April 14, 2004

***SPOFI LOCKER ROOM INTERVIEW #18*** jbou: "You all really need to interview me." Okay, I will! I'm taking a twirl in the guest interviewer chair for this one, with Worldcup's blessing. We're going to find out a little more about the man behind the mouth: Ultimate Yankee defender, supreme hater of the Red Sox fan, jbou. Surely, he has other qualities... or something. So let's all find out!

God help me.

posted by jerseygirl to navel gazing at 11:50 AM - 87 comments

Q1. We know being a sports[filter] enthusiast doesn't pay the bills, so what industry are you in? What do you do for work?

posted by jerseygirl at 11:52 AM on April 14, 2004

A nice gentle approach shot. Firm but not aggressive. And so the match begins, folks.

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:20 PM on April 14, 2004

OK, let me guess: Accounts Receivable supervisor of Midstate Office Supply.

posted by dusted at 12:23 PM on April 14, 2004

jg vs jbou? This should be good... /leans back in chair with a bowl of popcorn...

posted by grum@work at 12:36 PM on April 14, 2004

are there milk duds in that popcorn? < /hungry>

posted by lilnemo at 01:22 PM on April 14, 2004

The following feature presentation has been rated R-for rowdy-by the Sportsfilter Interview Academy of the Locker room.

posted by garfield at 01:35 PM on April 14, 2004

You are both professional posters. You were given my instructions in the locker room. Keep it clean. Obey the rules at all times. Put on a good show. Touch gloves, and come out swingin'. Pass the popcorn.

posted by 86 at 01:51 PM on April 14, 2004

*sun sets* *crickets* *lonesome harmonica playing beside a campfire*

posted by rocketman at 02:02 PM on April 14, 2004

Brought to you by FOX.....

posted by smithers at 02:03 PM on April 14, 2004

don't go scaring him off now.

posted by jerseygirl at 02:24 PM on April 14, 2004

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tanned I'm the cowboy who never saw a cow Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how I sure ain't fixin' to start in now Yippee i oh ti-ay! Yippee i oh ti-ay!

posted by billsaysthis at 02:30 PM on April 14, 2004

My title is professional fundraiser. I work for the consulting firm Dewey Square. I've raised money for lots of Democratic candidates, Howard Dean, John Edwards, Hillary, Al Gore, and I am currently working on the Kerry campaign.

posted by jbou at 03:05 PM on April 14, 2004

Don't worry jersey, I don't scare easily.

posted by jbou at 03:05 PM on April 14, 2004

After a slow start, jbou provides an efficient and confident response, throwing a bit of steel into his swing. He needs to show that he can keep up with j-girl. This is going to be a close match, folks.

posted by worldcup2002 at 03:09 PM on April 14, 2004

What kind of work does a professional fundraiser do, jbou? Is it office work?

posted by dusted at 03:12 PM on April 14, 2004

Q2. A professional fundraiser! That sounds interesting. Thanks for working for Kerry How about some details? Is it a lot of cold calls, footwork, organizing drives, paperwork or attending activities? So, how did you get into that line of work?

posted by jerseygirl at 03:16 PM on April 14, 2004

Can I point out the odd juxtaposition of a professional fund-raiser (helping get money for people who need it) supporting the Yankees (the team least in need of a professional fund-raiser)? I can't? Oh well.

posted by grum@work at 03:18 PM on April 14, 2004

I got into the work after getting the boot from Citicorp, something about calling the VP of marketing a little wuss, and him thinking I was going to thrash him, but that's old news, now, I started at the bottom calling folks and asking them to pledge, but now I write scripts for the callers, help plan events, I'm what you'd call an all purpose back, whatever you need I can get it done. I've been lining up the big dollar folks from the other campaigns, Dean's Edwards, and getting them to give to Kerry, so I still call, but only the big dollar folks who need smoozing. My favorite job is lining up the celebrities, they want their butts kissed, and face time with the candidate. My dream job is chief of staff for a President, but I've got a ways to go before I am a 20,000 dollar a month consultant who is considered for a job like that. I've considered running for congress in my district, but my congressman John Olver has no plans to retire anytime soon.

posted by jbou at 03:33 PM on April 14, 2004

yes grum, as a liberal I really shouldn't be rooting for the evil Yankees.

posted by jbou at 03:35 PM on April 14, 2004

Honestly, was the VP of marketing a little wuss? And were you going to thrash the little wuss?

