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CNN 10
Caribbean Island Nation Officially Becomes A Republic; Football Team Whose Players Are Deaf Arrives At A Championship; Man Builds A Massive "Nerf" Gun. Aired 4-4:10a ET
Aired November 30, 2021 - 04:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: What is the eastern most island in the Caribbean Sea? The answer to that trivia question is the site of our first report
today. I`m Carl Azuz. Welcome to the show. The island we`re talking about is Barbados.
Until Tuesday, it`s government was a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy and that monarch was Britain`s Queen Elizabeth II
but no more. In removing Britain`s queen as its head of state, Barbados has officially become a republic. The queen`s role there was mostly a symbolic
one.
Barbados got its independence from Britain in 1966 and the island`s governing power lies with its Prime Minister Mia Mottley. It`s replaced the
queen`s ceremonial role with that of a new president named Barbara Mason, but Barbados` prime minister will still have most of the governing power.
This Caribbean Island was uninhabited before Britain established a settlement there in 1627. Historians say British sugar plantations worked
by African slaves became a source of private wealth for Britain. Slavery was abolished in Barbados in 1834 and in more recent decades, after it
achieved independence from Britain, tourism and manufacturing became more economically important to Barbados than sugar production.
As the island prepared to become a republic, Barbados` leaders said the time had come for it to fully leave it`s colonial past behind by removing
the queen`s symbolic status. But Barbadian critics say the public should have had more of voice in the process, possibly through a vote instead of
having it handled completely by the Barbadian government.
For its part, the British monarchy had said the decision was up to Barbados and that the issue had been discussed for a while. It was a friendly
parting. Prince Charles, Heir to the British throne, traveled to Barbados to attend the transition.
10 Second Trivia. The malleus, the pinna and the stapes are all parts of what? Foot, Orchestra, Ship or Ear. If you`re a mammal and you are, you
have all of these as parts of your ear.
But in their 12 and 0 season that brought them to a championship game, the football team at the California School for the Deaf Riverside didn`t need
the use of their ears. The entire team is deaf. Their coach is deaf but they`ve been able to use that to call plays without huddling and
purportedly read other team`s body language better. Nick Watt covered their championship.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Cubs in their school`s 68-year history have never, ever not even once made to a championship game, and here they
are. Their opponents Faith Baptist have won this Southern California championship about a dozen times in their history. They`re good. Tickets
for this blockbuster game sold out in 45 minutes. They had to move it to a nearby high school, bigger bleachers to seat the growing fan base. Many of
them are standing, a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But today is the biggest crowd I`ve ever seen. It is just -- because you have not only people that come to this school, you have
a (inaudible) that come from different schools. Because whenever there`s a deaf event, people just want to be there.
WATT: Now, we caught up with the Cubs for the mid-week team talk and practice. The voice you`ll hear is a sign language interpreter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: We`re making history here, and if we do lose I`m still incredibly proud of this team. If we win the championship, then
that would be just that more awesome.
WATT: Here is the already awesome back story. The CSDR Cubs in the past lost, a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: The team stunk, quite honestly. CSDR, we`re often viewed as -- as, kind of, the laughing stock. Right? We`re always
going to have these lousy seasons but that has not been the case this season.
WATT: First game, 68 to zip victory. Yes, that`s a six. This is not a well- funded, fancy pants program. Why are you guys doing so well? What`s the secret?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: We`ve practiced strong. We`ve worked together. We`ve got this incentive brotherhood amongst us. We`re a family.
WATT: Next up, grubbing, then shellacking. Their season so far, 12 and 0. You`re not just a good deaf football team. You`re a good football team.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: Exactly right. Exactly right. We`ve played against other good teams let me say, but we just keep beating them.
WATT: Back at the championship game second quarter, the Cubs are down 28-0. Oh, boy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE TRANSLATED: Typically for our games we are winning by a pretty, you know, 20-30 point margin by halftime and this is definitely a
very different vibe.
WATT: And then a hook and ladder play sparks a startling rally. Suddenly it`s 28 to 22. The crowd`s going nuts. How do the players feed off that?
With their eyes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE TRANSLATED: During their break, during halftime, you look around. They`re cheering. Their hands are waving in the air. You see
their energy and -- and that`s just -- that feels so good.
WATT: The Cubs average winning margin this season, nearly 50 points. Have you yourself scored any touchdowns this year?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: More than 15, I -- I lost count.
WATT: Nice. These kids were already confident. They didn`t need this historic run to prove their worth in the world, but some opponents
underestimated them. (Inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: I think they do dismiss us often times. They think we`re a deaf school. No big deal, but I think it`s a lesson learned
for them that deaf people out there in other programs can do better than they are doing.
WATT: Back to that championship game. Halftime, and Valencia`s touchdown king is iced. He`s out. Tatum Adams is limping. He`s the coach`s son by the
way and his brother starting quarterback Trevon takes a hit. His night is over. The limping Tatum has to take his spot. Now to most of us a football
game sounds like this. For these kids, well turn off the sound. That could be a disadvantage. They make it an advantage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: During the game, we`re able to throw out plays, (inaudible) plays hearing teams don`t understand what our plays are,
what`s being shared on the field.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: Tree. That`s a part of their play is a tree. Watch the ball. Watch the ball.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: This is our first language, our native language. We`re using our native language on the field and visual acuity is
more alert than your hearing opponents typically. So we use it as an advantage. Yes.
WATT: To go from laughing stock to media darlings, moving (inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: Now we`ve got TV producers, movie producers reaching out to us. It`s just endless. Yes it definitely feels like we`re
reached celebrity status.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE TRANSLATED: I don`t think the media and -- and everything is getting into their head. They`re just focused on the game.
WATT: But with two key Cub stars sidelined, those burly Faith Baptist boys proved just too much. A second half blow-out. Cubs distraught. They weren`t
in this for a heartwarming story about deaf kids against the odds. They were in this to win.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE TRANSLATED: And I`m very proud. They defeated us yes, but they taught us a lesson. That means that the expectation is going to be
higher next year.
WATT: Get this, there were only two seniors on this Cubs team. Next year, maybe, just maybe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: This dude named Michael Pick said he had a choice, practice and get better at shooting with a regular Nerf gun or build a bigger Nerf gun. He
did the second thing. Designed on a computer, built using plywood and 3D printed parts, it`s 12 and a half feet long and weighs more than 200
pounds. It`s powered by electronics and a paintball air tank.
Unlike regular Nerf guns, it is not a toy but it can wreak havoc on water balloons. You can`t buy it either because Nerf would "nerfer" sell it. They
probably wouldn`t have the "nerf" to build it and it would make your mom really "nerfffous". Is it "nefarious" only if its holder gets "nefarious"
so you don`t want to get on his "nerfs", if you know what I`m saying?
Mods for these toys are "nerferending" so we`ll keep an eye out for what people built on their own "nerf". I`m Carl Azuz. Bexley High School gets
today`s shout out. It`s great to have you watching from Bexley, Ohio. We hope you and everyone else returns again tomorrow.
END
