Archive for category Sports
Patton Oswalt in Big Fan (2009)
Posted by Walker Richmond in Sports on September 5, 2010
The movie explores fandom. The central character, Paul Aufiero (played by Patton Oswalt), is a 35-year old who grudgingly lives with his mom and whose sole reward in life is following the New York Giants. He is a good-hearted person who tries to get along with his family, works hard (as a parking lot attendant), nurtures his one friendship, and -- in one of the more interesting subplots -- is really polite.
Aufiero repeatedly calls a local sports show (under the tag "Staten Island Paul") and comes out of his shell (a little bit) in his pre-written odes to the Giants. He and his bud Sal go to all the home games, even though they're relegated to watching from a television in the parking lot.
The movie was written and directed by Robert Siegel, and I am an immediate fan of both Siegel and Oswalt (I didn't previously know of either, though I remember this movie getting talked up last summer on the Culture Gabfest and elsewhere).
On a personal level, the movie made me think about my own fandom. On a social level, it made me think about the phenomenon of human tribalism and how sports teams might actually be a really good outlet for people's tribal energies, which can otherwise be funnelled towards more violent channels.
467. Did Oswalt get any nominations for acting awards for Big Fan? Not only was his character extremely well-written, but his acting job was tops.
468. The film uses real NFL player references. Did they have to get special permission to do so? It kind of surprised me that real players were referenced, given the dark tone of the movie.
469. I went to UVa's season opener last night with Chap and his friend Chris. We beat Richmond, 34-13, to inaugurate the Mike London era. The game was close until the fourth quarter, and it was a gorgeous Charlottesville evening. How many wins for the new Hoos? I predict 6-6, which I think would bode well for building the team into the future.
Charlottesville–Right Now: Angie Kavounus from ACAC Talks Heatlh
Posted by seantubbs@gmail.com (Sean Tubbs) in Sports on September 2, 2010
Angie Kavounus from ACAC Fitness and Wellness joins Coy in studio to discuss a variety of health tips, including how to avoid a stiff neck from sleeping.
UVA Picked to be 11th Runner Up in ACC Football
The 2010 preseason polls are out, and it’s almost unanimous. The UVA Football team is picked as the 11th runner-up in the ACC.
“I’m new to the league, so I’m not exactly sure how many teams there are,” said first year head coach Mike London. “But 11th, that sounds pretty good. Right?”
Cavalier fans have big hopes after last year’s squad was only 6 wins away from a perfect conference record. And even a less-than-perfect season can be salvaged with a win in a big rivalry game.
“It’s going to be an intense battle against our cross-state rival VMI,” said London at a recent press conference.
He later added “Wait… Virginia Tech is our cross-state rival? Uh-oh. I hear they’re pretty good.”
Filed under: Sports, UVA
City Lax to Host Skills Clinic in Charlottesville
Posted by Tom McCrystal in Sports on September 1, 2010
CHS lacrosse coach Drew Craft, with special guest instructors, will be holding a Fall Skills Clinic on October 3rd, 10th, and 17th (Sundays) for boys and girls in grades 1-6. The focus of the clinic will be teaching stick skills and other fundamentals. The cost of the clinic is $25 and participants will receive a t-shirt.
No previous experience required – players will be grouped according to age/skill level. Each participant will need a stick and a water bottle. Sticks are available for those who do not have one.
A registration form for the clinic is available here. For more information, contact Coach Craft at andrew.craft@ccs.k12.va.us or 434.245.2412.
All proceeds of the clinic will benefit lacrosse at Walker, Buford, and Charlottesville High School.
Beach volleyball: UVA installs two new courts near Lawn
The two new courts on August 30, a few days after the sand was poured.PHOTO BY HAWES SPENCER
Been by UVA’s Snyder Tennis Center lately? There are two new courts in the making, but they aren’t tennis courts. They’re volleyball courts, of the sand variety. And the coach of the women’s volleyball team thinks they’ll propel his program to new heights— even when his ladies aren’t leaping for a spike.
