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.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/DavidQuessenberry_fiokzhvm_abps8bl9.jpg538950Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2014-10-11 21:24:132014-11-18 21:29:31Quessenberry’s Life in the Trenches
Victor Ortiz taking it easy (Photo: Steven Schofield)
With Expendables 3 hitting the theatres August 15th, it looks like it may be time for Victor Ortiz to change his Twitter bio (@VICIOUSortiz) which currently reads: “I’m a champion. I’m a boxer. That’s it. Period.”
Now he’ll have to add “actor.” And a pretty damn good one.
For those who don’t know his telling story, Victor Ortiz is a living, breathing example of the ultimate American dream. The 27-year-old overcame numerous childhood challenges to conquer the world — both inside and outside the ring. Born and raised in Garden City, Kansas, Ortiz found himself on his own at the young age of 12 and by the age of 18 was already assuming responsibility by legally adopting his younger brother.
Having been awarded three boxing titles (WBC Welterweight Champion, WBO NABO Light Welterweight, and USBA Light Welterweight Champion) in his career already, Ortiz is now entering the world of entertainment by storm with his role as Mars in “Expendables 3,” alongside action greats Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes, and Harrison Ford. Stallone recognized Ortiz’s promise early on when the boxer went up against a few key established young actors during auditions.
Jayme Lamm: So tell me about your role in TheExpendables 3?
Victor Ortiz: In the role, my name is Mars, and I go off of being a weaponry specialist and in reality, I don’t know anything about weapons, so yeah, they gave me guns, gun training and whatnot. I’m one of the elite soldiers that’s pretty much willing to do anything for my team.
Thankfully, to memorize my lines, it’s not a hard thing for me. I have a very good memory. I know that might catch people off guard because I’m a boxer, but I’m also finishing my major at the University of Kansas, so my memory isn’t too bad. I think some of the coolest things I got to experience was hanging out with some of the big boys, like Jason Statham, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and just people like that. It was really cool. I think if there was one thing I could probably take and sum it up to you… I don’t know–the whole experience is awesome.
JL: You mentioned a ton of huge names in the movie. Was there one that really helped you out more than others? Did anybody take you under their wing?
VO: That was the good thing about everyone. Everyone was really positive–they’d give me their two cents, how I should act, what would be better, etc. so everybody was very helpful. Especially when I had questions. Being the first film, I guess it was kind of nerve-racking at times, but thankfully they just worked with me to keep me on my feet and say “Just look Vic, you can do this to make this better, you can do this, this, and that.’
JL: Was there anyone on the cast that just stuck out?
VO: Pranksters–there was Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Kellan, Glen, Ronda… we were pretty much the pranksters of the whole thing. So, we had a good time between us all.
JL: Out of all the guys in the movie, if you could fight any of them in their prime, who?
VO: I wouldn’t say “fight,” but boxing… boxing is a sport, fighting is just fighting. As far as boxing goes, who wouldn’t want to box Rocky Balboa?
JL: You think you could take him?
VO: Southpaw against a southpaw, I don’t know.
JL: Do you see any more action films in your future?
VO: Absolutely. Right now I’m working on a movie called Southpaw starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, 50 Cent, which is Curtis, and myself. Quite a few names on that cast, so having a good time there. We’re in Pittsburgh doing that.
JL: For your first two movies, you have a very star studded cast to go along with you.
VO: Yeah, absolutely. I’ve been very blessed, very fortunate. Now, I’m not done with boxing, remember that. I’ll be World Champion once again, once my team of management and promoters settle their disputes, we’re going back in the ring. Titles, upsetting some people, then people will hate me even more.
JL: People hate you?
VO: Oh yeah, in the boxing world, I’m well-hated.
JL: Do you consider that a good thing?
VO: It pushes me more because I like to make people swallow their words. I’m not a bad guy, what you see is what you get with me, but in the boxing world, that doesn’t fly because you have to be the machismo, like yap-yap-yap, but I don’t yap, I just show you what I’m going to do.
