previous column	deadlyhippos home	next column

Jersey-popping
04/18/06
by Madigan

Loyal reader and friend of Deadly Hippos Madigan sent us this column just before the NCAA tournament. We did not have time to air his comments before the Animal Steel Cage Tournament began, and thus we run it today, which explains the anachronistic beginning.

As we ride full steed into the NCAA tournament, we are bound to witness instances of the latest trend for players in the game: the jersey pop. In order to answer Clay’s earlier question of how this trend got started, I conducted extensive research (i.e. searching the internet in between games of Solitaire) to find the origin of jersey popping. One of the first documented accounts of jersey popping occurred in December 2000, when UCLA erased a 19 point deficit against UNC and Earl Watson turned to the student section at Pauley Pavilion and tugged at the front of his jersey…clearly showing props, but unclear if it was a true “pop.” The incident to truly spark the trend occurred in West Lafayette on January 8, 2005, at the Illinois-Purdue game. Illinois had a large contingency of orange-clad fans despite playing a road game, with some Illini fans going so far as to pose as Indiana boy scout troops over the phone to secure seats away from the Purdue ticket office. After trailing for the majority of the game, Dee Brown rallied and hit 3 treys in a row, thus creating a frenzy among the Illini contingency. Since the baskets occurred at the end of the court opposite of the Illini fans, Brown turned to acknowledge them, and did so with a trifecta of:

1) an extreme flexing display,
2) a maniacal yell, complete with a side-to-side shaking head and eerie display of orange mouthpiece,
3) a full fledged, almost defiant, jersey pop.

Clay's BFF Joakim Noah demonstrates a defiant jersey pop.

I also read an article on Yahoo News last year about a rapper (can't remember the name) claiming to be the originator of the jersey pop, a trend that he stated he started many years ago. I don't remember how many years ago it was, but it was enough for me to say then "if it's just catching on now, then this guy didn't originate it that long ago." And since the article is now nowhere to be found on the internet, it is now clearly and unquestionably irrelevant. If someone can find an earlier recorded instance of the jersey pop...I'll argue with you until it's clear that I'm right. Or if it's clear that I'm wrong, I will hurl obscenities at you and then cleverly change the subject.

There has been extensive overuse of jersey popping, starting during last year's NCAA tournament. The straw that broke the camel's back for me was when I was channel surfing and happened to cruise past the Division 3 Men's dunk competition (which I didn't know previously existed) and saw a competitor popping his jersey multiple times for the TV camera. (OK – maybe it was D-2…but who cares? It was players I’d never heard of from schools I’ve never heard of that are located in towns/cities I’ve never heard of in a dunk contest that I didn’t know previously existed). It was then I decided that there should be rules implemented for jersey popping. Here is my guidelines for players on teams still left in the tournament (sorry UT, it was a good run. Hey – there’s still the women’s team to cheer for!) regarding the proper use of the jersey pop.

Execution of incredible athletic feat: Guess what? Players in college can dunk. You’re kind of expected to be able to dunk. If I could dunk, I’d probably have played college ball. But every unguarded dunk or uncontested three-pointer does not warrant a jersey pop.

Did you just hit a three pointer from the opposite foul line? One-handed?
Is that your 10th block on the nation’s leading scorer? This half?
Did you just dunk over a triple team? And you’re only 5’10”?

You my friend, might just have earned the right to pop your jersey. But only if you’re from…

A major school or program: That’s great that you want to represent and show the nation your pride and love for Blackburn College. No one cares. If you’re jersey popping your D-3 school, it means you probably weren’t good enough to ride the pine at a D-2 school, much less a mid-major D-I school. I’d take being on the practice squad at D-1 school any day for the chick factor alone. Also, if it is unclear where your school is located because of an ambiguous name, you may not perform the jersey pop. Yes, I’m looking at you, Northwestern State. And although many people are blissfully unaware of where Gonzaga is located and they are a somewhat small school, they have a major program and thus qualify.

Incitement of crowd frenzy: You can perform a normal athletic feat and be allowed to jersey pop if your normal athletic feat is capping off an incredible team performance or effort. (see above instances of teams erasing massive point deficits). And when I say frenzy, I mean FRENZY. Of course your fans are going to cheer if you tie the game. But if they are stomping the bleachers so hard it makes your teeth rattle, if men are vowing to name their first born after you and women are ready to have the breast you signed converted into a tattoo, and if we finally can’t hear Dick Vitale above the crowd noise…that is a frenzy!

Kammron Taylor just hit a game winning shot? This calls for an extreme jersey pop.

Game clock has to stop: If you get a steal and break away for a 360 tomahawk (a feat potentially worthy of a jersey pop), the clock might not stop. So you better run back down the court to get on defense, and the jersey pop while you are running just doesn’t cut it. You aren’t able to give a good, full, purposeful pop, and more importantly, you can’t pose for it. Or if you pose for it, the guy you’re guarding is likely to score on a fast break. There can be no popping without posing. Preferably in the direction of the student section or the TV cameraman that is shooting from a squatting position. Trust me, you look much huger (and thus more badass) than you actually are when the camera is shooting upwards at you. So maybe you were fouled and made the dunk anyways. Maybe you drained a 3 and now have a chance for the rare but spectacular 4 point play. And either of these feats also capped an incredible run which forces the other team to take a time out. You’ve met all the aforementioned rules. Can you pop your jersey now? Perhaps…

Maximum one pop per game: Even this might be too frequent, but due to the intensity of the tournament I’ll let it stand. For now. Just don’t abuse it. You are allowed an extra pop for overtime…but all of the above rules still apply. During the regular season this expands to one pop per 2 weeks. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Overall, I think the jersey pop is a good thing…it gives recognition for the fans and shows that the player is proud to play for his school. Dee Brown said it best, “I did it because this is who I play for, it's what I do. This is who I represent when I'm out there on the basketball court.” For this reason, I don’t ever see the jersey pop crossing over into the professional basketball ranks. Could you ever take a jersey pop from Ron Artest seriously? “Yeah, I got nothing but love and props for you Sacramento! Until my contract is up, or I have a disagreement with the coach, or I incite a brawl, or need to promote another rap album, that is. But until then, mad props!” There’s just not the same amount of team loyalty and pride as there is in college hoops. Plus, if NBA players started doing it, David Stern would probably find that it violates his new dress code somehow. But if the jersey pop is to continue and thrive in college hoops (as it should), these guidelines must be adhered to!

________________________

Discuss this and any other column deadlyhippos.com column at our message board.