Talking "Survivor" with Jeff Kent

As you might have read here a while back, former big leaguer Jeff Kent hit the wilderness of the Philippines as one of the contestants on the latest season of "Survivor".

Good friend of this site, Gordon Holmes, had a chance to sit down with each of the castaways for this, the 25th season of the hit CBS reality show and got the 2000 National League MVP's thoughts on trying to stay incognito while in the Philippines, what makes a good "Survivor" player and, well, that mustache of his.

HOLMES:  Are you going to let people know about your career in Major League Baseball?

KENT:  I don’t plan on it. If people catch who I am I’m going to have to come clean. Hopefully they won’t know as much about me as you do and have me on their fantasy team.

HOLMES:  You made a few seasons and another time you broke my heart.

KENT:  (Laughs) I’ll downplay it as best I can, if they know. But now I’m a motorcycle dealer, I have a family with four kids. I have a working ranch. That’s kind of how I’m playing this thing. Hopefully that will be enough.

HOLMES:  Something that I think may work in your favor is; baseball players always have a hat or a helmet on. I’d definitely recognize the name Jeff Kent, but as a baseball fan, I only really recognize players from my own team.

KENT:  Well, there weren’t many white guys with mustaches walking around. I was known as one of the only guys in baseball to still have the porn-stache of the ‘80s who was still playing in the ‘90s. There is one kid here who’s wearing a whole lot of New York Yankees get-up, so hopefully he won’t catch on.

HOLMES:  Ever thought of losing the porn-stache?

KENT:  I’ve only shaved it off one time, and that was in the World Series in 2002 and we ended up losing. I was so bitter I went home and shaved my mustache. The next day I looked in the mirror and
thought, “What an ugly bastard you are.” So, I let it grow back. I haven’t shaved it since.

HOLMES:  Let me get your opinion on this, my friends at The Hall of Very Good asked me; which St. Louis Cardinal would you like to see on “Survivor”? I picked catcher Yadier Molina because I thought a catcher is perfectly suited for the game. Because he’s a catcher, he’s got to be tough, he’s used to being uncomfortable. He knows how to manage the egos of a pitching staff.

KENT:  I would say a catcher would fare well because he’s in control of the game. He’s got to control his pitcher, but he’s got to control the defense and the hitter too. Yadier’s changed over the years. He’s a pretty good kid, he was soft spoken, but now he’s more of a leader and more of a strength for that pitching staff. He’s a guy that would fare well here, but he could snap. More than me, even. I think he’s still a little immature. That’s where I’ve got him. I’ve got skills with manipulating my teammates. Because there have been plenty of teammates that you play with that you don’t like. But you’ve still got to go out there and play the game.

HOLMES:  But you have something in common with a locker room of Major League Baseball players. You’re all professional athletes who’ve made it to the pinnacle of the sport. There’s no telling who’s going to be on your tribe.

KENT:  I’m going to have to deal with different personalities, different age groups. At the end of my career, I was one of the older players. You’ve got 20-year-old players and I’ve got to communicate and deal with these guys. That’s going to be a big asset of mine to communicate with all these people with different personalities, make-ups, and egos. And with my reputation, I don’t step down, I might put my foot in my mouth.

Feel free to check out Holmes' entire interview with Kent over at Xfinity.com.  If you're a "Survivor" fan, baseball fan or both...it's pretty awesome.  Oh, and you can find out which former teammate once called Kent racist!

"Survivor: Philippines" starts Wednesday, September 26.  Below is Kent's interview with CBS.com.

 

HOVG Heroes: Willie McGee

GORDON HOLMES on WILLIE McGEE

My family lived in Jakarta, Indonesia for a couple of years when I was a kid. It was a wonderful experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but there was a downside…it created a two-year gap in my pop culture knowledge. When I was preparing to return to the United States in 1986, terms like ‘Crane Kick,’ ‘Decepticon,’ and ‘Flux Capacitor’ meant nothing to me. Worse than that, I figured the ‘Rah Rah’ Cardinals homerism that played so well when I was in second grade wasn’t going to fly with the more worldly fifth graders.

Suddenly it wasn’t enough to know that Ozzie Smith was the greatest human being who’d ever lived, or that Vince Coleman was the fastest man on the face of the planet, or that Jack Clark hit roughly a billion homeruns. Now people were talking about runs batted in, earned run averages, and (gasp!) even players from other teams.

