Texans Ben Jones talking camo in the December 2014 issue of 002 Magazine
Texas is home to a slew of good ole boys, which is probably one reason Texans offensive lineman Ben Jones fits right in. “That’s one of the things I love about Houston – you’ve got the big city and all your nice restaurants, but you can go 30 minutes outside and you’re in the middle of nowhere,” Jones says.
Ben Jones is by definition a country boy.
Just ask him his favorite color. His response: “Does camo count?” He’s a proud owner of camo-colored crocs. Recently married, Jones says, “the best I could do was wear boots,” since camo was vetoed. Even guys like Arian Foster and Duane Brown give him heat for owning so much camo. “They’re always like, ‘what else could you possibly have?’” since he even carries camo luggage to the games.
While the Alabama native is 100% committed to football season, Jones points out it’s also dove-hunting season, and he’s taking advantage of it every chance when he’s not on the field. His favorite hunting buddy is teammate and friend Shane Lechler, where the two share a unique Monday Night Football experience.
“His [Lechler’s] mom has land in Sealy – it’s a way to get away from football and clear your mind. Go out there, relax and just talk – we’re out in the middle of nowhere. If we go out there on a Monday we might watch some football – his mom has a TV in the barn – we’ll clean the doves we killed and cook supper out there and watch the game,” Jones says.
Jones love for hunting started when he was six. “After my dad passed, my mom would carry me hunting – she would sit in the hunting stand and read her magazine while I was hunting because I wanted to go and she didn’t want me to go by myself,” he recalls.
Hunting is also a way for Jones, now in his third season with the Texans, to spend time with family. “My granddaddy trains bird dogs so that’s something we can do together,” he says.
While Lechler is his go-to hunting buddy, Jones has put some thought into other teammates he’d like to see with a shotgun.
“I’d probably take Duane Brown, Chris Meyers, or Garrett Graham – Garrett’s never shot a gun so that could be fun. Chris grew up in Miami and always been in a big city, but he could be all for it. I know Duane’s been [at the range in Vegas] and likes to shoot guns, so getting him out of his comfort zone in the middle of nowhere – I’d like to see that. Duane probably doesn’t have any camo so I’d have to loan him something. All he wears is his golf attire because he’s a big golfer,” Jones says laughing at the image of fellow larger-than-life lineman decked out in camo.
Want more proof Ben Jones is a good ole country boy?
His favorite store: Gander Mountain, Bass Pro Shop, Academy
Collects: Shot guns.
Favorite Brand: Benelli
Favorite Show: Duck Dynasty (Si and Godwin especially)
This article originally ran in the December 2014 print edition of 002 Houston Magazine (now LOCAL Houston Magazine).
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Chris Carter and The Blonde Side’s Jayme Lamm working out before ESPYS 2014
If you’ve ever met a professional athlete, at least a good one, you come to learn there is no such thing as an “off-season.” No matter what your contract looks like or how healthy you are, you are never guaranteed that coveted spot on the roster you’ve spent your lifetime working for (unless of course your name is Kobe).
As an athlete you know that someone younger, stronger and with even more determination is right on your cleats and if you slip up for even a second, it could all be gone. That’s why guys like Chris Carter, recently waived outside linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts, can’t give those guys a chance to catch up – he doesn’t let up. He can’t let up. It’s not in his DNA. In his fourth NFL season, and still considered a career back up, he has no room to let up – his job depends on it. Carter’s “off-season” workout proves just how focused he is year-round.
If all it took to play in the NFL were dedication and heart, Carter would be a starter by anyone’s standards. But as we already know, it takes more to play at this level. Much more. Which may be why he started the season with the Steelers, then was quickly signed by the Colts, and is now released on waivers. But has he given up? Nope. Has he slowed down? Nope again.
Diligently passing his time before heading back to Pittsburgh for training camp and most recently landing a spot on the active roster in Indy, Carter returns home. Home is Southern California, which is where he teamed up with Matthew Uohara (MS, CSCS), a Los Angeles-based strength and conditioning professional specializing in athlete off-season development. Uohara brings an unprecedented science to the ssport, which is becoming more common and sought-out from today’s athletes. As competition is more vigorous than ever, it goes beyond how fast you run a 40 or how many pounds you can bench, something Carter has quickly become familiar with.
If you’ve ever made it past any junior varsity sport, odds are you know how to work out, as defined by sweating with cardio and doing a suggested numberof reps through your gym’s purposeful circuit. Uohara works with Carter on an individual level, like he does all his athletes. As cliché as “everyone’s an individual” is, there is more truth to that when it comes to bodily abilities than perhaps all else.
“This is absolutely true. Every athlete will come in with specific goals and although you may have two players from the same sport that play the same position and look completely identical on paper; their expression of the stimuli that we give them (training) can be very different,” Uohara explains. Carter is no exception.
On paper Chris Carter is a beast – he’s big, strong, fast and dedicated – each a fundamental for having a successful NFL career. Yet to snag a professional sack on the field, Uohara sees Carter in a different light, noting specific areas for improvement.
