it felt “weird” for both of them). As he rounds third, he does a headfirst slide into homeplate where his crew puts him out. The whole stunt takes about 50 seconds.
Part of his “crew” includes his wife, which he deems an “integral part of this whole thing.” “She actually dresses me and puts all the fuel on me (it’s a lot of fuel) and puts me out,” Batchelor says.
Batchelor used to hold another world record for the longest burn ever, but that was recently broken. “They are wearing helmets and fireproof suits and all that stuff,” Batchelor quickly dismisses. “My suits are really simple and meant to burn. When you’re on fire, that’s just it – YOU’RE ON FIRE,” he explains.
“We do these stunts a lot, but we’re nervous every single time – believe me. With that much fuel, you have to be. After a successful show we may have a couple beers, usually Jack Daniels makes an appearance,” he says of his own post-game routine.
On a lighter note, Batchelor insists no matter what life his stunts take on, he’s “totally normal.” “I just have this thing that I do and a lot of people don’t understand it, until they see it and they realize it’s a professional stunt, not some crazy person doing this wildly. There’s a big difference between the two. I still respect fire as all people should,” he says.
He has a wife, children, a day job as a project manager for a painting company in Cleveland, and yes, even health insurance – normal indeed.
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Somewhere long ago, we as women grew up thinking men going bald signified really old men, like our fathers. Sure they were wise, and great providers, but sexy-I-want-to-touch-your-hot-body-hot? As if!
Our dads and grandpas were bald — how on earth can that be sexy?
Some world-class hot-bodied athletes sporting bright orange jerseys are changing all that. It’s true — Bald is Beautiful.
At least it is when the Houston Dynamo are behind it, shaving their heads to help give cancer the boot. For the fourth straight year, the Dynamo held a shaving party to raise money for children’s cancer research. Added bonus? Some of the young cancer patients got to shave the hair off the soccer standouts themselves.
This year’s campaign is voluntarily led by second-year forward Will Bruin. After he finished the “main event” (as he called it) of getting his head shaven at BBVA Compass Stadium Tuesday, he chatted about the very worthwhile campaign and a cause that’s become very near and dear to his heart.
Having participated last year in a Bald is Beautiful campaign led by former Dynamo player Mike Chabala, Bruin took it upon himself to become the face . . . er bald head . . . of the cause.
“During the past year, I have found great joy and have met some remarkable people during my visits to local children’s hospitals,” Bruin said. “One such person I met was a high-spirited young lady named Rosa. Unfortunately, Rosa passed away recently, and while I only knew her for a short time she always felt like a friend that I have known for much longer.
Photo Courtesy of Nigel Brooks | Houston Dynamo
“Visiting with children like Rosa has made me thankful for the opportunities I have been given in my life and has motivated me to make a difference.”
Rosa used to refer to Bruin as “the cute soccer boy” who’d light up her days. That’s the same way plenty of women all over Houston feel about the well-built Midwesterner.
“It’s so awesome. I love going to the hospital and being a part of these people’s lives,” Bruin said. “It puts a smile on not only their faces but mine also. It’s awesome to see the patients I’ve made relationships with through the years and to have them come out and shave my head as part of the cause — it was really fun for all of us.”
Then, it was time for Bruin to go bald.
When asked how he felt about his new hairstyle, Bruin was clearly in good spirits.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “I can feel the breeze going through my hair again, but I’m going to have to put sunscreen on it! For the past three or four months I guess you could say I’ve been growing my hair out for this cause.
Photo Courtesy of Nigel Brooks | Houston Dynamo
“I guess to be fair, I wasn’t really growing it out because it’s so thick I had to get it trimmed every once in a while. But I did it so people wouldn’t really notice (the previous haircuts). This is a big deal for me and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
While Bruin is happy to go bald, he admits it isn’t necessarily the best look for him.
“Well, I didn’t shave today so I have a shaved head with kind of a beard-thing going on — this is a new look for me. I might not recommend it to anyone,” he said.
As for on the field? “I hope it makes me more aerodynamic for Thursday’s game,” he said.
