Sports From Champ to Chump, and a New Fan Favorite Arrive in The Minaret | February 20, 2009
Terrible Towel-less Athletes get angry about a number of different things. Bad calls, bad games, poor performances…but the fact that a convenience store ran out of paper towels in the restroom was enough to set off Pittsburgh Steeler kicker Jeff Reed. Reed decided to take his anger out on the empty towel
dispenser, and had some choice words for an innocent employee working the graveyard shift. How typical is it to find that a public bathroom has run out of paper towels? And what can be expected close to 3 a.m.? The anger escalated into disorderly conduct and criminal mischief charges against the champion. The charges against Reed can carry a maximum fine of $300 and 90 days in the slammer, quite the price to pay for an uncalled for overreaction.
based on tradition. “I picked my number [20] because it was my high school coach’s number when she was in high school,” said women’s basketball player Angela Guiu. “She passed away of breast cancer during one of our seasons, so I wear it in memory of her.” An athlete’s number distinguishes them from the rest of their team, and it can very well affect their performance during the game. “Brittney and I have been number six and nine since we were young, so those numbers are really important to us,” said athlete Courtney Evans, describing her and her twin sister Brittney Evan’s soccer numbers. “We’re just so comfortable with six and nine that I’m not really sure how we would play if we were any other numbers,” Evans added. The number an athlete wears on their jersey tells a story of their life and usually something
significant that has happened in it. Since an athlete is associated by the number they wear, they like to choose one that is meaningful to them. A lot of older athletes’ current numbers are based off the numbers they wore when they first started playing sports. “In little league the jersey numbers ran from one to 20, with one being the smallest. I was one of the smaller kids, so I chose number five,” said baseball player John Carrick. “Then I hit a growth spurt so I decided to double that number to 10. Then as a seventh grader I made the eighth grade baseball team; I thought I was a big timer after that so I figured I should double my number again, so I picked 20. I started playing really bad then ended up breaking my wrist, so I went back to number 10, and have been that ever sense,” Carrick explained. Shelby Kuni can be reached at skuni@ut.edu.
By Olivia Glynn Sports Blogger
Reed faces fines and jail time. Photo by Joe Rimkus Jr./MCT
Rays Fan Fest Returns By Brenton Burkett Sports Blogger
Baseball is life to many of its die-hard fans. For them, life is back. Over 30,000 Tampa Bay Rays fans jammed Tropicana Field and its parking lots on Valentine’s Day to get a glimpse of the defending American League champions at Rays Fan Fest 2009.
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Fan Fest’s success paralleled that of the 2008 Rays. Attractions and exhibits were sprayed all across the field and enjoyed by every type of fan. Fans could tour the Rays’ clubhouse, get player autographs, talk to the broadcast teams, have players call their unsuspecting friends and even win prizes such as autographed baseballs. Kids had it made – they could run the bases, pet the live rays in the Ray Tank and participate in the Wiffleball Home Run Derby.
Athletes Count on Numbers for Personal Reflection By Shelby Kuni Sports Columnist
We are all identified by numbers: phone numbers, street addresses, tax I.D. numbers. At colleges and universities you’re usually only known by your social security or school I.D. number. Most of the time you’re given these numbers, and they mean nothing to you. But when you’re an athlete, picking the number that’s going to be on the back of your jersey could be one of the most important and arduous decisions of your life. There are many factors that go into choosing your number. You could choose your lucky number, a number for religious or superstitious reasons, a completely random number, or even a number From “Ball” From Back Page 2-2. UT added another run in the following inning with a solo home run off the bat of Nick Nordgren. A.J. Pinera relieved Tampa starter and followed suit, throwing four scoreless innings. Pinera gave up just two hits as he held off any Tiger attempt at topping UT. Tampa added more insurance in the eighth and ninth innings. In the ninth Barroso, Schwartz, and Steven Broschofsky smoked back-toback-to-back homeruns to rub salt in the wounds. Similar to the previous three games, Tampa started in an early hole. The Southern Arkansas Mule Riders tacked two runs on the scoreboard before UT batters even had a chance to step to the plate. The Spartans did win one category against SAU in the matchup. To their displeasure,
however, they only found themselves come out on top of the hit column rather than the runs column. A homerun from Jose Jimenez and a RBI single by Schwartz scoring catcher Garrett Maines tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth. A four-run Mule Rider sixth sealed the win for SAU. With the bases loaded Tampa pitching walked in a run. Following the walk, Tampa’s left fielder coughed up a fly ball. Not that SAU needed it, but Dane Lucas added another insurance run with a solo home run over the right field wall. Tampa will need to respond, as they went into the weekend with an undefeated record and No. 1 national ranking. UT travel to Eckerd College for a Friday night matchup. Kyle Bennett can be reached at kbennett@ut.edu.
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Guiu honors her late coach by wearing No. 20.
Photo by Andy Meng