JL: Do you get into any of the social media or mean stuff people say on blogs and articles–they just get vicious. Do you read that crap?
VO: I call people like that computer bullies, or computer gangsters. I actually had the privilege to see this guy that was on Twitter, he was yapping at me. I got to see him in New York, and I recognized him. One of the big loudmouths on Twitter. And as I was passing by, I make my way and he was doing this type of thing “effin this, effin that, you wuss,” but the worst of words. I hear him and I spot him. I go to that section and people want to take pictures of me, this and that, and he’s doing this *mouthing off*, but he won’t pick his head up. I finally go “Excuse me, sweetheart…”
JL: Wait a sec, you called him sweetheart?
VO: No, no, no, to this girl next to him. “Excuse me sweetheart, can you move real quick? Just for a second?” I grabbed his ass by his shirt, I brought him forward, said, “I know who the hell you are. You’re the guy from Twitter, right? You have quite the mouth on you.” I made him feel this big, and the guy’s about 6’2 or 6’3. And I was like, “You know, it’s funny. I get you and you’re like ‘No, it wasn’t me.’ I know exactly who the hell you are.”
And I was like “How would you like it if I put my !*(%in” fist down your throat. Would you like that?” When I said that to him, the dude is just $#!+ting bricks like “Oh my God, I’m just a fan and you just upset me time and time again.” I was like, “I don’t give a damn. Doesn’t give you the right to talk to somebody like me like that.” Had him by the shirt close to me, and I just shoved him back. The fans were like “Ooooooh, $#!+.” I was like, “Do me a favor. If you can, contact some lawyers and $#!+, and tell them that I harassed you.’
JL: Damn, you don’t mess around!
VO: I’m a very nice guy.
JL: Until you’re pushed to your limit, right? I’m very similar.
VO: Just don’t mistake my kindness for weakness. Because I will be the devil. Lucifer in flesh.
JL: You’re obviously very confident in your boxing skills. You’ve got titles to stand that up so does the criticism get to you?
VO: You hear it all. “You’re not the greatest. You’re a piece of this; you’re a piece of that. Oh my God, you’re the best pound for pound; you’re this, you’re that.” It’s like, just shut your mouth, let me work.
JL: What if you hear that same criticism with your acting? Are you going to feel differently because you’re still new at it or you just brush it off?
VO: I just brush it off, especially in this new career because I’m dipping my feet, and I’m doing a damn good job at it.
JL: Tell me something about yourself that would shock people?
VO: Well, a hobby of mine is working on older cars. Like 1970s, 65, 68 cars, rebuilding engines, doing bodywork on things. I don’t paint, but my boys. I surf, snowboard, skateboard.
JL: Where’s your favorite place to snowboard?
VO: Breckinridge.
JL: Tell me about your background as a kid. I know it was pretty rough, but I want to hear your story.
VO: I was seven years old. At the time my dad was still around, so I was a little fat kid that played piano, oh, and I was in the choir. Also had vocal coaching, did school solos and whatnot, so I got made fun of a lot, got called every name in the dictionary because of that. From there, I got beat up so much that I came home one day, my dad said “In this family there aren’t going to be any &*$$!%$.”
So they made me go to the boxing gym against my will, and pretty soon I was so good at it, but I hated it. I was seven and came home from school and my mom was gone. She left us. From seven to twelve, my dad was around, but he’d leave for a bit, come back for a little while, leave, and come back. I said to myself “I’m going to be something big one day in boxing.” So I took over. Of course, I watched the Rocky movies a few times.
JL: Which one is your favorite?
VO: I’d say the first one. He’s a street kid with nothing but a dream, and does something huge.
JL: If you were asked to be in a Rocky remake, would you do it?
VO: No. You don’t mess with that. That’s Rocky Balboa at its finest.
JL: I heard you adopted your brother?
VO: When I was turning 18 years old, I filed for custody of my younger brother. Brought him out to California, I became his guardian; he was a pain in the butt. He scared me from having kids! To say the least, I can wait another 10 years without kids, I’ll be fine.