posted by garfield at 03:40 PM on April 14, 2004

Can you even be a Yankee fan and a public servant in Massachusetts? Maybe things are different out west.

posted by Jugwine at 03:44 PM on April 14, 2004

garfield, he was the type of guy the teacher left in charge of the class when she left the room, and I was the kid always getting in trouble, our personalities didn't mesh. He thought I was going to thrash him because I'm 6'4 220, and I glared at him, he had security remove me from the building. and yes, he was a wuss.

posted by jbou at 03:48 PM on April 14, 2004

Jugwine, I'd have to root for the Yankees quietly if I was going to run for office, or I could always go back home to new haven ct and run for office down their.

posted by jbou at 03:50 PM on April 14, 2004

he had security remove me from the building Have other confrontations like that happened!!??

posted by dusted at 03:52 PM on April 14, 2004

dusted, I used to be security, in my younger years I was the doorman at Toads Place in New Haven. I usually am the guy breaking up the fights, but like I said this guy, and I didn't mesh. he was a lttle rat.

posted by jbou at 03:56 PM on April 14, 2004

jgirl continues with her initial strategy, revealing an approach with deeper complexity. And jbou keeps pace beautifully, all the while dispatching distractions from the over-enthusiastic gallery. A laser focus, this one.

posted by worldcup2002 at 05:38 PM on April 14, 2004

Thanks for working for Kerry See? Look what's been accomplished: common ground between mortal enemies. Wait, is this a cage match or a cuddle match? Enough with the sparring, let's get it on!

posted by dusted at 05:57 PM on April 14, 2004

Q3. Well, I am glad I am not the only person you consider a wuss. hey, was that guy a red sox fan? On to other likes and dislikes. What blows up your skirt as far as music, movies, tv? What was the last book you read?

posted by jerseygirl at 06:07 PM on April 14, 2004

Music: Tom Waits, the blues in general. Led Zep, and a lot of classic rock. I like rap music, the greatest rap song ever is "Shook ones part 2" by Mobb Deep, the greatest rap album is "Liquid Swoards" by the Gza. My mp3 collection is all over the place, it begins with A Perfect Circle, and ends with ZZTop, in between there are 2500 songs. Movies: older flicks, I like Stalag 17, On the Waterfront, Treasure of the Sieara Madre, the 70's had some of my favorites of all time, Cool Hand Luke, Cukoos nest, Chinatown, The Sting, too many to name, the 80's, when I was a teenager, I liked the Breakfast Club, I was a cross between the jock and the criminal in high school, Say Anything, and Fast Times. My favorite sports movies, Bull Durham, Any Given Sunday, Slapshot, Major League. TV: That's easy, The shield, The Sopranos, The Wire, NYPD Blue, South Park, the Chappelle Show, the Daily Show, and lots of C Span. Books: I just finished Richard Clarke's "Against All Eneimies", it was good, but I'd like to see it fact checked. I just started "A People's History of The Supreme Court", surprisingly it's not written by Howard Zinn, it's by Peter Irons. Andrea, I don't consider you a "wuss", a mascicist yes, a wuss no.

posted by jbou at 06:49 PM on April 14, 2004

Q4. Impressive... well, except for the CSpan. You describe your younger self as a criminal or a kid always in trouble. What kind of trouble did you get into as a kid, or um, now? Did you spend a lot of time in detention or suspended? And uh hey, have you ever been in the clink? You know... jail, the pokey, the big house, the pen, the compound. Done any overnights?

posted by jerseygirl at 07:06 PM on April 14, 2004

I got a fiver on a "yes" for the last part. At least a few days in juvie.

posted by dusted at 07:20 PM on April 14, 2004

Yes, I have spent a few overnights in a jail for various reasons, but I've never been convicted of anything. My life took some twists in my late teens and early 20's that got me into some trouble, I was kicked out of Syracuse University, I was their to play football, but got hurt, stopped going to class, and got booted. I returned to my parents house where things weren't good, and they kicked me out, so there I was young, dumb, and full of shit, so I got a job at a bar, got involved in drug dealing, collecting money for a bookie, and other various criminal activities. I did this for a few years till I was nearly shot, so then I took off to Amherst MA where I settled down into a nice peaceful boring existence. The only thing that gets me in trouble now a days is women.

