The REAL. BIG. Blog

Congratulations to the New York Yankees on winning their 27th World Series title. The exhausting MLB season has finally come to a close, along with the best time of the year for sports…

October and November are some of the most exciting months for sports fans. It is the only time of the year that all 4 major sports are on at the same time.

The MLB Playoffs are nearing the end, where every pitch, every catch and every move matters. This year in the playoff you had two of the more storied franchises in all of sports with the Yankees and Dodgers. Let’s not forget the Red Sox and Cardinals who have both won a World Series title in the past 3 years. And then there are the two most consistent teams in baseball: the Twins and Angels. Year after year, those two teams always seem to be near, or at the top of their respected divisions. After starting 19-28 and firing their head coach, the Rockies came back and made another impressive run to the postseason.

The NFL is in full swing with intriguing story lines, bone-crushing hits and highlight reel plays. There are always surprises with the NFL. Who would have thought that at age 40, Brett Favre would be playing as well as he is… who would have thought that in week 9 we would still have two undefeated teams (Indianapolis and New Orleans both 7-0)… Who would have thought that the Wildcat would make defensive coordinators cringe… From the Ram’s, Lion’s and Buccaneers to the Saints, Colts and Vikings, Sunday’s are days where you can always find excitement with any team.

The NBA season tips off. A clean slate for every team. The Clippers look to spring forward with Blake Griffin, Stephen Curry looks to show off his sweet shot at the professional level, and the rest of the NBA Rookies look to make their mark on the league. This is a league full of superstars. From LeBron and Kobe to Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade, each player brings a different dynamic to the court that can only be classified as incredible.

And finally, the puck drops in the NHL. After a come from behind win against the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Penguins are looking for the first repeat since the Red Wings went back to back in ‘97 and ‘98. With all the free agent moves and offseason trades, the tides may be turning for some teams in the NHL.

Of course, I cannot forget College football. Every sports fan has a favorite NCAA team. With tailgaiting, face painting, BCS discussions, conference title hopes, stadiums with 100,000+ people, and bowl games… College football definitely demonstrates the true passion of fans and athletes.

Ah yes, it really is a great time of year!

By Ignacio Salazar

Houston Player of the Year: Andre Johnson

This year the choice was easy. Andre Johnson of the Texans was, without a doubt, one of the best players in the NFL this year. Not to mention the best among all the athletes currently playing for Houston pro teams.

Johnson led all NFL receivers with 115 receptions and 1,575 yards and he was voted to his third Pro Bowl, his second as a starter. He had eight games with 100 or more receiving yards and he is the only player in NFL history have 10 or more catches in seven games in a season.

By Apryl DeLancey

Aah…the start of the NBA season.  Depending on who you listen to, the Los Angeles Lakers are going to take the title or the Boston Celtics will repeat.  I’m personally pulling for the first scenario.  Of course, I’m an extremely biased Los Angeles native.  I’m still not over the Lakers playing like absolute dirt against the aforementioned Celtics in the finals last year.  I mean seriously, it seemed like Kobe Bryant only played on half a tank of fuel at times.  Eh, que sera sera…I just can’t get too worked up by the games so far.  Yes, the Lakers are atop the West and the Celtics are atop the East.  There are still MANY months of basketball to be played so I will reserve judgment on who will be the champs until I see more.  Heck, who knows… maybe the Clippers could pull something out.  Then again, maybe the St. Louis Rams will miraculously make the NFL playoffs this year and the Los Angeles Kings will be NHL champs.  Yeah, I know…fairy tales.

Speaking of the Clippers, they have this very nice facility just down the street from me here in the LAX/Marina Del Rey area.  What is interesting is that this is not too far from the Lakers complex in El Segundo.  For those of you not privy to the Los Angeles layout, both of these are close to LAX and pretty far from the Staples Center downtown where they play.  So my question is this – did the Clippers move closer to the coast and airport to be closer to the Lakers and therefore maybe getting some of their good mojo to rub off on them?  Or do they just want to be closer to the wonderful breezes of the Pacific Ocean?  Regardless, the new practice facility for the Clippers is modern and has a ticker on the outside so that you can catch up on team news.  Maybe I’ll start seeing them around lunchtime like I do certain Lakers members.  Yeah, I really do see Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and Luke Walton every now and then at the local lunch or coffee spot.  In fact, Luke and his brother have a little restaurant nearby.  I know – I’ve got a rough life.

Speaking of interesting NBA possibilities, it appears that everyone’s favorite Maverick, owner that is, is facing a heavy accusation of insider trading.  As we know from the whole Martha Stewart incident, this is not something that the powers that be tolerate with much empathy.  This story is at its preliminary stages so there isn’t a reason to jump to conclusions yet.  Even Mark Cuban deserves a fair shake.  How sad would it be to just have this turn out to be a witch hunt of sorts.  It is no secret that he has rubbed some the wrong way but this is not a reason to assume his guilt so early.  Let’s be civil, folks.