“When we looked at the tape and evaluated his movement, we found that there were specific reasons why he was not able to express his speed and strength optimally on the field. This was a very different approach for him. Throughout the off-season we used a variety of physical, visual and auditory cues to continuously re-educate these new patterns. One is an exercise we call “the stealth walk.” This exercise uses your body weight to aid in extreme dorsiflexion of the ankle. To the average viewer it may look like we are just walking very slowly and close to the ground. However, what we are truly doing is teaching his brain/body that this position is both safe and comfortable. When we can provide that environment of stability, the brain will give the body all the range of motion it needs. The coolest part is not only having the range but being strong there too,” Uohara says.
Not missing a single practice with Uohara, the 2011 fifth round draft pick knows there is truth behind ProFootballTalk.com calling this a “now-or-never season” for him. Having played 29 games for the Steelers over the last three seasons, Carter got the chance to take his talents to Indianapolis where the competition is just as stiff, if not more so. Whether that competition was just too stiff or the current depth chart just didn’t have a spot for Carter remains to be determined, but it’s the motivation he needs to work even harder.
As for the benefits, Carter’s seen a few early on. “What benefited me the most is the way we worked on my posture. In addition to that, my hips and hamstrings were always tight in the past. Now they never get tight and I feel very fluid,” Carter says.
Understanding where your body is “supposed to be” (i.e. posture) helps the body control each and every deliberate movement, giving the athlete more power, explosiveness off the line and resistance to injury. The exact things the Colts hope to see in Carter right away.
Back in the day we heard stories of football players like Herschel Walker taking ballet to improve flexibility, agility and endurance, which has morphed over time into practices like Yoga, Pilates, and SPX. But true to form, Uohara and others in his field continue to be progressive and have joined the JOGA movement, receiving his stamp of approval. JOGA quickly became a constant in Carter’s summertime workout rotation.
“Not a lot of people in my profession are huge fans of yoga and for the most part nor am I. In saying that, Jana Webb, a yoga instructor from Canada, has created JOGA–a yoga system with the athlete in mind. In my experience, [JOGA] accomplishes much of the same tasks in a regenerative manner. In essence, it is a form of yoga that can be used to both train and facilitate recovery,” Uohara says, which is optimal for any athlete who performs at high levels.
Uohara takes one of the most commons poses in yoga, the Down Dog, and explains JOGA modifications. “The traditional Down Dog attempts to take the client’s heels all the way through the floor. This is great if they have the structural pre-requisites to do this, however, if not, the athlete will attempt to get there anyway, taking the path of least resistance. Often times this is also the path of dysfunction. Keeping this in mind, JOGA has what they call a Crouching Down Dog–the heels are off the mat and knees are bent. This position still capitalizes on all the benefits you would see in a traditional Down Dog such as ankle dorsiflexion, hip hinge patterning, thoracic extension as well as length in the lats. In addition to this, it uniquely trains a modified squat pattern all the while decreasing the likelihood for injury,” Uohara explains noting that is one of the main attributes to Carter feeling more “fluid.”
The scientific art behind this form of strengthening and re-training gets guys like Carter ready to hit the field at newly re-defined speeds, which is what Carter needs as he’s finding his place on the depth chart in Indy.
Consider Uohara’s sessions camp before camp. But when Uohara sends these guys back to the field, he continues to keep a close eye and has been known to send a text or two while watching a game. He strives to give immediate feedback such as “I noticed some stumbling coming out of your backpedal, lets make sure to get some more of your quick foot work in prior to stepping on to the field.” Although he still reaches out, Uohara notes that when the guys return to their teams they are in fully capable hands and he has faith that all that hard work over the summer will continue to pay off.
There’s no telling where Carter’s career will take him, but it’ll be interesting to see where these new movements and retrainings might land him on the NFL’s big stage, hopefully back onto the field and into the starting lineup.
This article originally ran in the sport’s section of CBS Man Cave Daily here.
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Kareem Jackson and his player-inspired Fly Guy line for the Houston Texans (photo: Houston Texans)
Kareem Jackson: Looking good both on and off the field.
Look out, Chloe Dao – there’s a new designer in town whose threads are being displayed at NRG Stadium. Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson recently debuted his Player-Inspired Fly Guy apparel line, which includes t-shirts and caps. On the field, the 2010 20th overall draft pick dons the exact pieces as the other 52 guys on the roster. With the NFL’s new stricter uniform policies, it’s no wonder Jackson takes pride in his extracurricular apparel, but that’s nothing new. His love for fashion dates back to middle school.
“I was one of those kids that always had to have the latest shoes and nicer clothes,” the 26-year-old says. Somewhere along the line, Jackson was dubbed best-dressed on the team and admits this could be his post-football calling. “Hopefully I’ll be playing the game a long time – as long as God will allow – but it’s something to think about. It would be interesting to design clothing, shoes or whatever the opportunity may be,” the cornerback says. Jackson says creating his line was fun and in-depth. “This was my first chance to actually design something, and it was a lot harder than I thought. So many fabrics and colors I had to narrow down, then I had to think about things the fans like and wanted to pay tribute to Houston. That was pretty much the thought process,” he explains.
Jackson may be the best-dressed, but he isn’t the only one vying for the title. “We definitely have some guys that are into fashion, but I’d like to say I’m one of the best-dressed on the team,” he says. Jackson gives the second place fashion-forward accolade to fellow cornerback Johnathan Joseph. “We have pretty similar taste and probably Andre (Johnson) next – we all think alike when it comes to clothing.” Even with The Galleria around the corner, Jackson admits he finds most of the good stuff online. “I think there’s more variety – tons of websites people may not know about. Some may be a bit exclusive. Going in the mall you’re taking a chance of somebody having the same thing. It’s the same online but chances are slimmer,” Jackson shares.
