Some have said that if you hang around the Parliament enough you will feel the cheer get into your bones. You can not help it. It is not your fault. It is just that contagious. It started as a breakout of infectious clapping. It then turned into an epidemic of bench fanatics feasting on the folly off their foes while fearlessly and fantastically cheering on their fellows (parliament alliteration is the bomb). Others fear it will become a pandemic and leave the world in a cheering frenzy.
There are those on the team who have caught the fever. Mike Eric and Scootie Randall have caught the virus and can not help but cheer. Mike adds a certain hair diversity that we were lacking. I, number 31, rock the faux hawk. Many fans have taken notice of my hair style and when Nick and I got into the game versus Toledo, a faux hawk chant broke out. Jimmy maintains his "Ellen Degeneres" look, much to the dismay of other Parliament members. Mike adds a certain kind of old school look to the Parliament. It is reminiscent of a shorter "kid n play" cut but certainly less dramatic (quick side note, Coach Trice had the same hair cut when he played at Penn, awesome).
Even our film coordinator, Raheem Mapp, fell prey to the fever. When we played Texas the ref pulled Dunphy aside and walked down the bench to Mapp and told him that he had to be quiet. He enjoyed his 10 seconds of being the main focus of the ESPN cameras. That was most certainly the crowning moment of the Parliament this week in Texas.
The Parliament has also caught the spirit of the holidays. Jimmy's favorite movie of all time is "Elf" starring Will Ferrel. This week on the USA Network they are showing the movie uncut. Although Jimmy usually stays away from movies rated higher than PG, he has some exceptions seeing as though he has watched it 5 times already. Jimmy has adopted the way of the elves and fabricated it for Parliament use, "The best way to spread Parliament cheer is clapping loud for all to hear."
The Parliament wishes Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Go Owls!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Bench Hunting
A good seat on the bench can prove to be allusive. The Parliament has its usual spot at the end of the bench but sometimes the Parliament gets separated. It is not unusual to find ourselves out of place sitting at the front end of the bench after a time out. We have learned that in order to establish our rightful places on the bench we must employ stealthily techniques to assure that our feelings of security amongst other Parliament members remains intact. Thus, we now have the ability to sniff out a good seat from a mile away. We pounce, preying upon the perfect seat to assure wonderful posture.
This technique transfers to our lives off the court. Best seats at a movie theatre? Done. Do we always get shotgun in the car? Of course. If you need a perfect seat for any occasion, consider it done. The Parliament can find the most, in the words of Jimmy, "Super dupper comfy seat with rainbow sprinkles and chocolate swirls" in any venue anywhere.
If you are an experienced bench hunter than you undoubtably know that intelligence must be collected prior to every game. The Parliament gathers such intel at shoot around before our road games. We study the bench from a distance. We learn it's tendencies, flaws, and strengths. Even what factory that were made in. Patent leather? Hand stitched? Buoyancy? These are all things we consider before the actual hunting takes place.
Then, when the bench least expects it, we go in for the kill. When we are up by about 20 points with 3 minutes left, the Parliament likes to creep up the bench after a timeout. Eventually, we will be right up there in clear view of the coaches. Then it is the Parliaments time to shine! With visibility maximized we then check in after successfully completing our bench hunting.
This technique transfers to our lives off the court. Best seats at a movie theatre? Done. Do we always get shotgun in the car? Of course. If you need a perfect seat for any occasion, consider it done. The Parliament can find the most, in the words of Jimmy, "Super dupper comfy seat with rainbow sprinkles and chocolate swirls" in any venue anywhere.
If you are an experienced bench hunter than you undoubtably know that intelligence must be collected prior to every game. The Parliament gathers such intel at shoot around before our road games. We study the bench from a distance. We learn it's tendencies, flaws, and strengths. Even what factory that were made in. Patent leather? Hand stitched? Buoyancy? These are all things we consider before the actual hunting takes place.
Then, when the bench least expects it, we go in for the kill. When we are up by about 20 points with 3 minutes left, the Parliament likes to creep up the bench after a timeout. Eventually, we will be right up there in clear view of the coaches. Then it is the Parliaments time to shine! With visibility maximized we then check in after successfully completing our bench hunting.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Parliament Statistics
Faithful followers of the Parliament Blog are familiar with the odd statistics that we choose to keep track of at the end of the bench. Four games into the season there has been only one "touch." That touch belongs to Jimmy. It happened in Puerto Rico versus Purdue which, does count a little more since it was against Robbie Hummel. The Parliament permeates the Temple Basketabll culture in a way that I did not expect. Once Jimmy had the ball in his hand everyone on the bench said, "Jimmy! That's a touch!" At that very moment I felt like a proud father.
But now, we have a new stat to keep track of, "Wave Downs." When we watch film of our games, the Parliament directs its attention to the bench to see how much we celebrated after a Juan Fernandez three or a Rahlir Jefferson dunk. We then meet after film to talk about how we can change our celebrations to attract those ESPN cameras even more toward the outstanding set of gentleman at the end of the bench. However, as most great super human cheering groups that have the strength of the Avengers, the inevitable nemesis or antoganist must be present to balance the natural order of things. The "wave down" is administered by those who seek to oppress the Parliaments cheering ways, the referees. Every once in a while the Parliament is signaled by the refs to sit down and stop there cheering ways. Thus, the Parliament knows it is doing its job when the refs order us to sit down and stop the rowdiness. But do we stop cheering? No! Will we continue to stand and cheer for our teammates with amazing swag? Yes!
So as it stands now, Número 31 has the most wave downs this season with 3. Jimmy is close with 2. As always, we will keep you updated as the season goes on.
But now, we have a new stat to keep track of, "Wave Downs." When we watch film of our games, the Parliament directs its attention to the bench to see how much we celebrated after a Juan Fernandez three or a Rahlir Jefferson dunk. We then meet after film to talk about how we can change our celebrations to attract those ESPN cameras even more toward the outstanding set of gentleman at the end of the bench. However, as most great super human cheering groups that have the strength of the Avengers, the inevitable nemesis or antoganist must be present to balance the natural order of things. The "wave down" is administered by those who seek to oppress the Parliaments cheering ways, the referees. Every once in a while the Parliament is signaled by the refs to sit down and stop there cheering ways. Thus, the Parliament knows it is doing its job when the refs order us to sit down and stop the rowdiness. But do we stop cheering? No! Will we continue to stand and cheer for our teammates with amazing swag? Yes!
So as it stands now, Número 31 has the most wave downs this season with 3. Jimmy is close with 2. As always, we will keep you updated as the season goes on.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Puerto Rico! Whaoooooo!
Since my time as a part of Temple Men's Basketball I have done a significant amount of traveling. I have seen a lot of interesting things on the road and seeing the world is something I have always desired to do. However, never have I actually wanted to move to one of places in which we have played. I mean, Athens, Ohio does not exactly have the same appeal as San Juan.
Our hotel gives it's guest a scenic view of the beach directly behind it, complete with palm trees and light green water that smashes up against a wall of dark coral. When I say green water I mean a nice green that are on postcards and not the dark nasty green of the Delaware in Philly.
Today is Saturday and we are enjoying some of the sites of San Juan as we bask in the sun. When we call home we create a little bit of jealousy seeing as though it's 40 degrees in Philly but a nice warm 84 degrees down here.
Now that you have been updated one what is going on over here, let us flashback to Mondays game versus Penn...
The Parliaments Most Awkward Moment!
We knew this day would come. Our preparation for this moment did not completely prepare us for the events that occurred in November 14th, 2011. It was our first game of the season in the legendary Palestra. Everyone was excited and collectively let out a sigh of relief due to the departure of the preseasons long practice hours.
The Temple Men's Basketball team went through our normal game day routines that we know like the back of our hands. We wake up, watch a little bit of film, have shoot around, have a nice pre-game meal and then depart for the arena. As we arrive we appreciate the history and the opportunity to play in the Palestra. We head to the locker room and put on the cherry and white uniforms that Underarmour has given us to make us look fly on the court. Again, the same warm up we have done for countless games ensues. Then the clock winds down. Dunphy gives us his normal inspiration speech before the tip off. Then it happened. As Jimmy and I sit down in the cushioned and comfy seats, we feel something missing. Simultaneously, two pairs of Parliament eyes connect with the founder of the Parliament. We gaze upon the front end of the bench to see Dutch in a suit and no longer by our side. A single tear falls down Jimmy's cheeks. Dutch gives us a reassuring nod that everything will be fine. Jimmy starts reaching out to Dutch like Rose reached out for Jack in the last moments of Titanic. I restrain Jimmy but the emotion overtakes him. He starts weeping like Ben Affleck wept in Armageddon when Bruce Willis took his spot to blow up the deadly asteroid.
With my new Golden Hands of Clap I comfort Jimmy like a lioness comforts her newborn cub. His tears digressed and the game continued. In that very moment we were tried by fire and we came out a little burnt. Not third degree burns, just a slight toasty singe of our Parliament pride that will heal in time as we get used to the new seating arrangement.
Our hotel gives it's guest a scenic view of the beach directly behind it, complete with palm trees and light green water that smashes up against a wall of dark coral. When I say green water I mean a nice green that are on postcards and not the dark nasty green of the Delaware in Philly.
Today is Saturday and we are enjoying some of the sites of San Juan as we bask in the sun. When we call home we create a little bit of jealousy seeing as though it's 40 degrees in Philly but a nice warm 84 degrees down here.
Now that you have been updated one what is going on over here, let us flashback to Mondays game versus Penn...
The Parliaments Most Awkward Moment!
We knew this day would come. Our preparation for this moment did not completely prepare us for the events that occurred in November 14th, 2011. It was our first game of the season in the legendary Palestra. Everyone was excited and collectively let out a sigh of relief due to the departure of the preseasons long practice hours.
The Temple Men's Basketball team went through our normal game day routines that we know like the back of our hands. We wake up, watch a little bit of film, have shoot around, have a nice pre-game meal and then depart for the arena. As we arrive we appreciate the history and the opportunity to play in the Palestra. We head to the locker room and put on the cherry and white uniforms that Underarmour has given us to make us look fly on the court. Again, the same warm up we have done for countless games ensues. Then the clock winds down. Dunphy gives us his normal inspiration speech before the tip off. Then it happened. As Jimmy and I sit down in the cushioned and comfy seats, we feel something missing. Simultaneously, two pairs of Parliament eyes connect with the founder of the Parliament. We gaze upon the front end of the bench to see Dutch in a suit and no longer by our side. A single tear falls down Jimmy's cheeks. Dutch gives us a reassuring nod that everything will be fine. Jimmy starts reaching out to Dutch like Rose reached out for Jack in the last moments of Titanic. I restrain Jimmy but the emotion overtakes him. He starts weeping like Ben Affleck wept in Armageddon when Bruce Willis took his spot to blow up the deadly asteroid.
