August 12, 2005

Evergreen Sports

Another Silicon Valley startup founded in a garage

Team Millennium Taekwondo

By Ken Lotich
Times Intern

There’s a Silicon Valley startup expanding in a San Jose garage that’s got nothing to do with semiconductors, computers, networking, software or biotechnology.

Huy Nguyen performs a split kick.

After many years of taekwondo training in Vietnam and about another five years in the United States, brothers Anh and Huy Nguyen ventured off on their own and founded Team Millennium Taekwondo on Feb. 29, 2004.

They began with just a few members, but more than a year later, Team-M now consists of 16 people who perform taekwondo demonstrations throughout the Bay Area for businesses, local events and charities.

Team-M is funded completely by money received from performances. However, the team does charitable events at no charge. Recently, Team-M displayed their talents at a local Relay for Life event.

“Some shows we don’t take money,” said Anh, a third-degree black belt. “If it’s for a good cause, such as Relay for Life, we wouldn’t accept anything. All the other the money we receive, we use to pay for the team. Sometimes we have extra money, sometimes we don’t.”

David Nguyen performs a 540-degree spinning kick. Photos courtesy of Team Millennium Taekwondo

With the youngest member of Team-M at 10 years old and the oldest at 30, Huy said one of his goals is to see the squad expand and continue its diversity.

With plans to grow the team, Huy said he realizes their current practice facility—his garage—will no longer be adequate.

“The space is a little bit limited,” said Huy, a second-degree blackbelt. “But it’s kind of a family-oriented thing—it feels nice that way, and we’re really proud of ourselves.”

The brothers do not charge the team members any money to participate, which is something that Anh said is important.

“It’s tough on the financial side of things for some people,” Anh said. “People stop attending studios because it costs too much money. Here, we just try to come in to have fun and learn.”

Accomplishments
After grabbing two championships at the Northern California Choi’s Open, Huy said many of the other participants came up to him amazed at what Team-M could do.

Long Nguyen prepares for multiple ground kicks—five targets.

“We still get things done and get first (place), even though we have such a small facility to practice in,” Huy said. “A lot of people will come out after an event and ask, ‘Where do you guys train?’ When I tell them my garage, most are very surprised.”

Huy said the biggest thing that keeps Team-M going is the respect and praise from audiences.

“We’ve received great feedback from the community,” Huy said. “That’s motivation for us and helps us keep on going.”

Linda Pham, a junior at Evergreen Valley High School, has been a member of Team-M since December. Pham, a second-degree black belt, said she has enjoyed her time with the team so far.

“It takes lot of discipline, and you have to learn to work as a team, not just by yourself,” she said. Pham said the team’s practice facility, despite being a garage, works well for the team.

Tuan Bui performs a back flip. Photos courtesy of Team Millennium Taekwondo

“(Huy and Anh) set it up so it’s just like any other dojo (studio),” Pham said. “We have all the same equipment, so we don’t even see it as a garage.”

Pham said she is most proud of being able to give back to the community and hopes other organizations will do the same.

Future plans
Anh, 23, is a computer science major at San Jose State University. Huy, 20, is a marketing major at Santa Clara University. After they graduate, Huy said he hopes they can open up their own taekwondo studio.

But first, Team-M is looking toward its next goal—a road trip to Los Angeles to compete in the 2005 K.A. Open International Choi’s Tournament on Oct. 31. The group will have to submit video footage and hope the judges choose them to compete in the tourney. Huy said the group is optimistic of their chances of getting in.

With Team-M T-shirts and DVDs in production, Huy said he only sees bigger and better things happening for the team.

“It’s been a great experience for us, and I’m proud of the results,” Huy said. “We just started with an ambition, and now we see great potential. I’m surprised how good this has all turned out.”

For more information of Team-M, visit www.mteam.net.

Sebastien Bourdais wins San Jose Grand Prix

Frenchman holds off Paul Tracy and Newman/Haas
teammate Oriol Servia for third win of season

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais took the checkered flag at the inaugural Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose on Sunday, giving the 2004 Champ Car World Series champion his third win of the season.

Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais celebrates on victory lane after winning the Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose on Sunday. Bourdais held off Canadian Paul Tracy, who finished second, and Newman/Haas teammate Oriol Servia, the third-place finisher. Photos by Ron Stenn of www.actionphotodesign.com

Bourdais, racing the No.1 McDonald’s sponsored car for the Newman/Haas Racing team, led for the majority of the race and raced nearly mistake-free, starting out as the pole sitter and holding the lead for 63 laps throughout the race, including the last 22.

“It felt very good. I think I was in the preferred position; I just tried to stay there,” Bourdais said.

Throughout the weekend, several Champ Car drivers, as well as drivers from other race series were critical of the 1.44-mile, 11-turn racecourse, including complaints about the track being too bumpy and too narrow for passing. Another chief concern for the drivers were the VTA light rail tracks, which cut across the pit lane exit and between turns one and two at East San Carlos and Almaden Boulevard. During practice sessions throughout the weekend, cars were routinely catching nearly 6 inches of air with the back tires.

“When you look at the street, it really doesn’t look that bumpy,” Bourdais said, “but when you’re doing 175 miles per hour down a straightaway, all of a sudden, it becomes a different affair. I guess it would be really convenient if we didn’t have to cross these rails, but the fact is it was a premiere and I think we still made it work.”

Sebastien Bourdais led for 63 of the 93 laps at the Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose on Sunday, and took the checkered flag after regaining the lead from Bjorn Wirdheim with 22 laps to go. It was the third win of the season for Bourdais, who drives for the Newman/Haas Racing team. Photo by Ron Stenn of www.actionphotodesign.com.

Given the track conditions, drivers with up-front starting positions had the advantage throughout the race, unless mechanical problems or a crash into the walls occurred. Both of these problems did pop up during the race, which saw only nine out of a total of 18 drivers finish the 93-lap race. Four drivers experienced mechanical issues, but five didn’t finish the race because of contact with walls.

Local driver A.J. Allmendinger (RuSport team), who was born in Los Gatos and now resides in Hollister, lasted only 12 laps before he hit the wall on turn four, causing damage to his right front suspension and ending the 23-year-old driver’s day. Allmendinger began the race in the No. 4 position.

“To say I’m disappointed is a huge understatement,” Allmendinger said in a statement released by the RuSport team. “To say I’m tired of making those kinds of mistakes is a huge understatement. I’ve clearly got to fix the problem, but I’m not sure how to just yet, because these results are not acceptable. … I really wanted to win this one here in San Jose, so I’m sorry I didn’t bring it home.”

San Jose native Grant Ryley, shown here in his No. 22 Intervision Systems team car, finished 7th in the Toyota Atlantic Championship race after qualifying in 11th on Saturday. Ryley said he was thrilled to race in his hometown and said it was nice to be able to sleep in his own bed for a weekend.

Bourdais’ Newman/Haas team took measures to prevent any mechanical or other problems from occurring, rebuilding the driver’s car throughout most of Saturday night to tighten up and replace parts in preparation for the bumpy course.

“It’s an extremely demanding course for the mechanical systems but everything stayed together,” Bourdais said. “That in itself was a pretty big achievement.”

Bourdais led for the first 28 laps of the race before rookie Ronnie Bremer took the lead for 19 laps when Bourdais, along with the majority of his competitors, elected for pit stops on lap 28. Bourdais eventually took the lead again when Bremer stopped in pit lane on lap 47. Later, Sweden’s Bjorn Wirdheim briefly took the lead on lap 61 after Bourdais decided to pit once more, before the Frenchman retook the lead on lap 72 for the remainder of the race.

“It was really difficult because if you were trying to pass the guy, you definitely had to pass him, and it felt really difficult,” said Bourdais. “I also had PT (second-place finisher Paul Tracy) behind me waiting to get the best advantage of the smallest mistakes I was going to make. So I just elected to try and be safe, keep saving fuel, and wait for my turn to take the lead back and more importantly, not to make any mistakes. I think it was the key of the race, the key of the day. I’m very happy for the McDonald’s crew. I think they did an awesome job.”