Who are you watching this NBA season?

New York Yankees XZipit Rocker Recliner

Boston Celtics XZipit Home Theater Recliner

Dallas Cowboys DreamSeat Recliner

When it comes to seating options, sports fans in search of team-themed furniture have customarily been limited to basic outdoor models – camping chairs, legless fold-up stadium seats, and the perennial tailgating favorite - the collapsible armchair with tall boy-sized cup holders (all proudly proclaiming your particular team allegiance).  Since fans spend countless hours indoors glued to their televisions watching game after game, it’s peculiar that indoor team-themed options are so rare.  But before you chalk this up to some insidious form of discrimination, let me tell you – there’s not only a light at the end of the tunnel for sports fans, but three extraordinary recliners waiting for them when they get there.  Fathead, the number one brand of sports and entertainment wall graphics in America, is launching a collection of plush, team-themed recliners dubbed simply, “Furniture For Fans.”

Debuting today on Fathead.com, fans can choose from three luxurious leather recliner models themed with their choice of over 150 logos from the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and college teams.  These recliners are easily at home in a ritzy living room built for entertaining as in a smoky basement man cave sanctuary.  Fathead’s Furniture For Fans collection represents a giant leap forward in the evolution of seating for sports fans.

The DreamSeat Recliner subscribes to the “you can never have enough team spirit” school of thought.  Fully team-themed, 100% of the top-grain leather covering this model’s surface area bears the colors of your favorite team.  The back proudly heralds your team loyalty with a detailed embroidered logo over 70,000 stitches rich.  The DreamSeat Recliner features a fully reclining – yet space saving – frame that allows complete range of motion only three inches from the wall.  Fanatically faithful to your team? This is the recliner for you.

The XZipit Home Theater Recliner and the Rocker Recliner top off Fathead’s Furniture For Fans collection.  While the XZipit Recliners are slightly more subdued in appearance compared to the DreamSeat model, they provide the sort of versatility you expect from a talented quarterback – not a piece of furniture.  Both recliners are classic black top-grain leather and sport a removable full color team logo panel.  Fans can purchase multiple team logo panels and swap them out as often as they please!  Ideal for fans who want to change sports with the season – or even fair weather fans who can’t settle on a bandwagon – these panels provide a practically infinite number of recliners in one.  True to form, the XZipit Home Theater Recliner and Rocker Recliner both recline fully a mere three inches from the wall for easy placement and complement any décor.

Each of the recliners in Fathead’s collection offers fans the chance to enjoy VIP suite luxury in the comfort of their own home – complete with the logo of that special team that keeps their heart rates high.  Quality craftsmanship comes standard on each model and to back it up, Fathead provides a limited-lifetime warranty.  These recliners are easy to assemble, care for and - let’s face it, spirited sports fans – love.  The Furniture For Fans recliners are more than the ultimate expression of fan passion – they’re the final word on the subjects of luxury and comfort.  Game day just got plush.  Check out Furniture For Fans at Fathead.com now!

By John Fontana

Boston Red Sox Logo Fathead Wall Graphic

I am in Boston today. The city of winners. That’s a fact and you can check the record – even with grief from last night’s Red Sox loss to the Rays pervading every establishment public and private in New England. In the past six years, this city has celebrated six championships in three pro sports (football, baseball and basketball).  Would you take that for your city AND last night’s loss?

The Patriots, woe they are to perform this season (and set to face the Broncos on Monday Night Football), were Super Bowl champions in 2002, 2004 and 2005.

The Red Sox, who just missed the Series for the third time in five years with Sunday’s loss, were champions in 2004 and 2007.

And the Celtics are the current defending NBA champions having beaten the Lakers for the title in June. Let’s not even mention the 16 other NBA crowns they’ve pocketed in the modern era.

That’s a lot of champagne, ticker tape and trips to Disneyland anyway you cut it.  So an ALCS loss to the Rays merits perspective.

Sure, the magic didn’t work for the Red Sox this time. But the Red Sox fate is but a mere chunk of silver in the city’s pot of gold.

It’s been worse here. Much worse. Flash back to 1986. If you’re not a Red Sox fan that date is meaningless to you. Mention that year and any true Sox fan can fill in the rest. October 25. World Series. Game 6. 3-2 series lead. Sox pitcher Bob Stanley. New York Mets hitter Mookie Wilson. Boston first baseman Bill Buckner. Vin Scully’s now haunting words “a little roller up along first…behind the bag…It gets through Buckner.”

In the 2003 HBO documentary, “Curse of the Bambino,” one Boston fan described the loss as the “darkest day in Boston since Jack Kennedy was shot.”  Clearly, it’s been painful before.

But now look at them. In their worn blue caps with the famous red “B.” Their Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen jerseys. Their Big Papi chants and Papelbon dance.

Even after a heartbreaking loss, it must feel fine to be a sports fan in Boston.

