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Chargers Super Fan Merrianne Do Cheers Her Way To Bobblehead Spotlight

by | Nov 17, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled five special edition bobbleheads featuring Los Angeles Chargers Super Fan Merrianne Do, who went viral after her appearance on Monday Night Football during a game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys on October 16th at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The special edition bobbleheads are being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in conjunction with Merrianne.

Wearing a blue jersey and positioned on a blue circular base, there are five Merrianne bobbleheads available in various states of her die-hard fandom – nervous, sad, happy, angry, and angry with red eyes. Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,023 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in March, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order. A set of all five is available for $125.

“I’m super thrilled and can’t believe my game-day reactions are turning into bobbleheads!” Merrianne said when asked about being turned into a bobblehead. “I think many sports fans can relate to one of more of these roller coaster emotions, and the fact that they are being encapsulated into bobbleheads is so fun!”

During the latter moments of the Chargers’ 20-17 loss to the Cowboys on Monday Night Football, the ESPN cameras at SoFi Stadium kept panning to Merrianne as she rode a roller coaster of emotions with the game hanging in the balance. In the days that followed, Merrianne was accused of being an actor, planted by the NFL. She spoke with multiple media outlets and appeared as a guest on the Pat McAfee Show along with NFL Total Access to tell her story and talk about her rise to stardom. The Minnesota native, who grew up rooting for the Vikings, moved to California 20 years and is a Chargers’ season-ticket holder. Married with four children, Merrianne works as a pharmacist at Walgreens.

“I wish I was getting paid,” Merrianne said on the Pat McAfee Show. “I wish I could make myself an AI and as beautiful as I want, but at the end of the day, this is me, guys. This is me, a crazy mom of four, crazy Chargers fan, crazy freaking football fan. But now it’s crazy. It’s overwhelming that the whole world thinks this is so different because this is what my kids have had to deal with all their lives. … I’m not afraid to hold my fandom out there because at the end of the day, there are so many people in the stands. We all feel the same way. … They always get me on the Jumbotron because I am freaking nuts. But I’ve never been on TV, and then somebody comes up to me from the field. And they’re like, ‘Do you know you’re on TV?’ So, I had no idea until the end, and then I’m like, ‘OK, why do I have these text messages?’ … So, I get home, my kids are like, ‘Mommy, you’re on TV.’”

“We are excited to unveiled these specials bobbleheads of Super Fan Merrianne going through a range of emotions while rooting on her team,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Merrianne’s passion came through loud and clear, and we think fans will enjoy these unique, new bobbleheads!”

Chargers Super Fan Bobblehead

Super Fan Merrianne Bobbleheads (Presale)

The Rally Possum Helps The Red Raiders To Victory Over TCU

by | Nov 9, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed Texas Tech Rally Possum Bobblehead. The limited-edition bobblehead features the possum who went viral after running on the football field during Texas Tech’s 35-28 victory over rival TCU last Thursday, November 2nd at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of Texas Tech University.

Standing on a turf texture base that resembles the turf at Jones AT&T Stadium, the Rally Possum is positioned next to a football bearing the Texas Tech logo. The front of the red and black base reads “RALLY POSSUM” and “TEXAS TECH.” Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,023 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in February, are $35 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

The 66th meeting between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the TCU Horned Frogs during the 2023 football season will be remembered for Texas Tech’s 35-28 victory – and an appearance by a wild possum. With the score tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter, the marsupial decided it wanted in on the action and dashed onto the field at Jones AT&T Stadium. A frantic chase ensued to capture the critter, who was reluctant to leave the field after being ensnared by stadium staff. “He was not happy about being escorted out of the stadium,” one of the FS1 commentators remarked about the ornery intruder when the replay was shown.

The determined possum went viral after being dragged off the field. Digging its claws into the ground, it had a look of shock on its face as it left the field, instantly creating a new set of memes on social media. It wasn’t the first time that a wild animal made an appearance at a Texas Tech-TCU game. When the teams met in 2013, a fox was running back and forth behind the players on the TCU sideline. Ten years later, the possum’s appearance may have brought some good luck as Texas Tech snapped a four-game losing streak to TCU and claimed the Saddle Trophy in the rivalry game known as the “West Texas Championship.” Texas Tech now holds a 33-30-3 edge in the tightly contested series, which was first played in 1926.