Champ Car veteran Jimmy Vasser, who grew up in Morgan Hill and now lives in San Francisco, exits pit lane during the Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix. Vasser completed only 60 of the 93 laps throughout the race because of mechanical problems. Photos by Ron Stenn of www.actionphotodesign.com.

Bourdais did his best work during the last 20 laps of the race. On lap 90, Bourdais put together a lap time of 55.083 seconds, the best time of any drivers during the race. Bourdais also lengthened his lead from just over 1 second to 3.724 seconds by the end of the race over Tracy (Forsythe Championship Racing), who trailed Bourdais for most of the race, along with Oriol Servia, also of Newman/Haas Racing.

Servia and Tracy began the race at the No. 2 and 3 positions, respectively, but during the pit stop on lap 28, Tracy overtook Servia on pit lane and gained the No. 2 position behind Bourdais after his crew fueled up less to get him back on the track quicker.

Nevertheless, Tracy never found the chance to overtake Bourdais, given the tight street course around the downtown area. At one point, Bourdais’ brakes locked up during the hairpin turn (turn three), but the 26-year-old driver recovered quickly and unscathed, negating any chance for Tracy to make a pass.

Forsythe Championship Racing driver Paul Tracy finished second behind winner Sebastien Bourdais, trailing by 3.724 seconds. Tracy registered the fifth-best time on the track, clocking in at 55.769 seconds.

“Our two (pit) stops were identical,” said Tracy of his and Bourdais’ pit stops. “We came in and out the same. Really from there out, there was really no way to get around Sebastien on the track. He made a very, very small mistake at the hairpin and locked up. There was really no way to get by. Really I just had to hope for a mistake or come home in second.”

Another local driver, San Francisco resident Jimmy Vasser, didn’t fare well on Sunday.

Vasser, a 14-year veteran of the Champ Car circuit, completed only 60 of the 93 laps throughout the race, spending several laps early on in pit lane with mechanical problems before re-entering the race 11 laps behind.

From boy to man in three seconds

Life flashes by during ride in historic stock car on streets of San Jose

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

It all started with an innocuous phone call late at night, just four days before the start of the Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose

DRIVING MR. ABELOOS. Times sports writer Diego Abeloos (left) poses for a photo with Bruce Swanson of Swanson Ford in Los Gatos, owner of the No. 7 Exide Batteries Ford Thunderbird stock car. The car’s previous owners included NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine, who drove the car on the NASCAR circuit during the 1990s. Photo by Kymberli Brady

“Are you ready for this?” said the voice on the other end of the line. “You’d better bring a change of boxer shorts.”

That voice on the line was my colleague, Times staff writer Kymberli Brady. She informed me that she arranged for both of us to go for a ride through the streets of San Jose as passengers in a pair of historic NASCAR stock cars on Thursday, July 28. The ride, which would take us from Stockton Avenue (near the HP Pavilion) to the McEnery Convention Center, was to be accomplished under full police escort in a controlled environment. In other words, there would be no high-speed drag racing along the way.

OK, now let’s hit the pause button.

Before I go any further, let’s make something crystal clear.

Prior to the grand prix, I had no knowledge of racing whatsoever. The only thing I knew about NASCAR was through highlights on ESPN, showing fiery crashes and other unpleasant sights no human being should have to endure—and then I nearly swallowed my tongue, realizing I would be riding in one of those cars.

Granted, going 40 miles per hour down San Jose streets is nothing new to me, as we would be in the NASCAR stock cars, but the thought of being hopelessly strapped into one of these powerful vehicles like a crash test dummy was rather unsettling.

PIPE DREAMS OR NIGHTMARE? Times sports writer Diego Abeloos behind the wheel of Bruce Swanson’s Ford Thunderbird. Don’t be fooled by the smile— he’s more nervous than an expectant father. Photo by Kymberli Brady

As July 28 approached, thoughts of my demise were running through my head like a video reel played on an endless loop. The only comfort I had was knowing that if something did happen, there was sure to be someone among the numerous drivers who would pull my smoldering carcass from the car.

