TheBiofile.com » Sports Moments

Biofile with Francesca Schiavone

Scoop Malinowski — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:34:11 +0000

Status: 2010 Roland Garros champion defeated Stosur in final. Member of Italy’s championship Fed Cup Team. Has career wins over Henin, Serena Williams, Patty Schnyder, Monica Seles, Kim Clijsters, Mauresmo, Elena Dementieva, Dinara Safina and Nadia Petrova. Reached French Open womens doubles final in 2008 (w/ Dellacqua).

Ht: 5-5 1/2 Wt: 141

DOB: June 23, 1980 in Milan, Italy.

Tennis Inspirations: “I think Agassi, Sampras when they played against each other a lot of times. I like to see each other, to fight together against. I like to see, when I was younger, Steffi Graf and Seles. Those people. Yes. Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe.”

Hobbies/Interests: “I like to read. To fly. (Airplanes? Hangliders?) Yes, and helicopters. But I don’t drive, I go. (Do you jump out and parachute?) No. But I will try. I like to write. And a lot to go with friends, to enjoy an evening. To stay with friends. (You write poetry?) Yes. When I go to the beach, what I see.”

Favorite Movies: “Cartoons [smiles]. Like Shrek, Tarzan, Disney a lot.”

Favorite TV Shows: “It’s Italian show. You know when someone organize against you something, it’s a joke? I like it.”

Musical Tastes: “I like…I’m Italian…Mina, Eros Ramazotti, Eliza, Madonna, Robbie Williams and some opera.”

Last Book Read: “How do you call it…’Il Cacciatore De Aquiloni’ by Khaled Hosseini.”

Favorite Meal: “Pizza.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Licorice.”

First Tennis Memory: “Enjoy and like play volley. I remember that I was keep it going on the net (age 11).”

First Car: “That I bought — VW Golf (white).”

Current Car: “Mercedes (black).”

Greatest Sports Moments: “Winning Roland Garros. And the Fed Cup.”

Most Painful Moment: “Three or four years ago. When I don’t feel good myself, in me. I didn’t work very good. I had some problems at home. And everything was following me.”

Favorite Tournament: “Roland Garros.”

Pre-Match Feeling: “Many emotions. I believe so much in myself. And I try to stay focused on my play – don’t think about other things. Play and enjoy, really enjoy, from the heart.”

Favorite Players To Watch: “Federer against Nadal.”

Closest Tennis Friends: “No friends [laughs]. Some Italians.”

Funniest Players Encountered: “Me [smiles].”

Toughest Competitors: “Justine Henin.”

Funny Tennis Memory: “Four days, we’re at U.S. Open. Big, big match (fourth round vs. Ai Sugiyama), it was long four days. If I remember now I laugh. Rainy, rainy, keep going. Ball kids hit here (in face) glasses — the umpire. And she (opponent) had volley here to close the match and she missed. And I ran so much. And a mix of everything happened. Four days we keep going inside outside. (Schiavone won and made the 2003 U.S. Open quarterfinals.)”

Embarrassing Memory: “Come on, you’re too smart. Too smart questions [laughter]. Too hard for me.”

Last Vacation: “I really would like to go to South Africa. That’s all please [laughter]!!”

Just Two More: What match or two did you feel your very best, where you feel the joy of tennis most? “Often. Often I feel to enjoy tennis.”

And, Last Question — People Qualities Most Admired: “Respect. Passion. Funny.”

Read more about tennis at Scoop’s tennis site www.tennis-prose.com

Biofile with C. C. Sabathia

Scoop Malinowski — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:56:41 +0000

Status: New York Yankees pitcher.

Ht: 6-7 Wt: 280

DOB: July 21, 1980 In: Vallejo, CA

Baseball Inspiration: “Ken Griffey Jr.”

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “PlayStation, that’s about it really. Golfing also.”

Nicknames: “Just C.C.”

Favorite Movies: “Scarface, Goodfellas.”