posted by jbou at 08:07 PM on April 14, 2004

Well... we all have our pasts and everyone makes mistakes I guess, right? Q5. So hey, it seems like you've lived a lot of life already. Were you born and raised in CT? How long have you lived in cow-country Amherst? So how old are you? ok, now it's back to watching The OC

posted by jerseygirl at 08:25 PM on April 14, 2004

The OC? I guess we all need our guilty pleasures. I was born and raised in CT, I moved to cow country as you call it, funny, no cows but plenty of Bison, in 1994. I'm 33 going to be 34 in September.

posted by jbou at 08:31 PM on April 14, 2004

Dude, no knocking The OC. Luke is totally about to crash his truck in a drunk driving accident and kill himself. That said, you're right. a total guilty pleasure. (this could be the quickest interview ever).

posted by jerseygirl at 08:34 PM on April 14, 2004

this could be the quickest interview ever). You caught me home sick from work, so I'm bored till South Park comes on, so keep the questions rolling.

posted by jbou at 08:45 PM on April 14, 2004

Andrea, I don't consider you a "wuss", a mascicist yes, a wuss no. What's a mascicist?

posted by wfrazerjr at 09:07 PM on April 14, 2004

The only thing that gets me in trouble now a days is women. I believe an illuminating anecdote would be in order, Mr. J. Especially if you have one that involves more than one woman.

posted by billsaysthis at 09:08 PM on April 14, 2004

hey, let me do the interview. then you guys can question the witness!

posted by jerseygirl at 09:11 PM on April 14, 2004

And what position did you play? Developing as a tight end? Fullback? Backer?

posted by wfrazerjr at 09:12 PM on April 14, 2004

Q6. Okay, so women give you trouble. Details details! Are you married? Have you ever been? Have a girlfriend? Any little jbous? And for the otherwise unspoken for ladies, what do you look like besides 6'4, 220?

posted by jerseygirl at 09:13 PM on April 14, 2004

*horns in on Jgirl's action* Mr. Jbou! Mr. Jbou! Would you please point the finger at someone for 9/11! Right now, before we have answers from the commission!

posted by wfrazerjr at 09:14 PM on April 14, 2004

hahaha.

posted by jerseygirl at 09:16 PM on April 14, 2004

I played linebacker. Women: I live in a college town, and I work at a place that employs a lot of college aged women, so I've ended up dating quite a few. I've never been married, no little jbous, the only trouble is that I like dating more then one at a time, and I have brown hair, blue eyes, I get complimented on my eyes and smile all the time.

posted by jbou at 09:24 PM on April 14, 2004

and, um, how would you describe your forearms?

posted by goddam at 09:36 PM on April 14, 2004

LOL.

posted by jerseygirl at 09:36 PM on April 14, 2004

goddam, jersey could swing from them, but she's engaged iirc? Now that'd be passionate, a yankee fan dating a red sox fan.

posted by jbou at 09:45 PM on April 14, 2004

no, that would be against nature and could only end in disaster and/or bloodshed. it would be a union that would never ever work. like oil and water. fire and water. j'lo and anyone. besides, i'm good with my red sox fiance. i'll swing from his big arms instead! but hey all is not lost because goddam is a yankee fan, jbou. get her digits, man! and we're moving right along... Q7. Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty. What's your deal as a Yankee follower? Some say you aren't a true fan. Some say you're a poor sport. Yankee fans on SpoFi have disassociated themselves with you. What's with the bad 'tude, dude? Who got you hooked on the team and when did you start following the Yankees?

posted by jerseygirl at 10:01 PM on April 14, 2004

Now we get to the meat and potatoes.

posted by dusted at 10:57 PM on April 14, 2004

Yankee fans on SpoFi have disassociated themselves with you. Tough interview. I like it.

posted by justgary at 11:44 PM on April 14, 2004

I got hooked on the Yankees in 1977, how could I not they were the best that year plus wpix 11 covered the Yankees and they had a cooler intro song then the Mets did on channel 9, I was 8, so give me a break. So I was a diehard Yankee fan through the 80's, and that was no fun , the host of horrible moves, the bad free agent signings, everything was wrong. I started gambling a lot in 1990, and I stopped caring about the teams I rooted for, and worried about point spreads, injuries, and all that crap. After losing lots of money I got cynical, and didn't give a rats ass who won or lost. I do take a sick pleasure in watching the die hard sox fans suffer, I can't explain it, i just do. I watch baseball now a days because it's fun, i have a couple of fantasy teams, and yeah, I sort of root for the Yankees, but my cynical side shines through, and I don't get too invested.

