Julie, Bridesmaid

Julie and I are Charlie's Angels--though she probably remembers the cupcake in her face the best from this night. Oops.

So among many things I attempted to pursue in my crazy childhood, track and field was probably the most lucrative—LITERALLY. I didn’t start track until a broken leg forced me to resign from gymnastics. After I healed, the Butler High track coach hunted me down. Apparently, gymnasts can make good track athletes. I knew nothing of such a sport until Grade 9. Long story short, that’s how I figured I was going to pay for college.

When senior year of high school rolled-around, and the good ‘ole state of PA finally legalized women’s pole vault...THAT WAS THE TICKET.

Bill Hodge, rest his soul, saw something in me at 5’3”. He apparently had seen something in one SPUNKY and wirey Julie Woloshin, too because he actively pursued the both of us for his women's team.

We had both decided, in 1999, that Robert Morris College (now, University) was our future. Except I didn’t know that, until one of my last high school track meets. It was a big one (WPIAL-style). Out of nowhere, Julie introduced herself (somehow she knew who I was--such a goof), and we were friends thereafter. In fact, Julie was with me the night I met Gary. I drug her along because I wasn’t sure I wanted to go out. Needless to say…I think I am glad I went out? ;)

Julie also took me to my first Pittsburgh Penguins game in 2000. We were two of maybe 5,000 people in the Igloo, that night.

Due to her international career and wherabouts, it is more likely her parents make the party than she does, but we love her anyway!

Chris, Groomsman

Chris (aka: Clarke)

"You've got room!!!"  Those 3 words will explain a few of the scars on my knees and shins. Clarke's another good friend that I originally met playing ball.  I often played next to Chris in the OF, and I was always told there's enough room to make the catch.  Ask the 5 foot pine tree in Itasca that I snapped in half.  Clarke, meanwhile, never slid into a bag in his life.  He'd probably tell you that he's never had to.  Sounds weird, I know...considering the fact he enjoyed seeing me dive all over the place.

Not long after knowing Chris, I remember him coming by the office to discuss the team's lineup for that night (actual work was overrated in those days).  He loved talking the game and strategy more than anyone I knew, so on the surface, you'd think he was a hack who couldn't play.  On the contrary, he's one of the most talented players I ever played with.  He was your prototypical 5-tool player who never got his knees dirty :)

Chris is also the victim of one of the worst ever lean-in moves I've got on camera. That's fellow groomsman Jimmy executing the move to perfection, snubbing Clarke, from what would've been a great picture with Jim Thome during a visit to Pittsburgh...

I feel very fortunate to have met a lot of great people during my years in Chicago, and Chris is atop that list. He's a super guy and incredible friend...despite his lack of care for my health.

The bus will get you there yet!!

a quick note on transportation for anyone arriving from outta tahn:

No need to worry about transportation on Saturday. Hotel shuttles will be able to take you to the ceremony (if you plan on going to the ceremony*). Also, we've hired a couple of buses to transport everybody from the Chapel after the ceremony to the Warhol, and then back to your hotels after the reception.

We want everyone to enjoy themselves without the need to worry about driving afterwards.

* if you don't plan on attending the beautiful ceremony that Jess is doing an incredible job of arranging, but are staying at the hotels in Moon, you should probably still shuttle over to the chapel so you can hop on the bus,Gus.

Brandy, Bridesmaid

Last October in Ogunquit, Maine for Em and Jordan's wedding

Brandy Shoup has been a part of the “Cooper” family tradition for as long as I can remember. She grew-up “across the alleyway” beside Saint Michael’s, our childhood parish. Brandy's brother also went to school with me, but alas, nothing is more priceless than she and my sister getting into trouble for sidewalk-chalking an old garage in the church parking lot. The incident was even in the Butler Eagle (our town’s small newspaper publication). They, of course, weren’t bad kids—just artistic, I guess. Technically, it was vandalism, though. It’s a good thing the police found their actions to be relatively innocent, too. But she was breaking the rules with my younger sister—that’s why I liked her.