“We are excited to release this unique bobblehead to recognize the Rally Possum who helped propel the Texas Tech football team to victory over TCU in the 2023 West Texas Championship,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “The football-loving possum played a small and memorable role as the Red Raiders reclaimed the Saddle Trophy for the first time since 2018. Texas Tech fans are sure to want this must-have bobblehead for their collection.”

 

Boomer The Bobcat Drops The Puck As Quinnipiac Wins The National Championship

by | Oct 27, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed, limited-edition bobblehead commemorating Quinnipiac University’s 2023 Men’s Hockey Division I National Championship. The bobblehead features Quinnipiac’s mascot, Boomer the Bobcat, and celebrates the hockey team’s first national championship. The release comes ahead of Quinnipiac’s two home games against New Hampshire this weekend before conference play starts next week. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of Quinnipiac University.

Wearing a gold No. 00 Quinnipiac jersey with his name on the back, the bobblehead features Boomer the Bobcat giving the No. 1 signal with his right hand and holding a hockey stick with his left hand. Boomer is standing on a blue and gold base which reads: “2023 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey National Champions” along with the Quinnipiac logo.

Each bobblehead is individually numbered to only 2,023 to commemorate the championship season. The bobbleheads are now available for pre-order exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in February, are $40 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Under 29th-year head coach Rand Pecknold, the winningest active NCAA Division 1 coach, Quinnipiac capped a season to remember with a 3-2 overtime victory over Minnesota in the 2023 NCAA Division I title contest on April 8th at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Trailing 2-0 in the second period, the Bobcats scored three unanswered goals with Jacob Quillan netting the game winner just 10 seconds into overtime. It was the quickest overtime goal in championship game history. The sophomore was named the Most Outstanding Player after scoring five goals in the tournament. Quinnipiac captain Zach Metsa assisted on all three goals, while Sam Lipkin had two assists. Collin Graf’s goal tied the game with 2:47 left in the third period. Cristophe Tellier got Quinnipiac on the board in the second period.

Making its third trip to the Frozen Four since 2013, Quinnipiac, the No. 2 overall seed, advanced to the title game for the third time in that span with a 5-2 semifinal victory over Michigan. Quillan scored the team’s first two goals and assisted on the third. Lipkin, Metsa and Ethan de Jong also scored goals, while Yaniv Perets had 29 saves. In its 25th season playing at the NCAA Division I level (47th overall), Quinnipiac finished with a record of 34-4-3, including 20-2 in conference play. The 34 victories were the most in program history.

“Bobbleheads are the ultimate way to celebrate a championship season, and we’re excited to be unveiling this bobblehead celebrating Quinnipiac’s remarkable 2023 Hockey National Championship,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “This bobblehead will be a must-have for Quinnipiac alumni, students, faculty, staff, and fans and a treasured keepsake.”

The Hall Honors PGA Tour Courage Award Winner D.J. Gregory

by | Oct 20, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled the first bobblehead featuring PGA Tour Courage Award Winner D.J. Gregory, who has raised more than $1 million for his Walking For Kids Foundation. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum will be donating $5 from every bobblehead sold to the Walking For Kids Foundation. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in conjunction with D.J.

The smiling D.J. Gregory bobblehead is holding a cane in his left hand while walking the course. Each bobblehead will be individually numbered, and they are available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in January, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Born 10 weeks premature with cerebral palsy, doctors told D.J.’s parents that their son would never walk. After battling through multiple surgeries, a determined Gregory willed himself to walk – first with a walker, then with two canes, and now, with just one. At the age of 12, Gregory fell in love with the game of golf and the rest, you could say, is history. Since 2008, Gregory has been a fixture at PGA Tour events, attending between 45 and 48 tournaments each year. After picking a player, he walks all four rounds with him. If that player misses the cut, he picks another player for the final two rounds. In the last 15 years, Gregory has walked more than 42,000 holes. Along the way, he has raised more than $1 million for his Walking For Kids Foundation, which allows PGA Tour players and golf fans an opportunity to donate to children’s charities.

