By Brittany Karford
There?s no such thing as a bad shot. That?s the team philosophy of The Revenge, a team that even shoots at their own hoop.
They call themselves the antithesis to intramural sports. With a blend of unique plays, their style of competition breaks up the monotony of the intramural grind, which can be a blood, sweat and tear struggle for a T-shirt.
?Everyone has been scarred by church basketball at one time or another,? said Travis Ryan, a player and 3-year veteran to the team. ?So we decided to take it to a whole new level ? down.?
The team?s antics set them apart the moment they step on the court, with a choreographed entrance to Def Leopard?s ?Pour Some Sugar on Me,? and matching red shorts that show more than a little leg.
?The music, bull-horns and shorts ? it?s all part of our attitude coming in,? said Jordan Pilling, a member of The Revenge. ?And yeah, it?s intimidating.?
But the warm-up is just a taste of The Revenge experience. The team runs a variety of original plays to keep the other team guessing and the crowd laughing.
In a play called Iron Curtain, the team forms a 4-man wall for the shooter while the play Mayhem announces an alley-oop three-pointer. The play Lumberjack requires everyone but the person with the ball to lie down and logroll up the court while Rabbit-Eating-Wood is a one versus five offense.
?There?s nothing funnier than one screw-off player scoring on five jocks,? said team member Nick Sowards.
The depth of The Revenge?s playbook includes more than just offense.
In Vlade, a defensive play named after NBA player Vlade Divac, players flop to the ground any time an opponent gets near them, and at the call of Flyswatter, they block their own teammate?s shot.
Additionally, the team runs a number of special plays. One such play, Blue Thunder, is reserved for the free-throw line, as the shooter will run and jump off a teammate?s back for a dunk.
However, there are many who are not humored by the Revenge?s plays, particularly in the Intramurals office.
?Nothing is funny about a mockery of the game,? said Emily Andrews, assistant director of intramurals at BYU.
And that?s precisely what team member Josh Whatcott said a letter received from BYU intramurals read, calling the team?s style of play, ?a mockery of a sacred sport.?
The Revenge has a history with the intramural administration. The team originally formed in 2002, known then as The Swamp Coolers, was officially ejected from the league last season after the opposing team?s tempers almost escalated into a fight.
?That game was crazy,? said T.J. Thomas, who played as a Swamp Cooler and now coaches The Revenge. ?We had more than 100 fans there, and they went nuts after we were kicked out. We knew we had to lay low for a while.?
Back with a new name, The Revenge continues to confound and infuriate opponents with their game, always trying to sneak at least six players on the court.
?We?ve had lots of opposition from teams and officials, mainly because they couldn?t keep up with our skills,? Ryan said. ?We had fun. And those who didn?t, we had fun at their expense.?
Though some teams try to stifle The Revenge?s creativeness with a full-court press, occasionally their style of play will rub off on their competitors.
?It?s not a world championship; it?s intramural basketball,? Whatcott said. ?We?re just out there to have a good time.?
Intramural Referee Ricky Bower said he enjoys the humor The Revenge brings to the game.
?It?s such a contrast to most of the other teams in the league who take themselves too seriously,? Bower said. ?It?s intramurals ? people need to have more fun.?
With their fans in mind, The Revenge ensures that they?re not the only ones having fun. The team cares more about making the crowd laugh than winning, and has beckoned more than 100 fans to a single game.
?They?ve changed intramural sports from a purely competitive game into a spectator sport,? said Paul Larsen, a devout fan.
With a following unprecedented in BYU intramurals, The Revenge packs the stands every game with enthusiasts, and even the refs can?t keep a straight face.
?I enjoy their fans the most,? said Tim Mayo, an intramural referee. ?They come even though they know they?re going to lose.?
The team passed out over 200 fliers last Tuesday for their last game of the season, in which they were eliminated from the tournament.
?We may have lost 74-17, but we still feel like we won,? said Pilling, who is a senior this year. ?I wouldn?t go out any other way.?
Most of the team is graduating this year, but they hope the remaining players will carry on the tradition and spirit of The Revenge. The entire team said it has been the best experience they have had in BYU intramurals.
?Even winning a championship isn?t as fun as this,? said Todd Birch, a member of the team. ?It?s about the love of the game.?