With my new Golden Hands of Clap I comfort Jimmy like a lioness comforts her newborn cub. His tears digressed and the game continued. In that very moment we were tried by fire and we came out a little burnt. Not third degree burns, just a slight toasty singe of our Parliament pride that will heal in time as we get used to the new seating arrangement.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Star Wars: The Phantom Manager
The Parliament is used to being behind the scenes. They desire no camera attention or seek out to have the most followers on Twitter. Instead, they choose to be the power behind the throne. Similarly, Temple Men's basketball's managers are such beings of humility that they do their work much like the elves who make shoes for the hard working shoemaker that the Grimm Brothers wrote about.
There is one such elf that makes what the elves do as a whole, work. He is the gas for the V8, the wings for the plane, the roar for the lion and you do not even know his name. In his third year as a Temple University manager, Gerard Walsh is the mysterious aforementioned man of exceptional prowess. He was a padawon learner under the tutelage of Tyler Laurie AKA "Qui-Gon Jinn" thus making Walsh, "Obi-Wan Kenobi." The force is certainly strong with young Walsh. In fact his metachlorian count is the highest in the Republic. In one instance, Walsh summoned the force to single handedly clean the floor, take stats during practice, and give Khalif Wyatt a water bottle at every stop of play since Wyatt seemingly needs to be more hydrated than anyone else on the team.
Now what would a Jedi of such great power be without a worthy adversary? The antagonist of this story is the Dark Sith Lord Matt Lachs who seeks to supplant Walsh at all times. Lachs has battled Walsh for a chance to mop the floor or hand out the new sweatsuits on many occasions. Lachs of course wields a dual red lightsaber against Walsh and his blue lightsaber. The Liacouras Center is lighted up as the Dark Sith Lord and the young Jedi battle to the death, jumping to and fro from the 200 section to the 100 sections almost every night.
Tired of these battles the young Jedi Walsh seeks council from the wisest Jedi of all, Jeff "Yoda" Wilson. Yoda Wilson trains Walsh in order to smite his enemy on the lost planet of "MustacheDunpheen." With his unparalleled ability to use the force, Yoda Wilson saw the potential of Walsh and transferred all of his knowledge leaving the young Jedi with new abilities far beyond all Jedi's in the galaxy. After months of training Walsh returns to Temple stronger than ever. Just as he lands on campus the Dark Sith Lord attacks!....... Will good triumph over evil? Will Yoda Wilson's training pay off? All these questions will be answered so stay tuned for the next episode of "Star Wars: the Phantom Manager!"
There is one such elf that makes what the elves do as a whole, work. He is the gas for the V8, the wings for the plane, the roar for the lion and you do not even know his name. In his third year as a Temple University manager, Gerard Walsh is the mysterious aforementioned man of exceptional prowess. He was a padawon learner under the tutelage of Tyler Laurie AKA "Qui-Gon Jinn" thus making Walsh, "Obi-Wan Kenobi." The force is certainly strong with young Walsh. In fact his metachlorian count is the highest in the Republic. In one instance, Walsh summoned the force to single handedly clean the floor, take stats during practice, and give Khalif Wyatt a water bottle at every stop of play since Wyatt seemingly needs to be more hydrated than anyone else on the team.
Now what would a Jedi of such great power be without a worthy adversary? The antagonist of this story is the Dark Sith Lord Matt Lachs who seeks to supplant Walsh at all times. Lachs has battled Walsh for a chance to mop the floor or hand out the new sweatsuits on many occasions. Lachs of course wields a dual red lightsaber against Walsh and his blue lightsaber. The Liacouras Center is lighted up as the Dark Sith Lord and the young Jedi battle to the death, jumping to and fro from the 200 section to the 100 sections almost every night.
Tired of these battles the young Jedi Walsh seeks council from the wisest Jedi of all, Jeff "Yoda" Wilson. Yoda Wilson trains Walsh in order to smite his enemy on the lost planet of "MustacheDunpheen." With his unparalleled ability to use the force, Yoda Wilson saw the potential of Walsh and transferred all of his knowledge leaving the young Jedi with new abilities far beyond all Jedi's in the galaxy. After months of training Walsh returns to Temple stronger than ever. Just as he lands on campus the Dark Sith Lord attacks!....... Will good triumph over evil? Will Yoda Wilson's training pay off? All these questions will be answered so stay tuned for the next episode of "Star Wars: the Phantom Manager!"
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Parliament and the Golden Hands of Clap
All great super heroes experience a similar situation in which they question the nature of their work and take the inevitable hiatus. Given the Parliaments incredible super human cheering skills, they too went through a similar walk through the desert.
They needed to "find themselves" as they say. Jake and Jimmy took a long journey through the Sahara, the Amazon, and finally the frigid Antarctica to find what there heart sought. Realizing they were down a member (though Dutch will be at the front of the bench, at the end of the bench he will be with us in spirit), Jake and Jimmy found the holy grail of what all entities of Parliament nature seek.
It was in a deep, dark, desolate cave where the light was seen and caught Jimmy's eye. There in that cave was a set of glowing hands. The hands floated in mid air with a golden hew that made Jimmy's hair look even more radiant. Then suddenly the hands began to move. Slowly the hands came together to make a sound so wonderful, so awe inspiring, that it gave the Parliament just what it needed. The hands made the most purest clap sound to ever be clapped. Seeing as though the Parliaments main function is to clap (they are black belts in this discipline), Jake and Jimmy trained with the Golden Hands of Clap to become the most dangerous clappers in the known universe. In fact, the government now requires them to carry a permit for there now weapons of mass encouragement.
With their powers never stronger and the season mere weeks away, the Parliament is back and badder than ever.
They needed to "find themselves" as they say. Jake and Jimmy took a long journey through the Sahara, the Amazon, and finally the frigid Antarctica to find what there heart sought. Realizing they were down a member (though Dutch will be at the front of the bench, at the end of the bench he will be with us in spirit), Jake and Jimmy found the holy grail of what all entities of Parliament nature seek.
It was in a deep, dark, desolate cave where the light was seen and caught Jimmy's eye. There in that cave was a set of glowing hands. The hands floated in mid air with a golden hew that made Jimmy's hair look even more radiant. Then suddenly the hands began to move. Slowly the hands came together to make a sound so wonderful, so awe inspiring, that it gave the Parliament just what it needed. The hands made the most purest clap sound to ever be clapped. Seeing as though the Parliaments main function is to clap (they are black belts in this discipline), Jake and Jimmy trained with the Golden Hands of Clap to become the most dangerous clappers in the known universe. In fact, the government now requires them to carry a permit for there now weapons of mass encouragement.
With their powers never stronger and the season mere weeks away, the Parliament is back and badder than ever.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
The Parliament, We Now Can Bestow Knighthood
The summer time gives Temple Basketball players something that the school year does not, time. Yes, we still workout a lot and stay in the gym all day, but now we can go to the beach on the weekends and actually see our family and friends. For the Parliament this time allows us to be creative or for Jimmy to be super dupper happy about having plenty of time to complete his Calculous 9 homework. However, for the none brainiac side of the Parliament, this time means thinking of creative names for our teammates.
Some people are born with nicknames (Scootie Randall) and others have nicknames thrust upon them. You can not force a nickname on someone. It has to be a part of who they are and the name has to come forth from divine intervention. Dwayne Wades nickname, "The Flash," is an example of a forced and otherwise lame nickname. A bunch of people sat around and said,"Well gee guys, this totally cool guy named Dwayne Wade is too good to not have a nickname! Lets think of something....YEA!!!" The Parliament has come up with two names for two of our teammates that exemplify both great technique and precision when christening or donning said teammates with nicknames.
First, after much time and deliberation we now call Aaron Brown, "The Hackensack Locomotive." Why is this appropriate? Well, Aaron likes to take the ball to the rack while putting his head down and pretty much destroying every thing in his path. He is an unrelenting force on the court with too much momentum to be stopped. When the "Hackensack Locomotive" decides to do something, such as make 16 three pointers in a row during practice play, guaranteeing anyone who was on his team that day a win in every drill; it gets done. Thus, he has been given a fitting name by the "The Most Gangsta, Awesome, Unofficial, Governing Body at Temple University, The Parliament."
The second bestowee of the Parliaments nickname graces is TJ DiLeo. If you are an avid reader of the Parliaments Blog you know that TJ is also called the " Italian Monster." However, since the smallest Parliament member has had to guard the "Italian Monster" too much this summer he has unwillingly and embarrassingly come up with a new nickname for TJ. Let's just say that the Parliaments defense as a whole is questionable. So, when TJ gets a clear lane to dunk the ball in a way that would make the aforementioned weak defender's family cringe, a nickname must ensue. Appropriately enough, TJ's new nickname is, "The Cinnaminson Elevator." Similar to Clyde Drexler, TJ does not jump. He seems to glide and float in the air as he presses the buttons to ascend to some unknown floor that few even knew existed.
So stay tuned Parliament fans. More nicknames will come.
O yes! I almost forgot! Seeing as though the Parliaments members have some sort of Irish in their blood, our official theme song is, " I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphy's.
Some people are born with nicknames (Scootie Randall) and others have nicknames thrust upon them. You can not force a nickname on someone. It has to be a part of who they are and the name has to come forth from divine intervention. Dwayne Wades nickname, "The Flash," is an example of a forced and otherwise lame nickname. A bunch of people sat around and said,"Well gee guys, this totally cool guy named Dwayne Wade is too good to not have a nickname! Lets think of something....YEA!!!" The Parliament has come up with two names for two of our teammates that exemplify both great technique and precision when christening or donning said teammates with nicknames.
First, after much time and deliberation we now call Aaron Brown, "The Hackensack Locomotive." Why is this appropriate? Well, Aaron likes to take the ball to the rack while putting his head down and pretty much destroying every thing in his path. He is an unrelenting force on the court with too much momentum to be stopped. When the "Hackensack Locomotive" decides to do something, such as make 16 three pointers in a row during practice play, guaranteeing anyone who was on his team that day a win in every drill; it gets done. Thus, he has been given a fitting name by the "The Most Gangsta, Awesome, Unofficial, Governing Body at Temple University, The Parliament."
The second bestowee of the Parliaments nickname graces is TJ DiLeo. If you are an avid reader of the Parliaments Blog you know that TJ is also called the " Italian Monster." However, since the smallest Parliament member has had to guard the "Italian Monster" too much this summer he has unwillingly and embarrassingly come up with a new nickname for TJ. Let's just say that the Parliaments defense as a whole is questionable. So, when TJ gets a clear lane to dunk the ball in a way that would make the aforementioned weak defender's family cringe, a nickname must ensue. Appropriately enough, TJ's new nickname is, "The Cinnaminson Elevator." Similar to Clyde Drexler, TJ does not jump. He seems to glide and float in the air as he presses the buttons to ascend to some unknown floor that few even knew existed.
So stay tuned Parliament fans. More nicknames will come.
O yes! I almost forgot! Seeing as though the Parliaments members have some sort of Irish in their blood, our official theme song is, " I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphy's.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Ugh Loans
"That is so cool that you are a member of the Parliament!....but that means you still have to pay students loans right?"
