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Big Daddy Baseball League

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slant.gif (102 bytes) Know Thy Enemy

Know Thy Enemy

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 Past Interviews:

 Bob Sylvester, Sr.
 Tim Zigmund
 John Gill
 Billy Romaniello
 Joe Brennan
 Eric Zigmund
 Brian Hicks
 Mike Glander
 Jeff Paulson
 Mike Stein
 Paul Marazita
 Chris Luhning
 Matt Clemm
 Gene Patterson
 DJ Shepard
 Chris Schultheis
 Phil Geisel
 Adam Musson
 Scot Zook
 Jim Doyle
 Scott Romonosky
 Ken Kaminski
 Bobby Sylvester
 Steve Osborne
 John Duel
 John Bochicchio
 Brian Potrafka
 Tom DiStefano
 Tony DeCastro
 Greg Newgard
 Tony Badger
 Ed McGowan
 Tony Chamra
 Tom DiStefano
 Mike Glander (2)
 Brian Potrafka (2)
 Anthony Peburn
 Jeff Paulson (2)

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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.