More from The Q&A: Guilherme Marchi
Guilherme Marchi is a bull rider, which in and of itself makes him an interesting character.
But there’s so much more about the Professional Bull Rider tour’s defending world champion that is fascinating. Here’s more from The Q&A with Marchi:
Jenni Carlson: Did I read somewhere that you like surfing?
Guilherme Marchi: At 8 years old, my mom and dad bought a restaurant and hotel on the beach. We stayed on the beach for almost 10 years. On the beach, the guys play soccer and surf.
JC: That’s the life.
GM: I surfed a little bit, and I loved it, too.
JC: How are the waves?
GM: Good waves in Brazil, and they have a lot of competitions. A lot of guys from here go over there. Nice waves. Nice, big waves.
JC: So, bull riding and surfing … you must love challenges.
GM: I’m just into sports. I like to play basketball, soccer. I never played football, but I’d like to learn. Everything I do, I do well. I try to do the best.
JC: Are you a thrill seeker, too? I mean, you ride bulls for a living. Do you skydive or anything like that?
GM: I did it once. It’s very fun, too. Crazy. We go to Denver in January, and you have a chance to ski. I’ve never skied, but I’m going to try next year.
JC: You were the runner-up for the world championship three times before you won it last year. To finally break through, did you change something, do something different?
GM: Last year, I was very comfortable. This year has changed a little bit. I have the title now … and everywhere I go, everyone wants you to ride good and it’s very tough. Sometimes, you draw good bulls. Sometimes, you draw harder bulls, no-good bulls. But I still ride 60 percent right now. It’s not bad. The guys say, “Oh, Guilherme, he won last year. He’s a little lazy now.” This year, I try hard, but it’s different than last year.
JC: And you’re second, for goodness sakes. What do people want?
GM: (Laughs.) The guys don’t care.
JC: Geez. They expect you to win all the time.
GM: It’s no good. (Laughs.)
JC: Athletes talk about being in the zone. Is it possible for a bull rider to get into the zone?
GM: Not really. The levels of the bulls change a lot. This week … these are good bulls, but like next week when we go on the Built Ford Tough, the top events, they’re the top bulls and the tougher bull rides. Out here, you can’t ride a hundred percent.
JC: You just can’t be perfect.
GM: Last year, I rode 75 percent. Nobody rode like that in the PBR. Most are 60, 65 percent.
JC: You’re represented by Express Sports Agency, a local group. They did a big photo shoot the last time the tour came through. That’s a long day, right?
GM: It’s three or four days.
JC: That’s harder work than riding bulls.
GM: Riding bulls just takes eight seconds, but taking pictures … woo. (Laughs.)
Coach K loves KD
Kevin Durant might be wearing another jersey soon.
One with USA across the front.
According to reports, the Thunder star has been impressive at USA Basketball’s three-day mini camp. The event features 20 of the NBA’s best young stars, and all of them are trying to earn a spot on the senior national team.
ESPN’s Chris Sheridan went so far as to say that you can give Durant a spot on the 2010 team.
Everyone around here knows not only how good Durant is but also how much better he’s become. His game has expanded beyond what it was even a year ago. The lanky swingman is more defensive-minded and more likely to snag a board or block a shot. Now, I’m not saying he’s going to be confused with Bruce Bowen or any other lock-down defender any time soon.
Or will he?
Check out what national team coach Mike Krzyzewski had to say: “He’s that versatility guy, and the other thing is he’s a shooter, and with the way we were playing defense for most of the Olympics, with his length, he could be a heck of a defender.”
A heck of a defender. Durant. Go figure.
Coach K had even more to say about KD’s chances of making the national team: “So he’s really at the head of the list for me.”
This is exciting news for Durant, but it should be even better news for Thunder fans. Sure, it would be great for Durant to be part of the national team, but if he’s playing this well during mini-camp, it’s pretty exciting to think just how much better he’ll be this season.
Suddenly that preseason opener on Oct. 7 holds even more intrigue.
More from The Q&A: Hunter Mahan
Hunter Mahan had a rough week at the British Open, but it was the first one he’s had this year.
The former Oklahoma State standout and PGA Tour up-and-comer missed the cut for the first time this season. He’s had a great run and some great finishes. Don’t be surprised to see him finish the rest of the season strong.
