Irrelevant Week: Sweet? romance

Richard Dunn

NEWPORT BEACH - Fun is important. But, truth is, Irrelevant Week

has a history with romance that hasn’t always been roses and peddles.

In Day 4 of Irrelevant Week XXV, 2000 honoree Mike Green sailed along

Newport Harbor’s channels Thursday night at the Irrelevant Week Regatta

(formerly known as the Beercan Regatta) at the Balboa Yacht Club.

But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Mr. Irrelevant honorees and

their significant others.

One in particular, Weber State tight end Cam Quayle two years ago, broke

off his engagement to the girl he had planned to marry only a month

later, before entering training camp with the Baltimore Ravens.

“After that trip to Newport Beach,” Quayle said from training camp in

early August ‘98, before he was cut by the Ravens, “I kind of realized

maybe we shouldn’t be married, because we were always arguing or

bickering, and I realized if we can’t just totally relax and have fun,

then maybe getting married is not the best thing.”

Fun is important.

Quayle, Mr. Irrelevant XXIII, was later picked up by the Jacksonville

Jaguars and allocated to play for the Barcelona Dragons in the World

Football League. Currently enrolled in dental school, Quayle could not

make the reunion this week for IW’s silver anniversary.

Quayle told IW officials Monday morning he was still in the Himalayas.

Green, picked 254th and absolutely dead last in the 2000 NFL draft by the

Chicago Bears, said Irrelevant Week XXV will cause no ill-fated results

in his relationship with Northwestern State (La.) health and exercise

science major Shala Hunter, whom Mr. Irrelevant met at school.

The vivacious Hunter, who will be a senior in the fall, said Wednesday

night she plans to attend physical therapy school for two years after

graduating in May 2001. “We haven’t talked about getting married,” said

Hunter, who doesn’t turn 21 until October.

Finally, after being interrogated by a certain reporter, Hunter turned

and deadpanned: “Have you ever interviewed Kobe Bryant?”

Fun is important.

Green, the king of Newport Beach for a week during the world’s greatest

celebration of the underdog, said: “I don’t think (Irrelevant Week) will

change anything (in our relationship). I’m not ready to get married,

anyway.”

Green, 22, apparently doesn’t play golf. Should be interesting today

during the 11th annual Runnin’ Gunnin’ Golf Tournament at Newport Beach

Golf Course.

Mr. Irrelevant XXV will be glad this year’s event is a “real” golf

tournament, and not the modified version of the past, which entailed a

shot clock, hecklers at the green with squirt guns and beer-chugging

stations before you tee off.

Fun is important.

Green continued to receive gifts Wednesday, including “a Microsoft

T-shirt from Janet Reno,” IW founder Paul Salata said, holding up a

T-shirt cut in half with one sleeve in each hand during the All-Star

Sports Banquet and Lowsman Trophy presentation at the Newport Beach

Marriott.

At the dinner, NFL referee Jim Tunney asked all those in attendance from

USC to raise their hand. Many in the full-house ballroom held up their

hand. “OK, I’ll talk a little slower,” Tunney quipped.