Favorite TV Shows: “My favorite TV show right now is Entourage.”

Musical Tastes: “Rap, hip-hop, Jay-Z.”

First Job: “Baseball.”

First Car: “I had a Chevy Camaro (black) when I first signed.”

Current Car: “Range Rover.”

Early Baseball Memory: “Hittin’ a grand slam to win the game in Little League all-stars.”

Favorite Meal: “Fried chicken.”

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Froot Loops.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Strawberry.”

Pre-Game Feeling: “Dominate.”

Greatest Sports Moments: “Pitching in the playoffs, pitching and winning in the playoffs. Winning the World Series.”

Most Painful Moment: “Losing in my junior year in high school in the championship. We went into it kind of big-headed and got our butts kicked.”

Favorite Uniforms: “I like the Giants.”

Favorite Ballpark: “Kansas City.”

Closest Baseball Friends: “Man, I got a lot of them…Carl Crawford, Dave Riske, hmmm, whole bunch of guys I could name. I don’t want to leave anybody out.”

Funniest Players: “A lot of them too.”

Toughest Competitors: “Manny Ramirez. (What is it about him?) It’s just like he don’t worry about anything that’s going on. It could be the first game of the season or Game Seven of the World Series and he’s the same.”

Funny Memory: “Lots of things. My very first game, Lance Berkman got a base hit. And I saw him talkin’ over at first base with Jim Thome. And I picked him off, so that was kinda funny.”

Embarrassing Memory: “Fallin’ off the mound in Colorado. My cleat got caught in the dirt.”

Favorite Vacation Spot: “Cabo.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “Just good personality. Genuine people who listen, who you can talk to, just a good personality. Someone approachable.”

Biofile with Juan Manuel Lopez

Scoop Malinowski — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:27:04 +0000

Status: WBO Featherweight champion. His record is 28-0 (25 KO’s).

Ht: 5-7 Wt: 126

DOB: June 30, 1983 In: Rio Pedras, Puerto Rico

First Boxing Memory: “I started boxing when I was nine. I won my first fight in the first round by knockout, in 56 seconds. It was a very

short fight.”

Boxing Inspirations: “Two boxers inspired me – Felix Trinidad and Wilfredo Gomez.”

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “Go to theater and play golf.”

Favorite Movie: “Rocky and all the sequels.”

Musical Tastes: Salsa merengue, Victor Manuel, Marc Anthony.”

Last Book Read: “About the boxing champions born in Puerto Rico – Crib of Champions.”

Favorite TV Show: “Sopranos.”

Pre-Fight Meal: “Meat and very high carbs.”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “Be a very smart and very patient fighter.”

Current Car: “Ford Explorer and Chrysler Town & Country.”

Favorite Fights: “Felix Trinidad-Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad-Vargas.”

Typical Breakfast: “Eggs, ham and cheese.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Pralines.”

Greatest Sports Moments: “The opprtunity to win the world title and to win the world title (KO 1 Daniel Ponce de Leon for WBO Junior Feather).”

Most Painful Moment: “When I lost – in the Olympic Games in Athens (to Khavazhi Khatsigov of Belarus).”

Last Vacation: “Disney World.”

Toughest Opponent: “A fight in Chicago against a fighter named Hugo Dianzo (2007). He was a very smart fighter, he moves a lot, he hold me a lot. And it was a very uncomfortable fight.”

What Would You Be If You Weren’t A Successful Boxer: “I don’t know. I always dreamed about being a great boxer. But I started as EMS technician (emergency) but I always had dreams to be a great boxer.”

Funny Boxing Memory: “I was in the amateur career, getting down from the ring and I slipped on the stairs and I fell down on the floor. In front of everybody [smiles].”

People Qualities Most Admired: “Very kind person and very low-key person who can accept everybody.”

Family: Wife, Barbara; five children.

Translation: Joel Colon.

Biofile with Tie Domi

Scoop Malinowski — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:26:07 +0000

Status: Former NHL right winger for Toronto, New York and Winnipeg.

