From 1992 it’s East Coast vs West Coast on The Feud.

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Three-year veteran Julie will represent the Patriots Cheerleaders at the 2010 Pro Bowl

Julie graduated from Salem State College with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and works as a field sales rep and dance instructor.

[Julie at Patriots.com]

By Kellie Patrick Gates
Inquirer Love Columnist
Philly.com

In early September 2007, Lora was invited to a Jack-and-Jill wedding shower – the kind attended by women and men. Her friend Tara was there, too, as was Tara’s boyfriend, Anthony.

As the evening was winding down, Anthony got a phone call. It was his brother, Carmen, who was home from the Army on a two-week, pre-deployment leave. Carmen had been at another couple’s rehearsal dinner, but it ended early, and he wanted to know what his bro was up to.

“Why don’t you come over here and meet me, and we will go out in the city afterward?” Anthony said.

Tara leaned closer to Lora and whispered, “Oh my gosh! You have got to meet Carmen.”

“Oh, God, not again,” thought Lora. Then 24, she was an Eagles Cheerleader and a catering company sales manager. When it came to relationships, she believed it would happen when it happened. Why wouldn’t her friends leave it alone?

Lora, who grew up in Skippack, hadn’t even known that Anthony had a brother. He was also 24 – 10 days older than her, in fact. But he had been away from home for seven years, going from Garnet Valley High School to West Point, and then right into the Army. Soon after his leave was over, he’d be heading to Iraq.

“I’m OK. I’m fine. You don’t have to introduce us,” Lora told Tara.

Still, when Carmen walked in, she couldn’t help but notice him. “And I thought he was cute,” she said. Tara introduced them, but they didn’t start talking until the group hit a city bar. Then, neither wanted to stop. “I was just tapping into his life, learning about that. And it was intriguing,” she said.

They squeezed in some dates before Carmen had to return to Georgia: dinner and a Phillies game, twice – both double dates with Tara and Anthony. And then some time just hanging out as a duo. Lora also went to a combination party celebrating Carmen’s going-away and Anthony’s birthday. Before he left the country, “I let him know where my heart and head were,” Lora said. “I wanted to continue with him, and I wasn’t interested in talking to anyone else.” Carmen said he felt the same way.

As an Army Ranger, Carmen deploys frequently, but for shorter periods of time than most soldiers. He has deployed three times since meeting Lora.

How does forever sound?

In October 2008, Lora moved to Georgia. In November, she and Carmen came north to visit family. In the kitchen were Carmen, Lora, Lora’s sister Karly, and her mother, Sandy. “Are you guys hungry?” Sandy asked. “I didn’t make dinner, but we have leftover Chinese.”

Chinese food had never sounded so good to Carmen – he was especially delighted by the pile of fortune cookies on the counter. While the food was heating, Carmen went upstairs to get a fortune cookie of his own from his bag. He rejoined the gathering, and when no one was looking, surreptitiously placed his fortune cookie among the pile.

After Lora and Carmen had eaten, he picked out two fortune cookies, and placed one in front of Lora. She thanked him, and cracked it open. The fortune was a question: Lora, will you marry me? Lora was confused for a second. Then she looked at Carmen. “He was on his knee with the ring.”

Carmen had the special fortune cookies made, and brought them and the ring on the trip in case the right moment arose – the Chinese leftovers were an auspicious coincidence.

The group was still in the kitchen when Lora’s father, Tom, and sister Aimee returned from the train station. It only took Aimee about a minute to notice her sister was wearing a ring.

At home

The couple lives in Columbus, Ga.

At work

Carmen’s current commitment to the Army will expire in 3 1/2 years, but he expects to have a career in the military. In January, Lora will begin working as a nanny – a job that will allow her to return to college, where she plans to earn a master’s degree in education and get her teaching certificate.

It was so them

Lora and Carmen walked into the reception through an arch of sabers held by his military buddies. Lora was so happy to have her friends from the Eagles cheer squad all together again that they did one of their old routines together. The reunion routine was almost as funny as it was meaningful, she said. “Some of us hadn’t been on the team for a really long time, and there was me, in my dress.”

This couple loves Philadelphia, and they chose many Philly-centric items to get their friends and family from out of town acquainted with their city. There was an ice sculpture modeled after the LOVE sculpture, and out-of-towners received welcome bags with Tastykakes and Peanut Chews.

Lora asked her mother to handle the flowers and decor, and when she saw the romantic mood her mom had set with large chandeliers, candelabras, white and green flowers, and soft purple lighting, “It totally floored me,” she said.

