For the past few years, Oklahoma State catcher Raquel Dominguez has stepped out of the dugout to dance behind her coach, Kenny Gajewski, during mid-game interviews. She did so again last night during what would become the deciding game of a series against Florida State. Call me crazy, but this is more entertaining than any buzzer-beater, walk-off homer, or other sports highlight I’ve seen all week.
“This is taking every ounce of my professionalism to pay attention to what you said because, do you know what’s happening?” ESPN’s Holly Rowe asked Gajewski as Dominguez stood behind him, chugging two water bottles Stone Cold Steve Austin-style.
“No,” Gajewski answered with a grin and a laugh. “But I don’t even want to know, to be very honest.”
At the time of the interview, critics of Dominguez’s antics were quick to point out how OK State was trailing FSU in the game, 3-1, and the senior was not playing in the contest (she never would, and OSU eventually lost, 4-2, and were eliminated from the tournament). But while competing for a college World Series is a serious and exclusive endeavor, it’s been refreshing to see an athlete break unwritten rules of sports conduct. This is a game, after all. And it’s a game the Cowgirls are pretty good at, too — the team finished its season with a 48-12 record and notched a fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
In previous tournament games, Dominguez chugged a water bottle while dancing and hilariously shotgunned a Dasani a day later. That’s one way to keep the squad loose!
None of this is new, by the way. She’s been dancing for years.
“Love that kid,” coach Gajewski said of Dominguez two years ago in Tallahassee. Apparently, the sentiment has not changed. So if the head coach doesn’t seem to have a problem with the “team clown,” why should you?
I, for one, will miss these moves.
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