How to Guide: The Making of GCAS, Part 1

Many of our readers may have stumbled upon this site through a random link they saw shared on Facebook or posted on Twitter. Maybe you ended up here through the rare find of a Google search and have no idea what our site is about or how it came to be. I've decided to write a “How to Guide” four times a year in order to give insight to the creation and journey of GymClassAllStars.com.

I guess it is only fitting to start at the beginning -- the summer of 2009. I had just finished my junior year at the University of Texas (hook ’em!) and was interning for 20 hours/week in New York City. My commute into the city was over an hour from my parents’ temporary apartment. With that downtime, I started brainstorming different projects I wanted to try and accomplish during my life. To name a few of the projects I worked on that summer: write a book, learn guitar, establish a start-up, and (of course) design a sports blog.

Originally I wanted to launch a blog with now fellow GCAS writer Phil Vuong. I created a homepage image with the blog name PVCSportsBlog.com. With my limited DreamWeaver skills, I was able to build a pretty hacked-together site that I hosted on the bandwidth that came with my college tuition.

Soon after this idea failed to take off, Phil and I embarked on our second attempt at a blog site, nycsportsfail.blogspot.com,but it only lasted a couple posts before we called it quits.

At that point, I had learned 4 key things about starting a new pet project in which I will share with you in this “How to Guide.”

1. Find something you are passionate about and will enjoy doing even if there is no money involved. Most ideas don’t start with a paycheck; usually it takes a ton of hard work, time, and patience before any money starts flowing in. If you are not willing to put in hours and hours without seeing any return in the near future, come up with a new idea.

2. Decide on the purpose of the project -- outside of financial gain. An idea with a greater ideal or purpose will get you through the low points in your project. Gym Class All Stars is far from being an alternative to my day job at this point, but believing in what we are trying to achieve gives me the motivation to keep writing.

3. Just go and do something. Many times we store up ideas that are never fully formed and are eventually left behind as life unfolds. Instead I would recommend that you just try it. Even though it could end up falling apart, you always learn more from active failure than never trying in the first place. Something like Nycsportsfail.blogspot.com could turn into GymClassAllStars.com and hopefully into something even bigger down the line.

4. Find the right support that helps you keep going. It could be people that partner with you like Phil has for this idea, or even just friends and family that check in to see the progress you are making. Sharing your ideas energizes you to implement your ideas.

That’s it for now -- next time on “The Making of Gym Class All Stars,” I will delve into how we decided on our domain name.

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How to Guide: Selecting Your NFL Team

As a Green Bay Packers fan, I get the question: "how in the world did you end up being a Packers fan?" Most people assume that I had spent time living in Wisconsin and are shocked to find out that isn’t the case. I never set foot in Wisconsin until I was in the 7th grade when my family took a road trip to Madison to do some hiking with a family friend from Chicago. I am not even sure if I made the connection that the state of Wisconsin was the main fan base of my beloved Packers at the time since the town was covered in Badger gear. I have yet to travel to Green Bay, and chances are, it may not happen in the next few years. I clearly have my flaws as a Packer fan, but don’t underestimate how important the Packers are to me. In this post I will be giving seven rules/tips to help you pick the right team if you have not chosen a team already.

1. Choosing a team is a commitment, and like marriage, it should be til death do us part. Don’t get me wrong -- your dedication to your spouse is much more important than to a sports team, but remember that once you pick a team, there should be no going back. This means sticking through the thick and thin and the ups and downs. If you want to be a fair weather fan, don't pretend you’re a real fan to begin with, and just admit you’re a casual fan of the NFL. You should only pull for one team because you only have so much love to give. If you think you can fully support two NFL teams, you are clearly committing a small portion of your heart to each team.

2. Consider your hometown team first. It is usually a smart move to support your hometown team. It makes finding fellow fans easy and enjoyable. Also it’s nice to be happy/sad with the masses and not worry about dealing with opposing fans on game day. In addition, you can avoid having to deal with a Super Bowl parade that you’re not celebrating. Of course this could still be the case if you live in the New York City area and have two teams sharing the same stadium. It can be tricky when a team moves, which might be the only exception to the rule -- you can ask for a divorce since the team left you and not the other way around. Personally, the Giants and the Jets never seemed that interesting to me while growing up.

