THE LOOP
Hauson

Sports Facts!

- Shin guards were invented in 1874 by English soccer player Samuel Widdowson.
- Until 1937, the jump ball in basketball took place at center court after every single made basket.
- In 1976, the Chicago White Sox became the first and only MLB team to ever wear shorts.
- When the NHL started requiring players to wear headgear in the 1979-1980 season, the rule allowed anyone who started playing before then to continue using their skull as a helmet if they so desired. Craig MacTavish (retired from the St. Louis Blues in 1997) is notable as the last NHL player to not wear a helmet during games.
- Just like players on the winning team, NFL officials also get a Super Bowl ring. They aren’t as big as the players’ rings, but they are still valuable pieces of jewelry.
- In baseball, a pitcher's glove can be any color except for gray or white because it makes it too easy to camouflage the ball.
- Most Japanese athletes will not wear the number four jersey because the number, pronounced "shi," also means death.
- On average, most volleyball players jump around 300 times a match. It's about to go downnnnn! 

Brenda

Second day of Spirit Week has officially started!

How cool is it that you can roll out of bed and be ready for work? Ah, mega awesome, that's how cool! To help keep with our awesome theme, I've tailored today's loop around pajama facts/trivia. So cozy up with your coffee, hot cocoa, hot tea, or whatever beverage it is that you have each morning and enjoy the following facts/trivia. 

 

- Apparently, the term pajama bottoms or pajama pants are unnecessary as pajamas originated as loose pants, tied at the waist. In other words, no need to include bottoms or pants, as the term pajamas already indicates it. 

- Who were the first to wear pajamas? That trophy goes to the men and women of Turkey, India, and Iran.

- Onesies (footed pajamas) originated when people began sewing socks to the bottom of their pajamas. They started doing so, not just to keep their feet warm but to also prevent bugs like termites from nibbling on their toes. 

- Pajamas were such the rage back in the early 1900s that fashion designer, Paul Poiret, created silk pajamas to be worn out in public during the daytime, as well as in the evening. Today, in some Asian countries, people still like to wear full pajama sets out in public.  

- Kigurumi are pajamas made to look like giant stuffed animal costumes, a trend popular in Japan.  

- Wondering when you can wear your pajamas to work again? April 16th, the day after taxes are due in the United States is National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day! 

- Oh, and in honor of our company lunch day, National Waffle Day is August 24th.  

 

*On a side note, great job yesterday team!! All those crazy, wacky, and creative hairdos definitely got Spirit Week off to a stylish start.  Now onto our pajama/waffle party!!

 

Alex

Guest Post!

My girlfriend/adventure partner, Sarah, and I recently took a trip to the small country of Iceland. Yes, I know, 'Why Iceland?!' We got this a lot when we told friends and family about our trip. The plan originated from Sarah's grandmother, who told us about her own story while traveling the country. She told us about driving what is known as the 'Ring-Road'. This road travels around the entire outer rim of the country making a full loop with itself, which also makes it perfect for an epic road trip. We had to do it! So we rented a van, packed up a couple bags, some climbing gear, a little bit of photography gear, and flew to Iceland. We gave ourselves 2 weeks to make it around the country, which in my opinion was a perfect amount of time.
Along our road trip we saw 52,200,540 sheep (this is a fake number, but probably close, there were so many sheep), miles and miles of beautiful coastline, geothermal areas including: fissures, hot springs, and the rank smell of sulfur. We got to experience glaciers up close and personal, rain/fog/wind storms while on sketchy dirt roads, mountains upon mountains upon mountains, glacier fields, Puffins (aka the cutest birds in the world, look em' up if you want a quick mood boost), the most epic and powerful waterfalls I've ever seen, river gorges so deep and so wide it was breathtaking, and so so so much more. I encourage all of you to at least consider visiting this beautiful country and getting to see a geography unlike any other out there, you won't be disappointed.