By Steve Mazzucchi
Esquire

The most heartbreaking failed comeback of the young season left this sideline expert no worse for the wear: as far as she’s concerned, Chris Johnson and Co. are still primed to dominate

With 58 seconds to play on Sunday, the Tennessee Titans cut Pittsburgh’s lead to eight, recovered a clever onside kick, and rallied through 87-degree heat behind their second-string QB. But when the comeback fell short, one number loomed large: seven. That’s how many turnovers the Titans amassed in Week 2 — and it was the easiest explanation to Titans fans for how the Roethlisberger-less Steelers could trot out two back-up QBs, gain just 127 yards, and still win 19-11. (An 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the game didn’t hurt, either.)

Despite the outcome, second-year Titans cheerleader Jena remains upbeat when it comes to her 1-1 team’s prospects. Thanks to an 0-and-6 start by her Flaming Thumbtacks last year, this University of Memphis grad and hot yoga disciple (“I’m not a contortionist, but being flexible helps with what we have to do on a daily basis”) is keeping it all in perspective.

ESQUIRE: Let’s start at the beginning. You kick off, the Steelers pull a reverse, and you’re instantly down 7-0. How much did that take the crowd out of it?

JENA: You can see a difference in the fans, because it was another sellout and probably the loudest and hottest game I’ve been at yet. In a situation like that, you can feel the disappointment in the crowd. But I think they’ve learned to move on and look forward to how we’re going to come back.

ESQ: It seemed like nothing went right out there today. Were there any encouraging signs?

J: There are always encouraging signs. It was very much a defensive game for both sides, and our defense played great. Our guys played with their hearts — that’s what you want to see and what the fans want to see.

ESQ: Chris Johnson’s streak of 12 straight 100-yard rushing games got snapped as he was held to just 34. Was he off his game, or is the Steeler D just really good?

J: I don’t think he was off his game at all. The whole team knew going in it was going to be tough. The Steelers are known for preventing 100-yard games. Johnson’s still the best running back in the league. You miss him for one second, and he can be gone for 80, 90 yards. He had an 85-yard run called back for holding which would have given him the hundred yards.

ESQ: Vince Young got benched after two interceptions and a fumble. Kerry Collins comes in to cheers, and has one interception and a fumble, but he at least got the team a touchdown. Is there a QB controversy brewing?

J: This is the first time Young has ever gone up against the Steelers and their defense. Collins has been around a long time and played them before, and I think that came into it. It’s all up to Jeff Fisher, but no matter who starts, we know his decision is in the best interests of team.

ESQ: Did you have much hope when the team recovered that onside kick?

J: Absolutely. Just like the Cards game last year where we won in the last few seconds — you can’t ever give up because you never know what’s gonna happen. Those last two minutes, we were all on our toes, the crowd was back in full effect and really wanting it to happen for us. It didn’t, but I think our team is going to learn from this and be ready for the games coming up.

ESQ: Think they’ll bounce back next week in New York?

J: I believe so. We’re young, but I think that kinda helps us because you can also mold better into a team. I have all the faith in the world they can go up there and beat Eli Manning and the Giants.

ESQ: Anything else to add about the game?

J: It was extremely hot, and our guys toughed it out while the Steelers sat under shades and their trainers were squirting water on them. I guess that kind of tells you who the real men were.

ESQ: In fairness, they were wearing black jerseys.

J: Well, I have black hair, and we definitely didn’t have shade over our heads when we were cheering.

ESQ: We were going to ask you about the longest-tenured mustache in the NFL, but Fisher has morphed it into a goatee. Is this good or bad for Tennessee’s fortunes?

J: A lot of people are going with that look nowadays. If he feels he can rock out the goatee, I’m all for it.

ESQ: What’s your take on the Jets/Ines Sainz controversy?

J: It’s a tough call. I don’t know for sure what went on. It’s heartbreaking to hear something like that, but there are always two sides to every story.

ESQ: You work as a corporate accountant. So on a date, what would be smartest way for a guy to spend a hundred dollars?

