| A-Rod 20 Questions |
| Miami Herald, May 1999 1) Most romantic thing you've ever done? ``Went out to Key Biscayne beach at night with turkey sandwiches, cheese, crackers, wine and made a picnic. I know most people don't associate turkey sandwiches with romance, but that's my specialty. It's the only thing I can make, unfortunately. If you want to be with me, you have to eat turkey sandwiches. But I'm telling you, they're special.'' 2) Bases loaded. Two outs. Bottom of the ninth. Down by one. Who are three pitchers you don't want to see? ``Troy Percival, Pedro Martinez, Mike Mussina.'' 3) God comes down and offers to answer one question. What are you asking? ``Where's my wife right now and how many kids am I going to have? Oh, man, that's two questions, isn't it? OK, I'd ask Him if I could have two questions. No, no, I can't do that because then He could say `no' and I would have used up my one question. And He'd think I'm an idiot. My one question would be about my future wife.'' 4) You are stuck on an island with one person outside of your family. Who do you want it to be? [Laughter] "Madonna. But not for the reasons people think. She has been so successful for so long, changing herself in so many ways, reinventing herself to stay current and popular over three decades.'' 5) Something you are insecure about? [Laughter] "You have to send me these questions. I want to do this with my friends. I'm serious. I'm insecure with women. I really am. You don't know what their motives are, and why they want to be with you, and sometimes it's more than you can handle.'' 6) Dumbest purchase you've ever made? ``I went shopping in New York a few months ago, and I bought 21 pairs of shoes for $8,000, $9,000. I couldn't control myself. I should have bought five pair.'' 7) What is your wardrobe worth? ``You did 20 questions with Pat Riley, right? What was his answer to that question? I would love to know that answer. Mine is probably worth more than $200,000, but not because I'm out there spending on it. Probably $50,000 is out of my own pocket. I've got this deal with Armani [he's the only athlete with such a deal], and they just send me $3,200 suits, so that's why the number is so high. I can walk into any Armani store in the country and grab what I want for free. How cool is that? That's the best deal in the world. My biggest weakness is clothes. Not cars or boats. Clothes. That should be one of the 20 questions. Something you could go broke buying? My answer: Clothes.'' 8) Philosophy to live by? ``Hard work doesn't guarantee you success, but without it, you don't have a chance. My favorite book, my bible, is Pat Riley's The Winner Within, because it's full of stuff like that. I would love to play for that guy. I would love to watch him motivate a team.'' 9) Describe what it's like to be a sex symbol. ``It's very flattering to see the girls holding up signs asking if I'll marry them, but that's all it is. In a few years, some other young kid will get all that. For what it's worth, it's flattering, but it isn't worth anything because it's superficial. They don't know me, you know?'' 10) Celebrity you were most awestruck meeting? ``I guess it would be a tossup between Michael Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. I sat with Stallone at a couple of Heat games and talked a lot, and he even invited me to his house. What an incredible place that was.'' 11) You are the shortstop and general manager of your own team. Pick your starters. ``Pudge Rodriguez is my catcher. Mark McGwire. Roberto Alomar. Chipper Jones. Barry Bonds. Ken Griffey Jr. And, oh, man, I've got a problem in right field. Juan Gonzalez or Sammy Sosa? I'm going with my friend Sammy. I'm making Gonzalez my DH because my team has to have a DH. My pitcher is Roger Clemens and my closer is Mariano Rivera.'' 12) Song you'll sing out loud in your car every time? ``Respect by Aretha Franklin. I'm old-school.'' 13) Your home is on fire. Your family is safe. Three possessions you're going back in to get? ``My 1996 batting-title trophy. My personalized Joe DiMaggio baseball. He signed it for me just before he passed away. And a box of letters people have written me over my life -- ex-girlfriends, friends. I keep them all.'' 14) Last time you cried? ``When I had surgery on my knee at the beginning of the season. No, that's a tacky answer because it wasn't real emotion. I woke up crying from the anesthesia and didn't even know I was crying, or why. They say that happens after surgery. The last time I cried for real was after I hit my 40th home run to reach 40-40 last year [the first infielder ever to do it]. I cried as I rounded the bases. I worked so hard for that. I was so happy.'' 15) Who is the game's worst dresser? ``What was the question again? Repeat it louder, please. [Butch Huskey walks past Rodriguez in the dugout.] The worst dresser in baseball is definitely Butch Huskey. [Laughter] Nah, it's Chris Bosio.'' 16) If Kevin Brown is worth $105 million guaranteed for every fifth day, what are you worth? ``I have no idea. Athletes are so overpaid, it's ridiculous, but hopefully that money won't dry up before I get to it.'' 17) Movie that makes you emotional every time? ``The Untouchables, believe it or not.'' 18) Game's best and worst: Pitcher -- ``Clemens.'' Hitter -- ``Edgar Martinez.'' Player -- ``Tossup. Alomar. Bonds. Griffey.'' Swing -- ``Griffey.'' Smarts -- ``Alomar.'' Glove -- ``Omar Vizquel.'' Curve -- ``Pedro Martinez.'' Leader -- ``Derek Jeter.'' Overachiever -- ``Vinny Castilla.'' Underachiever -- ``Somebody with injuries. Todd Van Poppel.'' Best dresser -- ``Cal Ripken Jr.'' 19) True or false: I love to watch Jerry Springer? ``False.'' Clinton got what he deserved? ``True.'' Nowhere I'd rather live than South Florida? ``True.'' There's life on other planets? ``False.'' I'll hit 50 in a season? ``True. Hopefully.'' I would love to bungee-jump ``False.'' 19) If I was honest in Question 18, I would have said I am the game's best player and best dresser? [Laughter] "You answer that one for me.'' 20) Word association: Clinton -- ``Interesting.'' Jeter -- ``Greatness.'' Mom -- ``The best.'' Ripken -- ``Class.'' Alex Rodriguez -- ``Class.'' E-6 -- ``[Expletive].'' Mariners bullpen -- ``[Laughter] Inconsistent.'' Griffey -- ``Superman.'' |