As the Parliament grows older the reality of the world that we are about to step into after our playing days are over seems like it is heading toward us like a freight train. That freight train happens to be full of interest rates and those horrible student loans. See, being a Parliament member, with the exception of the beloved James McDonnel; means that you are a walk-on and you have been applying for these student loans every year. Yes, you still get to travel across the country, have your face shown on national television twice a week, and have shirts made for your awesome group showing you in true Temple Owl form that makes you look like Hooters distance cousin. But, coming out of college free of that extra monthly bill you have to pay is not a reality.
Not until the recent events in the world of baseball have the Parliaments members been so hopeful for those loans to simply be erased. Derek Jeter just had his 3,000th hit that has put him in a whole other stratosphere of athletic achievement. It was a home run that would seal his fate as one of the best baseball players of all time and get him that 3,000th hit. But the most important part of this story is that the home run ball was caught by a 23 year old, recent graduate from college. It was said that if that ball was auctioned off it could go for 500,000 dollars. However, this young student decided to give the ball back to Jeter. Of course, the kid was immediately compensated with memorabilia and probably met Jeter that night. Personally, I do not think that memorabilia is enough to make up for such an awesome act of kindness on that mans behalf. That 23 year old man has almost 100,000 dollars in debt. What if Jeter were to pay off his loans? Considering Jeter makes over 20 million dollars this year just from the Yankees organization and has made over 200 million dollars from the Yankees in his entire career, I do not think it would be too hard for Mr. Jeter to drop a 100 G's on this kid.
With that said, just about everyone who just read that who has students loans just went off into another world dreaming of a unique situation that would deem their debt paid. The Parliament has done such day dreaming and can only hope that they could catch a basketball on the bench worth 100,000 dollars.
As the Parliament grows older the reality of the world that we are about to step into after our playing days are over seems like it is heading toward us like a freight train. That freight train happens to be full of interest rates and those horrible student loans. See, being a Parliament member, with the exception of the beloved James McDonnel; means that you are a walk-on and you have been applying for these student loans every year. Yes, you still get to travel across the country, have your face shown on national television twice a week, and have shirts made for your awesome group showing you in true Temple Owl form that makes you look like Hooters distance cousin. But, coming out of college free of that extra monthly bill you have to pay is not a reality.
Not until the recent events in the world of baseball have the Parliaments members been so hopeful for those loans to simply be erased. Derek Jeter just had his 3,000th hit that has put him in a whole other stratosphere of athletic achievement. It was a home run that would seal his fate as one of the best baseball players of all time and get him that 3,000th hit. But the most important part of this story is that the home run ball was caught by a 23 year old, recent graduate from college. It was said that if that ball was auctioned off it could go for 500,000 dollars. However, this young student decided to give the ball back to Jeter. Of course, the kid was immediately compensated with memorabilia and probably met Jeter that night. Personally, I do not think that memorabilia is enough to make up for such an awesome act of kindness on that mans behalf. That 23 year old man has almost 100,000 dollars in debt. What if Jeter were to pay off his loans? Considering Jeter makes over 20 million dollars this year just from the Yankees organization and has made over 200 million dollars from the Yankees in his entire career, I do not think it would be too hard for Mr. Jeter to drop a 100 G's on this kid.
With that said, just about everyone who just read that who has students loans just went off into another world dreaming of a unique situation that would deem their debt paid. The Parliament has done such day dreaming and can only hope that they could catch a basketball on the bench worth 100,000 dollars.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The Parliaments Summer Wish List
Summertime is the best. It means freedom, pools, water ice, and roller coasters. Everyone hopes that this summer will always be better than the last. So far, summer has treated the Parliament well. We are still the best governing body at Temple and we still hang out all the time. The other thing that summer brings is the striving for goals. Some players want to work on their handles, jump shot or post moves. The Parliament however, has different goals. These goals are more like wishes.
Dutch wants to maximize his potential in the weight room and wishes only to have an upper body that will rival anyone at the beach. He calls it his,"Jersey Shore" workout. He is getting their and his wish just may come true.
Jimmy stares into the sky every night and sings,"When You Wish Upon A Star," (Jiminy Cricket's version) asking only for a fluffy unicorn. Jimmy wishes he could ride that unicorn to foreign lands all summer. We have tried relentlessly asking Jimmy to deviate from his nightly ritual by claiming that unicorns are not real. Jimmy always responds with," I saw one! It was pink and fluffy! And it told me it loves playing basketball with the Care Bears." We are making progress with Jimmy and we hope to cure him of this grand fictional animal believing sickness.
I have a much different wish. I want to have a situation like " Enemy of the State" or " Eagle Eye," happen to me. I want to be sitting on my couch one day and have men dressed in black with guns drawn and terrible aim from an agency I had no clue existed, break through my door. I would them jump out of my window on to a truck that is perfectly placed out on the road. After a few days of close encounters I discover the real reason why they are after me. They want to stop a certain underground movement that I am apart of, the Parliament. The final scene would be me, exhausted and weaponless, asking for the mercy of my pursuers. But what they do not know is that I am not alone. Two, rather large men, drop out of the ceiling. They wear clothing bearing the Parliament symbol. Stunned, the pursuers begin shooting. Suddenly, they are blinded. Jimmy's hair begins radiating blonde blinding light that is as sweet as the suns rays. Dutch places his hand out and stops the bullets in mid air. Then I am whisked away on a strange being, a pink, fluffy unicorn.
DJJ
Rock on Parliament Fans!!!
Dutch wants to maximize his potential in the weight room and wishes only to have an upper body that will rival anyone at the beach. He calls it his,"Jersey Shore" workout. He is getting their and his wish just may come true.
Jimmy stares into the sky every night and sings,"When You Wish Upon A Star," (Jiminy Cricket's version) asking only for a fluffy unicorn. Jimmy wishes he could ride that unicorn to foreign lands all summer. We have tried relentlessly asking Jimmy to deviate from his nightly ritual by claiming that unicorns are not real. Jimmy always responds with," I saw one! It was pink and fluffy! And it told me it loves playing basketball with the Care Bears." We are making progress with Jimmy and we hope to cure him of this grand fictional animal believing sickness.
I have a much different wish. I want to have a situation like " Enemy of the State" or " Eagle Eye," happen to me. I want to be sitting on my couch one day and have men dressed in black with guns drawn and terrible aim from an agency I had no clue existed, break through my door. I would them jump out of my window on to a truck that is perfectly placed out on the road. After a few days of close encounters I discover the real reason why they are after me. They want to stop a certain underground movement that I am apart of, the Parliament. The final scene would be me, exhausted and weaponless, asking for the mercy of my pursuers. But what they do not know is that I am not alone. Two, rather large men, drop out of the ceiling. They wear clothing bearing the Parliament symbol. Stunned, the pursuers begin shooting. Suddenly, they are blinded. Jimmy's hair begins radiating blonde blinding light that is as sweet as the suns rays. Dutch places his hand out and stops the bullets in mid air. Then I am whisked away on a strange being, a pink, fluffy unicorn.
DJJ
Rock on Parliament Fans!!!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The Off Season: Time to Recruit
A lot of aspiring players always ask me how to become a walk-on and if it is worth it. They ask about the process and if it is hard to get a spot on the team. What is it like? What are the benefits? I answer these inqisitive questions with relative ease. However, others ask a more specific question, "How do I become a member of the Parliament?" This question is not so easy to answer. It requires a long explanation that some are not meant to hear. It requires time, love, and a little bit of the "it" factor. So please, open your mind and visualize the scene that makes a Parliament member excepted into this super, awesome, and totally gansta group.
The trainging is rigorous, painful, and not for the faint hearted. First, you will have to climb the "1,000 Steps of Truth" until you reach the guru, the master, the one true warrior; Dutch Suzuki Mozumoto. You will find him sitting on the very air you breath, Indian style. He does not speak with words. He requires his padawan learners to take a vow of silence and learn how to speak with cheering. He will teach you "Bench Jiu-Jitsu, "The Kung Fu Clap", and "The Karate Cheer." After months of training in the Himalayas, you will then meet Jake Foo Man Choo and James Hyabusa. There, and only there, can your training be complete by using all your knowledge in a " cheer off." At the very top of the Himalayas you will combat Jake Foo Man Choo and James Hyabusa while sitting on a bench made of the cheers of walk-ons in physical form. If you defeat these gigantic warriors you are officially a member of the Parliament...
The trainging is rigorous, painful, and not for the faint hearted. First, you will have to climb the "1,000 Steps of Truth" until you reach the guru, the master, the one true warrior; Dutch Suzuki Mozumoto. You will find him sitting on the very air you breath, Indian style. He does not speak with words. He requires his padawan learners to take a vow of silence and learn how to speak with cheering. He will teach you "Bench Jiu-Jitsu, "The Kung Fu Clap", and "The Karate Cheer." After months of training in the Himalayas, you will then meet Jake Foo Man Choo and James Hyabusa. There, and only there, can your training be complete by using all your knowledge in a " cheer off." At the very top of the Himalayas you will combat Jake Foo Man Choo and James Hyabusa while sitting on a bench made of the cheers of walk-ons in physical form. If you defeat these gigantic warriors you are officially a member of the Parliament...
Monday, April 4, 2011
You Reach For The Stars
Hello Parliament Fans!!! Yes we are still here and we are as hype as ever. Like you Temple fans, we too have been missing the games and practices. Jimmy has missed the end of the bench hype squad so much that he has been seen at the SAC giving chest bumps to the wraps guy, "GREAT JOB WITH THE MAYO!" If you are still watching basketball you know that the National Championship is tomorrow and its going to be a great game between Butler and UCONN. And if you are a true basketball fan you know that the best part doesn't happen until after the game: One Shining Moment. This is a video montage of all the best clips and sound bites from the tournament. Since I've been a little kid it has been my dream to be part of this segment, just like its been Jake's dream to dance with the lollipop guild from 'The Wizard of Oz.'. Considering since I did not get any time in the tournament :(, I'm betting on my running out and hugging Juan to be on the clips. If this does happen it will be one of the best moments of my life, even better than when Juan discovered he was able to download Mariah Carey's Christmas Album in Espanol on iTunes. So while you are watching the game, be on the lookout for 1.9 seconds of fame. However, if I am not on 'One Shining Moment' then something drastic will happen. Be afraid Jimmy's hair, be very afraid.
GO OWLS!!!
DJJ
GO OWLS!!!
DJJ
Friday, March 25, 2011
End of the Season...The Parliament Endures
Parliament Fans! Parliament member 31 here with an update.
It is a bitter sweet feeling when the season ends. You wanted to go far in the tournament and enjoy the feeling of winning. However, now that the season is over you now have more time to spend with family and friends. We dedicate a lot of time to our craft and need some down time here and there.
The worst thing that could have happened to Temple basketball is the fact that we got past the first round. What is the cause of such a negative conclusion? It is because now we have tasted victory and we want more. After losing in the first round for 3 years in a row, we got a win and now we have an addiction. So, with renewed vigor and confidence the Owls will be back in the gym working on our game ASAP.