J: I’m not really a mushy girl. I would love to go golfing, and you’d better not let me win. That’s a big turnoff. When I win, I want to be able to say that I won. My team has won the Titans charity golf tournament the past two years. I take it very seriously. I bring my own clubs.

[Tennessee Titans Cheerleaders]

The UFL’s second season kicked off last Saturday afternoon as the Hartford Colonials hosted the Sacramento Mountain Lions. The day also the marked the gameday debut of the Hartford Colonial Cheerleaders.

The details aren’t important, but suffice to say, that the Colonials Cheerleader had some real challenges to overcome in preparation for Saturday’s game. But they rose to the occasion and dazzled and delighted the UFL record crowd of nearly 15,000 fans.

Left to right: Billie O’Hara, Director of UFL Cheerleaders and the Florida Tuskers Cheerleaders and former Orlando Magic Dancer; Elizabeth Morgan, Director of the Colonial Cheerleaders and former NFL and CFL Cheerleader, Peggy Williams, Assistant Director of the Colonial Cheerleaders and former member of the Jacksonville ROAR, Donna a former member and coach of the Jacksonville ROAR.

These four ladies worked just as hard as the Cheerleaders to prepare for the big debut.

Prior to the game the Cheerleaders posed for photos.

In the tunnel, prior to the game.

Group photo after a big 27-10 win for the Colonials.

[Colonial Cheerleaders Gallery]

[Hartford Colonials Cheerleaders]

Earlier this month the USA Cheerleaders appeared at the Wounded Warrior Project in New York City. The Cheerleaders  attended the BGC Charity Day, which included tons of celebrities like:  Hillary Duff, Jon Voight,Gary Sinese, Nigel Barker, John McEnroe, Buzz Aldrin, Edie Falco, Marcia Gay Harden, Matthew Modine, Russell Simmons, Babara Walter, Billy Crudrup, Carol Kane, Carol Alt, Eli Manning, Aiden Quinn, Mark Ruffalo, Evan Handler, Tony Cirico,Steve Buscemi, Lorraine Bracco.

Four Cheerleaders were at the event from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Each Cheerleader took a phone call and closed a deal. The total of the four phone calls was $328,000,  the largest USA Cheerleaders  have ever done for a charity.

[USA Cheerleaders]

I’m off to climb to climb mountains in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma (actually, Oklahoma is more of a hill than a mountain).  If all goes according to plan, I’ll be back on Thursday September 30th. If not, well…

I’ve scheduled some posts to appear over the next few days under my name, so don’t be confused, I really am away.

In the meantime if you’ve got tips, news or photos to share, send them to Sasha (sasha@procheerleaderblog.com)

Thanks to reader Josh who took some great photos of the Texans Cheerleaders back during the pre-season.

[Josh’s Texans Cheerleaders Photos]

[Houston Texans Cheerleaders]

Last Thursday night the concourse of the Wells Fargo Center was transformed from fan walkway to dance studio, as the 2011 Philadelphia Wings Angels Dance Team auditions got underway.
As always click the horizontal photos for larger images.

Three-year veteran Lauren taught the choreography. The very busy Lauren works in event planning for a financial services firm and bartends on the weekends.

Former Angel Lauren served as one of the judges.

Audition performances were held upstairs before a panel of judges.

After the finalists were announced, the dancers all donned pink t-shirts and posed for a group photo.

Next up: The finalists will be interviewed this weed. Then once the squad is selected, there’s a calendar shoot and twice-a-week rehearsals all leading up to the Wings 25the anniversary season that gets under way January 8th.

[Wings Angels Auditions Gallery]

Former Seattle Sea Gal JoAnna Favali is competing in the 2011 Miss Washington USA pageant in October. Online voting is now available for the Miss Photogenic portion of the competition.

Cast your vote here.

[JoAnna at Seahawks.com]

Congratulations to former NFL and CFL Cheerleader Elizabeth Morgan who made her debut as Director of the UFL  Hartford Colonials Cheerleader this past Saturday. Elizabeth was a Captain with the Buffalo Jills, cheered for the Toronto Argos and the Hamilton Ti-Cats, and is the founder and director of Expressions Dance Arts.