I hung out many an afternoon with Brandy and Emily, cutting hair, dying hair, dressing-up, and doing make-up. If you can name some of our childhood shenanigans, Brandy was usually around. And she recently did this for Emily last October—now ya’ gotta do it again, sista. ;)

Brad, Groomsman

3 stiffs: me, Brad, Dean

Brad (aka: Bips)

Like a few of the stiffs* that will be standing up Oct. 15th, I initially met Brad playing softball. It was 19-something-and-5, and we were actually on opposing teams.  My team at the time, O'Sullivan's, kept running up against this other team from the area at weekend tournaments around the Chicago land area.  They had cool shirts, and a somewhat offensive name.  They also had a pretty awesome shortstop (whose shaved / bald head is now swelling more as he reads this).

* footnote: do not be offended. this a term of endearment amongst my friends. *

Brad's team looked like a group of swell guys, a group of young up-and-comers, and I really wanted to play for them.  When they went looking for a third basemen to play in this national tournament down in Jacksonville, Florida, I jumped at the opportunity.  "Why hell yes, I can play 3B!!"  (Like most players who valued their face, I hated playing 3B).

In my very first at-bat in a lousy fall league game, I hit a ground ball to the left side, and tried to leg it out.  And just like that - torn hamstring...season over.  My flight to FLA a few weeks later was already paid for, so I decided to go just for the fun of it.   On the ride to the airport, I got pink eye (seriously).  So now...I'm the stiff in Florida with a torn hammy and junk in my eye.

Not sure what I did that fall to impress my new teammates, but they asked me back next season for some crazy reason.  Maybe they saw a lot of promise in that lone AB, a routine 6-3 ground out to short.  Anyways, I'm pretty glad they did.  I developed a lot of great friendships from my time with Sportin' Wood, one of them being Brad, and 5 of those friends will be standing up for Jess & I come the big day.

Besides being the world's greatest shortstop, Brad is also quite the fisherman.  About 10-12 years ago, I took a trip to northwest Ontario, for a week of fishing bliss with Brad and 6 other pals on some remote island.  It was one of the most fun and relaxing weeks I've ever had.  It also reminded me of those times as a kid, when my dad used to take me fishing in the French River for these week long trips: long summer days, fresh Canadian air, remote peace and quiet, endless walleye and pike fishing, tasty shore lunches.  The exception on this trip with Brad: my dad and I never had to send the plane back to the main island to pick up our 30 cases of beer.

Brian, Groomsman

Brian (or simply Tirpak, or Tirps.  Our Canadian pals affectionately know him as Tripod.)

Brian works for the Steelers.  And he annoyingly loves it when you introduce him like that.  He's kind of a modest guy, and around Pittsburgh, when someone hears that you work for the Steelers...well, you can imagine.  (What's Mike Tomlin like?  Does Mr. Rooney know you my name?  Do you get to touch Troy's hair?  Can you get me Hines Ward's autograph?  Tickets?!?)  He's pretty fortunate to be working for the team he grew up cheering for, and I'm pretty sure he knows that.  But when you see some of the video work he does, you quickly realize that he's very deserving of his position.

I met Brian at RMU when I was doing Colonial Sports Center.  Before he came aboard, I was producing the show, anchoring, reporting, editing (more like attempting to edit).  I knew nothing about TV, so I was spending countless hours and late nights trying to put out this live weekly show, that maybe a handful of people watched.  My final year, Brian came aboard to help produce the show, so I could simply concentrate on hosting...which is what I really enjoyed.  CSC got exponentially better.

** side note: the cult classic video Former Colonial Sports Center Anchors Who Went On To Other Things will definitely be part of the "Jess and Gary Video Hour" to be shown in the Warhol's Theatre come the big day (more deets to come on that - stay tuned) **

After my final show, we celebrated and we partied.  We've been hanging out on a regular basis ever since.  Brian's probably witnessed more of my air guitar sessions than anyone else we know.  Being a little younger than me, I've had a good time bending his willing ear to a lot of classic punk and 90's indie rock that I grew up loving. Tirpak either digs most of my musical tastes, or he's a tremendous faker.  Either way, we keep inviting him back :)

Brian's also one of the most reliable people I know (a trait the Steelers surely saw in him), and he's always ready to lend a helping hand.  He's also one of the most respectful young chaps I know, and Jess and I are both proud to call him a close pal.  Since moving back to Pittsburgh, he's become one of my best friends and we've shared a lot of amazing times over the past 6-7 years.  Stiffler loves his Uncle Brian, as well.