Mr. Porter (mrporter.com), FarFetch (farfetch.com) and SSENSE (ssense.com) are some of Jackson’s frequented online shops, but admits his wardrobe is diverse. He says it’s all in the shoes. Find a nice pair and you can build from there. “If I decide what shoes I want to wear, then I can get my jeans and shirt and so forth,” he says, admitting he has at least 200 pairs. He could probably give Carrie Bradshaw a run for her money, and says you can’t go wrong with Louis Vuitton shoes.
As the months get colder, Jackson finds himself getting excited about winter fashion. “That’s the time of year you get a lot of different clothing – your sweaters, jackets, pea coats, cashmere and all that stuff,” he says.
Yes, a football player well-versed in interceptions and pea coats.
WHERE TO BUY IT: NRG STADIUM
This article originally ran in the print issue of 002 Magazine, November 2014. Click here for the online version.
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Note this story ran on Sports on Earth. Scroll to the bottom for the link to the full article.
HOUSTON — A sellout crowd of 70,000 plus gathered Thursday Night at NRG Stadium to watch an early season battle for first place in the AFC South, wondering if the Texans could put even the slightest dent in the all-time 20-4 head-to-head record in favor of the Colts. Things didn’t look great early, as Indy put up 24 unanswered points, thanks to T.Y. Hilton — and a lot of miscommunication in the Texans’ secondary. But Houston wasn’t done. The Texans slowly chipped away at the lead on the strength of the relentless pass rush by J.J. Watt, who fired up the fans with his fumble recovery and — what the Watt!? — runback TD in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to five. The Texans’ couldn’t finish the comeback, but they put up a fight. And sometimes, putting up a fight is what matters the most.
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Emmanuel Acho always keeps it real both on and off the field. (Photo: Brian Fitzsimmons)
Acho studies playbooks, textbooks
Former Texas Football standout moves forward on the field and in the classroom.
The determination and dedication that Emmanuel Acho, linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, shows both on and off the field was instilled in him from an early age, thanks to his upbringing, and was later fueled during his four years at the University of Texas. This is in equal part thanks to his college coach Mack Brown, his older brother Sam, his father, and his faith.
Indeed, determination and dedication have made Acho who is he today. The offseason looks different for every athlete, and for Acho, it looked a lot like a classroom. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in kinesiology at the University of Texas with a specialty in sports psychology. After taking a nine-hour course load this summer, Acho is halfway through his degree program, with only 15 credit hours and a three-hour internship remaining (Acho says his ideal internship would be in the field of broadcasting.)
“It’s definitely hard being back in school. I have class every day, which is super tiring,” Acho said as he explained how his days ranged from Pilates to the weight room to class and studying. “It was busy, but it was good. The balance was hard, but I know football takes priority because that’s what is paying my bills. And after football, it’s just a matter of getting in the studying. And the time with family and friends.”
Going back to school while in the NFL is rare. “The latest statistic I heard was that 2 percent of players in the NFL go on to further their education. So, I know I’m among a dying breed,” Acho said. “I honestly just want to further my education and broaden my horizons from an educational standpoint in many different fields and areas. I know a lot of athletes probably aren’t doing this, so I’m trying to put myself in the best position for life after football.”
Acho works as hard in the classroom as he does in his workouts.
Another part of Acho’s decision to continue his education was the message it sends to fans. “I definitely think it
Acho spending time in the classroom and the weight-room. (Photo: Brian Fitzsimmons)
sets a good example, with all the negativity being portrayed on the television, whether it be through ESPN or your local news channel,” he said. “There are always the feel-good stories. The problem is, the good ones are rarely heard. So I’m just trying to further my education, first and foremost for myself, but [also for] anybody who catches wind of what I’m doing. To inspire them to push even further, even past their dreams. My dream was to play in the NFL obviously, but now that I’ve accomplished that, what else can I do? How can I reach further? How can I reach and attain more?”
When it comes to role models, Acho definitely had one in his older brother Sam, who currently plays with the Arizona Cardinals, also as a linebacker. On numerous accounts the younger Acho, now in his third year in the NFL (two of those with the Philadelphia Eagles), has said Sam “set the bar really high.”
“Sam is amazing, he’s probably, or definitely the best person I know,” Acho said before listing the multiple accolades his brother has garnered. “We’re incredibly close. We talk every day via text or phone. Going to UT is what strengthened our bond the most. Going from Sam and Emmanuel Acho to ‘The Brothers Acho,’ the name we received during our latter years at Texas, that definitely kept us close. And keeping that image, reputation, and name continues to keep us close on a daily basis.”
Acho calls somewhere between Austin and Dallas home. “Dallas is where I grew from an educational standpoint, but Austin is where I grew from an athletic standpoint,” he said. As for what he misses most about Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Acho said, “Just looking up at 100,000 fans in burnt orange, supporting you. Some have class with you, some have heard you speak, some have walked around campus with you. Whatever the case may be, they’re just cheering you on, both individually and collectively as a team.”