JL: Are you still close?
VO: Yeah, he’s my younger brother! He’s a pain in the butt for the most part. He’s finally coming to his senses; he just recently had a baby. She’s adorable, I haven’t met her, but I’ve seen pictures of her, and I Facetime with her. Beautiful little girl, her name is Sophia. I have two nieces and three nephews.
JL: What’s your focus right now?
VO: As of right now, the focus was boxing. And then they canceled my fight–back to back. I was like “You know what? You guys are just jerking me around so I’m going ahead and do what I need to do.” So in that case, I called my agency along with management and I said, “Give me whatever you guys can,” They got me on a couple movies back to back and that’s where I’m at right now. If I had a fight, I would be in training camp.
JL: Anything else you want to add about the movie or the experience or a message to your fans?
VO: Just enjoy the movie, and I hope you guys have a blast watching.
This article originally ran in the sport’s section of CBS Man Cave Daily. Click here to see the original article.
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.
Texans Cheerleader 2014-15 Swimsuit Calendars unveiled (Photo: Miguel Sada)
Steamy Texans Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar Revealed: This year’s edition has a Puerto Rican flair.
While the actual temperature didn’t quite hit three digits, Sunday night at the Houston Texans Grille was undoubtedly heating up as Houston’s Sweethearts, the Houston Texans Cheerleaders, revealed their 2014-15 Swimsuit Calendar in true Texans style.
This sold-out private event hosted by HTC alum Nicole featured each of the calendar girls, including a special introduction to the six calendar girls who grace the cover along with a performance by the entire 2014 squad.
The eighth annual calendar was shot in Puerto Rico by photographer Paul Ladd – quite a change in scenery from last year’s shoot in nearby Galveston.
The private ticketed event was not quite as chaotic as you might think, but we did have a chance to talk with some of the calendar girls before fans stormed the doors to get their brand new $15 copies autographed — the first ones released in Houston.
Obviously the scenery deviates quite a bit from Galveston to Puerto Rico, but there were other differences, too, according to Puerto Rican native Liz, who had the honor of being Miss July. (Professionally, the Texans cheerleaders are known only by their first name.)
“I felt like last year I was able to see everyone shoot because we were all down at the beach at the same time. This year it was kind of a mystery — like I wonder what beach they are shooting on or what bathing suit they’re in – it was a really cool surprise,” she said.
Cover of 2014-15 Texans Cheer Swimsuit Calendar (Photo: Miguel Sada)
Lesha, who reps the resolution month of January and appears in the calendar for her second year, most admired the exclusivity of the Caribbean island. “Being able to go on Palomino Island — which was a private island and many celebrities have been there — to be able to go and shoot on their beach was an amazing experience,” she said.
The hardest part according to Lesha and Brittan surprisingly wasn’t the swimsuits, but rather coping with the unpredictable weather. “We try a bunch of different angles, but you never know what you’re going to get when you get out there with the wind,” said Brittan, who also appears in the calendar for a second time.
According to Shannon, finding the perfect swimsuit was perhaps the most tedious part of it all.
“They threw out all these bathing suits they had bought and have them all lined up and tell us to go try that, that, and that on. It’s probably the longest process – picking a bathing suit — you think it’s so simple. The goal is to find something that you’re comfortable in and will also do a really good job shooting in,” Shannon said, noting that the girls also had a say in what they wore.
The calendar also spotlights an extremely familiar face, Baytown native Delaney, who has appeared in the calendar three times.
Culture Map: If you could only get your hair or makeup done for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
Lesha: Hair
Shannon: Hair
Brittan: Make-up
Caitlyn: Hair
Culture Map: Favorite swimsuit brand?
Liz: “I’ve been really looking at Beach Bunny –they are so unique and no else will have it.”
Shannon: “To be honest I get a lot of my bathing suits from Target or Victoria’s Secret, but mostly Target because they have such a wide selection and they always come out with new ones – you go in there for groceries and you come out with five bathing suits!”
