ope: Great call!!!
The origin of Lance Berkman's "Big Puma" nickname
May 19, 2008 at 09:24 PM
Houston sports media personality Lance Zierlein discusses the origins of former Canyon High School baseball star Lance Berkman's excellent <Q>Big Puma</Q> nickname. Berkman may have learned everything he knows about baseball from a young Brian Behrend, but he's always had the same sense of humor. That sense of humor is the main source of the name <Q>Big Puma</Q>:
""Well the discussion turned to his unfortunate nickname of "Fat Elvis". He told us the story of how a Cub fan threw a Twinkie at him from the bleachers one game and he picked it up, opened the wrapper and ate the Twinkie while the bleacher bums went wild.
However, despite that funny story, Berkman told us he hated the nickname "Fat Elvis" because he was a sleek, agile and graceful athlete.
"I'm more like a puma so I'm not sure why people call me Fat Elvis", complained Berkman.
That's when I started busting out laughing. I mean seriously - when is the last time that someone referenced a puma unless they were talking about shoes? I just said "you're the Big Puma, aren't you?" and Berkman started laughing as well and said "Exactly! I am the Big Puma!"
