More than similar names binds pair
SLIPPERY ROCK — You say Geisler, I say Giesler.
Not many outside of Slippery Rock know what to say when dealing with Ethan Geisler and Brian Giesler, teammates on the Rockets' boys basketball team who have been the focal point of mass confusion for two years running.
Most think Geisler and Giesler are brothers. Geisler is a 5-foot-9 senior point guard. Giesler is a 6-3 sophomore forward. They look nothing alike, hail from opposite ends of the school district and have vastly different playing styles.
Yet, opposing players, coaches, broadcasters and even some classmates, believe they are kin.
Last year, Giesler's younger sister, Sarah, came home from school and had a heart-to-heart with their father, Randy, who is an assistant coach for the Rockets.
She grew weary of correcting teachers and classmates.
"She said, 'I give up,'" Randy said. "I have another brother now."
To further add to the confusion factor, the names, both German in origin, are pronounced opposite of how they are spelled.
Geisler is pronounced "Guy-sler," Giesler is pronounced "Geese-ler."
There's no good way to keep it straight. Even their nicknames cause one to pause and ponder.
Giesler's nickname is Gee while Geisler's nickname is E.
It's enough to give most of the parties involved a headache.
Except for Brian Giesler, who finds it all very amusing.
"Actually, I like it," Brian said. "When people screw it up, I just laugh about it."
Slippery Rock played a game in Meadville that was televised on the local cable access channel. The announcers called them brothers for the entire broadcast, despite the different spelling of their surnames.
"It was funny," Brian said. "What can you do?"
Even the Slippery Rock scorekeeper has been enlisted to try to keep things straight.Julianne Sisinni can be found before most games — even ones in the new Rock Box — schooling the public address announcer on the proper spelling, pronunciation and family tree."She does a great job keeping everything straight," Brian said. "I think as people start to know us, it's getting less and less confusing."Because they share the bond of similar last names, the two have struck up a different kind of friendship on and off the court.Both have an unshakable work ethic, and they shoot around before and after practice together.Geisler has evolved into a dangerous scorer for the Rockets after spending most of his high school career as a passer.This season, Geisler is averaging 11.4 points per game."This year, I knew I had to pick up my scoring," the point guard said. "I worked all summer on my shot."Meanwhile Giesler is pouring in 15.9 points per contest.They do it in different ways. Geisler is a slasher; Giesler is a tall 3-point shooter who can get points inside, too, if need be."To a basketball coach, they are like sons — they are family," Randy wrote in a letter to the Butler Eagle. "They could be brothers. The may not look alike, or even play alike at times, but really they are very similar. They are both true basketball players any coach would love to have. They listen. They think team first. They play hard every day. They don't miss practice. They don't complain. They encourage teammates."Ethan smiles a little more," Randy continued. "While Brian is a little more serious."All the parties involved realize confusion is inevitable.To them, though, it doesn't really matter.Geisler? Giesler? They aren't calling anything off."If you get confused, or spell or say their names wrong, don't worry," Randy wrote. "Slippery Rock is proud they both play for us."