This article was originally published in the sport’s section of Culture Map (including more photos). Click here to see the original article.
Maximize your baseball experience with our guide to what to do before a Houston Astros game, where to eat at the stadium and things to do nearby after the game.
Welcome to Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park (also known as “The Juice Box”), home of the Houston Astros, is located in downtown Houston, the fourth largest city in the country. The ballpark has had disappointing attendance records for a few years now, and as a result, ticket prices are usually very inexpensive.
The stadium itself has a distinctive boxy, modern look that sets it apart from other ballparks. A large white retractable roof that’s crisscrossed with blue support beams keeps fans cool and dry on hot or rainy days, then retreats back to open everything up when the weather’s nice. Although it’s nothing like the former ballpark, the Astrodome (nicknamed the Eighth Wonder of the World) it’s still an impressive place to catch a game.
City sports fans are pretty familiar with the area around Minute Maid Park—the neighborhood is also home to the Toyota Center (Houston Rockets) and BBVA Compass (Houston Dynamo). But overall it’s not a very exciting pregame setting; the downtown Houston business crowd tends to disappear right at 5 p.m. There’s also quite a bit of construction going on across from the ballpark as METRORail expands to a new station a block away. (Currently, the closest stop is six blocks away, at Preston Station.)
There are a handful of bars within a few blocks of MMP, including the B.U.S., Home Plate, Lucky’s Pub and Little Woodrow’s. But since there isn’t too much around the stadium before the game, many fans opt to save their energy (and money) for the festivities, food and fandom inside the ballpark.
This Astros Baseball Gameday Guide originally appeared on Mapquest. Click here to see the original article including links, special tips, quotes from super fans and much more.
Bonnie-Jill Laflin: First and Only Female NBA Scout
What It Was Like to Be the First (and Only!) Female Scout in the NBA
How Bonnie-Jill Laflin scored her dream job and her advice to any women hoping to do the same.
Being the first at anything can be a bit scary, but a little intimidation couldn’t stop Bonnie-Jill Laflin from going after her dream job as the first ever female scout in the NBA. Though Laflin is now a huge sports personality with her own show, it was her time as an NBA scout for the LA Lakers that taught her the most about her career. Back then, she was assigned to watch out for prospective players and report back to the team’s general manager. It was a position that meant her superiors were relying on her expertise and gut instincts about up-and-coming players—which ultimately would determine if these guys got signed. Yeah, you could say she was a pretty big deal. But as impressive as Laflin was at this job, her journey to the position was even more amazing.
From Shouting to Scouting
When she was young, Laflin knew she wanted to be involved in professional sports, so she dove in wherever she could—and at the beginning, that meant cheering on the sidelines. “It was a way for me to get in these organizations and inside the sports world and capitalize on it,” says Laflin. So she took advantage of her proximity to the action and went on to cheer for the San Francisco 49ers for two years, where she won a Super Bowl ring with them in 1995. Then she moved on to the Cowboys—the mecca of all pro-sports cheerleading organizations—and even landed a spot on the cover of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Calendar.
After racking up recurring roles on Baywatch and Ally McBeal, Laflin’s popularity grew, which gave her the chance to move to LA, where she was hired as a sports broadcaster for CBS. “And among the many stories I got to report on, I was assigned to cover the LA Lakers,” says Laflin. It was an opportunity that gave her even more knowledge of the industry, and one that put her face-to-face with Jerry Buss, Ph.D., former owner of the Lakers.
This article originally ran on Women’s Health Magazine. Click here to see the full article and all the amazing tips Bonnie-Jill has to share.
Houston’s new women’s soccer team grabs celebrity supporters — thanks to a kick start from Alex Morgan
There’s a new team in town and it may surprise you who some of its biggest cheerleaders are — many already with season tickets in hand. For starters, retired Houston Dynamo player Brian Ching leads in his new role as the managing director of the Houston Dash, the newest member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
The NWSL features many of the top players from the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as talent acquired from around the world. The Dash, owned and operated by the Houston Dynamo, will enter the NWSL in the fledgling league’s second season. The Dash are the league’s the ninth club and first expansion team for the 2014 season. Its 24-match schedule kicks off Saturday night at BBVA Compass Stadium and extends through mid-August.
