A few weeks ago, I was walking to class and noticed something strange. As I passed Tiger Stadium, I heard music coming from the weight room.
The simple fact that music was drifting from a weight room is not perplexing because music often is used as a physical motivator.
What I did not understand was why the football team listened to Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” while working out.
Don’t get me wrong, Gaye’s music can definitely motivate me to perform in some matters of life, but that does not include lifting weights.
I almost thought I was in Adam Sandler’s skit “Sex or Weight Lifting,” where Barry Lincoln walks around the streets asking people if what they hear on a recorded tape is either two people working out or two people having sex.
I would have guessed the latter if Barry had asked me, and I would have chosen poorly.
So then I ventured to Alex Box Stadium. The Public Address system constantly plays tunes to involve and excite the fans in attendance, but the individual players have their own duties as disc jockey.
As each LSU baseball player readies himself for an at bat, his song of choice blares over the PA. Obviously, the player will choose a song that gets him pumped up and focused.
For the past few years, I have enjoyed listening to 2 Pac’s “California Love” when Aaron Hill comes to bat. First off, I love 2 Pac. Secondly, something exciting usually happens when Hill is in the batter’s box. He leads the Southeastern Conference with four triples and is hitting .351.
The California native’s choice of batting music always sparks the “Is 2 Pac still alive?” debate.
Ryan Patterson refers to Nirvana in attaining enough karma to prepare for his upcoming at bat. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was the No. 1 rock song of the 1990s, and Patterson has used it to hit .327 and lead the team with seven home runs.
“I wish I was a little bit talla. I wish I was a balla. I wish I had a girl, if I did, I would call her.”
When I hear this, I know Bruce Sprowl is about to lead off with a single. After a somewhat slow start, Sprowl got his wish and has established himself as a “balla” in the outfield and one of the best leadoff hitters in college baseball.
Blake Gill may hit the ball harder than anyone on the team. The only problem is that most every time he gets a piece of one, it lands right in the mit of the opposing team.
“Oh wa-a-a-agh!!!” This probably disturbs him, but he did choose the song “Down with the Sickness” as his batting music.
I have a short list of songs that would grace the PA system if I were talented enough to be on the LSU baseball team
The first is “Mudshovel” by Staind. The bass line at the beginning lets me know something intense is on the horizon.
The second is one I am stealing from Southern’s All-American second baseman Rickie Weeks. “In da Club” by 50 cent gets me in da groove. When Weaks stepps up to bat, everybody at The Bluff starts dancing, including myself.
Being the self-proclaimed comedian I am, I would pick something to confuse the pitcher and make him lose his focus.
When I step up to the batter’s box, Sir Mix A Lot will sing “Baby Got Back,” and that snotty chick will gossip with her good friend Becky.
He might laugh and become nostalgic for his junior high school dances while I step in gauging the next pitch I would hit into the gap.
One thing is for certain, Marvin Gaye will stay at home until after the game.