BOBBLE ON, BOBBY: MATADORS DOLL UP.Byline: STEVE DILBECK This is the greatest thing ever. The absolute way to go. One solid thump on the head and you're president of your own personal Optimist Club. Does the Daily News have the best sports section Noun 1. sports section - the section of a newspaper that reports on sports sports page - any page in the sports section of a newspaper newspaper, paper - a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements; "he read in America? Thump! Look at that, it's true. Bobby Braswell Bobby Braswell, an American basketball coach, is currently the head coach for Cal State Northridge. Braswell was named the fourth head coach in Northridge history on April 30, 1996, succeeding the retired Pete Cassidy. couldn't agree more. Is Steve Dilbeck the greatest columnist in the history of journalism The history of journalism, or the gathering and transmitting of news, spans the growth of technology and trade, marked by the advent of specialized techniques for gathering and disseminating information on a regular basis that has caused, as one history of journalism surmises, the ? Thump! Tell 'em Bobby. I mean, just look at that enthusiasm. Knew people would finally see the light. There's just no end to the uses for the Bobby Braswell bobblehead doll A bobblehead doll, also known as a bobbing head doll, nodder, or wobbler, is a type of collectible doll. Its head is often oversized compared to its body. . At home, the Cal State Northridge basketball coach's wife, Penny, holds one aloft when needed with their three children. ``It kind of haunts us around the house,'' she said. ``I use it to kind of talk to the kids when he's on the road. I let them know, `He's still watching you.' '' Yes, you, too, can figure out your very own use for the Bobby Braswell bobblehead doll if you are one of the lucky first 850 to attend Wednesday night's CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge game against Long Beach State at the Northridge gym. But that's not all, ... it also comes in a nifty color box, perfect for securing Braswell's autograph, or holding the doll until you sell it for $100 on eBay. Braswell seems uncertain what to make of all this, despite my trying to convince him that you have absolutely arrived in life if you can lay claim to your very own bobblehead doll. ``Oh, my goodness,'' Braswell said. ``I'm a, ... I'm still kinda Adv. 1. kinda - to some (great or small) extent; "it was rather cold"; "the party was rather nice"; "the knife is rather dull"; "I rather regret that I cannot attend"; "He's rather good at playing the cello"; "he is kind of shy" kind of, sort of, rather , ... I'm a little amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. by it, humbled by it and everything else. It's kinda funny to me.'' Get out, next thing you know they'll be putting a Bobby Braswell star on Hollywood Boulevard For uses other than the original street, see Hollywood Boulevard (disambiguation). Hollywood Boulevard is a boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, beginning at Sunset Boulevard in the east and running northwest to Vermont Avenue, where it straightens out . Doug Kleintop, the CSUN assistant athletic director Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic for marketing, said Northridge had been kicking around the idea of a bobblehead doll promotion for a while. ``It started out as a far-fetched idea,'' Kleintop said. Hey, what's college for if not nurturing us to dream big? Kleintop did some research and found a firm in Skokie, Ill., that was undercutting the competition and willing to sell 1,000 bobbleheads at $2.50 a pop. CSUN picked Braswell, coach of the school's most visible program, as most deserving of its first bobblehead. There are zero modern promotions without sponsors, of course, something not always in fruitful supply at state colleges. But CSUN came up with a dandy when Braswell's church, Shepherd of the Hills, stepped forward to finance the entire promotion. ``Never had a church sponsor before,'' said Larry Elowe of Creative Promotional Products. There's never been a promotion like it! Braswell said he balked balk v. balked, balk·ing, balks v.intr. 1. To stop short and refuse to go on: The horse balked at the jump. 2. when the school first approached him with the idea, not wanting to take attention away from his players. But you know how ugly that could be, one player upset because another got a bobblehead night but not him. Always supporting and urging CSUN to come up with marketing ideas, he found it difficult ultimately to refuse. Come on, like anybody could seriously turn down their own bobblehead. Thus the process began. Once Kleintop and Braswell figured out what he should wear, pictures were sent to Illinois. A rendering was made of what the doll would look like. ``I got a chance to look at one shot,'' Braswell said. ``The glasses were way too big. My glasses from the '70s, I think.'' The glasses were reduced, a test doll made, approved, and then the order went to Creative's factory in China where Elowe said they were all handmade hand·made adj. Made or prepared by hand rather than by machine. handmade Adjective made by hand, not by machine Adj. 1. and hand-painted. ``This one came out really neat,'' Elowe said. ``These are typically caricatures. I just think he has a great-looking face.'' Perhaps we should mention here that Elowe has never met Braswell. Never even spoken to him. But Braswell himself was pleased by the likeness. ``I was pleasantly surprised,'' he said. ``I'm glad it didn't come out and make me look like an idiot.'' That's what teams are for, Coach. Northridge went into Saturday night's game at Cal Poly Cal Poly may refer to:
 `ĭs ōbĭs`pō), city (1990 pop. 41,958), seat of San Luis Obispo co., S Calif., near San Luis Obispo Bay; inc. 1856. on a six-game
losing streak. But enough about basketball, this is all about the doll.
There is, however, this one tiny problem with CSUN's first bobblehead. Nowhere on the doll does it actually say Northridge. Not one Matadors. Not a single CSUN. Not one ``N'' with a sword through it. ``Looking back, it's maybe something we should have included,'' Kleintop said. On the bright side, if only 400 show up for Wednesday's game, Braswell can take the rest of the dolls to his next job and have another bobblehead night. They'll just think in Iowa that ``Shepherd of the Hills'' is some kind of coaching nickname. ``That's not our worry anymore,'' Elowe said. `We ship 'em and get paid, and we're happy.'' Everybody should be happy. The church and school are getting pub. The players think it's a riot. The coaches can always have their leader with them. ``Every time I call one of them in their office, I hear the heads bobbing,'' Braswell said. ``I can hear them hitting it with a pen, `Yes, Coach.' Every time I walk by, they're shaking 'em.'' And this could be only the beginning. Think of the promotional possibilities. Braswell Italian charm bracelet charm bracelet n → pulsera amuleto charm bracelet n → bracelet m à breloques charm bracelet charm n → night. Braswell black-rimmed glasses. A cardboard stand-up stand·up or stand-up adj. 1. Standing erect; upright: a standup collar. 2. Taken, done, or used while standing: a standup supper; a standup bar. Braswell in an Elvis gold lame suit giveaway. Everybody should have their own bobblehead night. Don't you think the Daily News should sponsor a Steve Dilbeck bobblehead promotion? Thump! Ooooh, I just knew that was a terrific idea. It's the greatest thing ever. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) The first 850 fans at Wednesday's Cal State Northridge game will receive a bobblehead doll of coach Bobby Braswell. John McCoy/Staff Photographer |
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