Zola Quao
Year: 2013
Known For: Single-handedly leading the masses at The Game ’09.
Q. How many football games have you attended at Yale?
A. Between five and ten.
Q. How many Yale football games did you attend before coming to Yale?
A. I came to New Haven for a Yale-Princeton game my junior year in high school.
Q. Would you consider yourself a big fan of Yale football? Why?
A. Definitely, yes. Football is one of my favorite sports, and being at Yale representing this great institution through a sport that I love so much is just something I love doing a lot. A lot, a lot. I can’t really explain it. There’s definitely a pride element that comes in when you are rooting for your team, like last week when we won against Georgetown. It sort of gives you validation — you’re putting on a good show, you’re proving in some way how strong Yale really is.
Q. What would you do to see Yale beat Harvard this season?
A. [giggles] Well, last year I sort of lost my inhibitions and was leading all these people … yelling … and shouting. I would like to repeat last year’s experience, but I would like to get a prank going. I actually really want get a prank going. I may have to reserve a really great prank for my senior year, though. So, I guess I’d organize a prank both years, or have a prank just for my senior year. In any case, I’m probably going to be covered in blue and white for 48 hours. But it’s all in the name of supporting my school, so why not?
Q. What would you do if you fell in love with someone on the Harvard football team?
A. I would make sure it’s love before making a move. And it’d have to be a really crazy kind of love to beat the love I have for Yale. As in, on a scale from one to amazing, he’d have to be amazing plus 10.
John Greenawalt
Year: 2012
Known For: Rocking the bass at football games with the Yale Precision Marching Band.
Q. How many football games have you attended at Yale?
A. Every home game since freshman year and four games at other schools, thanks to the band.
Q. How many Yale football games did you attend before coming to Yale?
A. Around six. I live local.
Q. Would you consider yourself a big fan of Yale football?
A. Yes. I never had too much attachment to major league teams because I didn’t live near enough to them. The Bulldogs are my team and I can say that for the fist time in my life.
Q. What would you do to see Yale beat Harvard this season?
A. I would give up partying … following the gigantic party after our victory.
Q. Would you make a move on a hot Harvard girl?
A. There is no such thing as a hot Harvard girl.
Rick Flanders
Connection to Yale: Joel E. Smilow ’54 Associate Head Coach, Yale University Football Secondary Coach
Known For: Moving a table toward the bleachers for dozens of Yale fanatics — including University President Richard Levin — to climb down onto the field and celebrate Yale’s victory over Harvard in 2006.
Q. How many football games have you attended at Yale?
A. I haven’t missed one since 1996, and I’m not planning on missing any.
Q. Would you consider yourself a big fan of Yale football?
A. Well, yes. A) I’ve been here for 14 years. B) My son is a freshman on the team. The Flanders are fanatics of Yale football.
Q. What makes Yale football different from any other school’s team?
A. One of Coach Williams’ tenets is that we’re going to have more fun than anyone else. Whether it’s on the practice field, in the locker room … there’s a Wii out there in the meeting area here in the office. We want it to be a fun environment for the team, and there’s a feeling that Yale football players have more fun than those from other schools’ teams.
Q. What would you like to see at the The Game this year?
A. A) A win. B) Yale people celebrating in the middle of Harvard’s field.
Q. What are your plans for The Game?
A. My family is predominantly from New Hampshire, so we usually have a pretty big contingent that comes down for The Game. Harvard’s made it less fun to tailgate, but the Flanders will still have a hell of a time.
Q. How are you going to deal with the cold in Cambridge? What would you recommend to the average attendee?
A. It’s probably a little bit better for me because I get to move along the sideline. The last time I was there it was really cold, but they have heaters on the sideline that I didn’t get in front of very often. But I do think it’s a really cold stadium to be sitting in for hours. Too many people are dressing for fashion and not comfort. I’d be dressing more like I was going skiing.
Corky Kennedy
Connection to Yale: Yale University Football Senior Administrative Assistant
Known For: Using GameTracker on her iPhone to follow The Game 2009, while in church — during a wedding ceremony.
Q. How many football games have you attended at Yale?
A. I go to all games. Except for the ones at Georgetown — it’s too far.
Q. Do you invite friends over to see games with you?
A. I have friends that come to the home games with me; sometimes the away games. My husband goes to most games with me. Sometimes the people at work go to games together. But generally I have a little posse that travels with me.
Q. Do you consider yourself a fan of Yale football?
A. I am a fanatic. There’s almost nothing I love more than Yale football right now. I work directly with the players and the coaches. I watch how hard they work all week. So, when they go on the field, I almost feel like it’s my family playing. It’s very personal, very intense and a lot of fun.
Q. What would you like to see at Yale-Harvard this year?
A. A victory — for their sake, not mine.
Q. What are your plans for The Game?
A. Well, not much tailgating, because there’s not so much room at Harvard. Just have a great time in general.