[Hartford Colonials Cheerleaders]

[Expressions Dance Arts]

[DanceStaff.com]

By Kerry O’ Connor
Philadelphia Weekly Press

When Maggie Hammond showed up for tryouts to be an Eagles cheerleader in 1993, the large number of women on the field meant cutthroat competition.

But this past Saturday, the football field full of women with pom poms standing before her meant unwavering support and camaraderie.

Under perfect blue skies, 150 former Eagles cheerleaders from as far back as the 1960’s, and as far away as Scottsdale Arizona, gathered on Central High School’s football field in Northeast Philadelphia to perform a giant dance routine that will be broadcast online in October as a fundraiser for the Philadelphia Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which is dedicated to curing breast cancer.

Broken up into squads from their respective eras, the cheerleaders—all of which used pink pom poms—performed routines that encompassed the moves common on the sidelines in their heyday. For the finale, the squads come together, falling into unison while dancing, strutting and flashing those patented cheerleader smiles to music from Hip-Hop sensation Jay Sean.

Hammond, an Eagles cheerleader from 1993 till 1999, organized the event after learning that a fellow former Eagles cheerleader from the 1970’s, Marylou Tammaro, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Hammond choreographed the routines in her basement in Media, somehow finding the time between working as a labor & delivery nurse at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and being a mother to 5 year-old son, Brady and a wife to husband, Cory. Hammond would then film the routines and the other participating cheerleaders would watch them online.

“I’m incredibly touched by the turnout,” said Hammond. “This is the first time we’re performing together. These ladies took time out of their own lives and spent their own money to come here to Philly to support this idea of mine, to support Marylou and the other breast cancer survivors who we have in our ranks today. I’m truly thankful to all the ladies here.”

Including Marylou Tammaro.

Tammaro, a cheerleader in the 70’s and a choreographer and director of the squad in the 80’s and early 90’s, was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery and chemotherapy in 2009. She was on the field Saturday, performing with the rest of her cheerleader “sisters” as she called them.

“Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader,” said Tammaro. “Aside from family, of course, dancing is the love of my life. It’s wonderful to be out here today. All these women here are truly amazing. They are here to support me and the other nine breast cancer survivors who are out here today and are dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer, to making sure that other women never have to worry about being diagnosed.”

While the mission of raising money and awareness was clearly first and foremost on the cheerleaders’ minds, some were hoping that their efforts to come together for an important cause would also change people’s minds about cheerleaders.

“I think that there are a lot of misconceptions out there about cheerleaders,” said Tawnya Drumm, a cheerleader in 2006 and 2007 who now works for Phadia Diagnostics in South Jersey and lives in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. “People think that we’re just pretty faces, that the routines we perform don’t require any talent. They sometimes think that we aren’t concerned with what’s going on in the world. You can see by the outcome today, the planning that went into it, that we are so much more than people realize.”

One woman who was not on the field Saturday afternoon was Sue Schick, CEO of United Healthcare of Pennsylvania. She was content to pass out pink towels to the cheerleaders when they broke for lunch. United Healthcare of Pennsylvania underwrote the project, which has come to be known as “Ra Ras for Ta Tas”.

“I was never a cheerleader,” said Schick who sits on the board of the Philadelphia Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for a Cure. “I think every girl dreams of being a cheerleader or a dancer and these women are all wonderful and talented. I’m just happy to be here, supporting their efforts today. On behalf of the Philadelphia Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for a Cure, I want to say thank you to them for helping us raise money and awareness for our fight against breast cancer. We, as women, get so busy taking care of everybody else that we never make the time to take care of ourselves. If this video reminds one woman to get a mammogram, if money raised pays for one woman to get a mammogram, it was well worth the effort.”

But the Ra Ra for Ta Tas girls have bigger ambitions than that.

“We’re hoping to raise six figures when the video goes live,” said Hammond. “Money will be donated to the Philly Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for a Cure every time someone clicks to watch the video.”