IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME!

Greg Matzek Posted: June 12, 2009

For once, one of the more unique surnames in America had control of the headlines this past week:

Matzek Stakes Claim as Top Prep Pitcher - ESPN
Matzek selected 11th overall by Rockies ~ OCvarsity.com
Matzek is Excited, but Negotiations Are About to Begin – LA Times

No, I have not gone back in time, and the headlines above certainly don’t refer to me. My heartfelt congratulations goes out to my cousin (I’m sure we’re related, I just need to dig on the family tree a little more), Tyler Matzek, for being the 11^th overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft by the Colorado Rockies. In being selected, Tyler has become the first Matzek to be drafted by a professional sports team (this excludes my being drafted by Adrian Griffin and Billy McKinney in the 12^th round of the Milwaukee Bucks media game – thanks guys…told you I was a sleeper pick).

That’s not to say MATZEKs haven’t been in the headlines for athletic accomplishments before. Allow me to take a walk down amnesia lane…

Milwaukeean Matzek Wins it All on Reality TV Show – OnMilwaukee.com
Here’s Lookin’ At You – ESPN.com/Page 2But what’s in a name?

Picture yourself a JOHNSON (let the jokes fly). If you were a JOHNSON, there would be over 100 of your namesakes in the history of Major League Baseball alone. There have been over 80 BROWNs, over 90 JONES’, and over 150 SMITHs.

The NFL boasts over 150 WASHINGTONs, WALKERs, WARRENs and WADEs.

Though it’s natural for someone who shares the same last name of a player to have a soft spot for that person, it must be difficult to identify with him or her due to the commonality of the name.

There are as many MATZEKs in pro sports as there are FUAMATA MA-AFALAs, HOUSHMANDZADAs, IGUODALAs and OCHO CINCOs. Because of that fact, I’m going to follow Tyler Matzek’s career like we’re family because there just aren’t many of us around – heck, I should be his agent. I encourage you to do a cross-referencing of your last name as it relates to professional athletes. You might be surprised at the commonality or the scarcity of a name like SAUNDERS, MOON, STOLL or MEINEN. Whatever the case, you’re probably related…make sure to bring that up if you ever come face-to-face with the person. Just be careful about the whole restraining order thing.

How many of your last name is floating around pro sports – e-mail me your findings.

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IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME!

That’s not to say MATZEKs haven’t been in the headlines for athletic accomplishments before. Allow me to take a walk down amnesia lane…