posted by jbou at 12:27 AM on April 15, 2004

Q8. All righty then. What do you think of the Red Sox this year compared to the Yankees? What do you think are the weaknesses on both sides? This may be the hardest question yet. No name calling. And, uh, say something nice about the Red Sox and the Red Sox fans.

posted by jerseygirl at 09:12 AM on April 15, 2004

What's a mascicist? A dedicated Dinosaur Jr. fan.

posted by LionIndex at 11:05 AM on April 15, 2004

LionIndex: now that's funny.

posted by jeffmshaw at 11:16 AM on April 15, 2004

and the interview has come to a screaming halt.

posted by jerseygirl at 01:35 PM on April 15, 2004

I dunno. For an interaction between a Red Sox fan and a Yankee fan there's been precious little screaming if you ask me.

posted by Jugwine at 02:22 PM on April 15, 2004

I'm trying to be civil here. (I like to save our bitch slapping matches for the actual FPP threads. HA-HA) I'm maintaining a Katie Couric-esque zen. Tough questions I think, different questions I think, not pansying around with "so... who is your favorite Yankee?"

posted by jerseygirl at 02:47 PM on April 15, 2004

Hehe, sorry, I didn't mean that to sound like a criticism, only a play off of your 'screaming halt' metaphor. Feel free to ignore my failed attempts at humor ;)

posted by Jugwine at 03:04 PM on April 15, 2004

it's ok! i wasn't taking it too seriously, really. i just decided getting into this interview that i'd be laid back, but not wuss around. john kerry must be raking in the dough today.

posted by jerseygirl at 03:06 PM on April 15, 2004

It's "giv Jon Keree some turkee" day at Eschaton. Maybe jbou is Atrios. Though I don't picture Atrios as a Yankee fan.

posted by jeffmshaw at 03:13 PM on April 15, 2004

uh, hello, Kerry did rake in the money today, 10 million in nyc alone. But on to the Sox, they look good this year, but hell, they looked good last year, and they added Schilling, and Foulke. I think the Sox, and Yanks will beat the crap out of each other this year, and the O's will sneak in and win the division, but the survivor of the Sox yanks battle will get into the World Series, and win it.

posted by jbou at 05:52 PM on April 15, 2004

Q9. Okay. When you aren't raising money for Kerry, chasing the ladies, or following/playing sports, what do you do in your spare time?

posted by jerseygirl at 07:17 PM on April 15, 2004

*still waiting for that story about women trouble*

posted by billsaysthis at 07:46 PM on April 15, 2004

still waiting for that story about women trouble So far we know that Jbou is 6'4, 220 with brown hair and blue eyes which often receive compliments (along with his smile). His job is hobnobbing with celebrities to raise millions for high profile political players. He's well read and watches cspan when he's not breaking up fights. He got involved in drug dealing, collecting money for a bookie and other various criminal activities when he was younger, but would now like to run for congress one day if a seat ever opens up. His only fault is that he likes dating more than one college aged woman at a time. I'm guessing women must be lined up at his door, and his troubles legendary. If we had more women at spofi I'd be willing to bet that at least one would be stalking him at this point in the interview. Hell, if I wasn't married I might be doing just that. (If he also volunteers for the special olympics and works at a homeless shelter in his spare time I will name my first born after him.) ;-)

posted by justgary at 09:24 PM on April 15, 2004

My spare time is spent reading, swimming, and surfing the net. I really don't have much spare time, when you are dating more then one woman your time is well spent.

posted by jbou at 09:57 AM on April 16, 2004

What a fitting time to end this: We're wrapping up as the Yankees and Red Sox are going to battle for the first time this season. I, for one, am already getting my "booooooo!" in optimum tone and volume for tonight's game. and here we go. Q10. You're no stranger to arguments, name calling, or what some may consider kind of wonky behavior on these pages regarding teams, people, fantasy baseball... Hey, we all get fired up, but I think most of us agree that you take it to a different level. And recently, when people considered you a bad/poor Yankee fan, you actually seemed surprised.

