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MONDAY
July 8, 1996
No one is
immune from
jersey-v/earing
etiquette
I ’ve no
ticed a
disturb
ing trend at
sports are
nas, college
campuses
and just on
run-of-the-
mill city
streets re
cently: Peo
ple with no
concept of
sports are
wearing
sports jerseys as wardrobe
enhancements.
Jersey-wearing, contrary to
what you may think, is not a
fashion statement.
Instead, it is a powerful
commitment the fan makes —
not only to the team and the
layer whose jersey adorns
is body, but also to all other
sports fans in the world.
There are certain codes we
sports fans live by and we
don’t take too kindly to the
general public impeding on
our turf and trying to make
jersey-wearing something
trendy for everyday life.
Let me lay down the rules
for you:
1) Know the player and the
team. If you have on a Seattle
Sonics Shawn Kemp jersey,
most sports fans will make be
tween five and seven assump
tions about you — unfair as
they may be.
The sports fan, upon seeing
your jersey, will automatically
assume you know Kemp’s life
time stats, have an opinion
about why Kemp was left off
"I realize it's damn hot
outside, but an extra
shirt worn underneath
the jersey will win you
new friends and con
vince people you are
fairly normal."
Dream Team Ill’s roster,
know exactly which dunk they
are talking about when they
spout off about the “Reign
Man” and can recite lyrics
from any Seattle-based
grunge band on the spot.
If you venture into a sport
ing arena, the array of expect
ed knowledge increases expo
nentially into areas including
high school prom date and fa
vorite cartoon character.
2) For God’s sake, wear an
other shirt underneath it.
I am perfectly willing to
accept a lot of excess hair on
the bodies of Hakeem Olaju-
won, Clyde Drexler, etc.,
when I go watch the Houston
Rockets play.
My seats are usually be
tween 40 to 60 miles away from
the action on the court, and only
through the power of binoculars
do I ever happen upon those un
pleasant armpit areas.
You, oh unshaven one, are
not a professional athlete.
I did not pay money to
stand in line behind you at
McDonald’s or watch you fling
your arms skyward while en
joying the thrills of the Texas
Cyclone at Astroworld.
I realize it’s damn hot out
side, but an extra shirt worn
underneath the jersey will
win you new friends and con
vince people you are fairly
normal. It is a necessary evil
in the jersey-wearing game.
3) Prepare yourself for the
athleticism of sports fans.
Being an old defensive
end myself, when I see
someone with a Troy Aik-
man, Steve Young or Dan
Marino jersey on, I get into
a three-point stance and go
looking for blood.
If you’re going to be wear
ing that Cowboys All-Pro jer
sey, you better have a foot
ball mentality and go scram
bling for your life when I
charge you in front of the
Chemistry Building.
See Georgandis, Page 4
NICK
GEORGANP1S
GUEST
COLUMNIST
Page 3
Southwest Shootout
Seventy-two teams demonstrated their basketball
talents at the 1996 Whataburger Basketball Classic
By Colby Gaines
The Battalion
I f you are looking to beat the summer
heat and basketball suits your taste,
then you should check out the competi
tion when the 1996 Whataburger South
west Shootout reconvenes this weekend.
Approximately 72 girls basketball
teams congregated over the holiday week
end in one of the largest and most excit
ing tournaments of its kind in Texas.
Beginning last Thursday and running
through Sunday, 13- to 15-year-old girls
from across the state competed for gold, sil
ver and bronze medals at Bryan and A&M
Stew Milne, The Battalion
April Owen (#34) of the Houston Hornets attempts to block a shot by Kristen Cook of
the Texas Express. The Express went on to beat the Hornets 50-35.
Consolidated High Schools.
The teams are comprised of athletes
from summer basketball leagues and
come from cities as far away as Amaril
lo to compete against some of Texas’
best basketball talent.
Anne Luce, whose daughter plays on
the Texas Express team, said the tourna
ment’s talent level is great — especially
since 500 girls try out for the Express’ 12-
woman roster each year.
“This team placed 9th in the nation
last year out of 62 teams [at nationals],”
Luce said. “We’ve already qualified for
nationals this year in Nashville.”
Luce said the tournament is a great
opportunity for the participants.
“It is a very positive experience,”
Luce said. “It gives the girls a lot of self-
confidence. They get a chance to work
together, get exposure [to recruiters]
and build relationships.
