Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

Has everyone reading this heard of the singing group Up With People? When I was little they came and performed at our high school… sang, danced, put on skits. And what I remember most is a choreographed number with a basketball.

They all were wearing bright colored uniforms, throwing a basketball back and forth and singing, “Hey y’all, throw me the ball!” I probably remember it so well because my mom pulled that line out more than once over the years when she wanted someone to pass her a basketball so she could show off her skills. Skills, I might add, that helped take her high school women’s basketball team to the state championships back in the day.

All 5 foot 2 inches of her skills. She was scrappy.

Well, on Saturday I got to watch all 6 feet of her grandson Thomas prove that he inherited some serious basketball skills… without ever leaving my house (obviously). I know he’s six foot tall because the announcer repeatedly said, “Thomas Brophy, the six foot sophomore, is really having a great day off the bench for the Eagles.”

I might have been a little proud.

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Thomas was at a three-day basketball tournament in a town not far from here; his last tournament of the season. And wouldn’t you know it, this high school broadcasted the tournament live over the internet. They are a Christian school and I don’t think they have a clue what kind of loving service they did for this auntie who was glued to her computer the entire game.

Glued to the computer, and grateful she wasn’t on Candid Camera. Because here’s the thing: I might get a little into sports. I might be just a little invested when I watch a game… and when it’s a game that my nephew is playing in, I might be just a little ridiculous.

Like screaming at the computer ridiculous. Like clapping and saying, “Let’s go Broph! Hustle!” I’ve never shortened my nephew’s last name and referred to him as “Broph” in my entire life. Put him on a court and at a free throw line, and apparently I do.

And when they made a sign and held it up in front of the camera during a time out that said, “Hi Sara and Riley!” and then added a plug by putting: “www.gitzengirl.blogspot.com” on it for promotional purposes… I may have waved at them and yelled hi even though they couldn’t see or hear me. Maybe.

In case you’re wondering, the Eagles won the tournament. They are conference champions and my nephew tied another player for high scorer in the game.

And I might be just a little proud.

40 comments:

  1. AWESOME!!!!

    and dang, is he a heartbreaker or what?! ;)

    love the part about the sign! :-D

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  2. i've never heard of "up with people". ever. i'm just sayin'.

    and i'm so glad you get invested when you watch sports, too.

    broph is blessed to have you as his aunt!

    [i'm curious how much extra blog traffic you'll get as a result of that plug. way to go family!]

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  3. Yes, I remember "Up With People". Boy, that was a long time ago.

    What a treat to get to watch the game live on the computer. This Internet thing is amazing, isn't it?

    I get involved in sports like that too, it gets the blood pumping.

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  4. Well, I think he's pretty darn handsome, but I also might be a bit biased... ;)

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  5. Yeah, well in a small Iowa town Up With People were a big deal when they came and performed. :)

    I doubt I'll get any blog traffic; it was probably just me and my parents watching the game, really... but it was so much fun to see it on the screen!

    About me and sports: it doesn't even matter if I don't know the team or the players... I just like the action of the game. If I don't care between two teams I'll just pick one and go die-hard for them during the game. I'm weird like that.

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  6. YEA! Someone remembers them!!! I need to ask my mom if some of them stayed at our house or not... retreat members and performing people that came through often needed housing and we'd sometimes have them stay with us. It was always fun :)

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  7. Ok, that is soooo cool!!! So glad you got to watch it even without being there!!! How cool are the times we live in today! Gotta love the internet!

    Recent blog post: Giza, Egypt and the Pyramids!

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  8. You are a proud Aunt!!! I love it....me, too!!! My nephews think I'm a little nutty 'cause I always get a little teary eyed at their events. Like three weeks ago when I saw my nephew Shane wrestle in the district meet and make it to State. Oh, I was going crazy!!! I told him I would buy him anything he wanted I was sooo proud. He gave me hug in front of his friends.....I was a very proud Aunt. It's so awesome to be an AUNT...even if we are the crazy, silly ones!!!

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  9. I had no idea you could broadcast over the internet! Shut the door! ;)
    That's such a great idea! And you screaming and waving your arms around (this is my visual) must have made Riley wonder...what the.. maybe not, I bet he's used to it.
    Congrats to the nephew on the high scoring game, he's a doll!


    Recent blog post: Living the Legacy I want to Leave…

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  10. first things first...man, is he cute!!

    okay, how fun for you to be a part of that great day. i love hearing how thrilled you were and your enthusiasm even over the computer screen. so glad you were able to be a part of it.

