Tony Gwynn Interview Part 1: Pepsi Max Promotion and the All-Star Game

We were asked if we wanted to interview Padres legend Tony Gwynn last week.   Gwynn would be at the All-Star game doing phone interviews as a spokesperson for Pepsi MAX, the cola with maximum taste and zero calories. It was explained to us that in the interview he'd play the part of the knowledgeable Hall of Famer and we would play the part of the dumb, star struck bloggers.

I was super nervous.  You see, Tony the Gwynn is my favorite baseball player of all time. What if it turns out that he hates me?  I'd be crushed.  I almost convinced myself that it would be better to pass on the interview just so I wouldn't have to know that he hates me, but in the end I relented and would accept Gwynn's judgement.

I then begged Dex and Jon to help me come up with questions for Gwynn but they just brushed me off saying "You don't need to do anything, just let Tony talk the whole time.  It'll be easy."  They were zero help.  Zero, like the number of calories in a Pepsi MAX.

I came up with about 15 questions and stories from my youth for our 10 minute interview just in case he clammed up on me.  Fortunately Gwynn carried the interview like he carried so many Padres teams during the 80's and 90's.

Gwynn is part of the Pepsi MAX Field of Dreams promotion.  When I first read the description of the promotion it seemed like some nerdy Fantasy Baseball team where you theoretically played against baseball legends on paper or in your imagination or something.  I thought maybe it was like LARPing (note to self: start Baseball LARPing league). 

It took Tony Gwynn explaining the promotion for me to actually understand.  If you vote and win the contest, you can get a group of your friends together and play these legends in real life on a field near you.  I want to go to there.  

Here's Gwynn's explanation of the Field of Dreams promotion:

I also asked him if there were any changes he'd make to the All-Star Game.  I remember him saying that he had two suggestions, I forget what they were now.  I better re-listen with you.

You know what I just noticed?  Both of his answers are exactly 1:18 seconds.  Weird.

Anyway, more segments of the interview to follow....