DU Bally and Mile High Bally debate the issues at Magness Arena on Tuesday, ahead of Wednesday’s presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on the same stage, at the same podiums. The story of how the Brotherz Ballz came to be at those podiums is pretty unbelievable (but true!). I was graciously given access by the friendly folks at DU to the media’s final pre-debate photo shoot inside the debate hall Tuesday, just before the Secret Service sweep at 6pm and subsequent lockdown. After taking a bunch of actually relevant pictures (photo gallery here), I set about trying to snap a quick photo of the Ballz at the debate, perhaps sitting on top of the back of a seat with the debate stage in the distant background. I never dreamed I could get them anywhere near the stage. However, as I was setting up this far less audacious picture, a woman walked up to me and — without prompting — asked if I’d like to take a picture of the Ballz on the stage instead. I had no idea who this person was, but I assumed she must be associated with the university in some way. I replied that I didn’t think I was allowed to go up on the stage. To this, she responded, “You can’t, but I can.” Barely able to believe my luck, and despite being slightly embarrassed at elevating the always silly spectacle of taking a stuffed basketball picture, I responded that sure, a picture on the stage would be great. On the way up to the stage, the woman asked what the picture was for — “this isn’t for some sort of embarrassing website, is it?” she asked at one point, meaning some sort of “gotcha” prank type site — and I explained that, no, these were simply the mascots of my blog about the University of Denver’s basketball team, and because the debate was being held at DU’s basketball arena, I wanted to get a photo. That seemed to make perfect sense to this good-natured and ridiculously helpful lady. So, without further ado, she took the #Ballz up and placed them, first on the moderator’s table, and then on the podiums. After I was done taking pictures, I thanked her profusely and said, “I’m sure you have no idea what the Mid-Majority is, but you’re going to be a hero to them.” I asked if I could take a picture of her credential, so I’d remember her name and could thank her personally online. At this point, I noticed she was with the Commission on Presidential Debates, not the university. But her credential didn’t state her position with the CPD, so I assumed she was just some mid-level staffer with a good sense of humor. Only later, when I overheard her being interviewed by some French journalist, did I realize she was clearly someone quite high up in the CPD hierarchy. So, as I stood there in the hall, I took out my phone and Googled her name — Janet Brown — and discovered that SHE’S THE FREAKING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES. And she personally posed my #Ballz for the photo. LOL!!! Go Pios! Go America!
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DU Bally and Mile High Bally debate the issues at Magness Arena on Tuesday, ahead of Wednesday’s presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on the same stage, at the same podiums.

The story of how the Brotherz Ballz came to be at those podiums is pretty unbelievable (but true!). I was graciously given access by the friendly folks at DU to the media’s final pre-debate photo shoot inside the debate hall Tuesday, just before the Secret Service sweep at 6pm and subsequent lockdown. After taking a bunch of actually relevant pictures (photo gallery here), I set about trying to snap a quick photo of the Ballz at the debate, perhaps sitting on top of the back of a seat with the debate stage in the distant background. I never dreamed I could get them anywhere near the stage.

However, as I was setting up this far less audacious picture, a woman walked up to me and — without prompting — asked if I’d like to take a picture of the Ballz on the stage instead. I had no idea who this person was, but I assumed she must be associated with the university in some way. I replied that I didn’t think I was allowed to go up on the stage. To this, she responded, “You can’t, but I can.” Barely able to believe my luck, and despite being slightly embarrassed at elevating the always silly spectacle of taking a stuffed basketball picture, I responded that sure, a picture on the stage would be great.

On the way up to the stage, the woman asked what the picture was for — “this isn’t for some sort of embarrassing website, is it?” she asked at one point, meaning some sort of “gotcha” prank type site — and I explained that, no, these were simply the mascots of my blog about the University of Denver’s basketball team, and because the debate was being held at DU’s basketball arena, I wanted to get a photo. That seemed to make perfect sense to this good-natured and ridiculously helpful lady.

So, without further ado, she took the #Ballz up and placed them, first on the moderator’s table, and then on the podiums. After I was done taking pictures, I thanked her profusely and said, “I’m sure you have no idea what the Mid-Majority is, but you’re going to be a hero to them.” I asked if I could take a picture of her credential, so I’d remember her name and could thank her personally online. At this point, I noticed she was with the Commission on Presidential Debates, not the university. But her credential didn’t state her position with the CPD, so I assumed she was just some mid-level staffer with a good sense of humor.

Only later, when I overheard her being interviewed by some French journalist, did I realize she was clearly someone quite high up in the CPD hierarchy. So, as I stood there in the hall, I took out my phone and Googled her name — Janet Brown — and discovered that SHE’S THE FREAKING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION ON PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES. And she personally posed my #Ballz for the photo. LOL!!!

Go Pios! Go America!

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