“UT fans are very loyal. They stayed with us when we were 24-2 over my first two years at UT, and were with me when I was about 12-13 my last two years. Without them, I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have—especially on a personal level.”
This article ran in the August 2014 print issue of Austin Fit Magazine as well as online. Click here to see the full and original article online.
Rachael vs Guy, Season 3 with Herschel Walker and contestants
It’s been more than 15 years since the man retired from the NFL, but to say that Herschel Walker has a lot on his plate these days is a gross understatement. The 2x Pro Bowl and Heisman winner has recently continued his reality television career on a celebrity cooking competition as the largest contestant on Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-off on the Food Network.
Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri returned for their third season this month to mentor and coach eight celebrities including 51-year-old Walker who landed a spot on Team Guy, along with teammates Vanilla Ice, Chris Kattan and ’80s pop-singer Tiffany. “I started out wanting to be on Rachael’s team, then I saw Guy driving that old Camaro and I love old cars, so I decided I wanted to be on Guy’s team,” Walker says.
“When I first heard about the Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off, I thought it was just going to be a cooking demonstration,” he admits, “Until I realized it was a competition and then I got excited because I love competition and I always thought I could cook.”
Walker is notorious as a man of many talents that extend far beyond football — including the U.S. Olympic bobsledding team (which he attributes to his sprinting abilities), MMA, dancing, entrepreneur and businessman, reality TV star, and now cooking. While competitive cooking may be new for Walker, cooking in general is something he’s grown up around.
“Being in the south, my mom has always told the boys to cook. I remember as a little boy we were always in the kitchen with my mom, always making apple or peach tart and she showed me how to do that. All the young kids always knew how to cook. Whenever your parents left, you had to cook for them, so I remember baking biscuits and breads for them. Going on the show I wanted to put that little Southern-style twist in, so I think that helped me out a great deal,” Herschel says of his upbringing in the kitchen, being one of seven kids.
Something else that might surprise you, based on his size and the amount of time he spent in Texas (playing for the Dallas Cowboys), Walker doesn’t eat meat. While he’s not a “full-on vegetarian,” he just doesn’t prefer it. Instead he likes things like black-eyed peas and collard greens — those Southern-style dishes he grew up on.
“It’s funny because I have a chicken company that I’ve had for 14 years,” Walker says, “So it’s kind of hard. I used to eat steak like 20 years ago and today I don’t eat it at all. Being on the show was kind of interesting because a lot of my fans are like ‘how are you going to cook those dishes if you don’t eat them?’ But I know about flavor,” he adds noting the importance.
Walker isn’t the only guy on the show averse to meat — Vanilla Ice is also a vegetarian. “It’s going to freak you out to see the things this guy (Vanilla Ice) can do on a cooking show. This guy, he’s a vegetarian — he doesn’t cook any of that (meat), but he’s very competitive and he can make very good items. I tell you what — he was a ninja with the tofu.”
Herschel Walker is all smiles here
“I fell in love with the guy — I thought man, this guy’s cool. I watched him from afar and always thought he had a lot of talent. Watching how he associates with his fans, I thought, that’s a cool dude right there.” Walker says of his teammate who can do more than rap compelling lyrics.
The Celebrity Cook-Off, though a reality show by the very definition, isn’t the dramatic wreck one associates with that term, but if there was one contestant bringing a little bit of drama, Walker says it was Chris Kattan, actor and comedian from SNL. “He was a funny, funny guy and I tell you what, he was a little bit of drama,” Walker laughs. “As for drama that people will get excited about, we have to go into a grocery store, I was sort of lost; you only had a certain amount of time. That was drama — I don’t shop, I don’t know where to find olives — are they in the freezer, are they on the shelf?”
He even goes as far as to say a grocery store is more stressful than a defensive tackle coming straight for him. “You’re going to laugh, I think going to the grocery store is more stressful. I’m used to that 300-lb. guy. I can get around him, I’m faster, I can out-maneuver him. When you’re in football you have that helmet and big ole pads on, and you’re hiding. When you’re in the grocery store, they can see you stressed out, they see your face.”
Part of winning a show like this is being able to handle those other parts of cooking, like grocery shopping and cleaning up your mess — two things Walker says he’d rather not do. “I’m one of those guys who doesn’t want to clean up in the kitchen. Instead of going back and forth to the pantry, one of the things I’ve learned is to bring everything you need over to your station so you’re not wandering around. Instead, you try to reserve that time,” he says noting how stressful the timed competitions can be.
No stranger to fans cheering him on in any one of the many endeavors he chooses, Walker says his mother has become a big fan of the cooking showdown and is sending him tips along the way. “My mom called me after the shows and said These are the funniest shows I’ve ever seen.’ I said, ‘They are cooking shows, how are they funny?’ She said ‘You just look like you don’t know what you’re doing!’”
Walker admits she’s much more enthusiastic about seeing him on TV like this than she ever was while he was on the football field. “My mom has never been excited about me playing football. She always worried I’d get hurt or hurt someone else. But this here, she sees her son doing something she enjoys, something she taught me to do. She loves seeing this,” Walker says. “She is still teaching me. That is one thing being on this show did for me — this show has taught me to be a better cook. My knife skills have really improved. If Guy hadn’t stopped to show me how to use a knife, I’d probably have already lost my fingers,” he jokes.
