Thanksgiving - Talking Stuff(ing)

This post originally appeared in the Blotch section of the Fort Worth Weekly's website. To consume it there : https://www.fwweekly.com/2017/11/21/sports-rush-talking-thanksgiving/

The opportunity to help folks in need at Thanksgiving offers the giver certain rewards, like a sense of satisfaction . . . a feeling of community . . . and the opportunity to talk some trash.

A group of tall men and women brought food to Fort Worth’s Sweet Home Baptist Church Saturday - specifically turkeys. In addition to helping needy families, the birds provided the group an opportunity to call each other “jive turkeys” and instruct recipients to pull up near the group of “two-legged turkeys.” “Turkey” is such a versatile word.

The donors represented the local chapter of the National Basketball Retired Players Association, so they had some expertise in talking noise. It was all in good fun, and, in fact, as you’ll find out in this post’s featured interview with former Maverick Morlon Wiley, some of the kids at the event talked a little smack of their own to the oldsters.

In fact, former Clipper Steffond Johnson, with an assist from our videographer Dave French, secured the church’s basket standard in place so the children would have a regulation hoop at which to shoot. And these retired NBA, ABA, and WNBA players handed out a lot of turkeys, too. In addition to the NBRPA’s own contributions, sponsors Whole Foods Market, Ben E. Keith Beverages, the Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church of Ft. Worth and Stop the Violence, Inc. chipped in donations, both cash and in-kind.

Fort Worth’s mayor, Betsy Price, who has known NBRPA chapter president Willie Davis for decades, made an appearance in support of their efforts. Other former players in attendance included Micheal Williams, Genai Walker-Macklin, Sam Perkins, Cincy Powell, and Eugene Kennedy.

NBRPA gatherings regularly include a bit of trash talk, but luckily they also frequently include charitable outreach. Saturday, Fort Worth absorbed both with a smile.


Rush Olson has spent two decades directing creative efforts for sports teams and broadcasters. He currently creates ad campaigns, television programs, and related creative projects for sports entities through Rush Olson Creative & Sports, Mint Farm Films, and FourNine Productions.

RushOlson.com
Linkedin.com/company/rush-olson-creative-&-sports
Facebook.com/RushOlsonCreativeandSports

Talking the 1976 Olympics and Women’s Basketball with Billie Moore

This post originally appeared in the Blotch section of the Fort Worth Weekly's website. To consume it there : https://www.fwweekly.com/2017/08/15/sports-rush-how-the-1976-olympics-shaped-womens-basketball/

In 1972, the members of the United States basketball team declined their Olympic silver medals after losing the title game in controversial fashion to the underdog Soviet Union team.

Four years later, a USA basketball team again watched the U.S.S.R claim Olympic gold, but this time the runners-up treasured their awards.

While the two teams earned the same results, the second group of Olympians differed significantly from the Munich team in one key respect: their gender. Indeed, the Montreal competition marked the first time women from any country had competed in an Olympic basketball tournament. The men played in ’76, too, of course, and Coach Dean Smith’s team reassured American hoops fans by reclaiming gold. But for Billie Moore, the women’s coach, her squad’s finish carried both immediate and lasting significance.

In this video interview, Coach Moore explains how the US nearly didn’t make the Olympic Games despite the presence of future Hall of Famers like Pat Head, Anne Meyers, and Nancy Lieberman. A Hall of Famer herself, Moore also details what their showing meant to the future of the sport.

Rush Olson has spent two decades directing creative efforts for sports teams and broadcasters. He currently creates ad campaigns, television programs, and related creative projects for sports entities through Rush Olson Creative & Sports, Mint Farm Films, and FourNine Productions.

RushOlson.com
Linkedin.com/company/rush-olson-creative-&-sports
Facebook.com/RushOlsonCreativeandSports

From Australia with Love, Football, and Basketball

This post originally appeared at the Fort Worth Weekly's website. To view it there : https://www.fwweekly.com/2017/05/10/sports-rush-from-australia-with-love-football-and-basketball/

The Dallas Wings’ Erin Phillips had a really interesting offseason. She played professionally in another sport and had a couple of big developments in her family. Meanwhile her team addressed some crucial needs and has given fans and players reason for optimism heading into the new season. In this video interview, she talks about all of it in her awesome Australian accent (alliteration intentional).



Rush Olson has spent two decades directing creative efforts for sports teams and broadcasters. He currently creates ad campaigns, television programs, and related creative projects for sports entities through Rush Olson Creative & Sports and FourNine Productions.

RushOlson.com
Linkedin.com/company/rush-olson-creative-&-sports
Facebook.com/RushOlsonCreativeandSports