A new photo of the 2011-12 Cincinnati Ben-Gals cheerleaders has been posted on the Bengals website. Click here to see the full size version. Although individual profiles have been posted, there are no individual uniform shots as of yet. Hopefully those will come soon.

(For those keeping track, it’s a contest to see which team will be the very last in the league to post their roster and uniform photos, the Bengals or the Bills.)

Nathan McIntire
Monrovia Patch
Nov 22, 2011

The Laker Girls and the Tournament of Roses Rose Queen and Rose Court joined volunteers Tuesday at Foothill Unity Center’s annual holiday food distribution event to pass out the makings of a Thanksgiving feast to needly local families.

Held at the Arboretum in Arcadia, the center expected to give away boxes that included meat and all the trimmings to more than 1,500 families who registered for the drive.

Joan Whitenack, Foothill Unity’s executive director, said the number of families fed by the center has doubled since 2007 as the continued slumping of the economy has forced more people to turn to charity to get through the holidays.

“A lot of people who never needed help before are here,” she said.

Police Chief Jim Hunt and several other members of the Monrovia Police Department were also on hand to help Tuesday. He said his job was easier this year because school was out and more students were volunteering their time.

“We got all these students out helping us. Usually it’s just us old guys,” Hunt said.

Four Laker Girls joined the effort as part of the annual “Season of Giving” program sponsored by East West Bank. The girls helped hand out turkeys and gave away autographed calendars.

Emily Wang, the bank’s director of marketing, said she was impressed with how the distribution drive was organized. She said she plans on bringing the Laker Girls back next year and possibly some members of the team.

“Next year, if there’s no lockout, we may have some players!,” she said, laughing.

By Diane Kukich, University of Delaware
Newark Post
November 23, 2011

Brittany Sullivan’s skating ability and fan-friendliness got her a job as a Philadelphia Flyers Ice Girl in September. But it was her pretzel-shaping skills that got her through the first day on the job early in October. Forming dough into the shape of the Flyers logo at the Philly Pretzel Factory was all part of the season kick-off for the NHL team and the 10 young women who support them on the ice and off.

Sullivan, a junior majoring in health behavior science at the University of Delaware, has been skating since she was six years old. She also loves sports, so she saw the opportunity to try out for the team as a perfect fit.

During the one-day audition, the field of applicants was narrowed from about 100 to 20 after an on-ice test and then to 10 following a personal interview. Sullivan, who is also a member of the UD collegiate figure skating team, made the cut and just days later donned the team’s black and orange gear.

The Ice Girls perform at all of the Flyers home games, pose for photos with fans and represent the team by making appearances at community events throughout the season. They also clean the ice in the front of the goals three times during each of a hockey game’s three periods—an NHL requirement that results in a fine if not done properly.

As a native of Fredericksburg, Va., Sullivan grew up skating at the training facilities of another NHL team, the Washington Capitals, and she was a staunch Capitals fan. So her new affiliation with the Flyers has drawn some disapproval from her hometown friends.

But Sullivan herself has no qualms about the divided loyalty. “This job is a lot of fun,” she says, “and it’s a great opportunity to make connections and gain experience in the sports world.”

By Lauren Drewes Daniels
The Dallas Observer
Nov. 23 2011

Occasionally we identify interesting local folks who are as obsessed with food and restaurants as we are, and share some of their thoughts on Dallas’ dining scene and food in general. This is one of those occasions.

What food reminds you of your childhood?
Soft pretzels! I’m originally from St. Louis, and THE place for the best soft pretzels is Gus’ Pretzels. As a child, I could never get enough of Gus’, so now, even as an adult, every time I eat a soft pretzel I fondly remember my childhood obsession, and naturally compare it to my favorite, Gus’ Pretzels.

What are some of your favorite restaurants in Dallas?
I totally can’t pick just ONE! It would only be right for me to narrow down my list of favorites by category:

Burgers — Twisted Root
Brunch — La Duni
Tex-Mex Restaurant — MIA’S (Made famous because it was Tom Landry’s favorite restaurant!)
Italian — Campisi’s
Favorite Restaurant Atmosphere — Nick & Sam’s Grill
Pizza — Cane Rosso
Steak — Del Frisco’s

What food is your favorite guilty indulgence?
Tex Mex! I LOVE brisket tacos with chips and queso, fresh pico — I can never get enough. Throw in a margarita and I’m in heaven.

