HOW THE HELL ARE YA?
I'm just grand. Glad to be on this side of the dirt.
IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT AND YOU'RE NOT PLAYING BALL, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
Probably check out a local movie theatre. I can't go see Bad News Bears because my wife wants to see that one, so I'll probably go see Wedding Crashers.
PICK FIVE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Short, going-bald, aggressive, laid back and fun.
WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AT SCHOOL? HIGH SCHOOL?
I was a mess. I went from sport to sport to sport and tried to get to my classes. I did track and field, football, volleyball, hockey, baseball and then class.
WHAT'S YOUR MOST TREASURED MATERIAL POSSESSION?
My first big-league hit ball and probably the ball that qualified us for the Olympics.
IF I'M BUYING, WHAT'S YOUR POISON?
I can't tell you that (laughs). Jack Daniels.
STRAIGHT UP?
No, with coke.
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU PUNCHED AND WHY?
Carlos Torres from the Winnipeg Goldeyes (during a brawl) because he came in spiking people. I had to make him realize that you don't do that in Canada.
WHAT'S YOUR MOST UNPLEASANT CHARACTERISTIC?
It used to be my fake teeth but now I've got new pearly bridges in, so probably that I'm going bald.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST CAR YOU'VE EVER OWNED?
That I've ever owned, or was allowed to drive?
EITHER ONE.
I drove my dad's AMC Eagle with the chestnut brown interior. The first car I ever owned was a '79 Jeep CJ-7. It had 36-in. tires with a 6-in. lift and all the roll bars. It was just a big beast.
IF YOU COULD BE ANY ATHLETE, WHO WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?
I'd have to say Lance Armstrong, just because of what he's done. I've got the utmost respect for what he's done in his sport. The whole thing from overcoming cancer to what he's done for his sport and raising money, that's important to me.
WHAT REPAIRS CAN YOU DO ON YOUR CAR?
If it's my jeep, I could change the oil and do the disc brakes. My car now, I can put gas into it.
WHAT'S YOUR CULINARY SPECIALTY?
I prefer the grill. I like to do salmon on the grill with a little bit of lemon and butter, then my wife likes it when I grill the corn and asparagus.
WHAT'S YOUR CELLPHONE RING TONE?
I've got O' Canada on my Canadian cellphone and my American phone is just a basic ring.
WHO IS THE MOST FAMOUS PERSON IN YOUR CELL PHONE ADDRESS BOOK?
That people would know around here, I'd have to say Justin Morneau. He's up in my book.
ARE YOU EASILY EMBARRASSED?
Not anymore. It used to be terrible when I was a kid but I got used to the name Stubby.
WHAT TV SERIES DO YOU WANT TO OWN ON DVD?
Nothing. Oh, maybe Animal Planet. I like that.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE UNHEALTHY FOOD?
Chocolate. Anything that has chocolate in it, it doesn't stand a chance.
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO HOLIDAY?
We're planning one right now. My wife and I got married two and a half years ago and haven't had a honeymoon, so we're figuring something for the off-season. I like Jamaica so far but she says it's too expensive. We're pointing towards Key West or Key Largo but I'm going to go with Jamaica. She doesn't have a choice in this one.
WHAT'S THE BEST CONCERT YOU'VE EVER SEEN?
I just went to the Black Eyed Peas and, unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it. I went to Lollapalooza in Dallas and that was a lot of fun. I'm going to say Lollapalooza in '94 or '95.
IF YOU WEREN'T A BASEBALL PLAYER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?
Snowboarding. No doubt.
WHAT WAS THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE?
There's three years. I can't nail it down to one. The year I got called up to the big leagues. The year I married my wife and then last year for the Olympics.
WHAT IS YOUR WORST HABIT?
My wife would probably say leaving my shoes lying around in the bedroom.
WHAT'S THE FUNNIEST THING YOU'VE EVER SEEN DURING A GAME?
Bill Hall, who's now with the Milwaukee Brewers, hit a line drive to left field and the night before, he got in trouble for not running a ball out. So he takes off for first base, rounds for second and our left fielder catches it but he didn't see it because he had his head down. He goes diving into second base, stands up, thinks he's got a double. He looks at the umpire who gives him the signal like he's out but he circles his arm in the arm like it's a home run. So Bill Hall thinks he's hit a home run, trots to home and all the guys on his bench trot out to give him a high five. Funniest thing I've seen in baseball.
COULD YOU BE CONVINCED TO KARAOKE AND, IF SO, WHAT'S YOUR SONG?
Probably not but if I was in that kind of mood, it would have to be Ozzy Osbourne, Crazy Train.