Lauren, Bridesmaid

We are celebrating one of many sporting events at the Cooper-Smith household, here.

Way back when—1997, to be exact—I decided to embark upon a new journey. I chose to be a cheerleader at the age of 17. Okay—I had done it a bit when I was younger, but gave it up at a relatively young age. At Butler High School this was “news,” considering I was on the dance team (YOU DIDN’T DO BOTH). Sequinettes and cheerleaders—they typically didn’t mesh. ;)

By the time junior year rolled-around people were pretty set in their ways. I chose to defy that unspoken rule—when has anything like that EVER stopped me?! And Lauren Eisenhuth (Parker) was there to welcome me with open arms. Well, I guess the others welcomed us—they caught us from falling to the ground quite often. We were both “tops” (flyers) when “building.”

After high school, Lauren and I parted ways for a time as we pursued our degrees.

One day, three years ago, we ran into one another at the New American Union Music Festival in Pittsburgh. We have kept it going, since then. Hey—we both grew up in that small rural place they call “Butler.” Us Golden Tornados ‘gotta stick together, ya’ know?

Dave, Groomsman

Dave (aka: DK)

DK had me at "a gator bit my arm."  Ask him about it.  I met Dave when I started playing for this softball team called Riff Raff in the early 90's.  He was the pitcher, and had this somewhat unorthodox, yet effective, throwing motion (see: gator encounter).  But I didn't let that prevent us from being buddies.  We won the championship in Oak Park my first season on the squad (a clear indication I was the difference maker), and we remained good friends ever since.

In Forest Park, Dave kinda took me under his wing, and taught me the art of bartending at the old O'Sullivan's on Circle Ave.  All good bartenders have a mentor, and DK was like the Coughlin to my young Flanagan.  There were no stupid poems, and no bottle tricks...just shots of Absolut in your pint of Killian's Irish Red.  DK also made a pretty kick-ass Reuben, and would always pile the corned beef thick and high when I came in for lunch after class at Loyola.  I remember thinking, "damn, this guy looks a lot like Mickey Rourke.  But he makes a helluva sandwich!"

DK can get pretty passionate about things, like someone else I know ;)  In 1992, when my Pens beat his Hawks in the Stanley Cup, I think he wanted to slug me at one point.  Maybe it was after Game 1, when I went berserk after Mario Lemieux netted the GWG with 12 seconds left.  Dave wasn't too happy as I ran by pumping my fist and screaming in his face.  But being my good pal, he restrained himself.

Dave is one of those people that you can hang out with for an hour, and he'll treat you like his best friend that he's known forever.  Simply a great guy and an even better friend. And because I love Dave so much, I dug through the archives to find this video to dedicate to him...



Pens trailed 4-1 in this game. Ouch :)

Ron, Groomsman

Ron (aka: Ronnie Berenguer, an obvious play off of the former Mets, Royals, Blue Jays, Tigers, Giants, Twins, Braves pitcher from the 80's).

Ron is one of my dearest and long time friends.  I remember first meeting Ron at a party in high school, and he repeatedly sang the phrase, "October 31st, that is my date of birth." Actually, it's not.  It's just a lyric from a Beastie Boys song. We've been buds ever since.

Ron is also one of the few close friends of mine to have known my mother, which is very important to me.  Like many of my close pals who will be standing up, Ron still hails from Chicago.  And while he's one of the few buddies of mine who doesn't communicate via the Internet, he never hesitates to send me a text message when the Steelers lose and the Bears win.  I think he still owes me a case of beer from a recent sporting wager.  But who's keeping score?