“Most of the girls are really good stu
dents, and the coaches stress school first.”
Tournament director Gordon Loucks
said last year’s event in Waco brought in
more than $1 million to the local econo
my, and the tournament continues to
grow each year.
“This tournament began nearly five
years ago with eight teams,” Loucks said.
“Now it has 160 teams. Meanwhile, it
brings in nearly 1,000 people who stay a
few nights. Needless to say, this tourna
ment has been very successful and is con
tinuing to grow.”
Gordon said the tournament was
moved to Bryan-College Station be
cause the community provided many
volunteers and more college exposure
than Waco.
“This tournament was easy to coordi
nate because this town has a lot of com
munity awareness,” Gordon said. “Basi
cally, the people here come together re
ally well.”
“Having the tournament here has been
neat because the girls have been able to
tour the [A&M] campus, as well as meet
college kids,” Luce said.
Eager spectators last weekend caught
a glimpse of the talented players invading
the area this month. This week, 88 teams
will compete in the 16- to 18-year-old di
vision beginning Thursday and continu
ing through Sunday.
More than 100 college recruiters are
expected to be on hand through the cham
pionship round Sunday.
“This tournament is host to some of
the best talent in Texas,” Gordon said.
“[This] weekend, recruiters will
come from Arkansas, Louisiana and
Oklahoma to see these girls compete
because they are the future of female
collegiate basketball.
“If people come out, they can expect
the best.”
Reading, Writing and Olympics
"It's great to be out here because the kids really look up to you
since you / re an athlete." - Lydia Herrera, former A&M shot-putter
By Ray Hernandez
The Battalion
J ust 11 days before the opening
ceremonies at the Olympic
Games in Atlanta, the College
Station community hosted its
own version of the event Friday — “The
Summer Olympics at Rock Prairie.”
The games, located at Rock Prairie Elementary
School in College Station, brought together Rock
Prairie Elementary schoolchildren and student ath
letes from Texas A&M to demonstrate events at the
Summer Games.
The day included exhibits of many Olympic events such
as basketball, track and field, weightlifting and softball.
Lydia Herrera, a former shot-putter and graduate of
A&M, loved the event because it gave her an opportunity
to talk to kids about her sport.
“These events are really fun and cool because you get
to talk to kids about the shot put,” Herrera said. “It’s an
event that no one really knows about.”
Herrera said she enjoyed representing the athletic
community.
“It’s great to be out here because the kids really look
up to you since you’re an athlete,” Herrera said. "I think
we as athletes have the responsibility to use our status
in a positive way with kids.”
Michael Green, a first grader at Rock Prairie, thor
oughly enjoyed the day and the many activities that
were available.
“The whole day was good,” Green said. “The ath
letes are cool.”
Dawn Boothe, an assistant professor of veterinary medi
cine, enjoyed taking her son and daughter to the festivities.
“It’s great seeing the kids interact with parents,
teachers and athletes,” Boothe said.
“The day is wonderful,” she said. “The end of the
(school) year is near and the kids get to be outside for
awhile and learn about the Olympics at the same time.”
The event used an Olympic-based curriculum the
schoolchildren have been working on for the past cou
ple months.
The children have been studying subjects such as the
history of the Olympic Games, the symbolism of the
Olympic icons and the geography of countries participat
ing in the Atlanta Games.
Ann Ganter, the organizer of the event and a first-
grade teacher at Rock Prairie, said the school’s students
have covered a lot of ground in their studies.
“The students have been studying everything about
the Olympics,” Ganter said. “They know everything
about the Games ranging from its history and the admis
sion of women as participants to its foundation.
“They also know everything about all the various
icons such as the torch, the rings and the development of
this year’s mascot.”
Starlet Licona, academic coordinator at Rock
Prairie Elementary, was happy with the results of
the event.
“I am extremely pleased with the turnout,” Licona
said. “The kids have meshed well with the athletes.”
Licona praised the involvement of A&M and Associate
Athletic Director John Thorton in the event.
“Without Thornton and Texas. A&M (athletics), this
event could never have happened,” Licona said.
Thornton said he enjoyed the opportunity to give back
to the community.
“The event is a great chance to do something positive for
the community,” Thornton said. “It affects the athletes and
the students, and they both get something out of it.”
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