Happy Friday, everyone. A huge, huge, huge all star, jam packed edition of the Questions this week. I don't need to do an intro paragraph, that's how awesome this edition is.
I'm joined by 4 guests this week. The first is the man in charge of Run the Floor, where I contribute, and is an editor at Tomahawk Nation, Michael Rogner.
The second is Peter Berkes, an editor at SB Nation. He runs the SBNationCFB account as well.
The third is Celebrity Hot Tub. He writes for Every Day Should Be Saturday. He also does a podcast with Martin Rickman called Chasing Mimi, is located at chasingmimi.com, and is about a 20 year old educational film series. It is very funny.
The 4th and final person is Dallas Latos. She has a blog on the MLB network called So I Married a Baseball Player. You can probably guess what player. It's Wellington Castillo.
My questions are in bold. Michael will be MR, Peter will be PB, Celebrity Hot Tub will be CH and Dallas will be DL.
The NBA draft was this week. If you were a draft prospect, would you go simple black suit, or something flashier, like one of the tuxedos from dumb and dumber? Also, shake hands or hug the commissioner?
MR: You’ve got to figure that half the players will show up dressed as pimps – so the ones who are trying to stand out are actually blending in. A few more will fake classy with the black suit. I’d just show up dressed in the uniform of whoever had the No. 1 pick. Maybe I’d wear a giant knee brace. And there’s no way I’d hug David Stern. I’ve got space issues and that guys creeps me out.
PB: Flashy suit, no question. I hated him when he was at Florida, but as soon as I saw Joakim Noah with that seersucker suit on draft night, he immediately won me over. I'd try to wear something like that, a good amount of flair, but not TOO crazy. As for the hand shake or the hug, you always hug. You only get drafted once, may as well enjoy it.
CH: I'd go something Downton Abbey, like a fancy-ass tuxedo with tails. Look at this dude:
What do you think is the most incredible thing athletes do so routinely that everyone takes it for granted?
MR: Their routine is what is taken for granted. The work ethic of the average Division I athlete is so far beyond normal people’s that it’s hard to comprehend. I was raised with a professional athlete in the house, and watching how long and focused her workouts were made me realize at a young age that I had zero chance of ever becoming the point guard for the Boston Celtics.
PB: It breaks my brain to think about how difficult it is for a quarterback to throw an accurate deep ball. I know hitting a baseball is generally considered the most difficult thing to do in sports, but think about all the variables that go into throwing a deep ball on the money, and how just a little change can throw the whole thing off.
CH: The practice work. It's easy to talk about how much the professionals get paid to play a few hours in a game, but the amount of time they have to put in just to maintain themselves physically and prepare mentally is amazing. It's not really the same as putting 40 in at a desk job.
DL: I think people don't always see how much athletes give back to their communities. From decisions as small as supporting local businesses to lending their time or money to local causes, I feel like most athletes are so appreciative of their fan base and the communities where they are fortunate enough to play ball. That's not always a public issue, nor does it need to be.
What band/singer is hated by you, but is loved by seemingly everyone you know?
MR: Mumford & Sons. What is with these guys? They’re like the Avett Brothers for dumb people.
PB: I HATE REM. HATE.
CH: The Hold Steady. I'm angry just thinking about them. SING ALREADY YOU'RE JUST SORT OF TALKING WITH A VAGUE MUSICAL LILT.
DL: I don't know anyone who loves Nickelback. Just saying.
The 4th of July is coming up. Two questions. One, do you have any 4th traditions? Two, I am anti-fireworks outside of after home runs and during the Undertaker's Wrestlemania entrance. What is your stance on fireworks?
MR: My July 4th tradition is spending the evening stepping on my dog. She’s a 9-year-old boxer – great dane mix and she’s absolutely terrified of fireworks, so she spends all of July 4th whining and following me everywhere I go. Still, it hasn’t turned me off to fireworks. That’s her problem. I love blowing things up. When I was a kid my favorite game was sticking Alan Simmons on the roof of his house, giving him a Frisbee to use as a shield, and then fanning out with three or four other friends and launching bottle rockets at him. I have scars on my hands and forearms from fireworks. I love blowing things up. I like to shoot things too.
PB: Very much pro-firework. Sure, they're dangerous, but everything worthwhile in this life is a little dangerous.