In your travels, what are some of the best (or most memorable) meals you’ve had?
Throughout my five-season career as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, I’ve been given the opportunity to travel across the world to South Korea on USO tours, to China and Japan while on an American Airlines One World Alliance Ambassadors Tour, and have been to Mexico and the Bahamas several times for our annual swimsuit calendar project.

As my teammates can attest, I’m a “picky eater,” but while in China I felt adventurous and explored several different traditional Chinese foods. My least favorite was the jellyfish, but my absolute favorite was the Peking duck skin, wrapped inside a thin, almost crepe-like casing. It was amazing! I ate so many of them that I definitely was not up for much dancing after the meal.

Another fond memory involving international cuisine involves our trip to Japan. We had the opportunity to be tourists for a day and walk around Narita, learning about the local culture. While walking and shopping, we came across a street vendor that happened to be selling food. Hungry, as we cheerleaders always are, we decided to order a few items and be spontaneous. Feeling adventurous, I decided to try the dried, teriyaki minnow … my face was priceless! Though it wasn’t on my bucket list, and isn’t on any to-do list for the future, it was definitely a fun, funny and memorable experience.

What food or beverage items do you always keep stocked in your fridge at home?
Beverages — Bottled water, Dr Pepper, fat-free milk and orange juice are always fully stocked.
Fruit — I always have apples and green grapes.
Vegetables — Cucumbers and baby carrots
Junk Food — Those little pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! They are great for when I’m on the go and don’t feel like being healthy.

Favorite late-night snack?
Popcorn … ALL flavors!

Do you have a favorite hole-in-the-wall or off-the-beaten-path restaurant in Dallas?
Alligator Café in Dallas! It has the best authentic Cajun food in the city: shrimp po-boys, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya and yes, even real GATOR. Yum!

What kind of restaurants would you like to see more of in Dallas?
Great BBQ! I’ve lived in Dallas for about five years and I have yet to find a truly amazing BBQ restaurant. Any suggestions?

What is an essential MUST HAVE dish at your Thanksgiving dinner?
My mom’s sweet potato pie. Wow! I think I could eat an entire meal of just that pie. It’s amazing and I crave it all year long.

Games are a major workout for you. What is you pregame meal or drink that helps you stay energized and hydrated?
After five seasons as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, I’ve figured out that I am definitely a creature of habit on game day. Some would even say that I’m superstitious when it comes to my pregame meal.
Chocolate chip pancakes or apple pancakes (no syrup)
Turkey bacon (two slices)
One apple
One full cup of coffee with French vanilla creamer

As far as what I eat just before a game, it really depends on what our catering service at Cowboys Stadium has for our buffet line. Contrary to popular belief, we actually DO eat, and on game day, we eat a lot! Every game day we have several different options for our pregame meal — healthy options and tasty treats. The best part of game day is that we always eat our meals together as a team in our locker room, laughing, relaxing and having fun before we dance for four straight hours.

For a noon game, we typically arrive at the stadium around 6:30 a.m., so we will have a full breakfast spread complete with eggs, bacon, breakfast sandwiches, Danishes, coffee, juices, fruit and more. If it is an afternoon or evening game, we have items like grilled chicken, steamed veggies, BBQ, chicken fingers, fajitas, etc. Needless to say, our favorite meal and game is the Thanksgiving game. We have a traditional Thanksgiving feast complete with all the fixin’s: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pies and casseroles galore!

Again, a creature of habit or superstition, during halftime I always stop by our fully stocked fridge and drink one Dr Pepper and one Gatorade. … Weird, I know!

Click here for the week 11 photos. Last weekend the Vikings Cheerleaders took their turn in military inspired costumes. Other teams featured this week include the 49ers GoldRush, Redskins, Ravens, Broncos, Rams, and Falcons Cheerleaders.

Queens College
November 22, 2011

The following is an excerpt from Queens College dance team alumna, Claudette Torres – who details the tryout process and her successful naming to the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleading squad.

After my first year out of college, I thought this would be my opportunity to really think about my life and what I would want to make out of it. I have been dancing for as long as I could remember and one of my biggest goals throughout my life was to dance for a professional team after college. I saw the Eagles Cheerleaders perform during an Eagles game and I knew I wanted to audition for (the 2011) team.

The open call audition took place back in March at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Roughly 400 dancers came to audition for a spot on a team of 38 cheerleaders. The audition was a very long process, consisting of open call, semifinals, and finals. After the open call audition, the dancers must audition along with the cheerleaders from the previous year; each cheerleader must audition every year if they wish to remain on the squad. After the semifinals round, only 60 dancers were left to go off to the final audition. The final audition judged us in the categories of: physical fitness, dance, and public speaking.