Rather than sitting alone or with the bridal party, the couple sat with Carmen’s parents, Mike and Leesa Bucci, and Lora’s parents.

Awestruck

After living through the anxiety of Carmen going off to war three times, standing next to him at the altar felt almost miraculous, Lora said.

“I knew from the day I met Lora that she was the one,” Carmen said. When the doors at the back of the church opened and Carmen saw Lora walking toward him with her father, his stomach filled with butterflies. “I got goosebumps,” he said.
This was a surprise

Lora was amazed at how much Carmen’s serious-minded Army pals like to party. “They were dancing with grandmas at some points,” she said. Also, Lora and Carmen had no clue that her uncle, John Pecoraio, submitted their wedding story to the “Love” column.

Discretionary spending

The bargain: Lora bought stationery online; she found her save-the-date and thank-you cards on Vistaprint and purchased the programs through Invitations by Emily on etsy.com. She estimates it would have cost her twice as much to buy them from a typical stationery store.

The splurge: Her dress. Lora looked through many magazines and tried on many dresses. She chose a strapless ivory dress with a beaded lace overlay and trumpet skirt from Priscilla of Boston. At retail, it would have doubled the dress budget. Lora saved some money by buying it at a sample sale. “To me, there is only one dress,” she said. And when she saw the tears in her mother’s eyes, Lora knew she had found it.

The getaway

Five days on Kauai, five on Maui.

[Lora's wedding day photos]

The Falcons Cheerleaders are sending five-year veteran Kelli to represent the squad at the Pro Bowl.

Kelli graduated from Florida A&M University with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and works as a Marketing Analyst.

In addition to her time with the Falcons Cheerleaders, Kelli also spent 5 seasons with the AFL Georgia Force Cheerleaders, including 2 as captain and represented the Force Cheerleaders as part of the Arena Bowl XVIII Dream Team.

I have to go back and check the records, but I believe Kelli is the first Cheerleader to make the Pro Bowl squad and the Arena Bowl Dream Team.

[Kelli at AltantaFalcons.com]

Seattle Sea Gals Amanda and Lauren made an appearance on The Price is Right as a part of a Seattle-themed showcase that included a chance to see the Seahawks play. Special bonus appearance by former Sea Gal Amber Lancaster who’s now a full-time model on TPiR.

[Sea Gals on The Price is Right]

(Sorry not much notice on this one the tryouts are tomorrow!)

NBA D-League Frisco has partnered with Twin Peaks Restaurants to host an open audition for studios, directors, dancers and cheerleaders for the basketball franchise’s official dance team and cheer squad. Male and female participants will be evaluated by team ownership, judges, and fans. Among the judges will be team owner and Dallas Mavericks President of Basketball Operations, Donnie Nelson.

“Welcome to the American Idol of Cheer and Dance!” Nelson commented. “We’re looking for the best performers in the Metroplex. This event will be open to the public and our fans will help us determine the winners. I’d like to thank Twin Peaks for their generosity in partnering with us for this most important competition. This free event is a great chance for our fans to check out the newly renovated Dr Pepper Arena and watch some of our most talented young people in competition. It will be a blast for kids of all ages!”

Twin Peaks CEO Randy DeWitt added, “Our team is very excited for this opportunity to partner with the NBA D-League Frisco Dance and Cheerleader audition. We believe that the excitement with this event matches the excitement surrounding the growth and entertainment at your local Twin Peaks. We are looking forward to working with Donnie and this franchise throughout 2010 and beyond!”

The event is Wednesday, December 30 at 4:00 pm at Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. The audition for studios and directors begins at 4:00 pm, while dancer number distribution begins at 5:00 pm and individual tryouts start at 6:00 pm. All participants must RSVP to Cathleen Williams at cwilliams@NBAdleagueFRISCO.com to reserve their time slots, and complete the necessary registration forms.

[NBDL Frisco]

By Steve Mazzucchi
Esquire

As her team soars toward a division title clash, fourth-year Eagles cheerleader Jamie  isn’t afraid to say it: Philly could… go… all… the… way. Or at least dive-bomb Dallas next week.

Call it the blowout that wasn’t. With a 27-10 lead, the ball, and less than five minutes to play in the third quarter, the eye-poppingly explosive Eagles seemed poised to bury the Broncos. Before the quarter had ended, a short punt, a kick-return fumble, and two crafty Kyle Orton TD passes left Philly clinging to a three-point margin. Denver later tied the game, but thanks to Donovan McNabb’s scrambling, Jeremy Maclin’s tiptoe catch, and David Akers’ final seconds’ field goal, Philly salvaged a sixth straight win.

