TTHHEE TTAATTTTOOOO BRISTOL PRESS MAKING A PERMANENT IMPRESSION SINCE 1994 VOLUME 8 No. 5 With Bird on guard, Huskies will soar Two kids and a job at 18 Reflecting on how life would’ve been “Michelle, she’s playing with doctor without children, she said, “I’d still be hav- things a lot. She might be a doctor. Aisha, By T.J. O’CONNOR Young wife ing fun, hanging out rather than worry she has a strong voice. She might be a The Tattoo about them getting sick.” singer.” The UConn women’s basketball team in the last decade has been When she got pregnant, Anna moved But for the present, Anna balances pri- as dominant as when Michael Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls. shoulders away from home — leaving behind friends orities between her and her children. The University of Connecticut is known across the country as and the regular end to an already stressful “When I want a pair of sneakers, it’s having one of the best women’s basketball programs. The Huskies high school career — and married the hard,” she said. She has to think about have won most of their games with ease and have had a lot of suc- responsibility baby’s father. She’d cess due to six factors: been seeing him 1) The leader: Every good athletic team has one — someone with since she was 13. experience who takes charge of the team when it goes to battle. By MIKE NGUYEN “I wouldn’t say I The Huskies definitely have a leader on and off the court in sen- The Tattoo was in love when ior point guard Sue we met,” Anna Bird. You can’t tell Anna is only 18. admitted. “We fell Bird, who has Holding one of her hands recently was in love when I got started all three of her her daughter, a shy three-year-old girl in pregnant. [Our love] years at UConn, yellow pajamas, and on her other arm was just keeps going, always seems to lead On the ball another girl, a smiling seven-month-old [and] getting her team to victory. stuffed in a puffy pink jacket. stronger.” Whether it is scoring, “She’s a really happy girl,” Anna said “He’s always motivating her teammates or shutting down her opponent on about her youngest daughter, Aisha, and there for my kids. defense, Bird always seems to get the job done. “she barely ever cries.” I’d be scared to lose In her three years at UConn the Husky point guard has guided A content, healthy baby is one of the him,” she said. her team to two Final Fours including a National Championship and simple pleasures Anna is grateful for. She’s thought about three Big East Tournament Championships. Bird looks to take her While other 18-year-olds are starting a life without her hus- team to another Final Four this year. new chapter of their lives in college or band, and said Joe Keo / The Tattoo 2) The scorer: Some say this player should start on the UConn other typical post-high school pursuits, she’d be scared of men’s team. I agree. Anna’s been hit with reality since she was her daughters asking, “Who’s my daddy?” what her children will eat or what they Even though this Californian 16, when she became pregnant with her Her husband works and attends college. need. is just a sophomore, she may be oldest daughter, Michelle. Two years after Michelle was born, “I’m always the last one. I have to think the best female basketball player Before Michelle was born, she married Anna had her second child, Aisha. about my kids,” Anna said. “I want my kids in the country. the child’s father. They both work to sup- “The second time around, it was hard- to have it better than I have. I see other Diana Taurasi is a prolific port the family, and he attends UConn. er,” she said, but added her first pregnancy kids with good clothes and I wish I had scorer and her specialty is With two little children, two jobs and not was still difficult with school and every- that for my kids.” draining shots from downtown much income, it’s not easy. thing. While caring for her daughters, working consistently with ease. Anna is one of five especially needy The Family Center and her own family 16 hours a week, and also cleaning houses When she shoots it doesn’t Bristol teenagers that The Tattoo is profil- helped her through the difficult times, on the weekend for extra money, Anna even look like she jumps. ing this holiday season. The project, called Anna said. hopes that she can get one nice night out Not only can she hit the tri- The Tattoo “They helped in every for herself or with her husband. fecta but she can zoom past her Christmas Presence, way they could,” she said, “I have to save a little just to go out,” defender on the drive and finish aims to spur kind- providing her with a job she said. with a reverse lay-up. Taurasi is hearted readers to ‘When I want a in the baby room at Her wish is to one day be able to take also known for her “razzle-daz- donate gifts or pair of sneakers, Bristol Central High her family to Disney World. She said she’s zle” plays that