Post by Kasey on Mar 19, 2015 14:27:50 GMT -8
Robin Lopez, Heidi Watney
March 19 - Certainly that title bears explanation.
The Fresno Grizzlies triple-A minor league baseball team is conducting a tournament called "Fresno Famous" (hashtagged #FresnoFamous) in which various personalities with Fresno, CA connections are pitted against each other in a six-round tournament beginning with 64 personalities. The Grizzlies, who play in the Pacific Coast League, are a minor-league affiliate of the Houston Astros.
We're in the Sweet Sixteen and, you guessed it, Robin Lopez is right in the thick of it and looking for a spot in the elite 8. He is currently up against Heidi Watney, television reporter and host for the MLB Network. The two have traded some very light trash talk on twitter in their battle. When I say light, I mean ... very light.
The likeness of the tournament winner will be made into a bobblehead, which will be given to the first 1,500 fans at the Grizzlies' game against the Round Rock Express on August 22. The game will be held at Chukchansi Park in Fresno.
Voting in the Sweet Sixteen runs through March 23.
Other personalities in the Sweet Sweet Sixteen include actor Richard Kiel, the late former NCAA basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, former NFL running back Ickey Woods (also of Geico's "Gonna get some cold cuts today!" commercial fame), and current Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.
Lopez (a.k.a RoLo, Fropez, Sideshow Rob) attended San Joakin Memorial High School in Fresno, where he was named MVP of the Adidas Superstar Camp Underclass All-Star game in his junior year, and to both the 2006 McDonald's All American team and the Parade All-American team his full senior year. He went on to play for Stanford before entering the NBA.
Watney is a graduate of the University of San Diego. Her career includes stints at two stations in Fresno. She has also worked at New England Sports Network in Boston and Time Warner Cable SportsNet in Los Angeles. She is the cousin of professional golfer Nick Watney, whom she defeated in the first round of the Fresno Famous tournament.
Brook Lopez, Robin's brother who plays for the Brooklyn Nets, did not appear in the tournament. Quincy Pondexter, Robin's high school and AAU teammate who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, was eliminated in the second round by Tarkanian.
Click to vote in the tournament
Click to view the #FresnoFamous twitter conversations
Click for Robin Lopez's twitter page
Click for Heidi Watney's twitter page
We will endeavor to keep up with this race as it continues.
- MKM
Note: Robin Lopez photo by Peter Baltazar on philstar.com. Heidi Watney photo courtesy MLB Network.
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