SportsCenter (US 2004) - 11/04
A series of seven TV spots (ads) one
of which includes Darth Vader, a Stormtrooper, Chewbacca, R2D2 and C3PO in
their 'Space Anchors' spot.
Baseball
[1] LA
Dodgers Star Wars music at the games[2] SD
Padres - Star Wars music at the games [3] New
York Mets -SW music [4]New
York Yankees Star Wars music at the games [5] 2001
All-Star Game (baseball in Seattle) [6]
Cubs/Pirates 2001 game. Chip Caray referred to the Pirates reliever,
Williams, as 'Darth Vader in baseball spikes' [7]
2001 Yankees compared to Stormtroopers on Outside the
Lines (ESPN) ...the question was, 'Is it OK to hate the
Yankees?' (because of the 9-11 event) the answer given by a Canadian sportswriter Steve Verges, 'It's like Star Wars. The Yankees are like
Imperial Stormtroopers, under the white armor they may be a bunch of great
guys, but, once you put that armor on you are the evil enemy. Just like
when the Yankees put on pinstripes' [8] "...
The stadium's concourse pays homage not to Dodger Hall of Famers or even
former Las Vegas Stars who went on to big league All-Star careers, such as
Tony Gwynn and Roberto and Sandy Alomar. Instead, marketing gurus
have chosen to honor celluloid aliens. The Cashman Field walk of fame
celebrates the likes of Yoda, the Jedi master as shortstop, apparently using
mind tricks to deke base runners; E.T., the extraterrestrial catcher, and ALF,
the '80s pop-culture icon turned left fielder. The team mascot is Cosmo,
a droopy-eared creature with eyes at the end of long stems who comes from
Dodger heritage, so to speak. His bio lists him as being a native of planet
Koufaxia, as in Sandy Koufax-ia. The 51s recently had a "Star
Wars" passion play between innings of a game when Darth Vader and his
Imperial Stormtroopers, in full costume, invaded Cashman Field in an attempt
to capture Cosmo. The 51s also have plans to put
a "crashed UFO" above the right-field wall and have it light up and
blow smoke after a 51 home run."
[9] All
Star Home Run Derby 2002 -
Sosa up in final round...'Duel of the Fates' plays.[10] All
Star Softball 2002 (Cathedral City, CA) - Main
Theme of Star Wars plays when Ozzie Smith hits a home run.[11]
sportsline.com Darth
Vader of Baseball - It is questionable, though, whether
he will be able to do it by the time the meetings end on Thursday. Until the
past several days, baseball's off season business was off to an
excruciatingly slow start this winter as everyone watched Selig contort
himself in ways heretofore unimaginable as he tried to avoid the Darth Vader
role even with one hand on the hangman's lever and the Expos and Twins
fitted for nooses. [12]
ESPN.com What
better script could you imagine?" Arizona pitcher Brian
Anderson said. "Roger Clemens and all he's accomplished and the
year he had and the fact that Clemens played such a key role in Schill's
development as a pitcher. "It would be like Obi-Wan Kenobi going
head to head with Luke Skywalker." [13]
Fox Sports 2003 Playoffs
- The opening for Fox Sports for the Yankees / Boston game had a familiar
theme to it's montage. The now famous Star Wars crawl told about the
game. Then panned down to a Corvette (with Red Sox logo) being
chased by a Star Destroyer (with Yankee logo). Of course the SW music
played on. During the game a fan pulled out a sign that said
"The Empire Strikes Back" [14]
NY Post - April 16,
2004 :
[15] This
time the New York Newsday illustrates the Red Sox' meet up with the Evil
Empire (Yankees) which took place on 10/12/04 (Thanks
to THXSue for the visual!):
[16]
Tampa Bay Devil Rays once used the Star Wars font for their contests
in-between innings.[17] 2004
Red Sox vs. Yankees (playoffs)
During the Red Sox/Yankees playoff series last year, Fox aired a little
Star Wars-style short [18] During
the presentation of the World Series rings to the Red Sox players earlier
this year at Fenway Park, Star Wars themes played for several of the
players. (Thanks to General
Tarrful for #17 & 18 in Sports references!)
Bouldering
Lyons, Colorado -
St Vrain State Park - a boulder called Jabba the Hut.