My wife Vanessa, usually the consoling type, had only a couple of choice words of advice for me before I left for my ride: “Don’t die,” she said in a sarcastic tone.

When I arrived at the storage yard on Stockton Avenue—the place where the stock cars were located—I found my driver, Bruce Swanson of Swanson Ford in Los Gatos, and his No. 7 Exide Batteries Ford Thunderbird stock car, which was previously driven in the NASCAR circuit by Geoff Bodine in the mid-1990s.

One look at Bruce and a single thought popped into my head—this is the guy who’s going to determine whether I walk away unscathed or, in the worst case, will have to order a colorful wreath for my funeral out of sheer guilt.

When “go-time” finally came, Bruce looked at me and simply said, “Get in.”

Once I pulled my “Dukes of Hazzard” maneuver and climbed into his car, my mind went blank. I couldn’t even figure out how to buckle my belts—and so, in a sheepish tone—I asked Bruce for help.

Boy, did I feel like a man.

CLIMBING IN. Times staff writer Kymberli Brady poses for a shot following a ride in the No. 68 Country Time Lemonade Ford Thunderbird owned by Russ Romer. Photo by Diego Abeloos

The engine then rumbled to life and sounded like a dozen Harley-Davidson motorcycles under one hood. Earplugs in and my white-knuckled grip firmly around a random roll-cage bar, we took off with a police escort at our side, speeding down the road in a way most men only wish they could do in their Toyota Corollas.

I had to admit, I was enjoying this ride and I even managed to crack a nervous smile—that is, until Bruce decided to let the stock cars in front of him ride on, clearing a 50-60 yard stretch of road down Montgomery Street. With a slightly devilish grin on his face, Bruce kicked the car into high gear, an obvious show of the car’s true power to the on-looking San Jose residents lining the street.

My head snapped back as if I just caught a bullet with my teeth. I looked to my right and saw the spectators on the street become streaks of muddled colors. And just as quickly, we slowed down, having caught up with the rest of the pack as we neared our final destination.

Suddenly, my senses returned to my body, having been left behind, along with all my major organs, somewhere on the corner of Montgomery Street and Santa Clara Street.

Once we pulled inside the McEnery Convention Center, I happily hopped out of the car, having finally figured out how to unbuckle the seatbelt, and helped Bruce push the car to its resting place.

CHECK YOUR SIX. Times staff writer Kymberli Brady, riding in the No. 68 Country Time Lemonade Ford Thunderbird owned by Russ Romer, snapped this shot of a view from behind as the procession of stock cars roll toward the McEnery Convention Center. Photo by Kymberli Brady

The one thing I took away from the experience—aside from a sweat-soaked shirt—was an appreciation for guys like Bruce Swanson who own historic NASCAR stock cars.

They simply do it for the love of driving.

Money is certainly not a motivating factor, since the drivers and owners pay expenses. such as $700 per tire, out of their own pockets. If you think gas prices are high in the Bay Area, then try filling up a stock car at $6 per gallon.

It’s about speed, the likes of which my boxy little Scion Xb will never get to experience. In fact, these cars make my Scion look like a turtle with a limp.

But while guys like Bruce Swanson pay a hefty price for a hobby like racing historic stock cars, I’ve paid a small price too, finding out just how awesomely powerful these machines truly are.

Here’s a rundown:

The cost of a pair of earplugs: $2.

The cost of a new pair of boxer shorts: $7 (I prefer cotton to silk).

The cost of riding in a historic stock car: priceless—and worth the experience. But I’ll stick with my sputtering Scion Xb.

The good, the bad, and the ugly—all for a good cause

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

When San Jose Grand Prix Vice President and General Manager Bob Singleton promised more than a race, rather a weeklong festival of activities that would generate significant revenue for the local community, he wasn’t kidding.

Mayor Ron Gonzales and his wife Giselle enjoy the entertainment provided by a very active live auction that offered everything from a ride in Champ car to a bicycle getaway on a private jet with Lance Armstrong and Robin Williams. Photo by Kymberli Brady

Whether hard-core race fans, hungry downtown business owners, or those simply looking for something exciting to do, the San Jose Grand Prix put the city on the map during the first open-wheel street race ever held in Northern California.

