SHUHEI MATSUO
Assistant Online Editor
Two mothers jog along PCH for their weekly Tuesday-afternoon exercise.
“So, I’ve been thinking about my kid’s future,” says the one with long blond hair.
“Oh yeah?” replies the one with short dark hair.
“I know he seems to like tennis, but I decided that my John will be concentrating 100 percent on volleyball from now on,” says the blonde. “His personal trainer told us that he needs to pick one sport right now or he will be left behind other boys.”
“Really?” says the brunette, surprisingly. “He looks like he can serve the tennis ball pretty fast.”
“Yeah, but the trainer says he’ll need to begin lifting six days a week starting next year, if he wants the Roddick serve,” replies the blonde. “But that could be dangerous at his age. And, I really want to see my John represent the country in the Olympics, more than playing at Wimbledon by himself.”
“But what about the income?” asks the brunette again. “Tennis players could earn a lot more if you make it to the top.”
“Well, I just don’t see anyone beating Federer again for a while,” says the blonde. “I think John can be volleyball’s version of David Beckham. Pepperdine’s kinesiologist even told me he’s already got the muscles to serve like J.D. Schleppenbach and spike the ball like Paul Carroll at his age.”
“How about basketball?” suggests the brunette. “You know, he could be famous and make big bucks with it, and more importantly, basketball is in the Olympics.”
“Yeah, but he can’t dunk yet,” says the blonde. “And I don’t want him to get those Japanese tattoos all over his body anyway.”
“How about football? That’s like the ultimate American sport,” insists the brunette.
“Are you kidding?” says the blonde, mockingly. “Pepperdine doesn’t have a football team anymore.”
“What’s up with your Pepperdine spirit? Just let him go to some other university or skip college.”
“Well, you obviously haven’t read the sports column in the Graphic on Jan. 17, which highly recommended athletes to go to college,” says the blonde. “Plus, I decided John will be a Wave when he was born.”
“Ah, all right then.”
“So what are you going to do with your girl?” asks the blonde.
“Jane? I don’t know yet,” replies the brunette. “But I’m hoping tennis or golf.”
“Gosh, those are such cliché sports for girls these days,” says the blonde, disappointingly. “Have you thought about basketball or swimming?”
“Um, she doesn’t look like she is going to be very tall,” says the brunette. “I mean, look at me. I’m 5’5”. I don’t know if she’s going to be able to play those sports.”
“Well, did you know the basketball team’s Nakeya Isabell, who is 5’4”, scored 136 points last season?” says the blonde, “and freshman swimmer Franny Cyphers, who is also 5’5”, swims faster than we jog?”
“Wow, I had no idea.”
“FYI, Maria Sharapova is 6’2,” says the blonde, “which makes her taller than the entire men’s team except for Andre Begemann and Omar Altmann.”
“But you know, I really want Jane to play tennis because female tennis players attract cute guys,” the brunette insists. “That’ll help boost up her self-esteem.”
“True. In fact, all five male Waves named a tennis player for the “who is the hottest athlete” question a year ago for Ask a Wave.”
“Right? And maybe we’ll even meet some handsome Pepperdine students at their matches,” says the brunette.
“Well, speaking of cute boys, I think the baseball team practices at 3 p.m.,” says the blonde. “Those guys recently got picked second in preseason WCC poll. Should be a good team. Wanna go check ‘em out?”
“Well, is that even a question? I love hot guys in tight pants.”
They pause momentarily.
“By the way, where is John today?” asks the brunette. “You usually jog with him in the stroller.”
“Oh, I left him at the daycare,” says the blonde. “Where is Jane?”
“She’s at her grandparents,” says the brunette. “My parents really know how to take care of babies.”
01-31-2008
