Team 115

When I say the names, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Micheal Jordan, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Larry Bird, Tom Brady, and Joe Paterno what are a few of the things you think of? You might think of a favorite play, these athletes did while on the field, or court. You might think of a stat, that they achieved during their careers. I imagine though at some point you thought of the team that they played for during their careers. Steve Young and Jerry Rice played for the 49ers, Micheal Jordan for the Bulls, John Stockton and Karl Malone for the Jazz, Larry Bird for the Celtics, Tom Brady for the Patriots, and Joe Paterno is the long standing coach of the Penn State Lions. Now imagine for one second if these team names would have been different. What if the 49ers had been called the tigers? What if the Bulls were called the Leafs? Imagine if the Jazz had been called the Smelterites, or the Patriots were called the plungers. How about those Knittany Lions, what if they flew under the banner of Team 115? Would that make these players or the feats that the accomplished any less? Would it somehow diminish what they had done? Would they be any less memorable?

Down in Provo Utah, my friends and I have recently joined an intramural ultimate frisbee league. Because of our busy schedules we were trying to staple down the essentials for a team, to make sure we have enough players, and to make sure that we were all going to wear the same color for our game the next day. Well in the hustle and bustle the need for a team name kind of was back seated due to other essentials that were needed at the moment. Thus became the dawn of Team 115. See, when a team comes together, the intramural program automatically assigns each team a number until they pick a team name, so that each can be differentiated. Well since we didn't have time to change our name, we became known to the intramural world as Team 115. The more I thought about this team name the more I began to like it. Because I soon began to realize what's in a name? If you were pummeled on the field by the Jordan Beatdiggers is it any less of a loss than if you were to lose to the Alta Hawks? No. A loss is a loss and a win is a win, and it isn't because of the name that you remember the team. Whether John Stockton played for the Jazz, or the Pigs, he is still the all time assist leader. Whether Micheal Jordan played for the Bulls or the Walruses (It pains me to say this but.....) he is still one of the greatest men to ever play basketball. Whether Tom Brady won 3 championships with the Patriots or the Bengals his team still won three championships.

As it is with Team 115. We haven't walked onto the frisbee field with the best name yet. However we are still undefeated, and Team 115 has handed out 2 losses thus far this season. It won't be because of our memorable name that teams like the Ultimate Salad Eaters remember us. It will be because we beat them 15-4. And when it boils down to it, that's what matters. So here's to team 115.