In other Parliament news...
We have a winner in the "Touches from Bench" department. Drum roll please!.......It's a tie! John Poulos and Dutch Gaitley both led the Temple Owls with 6 touches a piece. But, concidering this is our blog and Poulos is a trainer and not a member of the Parliament, the winner is Dutch. A little wrong? I know, but we do this because, well, we can. It is just the Parliament flexing it's muscles, who should by the way, be its own governing entity at Temple University.
The Parliament will continue to blog throughout the summer and keep everyone updated on events pertinent to Temple Basketball. All I am hoping for is not a repeat of last summers Delco Pro Am fiasco. I wanted to play in this league in King of Prussia really bad. So for a while leading up to the first game I was looking for a team. It was finally looking like I could play for Haverfords team. I have a connection at Haverford and it seemed as though I would be able to get on that team. It was not until my connection called me and told me the disheartening news, "Yo Jake. I just talked to the guys and you lost your spot to Hakim Warrick." A whole summer of me or 3 games of Hakim Warrick? I would have chosen the Bentley driving, national champion, and multi-millionaire too.
Post Scriptum
I almost wrote an entire blog without mentioning Jimmy!
Sooooooooo, now I must do so.
I asked Jimmy what he thought of my new hair style and he said, "It's a good look for you. But, it is not nearly as adorable as mine. I actually stopped traffic on Broad Street with these waving, luscious locks while causing adoring Parliament fans to cry at the site of me like Justin Bieber fans at his concerts."
Go Owls!
DJJ
It is a bitter sweet feeling when the season ends. You wanted to go far in the tournament and enjoy the feeling of winning. However, now that the season is over you now have more time to spend with family and friends. We dedicate a lot of time to our craft and need some down time here and there.
The worst thing that could have happened to Temple basketball is the fact that we got past the first round. What is the cause of such a negative conclusion? It is because now we have tasted victory and we want more. After losing in the first round for 3 years in a row, we got a win and now we have an addiction. So, with renewed vigor and confidence the Owls will be back in the gym working on our game ASAP.
In other Parliament news...
We have a winner in the "Touches from Bench" department. Drum roll please!.......It's a tie! John Poulos and Dutch Gaitley both led the Temple Owls with 6 touches a piece. But, concidering this is our blog and Poulos is a trainer and not a member of the Parliament, the winner is Dutch. A little wrong? I know, but we do this because, well, we can. It is just the Parliament flexing it's muscles, who should by the way, be its own governing entity at Temple University.
The Parliament will continue to blog throughout the summer and keep everyone updated on events pertinent to Temple Basketball. All I am hoping for is not a repeat of last summers Delco Pro Am fiasco. I wanted to play in this league in King of Prussia really bad. So for a while leading up to the first game I was looking for a team. It was finally looking like I could play for Haverfords team. I have a connection at Haverford and it seemed as though I would be able to get on that team. It was not until my connection called me and told me the disheartening news, "Yo Jake. I just talked to the guys and you lost your spot to Hakim Warrick." A whole summer of me or 3 games of Hakim Warrick? I would have chosen the Bentley driving, national champion, and multi-millionaire too.
Post Scriptum
I almost wrote an entire blog without mentioning Jimmy!
Sooooooooo, now I must do so.
I asked Jimmy what he thought of my new hair style and he said, "It's a good look for you. But, it is not nearly as adorable as mine. I actually stopped traffic on Broad Street with these waving, luscious locks while causing adoring Parliament fans to cry at the site of me like Justin Bieber fans at his concerts."
Go Owls!
DJJ
Friday, March 18, 2011
Fernando Fuego
Number 31 here reporting from Tucson, Arizona. The Owls have made the long trip to Arizona. The weather is perfect and we now await our next opponent, San Diego State.
“Fernando Fuego.” That is the nickname that I bestowed upon Juan Fernandez earlier this year. The best part about having a nickname is when the name actually takes literal form. Fuego, means “fire” in Spanish and on fuego he was. The Temple Owls bench sat with arms linked as the seconds dwindled down. I, of course was in my normal seat in the Parliament watching the proceedings next to Dutch who was literally shaking. Since this is Dutch's first time at the dance he is trying not to step on any toes while he pirouettes, but he still gets nervous. Juan hit the game winner to propel us into the next round. Our hearts were pounding and that ball seemed like it was in the air for hours. When the ball went in all composure was lost on the bench. The Parliament got a nice picture on ESPN showing our reaction. Dutch is shown holding everyone back and boxing out like he never boxed out before, while Jimmy looks like he just saw Richard Simmons in the crowd. I, on the other hand, look like I have no clue what is going on. That is because at that moment when the shutter snapped I was almost unconscious. Dutch, doing his normal flailing about, managed to elbow me right in the chin. My thoughts at the time were, " Take the punch like Rocky did and not like Apollo Creed. Please don't end up on the 'Not Top Ten.' Please. Please. Please." Thankfully, I retained consciousness and was able to run out on the court with my teammates.
If you are a faithful Parliament Blog reader then you will know that I often “space out” and think of things like Juan’s Dos Equis commercials. So, once again I did my normal spacing out and thought of a few different endings for our game versus Penn State. I asked myself, “What if Anthony Lee made the last shot?” I then saw the following scene in my head. First, he would run over to the sideline and jump on the press table. He would then reach in his socks and pull out a microphone and let everyone hear his latest single, “All about the Ring” (you can check it out on his Facebook page, the song is hot).
The other scenario I thought of was about me making the game winning shot. Two words, “Brandi Chastain.”
So the Owls with remain in the desert for a few more days. We have quickly celebrated the victory and are no longer dwelling on it. We look ahead to the next game with coach Dunphy as our fearless leader.
Just as a side note its Brian Scalabrine’s birthday today (personal hero of the parliament). So, birthday wishes go out to an honorary Parliament member.
“Fernando Fuego.” That is the nickname that I bestowed upon Juan Fernandez earlier this year. The best part about having a nickname is when the name actually takes literal form. Fuego, means “fire” in Spanish and on fuego he was. The Temple Owls bench sat with arms linked as the seconds dwindled down. I, of course was in my normal seat in the Parliament watching the proceedings next to Dutch who was literally shaking. Since this is Dutch's first time at the dance he is trying not to step on any toes while he pirouettes, but he still gets nervous. Juan hit the game winner to propel us into the next round. Our hearts were pounding and that ball seemed like it was in the air for hours. When the ball went in all composure was lost on the bench. The Parliament got a nice picture on ESPN showing our reaction. Dutch is shown holding everyone back and boxing out like he never boxed out before, while Jimmy looks like he just saw Richard Simmons in the crowd. I, on the other hand, look like I have no clue what is going on. That is because at that moment when the shutter snapped I was almost unconscious. Dutch, doing his normal flailing about, managed to elbow me right in the chin. My thoughts at the time were, " Take the punch like Rocky did and not like Apollo Creed. Please don't end up on the 'Not Top Ten.' Please. Please. Please." Thankfully, I retained consciousness and was able to run out on the court with my teammates.
If you are a faithful Parliament Blog reader then you will know that I often “space out” and think of things like Juan’s Dos Equis commercials. So, once again I did my normal spacing out and thought of a few different endings for our game versus Penn State. I asked myself, “What if Anthony Lee made the last shot?” I then saw the following scene in my head. First, he would run over to the sideline and jump on the press table. He would then reach in his socks and pull out a microphone and let everyone hear his latest single, “All about the Ring” (you can check it out on his Facebook page, the song is hot).
The other scenario I thought of was about me making the game winning shot. Two words, “Brandi Chastain.”
So the Owls with remain in the desert for a few more days. We have quickly celebrated the victory and are no longer dwelling on it. We look ahead to the next game with coach Dunphy as our fearless leader.
Just as a side note its Brian Scalabrine’s birthday today (personal hero of the parliament). So, birthday wishes go out to an honorary Parliament member.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
PENN STATE...I just wanna dance with somebody!!!
PSU is a great team. They were struggling in the beginning of the year, but they have really caught fire at the end of the season. If we are going to advance we have to concentrate on all the little things during the game and make sure we do our best in guarding Taylor Battle, he is a great player.
6:00 PM. March 12, 2011. The day my dream finally came true. No, we did not shave Jimmy's head at that time. No, Juan did not finally learn how to speak coherent English. It was when we were selected to play PSU in Tucson. My dream has always been to be part of a team going to "the dance," and I am finally realizing that dream with my teammates. That was my reason for transferring to Temple. Well, one of the reasons. I also wanted to be a part of a Young Polo track, and run my hands through those gorgeous yellow locks of the one, and only Mr. McDonnell, #pause. Maybe get a chance to help coin an ABeezy saying. So when it came to the time when our name was to be announced I was the most nervous of anyone on the team. The entire time I couldn't stop shaking my legs. I was as nervous as Rahlir whenever we get on a flight and the door closes and he realizes that he can not escape. When our name was finally announced it was an amazing moment, thus the reason I jumped up and looked like a complete fool since everyone else was still sitting down. So far our trip to Tucson has been great. Jimmy has been running around trying to hug the cacti (editor's note: this is a true statement, no joking here), I have been on a dedicated quest to get to an In-N-Out Burger with the help of T.J.'s handy, dandy IPhone, and Scootie's foot has been getting more interviews then our Most Improved Player himself. We are all very focused for this game, to the extent Khalif has even memorized Battle's social security number, his favorite teletubby, and what kind of deodorant he wears. Hopefully we will be lucky enough to win the game tomorrow and advance to Saturday.
Go Owls!!!
DJJ!!!
6:00 PM. March 12, 2011. The day my dream finally came true. No, we did not shave Jimmy's head at that time. No, Juan did not finally learn how to speak coherent English. It was when we were selected to play PSU in Tucson. My dream has always been to be part of a team going to "the dance," and I am finally realizing that dream with my teammates. That was my reason for transferring to Temple. Well, one of the reasons. I also wanted to be a part of a Young Polo track, and run my hands through those gorgeous yellow locks of the one, and only Mr. McDonnell, #pause. Maybe get a chance to help coin an ABeezy saying. So when it came to the time when our name was to be announced I was the most nervous of anyone on the team. The entire time I couldn't stop shaking my legs. I was as nervous as Rahlir whenever we get on a flight and the door closes and he realizes that he can not escape. When our name was finally announced it was an amazing moment, thus the reason I jumped up and looked like a complete fool since everyone else was still sitting down. So far our trip to Tucson has been great. Jimmy has been running around trying to hug the cacti (editor's note: this is a true statement, no joking here), I have been on a dedicated quest to get to an In-N-Out Burger with the help of T.J.'s handy, dandy IPhone, and Scootie's foot has been getting more interviews then our Most Improved Player himself. We are all very focused for this game, to the extent Khalif has even memorized Battle's social security number, his favorite teletubby, and what kind of deodorant he wears. Hopefully we will be lucky enough to win the game tomorrow and advance to Saturday.
Go Owls!!!