Bruin wasn’t the only Dynamo to go bald. Joining him in parting ways with their locks were all-star goalie Tally Hall, defender Bobby Boswell, 19-year-old goalie Erich Marscheider, midfielder Colin Clark, midfielder Brian Ownby, goalkeepers coach Tim Hanley and head athletic trainer Theron Enns.
Dynamo fans can support the campaign by donating directly to Dynamo Charities on behalf of Bald is Beautiful (be sure to reference “2012 Bald is Beautiful”), with all donations benefiting the Curing Children’s Cancer Fund. Those who participate will also have the opportunity to have their heads shaven at Thursday’s home match against Real Salt Lake.
For a donation of $10 or more, fans can support the cause and help find a cure for children’s cancer. Additionally, fans can purchase the Bald is Beautiful ticket package for $49.99. The package includes two tickets to the game, two Bald is Beautiful T-shirts and the opportunity meet Bruin following the match.
For more information, check out the Bald is Beautiful website.
This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.
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The Ultimate Guide to Paralympics: Where to watch, who to cheer for and far the games have come.
Just two weeks after the closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics, another set of games takes the same stage. On Wednesday, 4,280 Paralympians, elite athletes with physical and visual disabilities, will begin competing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, an international multi-sport event with more than 20 sports over 11 days.
Some of the disabilities of the competitors include mobility difficulties, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy and some events are open to people with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
The All-Time medal tally for the Summer Paralympics Games as of Beijing 2008 shows Team USA winning by a landslide with 665 gold, 592 silver and 613 bronze for a total of 1,870 medals. In far second is Great Britain with a total of 1,420 and then Canada with a total of 947 medals. The first International Games for athletes with a disability were held in 1952 (at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in London) with only two participating countries and 130 athletes.
The games have since grown to include 166 countries. An estimated 2.2 million tickets will be sold (in contrast to 8.8 million for the Londomn Summer Olympics). The Olympics and Paralympics started sharing the same venue in 1988 (Seoul, South Korea), which is the same year the term “Paralympics” was adopted.
Although the Games are yet to be televised in the United States (a goal the National Paralympic Committees is working on), you can tune in online and catch more than 580 hours of coverage. Once you set your URL and get comfortable, stay there for a while because there’s a lot to watch. NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will air one-hour highlight shows on Sept. 4, 5, 6 and 11 at 6 p.m. After the games, NBC will broadcast a 90-minute special on Sept. 16.
U.S. Wheelchair Rugby Team (formerly known as Murderball): The full-contact rugby in wheelchairs is most known for the
Will Groulx | Photo Courtesy of Joe Kusumoto
toughness and tenacity of the athletes, which was captured in the prize-winning documentary, Murderball, which detailed the rivalry between the Canadian and U.S. teams leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games.
Because of the difficulty of marketing a sport known as “Murderball,” the name was later changed to “Wheelchair Rugby.”
The sport made its Paralympic debut at the Sydney 2000 Games.
The U.S. is a heavy favorite for gold, led by Will Groulx who was also part of the U.S. team when it won gold in Beijing in 2008 and who led the team in scoring in multiple matches. Groulx is a Navy veteran who was medically discharged after suffering a spinal-cord injury from a motorcycle accident in 2001.
You may recognize Groulx’s name as he was nominated for an ESPY back in 2009 for Best Male Athlete with a Disability for his performance as a member of the undefeated USA Quad Rugby team in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball: Also heavy favorites for gold, this team won the last two Paralympics in Beijing and Athens. The team has six returning players from the same team that won gold in Beijing so they mesh well and know how to take the ball up and down the court with ease.
They recently won gold at the Parapan American Games in Guadalajara after going undefeated and beating Canada by 38 points.
Becca Murray | Photo Courtesy of Joe Kusumoto
I had a chance to chat with Jeff Downes, Team Leader since 2007, to find out why this group of women who happen to be aiming for a three-peat in London are worth watching.