So that being said, I have to wonder jbou, if you have any uneasiness about your time here at SpoFi or maybe some of your behavior. That is, if you could have a "do-over", would you take it? Any regrets about your time on SpoFi and if so, what about?

posted by jerseygirl at 10:34 AM on April 16, 2004

and after jbou answers, the floor is open for comments and further questions. thanks guys! :) what happened to worldcup's golf-like commentary?

posted by jerseygirl at 10:35 AM on April 16, 2004

what a judgemental question.

posted by garfield at 10:51 AM on April 16, 2004

garfield, I would have started with that one, so I think jersey's doing pretty good.

posted by dusted at 11:24 AM on April 16, 2004

ok, sorry. i don't lurk around enough in baseball threads.

posted by garfield at 11:52 AM on April 16, 2004

what a judgemental question. what did i do now?

posted by jerseygirl at 11:56 AM on April 16, 2004

What comes naturally as a Sox fan. There's nothing to apologize for here ('cept maybe the lack of a good beating, but that's 50/50).

posted by yerfatma at 12:57 PM on April 16, 2004

Nope, jgirl did it perfectly. Start with the easy questions, finish with the bomb. It keeps your subject from running out the door without you having material ... or allows you to run out the door with most of your questions answered before the subject can sock you in the nose.

posted by wfrazerjr at 02:33 PM on April 16, 2004

sorry, j-girl. don't mean to criticize a great interview. it just seems i've lost my sense of what is cool 'round these parts.

posted by garfield at 03:24 PM on April 16, 2004

Bah. Jbou's a big boy. He can handle it. He use to be a linebacker. I bet he enjoys controversy ;)

posted by justgary at 07:12 PM on April 16, 2004

Hey, we could've asked him about the time we dragged him into MetaTalk and inflicted our infamous death of a thousand paper cuts.

posted by rcade at 08:27 PM on April 16, 2004

Tell me more about these thousand papercuts.

posted by jerseygirl at 10:49 PM on April 16, 2004

They were hardly papercuts, you all over at mefi take yourselves way too seriously, but I got my membership revoked,and then reinstated, no biggie. As for my attitude in the threads here, it's just general ball busting, some people take ball busting better then others. If it came across as surprised then I should have thrown the sarcasm tags around it, because I was being sarcastic, I know you all didn't think I was a "good" Yankee fan. Besides, isn't being a "good" Yankee fan an oxymoron? it's like being a good storm trooper. You know jersey, it was never personal during the fantasy baseball league last year, I'm just ultra competitive at times, and like I said, I like to bust balls.

posted by jbou at 12:12 AM on April 17, 2004

You just watch yourself--we're wanted men. I have the death sentence on twelve systems.

posted by rocketman at 08:43 AM on April 17, 2004

Well jbou I'm a girl, I don't have balls. And hey, thanks for the interview... it was... interesting.

posted by jerseygirl at 09:21 AM on April 17, 2004

Girls don't have balls? You learn something new every day.

posted by squealy at 09:42 AM on April 17, 2004

you all over at mefi take yourselves way too seriously Hey, Jbou and I agree on something. Good interview, though I expected more fireworks from jbou, but he was all calm and stuff...almost...calculated. ;)

posted by justgary at 10:54 AM on April 17, 2004

j-girl: what happened to worldcup's golf-like commentary?< ?i> *stumbles over from the clubhouse* Oh, sssshhh, there it ish, folksh, j-girl drivesh to the hole, "dropsh the bomb" ash shome of our urban contemporary friendsh like to shay. Takesh the direct route, the culmination of her carefully-cultivated gameplan. And one-sh again, jbou, was equal to the tashk. Shimply met it, almosht aikido-like. A shuperb job by both. A delicate delishioush dansh between two blood-thirshty rivals, from shtart to fnishshshsh. Well, here, I want to record my thanksh to the lovely waitshtaff at the clubhoush, jusht shplendid, shplendid. Thish ish Herb Blowdry, shigning off for ShpoFi Shportsh. Shhh.... Shomebody get thish fucking mike and wiresh off me. Shhh. Who took my handsh ... I can't feel my fucking fingersh ...

posted by worldcup2002 at 02:08 PM on April 19, 2004

herb blowdry. huh huh

posted by garfield at 02:28 PM on April 19, 2004

Oh man, Worldcup just Joe Namathed.

posted by jerseygirl at 05:40 PM on April 19, 2004

I'm not sure what you mean, j-girl. Tell me more.

posted by worldcup2002 at 10:01 PM on April 19, 2004

I'm just guessing wc2002, but I assume it's a reference to this.

posted by squealy at 04:21 AM on April 20, 2004

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