DJJ!!!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Gingers, Wesley Snipes and Atlantic City
Parliamentiers! XXXI here with yet another update on Temple Mens Basketball. A nice win over LaSalle Saturday gave us a perfect record at home this season. It was a great way to send out our seniors on Senior Night. Aaric Murray did his thing with two crazy dunks.
In case you did not notice the triad was united and escorted senior center Dutch and his grandmothers down the red carpet during the Senior Night festivities. The Parliament always stands together!
Right now we are in Atlantic City in the hotel. We await our next foe, LaSalle, which will be our third time playing them this year. We need to come out strong in order to win this game and advance to the next round.
Now for some other pertinent Parliament news...
When we are on the road the Parliament becomes subjected to many taunts by the student section. Being the red head of the Parliament it is safe to say I get most of the degrading comments. At Duke one particular student singled me out during warmups. He stood on the side of the court the entire time and tried to get my attention by screaming with his nerdy, 2200 score on the SAT voice, saying, "Jake! Jake! Jake! You are not 6 feet tall! Why would you list yourself as 6 feet? Look at me Jake! We are the same height!" Eventually that guy would pull out the secret weapon or term that most Parliament vilifiers use when all else fails. That word is "Ginger."
When I would cut hair really short no one knew I had red hair. Now that I'm growing it out a bit the "Ginger" comments have been prevalent among screaming fans. South Park had an episode on how "Gingers" have no soul. They classify a Ginger as someone who has red hair, freckles and pale skin. Since I do not have freckles and am not so pale skinned, I'm considered a "Day Walker." I heard about this term from one of our managers, Tyler Laurie. During our UMass game I was called a "Day Walker" by a student. Laurie got my attention and said with excitement and laughter, "Jake! He called you a Day Walker! At least he knows his stuff." I agreed with Laurie and I am proud to be made fun of with such accuracy.
When I told Dutch about the obnoxious fan and explained the Ginger terminology he turned a comment that was meant for evil into a term that has changed my outlook on being a Ginger, thus, using it for good. Dutch said that I am the "Blade" of Gingers. Dutch was referring to Wesley Snipes awesome comic book and movie adapted character. Blade was a hybrid, human/vampire killing machine. So, due to his unique genetic makeup, he could walk in sun light. I too can walk in sunlight without getting a sunburn that would turn a real Ginger into a walking lobster. However, I will not walk around with a sword and wear a black trench coat or have Ryan Reynolds as a fellow Parliamentier (but, we would substitute Jessica Biel for Jimmy, even though he has better hair). Instead, I will walk amongst the rest of the human race unnoticed.
So please fans, keep the Ginger comments coming. It will force me deeper into my alter ego, "Blade." I will be like Batman and embrace my fear and choose to use it against my enemies. How do I do that? One word, "win."
Go Owls!
DJJ
In case you did not notice the triad was united and escorted senior center Dutch and his grandmothers down the red carpet during the Senior Night festivities. The Parliament always stands together!
Right now we are in Atlantic City in the hotel. We await our next foe, LaSalle, which will be our third time playing them this year. We need to come out strong in order to win this game and advance to the next round.
Now for some other pertinent Parliament news...
When we are on the road the Parliament becomes subjected to many taunts by the student section. Being the red head of the Parliament it is safe to say I get most of the degrading comments. At Duke one particular student singled me out during warmups. He stood on the side of the court the entire time and tried to get my attention by screaming with his nerdy, 2200 score on the SAT voice, saying, "Jake! Jake! Jake! You are not 6 feet tall! Why would you list yourself as 6 feet? Look at me Jake! We are the same height!" Eventually that guy would pull out the secret weapon or term that most Parliament vilifiers use when all else fails. That word is "Ginger."
When I would cut hair really short no one knew I had red hair. Now that I'm growing it out a bit the "Ginger" comments have been prevalent among screaming fans. South Park had an episode on how "Gingers" have no soul. They classify a Ginger as someone who has red hair, freckles and pale skin. Since I do not have freckles and am not so pale skinned, I'm considered a "Day Walker." I heard about this term from one of our managers, Tyler Laurie. During our UMass game I was called a "Day Walker" by a student. Laurie got my attention and said with excitement and laughter, "Jake! He called you a Day Walker! At least he knows his stuff." I agreed with Laurie and I am proud to be made fun of with such accuracy.
When I told Dutch about the obnoxious fan and explained the Ginger terminology he turned a comment that was meant for evil into a term that has changed my outlook on being a Ginger, thus, using it for good. Dutch said that I am the "Blade" of Gingers. Dutch was referring to Wesley Snipes awesome comic book and movie adapted character. Blade was a hybrid, human/vampire killing machine. So, due to his unique genetic makeup, he could walk in sun light. I too can walk in sunlight without getting a sunburn that would turn a real Ginger into a walking lobster. However, I will not walk around with a sword and wear a black trench coat or have Ryan Reynolds as a fellow Parliamentier (but, we would substitute Jessica Biel for Jimmy, even though he has better hair). Instead, I will walk amongst the rest of the human race unnoticed.
So please fans, keep the Ginger comments coming. It will force me deeper into my alter ego, "Blade." I will be like Batman and embrace my fear and choose to use it against my enemies. How do I do that? One word, "win."
Go Owls!
DJJ
Friday, March 4, 2011
La Salle...One of the Best Big Men in Temple History
Hello Parliament Fans, sorry it has been so long since I, #45, has posted, but Jake has done such a great job with the past couple of entries that I wanted to get some good material together. We have our regular season finale tomorrow afternoon and it is going to be a great game. We will honor the seniors and hopefully end the season with a win against a team that is playing very well as of late. Also, they will be looking for revenge after we beat them on their home court.
Senior Night. As a school and a team we will be honoring one of the best big men in the long history of Temple Basketball. Everyone knows this players stats and how he is a great rebounder, just an overall amazing player. He has performed extraordinary when he is on the court. Sometimes he was criticized for his lack of passion on the court, but that has surely changed this year. As a team and school Temple will undoubtedly miss him next year when he takes his next step in his basketball career. Of course I am talking about....myself, Dutch Gaitley. I still remember my first day at Temple back in August. I basically knew no one on the team. Unless you classify "knowing someone" as "getting dunked on in summer league," then yes me and Lavoy know each other very well. I showed up the first day for a team meeting and introduced myself to the guys and the first comment I received, from Craig, "Damn where did we find this huge manager?" I walked in wearing a pair of sandals where the big toe is separated from the other toes, a normal piece of attire worn at Monmouth, my old school, and the guys looked at me like I was from a different planet. I think this is where Aaron Brown started one of his many sayings by looking at me, then down at my feet, saying his head and saying "say no more, so no more cudi," and walking away. It took a couple weeks to get to know the guys, learn the offense, but the hardest thing to get acclimated to was Juan's accent. Even now, after rooming with him on the road and listening to his horrible singing of Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, etc., it still sounds to me like he has peanut butter on the top of his mouth. Then I had to come to grips with the idea of bringing sun glasses to every team function. Why you ask? No it is not because of Anthony Lee's shinny new metallic jumpsuit and matching shoes, hat, scarf, and mittens, its because of the strict commandment handed down by 6 pound 8 ounce Baby Jesus himself, thou shalt not look directly at Jimmy's hair. It is like Medusa's hair, if you look at it directly then you will immediately turn to stone. It almost happened to Jake, but since he is a Ginger he is immune to these sorts of things. So these were the things I had to learn when I transferred to Temple. And hopefully the walk on that takes my spot next year will read the blog and learn these rules because if not he could be in trouble.
Go Owls!!!
DJJ...Do John Justice
Senior Night. As a school and a team we will be honoring one of the best big men in the long history of Temple Basketball. Everyone knows this players stats and how he is a great rebounder, just an overall amazing player. He has performed extraordinary when he is on the court. Sometimes he was criticized for his lack of passion on the court, but that has surely changed this year. As a team and school Temple will undoubtedly miss him next year when he takes his next step in his basketball career. Of course I am talking about....myself, Dutch Gaitley. I still remember my first day at Temple back in August. I basically knew no one on the team. Unless you classify "knowing someone" as "getting dunked on in summer league," then yes me and Lavoy know each other very well. I showed up the first day for a team meeting and introduced myself to the guys and the first comment I received, from Craig, "Damn where did we find this huge manager?" I walked in wearing a pair of sandals where the big toe is separated from the other toes, a normal piece of attire worn at Monmouth, my old school, and the guys looked at me like I was from a different planet. I think this is where Aaron Brown started one of his many sayings by looking at me, then down at my feet, saying his head and saying "say no more, so no more cudi," and walking away. It took a couple weeks to get to know the guys, learn the offense, but the hardest thing to get acclimated to was Juan's accent. Even now, after rooming with him on the road and listening to his horrible singing of Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, etc., it still sounds to me like he has peanut butter on the top of his mouth. Then I had to come to grips with the idea of bringing sun glasses to every team function. Why you ask? No it is not because of Anthony Lee's shinny new metallic jumpsuit and matching shoes, hat, scarf, and mittens, its because of the strict commandment handed down by 6 pound 8 ounce Baby Jesus himself, thou shalt not look directly at Jimmy's hair. It is like Medusa's hair, if you look at it directly then you will immediately turn to stone. It almost happened to Jake, but since he is a Ginger he is immune to these sorts of things. So these were the things I had to learn when I transferred to Temple. And hopefully the walk on that takes my spot next year will read the blog and learn these rules because if not he could be in trouble.
Go Owls!!!
DJJ...Do John Justice
Monday, February 28, 2011
How the Parliament Passes Time on the Road
Number XXXI here hitting you with another Parliament update. We will be heading for Massachusetts this Wednesday and that means road trip number 3 in the past 2 weeks.
On road trips you can find an array of different ways Temple Men's Basketball pass the time on the plane or the bus. Khalif Wyatt can be found dreaming of chocolate cake while Juan Fernandez reads the espanol version of Angels and Demons. Aaron Brown sits in the back with his “Beats by Dre” headphones and tries to think of new sayings and words that will become popular within the team. One such saying is, “Waddup doe?” (Language of origin: Aaronish…Definition: To ask a question in an extra inquisitive manner…Alternate pronunciations: “What’s up Though?”…Can you use it in a sentence please? “As Jimmy walked into the locker room with a TI:89 calculator and a copy of ‘Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul,’ Aaron replied, “Waddup doe?”) In case you did not notice, I broke down that saying in impeccable National Spelling Bee like fashion. Just as a side note, I want to point out that the exposing of hundreds of super intelligent children’s social ineptitude on ESPN year after year may be the most entertaining program ESPN has ever offered, but, I digress.
Rahlir Jefferson can be seen closing his eyes and gripping the arm rests in fear when we are 30,000 feet high. Before we take off I like to encourage Rahlirs fear by getting his attention, using my hand as a plane, and crashing it in the seat next to me while I make crash noises like a little kid playing with cars. Needless to say, he gets freaked out.
