Many thanks to Stu for passing along this fun piece from the D.C. Sports Bog. Apparently a player for American University scored 11 points in a recent men’s basketball game. That wouldn’t be noteworthy if not for the fact that the player’s father had the role of Spinal Tap’s manager in the hilarious mockumentary. If “this one goes up to 11″ means nothing to you, then shame, shame, shame. It appears members of the American U team fit that category.

Hendra’s father, the writer Tony Hendra, has a few fairly notable lines on his resume. … Ask Nick Hendra whether his dad ever gets recognized on the street, or while he’s standing and shouting and waving his arms in the bleachers at Bender Arena, and here’s what Nick will say: “He was in this movie called ‘This is Spinal Tap,’ which was, like, a big cult movie.”

Ah, yes. Spinal Tap. Seems to ring a bell. And so, naturally, the entire Eagles roster is well-aware of its Spinal Tap connection, a connection that by rights should make the Eagles national darlings when they play for an NCAA tournament berth Friday afternoon. Right?

“I’m not familiar with that movie,” star guard Garrison Carr said.
“No, I’ve never heard of that,” point guard Derrick Mercer said.
“I knew about the books, I didn’t know about the movie,” said forward Travis Lay, who at least had seen Spinal Tap.
“Never seen it,” Coach Jeff Jones said.
Sigh.

“I think there’s a certain disconnect there between the people who like ‘Spinal Tap’ and the people who like basketball,” observed Tony Hendra, moments after Nick’s breakout performance on Sunday.

Greater tragedy: Not seeing “Spinal Tap,” not seeing “Slap Shot” or not seeing “Big Lebowski?”

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