Some may be surprised by the buzz already generated by Houston’s new women’s soccer team, but they shouldn’t be. Not when you have folks like the mayor of Houston and NFL Pro Bowlers among the first to snag season tickets.
“I think a big part of (the buzz) is that the city is getting behind it — the mayor was one of the first people to buy seasons tickets. I think the fact that the Texans have talked a bunch about it on social media has really helped spread the word in Houston as well,” Ching says.
“You know who’s been big on it is (Texans linebacker) Brian Cushing. He’s been huge. His wife (Megan) played soccer in college, I think at USC. Kealia (Ohai), her sister, just finished playing her eligibility at University of North Carolina, at one of the best powerhouses and teams in college.
“She’s definitely going to be an exciting player. She’s on the United States U-23 WNT right now. Brian Cushing’s bought a bunch of season tickets so he’s been huge on helping push the team, and tweeting and re-tweeting stuff.”
Houston, just one of 13 cities with four professional sports teams, relies on its loyal fan base and support of the other local teams. No one knows that more than Ching who played in the MLS for 12 years, ending his career in an emotional testimonial match last December.
“It’s pretty neat to see guys on other teams take an interest in other sports, and get to know the guys and support Houston teams. I never followed football, or the Texans, before I got here and now I find myself rooting for the Texans week in and week out,” Ching says. “I know the Astros aren’t doing too well, but I’ve met a few guys on the team and you’re always hoping they’re heading in the right direction and doing the right things to be successful.
“I think players like Cushing coming to our games helps drive attention to the sport, maybe not so much us going to their games, since they are the big dogs in town, and rightly so, but the fact that they come out and support us, I think that’s pretty cool.”
If you enjoy Dynamo games, you can bet that Ching and the rest of the front office (who now mostly double as Dynamo and Dash staff) are doing everything in their power to duplicate that exact same energy and love throughout the city.
“What we’re trying to do on the women’s side is kind of create what we have on the men’s side — what we have on the men’s side is a good team, community based, and successful on the field. We don’t really have the star power like the Alex Morgans, the Abby Wombachs, or the Hope Solos, but the Dynamo never really had that,” Ching says. “We’ve been a successful team because we’re a good team and everything has been team and community based.
“I think we have a great coach who understands that, and he’s done a great job assembling those types of players through our drafts — not the star players but the good team players, great players and team oriented.” The basic fundamentals of any good team.
Women’s Soccer Reboot
Just a week after his testimonial match honoring his Dynamo career, Ching was right back in the office starting the process of hiring a coach and figuring out the Dash’s game plan. The idea and implementation of the team came quicker than most realize. Dynamo (and now also Dash) president, Chris Canetti spent some time talking with Olympian Alex Morgan, who plays for the Portland Thorns — perhaps the most successful team in the inaugural season of the NWSL.
Ching says it was after a few talks with Morgan that Canetti declared, “We should do this — grow the game of soccer in Houston.”
And so the pieces quickly came together.
“Chris really worked hard and believes in it, to get the thing up and running,” Ching says.
“I always wanted to help out on the men’s side because that’s all I knew, was the men’s side. Then he (Canetti) gave me this role and at first I didn’t know what to expect and the more I thought about it, the more excited I got. It’s a great opportunity, you get to learn the whole business, be involved in forming a brand new team . . . it’s just exciting.”
Bringing women’s soccer of this caliber does plenty for Houston sports, but it extends far beyond that. “Not only does it provide great soccer on the women’s side but (also) good solid women role models in the city,” Ching says.