3. Understand the history of the team. Each team has its own culture and traditions; this should weigh in to your decision. Many new fans could care less about how old the team is, where it was founded, or if it has any championships. For others, this could be the main factor for their decision. I loved the fact that the Green Bay Packers were the most decorated team in NFL history, yet since the merger of the AFL and NFL, the Packers have not experienced dominance like some of the other teams in the league and were never seen as a dynasty like the Cowboys and Steelers. Some might love to root for the underdogs like the Detroit Lions who seem like they may never win a championship, but as a Met fan, I think one underdog team is enough for me.

4. Get to know the fanbase before you decide on a team. There is often a stereotypical fan for each NFL team. For example, Eagle fans have a reputation of being depressed jerks that tend to hate everyone and even got mad enough to throw snowballs at a poor teenager dressed up as Santa during a December home game in Philly. This might fit your personality if you tend to get frustrated at players easily and want fellow fans to feel the same way. Certain teams have fans that will continue going to games even after years of losing like the dedicated fans in Cleveland. Of course, I love the fan culture of the Packers. Packer fans are very loyal to their team and were willing to spend over 67 million dollars on worthless Packer stock this past year in order to raise money for stadium renovations.

5. Ownership style is important because it will impact how your team is built moving forward. When I decided to follow the Packers as a kid, I was fascinated by a team with no real owner -- instead the Packers are publicly owned by the city of Green Bay and the fans who choose to buy the team's stock. It is safe to say that the Packers are in the business of winning and not about making money. Conversely, certain owners tend to be more involved, which will affect the choices of their general managers to make the correct moves. Other owners such as Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys are very invested in their team, and as a fan you know they will put all their resources into the team to try to win a Super Bowl. Then there are those owners like Kraft, Rooney, and Mara who will always run a classy organization and try to do things the right way. The way people build their teams should complement your personality. If you are impatient and want to see fast results, avoid choosing a team that likes to build through the draft because there will be many long seasons of rebuilding.

6. Team color and logo can play a role in choosing your NFL team. This might seem ridiculous, but it was not a coincidence that I ended up choosing the Green Bay Packers as my favorite team. Green has always been my favorite color, and choosing a team that wears green every game made it even sweeter. You will be wearing apparel, decorating your walls, maybe even painting your face with these colors, so why would you pick a team with ugly colors and an ugly logo?

7. Current players and coaching style is the most common reason to choose a team. It’s hard to start rooting for a team with players you dislike. In the same way, if you like a fast-paced passing offense, the "ground and pound" game that certain teams run might not be ideal. Find a team that has players you respect and enjoy watching, and find a coach whose playcalling fits you. Over the years this may all change, but for the time being, it would be foolish to pick a team like the Saints if you are looking for the Steelers of the 1970s. I chose the Packers because I loved Brett Favre’s "never give up" attitude and Reggie White’s dedication to the game and faith in God. Brett is long gone from the NFL after the drama of 2008, and Reggie has tragically passed away (may he rest in peace), yet the Packer players still have the heart of the team I first fell in love with in 1995.

Deciding on a team is never an easy task -- more often than not, you will be disappointed at the end of the season. Nevertheless, you won’t know what it means to be a real fan until you experience being committed to only one team. I took the time to learn about the Packers when I was just 8 years old, and thanks to my good friend’s dad -- who had more Packers stuff than most fans in Wisconsin -- I learned quite a lot. Although it hurt to see Brett Favre leave the organization, I will be a Packer fan til the day I die. GO PACK GO!

Let me know what you think, and check out other "How to Guide" articles.


Photos courtesy of NFL.com.

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How to Guide: Throwing the Perfect Sports Party

Since the creation of sports, I am sure people have been asking how to throw the perfect sports party. Although I am sure location has changed over time with the invention of radio and television, we now have the luxury of hosting parties in the comfort of our own homes. My party-throwing experience is limited to mostly college apartment football parties, but in my defense, I have put much thought into this question over the years. So here are my personal 7 rules to throwing the perfect sports party.

1. Clean and clear all parts of the house where guests will be enjoying the game. This mean none of your personal belonging should be left out -- find space in the closet or under your bed to put away your papers, magazines, and random junk. The only things that should be visible to your guests are the food, seats, tables, and TV. Make sure there is clear path to the food and drink so people do not need to walk in the way of others. This means possibly setting up two areas of the room with food and drinks.

2. Have a TV that fits the size of the room. For most standard-sized living rooms, any TV 42 inches or larger should do the trick. Anything smaller and you will see people slowly inch towards the TV, which ends up making it harder for the rest of the room to see. Of course, owning a sound system is a plus, but to be honest, the sound from most standard TVs today are loud enough to do the trick. On the other hand, surround sound will always bring another dimension to the atmosphere of the party.

