On Tap with ... Brendan Circle and Jon Stem

At the football team's annual Spring Game this past Saturday, junior wide receiver Brendan Circle and junior linebacker Jon Stem were named co-captains for the 2007 season.

What was your welcome to college moment?

Stem: Camp. It seemed to last for about three years.

Circle: October freshman year, when I realized that it was 40 degrees warmer at home in California.

Greatest highlight in sports?

Circle: Beating Yale last year in the Yale bowl to bring home the bonfire.

Stem: It definitely has to be winning the Ivy League championship last year. There is no better feeling than working towards a goal with your teammates and then achieving that goal and celebrating it together.

Funniest story about coach?

Circle: In an attempt to talk to us about the identity of our team, one of our coaches told us that he couldn't even spell identity, despite the fact that he got second place in his eighth grade spelling bee.

Who is your quirkiest teammate?

Circle: Blake Williams — he tells the best stories.

Stem: Maybe Adam Stout. I cannot figure out why he is always so happy.

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Embarrassing moment?

Circle: First week of freshman year, walking into Cottage on Saturday night and completely eating it going down the stairs and landing in a heap at the feet of a bunch of senior girls.

Stem: It was my first moment as a member of our team. The first thing we do when we arrive on campus is a conditioning test. On about the fourth sprint I lunged to cross the finish line and twisted my ankle, falling across. It was a pretty athletic move to start my career here. I made a great first impression. I think the coaches second-guessed recruiting me.

Best part about being an athlete on campus?

Circle: It automatically lets you have something in common with about half the school, knowing what they are going through in season and being able to relate with them.

Stem: Being able to compete every day has to be the best thing. I love competing. Whether it is practice, a game or just in workouts, it is fun to get out there and try to win at everything you do.

Worst/Hardest part about being an athlete on campus?

Circle: Aside from the obvious juggling work and football response, I would say the hardest part about being an athlete is trying to overcome the stigma that many students place on athletes.

Stem: The worst thing about being an athlete is coming back from practice, completely drained and beat up and having to write a 10-page paper or study for an exam the next morning. It's hard to do, but I'm sure it is a great lesson for later in life.

Favorite thing to do when not practicing?

Circle: Relax, play some pickup basketball, watch a movie, etc.

Stem: I love music, so listening to music or playing the guitar. Also, "The Office" and "Man vs. Wild" are pretty popular in our room.

What other sport would you play if you weren't playing football?

Circle: I've been told I should give water polo a shot because I have broad shoulders.

Stem: Definitely baseball. I miss playing it.

If you were a coach for a day, you would...?

Stem: Have a mandatory beach day after every two-a-day during camp.

Favorite class taken at Princeton?

Circle: PSY 252: Social Psychology—[It was] fun to learn the different ways in which people interact and very educational to hear [junior quarterback] Bill Foran's many anecdotes on cross-gender interaction.

Stem: My writing seminar freshman year, The Culture of Consumption. It was all about advertising, which was really interesting. Plus, I had no idea how to write a paper until I took that class.

Favorite thing to do on the Street?

Circle: Taking a few laps around the club holding a cup half full of beer so I don't get constantly hounded about getting another drink, and so I can then refuse to chug it because it wouldn't be fair since I only had half a beer left.

Stem: Dressing up for any possible theme that comes up.

Who has the most game off the field?

Circle: Brendon Swisher; everyone else pales in comparison. After all, with that lifetime membership to the Hollywood Tan, he's really in a league of his own.

Stem: Brendon Swisher ... he's like Jordan in his prime.

What is that crazy glass box next to Jadwin?

Circle: Isn't it for the architecture students to build stuff?

Stem: Circle would probably know. He knows everything.