Dutch, being the great student he is, can always be seen highlighting pages in massive textbooks while Jimmy sleeps quietly snuggled up dreaming of the "Candy Cane Forest" and the "Sea of Swirly Twirly Gum Drops."
How do I like to pass the time? I sit there and listen to music and do something called, “space out." I space out and daydream like the disgruntled worker in the movie "Office Space." I think of things such as, "What if Juan had a ‘Dos Equis’ commercial?" I then "space out" and picture the scenes of that commercial. One of the lines would be, “When he runs, his hair waves...to the crowd." Another line would be, “His shampoo simply looks at him and says...'Thank You.'"
Every player is unique in his pregame ritual or road trip time passing. Either way being on the road is fun. Seeing the country and playing basketball is a great experience.
Go OWLS!
DJJ
Friday, February 25, 2011
Behind the Scenes of The Parliament
Parliament Nation! Good Morning, Good Afternoon, or Good Evening! What ever time you find yourself reading this blog we welcome you. We got George Washington up next and hope that we can get a W.
First, I, número 31, would like to update our "Touches" category. The Italian Monster otherwise known as TJ DiLeo has entered the running for most "Touches" this season. So here are the numbers...
John Poulos-6
Dutch-5
Jimmy-2
Jake-2
Italian Monster-1
Many have asked if the Parliament is just a group that simply likes publicity and behind closed doors does not get along and hates each other. Some speculate that we are like Destiny's Child, where everyone knows Beyonce (Dutch) and Kelly Rowland (me, número 31) but can not remember the other girl to save their lives (Jimmy). The Parliament has no such dissension. Instead, we like to call our selves a "brotherhood", a "fraternity", or even more fitting, a "A League of Extraordinary 'End of the Bench Hype Squad' Gentlemen." Whatever name we choose to explain our bond, the fact is that The Parliament is a well oiled machine. We are synchronized and can even finish each others sentences. The Parliament rolls together, especially on the road. When we have our pregame meals we sit together and The Parliament magic begins.
Breaking bread together is the exact place we think of blog topics. When we brainstorm and find a good topic we proclaim with one voice and on one accord sing," Blog Topic!" Mere words fall short in explaining the chorus of voices that sing "Blog Topic." If I were to compare the sound to something you might know it would be when the cast of Jersey Shore say,"T-shirt Time!"
So in our future blogs you can rest assured that the sweet sound of "Blog Topics" will be what spawns such great and flowing paragraphs sung by men who can lull a baby wombat to sleep.
Go Owls!
DJJ
First, I, número 31, would like to update our "Touches" category. The Italian Monster otherwise known as TJ DiLeo has entered the running for most "Touches" this season. So here are the numbers...
John Poulos-6
Dutch-5
Jimmy-2
Jake-2
Italian Monster-1
Many have asked if the Parliament is just a group that simply likes publicity and behind closed doors does not get along and hates each other. Some speculate that we are like Destiny's Child, where everyone knows Beyonce (Dutch) and Kelly Rowland (me, número 31) but can not remember the other girl to save their lives (Jimmy). The Parliament has no such dissension. Instead, we like to call our selves a "brotherhood", a "fraternity", or even more fitting, a "A League of Extraordinary 'End of the Bench Hype Squad' Gentlemen." Whatever name we choose to explain our bond, the fact is that The Parliament is a well oiled machine. We are synchronized and can even finish each others sentences. The Parliament rolls together, especially on the road. When we have our pregame meals we sit together and The Parliament magic begins.
Breaking bread together is the exact place we think of blog topics. When we brainstorm and find a good topic we proclaim with one voice and on one accord sing," Blog Topic!" Mere words fall short in explaining the chorus of voices that sing "Blog Topic." If I were to compare the sound to something you might know it would be when the cast of Jersey Shore say,"T-shirt Time!"
So in our future blogs you can rest assured that the sweet sound of "Blog Topics" will be what spawns such great and flowing paragraphs sung by men who can lull a baby wombat to sleep.
Go Owls!
DJJ
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
DUKE...We Must Protect His Hair!!!
Year in and year out Duke is one of the best teams in the country, and this year is no different. They have 2 of the best players in the country in Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler. We are going into a hostile environment and we need to play tough and smart if we are going to pull out this win.
College basketball is a great thing. So many great teams, players, coaches, and end of the bench hype squads. But one of the aspects that makes college basketball so great is the involvement of the other students that go to the school. They are so dedicated and really show their love for the team. And everyone knows that they show their love best after a big win by storming the court. The court storming is great, it brings everyone from the crowd onto the court to celebrate the win with their team. Students get to interact with the players, give high fives, hugs, some even attempt to still locks of Jimmy's amazing hair. But that will not happen, NOT UP IN HERE!! Once the game starts to wind down and looks like were going to win and there is going to be a court storming, the Parliament members go into protection mode. We have three members, thus we have three things to protect: first, Jimmy runs directly to the locker room and hides. Why? Because this is a perfect time for someone to attack his gorgeous locks. So we make him go and hide in the locker room. Jakes job? Well that's easy. He needs to protect the cheerleaders and diamond gems. A lot of you Parliamentiers (followers of the Parliament) might be asking, wouldn't they be celebrating with the rest of the students and players? That is where you are wrong. When a court storming occurs they are the most scared of anyone. They all look like Bambi after the mother gets shot in the beginning (and yes if you're reading this Jimmy she did get shot, she didn't go to "Deer Overnight Camp" like your parents told you). They are scared of the 100s of fans, mostly young males running down and groping on them. Let's be honest here. We have very attractive cheerleaders and diamond gems. We do not have any Snooki's, and in my opinion that is unfortunate because I would love to see Snooks running out on the court doing cartwheels, nothing would make me happier. They do a great job and we need someone to protect them from those young neanderthals we like to call college freshmen. This is where the Ginger Crusader comes to the rescue!! He swoops in and saves all the girls, literally he picks each one of them up and carries them to safety. I don't know he does it, he said he downloaded an app for it but I think he is lying. My job? Well I am the enforcer so I go and swarm the player who had the best game like when Bieber went after his his newly cut locks and tried to furiously glue stick them back to his head. Little did he know that Elmer's works the best for anything, guess he didn't have Miss Lippy for kindergarten. Soooooo if we use Georgetown as an example I went after Ramone like a spider monkey, making sure that no one could pry him from my kongfu grip. I then gracefully paraded around the court with the beauty of a ballerina, hard to believe? I've got footwork like Chris Brown, believe dat!! So next time we have a big win and you decide to storm the court please follow these three simple rules or we might have to get Michael Eric to bring in his African spear and show off his home grown talents.
Go Owls!!!
DJJ
College basketball is a great thing. So many great teams, players, coaches, and end of the bench hype squads. But one of the aspects that makes college basketball so great is the involvement of the other students that go to the school. They are so dedicated and really show their love for the team. And everyone knows that they show their love best after a big win by storming the court. The court storming is great, it brings everyone from the crowd onto the court to celebrate the win with their team. Students get to interact with the players, give high fives, hugs, some even attempt to still locks of Jimmy's amazing hair. But that will not happen, NOT UP IN HERE!! Once the game starts to wind down and looks like were going to win and there is going to be a court storming, the Parliament members go into protection mode. We have three members, thus we have three things to protect: first, Jimmy runs directly to the locker room and hides. Why? Because this is a perfect time for someone to attack his gorgeous locks. So we make him go and hide in the locker room. Jakes job? Well that's easy. He needs to protect the cheerleaders and diamond gems. A lot of you Parliamentiers (followers of the Parliament) might be asking, wouldn't they be celebrating with the rest of the students and players? That is where you are wrong. When a court storming occurs they are the most scared of anyone. They all look like Bambi after the mother gets shot in the beginning (and yes if you're reading this Jimmy she did get shot, she didn't go to "Deer Overnight Camp" like your parents told you). They are scared of the 100s of fans, mostly young males running down and groping on them. Let's be honest here. We have very attractive cheerleaders and diamond gems. We do not have any Snooki's, and in my opinion that is unfortunate because I would love to see Snooks running out on the court doing cartwheels, nothing would make me happier. They do a great job and we need someone to protect them from those young neanderthals we like to call college freshmen. This is where the Ginger Crusader comes to the rescue!! He swoops in and saves all the girls, literally he picks each one of them up and carries them to safety. I don't know he does it, he said he downloaded an app for it but I think he is lying. My job? Well I am the enforcer so I go and swarm the player who had the best game like when Bieber went after his his newly cut locks and tried to furiously glue stick them back to his head. Little did he know that Elmer's works the best for anything, guess he didn't have Miss Lippy for kindergarten. Soooooo if we use Georgetown as an example I went after Ramone like a spider monkey, making sure that no one could pry him from my kongfu grip. I then gracefully paraded around the court with the beauty of a ballerina, hard to believe? I've got footwork like Chris Brown, believe dat!! So next time we have a big win and you decide to storm the court please follow these three simple rules or we might have to get Michael Eric to bring in his African spear and show off his home grown talents.
Go Owls!!!
DJJ
Sunday, February 20, 2011
ST.JOE's...Well this is awkward
THE FUNERAL!! I don't think there is anything else that needs to be said. Huge Big 5/Atlantic 10 rivalry game. They have been playing really well as of late, so we need to come together as a team and tough this win out. Hopefully we get a good crowd to come out an show support before we go on the road for our next 3 games.
The national anthem is a beautiful thing. It doesn't matter who is singing because all I hear is a combination of Fergie and Jesus in my ears. But something that ruins this awesome yet strange perfect combo of music is the awkward hand shake we have to do before we go back to our benches. Its about as awkward as Jimmy seeing that guy Fabio with the long flowing blonde hair, you know who I am talking about, he's on the cover of all those sexual fantasy books that are right at the check out of all super markets. Well its awkward because that's who jimmy aspires to be when he grows up and that is why he grows his hair out. But jimmy refuses to admit that Fabio is his idol, thus the awkwardness. We all know a lot of the players on the other teams, so we usually go and talk to them before warm ups even start. We do this to get our pleasantries out of the way because once the warm ups start they are our enemy. Now don't get me wrong, the handshakes after the game are completely understandable and in my thoughts necessary. Especially after a hard fought game you want to tell the other team, 'good work, see ya next year, hey take a look at jimmys new hair style he's using a new stylist, blah blah blah.' The post-game handshakes and a sporting event go together hand in hand, no pun intended...they go together like lamb and tuna fish. Not a good analogy? Maybe spaghetti and meatball considering were in America. But the pre-game handshakes have got to go, its like Juan trying to warm up WITHOUT singing miley in his head to get focused, they just don't work. I for one just go to center court and try my hardest not to acknowledge anyone on the other teams presence. So if you're out there A10 please get rid of it or Jimmy said he's going to shave his head. And we CAN NOT have that happen.
Go Owls!!!
