Yahoo! on Vander's name

[Pakuni]

Blog item about the origins of the tourney's unusual name:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/stories-behind-ncaa-tournament-most-unusual-names-161439996.html#more-9573

Vander Blue, G, Marquette

A harrowing ride to the hospital served as the inspiration behind Marquette sophomore Vander Blue's unusual first name.

When Blue's grandmother was pregnant with his father, her water broke while she was riding in a van and she had to be rushed to the hospital. That ride led her to come up with the name "Vander" for her newborn son, who in turn passed it down to the future Marquette guard when he was born.

"My dad was a sports guy too, so they thought it was a pretty good sports name," Blue said. "My mom thought I'd like the name because it's unique and different. Not too many people have the name in the world."

Blue indeed likes the name just as his parents suspected he would. The only thing about it that irritates him sometimes is that people he meets either assume his name is Evander or they think his first and last name are all one word.

Having a memorable name gets Blue some attention, but that's not why he wants people to remember him.

Said Blue: "It sets me apart from everybody, but I want to be known for my play more than my name."

[Classof83]

I heard his uncle, "Sedaner" Blue, was also a very good athlete but went to UW and was never heard from again...

[BrewCity83]

Like he said, I thought his first and last name were all one name, like he was probably a Dutchman from the Fox Valley.  Something like Johnny Van Der Blue.

[Skatastrophy]

Like he said, I thought his first and last name were all one name, like he was probably a Dutchman from the Fox Valley.  Something like Johnny Van Der Blue.

From now on Van Der Blue is called the Flying Dutchman!

[chapman]

or or they think his first and last name are all one word.

Someone might want to tell McIlvaine.

[MU_LOL]

Hah as I was reading this it made me think of the Dove/Shaq commercial I saw during the Iona/BYU game last night, and how his mom gave him that name because it was unique and whatnot. I like Vander better than Shaq I think.

[BrewCity83]

Was Shaq born in a shack?

[JD]

Did Kobe's parents love Kobe Beef?! 

[SoCalwarrior]

Did Kobe's parents love Kobe Beef?! 

Actually, yes, he was named after Kobe beef.

[JD]

Actually, yes, he was named after Kobe beef.

Wow, sad that he's the one icon i look up to (athletically) and i didn't know that.

Thanks!

[National Champs]

It would have been cooler if his dad was born in a crossover

[BrewCity83]

It would have been cooler if his dad was born in a crossover

Or if she was on her way to the hospital in a jetpack.