The morning after the final audition, the email was sent out of the names of the new 2011-12 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders. I was speechless when I read my name! It has been such an exciting and incredible experience since then!

Even though the NFL was having a lockout, the Eagles Cheerleaders still continued preparing for the possible football season. Once the lockout was over, the Eagles Cheerleaders were back in full force, appearing at different fundraisers, events, interviews, rehearsing twice every week, and photo shoots for different projects for the year. My first time performing on the field was on Aug. 11, during the Eagles’ first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. It was such an exhilarating experience to dance on an actual NFL football field and perform for 78,000 fans!

Without the support and motivation from all my family and friends, I probably would not have had the courage to audition. The Queens College Dance Team was instrumental in preparing me for such a highly recognized position on a professional cheer and dance team. I am so happy that I have the opportunity to be a part of the Eagles organization, and so thankful for my family and friends for being there every step of the way. I feel very blessed to have a full-time teaching job as a physical education teacher, and to be one of the newest members of the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders. Everything has been such a new and exciting experience and I am enjoying every moment.

The Red Rockers page has been updated on the Washington Capitals website. They’ve got new profile info and tons of new photos, so click here to check out the crew!

Oops, I forgot to post last weeks’ photos, so this week is a two-fer. The latest cheerleader gallery on SportsIllustrated.com centers mostly on the Falcons, Vikings, and Broncos Cheerleaders, with a few photos from other teams for a little variety. Click here to go there now.

Click here to check out this week’s Sports Illustrated NFL Cheerleader gallery. This week includes loads of photos of the Colts and Bucs Cheerleaders, and also some from the Falcons, Chiefs, 49ers, Cowboys, Jets, and Bengals.

By JAY BETSILL
DFW.com
Nov. 19, 2011

[Photo Gallery]

America’s Sweethearts — aka the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders –officially released their 2012 swimsuit calendar at an exclusive gathering inside the Glass Cactus nightclub at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine. The calendar was shot on location in Nayarit, Mexico amid some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

“We could not be more proud of this opportunity to ‘show off’ the final product of the annual DCC Swimsuit calendar and the associated television show to all of the partners who made it possible,” said Kelli Finglass, Director, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. “The Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitor’s Bureau offered critical guidance and daily assistance in finding and accessing amazing areas from jungles to beaches to ocean view mansions.”

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Calendar Release Party was a scene unto itself as the calendar photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists, television crew members and the cheerleaders joined VIPs and sponsors on the upper level inside the massive Glass Cactus featuring beautiful vistas overlooking Lake Grapevine. Upon arrival, we were ushered past the velvet rope and greeted at the top of the staircase by the 17 DCC rookies with their welcoming smiles and pom poms. The calendar’s featured cheerleaders were lined up and posed with their “month,” with large photos on display behind the cheerleaders.

As luck would have it, I was literally the first person to enter party by virtue of the perfect proximity to the entry when they began to allow people inside. I’m not gonna lie, it was certainly one of those amazing moments when you have to pause and ask yourself if this is really happening!

Within minutes of the doors opening, people were lined up to get autographs and pictures while chatting with the cheerleaders. Since this was my inaugural DCC party, I quickly found my old friend, Kelsi Reich, to get the scoop on what this night was all about. After all, Reich is a four-year veteran of the squad.

“This is such a great night,” Reich said. “It is similar to a reunion as it brings together everybody behind the scenes who put the calendar together.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there were 17 rookies who were experiencing this amazing evening for the first time, including Holly Arielle. Arielle was among the rookies who mingled with the crowd and posed for pictures.

“This entire year has been so amazing,” Arielle said. “It has been a great experience and I have made so many new friends.”

A cool aspect of the evening occurred at 9 p.m., when I glanced up and realized that the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team was currently airing on CMT. This was the perfect occasion to enjoy the buffet and catch a glimpse of the show.

After a quick break, we chatted with rookie Mackenzie Lee. “It’s great to see the veterans who are featured in the calendar,” Lee said. “I feel so happy for the veterans who are getting to experience this for the first time.”

As we worked our way around the room, we stopped by for a visit with third-year veteran Ashton Torres. She said her favorite part of this annual event is “that it is so much fun to meet new people and see her friends (from the calendar shoot) again.”