Friday Favorites: Chris Nelson

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Ben Tompkins was joined by Chris Nelson in this week’s edition of Friday Favorites. (c. Patrick L. Pfister/pfoto.com)[/caption]

Louisville, it’s Friday — Time for another edition of Friday Favorites. You know me, if you don’t, you can get to know me @bennytomp18 on Twitter. This week I was joined by Chris Nelson, Bats third baseman and cleanup hitter, and we had some fun choppin’ it up on the mic.

I highly encourage you listen to the interview here on SoundCloud to fully capture the light-hearted, laid back atmosphere that these are conducted in, but if you’d rather read the interview, for your convenience I’ve transcribed it for you below. If you’ve missed the last few Friday Favorites I’ve done with Fellhauer, Rogers, or Bourgeois, be sure to check them out.

Ben Tompkins (BT): I normally open up with story time; you’ve been playing professional baseball since ’04 so I’m sure through traveling with the teams and going out at night you’ve collected some funny stories — What’s your favorite?

Chris Nelson (CN): My favorite road story would have to be my first year playing baseball; we were in Casper, Wyoming. So we get on a bus ride and we have a thing that you don’t poop on the bus because that’s just something you don’t do. So we’ve got a Latin guy and he went to the back of the bus and I don’t know what happened, but when he came out, it was one of those things where it was a horrible smell and he was going, “Hey man, me no poo-poo on the bus! Me no poo-poo on the bus!” But it was one of those things that, you know, it smelled for like nine or ten hours but it was pretty hilarious.

BT: Who is your favorite athlete and why?

CN: Miguel Tejada, he was my favorite baseball player growing up as a kid, he works hard and he’s just one of those guys you want to mimic when you’re coming up.

BT: Who is your favorite rapper in the game?

CN: I would have to go with T.I., he’s one of my favorites. I like Chief Keef, you know, Young Jeezy of course, all my people from Atlanta. Then some up and coming guys, my man Runway Richie, one of my homeboys who’s uhh..

BT: On the come-up?

CN: On the come-up, yeah, he’s on his way.

BT: Okay so you’re in a bar — First of all are you married?

CN: Yes I am.

BT: Okay so pre-marriage, Chris Nelson is out at the bar, you see a cute little thing walk by, what are you opening up with?

CN: *Smiling* What’s up? What’s happening?

BT: What’s your pickup line?

CN: That’s it! You know, once I get to talking man, it just flows.

BT: But those days are behind us?

CN: Oh yeah way behind us, way behind us *laughing*

BT: What’s your favorite place to eat that you can’t in Kentucky?

CN: Ohh, Mo’ Better Chicken.

BT: Mo’ Better Chicken?

CN: Yeah, it’s a spot that’s close to where I live, it’s called Mo’ Better Chicken.

BT: And it’s fire?

CN: Oh my gosh, it’s the best chicken I’ve had in a long time.

BT: If you weren’t playing baseball, what would you want to be doing?

CN: Uhmm.. I’d probably want to be uhh.. I don’t even know.

BT: You don’t know?

CN: No, no clue.

BT: Just, nothing?

CN: Nothing. Drink coffee, all day *laughing* be a coffee drinker.

BT: *laughing* Alright, what kind of coffee?

CN: Something macchiato, four shots of espresso, little milk, some soy.

BT: Dude, four shots of espresso? That’s a ton!

CN: Ahh nah, it’s perfect.

BT: *laughing* You just get jacked up off coffee?

CN: Jacked up all day, it never stops.

BT: What’s the one thing that you’ve always wanted to do, but you’ve never wanted anybody to find out about — If you could do that one thing, what would it be?

CN: I would probably want to be in a rock band or something. Like a drummer but I wouldn’t want anybody to know it.

BT: What would be your drummer name?

CN: Drumdies.

BT: *laughing* Drumdies?

CN: *laughing* Yeah, Drumdies, for sure.

BT: Alright — Johnny Manziel, Gronk, Charlie Sheen — Who would you want to be for a week?

CN: Charlie Sheen for sure! *laughing* 100 percent Charlie Sheen.

BT: *laughing* Why?

CN: *laughing* I mean…

BT: *laughing* We’ll keep it off of this?

CN: *busts out laughing* Charlie Sheen for sure! I mean the man does TV shows, he’s in commercials…

BT: Everything else.. Stuff..

CN: *laughing* Everything else! Why not? Charlie Sheen, for sure.

BT: In the Bats clubhouse right now, who would you be most scared to get in a fight with?

CN: Myself! I ain’t scared of nobody else.

BT: Who would be your easiest competition?

CN: Jumbo [Diaz].

BT: Really?

CN: Jumbo and Big Russ.

BT: Dude, Jumbo is big though.

CN: So? They’re the biggest ones, that’s who you’ve got to go after first! You have to go after the big ones first.

BT: Not the size of the dog in the fight right?

CN: Exactly! You gotta go after the big boys, man!

BT: Who is the funniest guy to be in the clubhouse with if you’re just kicking it?

CN: Uhm, I would have to go Jumbo probably.

BT: He’s a funny dude?

CN: Yeah, Jumbo is funny. Especially playing cards — We play a game called the big two and he’s hilarious when we play. He thinks he’s the best but he’s not the best.

BT: Who is the best?

CN: Me, of course.

BT: Oh okay. I should have known, I shouldn’t have even had to ask that question.

CN: What was the question for?

BT: I have no idea, you know what? That’s on me. *Smiling* Do better right?

CN: *Laughing* Do better.

BT: And lastly, what is your favorite quote or piece of advice that someone passed down to you, a mantra that sticks with you to this day?

CN: Respect everything, be in awe of nothing.

BT: What’s that mean?

CN: You know, you go out there and you might face Derek Jeter one day, and you’re like “Oh wow, that’s Derek Jeter,” you know, you respect that he’s Derek Jeter, but don’t sit there and be in awe and let the moment entrap you.

Louisville I’ll be back next week, like I said last week if there’s a player or somebody that you want to see one of these done with, let me know, Tweet me @bennytomp18. From the heart of beautiful downtown Louisville and Louisville Slugger Field, I’m Ben Tompkins, stick to the script baby.

Ben Tompkins is a media relations intern for the Louisville Bats. You can follow him on Twitter @bennytomp18 and on Instagram @bennythekid01.