But back to Vanilla Ice and his mouth-watering tofu. “I didn’t know tofu could taste so good! But then Vanilla Ice put some kind of sauce on the tofu and you could make a burger, a hotdog with tofu — it shocked me.
“I think cooking is exciting, because you learn something new. I didn’t know how to tone something down when it’s too spicy — I used to think all you had to do was drink a lot of water, but there are things you can use to tone it down. Guy is teaching me those little tips,” he says.
As for competition, it’s no secret the former running back is one of the toughest competitors around, and these culinary challenges are no exception. “I was happy to see Tiffany on my team. She has a lot of good qualities, people know Tiffany with that big voice and she can really sing, but she can really cook too. That’s what she does at home — she has parties all the time, she prepares meals. Seeing Florence Henderson, she’s the Brady Bunch, she got darn six kids, so she gotta be able to cook when you got that many kids — you know Alice ain’t cooking all the time, she’s cooking,” Walker jokes.
“It is so competitive, I’m studying my opponent, seeing where they are strong and where they are weak. I at first thought the weakest one would be Vanilla Ice — no one likes tofu — until the beginning of the competition he made something with tofu and he wanted me to taste it. I didn’t want to taste it but I didn’t want to insult the dude, but that junk was good. I thought oh crap! I was shocked that everyone came into the competition prepared,” he says.
Walker takes his limited amount of time on these six episodes seriously, as he does all his various other talents. “It’s not that I’m good at so many things, it’s just that I try so many things. I’m very open and I tell young kids they should do that. If you can talk it, you gotta be able to walk it. Don’t try to make your kids do one sport, give them an opportunity to do a lot of things — that’s what’s going to make you a better person. Growing up, I was a little bit over weight, and kids always made fun. One thing I decided at that time is that I would always try, no matter what. I would always try and work hard. And when I’m into any one thing, I focus on what I’m doing — I go out and study it, work hard, try to get good at it. I’m not going to say I’m great — whether it’s MMA, football, Olympics, cooking — during the cooking show, you’ll be shocked how many times you see me Googling recipes and pictures and trying to learn. There is always someone else that is better. I gotta get better as well.”
Believe it or not, Walker sees a lot of similarities between football and cooking: the first quarter is where you’re either mixing or chopping and the game is just getting started, but the fourth quarter is the time to step it up and score that final touchdown when the judges taste your food.
As for why you might tune in to this particular reality competition show, Walker puts it simply: “Everyone that watches the Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off, you’ll see me, a big football player, making very delicate things with my hands — turnovers, lettuce wraps, and more. People are going to see that Herschel Walker is more than a football player and just a good-looking face,” he quips.
But does the big guy have what it takes to win it all to join the ranks of past season winners Lou Diamond Philips and Dean McDermott? Tune in to Food Network to find out who takes the cake. Or the tofu.
This article originally ran on CBS Man Cave Daily under the sport’s section. Click here to see the original article including photos.
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Prop Bets Make the World (& the Super Bowl) Go Round
As much as I love the NFL’s final battle and am enamored with the question of who gets to hoist up the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the very end, there are other things that keep my attention come Sunday, ranked in this order: PROP BETS, hilarious tweets, Bud Light, guacamole, commercials, team-colored macaroons, the halftime show, the guy who looks cuter and cuter after every drink that I think I want to make out with.
The reason I don’t take to sports betting often is because I’m that dumbass that bets with passion. I know so much about sports, yet I throw all that potentially monetary knowledge out the window and bet based on a frivolous gut feeling because there’s no way my team can lose, and in the end, I always lose. But come prop bet time, I have no inside knowledge. I have absolutely no idea if Jay-Z is going to join Beyonce on stage or how many times they are going to show the Harbaugh parents on TV or if there are going to be any streakers on the field, so I actually, maybe, have a shot. Last year sports fans bet a record $98.9 million at Nevada casinos on Sunday’s game, and it wasn’t all just on the over/under.
And prop bets have become a thing, about as much as crying and drink throwing has become a thing on The Bachelor and condoms are a thing in Olympic Village. If it’s happening during the game, leading up to it or at the MVP ceremonies, odds are (get it?) you can put money on it. Prop bets, otherwise known as side bets or novelties are truly becoming a big deal.
Some of the biggest and most random prop bets from last year even included which team The President would pick to win (Ravens -290 | 49ers +210) and other frivolous segments like whether or not Beyonce would be showing cleavage when she performed her first song (Yes -275 | No +215).
You could even try your hand at wild inaccurate assumptions at what color Gatorade will be dumped on the head coach of the winning team (Yellow, Clear/Water, Orange, Red, Green, Blue – you name it). Last year, probably the craziest prop bet we saw was whether or not any Baltimore or San Francisco player on the active roster would be arrested during the week leading up to the game (the line was 5/1).
So if you’re not in Vegas or don’t already have a bookie on speed dial, you can set up your bets online, but be warned – last year I thought it was in the bag that the Harbaugh brothers would hug it out at the end of the game – I bet my rent on it, and they did not. They didn’t even cover the over for the handshake! That was a tough month.
Here are a few of the fun prop bets from Bovada’s website:
Who will be seen first on TV after kickoff?
Erin Andrews -140
Pam Oliver Even
Will the announcers say the word “marijuana” during the game?
Yes +350
No -600
Which song will Bruno Mars perform first?
