HOW THE DEVIL ARE YA?
I'm great. I'm excited to be back here where it's cool. I've been in Phoenix for the last three months where it's starting to hit 105 degrees, so it's beautiful to come back to Calgary where I can actually wear a pair of jeans and not be sweating from head to toe.
IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT AND YOU'RE NOT PITCHING. WHATCHA GONNA DO?
Normally, I'd be watching Hockey Night in Canada but this year it's not on, so I'm chasing my 15-month-old daughter (Skylar) around. She keeps us going all day and when she crashes, we're just exhausted, so we go to bed right after her.
PICK FIVE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF.
Quiet. Hard-working. Canadian, because that's how I'm known down in the States. Impatient and elbow (Iaughs).
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AT SCHOOL?
I was pretty much the same without the elbow.
WHAT'S YOUR MOST TREASURED MATERIAL POSSESSION?
Probably the ball from my first Major League win against Seattle.
WHAT'S YOUR POISON?
The anti-inflammatories that I'm taking right now (for a lingering right elbow injury) that are poisoning my system.
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU PUNCHED AND WHY?
My brother Jordan. Just because he's my little brother and I can.
WHAT'S YOUR MOST UNPLEASANT CHARACTERISTIC?
My temper.
WHAT'S THE BEST ADVICE YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?
I don't know if I've ever received any advice (laughs). One pitch at a time, one day at a time.
WHAT'S THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING YOU'VE EVER BOUGHT?
I bought a Crocodile Dundee hat and wore it once and threw it in the closet.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST CAR YOU EVER OWNED?
It would have been a 1985 Ford Tempo.
WAS IT IN GOOD SHAPE?
No, it had about 150,000 km on it.
WHAT REPAIRS CAN YOU PERFORM ON YOUR CAR?
I can check the oil.
IF YOU COULD BE ANY ATHLETE, WHO WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?
I'd have to say Nolan Ryan because his arm held up for 25 years and mine hasn't even held up for five. It's ridiculous. The last 10 years of his career, he pitched with a torn ligament. Mine's been torn twice and I haven't even been able to use toilet paper, basically, and he was able to pitch 10 years. It's a little different pain tolerance.
WHAT'S YOUR CULINARY SPECIALTY?
That would be grilling steaks.
WHAT'S YOUR CELLPHONE RING TONE?
Rocket. It was a very annoying rocket tone. I had to differentiate it from the other 25 guys in the locker-room.
WHO'S THE MOST FAMOUS PERSON IN YOUR CELLPHONE ADDRESS BOOK?
All of my Ranger teammates.
DID YOU HAVE A-ROD'S IN THERE FROM WHEN HE WAS A RANGER?
I erased it (laughs). We traded him and I got rid of it.
ARE YOU EASILY EMBARRASSED?
Yes, by having to answer questions like this (laughs).
WHAT TV SERIES DO YOU WANT ON DVD?
Seinfeld.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE UNHEALTHY FOOD?
Gosh, chocolate chip cookies.
WHERE YOU DO LIKE TO HOLIDAY?
Maui. I love it. Perfect weather and great beaches with a good vibe.
WHAT'S THE BEST CONCERT YOU'VE SEEN?
I saw Rush in Dallas a couple of years ago. It was the first time I'd ever seen them and you wouldn't have know they'd been doing it for 30 years.
IF YOU WEREN'T PLAYING BASEBALL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?
I wouldn't want to contemplate that. Probably I'd own a sports store.
DO YOU LIKE TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS?
Yeah. It's cool but unfortunately now with my elbow problem, I can't sign too many without my nerve flaring up. But it's one of the reasons why you play the game.
WHAT WAS THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE?
1999. I made it to the Major Leagues, played in the all-star game and got married. It was amazing.
YOU HAVE A FEW HOURS TO KILL. BOOK OR VIDEO GAME?
Definitely book. Right now I'm reading economics books, getting ready for life after baseball. It's pretty dry stuff.
I BET YOU'VE READ A LOT OF MEDICAL TEXTBOOKS ON ELBOWS.
Yeah, yeah. A few too many but I don't understand those 18-syllable words (laughs).
WHAT'S YOUR GREATEST FEAR?
Public speaking.
WHAT'S YOUR WORST HABIT?
Procrastination.
STRANGEST PIECE OF FAN MAIL?
I got a samurai headband from a Japanese fan who thought I was his warrior and wanted to give me the warrior headband to make me a samurai.
FUNNIEST THING YOU'VE EVER SEEN IN A GAME?
Lots of stuff goes on in the bullpen that I can't publicly comment on, so I'll have to say this streaker in the last game at the Kingdome in 1999. He went out there naked except for a green sock and he put on a great show because none of the security people could catch him.
COULD YOU BE CONVINCED TO KARAOKE, AND IF SO, WHAT SONG?
No way, ever. You'd have to hold a gun to my head.
