Author Archives: Hoa Nguyen

Combat Juggling 2012 Highlights

Today I’d like to share with you the highlights for the 2012 (and 2011) Combat Juggling Finals. I apologize for the delay. With both the NBA finals that I’m not covering and the approaching NHL playoffs I’m also not covering, I was busy living in a world where I didn’t know Combat Juggling existed. I’m still not 100% sure it exists. It seems real enough. There are weirder sports out there. It has a Wikipedia page.

Moving forward, assuming this is real. As Senior Combat Juggling Correspondent ANY and ALL Combat Juggling news or coverage that comes across my desk will immediately be shared with you.

Once again, assuming this is real.

source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/22/combat-juggling-is-a-real-thing-and-it-is-amazing/

By Hoa Nguyen. Senior Combat Juggling Correspondent
Follow Hoa on Twitter at @hoabert
You can contact Hoa at hoa@thecouchletes.com

Things I learned from Friday Night Lights: Part 1

I recently finished watching Friday Night Lights with my girlfriend. We went through Season 1 in a week and I really feel like I grew with that team and town. The ups and downs, the bittersweet victories, and support and reversely unscrupulous demands that are placed on these children. Since I’ve read the Wikipedia page on the book and have been to two high school football games, I’m going to assume that I can pick out what’s accurate and what’s been exaggerated dramatic effect.

1) Being a high school football coach in a small town in Texas is the hardest job in the world.

Holy cow. I was seriously stressed out in the beginning of the series. They would not let Coach Taylor have a minute to himself. Coaching is a 24/7/365 job. Just like politics and women’s reproductive rights, everyone has an opinion whether or not they have the qualifications. And like politics, you have people your beholden to, doubters, enemies, friendemies, and everything in-between waiting for you to fail. But when he pulls something off, it is pure adrenaline and a part of me wishes I had paid more attention to the playbook in Techmo Super Bowl. Maybe I’d be a coach in Texas right now. (“NO” was the supportive girlfriend’s response. She must be concerned about my stress levels.)

2) All Football players own baseball bats.

Football is everything in this town. They mentioned a basketball team once but we never see it. We never once hear about a baseball team or little league. So why does EVERY SINGLE player in town seem to own a BASEBALL BAT?

3) Timmy Riggins/Taylor Kitsch has heart.

“I can see why they keep putting this guy in movies” my girlfriend says as if reading my mind. An egg sandwich did not immediately get made so I assume her powers are still developing. Timmy/Taylor really has the ice cold bastard who’s heart of gold slowly develops as he fights his demons thing going on. That’s a great recipe for Gambit and space-tarzan if as ask me. Battleship doesn’t count because he and Landry basically reprising their roles in Football and Crucifictorius Didn’t Work Out (directed by Friday Nights show-runner Peter Berg). He just needed better scripts. And editors. And producers. Or maybe Agent.

4) These people have great metabolisms.

The amount of fast food these people consume is insane.

5) The kids are often times the adults.

As I mentioned before the amount of responsibility placed on these kids is ridiculous. Often driving them to make bad decisions. Football is their favorite and only real form of escapism. Consequentially It is the only glue holding together their community. Friday nights people can forget about their lives, their daily struggles and ailments.The rest of the week it’s power and influence is present through sports talk radio, chit chat with the corner store owner and even at business openings or church sermons.

As a result of this dependency the team’s success reflects how healthy the community is and how they even treat each other. The game is often more important to the adults, maybe sentimentally, or because they have a greater need for the escapism. So much so that sometimes the adults need to be reminded that it’s just a game and the children end up reminding them that there’s a lot more to this life than football (obviously they not as important as football but still of significant fractional importance that it may deserve some attention; like college, income, or christian speed metal).

In terms of fictitious High School Football teams, I’ve been a strong supporter of San Dimas High since 1988. SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES! But I think there may be room in my heart for the Panthers, at least enough to start up Season 2. Game of Thrones doesn’t start for a couple of weeks.