When it comes to NWSL, not all teams are created (or structured) equal. “Only two teams (Houston and Portland) are supported by MLS teams, those other teams have to find stadiums, rent stadiums, they have to make due with smaller staffs and budgets, etc.,” Ching says noting part of the allure for the Dash is that they have arguably the best practice facilities and best stadium to train and play in.
“You look at soccer fans, they tend to be a little more passionate than a lot of the other sports — there’s just a culture in soccer.”
Here’s hoping Houston shows the Dash all the love they’ve worked so hard for the past few months. And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll catch a glimpse of Brian Cushing, J.J. Watt and Mayor Annise Parker in the stands on Opening Day. The club’s already opened up additional seating at BBVA (for most Dash games, the upper deck won’t be open) due to the high interest in the franchise’s first game.
This article originally ran on the sport’s section of Culture Map. Click here to see the original article and more Houston Dash photos.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Houston-Dash-womens-soccer-team-players-at-stadium-March-2014_105910.jpg450600Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2014-04-11 09:59:212014-11-19 11:36:30Dash Power | Houston’s New Women’s Soccer Team
Houston Texans cheerleader tryouts bring sexy back: More than 1,000 hopefuls aim for 35 spots
Houston Texans Cheerleader Hopefuls at Tryouts (Photo courtesy of Miguel Sada)
Consider this Draft Day for the Houston Texans Cheerleaders. More than 1,000 (1,033 to be exact — the largest to date) hopefuls walked into the Methodist Training Center by way of a red carpet to try out for one of the 35 coveted spots on the cheerleading team.
Complete with glitter, fringe, bling, knee-high boots and Texas-sized spirit, the stakes were high during Round 1 of tryouts.
The dancers had 30 minutes to learn a choreographed dance, which they then showcased in front of Houston media, HTC alum, vets (who were also required to try out again for a spot on the new roster), a few hand-picked super-fans, and head coach Alto Gary herself.
To emphasize the stakes, they were surrounded by life-size blowups of the HTC swimsuit calendar months on the perimeter of the dance floor. Talk about an anxiety-inducing Saturday night!
The soundtrack for the night’s dance moves included a diverse sampling of Gwen Stefani, Maroon 5, Toby Keith, David Guetta, Justin Timberlake, Lucenzo and much more. After performing their newly-learned choreograph dance, each contestant was given 15 seconds of “freestyle” to show the judges her own unique flair. Some excelled, some yelled, and some just fell.
“I’m taking 35 of these girls with me to the Super Bowl,” Gary exclaimed. She has been the first and only coach since HTC was established in 2002, and this year she sees even bigger things for her popular squad.
One Texans staff member was noting how many came decked out and ready to shine. “Some of the girls didn’t put enough glue on their outfits — we’ll be picking up feathers out of the turf for hours,” he joked of the scene. But the intensity was there.
I wish I could say there weren’t any wardrobe malfunctions or twerking in the night’s festivities, but with so many contestants in attendance, you already know the odds were in favor of Cyrus’ dance moves.
The night was entertaining to say the least, and as a fan, I can certainly say I’m not only excited to see what the Houston Texans can produce on the field, but what we’ll be showcasing on the sidelines as well. Follow the remaining rounds of tryouts at HoustonTexans.com starting Tuesday where fans can vote for the 50 Finalists. The final 2014 HTC squad will be announced on Draft Day on May 8.
In the words of JT, these ladies are in fact bringing sexy back to Reliant Stadium…we mean NRG Stadium.
This article originally ran in the sport’s section of Culture Map. Click here to see the original article in its entirety.
What’s it like to sip champagne out of one of the most coveted trophies in sports? Having recently recovered from his jetlag and whirlwind experiences at Sochi, one of the hottest singers/songwriters/producers sat down to give me the story on his recent successes and his simple plan to bring back more good into the world.
Detroit native Mike Posner is one of the most genuine and down-to-earth guys you’ll ever come across. His supremely soft-spoken voice and friendly demeanor immediately make you feel as if you were old pals, talking about your love for music and hockey until you realize you’re speaking to a platinum-selling artist whose Wikipedia page of accomplishments is longer than your eight grade history report.
