Why Is This Sporting Event Different From All Other Sporting Events?

Penn athletic triumphs are rare (like great commencement speakers) which makes the following news even more exciting: Penn athletes didn't just compete at the World Maccabiah Games, they totally showed the world who's Macca-boss. You can read the full DP Report here.

Basketball players Zack Rosen and Julie Becker both won medals (gold and silver, respectively) and demonstrated why they call us "The Social Ivy That Also Smokes Clowns Like You On The B-Ball Court." Soccer player Sarah Friedman and fencers Zane Grodman and Danielle Kamis also participated, with Kamis and Friedman each bringing home medals. UTB extends our greatest congratulations to these Chosen Champions - you five will dominate all the "What I Did Over My Summer Vacation" discussions the first week back at school.

We're guessing their time at the Games must have been thrilling for a few reasons:

1) There had to have been a moment when it sunk in that in winning medals, they now have some bangin' new bling to wear around campus (THESE MEDALS AIN'T GELT, Y'ALL!).

2) They got to hang out with US Men's Basketball Coach and notable chest painter, Bruce Pearl. Glen Miller, we expect to see something similar if we're going to wait on The Line.

3) Winning is not something Penn athletes get to experience that often, so any kind of success on the field/court/fencing-thing must have been mind-blowing. As a blog staff who was locked indoors to practice our typing in middle school and was never given the chance to feel the sweet, lush grass of a soccer field between our toes... we can only imagine how great it must be to win at a pick-up game, much less in a huge tournament on an international stage. So nice job, everybody! Let's keep it up this fall - Cornell's been getting cocky.