J-NO Celebrates Birthday 1980's Style

On the 22nd day of March during a wide-ranging span of years throughout history, the Heavens parted and out dropped the likes of many famous individuals from various walks of life including: comedian Chico Marx (1887), actor Karl Malden (1912), "Captain Kirk" William Shatner (1931), Canadian figure skater Elvis Stojko (1972), actress Reese Witherspoon (1976), composer Andrew Lloyd Weber (1948) and sportscaster Bob Costas (1952). Each spent this day celebrating the anniversary of their birth some number of years ago.

Little did Boston Breakers' midfielder Jen Nobis know that when parents Pam and Mike Nobis headed for that little hospital in Quincy, Illinois on that fateful day in 1984, that she would end up sharing her special day with such an illustrious group.

With Marx and Malden laid safely to rest and Captain Kirk, Stojko, Witherspoon, Weber and Costas undoubtedly celebrating with family, the star of the Breakers got together with a couple of her closest friends, Darci and Kim, and celebrated birthday number 26 this week, 1980's style.

JNO, as she is called by friends and teammates, will likely miss the season due to an injury to her ACL. She has healed enough, however, to exhibit a few of her famed dance moves and displays of flexibility as filmed in her suburban (and somewhat unkempt) Boston apartment.



Nobis, whose outgoing and open personality has made her a media darling amongst local professional athletes, was willing to share her celebration as part of this exclusive birthday interview and her festive YouTube video shot prior to her night on the town with Darci and Kim.

Somehow I think I can hear Girls Just Wanna Have Fun blasting out of the eight-track player of Nobis' lime green Gremlin tooling around the streets of Boston. Happy Birthday JNO...and many more.

Todd Civin: Were you especially excited when you woke on your special day?

Jennifer Nobis: Yes, and then I realized I was up at 6:00 AM because I had to nanny! Such is the life of an injured Breaker.

TC: What flavor birthday cake is your favorite?

JNO: Confetti birthday cake!!!!!

TC: Do you eat the cake or the frosting first or both at the same time?

JNO: All at the same time. Love the feeling of double sweetness!

TC: Do you have a special birthday ritual?

JNO: I turn my music loud and sing the birthday song in whatever style of song I am listening too! Happy Birthday to me!

TC: What was the menu for your birthday dinner?

JNO: My favorite meal of ALL times is Macaroni and Tomato juice, so that's what we feasted on. I'll share the recipe with your readers. It's super simple. Drain the macaroni and put Campbell's tomato juice in it. DON'T mistake this for Tomato paste or soup. It's straight up JUICE. The key ingredient though is lots and lots of pepper! Enjoy!

TC: Was there a theme to your party?

JNO: I was born in '84, so our theme was 80’s!

TC: Did your host family get you anything special?

JNO: Sure did. They left for Paris for ten days and I had the big house to myself. The perfect gift.

TC: Any game playing like pin the tail on the donkey, bobbing for apples, clothes pin in the bottle?

JNO: Spin the bottle. Just kidding. We had a handstand contest, dance contest and, of course, who could get the most numbers that night! Ha,ha.


TC: Tell us about your best birthday party growing up. How did this compare?

JNO: I had too many great ones. My twin and I use to have our birthday parties at the gymnastic center. Ha, ha I miss sharing my parties with Tyler.

TC: Who had the most outrageous 80's costume?

JNO: The birthday girl of course!! I was “Classic” 80’s, while Darci was “Cheerleader” 80’s and Kim was “Barbie” 80’s.

TC: Describe the music played at your party.

JNO: Ace of Base, Michael Jackson, Gangster Paradise. Let's say, I'm a well-rounded girl with lots of variety.


TC: Were there any birthday spankings or other approved "rough play"?

JNO: Todd, you know better that any kind of spanking isn't approved or appropriate at the age of 26.

TC: What is your preference, the traditional happy birthday song or the version sung at the 99 or Outback?

JNO: Neither, I like the Beatles version , but my favorite is when my parents and brother call me every year and sing to me!

TC: After playing in Sweden this season, can you say Happy Birthday in Swedish?

JNO: Grattis pŒ fšdelsedagen.

TC: What was your favorite gift received?

JNO: My underwater IPOD, so now I can swim laps and listen to music. From my parents. I LOVE YOU!!!

TC: Do you prefer a Hallmark or a homemade birthday card?

JNO: Homemade, by far!!

TC: Do you consider yourself to be 26 years old or 26 years young?

JNO: I am a 26-year-old who lives in a ten-year-old's body and mind! Well maybe not so much body, but mind for sure.

TC: At what age will you stop celebrating birthdays?

JNO: Never! Celebrating keeps you young no matter what age!