But you should be downright stunned if you see Mahan follow the recent trend of golfers who are posting on their Twitter accounts during tournaments. He explains in this bonus outtake from The Q&A:
Jenni Carlson: There was some talk recently about guys on tour Twittering during competition. You into any of that?
Hunter Mahan: I’m definitely not that into it. I’ve been on Facebook and whatnot. Twitter, I’ve never been to the website. If those guys want to do it, I guess it’s fine. Anything that helps the game, that helps people get closer to us, I think it’s a good thing.
JC: But we can expect no cell phone pictures from you to be posted during a round?
HM: I don’t think you’ll see any of that any time soon.
JC: You a tech buff in other areas?
HM: I have an Xbox. I only play about two or three games on that. Sometimes if I get real hot on something, I’ll play it for days. I’ve got an iPhone and stuff like that, but some people I’ve seen have iPhones and 50 applications. They don’t even get off the phone for anything. I guess I’m more of a naturalist.
JC: If someone who has an iPhone qualifies as a naturalist.
HM: Nowadays, it is.
Who’s the darling at the British Open?
Tom Watson is getting all the love at the British Open.
That’s to be expected. Watson is 59 years old, and he’s tied for the lead at the British Open. He deserves every bit of attention he’s getting. Dude’s got a new left hip, for goodness sakes. The fact that he’s at the top of the leaderboard in a major is no small feat.
But a guy who should get plenty of love, too, is Steve Marino.
Who?
He’s the guy who’s tied with Watson for the lead after two rounds. They’ll be paired together in the third round Saturday. And while everyone will be falling over themselves about Watson, Marino is a heck of a story, too.
Born in Altus — yep, Altus — Marino was the first alternate for the British Open. A week ago, he wasn’t even in the field for the tournament. Then on Sunday, Shingo Katayama withdrew from the tournament with an upper back injury. Only then did Marino have a spot in the field.
Here’s a guy that didn’t know he was in the British Open until four days before the opening round. Now, he goes into the weekend tied for the lead.
And if that weren’t enough, Marino says he’s never played a links-style course, the style most often seen in the United Kingdom and played on during the British Open. Truth is, he’s never even been to Scotland. Marino could’ve fooled everyone about those two things with the way he’s playing.
Lots of folks will be pulling for Watson this weekend, and you can count me in that group. But it’s going to be difficult not to pull for Marino, too. Both guys are unlikely leaders, the best kind to cheer.
Coffee, toast and Turnberry
I absolutely love waking up, turning on the television and being able to watch a live sporting event.
This morning, of course, it’s the British Open, but even when it’s tennis or soccer or the Olympics, I totally dig starting the day with live sports. I wish I could explain why that is because golf, tennis, soccer and curling don’t rank among my favorite sports or anything, but if they are on first thing in the morning, I’ll park myself in front of the TV for as long as possible.
What a great way to start the day.
And when I head to the office, you’d better believe I commandeer the remote for the closest TV. But I know, of course, that many of you aren’t so lucky to have TVs close at hand. To that end, here are a couple of suggestions for your web browsing:
* The PGA Tour’s live scoring: It automatically updates every 30 seconds or so, and you can click on any player and see their scorecard. You can also select your own custom-made scoreboard, choosing the players you want to track.
* Dan Jenkins on Twitter: The long-time golf writer has joined the new-age communication method, and he is fantastic. Among his posts already today — “Tom Watson is tied for the lead after 10 holes. And I left all my notes from 1977 at home.” Well worth checking him out or better yet following him.
More from The Q&A: Billy Bajema
The Oklahoma native, Westmoore High product and Oklahoma State alum was the subject of The Q&A this week. In addition to talking about his recently completed youth football camp, his former home in San Francisco and his new home in St. Louis, he also answered a few questions about his alma mater’s football team.
Jenni Carlson: Oklahoma State is getting a lot of attention this off-season, a lot of folks thinking the Cowboys are going to be pretty good. What’s your take?
Billy Bajema: I’m very excited. I think they’re going to be really good. The Big 12 South again may have three really tough teams in OU, Texas and OSU. As Cowboys, we’re hoping this is the year they break out and win it.
JC: Do you get back to any games?
BB: I watch them all on TV or listen to them on the webcast if I have to. I haven’t had a chance to make it back to games. It’s all a matter of whether the bye week matches up to a home game at OSU. But I did buy season tickets. I’m hoping to make it back on the bye week this year and see them play.