    Recent blog post: Never Would Have Thought

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  11. What exciting times and what a CUTE kid! Are they in the state tournament? Now that mine are all grown and gone, I need to find someone I "know" to cheer for.

    And wasn't "Up With People" just last week?

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  12. How fun! That is awesome that they one, he scored so many points and you got a plug.

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  13. Such a cute grin! Thanks for sharing.

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  14. Congrats to Thomas on the win!! I too, might be a little fanatical when it comes to sports games ;) That is sooo funny about the promo sign, very clever. Did Grandma get to watch someplace too?

    I always loved "Up with people!!" I saw them in Idaho once too, only about 5 or 6 years ago so perhaps they are still going strong.

    Recent blog post: Like Father, Like Daughter

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  15. You have every reason to be a proud aunt! I think we all get a little crazy about sporting events, ESPECIALLY when someone we love is ruling the court! :)

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  16. I love this post! What a fun blessing! I love that God set it up for you!

    And that Broph is a cutie.

    Recent blog post: i’ve had better

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  17. That is AWESOME! I love it for you. Wow...do you have any unsightly folks in your clan? Do you just politely shove them out of camera sight when photo time comes or are you all so cute?

    Congrats to the Eagles!

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  18. Oh fiddle! I wanted you to get my thank you with my post today. I'm not slick at all.

    Recent blog post: Thank you, Gitz!

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  19. WOOHOO Broph!! And AUNTIE!!

    Way to go, Brophy, way to go, THAT'S RIGHT!! :)

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  20. And rightly so. ;)

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  21. In the late 60's, Up With People came to our civic center here in Panama City, FL.....the enthusiasm was so great that a local group was formed and was called Sing Out America....I was in the group, we traveled to lots of places near our town....I can still sing the (then) Up, Up with people song...and several of the other songs.

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  22. I see everyone in your family has the "great smile" gene.

    When it came to choosing sides for basketball, or any other sport, I was always the last one picked, after my dog, who went with me every where. Of course Buttons was a pretty dribbler. :)

    Shouldn't that sign read "Hi Riley and Sara"?


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  23. "Up, up, with people; you meet 'em wherever you go. Up, up, with people; they're the best kind of folks you know!" That's all I can remember, but I remember Up With People. Dh and I were just talking about them last week! 8-)

    Recent blog post: Sundays

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  24. I just went and Googled "Up With People" to see if I even had those lyrics right, and that was a real blast from the past. I had forgotten about the song, "What Color is God's Skin?" which I think we sang at the Catholic grade school I went to. Too funny!

    Recent blog post: Sundays

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  25. I know, right? I never thought they'd do that in high school...

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  26. I'm so not surprised we have that in common :) I said to my sister he should be glad I can't be there in person... he'd be so embarrassed by me and my cheering :-[

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  27. Shut the door! ;) And seriously... Riley was soooo jealous that he couldn't get my attention. There was a lot of whining...

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  28. me, too... i hope more schools start doing that.

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  29. He is cute :) No, this was a conference thing with other private schools... I'm not sure how it all works but they don't go to state.

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  30. I was such a maniac over the sign... I called my mom to make sure they saw it and she was laughing at me. They loved watching it too.

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  31. I love that you saw Up with People! Yep, mom and dad watched it too... we'd call each other during time outs. We'd be quite the pair at a hockey game, Vicky! (Well, first I'd have to learn about hockey...)

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  32. RULING the court is right. He did so good :)

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  33. :-D Broph. I totally started laughing at myself when I called him that. He would have looked at me like I was crazy!

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  34. Yeah, we weed out the ugly ones early. (JUST KIDDING!)

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  35. Wow, I see cheerleading in your past life... =-O

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  36. That's so crazy you were in the group! I wouldn't know all the words but I know the melody...

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  37. Yeah, but we don't need Riley thinking he's any more important than he already does. =-X

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  38. Oh, I am so going to google them now... and those are the words I remember.

    Recent blog post: Hey, Y’all – Throw Me The Ball

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  39. Yes, I have a funny story about that time. I was 15 and we sang at a boy's correctional center.....while we were in a room waiting, someone came in and said we shouldn't sing Born Free! :)
    Do you sell your art work? I would love to buy some...I really like your things!
    Thanks,
    Nancygrayce

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  40. How fun! And seriously, I just can't believe (I mean, I can, but barely) how awesome your family and friends are to you! They had a sign - and included your blog! So cool.

    And I'm glad they won! :)

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