So, unwilling to let me lack of statistical baseball knowledge turn me into a social pariah, I bought as many packages of Topps baseball cards as my meager allowance would allow. My foolproof plan consisted of two parts; first I’d hold onto the cards until I was older and become ridiculously wealthy, and second I’d study the back of each card as if I was preparing for some kind of baseball SATs.

And study those cards I did. I even went so far as to memorize any number in italics. You see, italics were good, italics proved that you were the leader of your league in that particular stat. It was during one cramming session that I noticed that the Cardinals’ center fielder had enjoyed quite a 1985 campaign. This unparalleled talent had three (count ‘em!) sets of italics in one season. Further research went on to show that this freak of nature had even been named the National League’s Most Valuable Player. My young mind was blown. The best player in the NL played for my beloved Cardinals and his name wasn’t Ozzie Smith, Vince Coleman, or Jack Clark? How is that even possible?

Needless to say, I was sold. I couldn’t wait to return to the states and watch the juggernaut that is Willie McGee prowl Busch Stadium’s outfield. The first game I was able to attend almost managed to live up to expectations. Ozzie Smith pulled off one of his trademark diving catches, Vince Coleman stole second and third base on consecutive pitches, and Jack Clark went deep. But Willie? Less than impressive.

Over the years, the real-life Willie McGee never could quite match the one in my Lik-Em-Aid-feuled imagination. But eventually I was able to appreciate him for what he was; a solid player who was always good for strong defense, speed on the basepaths, and some occasional power.

In fact, whenever the term ‘Hall of Very Good’ is brought up, he’s always the first name to pop into my head. And while I do regret never being able to witness Willie during his MVP season, the Beverly Hills mansion I purchased with the proceeds from the sale of my collection of 1986 Topps baseball cards does provide some solace.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gordon Holmes provides "Survivor" coverage and various other stuff for XFINITY.com. In his free time, he posts random musings on his personal site, morewhatnot.com. He is also an unapologetic St. Louis Cardinals fanboy who doesn't buy into the "Best Fans in Baseball" business, but does believe that Cardinals fans are superior to Phillies fans in every conceivable way.

 

Former UT-Martin Outfielder Still Alive

As "Survivor" hits its midway point, it's time to check in with our favorite contestant...former University of Tennessee-Martin outfielder Albert Destrade.

So far, the nephew of former big leaguer Orestes Destrade is looking pretty good.

He's in the power alliance.  He's one of only four castaways to not have his name appear on the parchment.  And did you see the way dude pulled teammate Brandon Hantz up over the wall (go to the 1:15 mark) in that challenge?

Damn!

Anyway.  I knew Destrade's gameplay was impressing me...but I was curious what "Survivor" guru (and XFINITY TV blogger) Gordon Holmes had to say about the chiseled Florida native.

HOVG:  I've been rooting for Albert since Day One.  What do you think of how he's playing the game so far?

HOLMES:  How do you not love the game Albert is playing right now? As a post-merge Alpha male, he should have a huge target on his back. But, his alliance with Coach will keep him safe until Savaii is gone and it also opens up a world of opportunities once they are.

HOVG:  Alright...break it down for me.

HOLMES:  First, the guy is a freakish challenge destroyer. My big takeaway from watching the first challenge (you can watch it below!) in Samoa was watching him lift Brandon over the wall using nothing but his arms. Super impressive. 

HOVG:  And two?

HOLMES:  Second, the Upolu alliance relies on trust in Coach. The second Coach considers stabbing an Upolu member in the back the whole thing will break down. Thank Brandon and his Tribal Council hissy fits for that. If Albert can work his way into a final three with Coach, Upolu jury members (and there will have to be at least three) will feel more betrayed by Coach than they will by Albert.

HOVG:  What about how he played the Edna-Mikayla situation?

HOLMES:  Albert played the Edna vs. Mikayla Incident perfectly. He could’ve blown up the alliance by telling Brandon about Coach’s idol. Boom. They’d head into the merge without a solid direction. Instead, he realized that it’s better to keep the alliance together and let Rick make the final decision. He may have lost the battle, but the knowledge that Rick and Brandon are going to follow Coach over him may prove to be valuable later.

HOVG:  You've been writing about "Survivor" for a while now...how do you see this whole thing with Albert playing out?

HOLMES:  The season seems to be heading toward a Coach/Sophie/Albert final three. If that’s the case, and Albert manages to pick up some individual immunities on the way, it does seem entirely possible that the million-dollar check could be used to buy a new fungo bat and some Big League Chew.

