Yes, I’ve been wondering, too, and it’s been keeping me up at night: Just what are the ladies of the 2009 Denver Broncos Cheerleading squad reading these days? What books inspire somersaults, leaps, fight songs, and heavy pom-pom action?
Thanks to the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders website, we know.
Serita Archuleta: I am reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I admire the fact that she followed her heart and took a risk in life to find happiness. It has inspired me to get out of my comfort zone more often.
Brianne Bateman: Twilight Series [by Stephanie Meyer]….Edward Cullen and I are buddies!
Tara Battiato: Brave New World [by Aldous Huxley].
Romi Bean: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell.
Rebecca Bolan: I just finished the first book in the Mark of the Lion series called A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. It is an incredible story about faith, the enemy’s deception and servitude.
Christina Connolly: I just finished reading the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, and have started reading The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin.
Allyson Daniels: Everything is Illuminated [by Jonathan Safran Foer].
Lindsey Dudley: The Shack by William P. Young.
Jessica Flores: Breaking Dawn [by Stephanie Meyer] (for the 2nd time).
Lauren Giangregorio: I’m actually in a Book Club through the dance studio where I teach. Currently, we are reading the book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum.
Erica Golding: Presumed Innocent [by Scott Turow]. It was a strongly recommended read from my Dad.
Elizabeth Harris: Marley and Me [by John Grogan].
Kimberly Hidalgo: Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark and The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (I’ve read this one at least 3 times!) … Of course I try and read from the Bible everyday as well.
Kaoruko Horiike: I am reading the biography of Hideki Matsui [Hideki Matsui: Sportsmanship, Modesty, and the Art of the Home Run by Shizuka Ijuin] who is a Japanese baseball player for the NY Yankees. He is not only talented, but works much harder than most players to be the very best. He also has a great personality. This book inspires me!
Mary Johnston: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. I started reading Shakespeare in High School and loved it. I was able to visit his birthplace in England with my A.P. English class. Eventually, I would love to read all of his plays.
Amanda Lofland: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.
Jessica Magee: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.
Janelle Mangrum: I am currently reading Marley and Me. Because of my love for animals, I found the movie to be heart-warming and entertaining and decided to read the book. So far the book is equally as good as the movie and has not disappointed!
Nicole Moore: Well, just like every 14-year-old girl in this country, I’m reading the Twilight Series and am hanging on every word. When I’m not enamored with the love life of mortals and vampires, I usually don’t have much time to read given the heavy work-load in pharmacy school.
Sara Oliver: My Sister’s Keeper [by Jodi Picoult] and Jacob Have I Loved [by Katherine Paterson].
Christina Puglisi: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch.
Anjuli Rodriguez: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins.
Valerie Scott: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and Internal Wealth by Wayne Roland.
Candace Wilson: The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life by Jim Tressel.
Is that the sound of a cheerleaders’ pyramid collapsing? No, just the stereotype of the cheerful, brainless pep-squad member crumbling to dust. The books being read provide a fairly accurate representative sample of reading tastes in the United States, from popular, classic, and literary fiction, to self-help and inspirational non-fiction.
So, let’s give a Rah! Rah! Sis-Boom-Bah! to the Denver Broncos for allowing their cheerleading squad to express themselves through the books they read at the risk of puncturing the fantasies of the men who love the squad’s on-the-field cavorting in skimpy outfits. Hey guys, these ladies think!
This lies in stark contrast to the manner in which the Dallas Cowboys promote their cheerleaders. Their squad is subjected to a page on the cheerleaders’ website titled Our Secrets. Here, a member of the squad is posed in her T&A outfit with roll-over caption links surrounding her, each with a point-line to a body part: Hair, Smile, Make-Up, Hair Care, Voice, Boot Camp Workouts, Tan, Yoga workouts, Boots. And what appears when you roll over one of the captions? A product advertisement.
The Dallas Cowboys treat their cheerleaders like huckster commodities, Debbie Does Dallas For Dollars and Dignity Takes a Dive.
The Denver Broncos probably do, as well, but at least they have the good sense not to market them as such.
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