| << Front page | Sports | September 15, 2006 |
In the Locker Room: Andy Estep
With the recent influx of posts on www.BadJocks.com concerning sports team hazing rituals and inappropriate post-win celebrations, it seems that every campus nationwide is eager to create some form of athlete screw-up claim to fame. While the Oberlin football team did make it on ESPN Sportscenter this past week, they are nowhere near qualifying for a thread on a website dedicated to extreme athlete foolishness. Senior football captain Andy Estep sits down for the first In the Locker Room of the year to squelch any delusions the Oberlin student body might have about their very own gentle and tender, non-Badjocks.com-material football team.
Leslie Ruster: So, Andy…I heard that a handful of Oberlin offensive linemen were honored on www.D3football.com for outstanding performances in last weekend’s game. Is that true? Weren’t you also on ESPN? What’s going on?
Andy Estep: Yeah! I heard that Oberlin was mentioned on Sportscenter the other day. That’s sweet. I know there are some recently-graduated Oberlin alums working for ESPN right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they got us a plug on there. If it was them, thanks, guys!
LR: What percentage of Oberlin students do you think even watch ESPN?
AE: I think it’s a major misconception on campus that Oberlin students aren’t into sports. Walk into any lounge with a television set on any given school night and you’ll always find Obies in there rooting for their favorite team. The gym is always crawling with Oberlin students working out. I think there is a big connection between Obies and athletics. You just don’t see as many students rooting for their own Oberlin teams. It’s not really the thing to do here. I don’t know why. It’s really fun watching the people you go to school with compete in their sport.
LR: I was surprised to see the stands at the volleyball game a couple nights ago loaded with fans, especially football players. Was it the spandex uniforms or just the game atmosphere that attracted what seemed to be your entire 30 plus person team?
AE: We usually have practice while other teams are competing, but the other night, our coach told us about the evening volleyball game. We went out and got hyped. Games are so fun. It’s really entertaining to have 30 screaming guys all together screaming at something.
LR: Yeah, the football team does seem to be pretty loud.
AE: I hear that we are intimidating. There is definitely a stigma that follows us around. We are these huge guys who walk around campus in packs. We may be a little louder and bigger than everyone else but we are great guys. Honestly, the football team has a lot of genuinely good people who are involved with a lot of great things here on campus. I dare anyone to approach us.
LR: How does the team seem to be shaping up this year? Do you have any particularly saucy freshmen or outstanding returners that have stepped it up a notch since last year?
AE: Well…who do you really want to know about, our hot freshmen prospects or tried and true veteran sex machines? Uhh…just kidding. Although, Scotty Kjellberg is a real dreamboat. Oh, jeepers, I’m going to get ripped for this.
LR: I was just asking about any young pistols…on the field? But uh…we can talk about anything you would like. Does it feel good to be back in the locker room for your final year here at Oberlin?
AE: Yeah. Whenever you get 40 some odd naked guys in one room…some crazy stuff is bound to happen. We have a great time. We have a great team. I love those guys. I’ll do anything for them.
LR: What’s it like traveling with the football team? Do a lot of shenanigans go on over long bus rides?
AE: Actually, one of our new assistant coaches asked what the deal is with all our books. We read and study on bus trips. You’ll even find guys in their rooms doing work on Friday nights before games. Last season, the team had a cumulative 3.1 GPA.
LR: How has being on the football team affected your academic life?
AE: Sports teach you how to budget your time and work in groups really well. You develop a good sense of discipline. I don’t think a lot of athletes would do as well in school if they weren’t playing sports. They would be idle. Sports give purpose.
LR: Does Oberlin College have a cheerleading squad? Is the word “cheerleader” not something you would find listed under your team’s idea of “purpose?”
AE: We used to have a small cheerleading squad. I think there was a cheerleading accident a couple years ago. It sounds funny. I don’t think it was, though. Honestly, we aren’t really aware of what’s going on behind us. You could set off a nuclear warhead and we wouldn’t be aware. We do have a band! The drums sounded wicked at the home game last weekend. I would encourage anyone who wants to, to come rock out at our home games. We’d love the support.
