Category Archives: Sports

Utley proves fan favorite during Trenton rehab

By Kaleb Anderson
Atlanta, G.A.

TRENTON — Fans adore him. His teammates need him. People travel to see him. The team would be nothing without him. Who is this superstar? Two words: Chase Utley. Utley is a widely popular, professional baseball player who is irresistibly talented and has a large fan base. He currently plays for the Philadelphia Phillies, but because of his recent ankle injury he has played for the Double-A baseball team, the Reading Fightin’ Phils. Utley represents the archetype for athletes who will always have support from their fans regardless of their performance in games. Continue reading

For Utley, rehab draws crowds

By Sharon Bayantemur
Brooklyn, N.Y.

TRENTON — The smell of fried food in the muggy air mingled with the crowd’s boisterousness at Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton, N.J. Everyone was waiting for the Trenton Thunder to go head-to-head with the Reading Fightin’ Phils. The $15-million major leaguer Chase Utley, a star Philadelphia Phillies infielder, was in the lineup while recuperating from a recent ankle injury. He was the main motivation for most Phillies fans to come to the Aug. 4 Double-A game. Continue reading

Price speaks for Princeton

By Trista Merrival
Pine Ridge, S.D.

Jerry Price, 52, is in many ways the public face of Princeton sports. He’s responsible for the publication and promotion of the university’s athletic program—a job that calls for him to tell positive stories about Tiger athletics.

“If you’re relying on media to come cover your team, what are they going to say? ‘They lost again; they can’t score a goal,’” Price said. By contrast, in telling the stories himself, he can put forward an upbeat narrative about Princeton athletics. Continue reading

Princeton’s Price is not the typical public relations man

By Addie Morton
Knoxville, Tenn.

Jerry Price’s desk is unkempt, cluttered with files, and his walls are covered in family photos. He leans back in his chair with a casual demeanor and rests his feet on the bottom drawer of his desk.

“I’d like to write a book about something at some point,” he muses, sitting in his Jadwin Gymnasium office.

If the book is an extension of his blog, “TigerBlog,” expect a candid conversation, voiced in the third person. Continue reading

Ups and downs of Princeton sports with Jerry Price

By Christina Gaspar
Oceanside, Calif.

Jerry Price, who currently serves as Princeton’s Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Athletic Communications, used to view Princeton sports from the outside, covering the school’s teams for both The Trenton Times and The Princeton Packet. A graduate of University of Pennsylvania, he was hired by Princeton in 1994 and became the voice of Princeton’s sports teams. Continue reading

Trenton Thunder fade against Fightin’ Phils, 7-1

By Marlee Kelly
Pine Ridge, S.D.

TRENTON — The sun set over Arm & Hammer Park as fans anticipated the first pitch of the game. The Trenton Thunder and the Reading Fightin’ Phils were competing for second place in the Eastern League.

For the most part, it was a typical baseball game: the fans went quiet as a tribute to local veterans played on the big screen, and a young local, Victoria Paul, sang the national anthem. But on Aug. 5, the crowd was here to see something unusual. Continue reading

Fightin’ Phils silence Trenton Thunder, 7-1

By Kamila Czachorowski
Norridge, Ill.

TRENTON — On Aug. 5, the Trenton Thunder lost 7-1 to the Reading Fightin Phils. Judging by the cheers and clapping, the majority of the crowd was supporting -Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, who was temporarily playing for the Reading Fightin’ Phils. Utley suffered an ankle injury in June and has begun the process of working back up to the major leagues. Continue reading

Vick, Smith vie for role as Jets starting quarterback

The Indianapolis Colts warm up on Thursday before their preseason opener against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

The Indianapolis Colts warm up on Thursday before their preseason opener against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

By Amna Nawaz
Brooklyn, N.Y.

For thousands of Jets fans, Thursday’s 13-10 preseason victory was a welcome start to the season, but the game wasn’t mainly about defeating the Colts. Fans were looking to evaluate the play of the team’s two quarterbacks, Michael Vick and Geno Smith. Both Vick and Smith are competing to be the starter, and after last week’s game, it appears that it’s going to be a close competition.

Vick, age 34, was brought to the Jets in part to serve as a mentor to Smith. Their relationship is not just about competition but also collaboration. “It’s great. It’s a great feeling to have a guy like Mike,” Smith said of his work with Vick. “He is a guy I have always looked up to.”

The Jets hope this collaboration helps the 23-year-old Smith’s maturation process. Smith had an up-and-down rookie year, but there were certainly bright spots: According to the Jets’ website, Smith not only had the most passing yards in a single season for a Jets rookie — registering 3,046 yards — but also had the highest completion rate for a rookie, with 55.8 percent. Continue reading

Press box staff sets positive tone for sports reporters

The Jets enter MetLife Stadium for their preseason opener against the Colts on Aug. 7.

The Jets enter MetLife Stadium for their preseason opener against the Colts on Aug. 7.

By Asia Matthews and Diego Pineda
Queens, N.Y. & Raleigh, N.C.

During the Jets-Colts preseason game on Aug. 8, all one could hear in the press box was the sound of reporters frantically tapping the keys of their laptops. A few fiddled with their recorders or grabbed a bite to eat between plays. It seemed as though everyone was working in complete isolation. But for the staff of the stadium working the press box, it was an entirely different ball game.

A press box is expected to be filled with reserved and elite reporters who strictly maintain professionalism with the stadium staff. But the stadium workers had a different take on what working in the press box is actually like, claiming that working there feels like interacting with family members. Continue reading

Opinion: Kiss Cam outdated, heterosexist

The Jets played at the MetLife Stadium for their preseason opener against the Colts on Aug. 7.

The Jets played at the MetLife Stadium for their preseason opener against the Colts on Aug. 7.

By Ashley Nava
El Paso, T.X. 

You’re sitting in the stands at a major sporting event, hot dog in one hand, drink in the other. Suddenly, you look up at the jumbotron and see your projected face framed with a heart, and the words underneath read, “Kiss Cam.” Thousands of people anxiously wait for you to kiss the person sitting beside you. The only problem is, they’re your sibling.

This hypothetical situation is the reality that many have faced and will continue to face in the coming years. The assumption that any female and male sitting together are in a relationship, or at the very least are inclined to participate in this mockery of love, is ridiculous. Let’s not forget the awkward instances when they’re just friends. Continue reading