USU point guard looks to bring his tattoo total to 9
What inspires people to get a tattoo?
For Utah State point guard Bernard Rock, it takes something like his old girlfriend’s mom.
“My girlfriend’s mom’s name was Rose,” he said. “She had a tattoo of a rose on her calf. I thought it was cool.”
Born and raised in New York City, Rock was the first of all his friends to get a tattoo. He was 17.
“My nickname growing up was ‘Peedogz.’ I changed it to Peewee and that’s how I got this one,” Rock said pointing to his right arm.
Rock, who was married last Friday, is planning to add his second son’s name to his left forearm after the road trip to California this weekend, bringing the total to nine.
“The most I have ever spent on a tattoo is $80,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll ever go above $100.”
The $80 tattoo is a detailed inscription of a Taurus, the sign associated for his month and year of birth. Printed above the bull is his birthday, “5/7/77.”
“I don’t think I will ever get a tattoo of the Aggie logo, just for the fact that I already have a bull and don’t see the need for another one,” he said.
One of Rock’s favorite things about USU is its family atmosphere. Rock is a big family guy, displaying the name of his son, Cameron, on the top of his right forearm and one of his mother, Linda, which is displayed in the center of a heart.
“My mom is the only female I will put on my body,” he said. “If I ever I have a daughter, I’ll put her name somewhere, too.”
The name “Cameron” was the last tattoo Rock received, right before the game against Brigham Young University last year, in honor of his first son. After this weekend Rock will have the name “Quinten” placed on his left arm for the same purpose.
“As soon as I get back, I am having it done,” Rock said.
After averaging 20 points, five rebounds and four steals as a senior in high school, it is no wonder he was nicknamed “The Rock” and “B-Rock.” B-Rock can now be seen running vertically down the side of his left arm.
The cartoon characters Tom and Jerry were the inspiration for at least one of his tattoos.
“I used to watch Tom and Jerry and always liked the bulldog, Spike,” Rock said.
The bulldog and the emblem “NY” are probably the most recognizable of any on his body. The NY, with the words Harlem and Manhattan, are there to remind him of his home in the city.
One person who has inspired Rock not only with his tattoos but also with how he plays is Dennis Rodman. Rock said he really admires the way he played night in and night out. Both Rock and Rodman have a tattoo of a sun around their navels.
“My belly-button is pierced, so I thought I needed something a little more to adorn it,” he said. “I got the sun to add the little extra flare to it all.”
“Whatever [Rodman] did off the court was his business, but every time he stepped on the court it was all business,” he said. “He reminds me a lot of Brennan Ray, who works hard all the time on the court.”
The tattoo that sums Rock up the most is probably the one on the underside of his left arm: “Steal the rock, pass the rock, shoot the rock, be the rock.”
Averaging 11 points per game this season, together with 1.5 steals a game and 4.3 assists per game, Rock is proving he’s taken the tattoo to heart.