September 12, 2006
by "Biggest Daddy" Interview with
Bobby Sylvester,
Wapakoneta Hippos
Biggest Daddy: Hello, Mr. Sylvester.
Welcome back to the hot seat. Its been years since we last got an
interview with the Hippos. Tell us what's been going on the past few
years from a personal standpoint as you have moved from young and
impressionable adolescent to energetic and confident young man.
Bobby Sylvester: Most importantly, I found out that Jack in the Box
sold two amazing tacos for 99 cents...that changed my life...but really,
I've just done a lot of growing up...become more responsible and learned
to appreciate things more.
BD: Now's lets not be humble here: In high school, you were a superstar
in several sports. Where did this drive and determination come from?
Tell us a little about your high school athletic experience.
BS: I definitely wouldn't consider myself a superstar in any
sport...I played baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and ran cross
country in high school...basketball and baseball were for all four
years...in basketball I was the short kid who couldn't shoot on a bad
team so I only played because of my defense and high energy...I played
right field in baseball, which was probably my best sport...we went 30-6
my senior year, the best season in our school's history, but had a heart
breaking loss in the playoffs to the school I have to drive past
everyday to work...but my batting average dropped 200 points because I
lost so much speed during football...I only played football as a senior
because the coach asked me to come out...He told me I would be the
running back if I quit soccer and came to practice, but I couldn't do
that so I was strictly a kick/punt returner...and I ended up dislocating
my hip and coming back way too soon for the soccer playoffs so it didn't
quite recover...I got a varsity letter as a sophomore in cross country,
but switched over to soccer as a junior because my best friend told me
they needed a goalie...I never played goalie before, but immediately
stepped in as a starter and ended up on all
conference both years...the highlight of my high school athletic career
however was winning the first ever P.E. student of the year award.
BD: Not a superstar, eh? Now that the college life stage has begun,
rumor has it that you do not plan to partake in a social drinking while
at school. Given that the college years are a time for experimentation,
freedom, experiences and finding oneself, why have you made that choice,
especially given that the majority of undergrads across the country will
not?
BS: It's pretty simple for me...I know who I am and what I want...I
don't want to put myself in those situations and my friends respect
that.
BD: Well put. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? Keep in mind,
I ask this question out of curiousity, and to prepare you for future job
interviews.
BS: For those who don't know, I'm a freshman at Southern Illinois
University...not the one with the basketball team, but the real Southern
Illinois University...I was planning on studying marketing because I
want to work with baseball, but I'm not confident I'll follow through
with that because I'm also considering teaching and coaching which is
what I see for myself in the next 10 years...but I am also pursuing a
minor in religious studies to keep my options open...so I could see
myself potentially going to seminary school and working for a
non-denominational Christian church.
BD: For your 16th b-day, you were hoping for a Hummer. Get you ever get
it? If not, what are you driving these days?
BS: I did not get a hummer, thank god...buying gas is hard to
tolerate even for my Dodge Stratus...and I don't even want to imagine
trying to park that thing.
BD: Now, lets turn to your franchise. Before we address the current
season, tell us a little about the rivalry with your dad. Intense?
Casual? Just another team? Gotta blow him away?
BS: Its always something we look forward to, but it is pretty
casual...I always feel confident after looking over his team and just
worry about not beating him too bad...then Joe Schmo gets 5 RBI for him,
Jason Marquis turns into Cy Young against the best lineup in the league,
and then I become anti-social for two days.
BD: As of this interview going to press, you and dad are #1 and #2 (1
game difference) for the Wild Card, with Cleveland and Villanova closely
behind. Will you strike to take Nashville for the division at this
point? Or are you focused on the Wild Card?
BS: I'd sure like to take down Nashville because I don't want to see
them in the playoffs, but I'll take what I can get and that comes with
taking things one play at a time.
BD: What needs to happen for the Hippos to win a post-season berth?
BS: Pujols, Holliday, and Tejada can't all hit below .250 again this
chapter...but I really like our chances after the free agent signing of
long time Hippo, Ray "Burger" King...he's a good clubhouse guy.
BD: Let's say that your team makes the playoffs. Without giving away too
much as far as strategy, what have you learned from previous post-season
experiences that will better prepare you for this year?
BS: Focus on every play through out the game, don't leave my
starting pitcher in too long, and most importantly, don't try too hard
to "not lose".
BD: How do you pronounce Wapakoneta?
BS: Wap-a-cun-et-a...I cant stand that I named my team this when I
was 15...and Pujols just cant hit with less than 15,000 people at all
the home games.
BD: Are the St. Louis Cardinals going to pull it out this year in 2007?
Do they deserve to?
BS: The Brewers can't pitch anymore and the Cubs can't win in
September so I guess the Cards win by default...Oh, and they are going
to repeat as world series champs.
BD: When all three of their careers are over, who will have more
homeruns: Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols?
BS: Bonds and he better not have an asterisk by his name
BD: Tell us a little bit more about your other DMB league. How many
teams? What is participation like? Which league is better?? There is a
right answer to the last question.
BS: A dozen of my friends asked me to put a league together...I was
excited at first, but what can you expect from a bunch of high schoolers?
It fell apart after two months because only five or six teams played all
their games...BDBL is the best DMB league ever.
BD: Will any sort of backlash from Apple overpricing the iPhone come
back to hurt Apple's brand or sales?
BS: I don't know anything about the iPhone nor do I care to...I am
very low maintenance.
BD: Shoot Em' Up, Balls of Fury, Halloween or Superbad??
BS: Never saw, or intend to see the first three and I didn't like
Superbad as much as I was hoping...My favorite movie is Shawshank
Redemption and I'm a big fan of Will Farrell.
BD: 50 Cent or Kanye West?
BS: I can't stand rap anymore...Bands I listen to are Matchbook
Romance, Dashboard Confessional, Goo Goo Dolls, etc...
BD: Metroid Prime 3 or Madden 08?
BS: I'm really bad at video games and they are too unrealistic so I
hardly ever play them, but I'd definitely go with Madden 08.
BD: Albert Pujols knocks on your door and wants to hang out. What do you
do with him? Where do you take him?
BS: If he wants to hang out then maybe he has some ideas...I'd for
sure take him to Bully's BBQ right off campus though, he would
immediately label
me as his best friend following that lunch...then maybe we could hang
out with Rick Ankiel.
BD: Do you still go by Bobby with your friends or are you Bob now? Or
Robert?
BS: Bobby
BD: Well, Bob, thanks for taking the time to be with us today! Best of
luck the rest of the way!
BS: Thanks Biggest Daddy...good luck to you as well...unless you're
in the EL playoff race or live in Salem, NH. |