Posner on Sochi
If you’re wondering what a musical talent like Posner was doing at the Olympic Games, the answer is simple: having the time of his life and not taking a single second for granted. He attributes his fun time at the Olympics to his good friend, Dan Milstein, the manager of Detroit Red Wings forward (and Team Russia’s) Pavel Datsyuk. Since Datsyuk made a cameo in his “Top of the World” video, dubbed a salute to Detroit sports, it’s only fair for Posner to return the favor with a cameo at the Olympics.
Hockey, a sport Posner grew up on, and the Red Wings specifically, it’s easy to imagine the star-struck nature Posner felt regarding his weeklong entourage in Sochi, because a week later, he was still beaming of the experience. “I grew up watching the Red Wings. I got to meet a lot of the guys I watched when I was a kid – a lot of them are Russian. They let me hold the Stanley Cup and drink champagne out of it – it was really cool,” he says.
Although he was there as a guest of Datsyuk, a member of the Men’s Russian Hockey Team, Posner didn’t feel conflicted about the outcome of USA beating Russia early on. “It was actually perfect because in that game, Pasha had two goals, an assist and another goal in the shootout – but Team USA won, so it worked out just fine,” the music sensation says laughing.
“[Milstein’s] from the Ukraine, and speaks the language so we ate a lot of authentic Russian food, like khachapuri. It’s kinda like pita bread with cheese inside – I normally don’t eat dairy but when I was there I wanted to eat the food the people eat there. It was so good – very addictive,” Posner recalls.
“I don’t think I had the Olympics on my bucket list before but it’s one of those things where it seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Definitely the highlight was getting to hold the Stanley Cup – I’ve been with it before, but never got to hold it over my head or drink champagne out of it with one of my heroes. I don’t think I ever dreamed wild enough to have that on my bucket list,” Posner says of his bubbly experience with two of his hockey heroes Sergei Fedorov and Slava Fetisov.
While he’ll probably only ever be a spectator at the Olympics, if Posner were to go as a member of any winter or summer team, it’d probably be distance running, the former high school track and cross-country star says. “I have good endurance. I’ve never run a marathon, but I think I could if I wanted to.”
Posner with former Red Wing Salvafetisov
Starting his music career early
If music were a sport, you could say Posner’s been training pretty much since day one, just like Olympians.
“I started rapping when I was eight or nine, and when I was 13 I started making beats. I started making money off my music when I was like 20 or so,” he laughs. “My first hit came when I was 21. I was a student at Duke University, and I recorded my first hit in my dorm room, a song called Cooler Than Me. I kinda put it out on the Internet for free, and eventually it snowballed and became a big song – that was my first break I suppose,” the 2010 Blue Devil grad says.
We’re living in a day and age where the Internet came make a star overnight. Justin Bieber was a huge testament to that, as is Posner himself. “Music is more democratized than ever,” he says. “The barriers to entry are lower than ever before, so there’s a lot of music out there – there’s more music than ever before, so the key is to just be yourself.”
And a comparison to the Biebs and how they got started in the industry is one he welcomes. Posner helped write and produce the song “Boyfriend” off Bieber’s third album and Bieber is featured on Posner’s upcoming album, Pages.
“I think Justin was always himself. He’s an artist I’ve had the opportunity to work with – as long as you’re not trying to be someone else and you’re doing something new and doing it well,” Posner explains. “I think it’s a special time (in the music industry), in my case and his case, these things can spread organically without the help of a major label. There are not as many gatekeepers as there were before.”
Going viral?
“I just tried to make my music as good as I could, and told my friends to tell their friends and it was that simple,” the star recalls. “Within a couple of months, Jay-Z called me for a meeting and offered me a record deal – before that I never had a big artist help me out, it was always just the music itself. Because when you make something good, someone wants to tell their friend about it and that’s literally how movements start.”