Basketball
[1]Kobe
Bryant was once nick-named: Kobe-Wan Kenobi
[2]
Michael Jordan is called 'Jedi Jordan' 2001
[3] Trail Blazers -
Star Wars music [4]
Sacramento
Kings - music [5]
Inside
the NBA - An exchange between Charles Barkley (played for
Philadelphia,
Phoenix, and Houston) and Ernie Johnson (host). CB: 'Hey, he looks kinda
like Yoda.' (speaking about a player they were watching) E.J.:
'Yoda?' CB: 'Yeah, you know Yoda? He looks like Yoda.' EJ: 'Is
that a Star Wars thing? I don't like those movies.' CB: 'Well, a billion
dollars later, you know? They're pretty good!' (obviously CB is a
fan, yeah!) And he was right to do it ;-) [6]
Kobe on Jackson, "It's almost like the Force," Bryant said. "He's like a Jedi and he can sense his way
through things, and that's had a major impact. I mean, you don't know what
could have happened if he would have pushed the panic button. Maybe we would
have gone the opposite direction. Who knows? But the fact that he stepped back
and let us work through it has paid off."
[7]
Star Wars' 'Duel of the Fates' played at 2003 Wizards.[8]
Fleer 2001-2002 Force Basketball collectible trading cards.
Fleer tells buyers to "Use the Force!"
[9]
Kenny "Sky" Walker - former NBA player:
[10] David
Thompson "Skywalker":
[11]
Game 4 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs.
Cleveland Cavaliers - June 14, 2007 - Just after the
National Anthem was sung, the San Antonio Spurs players were introduced with
Star Wars music playing in the background. (Thanks to Ken Coates!!)
Bowling:
Dueling:
[1]
FDA (Freestyle Dueling Association)...their online site heads with the line,
'A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...'
Fencing
[1]
From The Baltimore Sun
newspaper. "I'm trying to bring the governor around to a
sport that has a rich tradition," said Steele. "It's an Olympic
sport. Football is not an Olympic sport, last time I checked." "It's
not like what you'd see in The Princess Bride or other movies," said
fencer Adam Johnson, 21, a sophomore from California. "It's not light
sabers in Star Wars. It's two people fighting with swords." [2]
New York Post.com - August
8, 2004 - "For Brooklyn-born fencing stars Keeth and Erinn Smart, the
journey from New York to the 2004 Olympics began a long time ago in a galaxy
far, far away. Keeth, now 26 and a favorite to win a medal in Athens,
saw "fencing" for the first time in "Return of the Jedi" -
and liked recreating the movie's lightsaber battles with his friends, his dad,
Thomas Smart, told the Post. Erinn, now 24 , says she was "into
other things, like Barbie," but adds, "Keeth loved Star Wars.
I liked it, but I really just tagged along." These days,
fending is anything but kids' stuff for Keeth and Erinn.
Football
[1]
"Darth Raider" a regular event since the late 70's, someone who
dresses as the head of Vader and the uniform of a Raider [2] Luke
Staley , a college player for Brigham Young 2001, fans yell, 'Use the
Force!', 'Luuuke', 'Whose your father?'[3]
Q&A on NFL.com
Kabeer Gbaja Biamila (Green Bay defensive end). Q: 'What is your secret?'
A: 'My secret is that in all areas of my life I am fully committed to using
the gifts I've been given to their fullest. God has blessed me, and I consider
myself kind of like a Jedi in Star Wars who has the Force with him.'[4]
Canadian Football League - Grey Cup 2002
- Main theme played at officials' introduction.[5] University of
Ohio 2002 - Band plays Naboo Celebration at end
of[6] Duel
of the Fates played at Fiesta Bowl Game 2002 by Oregon band
at half time. [7] Star Wars
music at the2001 Alamo Bowl [8]
Sports Illustrated
(12/17/01) - Miami Dolphin's Defense Uses the Force. "Miami's last
victory in this sporadic series (4-4 alltime) came on November 6, 1983, the
year Return of the Jedi was thrilling 13-year-olds like Jeff Garcia of Gilroy,
Calif. Today the kid from Gilroy is San Francisco's Jedi passing master,
with a 90.6 quarterback rating (third in the NFC), and a leading candidate for
the NFL's MVP award. Against the Dolphins, Garcia will test a Miami pass
defense that the Force has been with all season"
(thanks
to George Abraham for this reference) [9] Kansas
City Chiefs' Eric Hicks on
the Chiefs poor performances in the past: "I don't think it's a
payback thing. What happened to us on defense, we did ourselves.