In fact, it made for a high-octane weekend of fast cars, slow pedestrian bridges, record-breaking bar business, disappointing restaurant sales [unless you own nearby Peggy Sue’s]; double the usual light rail capacity, and 30-50,000 more people than anticipated.

And then there’s the big number that has everyone intimately involved holding their collective breath over, as the inaugural race through the streets of downtown San Jose is being called a huge success, with preliminary revenue estimates hovering around the $20 million mark. Things could have been much worse. They could have been better too. All in all, it wasn’t bad for the first time around the track.

The Good.
Hotels were sold out, nearby bars beat all prior revenue records. The Grill, dubbed “Race Central” normally rakes in about $16,000 on a good Friday night. Last Friday, they recounted the $30,000 take again just to be sure of the number that not only broke their own record, but a franchise record as well.

Light rail usage nearly doubled from an average of 26,000 passengers to 51,000 on race day, much to the delight of VTA officials. Those who opted to spend the weekend downtown saw the city in a completely different light while traversing the local streets—revealing a downtown in the midst of a silent growth spurt, with luxury apartments and homes reminiscent of the well-manicured Brownstones of New York City—an impossible perspective from within the confines of a vehicle [hybrid or otherwise], unless you can put the top down.

OSH President and CEO Rob Lynch, center, believes in supporting events that give back to the community. Shown with James Lo [left] and employee Faruk Abdulah. Photo by Kymberli Brady

Those willing [or able] to shell out $500 a ticket for a seat at the Canary Fund Cabana Night, dined under Cabanas on lit tables, got a better look at some of the drivers, who modeled the latest Tommy Bahamas fashions hosted by NBC11 anchors Diane Dwyer and Raj Mathai, participated in a frenzied live auction, with a little prodding by premier auctioneer, Jay Fisk that captured $15,000 for a ride in the custom two-seater Canary Champ car and $30,000 for a bike ride with Lance Armstrong and his pal Robin Williams (destination TBD). The lucky bidder will be notified by phone, picked up in a private jet and whisked off to [France perhaps?] for the adventure. When the auctioneer offered the second high bidder the same opportunity, he happily raised his bid.

The highlight of the evening was an exclusive performance by the B-52s, who still had it after all those years, as was evident by the overflowing dance floor where 90 percent of the ballroom had migrated until hotel management pulled the plug.

The auction raised over $150,000 in less than a half hour, while the event total came in at a cool half million.

On Saturday, $7,500 could have guaranteed you a seat in a go-cart and a chance to race the legendary Paul Newman at the miniature track located next to the whole pig roasting on a barbecue spit.

Actor, philanthropist, and race car owner Paul Newman, 80, climbed into a go cart and readied himself for the competition: a dozen or so corporate CEOs and 101FM radio personality Don Bleu, all in the name of charity, friendly competition, and bragging rights.

“The Canary Fund and the whole camp here are involved in cancer,” Newman said. “They’re involved in the cure of it and the healing of it. It’s a joint venture, and a very good one at that.”

The B-52s hit all the right notes and inherited a full row of background wannabe race car drivers-turned singers/dancers following a clam bake-style dinner, fashion show and live auction that raised a cool half million dollars for the Canary Fund. Photo by Charles Sullivan

“Even though it’s the first year, everybody seemed to be having a good time,” said 101 FM’s Don Bleu. As soon as the cars go by at 140 mph, everybody goes, oh wow, this is great! That’s why we’re happy to be a part of this. It’s really good for San Jose and it’s great for the Bay Area.”

With a chuckle, Bleu stressed the importance of knowing his machine, especially the gas tank wedged between his legs, which were wedged into a machine not very accommodating to his six-foot four stature.

"Once you get out there, you’re just a bunch of little boys … or girls," he said. "We’re just having fun but it will probably be competitive. I’m sure the Silicon Valley will have something to defend and who ever wins will be brought back to task next year.

