From Chris: Who's a bigger ladies' man, Slo Mo or Sidd Finch (circa 1985)?
Rick Reilly: I think Sidd Finch is probably far more handsome, but once you get to know them I think Slo Mo would be far more romantic. Of course, he's a virgin, so when a groupie throws his yarmulke in a trash can, he has no idea what's happening.
From Guest: I just want to tell you that you are the greatest sportswriter of our day. Some of your articles have honestly moved me. Will you have a book coming out soon with a collection of your works?
Rick Reilly: Frank Deford used to say when people called him the World's Best Sportswriter, he called himself the World's Tallest Midget. So thank you; it won't go to my head. I'd like to come out with a collection of my best stuff if I thought I could fill a whole book.
From Pete: I loved your article about reasons to hate the Yankees. What I want to know is, are you a Red Sox fan?
Rick Reilly: I grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and the only baseball we had was the Triple-A Denver Bears. I'm only a fan of good quotes and decent column ideas.
From Guest: How great was it to be able to film a commercial with Rebecca Romijn-Stamos?
Rick Reilly: I gave it a good 10-second thought. They called and said, "How would you like to do a national ad with a supermodel, we'd fly you first class, and it would be X number of dollars?" I said, "Would you take a check?" But she'd just appeared in the paint-by-numbers Swimsuit Issue, so when I met her I said, "I have a new swimsuit for you," and I took out a small jar of my kids' modeling paint and told her to try it on.
From Guest: Do you ever believe Los Angeles pro sports teams will get off their respective high horses and win the "big one"?
Rick Reilly: I think Los Angeles was settled by a slow leak in Cleveland, so I think they're quite happy not having an NFL team of their own. No, I don't think they'll win the Super Bowl in the next 25 years. But I think the Dodgers could turn it around.
From Guest: You wrote an excellent piece about high school cheerleaders. What was the response to that column like?
Rick Reilly: I'd never received such friendly death threats. All the handwriting was so nice on the hate mail. They'd say, "I hate you!" And then they'd dot the i with a heart.
From Guest: I'm a big fan of your columns. I'm an aspiring sportswriter and I was wondering which other writers you read. Who were your role models?
Rick Reilly: I like guys who don't think sports is cancer research. My favorites are Damon Runyan, Ring Lardner, John Lardner, Dan Jenkins and Jim Murray.
From John: Why do you and SI give so much attention to golf? Golf is bland and repetitious. The PGA is full of prima donnas and you seem to put them at the same level of football and baseball players. Why?
Rick Reilly: I resent that! I put them far above football and baseball players! ... I think they're the exact opposite of prima donnas. They show up every week with no guaranteed contract, no p.r. guy, no team bus to hide in.
From Guest: How do you come up with your column ideas? One week you are writing about the Yankees and the next about hunting season. How do you choose what you are going to write about?
Rick Reilly: It's mostly drugs, lots and lots of drugs. ... I have about 200 ideas in my computer which I've saved for probably 15 years, because I've always wanted to have this column and they would never give it to me. I've been waiting for this my whole life.
From Guest: Are we supposed to feel sorry for Ken Griffey Jr.?
Rick Reilly: I wonder if it ever occurred to him that his family could move there? Wow! What a shock! The only way he would be near enough to his family is if Orlando gets a baseball team.
From Guest: Which is harder for you to write, a humorous column or a column like the one on the Columbine mom?
Rick Reilly: By far the easier to write is the dramatic column. But that interview with the Columbine mom was the only time in 21 years that I broke down and cried during the interview, and she came over and comforted me, this woman whose life is completely torn apart. And I thought, What's wrong here?
From Rob: In your book Missing Links you have many nicknames for the characters. Where do you come up with these nicknames? Are they from real people you know?
Rick Reilly: Half of those characters came from a story I did in 1988 on the worst golf course in America, which was called Ponkapoag, outside Boston. And there really was a Cementhead there. And I do have a friend named Two Down. The rest was dreamed up.
From Guest: When can we expect Missing Links 2?
Rick Reilly: I'm writing a sequel in which the characters are involved in a hockey escapade and they're calling it Missing Rinks. Actually, I have no idea. I'd like to get back to them someday.
From Guest: Who is your favorite modern athlete?
Rick Reilly: Charles Barkley. He's the smartest, funniest, he's unafraid of going out in public, he has the best memory, he's the best quote, the most honest.
From Guest: Has there ever been a more boring season for NFL football?
Rick Reilly: They should just take one giant mulligan and start again. When New Orleans beats San Francisco and Dallas beats Green Bay without the triplets, everything is upside down. The sun will come up in the west.
From Guest: What are your thoughts on the Bowl Championship Series?
Rick Reilly: I just think it's hilarious that little guys -- 114-pound guys -- with slide rules on their belts and living in their basement are deciding who's going to win the national championship. These guys would get a hernia lifting a chin strap, yet 300-pound guys who will walk with a limp the rest of their life are at their mercy. These eight computer rankings have the most power. ... Sounds like a column idea, doesn't it?
From Guest: What are your thoughts on the Lewis vs. Holyfield bout?
Rick Reilly: I thought it was half the fight of the first one, and I didn't think the first one was very good. I don't think Lewis is a worthy champion, but boxing gets what it deserves.
From Guest: Do people in Bloomington still worship Bobby Knight or has his act worn thin? It's been a while since he's had a strong team. Is today's player afraid to go there?
Rick Reilly: I would never want my son to play for Bobby Knight; I would never want my son to go hunting with Bobby Knight. I would hope they would fire Knight and hire Steve Alford; that would be a perfect match. I think Knight's act has not only worn thin, but fallen through like a soggy grocery bag.
