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AND 1 Tour Stop - Orlando Was Hot! |
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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 14 August 2006 |
 As the summer winds down, the 2006 installment of the AND1 Mix Tape Tour made its stop in Orlando, and much like previous stops in Central Florida, the tour had it share of interesting side stories.
SKY HIGH!
The AND1 Tour is known for it’s high flying dunks and jaw dropping ball handling, but for Coco’s Jarrel Kelly, it was a chance to show his ability to dunk in a big way, winning a chance to compete during the halftime Boost Mobile dunk contest.
“Speechless…†says Kelley on being picked to perform inside the building.
“I tried last year, and it just didn’t work out.†Admits Kelley, about the process of getting picked to play in the game. “I was trying to do it again this year...
Kelley impressed the crowd and the judges in the first round of dunks outside, by jumping over another player, to hammer home the tomahawk style dunk. It was clearly Kelley’s leaping ability that made him stand out in the crowd.
“I got something nasty.†Joked Kelley about his dunk selection inside the building, joking that he’d have to find a new candidate to dunk over “I’m gonna find someone to jump overâ€
Ultimately the crowd got the best of Kelley, as his dunks rimmed out a few times, but at the end of the day, he was on the floor and the dunks were definitely worth the wait.
AIR UP THERE
Taurian Fontenette, aka The Air Up There, stunned the basketball world a few weeks ago, completing a 720 degree spin dunk during a game, an athletic marvel that brought the crowd to it’s feet and the national spotlight on Taurian and the Mixtape Tour.
“I never really thought it would be as big as it is.†said Taurian about the 720 dunk “but I’m glad it is.â€
“It’s something I thought of back in the day, when I was a little younger – and crazy minded. I finally decided to bring it out on a 10ft goal, and what better place to do it than at home… I’m happy I pulled it out, but I got more for you.â€
Taurian broke his hand a few weeks after completing the dunk, and has been a spectator on the Tour stops, he expects to be back before the final stop in New York City, but that hasn’t kept Taurian from promoting the dunk and the AND1 brand, with a recent appearance on ESPN’s Cold Pizza, where he reproduced the dunk on a portable rim outside their studios.
“I would have never thought I’d be on Cold Pizza.†Said Taurian “They said they’d welcoming me back again, so hopefully I’ll be back a few more times.â€
With the Tour winding down, Taurian admits that his phone has been ringing, and maybe the NBA is in his future.
“I gotta a lot of things D-Leagues… Overseas.†says Taurian of the offers awaiting him after the Summer Tour ends. “Trying to get me into the League for next year… I’m looking to get a couple of workouts this year. As soon as I get home, I’ll be working out, getting ready for September-October – that’s when they want to get me out there to play ball.â€
While Taurian, may be known the world over as The Air Up There, some fans may be seeing a special version of AND1’s Edge Mid featuring the AUT720 logo.
“It’s actually the Edge-Mid, they are making a special edition for me†explains Taurian of the new shoe hitting stores “That’s real cool. I never thought I’d have my own shoe so it’s great right now… I’m thinking I’m in a dream right now.â€
LIGHTBULB
Joel Rivera, dubbed “Lightbulb†by the AND1 judges, got his chance to shine, not only as a stand out in the Open Run, the open audition part of each Tour Stop, but he got a chance to get in the building and compete in the Orlando game.
“I watched them all the time.†explains Rivera, on what brought him out to the Open Run “I was just excited for the chance. I love the environment, I love playing with everybody watching… the music – all of it. I love streeball. Period. I love to play ball, period.â€
At most Tour Stops, droves of would-be ballers try to impress the judges for a chance to represent in the main game, for Rivera he didn’t think he’d make it.
“I didn’t think so†admits Rivera “Locally everybody knows me around here and they had high expecations, and wanted me to do a lot of things… but in open run the ball we were using was difficult, I really didn’t do too much, so I just tried to stick with my passing ability.â€
This year’s stop in Orlando wasn’t Joel’s first attempt at getting in the building.
“Last year I came and I didn’t bring my ID.†said Rivera “I didn’t get to play in the Open Run… They had a crossover competetion, and I won that and got tickets to the game, and I watched the game - got a little upset because I couldn’t be out there playing… I made it a point to come out this year.â€
The crowd in Orlando was pretty decent filling the UCF Arena, and creating an exciting and intimidating atmosphere, especially with Orlando native and NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal sitting courtside.
“It’s nerve wrecking at first†admits Rivera on playing in front of the massive crowd “Once you get into your groove and see everybody just playing ball… they (The AND1 Players) are a lot better in person, than you would think.â€
HOT SAUCE
The 2006 AND1 Mixtape Tour marks the return of one of the Tour’s legends, Philip Champion, better known as Hot Sauce.
Hot Sauce was not part of the 2005 Mixtape Tour, and as he explains, was trying to see what business could offer him away from AND1.
“I wanted to leave AND1 and explore my options and try something new†explains Champion, saying that he wants to dabble in some acting.
“I did a movie called Crossover, opens September 1st.â€
A self admitted business, Hot Sauce says his name is starting to pay off for him, and it’s opened a lot of doors.
“Now I have the finances coming in, now I just got to keep myself looking good, and do a little on the tour.†explains Champion “It’s different… when I first got on, I didn’t have a job, no nothing and I just handled the ball 24/7.â€
“Now I have so many things to do, I want to be doing what I used to do a long time ago so I can stay fresh, now business won’t let me. Like you got something to do at four o’clock, you got something to do at 6:30… so I might have like 30 minutes to dribble the ball real quick, and that’s not enough.â€
Hot Sauce has yet to establish a full time place on the web, but admits he’s running his own MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/realhotsauce03), and warns that there are some fake pages out there.
Business has been good for Hot Sauce away from the tour.
“I got my own tour.†Says Champion about his business ventures “A little real estate… I got two video games – AND1 Streetball, featuring me and all the other tour players. NBA Ballers Phenom – you gotta beat me to beat the game, I’m the first streetballer featured in a NBA game.â€
NBA star Rafer Alston is the only AND1 Tour player in the NBA, and Hot Sauce for his part plans to keep it that way.
“Nah, I’m not trying to do the NBA.,†confides Champion “I want to do it through streetball. Once that movie comes out, hopefully that can escalte to different things.â€
So while Hot Sauce’s feature debut opens in a few weeks, his personal tour will be starting up next month also.
“Hot Sauce’s Killer Crossover Tour.†explains Champion “I’ve been doing that for four years. We hit all the small markets that AND1 never gets a chance to touch. Mississippi’s, Alabama’s…â€
The return of Hot Sauce brings back one of the most popular players that have been part of the tour.
Steve Kyler
HOOPSWORLD.com
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