ignite the Husky checks to help School where the children trying to save for that trip. faithful. those teens have a it’s hard,’ said of students can stay while For now, Anna hopes that she can get By the time Taurasi is done merrier Christmas. their mothers study. some diapers for Aisha, “stuff for my Sue Bird wearing the blue and white The Tattoo enlisted Anna, 18. She has Anna said her biggest house, and clothing for my kids.” Husky jersey she may be the best the help of The support came from her Possible donations for Anna would be player ever to play in that uniform. She is second on the team in Family Center and to think about father-in-law and her own gift certificates to a restaurant or the scoring this year (only because she got into foul trouble against the Bristol mother. movies, a babysitter for the night or items North Carolina). Emergency Shelter what her children But at first, she said, for the home. 3) The do-it-all player: Swin Cash can do it all: score, pass, in finding teenagers will eat or need. her mother wouldn’t talk Anna said she never regrets having both rebound, handle the ball, cheer on her teammates, and play solid to feature in the to her for a month. Michelle or Aisha, no matter how much she “D.” stories. “That was hard,” she has to endure. She said she hopes, most Cash may be the most versatile player in women’s college hoops. Anna wasn’t admitted. importantly, that young girls wishing to One advantage that she has over most of her opponents is her ready to be a teenage mother. Eventually, her mother became very sup- fool around or wanting to have a child will leaping ability, which she uses to get rebounds, block shots and get At first, she said, “I was kind of embar- portive. She organized a baby shower that think and “just to be careful, because you above her defender to score. rassed.” She remembered wishing she brought many essential items for her kids might mess up your life for a moment of Cash is also extremely quick without the ball. When she doesn’t could “freeze them in time” so she could be and gave Anna two cars for transportation. fun.” have the ball she runs away from her defender to get open. Cash a normal teenager “and come back when I Anna has looked ahead to her own rela- She added, “Don’t rationalize it. Life’s leads the team in scoring so far this year. was ready.” tionship with her daughters and worries too short, have fun. Be a kid.” 4) The space eater: Tamika Williams is a great example of a But Anna couldn’t, so she had her baby they’ll make the same mistake that she and “space eater.” She controls the middle and plays a huge role in at 17 and finished high school. many teenagers make. Donations for Anna and other strug- UConn’s success. “It was very hard. I’d sometimes wake Gazing at Michelle searching for a toy, gling teens can be dropped off at The Williams uses her strength and her effective mobility to get up with morning sickness.,” she said. “If I she said, “I want her to be a kid. I hope Bristol Press, 99 Main St., during normal rebounds — and boy, does she get a lot of them. had to do it again, I don’t know if I would she will go to college. I hope they [Michelle business hours. Checks may be sent to The Williams is also known for her high shooting percentage. As the be able to do it. It was horrible. I would and Aisha] have a good life.” Tattoo’s Christmas Presence/ c/o Steve “space eater” she also uses her strength to score down low in the wake up early, get them breakfast, and go Anna even sees possible careers for her Collins and Jackie Majerus, P.O. Box 483, post. to school. I’d be up all night.” kids. Bristol, CT 06011-0483. She always is able to overpower her opponent and much of the Huskies’ success this year will depend on Williams staying healthy. 5) The coach: Arguably the best coach in women’s college bas- ketball, Geno Auriemma has had many successful seasons in Storrs. He is a great motivator, recruiter and preparer. Harry Potter’s got nothing on a hobbit Auriemma is the heart of the UConn team. Year after year, he has his team in contention for the National By KAISHI LEE Although that comic was studio or face legal action. These than the images in your head Title. The Tattoo meant more for an adult audi- are the same children who are when you were reading the If you ask his players, they will tell you he is a great teacher of ence, the similarities are uncan- making box office cash registers book? basketball and a great person. Life with magic, it’s fantastic ny. go “ke-chings” so top executives Where was the sorting-hat Part of the reason for the Huskies’ excellent play in the ‘90s and — or so they say. Go figure. can rake in the dough. song and why the drastically- in the year 2000 was Auriemma’s unwillingness to settle for any- Please, I need help! Sure, in 1990, a virtually pen- You can bet your last dollar shortened sequence with