CH: Sadly, no traditions to speak of. Other than eating too much dessert, but that's something I do on lots of non holiday occasions as well. I am pro fireworks in all circumstances because I hail from Florida and therefore embrace anything that combines safety risks with shiny colors.
DL: Holiday traditions during baseball season are just about as mythical as unicorns. You never know where you'll be or what your schedule might entail. Most of the time, I'll try and find a way to get our friends together but I never count on it because you can't really count on anything in this lifestyle. Re: fireworks- I'm just as excited as the next guy to hear them after the 9th at Great American Ballpark but while pretty to look at, my inner nor-Cal hippie doesn't love them because of the pollution.
You are one of my twitter favorites. Who are some of your favorite people to follow? And on twitter?
MR: Twitter is great. My favorite follow is FSU’s associate head coach Stan Jones. Unfortunately, his account is protected, so I can’t re-tweet them. Basically he’s decided to be the guy who constantly heckles his players for not working hard enough, only he’s really funny while doing it. If you like to make fun of people, then Jon Rothstein and the ESPN CBB account are must follows, as in the world of idiotic statements they definitely provide ample amounts of low hanging fruit. The must-follow college basketball writers are Ken Pomeroy, John Gasaway, and Jeff Goodman.
PB: @coffee_dad, not close.
CH: Off the top of my head, I would recommend @ohholybutt, because he's successfully started an on-again-off-again relationship with the American Airlines twitter account.
DL: I don't have the attention span to follow anyone around in real life but internet stalking is way easy. Some of my favorites on Twitter include the following accounts: @TodaysBullshit, @chrissyteigen, @jennyandteets, @jennyjohnsonHi5. There are others but I'm already distracted. Bottom line- Twitter was built for snarky nonsense.
If you had to live the life of any TGIF character for a year, who would it be?
MR: I don’t know what this question means, but I’m assuming it has something to do with TV. I’m one of those weirdos who have lived most of my life without a television. I have one now, only because going to the bar every night during college basketball season got too expensive.
PB: Cody from Step by Step. He was dumb as rocks, but he was like, swimming in chicks, dude.
CH: So long as we're talking just the character, and not the actual actor, Cousin Cody from Step by Step. Sure, he's an idiot. But he doesn't know that.
DL: What is TGIF? Is that a television show?
I'm heading on a 16 hour trip next week. What do you do to pass the time when traveling? What are your best travel tips?
MR: You ask this without the knowledge that I once drove from Greensboro, North Carolina to Astoria, Oregon without ever getting on the Interstate. So that’s the first rule. Take the alternate route. The next rule is that you’re not allowed to eat at a chain restaurant. Local food only. As for passing the time, I stop a lot. National Monuments, regardless of what they are, are a must stop. So are all of those little stone monuments on the sides of little-used highways.
Oh, and read Lies Across America. (Ed: I will!)
PB: 1) Travel with someone you like talking to, or 2) load up on podcasts, or 3) fly.
CH: If we're talking air trip, I read and sleep almost exclusively. If we're talking car trip, I'm more focused on the music. It's tempting to go with the iPhone or the like for that, but trust me and go with the radio, if only so you can find the local station that plays songs from the 90s and brands them as classics. Now you get to feel old as hell!
DL: Movies, wine, naps and Twitter will never fail you (I'm assuming you're taking a 16 hour flight- not drive. I could be wrong.) When it comes to movies, you have to go with the classics that you can watch over and over again. The films on my ipad currently include: Edward Scissorhands, Cruel Intentions, Girl Interrupted, Beetlejuice, Clueless, The Craft, Addams Family and a few more recent films that never fail to entertain. Dark Shadows being one of them.
If you were wondering, I'm driving to Florida. Huge, HUGE thanks to my good friend Michael, my good friend Peter, my good friend Dallas and my good friend Celebrity. I called them all my good friends just for the last part because it made me laugh. But seriously, a load of gratitude to those 4 for taking the time to answer my questions. It's awesome when people you like help you out. Also, I'm living the lie that I was assumed in their lists of favorite people to follow on twitter. Enough rambling.
Thanks to Michael, follow him @RunTheFloor. Thanks to Peter, follow him @RunTheDive. Thanks to Celebrity Hot Tub, follow him @CelebrityHotTub. Thanks to Dallas, follow her @DallasLatos.
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