By Hoa Nguyen. Whose knowledge of sports is mostly informed by video games.
Follow Hoa on Twitter at @hoabert
You can contact Hoa at hoa@thecouchletes.com

More on the Warriors T-Shirt Jerseys

We don’t feel self-conscious at all. source: warrioris.com

A few weeks ago Kevin let us know his feelings on the Golden State Warriors new t-shirt jerseys. I don’t know if it was just me but I sensed he wasn’t 100% on board with the change. I was ready to play devil’s advocate and give the shirts a chance. They were jarring at first but we can’t let our emotions or resistance to change stifle scientific progress and advancement of the sport. The league would still be dominated by white men in short-shorts if hadn’t been allowed to evolve. I had my rebuttal all worked out. And then I saw the game.

First Impressions

It was a little weird. I’m not going to lie to you. I respect you too much to do that. Even if it means agreeing with Kevin on that note. I don’t think the shirts quite match the pinstriped shorts. It reminds me of the guy in the gym that works out in his street clothes. They also did not start off with the increased explosive power that Rahul tells me his Under Armour t-shirt gives him when he’s skiing. However, where it really counts, the last few minutes of the 4th and in OT, is when the shirts came into play.

But before that I must fully disclose: I was ~~out drinking~~ meeting with our EIC/co-founders Kevin and Rahul and recorded the Spurs game. My DVR cut out at the end of regulation despite me adding 30min on. So the following in depth professional NBA analysis is based off of my cell phone updates while I was eating at Urban Curry. The Warriors had just gotten an energy surge to make a few crucial 3 pointers and free-throws to keep the game going. Their second wind had kicked in and they were ready to give everything they had to go out on top.

What I think Happened

(I imagine) the Spurs were slowing down and drenched in sweat. Their muscles depleted of electolyte replenishing sports drinks. They had only brought enough for a regulation game. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say. Their muscles started to cramp and their shoulders grew sore and cold as the game went on. The Warriors, though tired, were still dry and warm thanks to moisture-wick™ technology. They surged and played loops around the Spurs like they were the Washington Generals. That’s probably what happened. I waited to see another game to see if my hypothesis held.

Second Impressions. Lets see Those Jersey’s in Action Again

The match-up against the Rockets was for the most part the same. Neither team demonstrated any explosive dominance though David Lee did play pretty well despite his knee injury. I can’t say the jersey had any impact on that. I was hoping to see a 2nd wind in the 4th and for a second it seemed like it was coming. But the momentum really slowed down and Rockets regained their lead and the game fizzled out.

Performance Enhancing?

Get it? They look a little bit like Lance Armstrong’s Jerseys. Okay, back to my hard hitting analysis.

Goodell: There’s money to be made with sleeveless QBs.

ADIDAS knows how to make performance gear. I don’t think there’s a mobility or functionality issue but their color palette pattern designers leave a lot to be desired (see below). Sleeves aren’t restricting quarterbacks from launching the pigskin. Which, further-more, also, as well, leads me to the conclusion that Kevin just wishes to see NFL quarterbacks play sleeveless (see above). I cannot see that being a negative if it brings in more female (or male, I mean whatever, lets see all of Kaepernick’s tattoos) viewers.

Is this a Marketing Fad or the Future?

It just looks a little too weird right now to catch on. I can see different teams putting their touches on it. Maybe Oregon will have 200 different versions. We can call it a soft-launch. Loyal fans may pick up a few but Improvements must be made quickly or this will go the way of Crystal Pepsi. The true test is if Jay-Z decides he wants to get on board and launch a version for the Nets. That man has style and knows how to sell water to a guy-or-girl-who-already-has-water. Maybe they’ll up the ante and reveal a black-tie pin-stripe Athletic Performance Tuxedo™ that he and Timberlake can sport at their concerts.

Update: Kevin sent me this NCAA t-shirt press image. I don’t even know what to say…

What the? –
source: https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/307147763508998144

Also Bonus Sleeveless Rodgers.

I had too much fun making Sleeveless Rodgers

YOU’RE WELCOME, LADIES.