Jennifer Nobis' frequent blog posts can also be found at Connect World Football , along with that of fellow Boston Breaker, Tiffany Weimer and several other female soccer stars.

Todd Civin is a freelance writer who writes for Bleacher Report, Sports, Then and Now, and Seamheads. He also shares his top stories on his blog The 'xoxo' of Sports. He is a supporter of Team Hoyt, the father/son marathon and triathlon team of Dick and Rick Hoyt. He encourages you to support their movement of "Yes, I Can" by visiting their Web site at www.teamhoyt.com

Nobis Enters Post Op with Knee Bone connected to Her Humorous

A funny (not funny, ha, ha but funny unusual) thing happened to Boston Breakers forward Jennifer Nobis on the way to her second season in Women's Professional Soccer. The former Missouri standout tore her ACL two weeks ago while jogging.

That's right, jogging. A professional athlete, who can simultaneously juggle a round sphere while texting on her Droid Touch and flossing her teeth, tore her ACL while jogging.

Not to poke fun at the affable forward from Quincy, Ill., but I think this is the comedic equivalent of Dick Van Dyke flipping over his ottoman as he enters his living room at the start of each show.

Visions of Lucille Ball stuffing her bosom with chocolates or slurring her words while drunk on Vitameatavegamin. Now that's funny. A pro-athlete tearing their ACL while jogging? Not so much.

I caught up with "J-NO" following her surgery and for some reason expected the usually upbeat and always entertaining Nobis to have strayed from her "glass is half full" ways.

To be wallowing in self pity. Crying in her beer.

I envisioned her hair matted to her post operative head, some dried-up drool on her chin and her hospital gown pinned closed with a safety pin while she played the world's smallest violin and shared sob stories about the detour her career has taken as a result of her unfortunate twist of fate .

I quickly realized, however, that simply isn't be Nobis' style. The notorious life of the party and half of the famed Breakers comedy team of Latham (teammate Christine) and Nobis was quick to share her "laughter is the best medicine" philosophy during an email Q and A with yours truly.

In the spirit of the "Getting Silly" series that the Breakers players have graciously cooperated in putting together with me, I am pleased to present a special edition of Getting Silly Post-Op with "JNO".

Todd Civin: Was your surgery a success?

Jennifer Nobis: I still have a leg, so, yes for now.

TC: What was the most difficult part about the surgery?

JNO: My surgery was at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and they told me to stop eating and drinking at midnight on Tuesday. Don't doctors understand athletes LOVE TO EAT EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY? I was so hungry that I have never seen myself so moody before hahah !

TC: What are your goals for recovery?

JNO: To be in for treatment every day until I get better! I will even be doing my own rehab at the house. You never can do too many straight leg raises. Also, in two weeks my stitches come out so I will be in the pool twice a day, five days a week
to keep my endurance and cardio up. Crazy, I know!

TC: Did you get ice cream after your surgery?

JNO: Immediately after surgery I went to McDonald's and had a chocolate milk shake with my meal!

TC: Where should fans send their Get Well cards and letters?

JNO: If they have money in the cards, send them directly to my house. If they d on't you can send them to the Breakers headquarters.

TC: When do you hope to get back on the field?

JNO: Dating field or Game field? As soon as I can!

TC: Will you be able to participate with the team at all during your recovery?

JNO: Yeah, laughing at them while they are all dying through preseason. In all honesty, I will try and participate as much as possible. I'll be at every practice being the annoying positive go-getter on the sideline and being their biggest fan! Go Breakers!

TC: How was your experience with the hospital gown?

JNO: All I have to say is I hope people enjoy my backside!

TC: And the bathrooms? Were they to your liking?

JNO: Very clean and sterile, until I peed on the seat because my brace wouldn't
allow my leg to bend.

TC: Were there any cute doctors?

JNO: I saw many cute doctors, but I was on drugs, so you never know if I had my
"pill goggles" on.

TC: Did the other patients get annoyed with the line of fans and visitors outside of your hospital door?

JNO: I don't know, Todd. You are my No. 1 stalker. Were the guests mad when
you and the other fans were outside my door?

And then she flipped over the ottoman. TC

About Nobis :

Jennifer Nobis will begin blogging during he rehab and posting about life on and off the field at Connect World Football . CWF is a football agency that specializes in representing the active female football players.

"We work with uncompromising integrity through our global network to provide talented, ambitious, high-quality female football players the ability to further pursue their professional career, and to maximize their professional experience."

Todd Civin is a freelance writer who writes for Bleacher Report, Sports, Then and Now, and Seamheads. He also shares his top stories on his blog The 'xoxo' of Sports. He is a supporter of Team Hoyt, the father/son marathon and triathlon team of Dick and Rick Hoyt.

He encourages you to support their movement of "Yes, I Can" by visiting their Web site at www.teamhoyt.com.