But don’t let that fool you that he didn’t work hard at it. He still had to make the good music that people wanted to share and that’s the exact mindset he took into his sophomore album, Pages.
How does going platinum compare to winning an Olympic medal?
Poser with Evgeni Malkin
It’s tough to say (having never won an Olympic medal himself), but Posner guesses the experience on stage is familiar to competing in the Games. “I’m not quite sure if it’s the same – maybe, I don’t know. I guess it is, you can only do it (either) a couple times in your life, so yeah.”
Top of the World
Posner’s latest single, “Top of the World”, ft. Big Sean, is a pretty fitting theme song to making it to the Olympics and to where Posner is now in his career. The motivation behind the new hit Posner attributes to being grateful, but not content, in all he does.
“I’m very appreciative for the blessings I have – I get to make music with my heroes, do what I love and get paid for it but at the same time have the audacity to dream for more and expect more, that’s where I feel like I am in my life. I know Big Sean – a dear friend of mine since I was 18 in Detroit making music in my mom’s basement with him – I know he feels the same about his life. It was fitting, we got to do a music video back in Detroit, and touch all the spots in our city that mean a lot to us, including Comerica Park, the Palace where the Pistons play, and have a bunch of the athletes in the video with us,” he says. “Top of the World” is the first single in his new album, Pages, due out this spring.
Posner is beyond excited for people to hear his music on the new album, but there’s something else that excites him even more. “We’re doing something special with it. I was really blessed to collaborate with the Food Bank in New York City, so for every copy we sell, we serve a meal to a child in need – one for one. I can’t tell you how excited I am about that,” he says.
“We’re the first ones to do something like this, but my hope is that we are not the last. My hope is that other artists adopt this model and a lot of good is done,” he says.
The RCA artist’s latest single is a vow to never forget his humble beginnings while continuing to establish himself as a powerhouse in the music industry, as a true and genuine musical talent.
After seeing the backing he got from friends and strangers alike on the Internet and recalling his experiences at Sochi, I asked if his viral music and novel concept to the start of his career amazed him, which he answered with a genuine feel good laugh. “My whole life amazes me, all the time. It’s totally ridiculous, my life, that I get to do what I do – I feel very grateful.”
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/mikep2mikeevgenimalkin.jpg428642Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2014-03-11 00:07:132014-11-19 11:47:30Mike Posner: Top of the World (and Sochi)
Find out why U.S. Olympic boxer Marlen Esparza says it’s one of the best decisions she ever made.
It sounds like a nightmare you can’t wake up from: showing up to work completely naked, as a stranger takes photos of you for millions to see. For U.S. Olympic boxer Marlen Esparza, the experience was 100% real.
Last summer, Esparza was asked to pose in the 5th annual edition of ESPN Magazine’s Body Issue (you know… the naked one), but she didn’t immediately jump at the chance. In fact, she was totally freaked out by it. “My first response was ‘no’ and nothing could change my mind,” she says. “I didn’t feel comfortable with being nude in a photo shoot!” Because here’s a hard, uncomfortable truth: Esparza is an amazingly accomplished athlete who kicks ass, wins championships, and spends hours in the gym like it’s, well, her job. But even Olympic athletes can feel anxiety about body image and being judged for not looking “perfect.”
As the first American woman to represent the United States in the 2012 Olympic debut of women’s boxing (where she took home the bronze), confidence came easy to Esparza in the ring. But naked confidence was a different story. “I’m not the type of person to focus a lot on my body,” says Esparza. “I work out for a living so I am fit, but I was very self-conscious about the idea of being nude in front of a camera for pictures the world would see,” she says. She elaborates on her insecurities: “I really like my back, but it doesn’t match up with the rest of my body. I feel like, because of my sport, I am a bit disproportioned. I was more worried about looking odd,” she jokes.
This article originally ran on Women’s Health. Click here to see the full article with more photos and tips from the Olympian.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/marlen-esparza.jpg479600Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2014-02-07 00:25:162014-11-19 11:49:13Posing Nude in a Boxing Ring