JC: So, you have tickets that you never use. That’s sad.
BB: Well, some day I’ll use them.
JC: Let’s talk a little more about your youth football camp. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes was involved, so how did the faith-based side of things work into the camp?
BB: Chris (Chamberlain) and I and Nick (Graham), we all took opportunities during the breaks to share a little about our faith. We’re always trying to integrate that as much into everything as we can.
JC: When you were at Oklahoma State, you were the first recipient of what is now the National Bobby Bowden Award given by FCA. Has it always been a big part of your life?
BB: It provided a lot of opportunities for guys who were Christians to get out into the area high schools and junior highs and church groups to share your faith. I did a lot of that in college. It’s important. FCA has really made this camp a possibility by helping us out.
JC: Lastly, let’s talk a little more about the NFL. You’ve been primarily a blocking tight end, which means you’re a dirty-work guy. Do you ever have those dreams of catching six or eight passes in a game?
BB: I definitely take pride in being a good blocker. If that’s what the team needs me to do, I’m definitely happy to do it. But, of course, I’d love to go make some more plays, too. In San Francisco, I was with other tight ends who were more receivers, so I was more of the blocker. You never know. Maybe I’ll have more opportunities to be more of a well-rounded tight end with the new team.
One of those remember-where-you-were moments
Ten years ago this week, the American sports world turned its attention to soccer.
Yep, soccer.
That was the summer that the Women’s World Cup and the American team took the sports scene by storm. Mia Hamm. Julie Foudy. Brandi Chastain. Everyone was head over heels for those gals. Thousands attended their games, and millions more watched at home.
And when Chastain scored the Cup-clinching penalty kick and pulled off her jersey in celebration, it marked an iconic moment in American sports.
Do you remember where you were?
I know where I wasn’t — in front of the TV watching the game. For the life of me I can’t remember what it was, but that afternoon, I had a church-related event that had been scheduled for months. I couldn’t get out of it. It couldn’t be rescheduled.
So, I missed the whole match. The Brianna Scurry saves. The Chastain celebration. All of it.
But the impact that moment made lives on even today. We’ll be commemorating that day later this week, and we’re looking for your memories of the 1999 Women’s World Cup. The good. The bad. The funny. The profound. Whatever it is, we want to hear from you.
E-mail me at jcarlson@opubco.com, and be sure to include your full name, where you live and a phone number in case we need to contact you.
McNair provides important reminder
A little over a year ago, I met Steve McNair.
Then with the Baltimore Ravens, the quarterback had come to Oklahoma City to support the inaugural Mark Clayton Foundation Charity Weekend. Clayton, the former Oklahoma Sooner receiver, had enlisted the help of numerous players, and McNair was one of the two dozen or so to come to Clayton’s aid.
Knowing that McNair had a long track record of charity work, I wanted to interview him and he was more than happy to talk. We chatted for a couple of minutes, and later, I wrote this in a piece that I wrote about NFL players giving their offseason time to charity work:
“Mark has accepted the responsibility that life is bigger than him,” the Baltimore quarterback said Friday night at the Winner’s Circle VIP Reception, which kicked off Clayton’s charity weekend. “He’s fortunate to be in a position where he can go and help other people. When you have that sense of responsibility … you’re willing to do that.”
McNair has been willing for a decade. That’s how long his foundation has been providing for different charities near and dear to his heart, including United Way and Special Olympics.
He won the NFL Players Association’s top award for service to team and community in 2005.
“A lot of people see all the negative things that NFL players do … but they don’t see what we try to do positive,” McNair said.
Because McNair was giving of his time and resources to charity work, that made him even more of a role model. But with his murder over the weekend, we are once again reminded that just because athletes are talented on the field and generous in the charity world isn’t indicative of everything about their character.
McNair had a wife and four children, but he also had a girlfriend who he lavished with gifts and trips.
The news seems shocking, completely out of character for McNair, but the truth is, most of us didn’t know his character. We knew he was a great quarterback. We knew he was a giving philanthropist. But just because a person is outstanding in several areas doesn’t mean they are that way in every area of life. Too many times we believe that if an athlete hits a baseball a mile or dunks a basketball like Superman or leads one amazing touchdown drive after another, every aspect of their lives must be similarly wonderful.
It doesn’t work that way.
The sad end to Steve McNair’s life reminds us of that sobering fact once again.