Ht: 5-feet-10 Wt: 200 pounds

DOB: Nov. 1, 1969 In: Windsor, Ont.

Hockey Inspirations: “Tiger Williams, Paul Holmgren and Bobby Clarke. They weren’t the most talented, they worked hard for everything they got and they showed up for every game.”

First Hockey Memory: “I started to play when I was nine because all my friends played. When I was in peewee, we were in the semifinals for all of Ontario. All of Ontario. Game seven, double overtime and I scored the winner and we went on to win the championship in four straight. Highlight of my career as a kid. I was a scorer as a kid.”

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “Golf, spending time with my kids.”

Nicknames: “Tugger. I don’t know why. Dave Shaw started calling me that.”

Favorite Movies: “Goodfellas, The Godfather, Slapshot.”

All-Time Favorite TV Shows: “Happy Days, Baretta.”

Musical Tastes: “Eagles.”

Pregame Feeling: “Try to think about what I have to do on the ice. Stay focused. Try not too think too much. Mark Messier used to always say, ‘Don’t think, just play.’ Believe it or not, it really helped. I used to be a real rah-rah guy. But I changed. I calmed down a lot. Became more subtle in the dressing room. Different ways of preparing myself. Another thing Messier said to me was, ‘Get rid of those damn superstitions. You’re young, by the time you’re 30 you’ll drive yourself crazy.’ And it’s true, too. I saw guys and they have to do everything in so many different ways. And I just laughed. I was the same way at one time. I had a couple like everyone else but not 10 or 20 like some guys.”

Favorite Meal: “Chicken parmesan.”

Greatest Sports Moments: “Getting drafted to the NHL in the second round by Toronto. Winning the Presidents’ Trophy as a New York Ranger (1992).”

Most Painful Moment: “Breaking my ankle in junior; fell the wrong way in a rut. Missed six weeks.”

Closest Hockey Friend(s): “Wendel Clark, Adam Graves.”

Toughest Competitors Encountered: “Mark Messier definitely. Just so competitive. He hates losing. I played with him for a few years and I learned more from him than anybody, on and off the ice. Spent a lot of time with him. I don’t think there’s a more competitive guy in professional sports. I think he’s one of the all-time greatest athletes ever.”

Funny Hockey Memory: “Lindy Ruff and Mark Hardy, when I was with the Rangers, they used to always pull practical jokes on me. They did everything to me. You name it and they did it. One time Lindy Ruff sewed my pants on me. Back of my pants. I didn’t know it was there. I couldn’t see it. I was walking through the crowd, signing autographs in San Diego for an exhibition game. Every time I walked by someone, they laughed at me. I’m like, ‘What the hell is going on?’ Finally, I get on the bus and the whole bus is howling at me. Tony Amonte is just dying – and he’s got the loudest laugh in the world. I’m looking…what the hell is it? Finally I took my pants and then I saw it. Uggghh. He did a good job. One of the most embarrassing moments.”

Favorite Arenas To Play: “Madison Square Garden and Joe Louis Arena.”

Favorite Players To Watch: “John McEnroe was my all-time favorite. So competitive; he hated losing. Got real carried away sometimes, but he did anything to win. I really believe in that. I’ll do anything to win. Just the way I am and will always be. Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier – it was an honor being on the ice with those three. New York Yankees. I liked Deion Sanders, too. He was a little cocky, didn’t care what people thought. I like that. I used to be like that. When you’re trying to get that extra attention, you don’t have respect for your peers. In hockey, it’s different. We’re all very humble guys. Hockey is such a humble sport. Because everybody’s clock is ticking and once it stops, it stops. That’s it. We’re all in the same boat. Most of us were brought up the same way. We’re like a big fraternity. But on the ice, it’s like war.”

Personality Qualities Most Admired: “My father (John). He was fearless. He escaped from Albania with nothing and he came to Canada and worked to get everything he had to give his family a good life.”