On February 8th, 2022, Gregory received the PGA Tour Courage Award during a surprise ceremony at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. The award is presented to a person who has overcome personal tragedy or debilitating injury or illness to make a meaningful contribution to the game. Gregory became the first non-member of the PGA Tour to receive the award, which was introduced in 2012. During the award ceremony, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced that the Tour would make a $25,000 donation to Walking For Kids. Waste Management then followed suit as did Jon Rahm, who was the No. 1 player in the world at the time. “He’s an inspiration to a lot of people,” Rahm said. “He was not dealt the best hand in his life, and he made something wonderful out of it and the fact that he goes out there and walks as much as he does with the difficulty he has to walk, it’s very, very impressive. He’s captured a lot of hearts of us players – definitely mine.”

When asked about being honored with a bobblehead, D.J. said, “When I was first told about bobblehead idea, I was little surprised and thought it was a joke. On a serious note though, I think this is a true honor and I am excited and proud to have my own bobblehead. I think it’s really cool! I appreciate being acknowledged for what I do for The Kids in a unique way.”

“We are thrilled to be releasing this bobblehead celebrating D.J. Gregory and helping to raise funds for the Walking For Kids Foundation,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “A familiar face walking the courses at so many tour events, D.J.’s determination and perseverance is unmatched, as is the impact he has made through his Walking For Kids Foundation. We think golf fans and anyone who knows D.J.’s story will love this bobblehead.”

The Hawkeye’s Look To Break The All-Time Attendance Record This Sunday

by | Oct 13, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed, limited-edition bobblehead commemorating the “Crossover at Kinnick” women’s basketball game that is set to take place this Sunday, October 15th at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. The bobblehead features University of Iowa mascot Herky the Hawk holding a “Crossover at Kinnick” basketball while standing on a basketball court inside a replica of Kinnick Stadium. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of the University of Iowa.

Iowa will look to set the all-time women’s basketball attendance record when it hosts DePaul at Kinnick Stadium on Sunday. The women’s basketball attendance record of 29,619 was set in the 2002 National Championship game between Connecticut and Oklahoma in San Antonio’s Alamodome, and over 47,000 tickets have already been presold for Sunday’s game.

Holding a basketball with the “Crossover at Kinnick” logo and standing on a basketball court inside a replica of Kinnick Stadium, the Herky the Hawk bobblehead is wearing his white Iowa Hawkeyes basketball jersey. The stadium base reads IOWA HAWKEYES across the front along with the “Crossover at Kinnick” logo on the sides. Each bobblehead will be individually numbered to only 2,023 and they are currently available exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in January, are $40 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

With more than 47,000 tickets sold 10 days prior to the big event, the “Crossover at Kinnick” featuring the Iowa Hawkeyes, last year’s national runner-up, and DePaul is certain to shatter the all-time women’s basketball attendance record. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our women’s basketball program and the sport,” 24th-year Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said in a statement. “I look forward to seeing all of our closest friends inside Kinnick Stadium for a historic day.” All proceeds from “Crossover at Kinnick” game will go to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Excitement is high for the 2023-24 women’s basketball season in Iowa City after the Hawkeyes went on a memorable and historic run last season. Three starters, including All-American point guard and reigning National Player of the Year, Caitlin Clark, return from a team that went 31-7 and finished as the national runner-up. In August, the program announced that season tickets were already sold out. The state of Iowa has a long history of supporting girls and women’s basketball. The Hawkeyes were second nationally in attendance last season with an average of 11,143 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

In addition to appearing in the title game of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history where they lost to LSU, 102-85, the Hawkeyes finished as the runner-up in the Big Ten Conference behind Indiana with a 15-3 record and won the Big Ten Conference Tournament title for the second consecutive season. Earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Hawkeyes recorded victories over Southeastern Louisiana, Georgia, Colorado, and Louisville to advance to their first Final Four since 1993. In the national semifinals, Iowa knocked off defending champion, previously undefeated and top-seeded South Carolina, 77-73, before a sellout crowd of 19,288 at American Airlines Center in Dallas in one of the most anticipated matchups in women’s Final Four history.