Grenade 11/2
Just The Way You Are 9/1
Locked Out Of Heaven 4/5
Marry You 12/1
The Lazy Song 12/1
Treasure 3/1
Gorilla 10/1
What will Bruno Mars be wearing on his head at the start of his halftime performance?
Fedora -160
Fur Hat +500
Tuque +1000
No hat +200
Will Richard Sherman be interviewed on field after the game by Erin Andrews on the live FOX broadcast?
Yes +200
No -300
Will Michael Crabtree mention Richard Sherman in a tweet anytime from kickoff until final whistle?
Yes +300
No -500
Last year the prop bets hash tag generated 10,000 tweets per second at its peak, so it could be more interesting than the game if Peyton goes off. Let’s call a spade a spade: when it comes to prop bets, we’re all degenerates.
This article first ran on the sport’s section of CBS Man Cave Daily, under The Blonde Side’s column. Click here to see the original article.
Pro football, at least here in Houston, kind of depresses me right now, so I’m moving on to a topic I think deserves some blog time in the college world.
It is college football’s most prestigious award. Each year the Heisman is awarded to: The outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work
According to the Heisman website, their “goal is for the Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those disadvantaged or afflicted.”
Now remember that definition for the debate I’m about to take you on…
The problem–well, just one of them–with the Heisman is that it is overall rooted in subjectivity for voting. It pretty much always has been.
Take the simple definition of the Heisman as proof: “awarded to an individual designated as the outstanding college football player in the United States.” Ask that exact question to ten people and pretty much you’ll get ten different answers, but the kicker here is this – you’ll probably get ten different answers based on ten different thoughts or reasons and value systems. Multiply that by 90 and regional bias and that’s a campaign I’d like to sit out.
You’ll hear people say: I think Johnny Manziel should win it because he’s taken A&M to brand new heights in the SEC and revitalized that program pretty much singlehandedly. I think so-and-so should win because they had the toughest schedule this season. I think so-and-so should win because he ran the ball more on the ground or does so much good in the community and he goes to my church and blah blah blah or so-and-so went undefeated and no one else did.
All of the above may be well and true, but that isn’t what a “prestigious” award should be based on. If you leave the very definition of the award open-ended as it seems, doesn’t it stand to reason the winner and the reasoning behind said winner will too be open-ended? That just doesn’t scream consistent and annual award like it should, at least not one worthy of such discussion.
Mila Kunis IS the Sexiest Woman Alive (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
absolutely nothing to do with sports, I’m well aware, it does prove that if you leave a big vote and honor up to a bunch of random individuals; you’ll end up with the wrong recipient for an award.
Personally, I think Mila Kunis should have pulled an Archie Griffin and been the only back-to-back winner in history, but it wasn’t up to me. Apparently it was up to a bunch of teenie boppers who have yet to discover the actual definition of the word sexy.
Everything about the Heisman and the definition of selecting a winner contradicts itself.
Another example? If it’s designated an individual award, why does a tanking team or one with a less than impressive strength of schedule rule out some of the best and most “outstanding” players in college football? If you’re simply looking for the most outstanding player in college football, by your own definition, then some of these outstanding guys have been left out of the discussions. Again, discrepancy after discrepancy.
Many pundits have stated that one game or one miracle play, no matter how highlight worthy it may be, can’t catapult a player into the Heisman watch on its own, so then how does one bad/lousy/terrible/embarrassing game (Week 13 to be exact) cause widespread panic and call for a reset of the Top 5 Heisman guys who have led the talks all season? If you can’t become a Heisman hopeful in one game, it stands to reason you can’t get knocked out of rankings in one game, right? Everyone’s allowed one subpar game, are they not? Not according to this Heisman race; Manziel, Mariota, and Bryce Petty all dropped pretty much out of the running after bad or average games last week.
Which has led to this: Derek Carr is now in Heisman talks. If that name doesn’t sound familiar or ring a painful bell to the folks in Houston, just know he’s the brother of everyone’s former “favorite” Houston quarterback: David Carr.
And I’ll just leave you with that image. Oh and for those who lost count, the last two Heisman winners came from the great state of Texas. Maybe I’m just reaching here on this whole Heisman theory, but what do you think? I can’t help but think every year it loses a bit of luster and prestige and is turning more and more into a joke than the sexy Miley Cyrus bit.
This article originally ran on CBS Man Cave Daily on The Blonde Side’s sports column. Click here to see the original article.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/mila-kunis-boho-waves.jpg25491928Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2013-12-10 15:44:462014-01-08 15:52:05Is the Heisman a Joke?
If you’ve never had a professional athlete personally invite you to an event to hang with him and some of his teammates, all while helping a great cause, then listen up as Baltimore Ravens strong safety, James Ihedigbo has a message for you regarding his 1 Annual Celebrity Cruise and Casino Charity Night, Monday, December 9th. The charity cruise at Spirit Cruises/Baltimore Inner Harbor, sets sail at 7:00pm and goes until about 10p.
Tickets for the event (in advance) are $75, which includes open bar, a dinner buffet and $500 casino play money with 100% of ticket proceeds going to the HOPE Africa Scholarship fund.
“What we (HOPE Africa) do is designed to give students of African descent the opportunity to pursue higher education and we do that through our funding process where 100% goes to those scholarships. Right now we have 12 students in colleges ranging from NYU, Arizona, Oregon, the list goes on,” Ihedigbo says of his charity, HOPE Africa.