3. Always have appetizers set up before the start of the game. In the Asian American culture, we all know food is what brings people together, so don’t be the host that needs his guests to ask if they can open the chips after they have arrived. Also remember that you can never have too much dip for your chips as long as you have the chips for it. I would have at least a guacamole-based dip and the generic salsa -- if you are feeling really ambitions, throw in a spinach cream dip. The presentation can be mind-blowing as well.

Nothing compares to a snack stadium.

4. Drinks are always a key component, and depending on your demographic, you may or may not have alcohol. But since most of our readers right now on Gym Class All Stars are of age, I will go ahead and say beer is a must. Make sure all the beer is in the fridge 6 hours before the game starts unless they are already chilled at the store. Don’t be in a rush to pull out all the beer because there is a good chance others will bring over a friendly six-pack. Other key drinks to have are sodas, juices, and some form of punch. The secret to making a quick and simple punch is orange sherbet mixed with sprite and a few nicely-cut orange slices.

5. Have enough food -- I cannot stress this enough. Many times people end up trying to get the perfect amount so they are not left with a ton of leftovers, but it is always better to have extra food than to not have enough. The secret to this is to always have food that can be prepared quickly during halftime when it is clear there is not enough food. You can pick up a large bag of precooked frozen wings at Costco. These taste decent enough, are easily prepared, and have come in handy at many of my own parties. It is okay to order food as well, but the main thing is to have the food be both easy to share and easy to eat.

6. Have a second viewing room. This is not common and clearly isn’t a must, but trust me, it is worth having. At every game, you have a variety of fans -- some who are just casually there to enjoy the game, while others who are intensely invested. I know at critical moments in the game I would rather walk away from the noise and have a place to focus on the game. While in college, I would always open up my bedroom which had a second TV, and I remember watching memorable events such as Big Ben carrying the Steelers to a Super Bowl win over the Cardinals and the Big 12 championship game-winning field goal by Texas. Then we would join the rush of running out after a huge play to join the masses in screaming and jumping up and down.

7. The last rule is to know which game to throw a party around. If the game is not interesting, your party likely won’t be either. Of course sometimes even major sporting events like the Super Bowl and the national championship game have flopped, but there is only so much you can do. It is also not always smart to have fans of both teams which could cause unnecessary tension for all in the room. Out of respect, everybody should feel like they are in a safe environment to cheer for their team during the party. Trash talk should only be exchanged between friends that respect one another and feel comfortable to take it if they are going to dish it out.

I hope you find these 7 rules helpful, and feel free to check out past “How to Guide” articles.

Photos courtesy of Holytaco.com and apartmenttherapy.com.

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How to Guide: Watching the Game with Girls Who Don’t Follow Sports

This past Super Bowl I had the pleasure of watching the game with my friend Konky who happened to be in New York City from Dallas visiting his sister. Maximizing the time I got to spend with my close friend from college meant that I also ended up watching the game with 5 girls who were, at best, casual football fans. Not going to lie, for a guy who loves sports and views the Super Bowl like a holiday, this was not the ideal situation. But the night turned out quite enjoyable, and from it, I created 7 rules to follow on how to watch a game with girls who don’t follow sports.

1. Do not expect the girls to share your excitement about the game. This means throughout the night, other topics will be discussed and may interrupt the game. Food and commercials were the top priorities that night, not the game. Be open-minded and remember that you can always rewind on the DVR. This leads me straight into my second rule…

2. Make sure you record the game as a backup. This way you can be relaxed that you won’t miss any key plays or highlights. Ideally, you record the game on the TV you are currently watching. Nothing is more annoying than a guy telling other people at a sports viewing party to shut up. If you’re that guy, my advice is to go get your own room and your own TV -- let the rest of the world enjoy sports the way they want to.

3. Be knowledgeable of the game. If you are going to be the main source of sports knowledge, make sure you can explain the game and rules in a clear and concise manner. Also, be sure not to push your information on girls who did not ask for it in the first place. No one likes a know-it-all. There are many tricky rules, and if you do not know them all, don’t be afraid to admit it and look it up quickly on your smart phone. This Super Bowl, we saw a safety caused by an intentional grounding penalty, which rarely happens and led to many people in the room being confused and asking for an explanation. This is a perfect example of when you can step in and share your knowledge.