“We are excited to release this very special bobblehead in celebration of the Iowa women’s basketball team’s ‘Crossover at Kinnick’ event,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “After the excitement created by the Hawkeyes last season and the anticipation for another memory-making season, this bobblehead will be a must-have for fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes and especially for those that will attend this historic event!”

The Bobblehead Hall Of Fame Honors Basketball Legend Bobby Knight

by | Sep 7, 2023 | Sniper Rants

This morning, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled two limited-edition bobbleheads of legendary college basketball coach Bob Knight. The first bobblehead features Knight wearing his signature red sweater, while the second bobblehead commemorates Knight’s iconic chair-throwing incident. The special edition bobbleheads are being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in conjunction with Knight Legacy. Founded by Coach Knight’s son, Pat Knight, Knight Legacy’s mission is to honor, promote, and preserve the Coach Knight Legacy and the footprint that Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight has made in the history of basketball.

Standing on a circular base bearing his name, the first Knight bobblehead is wearing a red sweater and dark pants. The top of the base features a facsimile of Coach Knight’s autograph. Standing on a replica hardwood floor base bearing his name, the second Coach Knight bobblehead is wearing a red and white striped short-sleeved shirt like the one worn during Indiana’s game vs. rival Purdue on February 23, 1985, when Knight threw a chair across the Assembly Hall court objecting to a call. The chair throwing incident which has come to be known as “The Chair Game” is still remembered and even celebrated today on its anniversary and when the Hoosiers face Purdue. Knight, who apologized for his actions the next day, joked about throwing the chair since the incident, saying that he saw an old lady standing on the opposite sideline and threw her the chair so she could sit down.

The standing bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,023 while the chair-throwing bobblehead is numbered to 19,850. The bobbleheads are currently available for pre-order exclusively through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The standing Knight bobbleheads are $30 each, while the chair-throwing bobbleheads are $40 each, plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order. A set of two is available for $65 and both bobbleheads are expected to ship in December.

In his coaching career, Knight finished with an overall record of 902-371. The 902 NCAA Division I victories was a record at the time of his retirement, and currently ranks fifth all-time. He is best known for winning three national championships as the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers in 1976, 1981 and 1987. In addition to coaching the Hoosiers from 1971 to 2000, he was also the head coach at Army from 1965 to 1971 and Texas Tech from 2001 to 2008.

Known as one of college basketball’s most successful and innovative coaches, having popularized the motion offense, Knight also won a National Invitation Tournament championship and 11 Big Ten Conference championships along with his three national titles. Knight received National Coach of the Year honors four times and Big Ten Coach of the Year honors eight times. In 1984, he coached the USA men’s Olympic team to a gold medal, becoming one of only three basketball coaches to win an NCAA title, NIT title and an Olympic gold medal. Knight was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 and was a member of the founding class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Indiana Hoosiers Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.

Born in Massillon, Ohio, on October 25th, 1940, the only child of Pat and Hazel Knight grew up in nearby Orrville. His life in athletics began as a tall first baseman for the Mizer Tykes. He switched to basketball in the sixth grade and became a local star. An excellent student, Knight once won the Orrville Library’s competition for what child could read the most books between June and September. Knight went on to Ohio State where he played for Hall of Fame coach Fred Taylor. He was a reserve forward on the 1960 NCAA championship team that featured future Hall of Famers John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas. The Buckeyes lost in each of the next two NCAA championship games, of which the sharpshooting Knight also played a part of off the bench. One year after graduating from Ohio State with a degree in history and government in 1962, Knight enlisted in the United States Army and served two years of active duty. Knight, who was a private first class, also served nearly four years in the Army reserves. While in the service, Knight was an assistant coach for the Army Black Knights basketball team. As a 24-year-old in 1965, he was named Army’s head coach and compiled a record of 102-50 in six seasons there before going to Indiana.

When asked about the bobbleheads, Coach Knight’s son and Founder of Knight Legacy, Pat Knight said, “We’re thrilled to be honoring my father’s legacy with these limited edition bobbleheads in collaboration with the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. I think these bobbleheads are a great tribute to my dad’s legacy and the passion that he had for basketball and life.”

“We’re excited to team up with Knight Legacy to create these bobbleheads celebrating the legendary coach,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “One of the most successful coaches in the history of college basketball, and we think fans will love these new bobbleheads!”