DJJ
The national anthem is a beautiful thing. It doesn't matter who is singing because all I hear is a combination of Fergie and Jesus in my ears. But something that ruins this awesome yet strange perfect combo of music is the awkward hand shake we have to do before we go back to our benches. Its about as awkward as Jimmy seeing that guy Fabio with the long flowing blonde hair, you know who I am talking about, he's on the cover of all those sexual fantasy books that are right at the check out of all super markets. Well its awkward because that's who jimmy aspires to be when he grows up and that is why he grows his hair out. But jimmy refuses to admit that Fabio is his idol, thus the awkwardness. We all know a lot of the players on the other teams, so we usually go and talk to them before warm ups even start. We do this to get our pleasantries out of the way because once the warm ups start they are our enemy. Now don't get me wrong, the handshakes after the game are completely understandable and in my thoughts necessary. Especially after a hard fought game you want to tell the other team, 'good work, see ya next year, hey take a look at jimmys new hair style he's using a new stylist, blah blah blah.' The post-game handshakes and a sporting event go together hand in hand, no pun intended...they go together like lamb and tuna fish. Not a good analogy? Maybe spaghetti and meatball considering were in America. But the pre-game handshakes have got to go, its like Juan trying to warm up WITHOUT singing miley in his head to get focused, they just don't work. I for one just go to center court and try my hardest not to acknowledge anyone on the other teams presence. So if you're out there A10 please get rid of it or Jimmy said he's going to shave his head. And we CAN NOT have that happen.
Go Owls!!!
DJJ
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Bench Etiquette...The "Macho Man Technique"
Hello Parliament nation. Number 31 here serving you up a nice hot plate of Parliament knowledge.
As a Parliament member, we always have to be aware that the camera sometimes drifts over toward the bench and we might be seen doing something embarrassing, thus, ending up on "The Not So Top Ten Plays." No, it won't be us picking our noses or Dutch singing the Taylor Swift song that's playing during a timeout. Instead, it will be those times when the opposing team makes a great play that draws "ohhh's" and "Ahhh's" from the crowd. This is where bench etiquette comes into play. First, you can never react to a play by another team or a guy dunking on your entire squad. You must restrain yourself and wait until the ball goes down the other end. Then you place your warm-up over your mouth, lean over to a Parliament member and say,"Holy crap...that just happened." Second, as alluded to in the previous sentence use of the warm-up is key to bentch etiquette. There are those out there who can read lips. So we must be on the look out for people with such talent and never get caught saying things like,"Yo Jimmy, I think number 5's hair is much more fuller than yours. But he does have some split ends though."
Other bench etiquette techniques include Dutch and I simultaneously looking at Jimmy, not responding to his freshman like comment, shaking our heads side to side and looking back to the action. But the most important bench etiquette comes when your good friend Dutch Gaitley gets too hype and forgets that his friend, number 31, is still a 5'11, 180 pound guy and can not handle punches from a 6'10 tank. These are not punches out of anger. Rather, they are punches out of joy. Dutch occasionally (this has happened more than once) will make a prediction and say,"Jake, watch. We are going to hit a big three." In Miss Cleo like fashion, Dutchs fortune telling skills ring true and he in turn hits me in the chest saying,"I told you a big three man! I told you!" This is where the "Macho Man Technique" comes into play. Basically, if you were to meet Uma Thurmans character from Kill Bill Vol.2 you would use this technique to counter the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique." First, I wear a fake yet believable smile after I am hit in the chest 15 times. I slowly sit down. Dutch has successfully knocked the wind out of me but I do not show it. Once again, I grab the warm-up and gasp for air. After recovering, I am finally able to speak and have used the technique flawlessly. I then continue my Parliamentary duties.
Go Owls!
Post Scriptum- Here is an update on "Touches"
John Poulos-5
Dutch Gaitley-4 (he almost had five when he tried to get a "touch" while the ball was in play. You have to admire his tenacity).
Jimmy-2
Jake-1
DJJ
As a Parliament member, we always have to be aware that the camera sometimes drifts over toward the bench and we might be seen doing something embarrassing, thus, ending up on "The Not So Top Ten Plays." No, it won't be us picking our noses or Dutch singing the Taylor Swift song that's playing during a timeout. Instead, it will be those times when the opposing team makes a great play that draws "ohhh's" and "Ahhh's" from the crowd. This is where bench etiquette comes into play. First, you can never react to a play by another team or a guy dunking on your entire squad. You must restrain yourself and wait until the ball goes down the other end. Then you place your warm-up over your mouth, lean over to a Parliament member and say,"Holy crap...that just happened." Second, as alluded to in the previous sentence use of the warm-up is key to bentch etiquette. There are those out there who can read lips. So we must be on the look out for people with such talent and never get caught saying things like,"Yo Jimmy, I think number 5's hair is much more fuller than yours. But he does have some split ends though."
Other bench etiquette techniques include Dutch and I simultaneously looking at Jimmy, not responding to his freshman like comment, shaking our heads side to side and looking back to the action. But the most important bench etiquette comes when your good friend Dutch Gaitley gets too hype and forgets that his friend, number 31, is still a 5'11, 180 pound guy and can not handle punches from a 6'10 tank. These are not punches out of anger. Rather, they are punches out of joy. Dutch occasionally (this has happened more than once) will make a prediction and say,"Jake, watch. We are going to hit a big three." In Miss Cleo like fashion, Dutchs fortune telling skills ring true and he in turn hits me in the chest saying,"I told you a big three man! I told you!" This is where the "Macho Man Technique" comes into play. Basically, if you were to meet Uma Thurmans character from Kill Bill Vol.2 you would use this technique to counter the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique." First, I wear a fake yet believable smile after I am hit in the chest 15 times. I slowly sit down. Dutch has successfully knocked the wind out of me but I do not show it. Once again, I grab the warm-up and gasp for air. After recovering, I am finally able to speak and have used the technique flawlessly. I then continue my Parliamentary duties.
Go Owls!
Post Scriptum- Here is an update on "Touches"
John Poulos-5
Dutch Gaitley-4 (he almost had five when he tried to get a "touch" while the ball was in play. You have to admire his tenacity).
Jimmy-2
Jake-1
DJJ
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
RICHMOND...Sticks and Stones may break our bones, but Chants will never hurt us.
It seems like all we have been playing lately are big games and that will not change tomorrow night. Richmond runs a very intricate offense and defense, so we will have to communicate a lot and just play sound basketball. We need a big crowd, i.e. the same crowd as the Georgetown game, because we are both tied for second place.
We sit at the end of the bench. We know, unless there are a couple injuries, we are not going into the game, unless it is a blow out. But this philosophy does not stop fans of opposing teams from making fun of us. All of us have heard our fair share of jokes made about us and we just laugh at them. We've heard the standard Jimmy joke, "How can you be sitting at the end of the bench and have your own talk show? Can I have your autograph Ellen DeGeneres?" Jake's been on the team for a couple of years so the away fans have been able to get to know him, "Did you lose your ring again Frodo?" They even make fun of me, the new guy that is only going to be here for a year, "Hey Shrek, Donkey called, he wants to know why you didn't save him any waffles?" Why do we just laugh at these jokes? Because of two reasons. One, if they are making fun of us it means the team is doing so well that they have nothing bad to say about them, and two, it means we are doing our job of motivating and providing enthusiasm to the team. One thing we are excited about is our upcoming Duke game. Why? Because they usually do some research about us. Maybe making fun of my high school nickname "Big Suburbs," or attack Jimmy's obsession of drinking honey (editor's note: this fact is true, Jimmy does drink honey before practice. His reasoning "it provides me with energy." I guess he hasn't heard that Red Bull gives you wings). So Temple fans, if you are going to heckle a player, at least take the time to find something out that is funny and will stick in their head during the game.
GO OWLS!!
DJJ
P.S. We would really love if we could get a "roll out shout out" during the St. Joe's game.
We sit at the end of the bench. We know, unless there are a couple injuries, we are not going into the game, unless it is a blow out. But this philosophy does not stop fans of opposing teams from making fun of us. All of us have heard our fair share of jokes made about us and we just laugh at them. We've heard the standard Jimmy joke, "How can you be sitting at the end of the bench and have your own talk show? Can I have your autograph Ellen DeGeneres?" Jake's been on the team for a couple of years so the away fans have been able to get to know him, "Did you lose your ring again Frodo?" They even make fun of me, the new guy that is only going to be here for a year, "Hey Shrek, Donkey called, he wants to know why you didn't save him any waffles?" Why do we just laugh at these jokes? Because of two reasons. One, if they are making fun of us it means the team is doing so well that they have nothing bad to say about them, and two, it means we are doing our job of motivating and providing enthusiasm to the team. One thing we are excited about is our upcoming Duke game. Why? Because they usually do some research about us. Maybe making fun of my high school nickname "Big Suburbs," or attack Jimmy's obsession of drinking honey (editor's note: this fact is true, Jimmy does drink honey before practice. His reasoning "it provides me with energy." I guess he hasn't heard that Red Bull gives you wings). So Temple fans, if you are going to heckle a player, at least take the time to find something out that is funny and will stick in their head during the game.
GO OWLS!!
DJJ
P.S. We would really love if we could get a "roll out shout out" during the St. Joe's game.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Warm-ups...The Parliaments Time to Shine
Hello Parliament fans! It’s number 31 here reporting for his Parliamentary duty. We had a big win at Dayton on Saturday and it was great to see our team come together in a hostile environment. We played well together against a great team with a great coach in Brian Gregory…
Being on a high profile team I get many questions about what players are like off the court or at the beginning of the season who is going to start. But if walk-ons had a website it's FAQ's about being a walk-on would be, "are you actually any good?" This question is understandable. There is not much documentation regarding the ability and skill level of many walk-ons since we are rarely seen on the court. We are elusive and similar to sightings of the legendary Chupacabra.
Many times my teammates tell me of someone they met who asked about me and asked that aforementioned question. So, we like to answer that question in warm-ups. If you show up early enough before a game you can witness some of the few white men in this world who can throw it down. You will witness Dutch go up and rattle the rim with a two-handed dunk or Jimmy do a classic and smooth two-handed slam. Or you could see me do my patented alley-oop to myself when I throw the ball up, let it bounce, catch and dunk it. But the most surprising thing about Temples Men’s basketballs highest jumpers are that the two Italians on our team are in the top 5 in vertical leap (I know the red hair sends mixed signals but I assure you I am Italian and know Dean Martins, “That’s Amore” word for word). TJ DiLeo, also known as, "The Italian Monster" boasts a 34 inch vertical which places him 3rd and I round out the top 5 with a 30 inch vert. When I tell people of TJ's ridiculous hops no one believes me, that is until he did his infamous, "McGonigle Hall, off the wall, make you jump out ya seat and fall, Cinnaminson Special," at Cherry and White night this year. TJ likes to throw the ball off the wall, catch it, and brings it around the backboard for an emphatic dunk. Needless to say, the crowd got pretty hype.
What else you will see in warm-ups is Jimmy McDonnell draining threes from the top of the key. What makes this so special is that Jimmy is 6 foot 10 and has the range of an NBA guard. Coach Dunphy saw Jimmy play this summer and choose to give him a scholarship. Jimmy was going to go D3 but when Dunphy saw him and his potential he wanted him to be an Owl. Was it a great move? I would answer you with a resounding, “Yes! Even his hair is cool!” The jump that Jimmy has made from our first team practice until now has been tremendous. He is learning more about the game and it is awesome to see him get better.