4. Know what topics the girls actually care about. It goes a long way if you know other topics outside of sports to engage with the group you are with. Be willing to talk about pop culture, and in the case of the Super Bowl, what commercials you have been enjoying. And as much as you feel out of your element during the halftime show, don’t be afraid to ask questions too. Personally, I learned a lot about M.I.A. and other performers that night. We also discussed which athlete was dating whom, which surprisingly is actually common knowledge between many women and the average sports fan.

5. Do not forget your manners. During a sporting event where women outnumber men, there is a good chance that the food is planned and provided by the women there (purely by percentages, not trying to be sexist). This was the case for my past Super Bowl, and although most of the food was ordered and the cost was shared, be sure to do your part and bring a six-pack or snack. Also, be sure to ask if someone would like a drink when getting your own. Clean up after yourself; you are in the presence of females. Lastly, be thankful for the food, and give plenty of compliments when something tastes amazing, like the homemade macarons I had. Delicious!

6. Be prepared to answer questions about good-looking athletes. The fact of the matter is that a good amount of girls will be more fascinated by how good-looking Tom Brady is than how many completions he had that game. I would say there is a high percentage chance that this topic will take place during the game. Have fun with it because clearly this means nothing, and no need to say "no homo" before every sentence either. During this past Super Bowl, I was shocked to hear a girl call Kevin Garnett attractive, and I still don’t see how Derrick Rose received a unanimous vote of attractiveness while CP3 got the unanimous thumbs-down by the women in the room. Don’t be afraid to help figure out who the hot guy was from a Super Bowl two years ago. Turns out this time the mystery man was Austin Collie. Always remember the faster they figure out the name, the faster you can get back to watching your precious game.

Austin Collie

7. Enjoy the company and have fun. I agree that many times guys do take sports too seriously. Although I might not be screaming in anger when my team loses, I do get pretty quiet and down. But as hard as it is for us guys, let’s try not to let the game affect our mood at the party. There is plenty of time to sulk in the privacy of your own room later that night. So have fun and enjoy sports the way it was designed -- to bring people of all ages and genders into a room to cheer, eat, and be merry!

Overall, I had a great time watching the game with a room full of girls, but I think my boy Konky was glad I decided to come. Remember, your sports-watching venue might not always be ideal, but your attitude and expectations can always improve a situation, and maybe you just might end up realizing that sports doesn’t have to be serious all the time!

Women out there, if you disagree or have things to add, please feel free to leave a comment!

Photos and video courtesy of Printer Ink Cartridges Blog, Palm Beach Post and Davidle Bovitz.

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How to Guide: Buying the Perfect Sports Jersey

This post was inspired by an email I received from my friend Grace, which included the following excerpt of a conversation between her co-workers. (names have been changed)

Jane: So what color jersey should I get Mike?
John: Get the blue one. Well, will the blue one make his eyes pop? (John's not gay)
Jane: So I should get Manning?
John: No, Manning’s safe. That’s like saying “I don’t careabout you.”
Jane: So I should get Cruz?
Bill: Everyone has Cruz.
Jane: So Manningham’s a good choice?’
John: Yeah, get Manningham. Manningham’s a little special.
Jane: Are you sure he isn’t going to be traded next year?
Bill: You think he’s coming back?
John: Yeah, I do.
Jane: I’m going to google this.
Jane: So, Manningham won the Super Bowl for them this year?
John: No, he made this amazing catch.
Jane: So Bradshaw won the Super Bowl for them?

For decades, many men and even some women have been faced with one of the hardest challenges in life: buying the perfect jersey. Through this guide, I will discuss many of the key deciding factors, common mistakes, standards to stick with, and personal testimonies from my jersey buying experiences.