From Matt: Of all the personalities you've encountered in your career, please name your "Dream Team" when it comes to the all-around package (not just athletic accomplishment, but how they conduct their day-to-day lives). Thanks, and keep up the great work!
Rick Reilly: At one guard, Dale Murphy, who for weeks tried to find a way to tell me he didn't want to do an interview, and when he finally got the courage to tell me I told him we'd already done it. At the other guard, Magic Johnson, who's a better man now than ever. At the center, John Elway, who got everything right at the end of his career, including his personal life. At power forward, Jack Nicklaus, whom Tiger could still learn so much from. At the other forward, Wayne Gretzky, who looked like a guy who would sack your groceries, yet stayed humble in becoming the greatest team sports athlete ever.
From Guest: It seems like morality in sports is getting worse and worse. Truthfully, is there any solution to this problem?
Rick Reilly: I'm not sure it is getting worse, just that I happen to write about people who have had morality bypass operations a lot. Actually, I think 95 percent of athletes have good morals -- but make for very boring columns.
From Guest: Will women's sports ever truly compete with its counterpart? Was Title IX worth it?
Rick Reilly: I think Title IX has been one of the best stories of the last 25 years. I think the women's national soccer team has outdone the men's by far. I think it's possible women will break the marathon record some day. I enjoy women's basketball more than the NBA playoffs. And I love the idea high school girls no longer have to dress up in circle skirts and tight sweaters to be a part of sports.
From Guest: Is it true that the N on Nebraska's helmets stands for "Never beaten Texas"?
Rick Reilly: No, it stands for Nowledge.
From Guest: Why aren't there more Clyde Frazier columns?
Rick Reilly: Because Red Smith died.
From Ryan: You once mentioned that you had a Slippery Rock sweatshirt in one of your columns. Did you attend SRU or did you just make that up?
Rick Reilly: I made it up in hopes that someone would send me one, but no one has.
From Guest: Rick, you live in Denver right now. What is your take on what is going on with the Broncos?
Rick Reilly: I think they made a huge mistake starting Brian Griese when he didn't have the respect of his teammates yet. But now that the season is lost they should get him back in there sooner than yesterday to see what he's made of. Denver lost all three of its captains, and you just don't do that.
From Guest: Please explain why Lawrence Phillips has received almost as many chances as Steve Howe -- and now it is rumored that he will get another one with the Dolphins.
Rick Reilly: Doing what?
From Brian: In your opinion, what is the single greatest moment in sports history -- and why?
Rick Reilly: Joe Louis over Max Schmelling. Joe Louis did more for his race than even Jackie Robinson. And more for America, in general, as German racist politics began to rise.
From Guest: What's the best sporting event you've ever attended?
Rick Reilly: Probably Jack Nicklaus coming back from five shots back with nine to play, at 46 years old, to win the Masters in 1986. Concessionaires left their tents, grown men climbed trees in their golf shoes. For an outdoor place it's as loud as I've ever heard.
From Guest: Rick, I'd like to get your take on Ron Dayne and 1) his chances for winning the Heisman (which should be a lock), and 2) his potential to be a great back in the NFL.
Rick Reilly: I think he's won the Heisman already, unless the Suzuki vote throws the ballot. I think he'll be a sturdy but not spectacular back in the NFL, along the lines of Christian Okoye.
From Guest: I don't cry at funerals. Is it O.K. that I do at sporting events?
Rick Reilly: Who invited Dick Vermeil?
From Guest: Is Bob Davie the second coming of Gerry Faust?
Rick Reilly: Right. I heard someone say, "An empty car pulled up to Notre Dame Stadium and Bob Davie got out."
From Guest: Do you think Tiger can match Jack's total number of major titles?
Rick Reilly: Yes, I think he can. He's got five already, counting the Amateurs, and he's probably got 23 good years left. I think he could win one a year, so, yes, I think he can top Nicklaus.
From Guest: Latrell Sprewell: a) living the American Dream, or b) living as a lucky, escaped convict?
Rick Reilly: I know if I choked my boss, showed up a week late to work and had no excuse, I would doubt sincerely I would sign a five-year contract extension the next week for twice what I was getting. So, yeah, I think he's the luckiest sumbitch ever.
From Guest: Have you "egressed" since your flight in the military jet?
Rick Reilly: I've not egressed since I egressed my sixth-grade Milk Duds flying upside down, doing 90-degree turns at 550 miles per hour at 6.5 G forces, no.
From Guest: What's your opinion of Steve Spurrier?
Rick Reilly: Not as great as Steve Spurrier's opinion of Steve Spurrier.
From Guest: Read your book with the Boz. How'd you make him appear so articulate?
Rick Reilly: It was all done with hidden wires.
From Butch: Mr. Reilly, my name is Butch Frey and I am 13 years old. I love your articles in Sports Illustrated. Every week I check the mail to see what your articles are about. I am interested in journalism and I was wondering why you chose journalism as your profession? How did you get your start?
Rick Reilly: I won a first-grade writing contest, then I won a high school journalism contest. I'd been fired at everything else I tried, including banking and car repair, so I stuck with journalism. And there's no heavy lifting.
From Guest: Considering the Spurrier statement ... what is Rick Reilly's opinion of Rick Reilly?
Rick Reilly: Far higher than it should be, I'm sure.
From Guest: Could your 12-year-old Little League team beat the Montreal Expos?
Rick Reilly: No, but our team mom's lasagna beats theirs.
CNNSI Host: That's all we have time for today. Thanks for joining us, Rick.
Rick Reilly: Thanks for all these great questions, and thanks for being so starved for entertainment that you actually read me.