“HOPE Africa comes from both my parents coming from Nigeria and having to work through many years of adversity to achieve their goals of earning their Ph.D.s. HOPE Africa creates a platform in a similar place, the opportunity so these kids don’t have to struggle as hard to make ends meat while going to school. We take the financial burden off of them so they can concentrate on their studies and their dreams,” he says.
The mission of HOPE Africa is to boost future young African leaders to achieve its goal, providing academic scholarships and a broader structure: volunteer opportunities, internships and a network of people to help them create sustainable projects with the aim of establishing a continuing system of resources for future generations, as it says on their website.
This cruise event is the first of its kind for Ihedigbo and his charity, with a desire to do something locally in Baltimore where he plays with the reigning Super Bowl champs, the Baltimore Ravens. “We (HOPE Africa) have this big event we do during the NFL Draft weekend every year in New York, and we wanted to do something big in Baltimore. It’s awesome, we have great sponsors across the board, and a lot of people have already been buying tickets. All the big name Ravens will be in attendance as well, it’s definitely going to be a great and fun night,” he promises.
As for a list of Ravens players confirmed to be on board, there isn’t one yet, but Ihedigbo did throw out names like Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, Vonta Leach and a few others. It seems there will be about 20 Ravens players, past and current, that will be setting sail with fans in support of this great cause.
James Ihedigbo hanging with his students
It’s no secret, playing in the NFL is one of the surest ways to jam-pack your schedule. Aside from practices, games and watching a ton of film in preparation for games, most players are actively involved in their own charitable endeavors, as well as supporting those of their teammates. It’s kind of an unwritten rule in the league, but one that doesn’t go unnoticed by philanthropists like Ihedigbo.
“It means a lot (to have their support) because you understand the effort and time we put into HOPE Africa and the busy schedules we all have. Having them come out and support (the cause) means a lot. It’s one thing for people to give monetary gifts, but the major thing is when people give their time because they have such a limited amount of it. When guys like Ray Rice and Vonta Leach say ‘I’ll be there and wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ that means a lot to me,” the strong safety says.
And it’s not just his teammates support that means so much to Ihedigbo, who has quickly found his home in Baltimore and among their fans. “That’s the thing I’ve grown to love about the Ravens fan base. They love their Ravens players. They support us and our efforts on the field, but they also give us major support on the things we do in the community. The outpouring I’ve seen on Twitter and their commitment to being there (his December 9th event), posting their receipt for buying tickets to the event and all that, fans really know the amount of work we put in off the field and on the field, and want to be a part of it all,” Ihedibgo says.
Although tickets have been selling rapidly, there’s plenty more room on board and Ihedibgo personally extends the invitation to each of you. “The more the merrier. We’re hoping for hundreds to come.”
Ihedigbo, who wears #32 for the Ravens, talks why he chose to wear that number in the NFL, attributing it to his college friend who is no longer in the league. “It’s pretty awesome, I had a good friend of mine, Matt Lawrence, who I played college football with at U Mass, and he was on the Ravens when I was on the Jets. He wore #32, and kind of had a career ending injury with his neck, not where he’s paralyzed, but he can’t play football anymore. When I came to the Ravens, I wore 32 in his honor,” Ihedigbo says of his buddy.
James Ihedigbo invites you to his event December 9th
It’s not often you get to sit down and chat with a guy who’s had the chance to play in back-to-back Super Bowls, losing one with the New England Patriots, followed the very next year with a win with the Ravens.
“I’ve been on both sides of the coin – that’s rare that that happens. The agony of defeat after I lost that Super Bowl…honestly I didn’t want to look at SportsCenter, anything that had to do with football, I didn’t want to be a part of it for a good month and a half. You work so hard and so much goes into making it to a Super Bowl, so much effort, sacrifice, coming together as a team…to lose one is devastating. It’s kind of awesome to know that God had something better for me, leaving and going to another team.
“I was saying to one of my teammates in Week 7, I said ‘Wow we have what it takes to be a championship team.’ I could say that because I’ve seen it before, I know what it looks like. We continued to fight, scratch, fight our way to the playoffs, and then to win a Super Bowl, it’s the complete opposite, it’s the biggest joy you could ever have,” Ihedigbo says. “I actually heard from someone, the two greatest things a man can ever experience are winning a Super Bowl and the birth of their first child, that’s pretty awesome.”
But back to his main focus right now, at least off the field, Ihedibgo’s event. “It’s pretty simple, it’s going to be a great night – you get to cruise the inner harbor with your favorite players on the Ravens while supporting a great cause. What better night to spend the evening with Joe Flacco along with gambling, supporting a great cause, live music, it’s just going to be a great night,” he says.
For tickets, visit HopeAfricaUSA.org. All proceeds from the event go to support the scholarship fund of HOPE Africa USA, a non-profit 501c3 public charity organization founded by Ihedigbo. The cruise boards Monday, December 9th, at 7 p.m. at 561 Light St. Have fun, Charm City.
This series is part of The Blonde Side’s Blue 32 Birthday Series on Man Cave Daily – an attempt to interview as many current and former professional players of all sports, who wore the number 32 on their jersey.