“We’re big proponents of sand volleyball because of all the positive effects it will have on indoor athletes,” says Head Coach Lee Maes. “It gives the varsity team a chance to cross-train.”
But there’s another reason for the courts, located along busy University Avenue: visibility. UVA’s been fielding a team in the Olympic sport of indoor volleyball since 1979, but Coach Maes says that not everybody seems to know that.
So last spring, this coach, who was hired in 2008, received a marketing report from some students in UVA’s undergraduate business school. A hitherto underutilized corner of Nameless Field was chosen, and after some “generous donations” including $40,000 just for the sand (a blend called “the Fort Myers mix”), the courts should be ready for play by this weekend, says Coach Maes. He says that lighting, audio, a scoreboard, and even an outdoor shower will be installed during the coming weeks.
“We want the community— the students and faculty— to use it,” says Coach Maes. “If you build it, they will come.” Meanwhile, his team, which suffered a losing season last year, has started the fall season with a bang by winning all three of its season-opening games— with three more slated for this weekend in Charlottesville. All home games are played in nearby Memorial Gym on Emmet Street, the historic mid-20th century headquarters of the men’s basketball team.
Left unsaid (and unasked) is what the UVA players will wear while frolicking in the sand within sight of cars and pedestrians. ESPN reports that the lithe figures and bikinis worn by female beach volleyball players have made the sport one of Olympic television’s most popular spectacles. The UVA coach seems more interested in filling up Mem Gym, which has a capacity just under 1,000.
“Our goal,” says Coach Maes, “is to sell out every volleyball match, and that starts with awareness.”
–12:04pm update: story clarified to show that UVA fields an indoor volleyball team
Outside The Box with Mike & Leon: 8-30-10
Posted by seantubbs@gmail.com (Sean Tubbs) in Sports on August 30, 2010
Chris Johnson and Sports Illustrated on the Demise of Star Running Backs
Posted by Walker Richmond in Sports on August 29, 2010
Last year I had the third overall pick in Dewey and chose LaDanian Tomlinson (it's a keeper league so some of the top picks were unavailable), passing up Johnson and DeAngelo Williams, among others (my post is here). That choice pretty much derailed my entire season, and I am hoping that I do not similarly screw up this year with the #6 pick. I'm looking at Calvin Johnson and Shonn Greene (is Greene a keeper?) as possibilities, though if Frank Gore and/or Steven Jackson is available, I'll have to consider them.
There's a good article in last week's Sports Illustrated about the phenomenon of running backs with increasingly short careers. The star running backs really do have a short window -- it seems like 4 or 5 years is now the most you can expect for an RB to be at the top of the game. The article makes the point that teams view running backs as expendable/replaceable, as reflected by the position having one of the lowest average salaries of all positions.
This is a pretty amazing change. In the 1980's, Walter Payton was the second biggest star (behind Montana), and in the 1990's Emmitt Smith was tops (above every quarterback, in my opinion), but now the super running backs cannot have anywhere near Payton's or Smith's longevity to become the league's most acclaimed players.
One of the reasons for this phenomenon, I'd guess, is that defensive players are bigger and stronger -- and hit the running backs harder -- than they used to. The SI article does not really examine this, though it does say that RB's are more prone to injury.
In terms of the Redskins RB situation, it's uncertain that we'll have a true primary back this year; it sounds like Portis will continue to get the most carries (if he stays healthy), but Larry Johnson is getting a bunch of reps in the preseason games. My prediction is that no Skins RB will get more than 750 yards for the year.
CNN Features U.Va. Athletic Trainer
CNN’s “Health Minute” did a piece today on athletic trainers, and it featured Kelli Pugh, U.Va.’s associate athletic trainer for football.
Coach London Now Tweeting
Cavalier football coach Mike London has now entered the tweet-o-sphere.