1. Number one rule in buying the perfect jersey: Knowing your size. In the age of Internet shopping, many people end up with jerseys too large or too small. Nothing looks worse than a jersey that is too tight on your body, which only makes people think you gained tons of weight since the day you bought that jersey. The second worst thing is buying a jersey that is oversized, leaving people to wonder if you still have your baggy jeans to go with the 90’s look.
2. Understand there are different levels of jersey qualities and it is different for every sport. For example, NBA jerseys come in three different qualities, levels and styles: Replica, Swingman, and Authentic. Each level is at a different price point, usually seeing the largest price hike from the 2nd to 3rd level. Authentic jerseys for all sports are commonly over $200, but it could be worth it to you if you want to get exactly what the pros are wearing. My personal advice is: if you are not a die-hard fan for that one specific player or do not plan on customizing a jersey with your own name on it, stick with the 2nd level. It is close enough to the real thing and in the long run, the price difference from the cheapest level won’t kill your wallet. Also, for the ladies, don’t forget sometimes the best size is a youth size jersey, which saves you money too, or jerseys made for women.
3. Color matters. Choosing the right color can be tough at times. Usually there will be 2 to 3 options of the current team jersey: home, away, and sometimes alternate jersey. Before buying a jersey, make sure you understand the traditions of the team. For example, all good University of Texas fans know it is preferred that you wear burnt orange to the game, so before you go out and buy the away white jersey, you might want that burnt orange in your closet first. I believe for the most part, the non-white, non-alternate jersey is always the safe bet, unless you think the color is tacky or just does not go well with your complexion or eyes.
4. Pick a player you love or get a blank jersey. Many times people give in to getting a jersey of a player they just kind of like because he is popular or the only player they are selling at the store. Over time, you will be the one wearing that jersey and representing whoever’s name is on it. A blank jersey will never go out of style as long as you don’t change allegiances, which is a cardinal sin in most societies anyway.
5. Choose a player with longevity and memorable success. This is the hardest rule because of the way leagues are now with trades and free agency. Clearly, who would have thought they would be burning their Lebron jersey only a couple years after seeing him bring them to the Finals? I believe it is usually safe to choose a player that played a large role in winning a championship or one who has already spent their best years playing for your favorite team. Many times it is a huge risk to buy a jersey of a young player before they sign a long-term contract. For example, many people might have bought a Chris Paul jersey only to see him ask to be traded the first chance he had. You also don’t want to buy a jersey of a player who will be forgotten 10 years after they retire, or else you will be explaining who they are at every sporting event you wear that jersey to for the rest of your life.
6. Only buy jerseys of your favorite team unless it’s your all time favorite player, and in that case, a national jersey if possible. After a player retires and time passes, people will just assume you are a fan of the team on the jersey you own. After hours spent explaining why you bought the jersey, you will end up feeling more comfortable burying the jersey at the back of your closet than dealing with confused and annoying acquaintances.
7. Last and final rule: Only buy a jersey you plan on wearing. Jerseys are not cheap, even at the replica level you are looking at over $50, and unless you plan on getting it signed and framed, make sure the jersey is something you will wear out to games and sporting events. Do not feel pressured to need to have a jersey to prove your fan-hood. There are many other ways you can support your team. Because nothing is worse than an unused jersey.

These are the 7 rules that I stick to when purchasing a jersey. Too bad I didn’t read this years ago. In the past, I have violated every rule listed above. For example, I have a couple jerseys that are oversized and even worse, I have one jersey that is way too small that I have no choice but to hang it up as wall décor. In high school, I broke rules one and two in the same jersey purchase. I got a large Yao replica jersey that was obviously too big, and the cut of the replica was made for people with larger shoulders. It was not a good look for me. This jersey is buried deep in my closet somewhere or at least I think it is since I have not seen it in years. I am a victim of premature jersey buying, breaking rule 3 and buying a white Vince Young jersey before heading off the University of Texas. I wore it once to a game and ended up taking it off in favor of a burnt orange t-shirt. Rule 4 I broke many times, which explains jerseys like my Carmelo Anthony jersey that isn’t a Knick jersey but a Nuggets jersey. Granted, I bought it because it was only 25 dollars in 2007, but clearly I have no idea what to do with it now, although it is a nice jersey. This Carmelo jersey also breaks rules 5 and 6. For rule 5, only recently did I find myself stuck with a Jose Reyes jersey who just signed with the Marlins. Reyes never did enough for the Mets organization to be memorable to future generations, and now all I can do is hope some other Reyes becomes a Met and finds success and also wears the number 7. I have many jerseys that I do not wear anymore, but I can say I have never bought a jersey without planning on wearing it, so I guess I haven’t broken all my rules after all. Finally, sometimes you do everything right and still end up with a mistake; for me that mistake is my Brett Favre jersey in which I may never be able to wear again. But I hope one day he will be welcomed back to Green Bay like I mentioned in this past post (link).

My all time favorite jersey I own is my authentic personalized Green Bay Packer jersey, which ironically was a gift from a group of close friends. Maybe I need to stop buying jerseys…

Yes,I know Bart Starr is #15 but my friends didn't consider that.

Good luck everyone, buying a new jersey should not be taken lightly. Be patient and willing to pay for the right jersey, and just maybe, you will be able to get the perfect jersey for you.

P.S. I forgot to even mention my two Fernando Torres jerseys. Another case of my favorite player choosing to leave my favorite team for an arch rival… just my luck.

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