This article also ran on CBS Man Cave Daily, in the sports section. Click here for the original article.
Arian Foster injured and out for season (photo via SI)
I’ve been taking an increasingly undue amount of flack for my recent posts and Sports Uncensored segments, particularly when it comes to the reigning AFC South champs, the Houston Texans.
“Losing to the No. 26-ranked Raiders dropped the Texans another spot in the Power Rankings, for what is again their lowest ranking to date. Houston checks in at No. 29 this week, ahead of only the Falcons, Vikings and this week’s opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars,” via a recent ESPN article.
Let me start with this: I want the Houston Texans to win. I want a fun, entertaining, high-fiving and Bud Light drinking season. I want to use my extended credit limit on hotels in New York in hopes of catching the Super Bowl with the Houston Texans front and center, like we all expected them to be at the beginning of the season.
But that’s not happening. In fact, it’s the absolute furthest thing from happening. Amanda Bynes will probably be sober before the Texans make another appearance in the post-season again. I hate it, but it’s true.
For those of you bashing my negativity, let me also say, I love these guys and their heart. I’m friends with many of them and see the hurt in their eyes and hear it in their voices when they talk about this season, the same season we all thought made us Super Bowl 2014 contenders. I promise you it hurts each and every one of those guys more than it hurts even the biggest of fans.
A recent Houston Chronicle article started with this famous Albert Einstein quote and I’m not sure there’s a more fitting one in existence: “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Hello Kubiak, perhaps Einstein was speaking to you?
In no particular order, here’s what the Texans have endured this season, i.e. parlaying the insanity:
Pro Bowler Owen Daniels out with a fibula fracture in Week 5. Sure Garrett Graham has done a phenomenal job as a replacement, but when one of your most reliable tight ends is no longer an option for your struggling quarterback, no matter who it is, that hurts.
Texans quarterback issues
Speaking of quarterbacks lets only briefly discuss Matt Schaub’s woes this season. Schaub, bless his little NFL heart, set an NFL record, but not the kind he had hoped to set. Schaub set a record for throwing a pick-six in four consecutive games and the mental demons continue to get the best of him. Then he goes out with an injury.
TJ Yates comes in and doesn’t impress fans the way everyone had hoped. Womp. Womp.
Case Keenum, the hometown local favorite, comes in, plays great, gets benched, which confuses every human who watched even a moment of NFL this season.
Head Coach, Gary Kubiak, collapses on the field and suffers a mini-stroke, scaring everyone.
The Texans set a franchise-record of eight straight losses. Again, another record we’d preferred to have avoided.
Arian Foster acts like a hot mess towards heckling fans, replays his nagging injury, which has now led to surgery and the loss of an entire season, not to mention a whole lot of money down the drain.
Another running back, Ben Tate, suffers fractured ribs, still trying to play through the pain, Texans run game takes bigger hits than a Tim Tebow roast.
Three players are released from the team for still-sketchy and unconfirmed reasoning, one of which a high draft pick, which is a waste in and of itself, and a much-needed running back to aid in the newly desolate run game without Foster and Tate teetering on the edge.
The Texans biggest free agent signee, the same guy that got everyone all warm and fuzzy, Ed Reed, gets released for having absolutely zero impact on the Houston Texans, surprising us all. Eleven seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and only nine games with the Houston Texans, where he only played in seven and was paid $6 million for those seven lousy games. The Texans were 2-0 with Reed coddling his hip injury on the sidelines and 0-7 with him on the field, yet he still has the nerve to say the players, the ones who actually played, got outplayed and outcoached. Ugh…ok Mr. Reed – you only took 12 of a possible 69 snaps that game, so you may want to…
Anyways, good luck in New York.
Brian Cushing down with another season ending injury (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
And we can’t forget the awful Cushing injury for the second year in a row. Cushing is a mainstay in a leadership role and on the defensive line, adding to yet another blow this season.
Oh, did we mention fans boo’ing their own teammates, setting $200 jerseys on fire in drunken stupor and hopes for world wide internet fame, and cheering our own players injuries leading to Texans players begging fans to act “smart” and “normal” and “with class.” That wasn’t necessarily a highlight in the Texans Fans Are Classy reel seen throughout the NFL.
Oh, and then there’s laces outRandy Finkle Einhorn Bullock, who can’t kick a field goal when we need it most, having only nailed 14 of his 23 attempts thus far. Accordingly to Grantland, Bullock is nearly twice as bad as the second-worst kicker in the league.
But after all that, you still want me to be positive about this team? How’s this for positivity: we tailgate better than anyone else in the NFL, our cheerleaders are the hottest, and we are destined to have a better season next year, simply based on the numbers game alone? How’s that for positivity?
If the season ended today, we’d end up with at least a top five draft pick, so that’s something to be optimistic about. And the strong class of talent coming out of the draft could be a huge bonus for Houston, but the question is, what position are we most desperate for? And do we have faith in GM Rick Smith to draft position players the way we need them? I think so, but not everyone agrees.
I’m still a Texans fan, but I can’t sit here and lie to you, there isn’t much good going on. I wish there were. I will tell you I love seeing these Texan players in the community giving back each and every week even after a hard loss and I get pumped seeing all the super fans still supporting the team. But when we talk about play on the field, I’m about as optimistic as I can get without lying straight to your faces.