Andy hulks off to check out some reserve room materials, help an elderly woman across the street in front of Wilder and, after all his studying is complete, enjoy a quiet evening of checkers with some of his fellow teammates.
Leslie Ruster: So, Andy…I heard that a handful of Oberlin offensive linemen were honored on www.D3football.com for outstanding performances in last weekend’s game. Is that true? Weren’t you also on ESPN? What’s going on?
Andy Estep: Yeah! I heard that Oberlin was mentioned on Sportscenter the other day. That’s sweet. I know there are some recently-graduated Oberlin alums working for ESPN right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they got us a plug on there. If it was them, thanks, guys!
LR: What percentage of Oberlin students do you think even watch ESPN?
AE: I think it’s a major misconception on campus that Oberlin students aren’t into sports. Walk into any lounge with a television set on any given school night and you’ll always find Obies in there rooting for their favorite team. The gym is always crawling with Oberlin students working out. I think there is a big connection between Obies and athletics. You just don’t see as many students rooting for their own Oberlin teams. It’s not really the thing to do here. I don’t know why. It’s really fun watching the people you go to school with compete in their sport.
LR: I was surprised to see the stands at the volleyball game a couple nights ago loaded with fans, especially football players. Was it the spandex uniforms or just the game atmosphere that attracted what seemed to be your entire 30 plus person team?
AE: We usually have practice while other teams are competing, but the other night, our coach told us about the evening volleyball game. We went out and got hyped. Games are so fun. It’s really entertaining to have 30 screaming guys all together screaming at something.
LR: Yeah, the football team does seem to be pretty loud.
AE: I hear that we are intimidating. There is definitely a stigma that follows us around. We are these huge guys who walk around campus in packs. We may be a little louder and bigger than everyone else but we are great guys. Honestly, the football team has a lot of genuinely good people who are involved with a lot of great things here on campus. I dare anyone to approach us.
LR: How does the team seem to be shaping up this year? Do you have any particularly saucy freshmen or outstanding returners that have stepped it up a notch since last year?
AE: Well…who do you really want to know about, our hot freshmen prospects or tried and true veteran sex machines? Uhh…just kidding. Although, Scotty Kjellberg is a real dreamboat. Oh, jeepers, I’m going to get ripped for this.
LR: I was just asking about any young pistols…on the field? But uh…we can talk about anything you would like. Does it feel good to be back in the locker room for your final year here at Oberlin?
AE: Yeah. Whenever you get 40 some odd naked guys in one room…some crazy stuff is bound to happen. We have a great time. We have a great team. I love those guys. I’ll do anything for them.
LR: What’s it like traveling with the football team? Do a lot of shenanigans go on over long bus rides?
AE: Actually, one of our new assistant coaches asked what the deal is with all our books. We read and study on bus trips. You’ll even find guys in their rooms doing work on Friday nights before games. Last season, the team had a cumulative 3.1 GPA.
LR: How has being on the football team affected your academic life?
AE: Sports teach you how to budget your time and work in groups really well. You develop a good sense of discipline. I don’t think a lot of athletes would do as well in school if they weren’t playing sports. They would be idle. Sports give purpose.
LR: Does Oberlin College have a cheerleading squad? Is the word “cheerleader” not something you would find listed under your team’s idea of “purpose?”
AE: We used to have a small cheerleading squad. I think there was a cheerleading accident a couple years ago. It sounds funny. I don’t think it was, though. Honestly, we aren’t really aware of what’s going on behind us. You could set off a nuclear warhead and we wouldn’t be aware. We do have a band! The drums sounded wicked at the home game last weekend. I would encourage anyone who wants to, to come rock out at our home games. We’d love the support.
Andy hulks off to check out some reserve room materials, help an elderly woman across the street in front of Wilder and, after all his studying is complete, enjoy a quiet evening of checkers with some of his fellow teammates.
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