It wasn't like anybody came out and did like a Jedi Mind Trick on us to make
us mess up & do everything badly. [10] Titans
vs Bengals game
8/23/03 Imperial March playing [11] ESPN.com
Hail to the New Chiefs "...The
Chiefs get seven takeaways in the Buffalo game. No wonder the score
ends up being 35-8. Whitlock had said cornerback Eric Warfield was playing at
a Pro Bowl level; he got two picks and a sack/fumble. Shawn Barber looks good,
as does safety Jerome Woods. Range, and when they land on somebody, they leave
a mark. Ryan Sims is Round Mound of Hot Pursuit. ¶ The rest of them are like
from the Star Wars
bar. One edge rusher is even named R-Kal Truluck. Cornerback Dexter McCleon
think's he Dexter McDeion, right down to his stance; but this may not be such
a bad thing, for his confidence is high, if nothing else. Middle backer Mike
Maslowski suffers a couple of injuries -- "Head trauma(?)" and a
left knee strain. He's on crutches after the game. Teams will go right at him;
he's kind of light. Urlacher Lite. I think of Honey Bear; he used to be the
difference. [12] Raiders
vs. Buccaneers Sunday September 26, 2004 special
game day event that combines the worlds of the Raiders football team
"Raider Empire" and the Star Wars Galaxy. [13]
2004 Denver Broncos Jake
Plummer is known as Luke Skywalker to his teammates and to fans. His
teammates have even joked around by giving him a life-sized likeness of Luke
Skywalker standee. It still stands up in the Bronco's locker room.
[14] Super Bowl
XXXIX 2005 During the trophy presentation at the
end of the game...one can hear the main theme of Star Wars playing over the
stadiums speakers. (Thanks to John at Obroa-Skai
and everyone who sent this in!) [15] (During
Super Bowl XXXIX 2005) - One of the commercials
around the first quarter had the NFL promoting donations to charities
(presumably for the tsunami victims) showed a volunteer taking items out of a
box. One of the items was a Star Wars screen scene (one of the Geonosis
War Room parts, I think) (Thanks to John at
Obroa-Skai for this reference!) [16] Harvard
Stadium (Harvard University) I've heard Star Wars
music played at football games in Harvard Stadium. (Thanks
to General Tarfful for #16!)
Golf:
[1] Tiger Woods is a Star Wars fan
[2] Golf
Magazine Page 132
"The Last Tycoon" The name of the editor mentioned in this
article reads: "Kevin "Jabba the Putt" Cook. (Thanks
to Michael for this reference!)
[3] Log
Cabin Chronicles 3/13/04
Jim Austin mentions that his brother-in-law was called "Jabba the
Putt" on the links by persons who lost to him. [4]
Nissan Open: Third
Round In a pub: Mr.
Ian Baker-Finch has a Tab here. >> Thank you, Mr. Finchy. Cheers. Oh,
that's lovely. That is really great. So guys, I bet you can't believe when I
walked in to a pub he in Thomastown. >> I thought it was IndianaJones behind the bar there. >> Indiana
who? >> IndianaJones.
>> What's his handicap. >> I don't know If he plays Golf. >>
Oh, really? >> Then I realized -- >> you played great. >>
Thanks a million.
Hockey:
[1]Maple
Leafs/Redwings pre-season game 2001Star Wars was EVERYWHERE during the game.
Before the game started, there was a TOP 25 ALL TIME LEAFS presentation on the
jumbotron, to the opening SW Theme. Later on in the game, during a commercial
break in play, there was one of those segments where the camera goes on people
in the crowd, and a pop-up bubble comes from their head. It was to the tune of
DREAM WEAVER, and 3 of the 'dream people' for fans were, Han, Leia (ala gold
bikini), and Chewie (that poor poor girl that got THAT bubble). In the 3rd
period, the Wings got a penalty, the Imperial March theme played as the
player was shuffled off to the box. [2]
LA Kings - Star Wars music played at the games.
[3]
[4]
[5]
Horseracing
Melbourne Cup
(Australia) -
horse named - Maythehorsebewithu
Sunshine Mills (Santa
Anita) - 1/29/05 Horse
named Skywalker Red
Racing
Formula One Racing -June
2004 Indianapolis, IN. Martin
Brundle calls Jean Todt (manager of Ferrari F1 team) the Master Yoda of
Ferrari.
Formula One Racing - 2005
Juan Pablo Montoya call his MP4 - 20
(car) "My Darth Vader"
NASCAR - [1]
5/24/05
Down to the Subway Fresh 500 here at
Phoenix International Raceway. Just outside of Phoenix, Arizona.
Some of the fans mixing with some of the drivers. The Star Wars chocolate
Empire. That's "M" as in M&M. Drivers working for
opposite sides one is the darkside, the other is the light, Jedi.
They compete today. Sadler in the 38 car, M&M Ford Taurus, and 88
milk chocolate board. Jeff: May the force be you W you, Chris, that's
where it's coming from now. >> Chris: George Lucas is here watching the
race. You have one of those Darth -- >> JEFF: I'm a big Star Wars
fan. I have an original Darth Vader, has a number and I wear it on
Halloween.