“Our team has had success since 2004 where we won the gold in Athens and then again in 2008 when we beat Germany in the final minute,” he said. “We’ve always had a strong team — strength, speed and stamina — able to wear our opponents down, but the rest of the world is catching up. We’ve lost to some teams we should have beaten and I can assure you London is going to be a brawl.
“It’s going to be very competitive and we’re looking for some fun, high-scoring games.”
U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball: This is the sport that amazes me the most, after I watched a demo a few months back in Times Square. Having won silver last year in Beijing with a loss to China, the team has high hopes of edging out China this year in London to claim gold. The sport began in 2003 and is now powered by the American duo of Katie Holloway and Kari Miller.
The 6-foot-3 Holloway was named MVP and the Best Spiker at the 2011 Parapan American Games. Born without a fibula in her right leg, Holloway had her right foot and ankle amputated at 20 months, but she still went on to play basketball and volleyball.
She was later recruited by college basketball teams which did not even realize she wore a prosthetic leg.
Kari Miller | Photo Courtesy fo Frank Polich
The 5-foot-6 Miller helped her team win gold at ECVD Continental Cup in Yevpatoria, Ukraine, and was named the tournament’s Best Libero (defensive specialist) with 163 receptions. While serving in the military, Miller and a friend were in a car struck by a drunk driver. Miller lost both legs, one above the knee, the other below.
It should be a treat to watch these two athletes lead their team to a gold medal in London. Check out the rest of the team profiles.
April Holmes: Venturing into her third Paralympics, this will likely be Holmes’ final appearance. Holmes has been dubbed “the world’s fastest amputee” and holds world records in the 100-, 200- and 400-meters. In 2001, Holmes was involved in a train accident that resulted in the loss of her left leg just below the knee.
Holmes took her faith and worked towards a new goal of becoming a Paralympian and has been breaking records ever since.
In an accident at the Beijing Games in 2008, the spike on Holmes’ left prosthetic leg got caught in the track causing her to tumble to the ground. While on the ground, Holmes took a competitor’s spike to the face, but she still managed to force her bruised and bloodied body across the finish line. Just five days later, still in immense pain, Holmes competed in the 100-meter final.
Shocking even herself, she took gold, winning in a time of 13.72 seconds, just three seconds slower than the Olympic record held by Florence Griffith-Joyner.
The heart and soul, not to mention immense speed of Holmes should be at the top of anyone’s list of why to watch the Paralympics.
Holloway | Photo Courtesy of Frank Polich
Tatyana McFadden: This veteran Paralympian is in the games for her third time. McFadden first entered the Paralympic Games in Athens at age 15. Now 23, she says she’s still a bit nervous.
“I’m very excited,” she said. “I’ve worked for four years, every day, twice a day for two hours in each session with my main focus being on the Paralympic Games.
“Getting involved in sports saved my life. The Paralympics are athletes at an elite level, people with disabilities competing at their best — it’s honoring, humbling, exciting, thrilling . . .”
As her bio states: “By all accounts Tatyana should not be one of the top female athletes in the world. She probably should not be alive. She was born in 1988 in St. Petersburg, Russia, with an underdeveloped spinal cord resulting in paralyzation below the waist and a hole in her spine, a condition know as spina bifida. When operated on immediately, spina bifida is rarely life threatening.
“Tatyana was left for 21 days before doctors operated. Only her innate strength of will kept her alive.”
She was sent to an orphanage, “an unwanted disabled child.” In 1994, Tatyana was adopted by American Debbie McFadden, who was working as the commissioner of disabilities for the U.S. Health Department.
Her new mother got McFadden her first wheelchair, and signed her up for swimming classes and then a Baltimore wheelchair sports organization to help build up her strength. Now, McFadden’s an eight-time track world champion, three-time marathon winner and full-time student at University of Illinois.
She races with her sister Hannah in the 100-meters.
“Whether I bring home a medal or not, I’m going to put in 110 percent,” McFadden promised. Famed for her strength, McFadden is also aptly nicknamed “Beast.”
This article was featured on Culture Map, Houston’s Daily Digital Magazine in the sport’s section.