by Tuba

As we delve deeper into the football season, I will try and provide a little break in what can be an intense and anxious season. Seriously, how many times are you going to read about Brady Quinn's quest for glory and how our passing game leaves little to be desired? Can't win the game in the papers so below is an interview I conducted with Bobby Scales, a member of the Philadelphia Phillies triple-A farm team in Scranton, PA and more importantly, a '99 from Michigan who captained the team that same year. Homeboy drops the knowledge on The ATL, Michigan, College Baseball and even mans up and puts a prediction out there for this weekends game...

TH -

B. Scales, what was the competition like growing up in the dirty dirty?

BS - The competition in Atlanta was thick man. Where I grew up we play some of the best high school and summer ball in the country. Some of the guys that I played with: Michael Barrett, Kyle Farnsworth (High School Teammate), Marlon Byrd, Brent Abernathy,Adam Everett, Jeff Backus( starting right tackle for Detroit Lions and fellow UM Alum), Andy Kropf (Ex-Tigers Minor Leaguer and Ocean Street lead singer...more on him next week). There are more I just can't remember them all.

TH - Why'd you choose to come up north to play ball at Michigan?

BS - I chose Michigan for the academics, baseball was an afterthought. In my house school was first and everything else was secondary. Not that athletics didn't matter but getting good grades was the most important thing and my folks were hard on me about that. At the same time my Dad demanded that if I was going to play sports that I put in the work and be good at that too. I don't believe in participating in something just for the experience and I got that belief from him.

I was fairly sure that I wanted sports to be in my life for ever and Michigan's sports mangement program is one of the best in the world so that was a no brainer for me.

TH - How can college baseball increase it's popularity?

BS - I think that college baseball is very popular. The problem that college baseball has is that it really starts to heat up around the end of March and beginning of April and that is the same time that mlb clubs are breaking spring training and going north. So when given the choice people are going to watch major league baseball over a college game most of the time. Also there are some people that just hate college athletics. So I think it is very difficult to win over people that don't watch college sports and in particular college baseball. The best thing to do is to get kids to like it while they are young and then they will stay with it.

TH - Can you believe you're playing professional ball?

BS - If you would have told me that I would have been playing professional baseball for my seventh year and my third in AAA when I walked on the UM baseball team in the fall of 1995, I would have looked at you like you were crazy. I really thought that I would play at school then get a job like everyone else but by the grace of God here I am. The only time it gets a little tough is when you come home after a game and turn on baseball tonight and you see a guy up in the big leagues that you feel like you are better than. That isn't being jealous, there are guys who are up right now that I feel like I am better than, flat out. I just keep the faith, keep grinding and know when I get my chance I will be ready.

TH - Of course I can't let you go without giving me a prediction for this weekend's game...

BS - Michigan 21

Clowns from Indiana and their fat coach 17

B. Scales

Way to represent B! As always...We're droppin' the hammer on Thursdays!