I know what you're thinking: "What in God's name do Rebecca Black and sports have to do with one another? And why are you posting snappy pop songs by a 14-year-old on this blog?" I can't say I have a good excuse, other than there's not a whole lot going on in sports these days (but thank goodness for the NFL figuring its stuff out -- Editor's note: Or not).
Black -- for those of you who don't use the interwebs and those who have real lives, jobs, etc. -- became a Internet sensation-and-or-atrocity with her music video "Friday," which was released on YouTube, its simpleton and shallow lyrics going viral across Twitter and all of social media. My answer to the reason for this was that it's simply hilarious. Might I add that people who get red in the face because of a mildly-talented girl's success need to live a little bit.
Point being, this is your average girl from drama class in high school. A good singer, talented enough, but nothing that Broadway could use. Except she blew up. Rebecca Black took a risk by paying some wacko company to produce her "Friday" song and her fame came by accident. Or did it? Perhaps Black is a marketing genius. After all, many people have talent, but it's how you work your talent and lack thereof into greatness, use what you've got available. Swing for the fences.
She swung and she knocked her career out of the park. A few days ago, Black came out with "My Moment" a song that we think could be a big "eff you" to all the haters out there. This time, singing without the help of auto-tune, Black is no longer just an everyday girl as she was in "Friday." Rather, she announces her entrance into the life of, well, a legitimate pop artist (kind of).
In sports, the people with the least pure athletic talents can make the best stories. Hard work with some luck can make or break careers. Rebecca Black symbolizes that you can make it without being the flat-out "best" at something. Find your niche, and take advantage. There's a long-list of former and current Wildcats who weren't supposed to be here, who weren't supposed to be as good as they are, who wouldn't succeed without lucky breaks and an attitude that they'll be something big.
So without further ado, here it is: the Arizona Wildcat All-Rebecca Black Team:
Steve Kerr, basketball
He's the epitome of the All-Rebecca Black Team. Steve Kerr isn't really that tall, that athletic or that skilled. But like Black, he made more than anyone could imagine off his limited skill set. He didn't do anything stupid, played within his limits and became the pesky guy that would randomly hit three-pointers off the bench cold. I mean, even Michael Jordan couldn't handle Kerr's success. You know, all he did was win five NBA championships as a player, become one of the best in-game commentators and find brief success as GM of the Phoenix Suns.
Spencer Larsen, football
The Highland High School product arrived at Arizona without a ton of fan-fare. Sure, he was good in high school, earning All-Star honors from the Arizona Republic his senior year. But I'd be damned if anyone thought this guy would stick in the NFL. He worked his way into an All-Pac-10 player by his senior year of college and was a guy you could always root for. Then Larsen was picked in the sixth round of the draft. He played special teams, fullback and had stints at linebacker his rookie year. Not the fastest guy, he's going into his fourth year in the NFL and appears to have stuck.
Josh Pastner, coach
Pastner never had it easy. He walked on at Arizona likely not because he wanted to be utilized as a practice player on a talented Arizona basketball team, but probably to learn from Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson. You knew that he graduated college in three years to give himself more time to work on his coaching game, an audition to become a member of Olson's staff. Look how it turned out? At 33 years old, the guy already runs a major basketball school and is one of the best recruiters in the nation. Because he doesn't really like to sleep, he's all about getting the most out of himself. Luck, like being the only good candidate to take over for John Calipari's jump to Kentucky, certainly helped.
Derrick Williams, basketball
Duh. You know the whole story by now. But seriously, Williams really is just like Rebecca Black. He came to school and was ticked that nobody gave him credit, using that as motivation and worked himself into the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft. That draft night was his "My Moment" to the world, the culmination of his arrival and refusal to let naysayers be right. And like Black, his career has an unwritten script, granted, of the two I'm guessing Williams has a better chance of still being around in 10 years.
Nicole Richie and Kourtney Kardashian
Obviously not athletes, but more prime examples of getting something out of nothing. Not to be harsh, but these former Wildcats (did you know?) have to be on the list, simply because they're famous for ... well, nothing really. I guess their famous fathers helped them get their brands out there, but like Black, they're good at riding that fame with reality TV shows and the like.