By John Fontana
A few nights ago, I took my daughter to the Nuggets game at the Pepsi Center in Denver.  More accurately, she took me; having earned the tickets by raising money to fund scholarships for other children to attend summer basketball camps run by former Nugget, first-round draft pick (Seattle, ‘80) and all-around community good guy Bill Hanzlik.

We sat about five rows from the floor, just off the bench where the Timberwolves were sitting. I didn’t think she had collected that much money, but we had no complaints. And we were close enough to shout out to my fellow University of Colorado alum, David Harrison, who attended the game in street clothes and sat on the bench after recently joining Minnesota.

Taking my young daughter to a sporting event is always a major bonding event. We discussed everything from the new Wolves uniforms to the pick-and-roll and the psycho-like playing style of Mark “Mad Dog” Madsen. We ate popcorn and crummy pizza from the concession stand. And we, again, stood in line for the lab experiment called Dipping Dots, where I always look at her and proclaim loudly, “It’s not ice cream, it’s science!” (Dipping Dots bills itself as the “ice cream of the future” and was invented by a microbiologist who pioneered the process of cryogenic encapsulation. Yeah, that cryogenics, as in Ted Williams’s head cryogenics.

But the main topic of conversation was Chris Andersen, who returned to the Nuggets and the NBA for the first time since his two-year suspension.  Andersen, nicknamed, “The Birdman” for his high-flying assault style play, had the same smile on his face I would have had if I was wearing an NBA uniform and playing in my first game.

Being back in the thick of the action was clearly sheer joy for him.  Accompanying his bliss were an array of dinks, dunks, blocks and hustle.  To us, it felt like the righting of his ship, proof that you can come home again - if you’re focused, dedicated and, of course, a little contrite.

Ours was the exact opposite conversation parents had with their kids about Andersen two years ago when he was suspended.  Although Andersen doesn’t look like a role model from central casting or an afterschool special, his 12 points and 11 rebounds reiterated a point coaches in every sport at every level (and in every afterschool special) emphasize to their team: when you fall, get right back up.  Re-dedicate yourself and you will succeed.

Cheers for Chris Andersen, and here’s hoping he stays the path and has a fantastic season.

By Drew Bufalini

Start a career, find a house, get married, have kids, sock away cash for their college fund and look forward to your midlife crisis – the circle of life truly begins at graduation. That’s why parent’s should be especially thoughtful when purchasing a graduation gift. There’s plenty of time to arm your grad for the real world with a business suit, day planner, briefcase and sense of disillusionment. Instead, go with something fun that rewards their hard work at college and communicates a positive message– like a Fathead wall graphic.

A Fathead is a bold, colorful life-size wall graphic of fan-favorite athletes, entertainment icons and, of course, college logos and helmets. Whatever your graduate’s passion, there’s a Fathead. NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, WWE, NASCAR – if there’s a sports acronym, chances are good there’s a Fathead. (Sorry, lawn bowling fans!) If your grad is a big kid – as so many of us still are – they might prefer a Fathead from Star Wars, Family Guy, The Simpsons, Disney or their favorite comic book super hero.

Like your brilliant college graduate, Fathead wall graphics are very smart. Constructed of hyper-durable vinyl, they won’t fade or tear. The advanced adhesive backing allows them to be moved multiple times without losing their sticking power. Unlike your graduate, Fathead wall graphics won’t damage the walls and are quite inexpensive. The fact is: a REAL. BIG. wall graphic of their university logo is a gift every grad will treasure.

Perhaps the greatest reason to give your grad a Fathead is the message it sends: follow your passion. This is the best advice a parent can give without saying a word. Fathead is about connecting people with their passions; their ambition to be the best; never giving up on a REAL. BIG. dream; and about awakening the inner champion. Even a talking briefcase couldn’t convey all that to your grad.

Fathead CEO, Brock Weatherup, weighs in, “To me, graduation is the ideal time to give a Fathead. Not only does it demonstrate your love and understanding at a critical time, it also shows you’re more than the strict parent they remember from high school. You’re someone who cares about what they want for the future.”
Ready to send a REAL. BIG message to your grad? Find their Fathead on Fathead.com…and enjoy the party!

For those of you who don’t think anyone REALLY wins online sweepstakes, here’s proof that people do win and that Fathead lives up to its end of the bargain…

The winner of the Fathead NBA Finals 2008 Fan Fly-A-Way is…(drum roll, please)

Donna Steinbacher of Ann Arbor, Mi!!!!

Congrats, Donna, on your REAL.BIG. win. We’re not yet sure if she’s taking the trip or the money. Throughout the sweepstakes, we also picked one winner each week for a FREE NBA Fathead. People from Maryland to Texas to Minnesota to California won the weekly drawing and scored BIG with their free Fathead. Rest assured, at least six more walls somewhere are covered by Fathead wall graphics.

Stay tuned to this blog for more sweepstakes updates. If you feel like throwing a few sweepstakes ideas our way, we’d love to hear what our fans have to say…