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