So next time try to make it out early to watch The Parliament warm-up and show off their stuff.
Go Owls!
DJJ
Friday, February 11, 2011
DAYTON..."Bench Bouncer"
Hello Parliament and Temple Owl fans. Another big game coming up tomorrow afternoon. We really need to come ready to play because Dayton plays very well at home and we need to continue to be on a roll heading into the home stretch. Game is at 1PM on ESPNU.
Who watched the Villanova vs. Rutgers game? If you did you saw Rutgers make a three with 0.8 seconds left and get fouled. But did you see what happened on the bench? The Rutgers team started running around like they were a bunch of teenage girls and Bieber decided to check himself in at the point. They started running on the court, jumping on chairs, hugging each other, I am pretty sure I saw one of players start to do the dougie. They are lucky they didn't get a technical and lose the game. This would be a perfect scenario for a "Bench Bouncer." What is a "Bench Bouncer" you ask? Great question. Parliamentipedia defines a bench bouncer as "someone(s) who holds back the players on the bench after a big play is made at a critical point in the game, i.e. a three with 2.4 secs., a charge with 3.7, or an and 1 three with 0.8 seconds." Something that gets the whole bench excited where they feel the need to run on the court. Now maybe you are thinking, so who would be the "bench bouncer" for our team? First it would have to be someone that is in the middle of the bench. So this first off counts out our own Jimmy McDonnell, which is lucky for him because he might mess up his hair while trying to hold everyone back. Some towards the front of the bench? Maybe Anthony Lee you ask? Good thought but he would probably be using the exciting material for his next rap song...maybe "thank god scootie made that shot, oh damn that girl over there is hot" (im sorry, im a blogger not a rapper). We would need someone that has experience, has his head in the game, and strength to hold everyone back? If you're thinking of me, Dutch Gaitley, then you are correct. Experience? Check. I'm pretty sure I played my first Division 1 game before Jimmy got his first perm. Head in the game? Jessicia Biel could walk into the game, tap me on the shoulder while I am on the bench and say "Hey sweet stuff, I heard you're part of the Parliament?" and I would probably respond, "No Dayton is running a pick-n-roll offense, ARE YOU EVEN WATCHING?". Strength? As long as Mike Eric is still in the game, I think I'll be good. So if you see us make a three with 2.8 seconds left on the clock you'll see #45 going his best to hold everyone back, along with his PIC's 31 and 15 pitching in.
GO OWLS!!
DJJ
Who watched the Villanova vs. Rutgers game? If you did you saw Rutgers make a three with 0.8 seconds left and get fouled. But did you see what happened on the bench? The Rutgers team started running around like they were a bunch of teenage girls and Bieber decided to check himself in at the point. They started running on the court, jumping on chairs, hugging each other, I am pretty sure I saw one of players start to do the dougie. They are lucky they didn't get a technical and lose the game. This would be a perfect scenario for a "Bench Bouncer." What is a "Bench Bouncer" you ask? Great question. Parliamentipedia defines a bench bouncer as "someone(s) who holds back the players on the bench after a big play is made at a critical point in the game, i.e. a three with 2.4 secs., a charge with 3.7, or an and 1 three with 0.8 seconds." Something that gets the whole bench excited where they feel the need to run on the court. Now maybe you are thinking, so who would be the "bench bouncer" for our team? First it would have to be someone that is in the middle of the bench. So this first off counts out our own Jimmy McDonnell, which is lucky for him because he might mess up his hair while trying to hold everyone back. Some towards the front of the bench? Maybe Anthony Lee you ask? Good thought but he would probably be using the exciting material for his next rap song...maybe "thank god scootie made that shot, oh damn that girl over there is hot" (im sorry, im a blogger not a rapper). We would need someone that has experience, has his head in the game, and strength to hold everyone back? If you're thinking of me, Dutch Gaitley, then you are correct. Experience? Check. I'm pretty sure I played my first Division 1 game before Jimmy got his first perm. Head in the game? Jessicia Biel could walk into the game, tap me on the shoulder while I am on the bench and say "Hey sweet stuff, I heard you're part of the Parliament?" and I would probably respond, "No Dayton is running a pick-n-roll offense, ARE YOU EVEN WATCHING?". Strength? As long as Mike Eric is still in the game, I think I'll be good. So if you see us make a three with 2.8 seconds left on the clock you'll see #45 going his best to hold everyone back, along with his PIC's 31 and 15 pitching in.
GO OWLS!!
DJJ
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
"Touches from Bench"....an Underrated Stat
Hello Parliament Fans! This is Parliament member Jake Godino. This being my first blog entry, I have to give props to my main man Dutch for jumpstarting The Parliament Movement. We hope you enjoy our blog and choose to join the Movement!
Have you ever been sitting close to a basketball game and the ball gets deflected towards you in the stands? Your heart starts pounding and you get your hands ready to catch the ball so you can say, "I touched the ball!" Well, for The Parliament, we keep track of these "touches" every game. What makes a "touch" such a big deal? It is what that touch brings to The Parliament that makes it a statistic that is worthy of being recorded. Two words, "Air time." Have you ever seen a player or a ball go out of bounds and the fan that catches that ball or player? Chances are you have seen this fan. The camera man zooms in on that lucky fan who is wearing a grin from ear to ear. For example, when that one Phillies fan caught a baseball and gave it to his daughter, who in turn threw it back, would be similar to Dutch getting a "touch" and giving the ball to Jimmy. For The Parliament "touches" equal air time on our nationaly televised games. We get "touches" in anticipation that The Parliament will get some love. So far this season Dutch has 3 touches, Jimmy has recorded 2, and I fall at the end of the pack with 1. Although he is not an official member of The Parliament, our trainer John Poulos recorded a game high and season high 4 "touches" during our game versus LaSalle.
Being the smallest member of The Parliament, I am at a disadvantage seeing as though I am surrounded by two men with 7 foot wing spans. It is hard for me to reach out and get a "touch" when Dutch reaches out and Jimmy's waving hair smacks me in the face temporarily blinding me. However, when I got my first "touch" I was ecstatic. It was similar to the feeling I get when I realize that there is an update for Angry Birds on my iPhone and I get to play even more levels of flinging birds!
So be on the look out for The Parliament getting their "touches."
And as always, GO OWLS!
DJJ
Have you ever been sitting close to a basketball game and the ball gets deflected towards you in the stands? Your heart starts pounding and you get your hands ready to catch the ball so you can say, "I touched the ball!" Well, for The Parliament, we keep track of these "touches" every game. What makes a "touch" such a big deal? It is what that touch brings to The Parliament that makes it a statistic that is worthy of being recorded. Two words, "Air time." Have you ever seen a player or a ball go out of bounds and the fan that catches that ball or player? Chances are you have seen this fan. The camera man zooms in on that lucky fan who is wearing a grin from ear to ear. For example, when that one Phillies fan caught a baseball and gave it to his daughter, who in turn threw it back, would be similar to Dutch getting a "touch" and giving the ball to Jimmy. For The Parliament "touches" equal air time on our nationaly televised games. We get "touches" in anticipation that The Parliament will get some love. So far this season Dutch has 3 touches, Jimmy has recorded 2, and I fall at the end of the pack with 1. Although he is not an official member of The Parliament, our trainer John Poulos recorded a game high and season high 4 "touches" during our game versus LaSalle.
Being the smallest member of The Parliament, I am at a disadvantage seeing as though I am surrounded by two men with 7 foot wing spans. It is hard for me to reach out and get a "touch" when Dutch reaches out and Jimmy's waving hair smacks me in the face temporarily blinding me. However, when I got my first "touch" I was ecstatic. It was similar to the feeling I get when I realize that there is an update for Angry Birds on my iPhone and I get to play even more levels of flinging birds!
So be on the look out for The Parliament getting their "touches."
And as always, GO OWLS!
DJJ
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Fordham...To towel or not to towel?
Hello Parliament Fans...As you all know, big game coming up tomorrow night. We gotta take care of business vs. a very talented Fordham Rams team. We've been struggling coming out of the gates in the early parts of our recent games, so hopefully we can work on that tomorrow, and we need to continue our home win streak
Now after watching the Xavier vs. Georgia game tonight we've noticed some important aspects. One, was the fact that the X-Men's hype squad brought their A game tonight. Now we know they are our conference rivals but we have to give credit where credit is due. They were up the entire game and it really payed off in the end for their team. The one thing we did notice was their last guy on the bench, who would be our Jimmy McDonnell, was using a towel the entire game. There are two thought processes for this: on the one hand it draws attention to the hype squad, which is not what we are here to do. We are here to motivate and encourage our teammates on the court, and try to help out in any way we can, especially in the first half when the defense is in front of our bench. Now if an announcer wants to give us a shout out, sure why not. If a fan wants to start a "Parliament" chant, go ahead, Jimmy will probably join in with you, with a huge, innocent smile on his face. Now on the other hand there could be physical harm when that towel is being whipped around. If anyone saw Chandler Parsons get hit in the manly region then you know what we are talking about. But it begs us to task the question, should we have someone use a towel? We are more into claps and high fans. Maybe a few butt slaps, but only if they truly deserve them. Parliament Fans please let us know your thoughts. DJJ
Now after watching the Xavier vs. Georgia game tonight we've noticed some important aspects. One, was the fact that the X-Men's hype squad brought their A game tonight. Now we know they are our conference rivals but we have to give credit where credit is due. They were up the entire game and it really payed off in the end for their team. The one thing we did notice was their last guy on the bench, who would be our Jimmy McDonnell, was using a towel the entire game. There are two thought processes for this: on the one hand it draws attention to the hype squad, which is not what we are here to do. We are here to motivate and encourage our teammates on the court, and try to help out in any way we can, especially in the first half when the defense is in front of our bench. Now if an announcer wants to give us a shout out, sure why not. If a fan wants to start a "Parliament" chant, go ahead, Jimmy will probably join in with you, with a huge, innocent smile on his face. Now on the other hand there could be physical harm when that towel is being whipped around. If anyone saw Chandler Parsons get hit in the manly region then you know what we are talking about. But it begs us to task the question, should we have someone use a towel? We are more into claps and high fans. Maybe a few butt slaps, but only if they truly deserve them. Parliament Fans please let us know your thoughts. DJJ
Monday, February 7, 2011
Hello Parliament Pans!!
This is the official blog of Temple Basketball's Parliament. The Parliament, consisting of Dutch Gaitley, Jake Godino, and Jimmy McDonnell, is the end of the bench hype squad for the men's team. On this blog we will be posting out thoughts about up coming games, reactions to games, observations from other teams "hype squads", and our overall collective views on the sports world. If you aren't already, please follow us on Facebook (just type in "The Parliament.") COMING SOON!!! Hopefully the creation of our very own t-shirts.
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