Aside from the thrill of the ride, Rob Lynch, Almaden resident and CEO of OSH Hardware said it was worth every penny, for two reasons.

“It was a great event, really well done and for a great cause," he said. “One of our core values is giving back to the community and stopping and doing things like this for other people. It’s not just about making a buck. When I heard about this, it was a no brainier. It was successful and that’s what it’s all about.

The Bad.
$3 bottles of water … and the pedestrian bridges, or lack thereof, which created enough chaos on their own that everything else probably originated there.

Mayor Ron Gonzales summed the dilemma up rather eloquently and promised to rectify the problem next year.

“When you plan a party in your living room for 100,000 people and 150,000 show up, some things will suffer, but they are all issues that can be remedied.”

Race organizers echoed the sentiment in a full-page ad which promised “more fun, more speed, and more bridges!”

The Ugly.
The tracks, the tracks, the tracks—specifically those used to keep the city's lightrail on course, but instead provided fans with unique glimpses of cars catching serious airtime. They were indeed the token scapegoat for every bolt, push rod, and carburetor that ended up on the track, forcing nearly half of the cars into the pits before the end of the race, one that will surely improve over the years, because racing looks like it’s here to stay. The drivers want to come back, attendance signified a powerful show of support, and downtown San Jose is sexier because of it.

The Canary Fund, a public nonprofit organization has joined forces with The American Cancer Society, The Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and others dedicated to the research and development of a Biomarker Discovery Platform [BDO] that will make early detection screening less evasive, while raising much-needed funding for ongoing research and awareness. For more information, visit www.canaryfund.org.

Sign up for ELL Fall Ball 2005

In-person registration is Aug. 27

Evergreen youth, ages 5 to 16 as of 04/30/06, are invited to continue to play baseball after the regular season ends in Evergreen Little League’s Fall Ball 2005.

Games will be played on Saturday or on Sunday afternoons for a season that runs from Sept. 3 to Nov. 19. A $60 fee provides a T-shirt and hat, Little League insurance, a place to play, friends to play baseball with and an opportunity to play other District 59 leagues.

Players may register online at www.ellbaseball.com until Sept. 1 or in person on Aug. 27, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Round Table Pizza on White and Aborn roads.

Teams will be determined by player agent, based on how many from each age group register. No draft—bring a friend, sign up your whole team, partial team or as an individual.

If you’re interested in managing or coaching a team, contact Scott Karstetter at president@ellbaseball.com or (408) 238-9220.

EASY Hoops begins Sept. 9; open to youth, grades 6-9

Evergreen Area Sports for Youth, EASY Hoops, begins Friday, Sept. 9, for all local interested boys and girls entering sixth through ninth grades. Registration forms will be available in the front office of Chaboya Middle School, 3276 Cortona Dr., in San Jose on Wednesday, Aug. 24.

There will be two coed divisions—a sixth-seventh grade division and an eighth-ninth grade division—with six teams per division and no more than 10 players on each team. Sign-ups will continue until the 120 available slots are full. In this “fun-petitive” league, everyone plays equal time in Chaboya’s gym.

Last year, Allen Ventura and John Franza, physical education teachers and coaches at Chaboya, took over the recreational basketball program when the financially strapped City of San Jose Parks and Recreation Dept. could no longer fund it. The successful transition resulted in a program that filled up very quickly, with students on a waiting list.

EASY Hoops runs from Sept. 9 through Dec. 2. This includes an evaluation day on Sept. 9, and a championship night for all teams on Dec. 2.

The cost is $110 per player, and fees pay for a game jersey, referees and medals for all players and trophies for first and second place team members.

“The league is designed for those who may want to get ready for their school or club basketball team and for students who just love basketball and competition,” Ventura said.

“We need volunteer coaches for all 12 teams,” he added. “The volunteer coaches determine how often their teams practice. Some coaches practice an hour before their game, and others practice during the week.” For more information or to register, call either Ventura at (408) 410-3570 or Franza at (408) 605-1513 direct or Chaboya's locker room at (408) 270-6939 on or after Aug. 24. You can also e-mail Ventura at fourvees@pacbell.net.