thing less than perfection. Someone out there please niless British woman (you-know- that some folks at AOL-Time Norbert the baby dragon? Even when his team blows out every team they play he still has explain the concept of this enig- who) started imagining the Warner are crossing their fin- So, sue me. them working hard in practice and he still gets on their cases when ma called Harry Potter. beginnings of another world, gers that audiences embrace Lord of the Rings, though, is they make foolish mistakes. Yes, I know the Mr. P series while sitting bored on a delayed fantasy and magic for a long, another matter. Auriemma has taken UConn women’s basketball to a higher level hit the $100 million sales mark train from Manchester to long time — long enough for the In a hole in the ground there of play. in its first four years. London. Joanne Rowling went line-up of six more Potter films. lived a hobbit. 6) The fans: The Husky fans are by far the loudest and most sup- And that Coca-Cola has nego- on to develop her idea of a boy- 5) Was the movie any better And what an amazing hobbit. portive of all women’s college basketball fans. tiated with J.K. Rowling and wizard wonder They never get down on their team and they show great pride in named Harry Potter their school. The Husky fans not only cheer on their team but they at a café in taunt UConn’s opponent and jump on them whenever they make a What I say Edinburgh, reported- mistake. ly nursing one coffee After this year — when Bird, Cash, Williams and Asjha Jones Warner Bros. the biggest market- she needed as an (another great forward on the starting lineup) graduate and move ing tie-in in history, worth $100 unemployed single on to the WNBA — there will be many spots to fill. million, and others such as Lego mother. Now she’s got Many of the team’s success factors will be gone, but Auriemma are producing models and spin- $85 million or more. has been finding younger players his whole career who can fulfill offs. 3) If the point of these roles and he’ll no doubt do it again. I have also read the first book the game Quidditch is and recently caught the much- to catch the Golden hyped movie. Snitch, which then Still, I just don’t get it. ends the game, what’s Exactly what is it about this the point of the other Dance rules leave phenomenon that has everybody players going around and their grandparents declar- scoring with the other ing this Potter chap is the best balls? Why not just students twisting thing since sliced bread? have two Seekers fly- Granted, my lack of clarity ing around and seeing We need to have some sort of could possibly have risen from who can catch the By CASSIE NOWAK watching too many TV produc- Golden Snitch first? The Tattoo fun without all the unnecessary rules. If administrators would tions. But if anyone out there 4) Exactly how are School dances are supposed let friends from other schools in, can help me answer a list of we supposed to love a to be those times for friends to questions about the plucky boy character that was get together and have fun, but wizard, it might stop me from the subject of a legal why is it more work than any tearing my hair out. suit between Warner type amusement? What I say 1) So many people are Brothers, the compa- School dances have become enthralled by J.K. Rowling ny which made the more of a hassle than they may because she is the new Enid Harry Potter movie, be worth. there wouldn’t be a problem. Blyton. So why not just read and children the First, you have all the rules, But, of course, they have to Enid Blyton? world over? such as no inappropriate cloth- say no for the sake of bringing 2) There was a comic book Children — some ing, no sneaking in other people students from a “rival” school which appeared 10 years ago as young as 12 — who under false names and the need into the dance. For that could about a bespectacled young boy dedicated websites to to check all handbags or book cause a huge problem, right? No! who was discovered to be the the character out of bags carried in. So, for all you dance commit- world’s greatest magician. their love for the I mean, can we even go to the tee people out there: Called the Books of Magic (by books, received bathroom without a rule? Can you please put a little Neil Gaiman), the boy was threatening letters I can understand the school sanity in the way you make the tutored by four magicians in the from Warner wanting to keep the students rules for the dance and let us ways of magic. The boy, Timothy Brothers asking them safe, but come on. Give us kids a finally have some fun around Hunter, also had an owl and a to surrender their break here. here!? teacher out to kill him. domain names to the Joe Keo / The Tattoo WWW.READTHETATTOO.COM The best teen journalism in America. For questions, comments or to join, contact advisors Steve Collins and Jackie Majerus at 523-9632.