Even those familiar with this 11-4 team’s combo of skill, strength, and speed might be surprised to learn it extends to their cheerleaders. A DeSean Jackson for the sideline set, tomboy-ish Jamie relied on natural athleticism to make her squad. She works as a personal trainer by day (“I do a lot of plyometrics.”), and loves to snowboard, kayak, and snowmobile (“Anything I can control that gets my adrenaline pumping, I like.”). Named for The Bionic Woman (“It’s proved to be somewhat true.”), Jamie explains how her team, like her mom’s idol, can outrace the competition this postseason.

ESQUIRE: What a game. Even in weather that put the cheerleaders in down vests, were you sweating this one toward the end?

JAMIE: We’re dancing the whole time, the adrenaline’s pumping, and we really did have sweat on our brows. The anticipation was insane. My heart was pounding out of my chest. I love games like that… but only if we win!

ESQ: What was it like cheering against the former Eagles star, Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, today?

J: Our coaches focused on the team, rather than Dawkins, but I feel that he’s always gonna have a place in Philly. He was here for thirteen years, and players, coaches, and fans look up to him. Not too many guys have that energy, passion, and wow factor — to pump everybody up and also be a great player. The crowd cheered when he came out tonight.

ESQ: Concussions are a hot topic in the NFL lately. How did you feel about Brian Westbrook returning to the field today after multiple concussions earlier this season?

J: He obviously has the best doctors, and he’s always been a straight shooter. If he wasn’t ready to come back, he wouldn’t. Andy Reid said so. I think he was honest with himself and made the decision that was best for him. If players have great doctors around them and can do that, this won’t be as much of an issue.

ESQ: As a former outreach director for Parisi Speed School, have you ever seen anyone as fast as DeSean Jackson?

J: Absolutely not. Such a gifted athlete. You take that talent and work with it… I’ve never seen anyone float across the field. He just glides. He’s exactly what the Eagles needed, and he’s improving so quickly. Give him another year, I can’t even imagine what he’ll be doing. Some people thought he was too small for the NFL. But quick, that’s what you want to be. Size isn’t that important if you can catch the ball and run.

ESQ: Coolest Eagles rookie nickname: Smiley or JMac (Jeremy Maclin), Shady (LeSean McCoy), or Macho (Victor Harris)?

J: Hmm… Smiley, as an NFL player, if I’m going up against you, I don’t think that’s too much of a threat. Shady, I don’t know. Macho, so intimidating and strong. If I’m facing a guy named Macho across the field, it’s gonna make me nervous inside. So I’m going with Macho.

ESQ: Eagles fans are known for being pretty, let’s say, passionate. What are they like up close?

J: You said it, passionate. When our team loses, the emotion that streams through the stadium is just so intense. It hurts, and you can see it in their faces. Our fans love football and love the Eagles. But it’s so exciting and positive when we win. It’s intense and wonderful. That’s what football’s all about, and the fans just add to that.

ESQ: With today’s points, these Eagles became the highest-scoring team in franchise history. When the offense is rolling, can anyone stop you guys?

J: I like to think nobody can. When we’re on, we’re on. Look at our short-yardage guys, McCoy, Leonard Weaver, Westbrook. They’re improving the offense. McNabb’s still proving the critics wrong. Brent Celek, our tight end, has over 500 receiving yards. Jackson’s leading the NFL in yards per catch and punt returns. And Jason Avant and Maclin are really talented, too.

ESQ: That said, the defense has looked more Swiss cheese than Philly Cheesesteak in a few games…

J: You said it very elegantly. Swiss cheese. I am trying to think of a better word than Swiss cheese, but that is dead-on. Today’s win will give all our guys a boost. Hopefully they can focus on defense in practice and fill in those holes.

ESQ: It never hurts to ask. Super Bowl run?

J: Yes. We could definitely reach the Super Bowl. The talent we have, and the progression of our athletic ability, is amazing. Everyone is stepping up and working as a team. I just have a really good feeling about this year. We have so many wonderful athletes that we can’t not do well.

ESQ: In the final week of last season, the Eagles spanked the Cowboys 44-6 to make the playoffs and keep Dallas out. Next week they play for the division title. Do you foresee a similar beatdown?

J: You mean with us doing the beating down? Absolutely. When we’re on the same page, we make some fantastic plays. We’re gonna be just fine.

[Jamie at PhiladelphiaEagles.com]