[2] Nextel
Cup Auto Club 500 Word association.
Chris: is there something you're afraid
of? >> Driver: I don't like snakes. Am I giving you ammunition. >>
Chris: I'll use it against you. You and "IndianaJones"
have in common. Word association. Night racing? >> Driver: fast. >>
Chris: future of Kevin harvick? >> Driver: hopefully nextel cup champion.
>> Chris: checkered flag? >> Driver: relief. [3]
Dodge Charger 500 Matt:
you had theforce, but how
concerned were out on the restart when the
guys were laying back? >> Driver: real concerned. They were laying back.
It's a cat-and-mouse game. The restarts are crucial in
the restrictor-Plate races to get the
movement going. I knew If I let them get back on me, they'd blow by me. I
didn't want to slow up the field too much. Mention
something to NASCAR, and luckily we got going and me and Jamie got out there.
But the guys had a run on him. He'll try to keep
it rolling in the Dodge charger 500. Talk about
"animation domination," Jeff Gordon -- that's tonight on
"fox." Jeff Gordon dominating here along with Hendrick motorsport.
>> Jeff: you heard Jeff pay tribute to his owner, Rick Hendrick and
mentioned Randy Dorton on his birthday. Obie-1 told Luke to let it go and
believe in theforce, and
that's what Jeff did today. He got through and won the
race. >> Chris: put on your Darth Vader outfit and ride home.
Snowboarding
Snowboarding Alliance - Airwars
II October
2004 The theme is based
on Star Wars, the title: Airwars II: the Dendrix Strikes Back
Soccer (Football)
[1] May the Scouse be With
You (Steven Gerrard) Football:
[2] Sir
Alex Ferguson (official) - "Darth Fergie" in "The Umpire
Strikes Back" :
Surfing:
Transworld Surf and
Wars - December 2002. Surf
Slang, page 36...Broisms (twists on the slang word 'Bro'):
[1]Broba
Fett - Your bro who hunts down chicks. Example: When Joe sees a chick
he wants, he becomes a total booty hunter, he's Broba Fett.
[2] Brobi Won Kenobi - A
bro who's always in position for the peak. Example: Josh must be using
the Force again, he's gotten every good set wave today - he's such a Brobi
Won Kenobi.[3]
Broda
- The older, wiser bro who's always teaching younger bros a lesson.
Example: Dude, I was getting killer tree barrels on Neptune, when Broda said
the elms on Grandview were way more tubular.[4]
C3PBro - The bro who
does everything his bros say. Example - "I totally told Chris to
wav my stick, and he did- he's our own C3PBro.
[5] Hans Brolo - Your bro
who rips and surfs by himself. Example - I saw Pete surfing by himself
at River Jetties, doing killer slashes - he's a modern day Hans Brolo. [6]
Volleyball:
AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) player in 2001 Adam Jewell's
nickname is 'Young Jedi' (powerful serve)
Wrestling:
[1]
WCW Monday Nitro (1999) Someone in the audience held up a sign that
said: 'Yoda 3:15'
[2] WWF
(US) Emperor Palpatine vs. Q
[3] Wrestler
John Cena
works in Star Wars refs into his rap.
(Thanks to DB for this
reference!)
[4] WWE - Chris Jericho's site quote: "Your
negativity is ridiculous. You all come off like a bunch of bitter know-it
alls, who won't be happy with anything we give you. Nothing is ever good
enough and quite frankly I'm over it. You are the same people that are saying
that Attack of the Clones is boring, analyzing every little detail, instead of
allowing yourselves to be entertained by it's magic." (Thanks
to Jeremy for this reference!)
[5] WWE
RAW - The Coach insulting
JR (commentator) suggesting that instead of Jabba the Hutt, in the next film,
it could be JR the Hutt. (A photo with JR's head superimposed on Jabba's body
was shown)
[6]
WWE Smackdown
- Jan 13, 2004 John Cena, with his SW rap. Comparing hairy
"A-Train" to Chewbacca, then saying "A-Train" was just a
little Ewok. (Thanks
to DB for this reference!)
[7] WWE's GoldDust
pretended to be Darth Vader, complete with suit.
[8]
WCW
Big
Van Vader/Super Vader/Vader (Leon Allen White) - wrestler
(Thanks to Colton!)
[9] Darth
Vader - wrestler
Colleges or college games where
Star Wars music is played by the bands:
Usually the music heard is that
of the Main Theme, the Imperial March and the Celebration on Naboo...but
others have been heard as well.