You can follow Gordon Holmes and get his thoughts on the the latest season of "Survivor" over at XFINITY TV.  He can also be found on Twitter or at his personal blog.

And to tie this whole thing back to baseball...he's also a rabid fan of the 2011 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

Ta daaaa!

Talkin' Baseball with Gordon Holmes

Anyone who knows me (or has followed this site for any period of time) knows that I am a fan of reality television.

Wednesday...the best of best returns.

Now entering its 22nd season, "Survivor" cast members have seen and done just about everything.  This past December, five of the show's finest were heralded as members of the inaugural Hall of Fame class.  The Survivor Hall of Fame's creator, Gordon Holmes, is, incidentally, also a huge baseball fan...I recently had the chance to talk with him.

HOVG: Before we get to your beloved St. Louis Cardinals, I’ve gotta know…what possessed you to come up with the idea for the Survivor Hall of Fame?

HOLMES: Well, “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and I had done a point/counterpoint video series before “Survivor: Gabon.” One of the questions (which was stolen from ESPN’s Bill Simmons) was “Who would you put on your Mount Rushmore of ‘Survivor’?” He went with Richard Hatch, Rupert Boneham, Tina Wesson and Tom Westman. I went with Richard Hatch, Rob Cesternino, Jon “Jonny Fairplay” Dalton and Sue Hawk. A few years later I was interviewing Fairplay at the “Survivor” ten-year reunion and he brought it up. As we were debating our picks, other people started listening in and giving their two cents. It was then that I decided that this was an idea whose time had come.

HOVG: How did the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class get selected?

HOLMES: I wanted to build some checks and balances into the selection process. I knew a strict fan vote would leave us open to “Vote for Wanda” campaigns (no offense, Wanda) and a veterans committee vote would be as infuriating as the Baseball Hall of Fame process. So, 50% of the “Survivor” Hall of Fame vote comes from the fans and the other 50% comes from a selection committee made up of “Survivor” crew such as Jeff Probst and (the show's challenge producer) John Kirhoffer and “Survivor” journalists like EW’s Dalton Ross and E!’s Drusilla Moorhouse.

HOVG: Ultimately, the five that were chosen as the show’s best were its first millionaire Richard Hatch, fellow winner Parvati Shallow, two-time winner Sandra Diaz-Twine and the stars of this season’s upcoming “Survivor: Redemption Island” Russell Hantz and “Boston” Rob Mariano. Who were your five?

HOLMES: I stayed pretty close to my original Mount Rushmore picks. My thought process was to go with people who had changed the way the game is played. I went with Richard Hatch who was the brains behind the original final four voting alliance strategy. I had Rob Cesternino (even though he’s a Mets fan) for the way he popularized the whittling down of alliances as you get deeper into the game. I picked Jonny Fairplay for making the game more than something that took place on location. I think anyone who lies about their occupation owes Fairplay a royalty. Then I went with the two players whose success couldn’t be denied with Sandra Diaz-Twine and Parvati Shallow.

HOVG: There have been a number of athletes that have appeared on “Survivor”…how do you think a baseball player would fare?

HOLMES: I can see where being a baseball player would lend itself to the game. I think anyone who goes through a 162-game regular season must have some kind of stamina. Baseball is at the same time a team sport and an individual sport, just like “Survivor.”

HOVG: Is there anyone in particular you would like to see out there, forced to interact with fellow castaways for 39 days?

HOLMES: If I had to go with the player I think would do well on “Survivor,” I’d go with Yadier Molina. He’s a catcher, so he’s used to being miserable. He’s low-key, he’s not a leader, but he is a solid guy. The ladies like him. He’s kind of like “Survivor: Tocantins” winner J.T. Thomas.  However, if I was going for players based on entertainment value, sign me up for the Lenny Dykstra/Darren Daulton alliance. Those two are a producer’s dream.

HOVG: I mentioned Hatch earlier and I’ve gotta ask…if you could play "Survivor" and have a Rich Hatch-like alliance with any three of your beloved Cardinals (past or present), who would they be?

HOLMES: Alright, I’m not going to pick my three based on who I’d want to hang out with. (For the record, that’d be Ozzie Smith, Adam Wainwright, and Jose Oquendo). I’m going with the alliance that is going to put a million dollar check in my pocket. I’m going to start off with Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa. While I’m making good with the rest of the tribe, he’ll be off going over every possible jury combination. When he would interact with the tribe, they’d hate him because he wouldn’t take off his sunglasses under any circumstances. Next up, I’m going with former Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen. He and LaRussa would always be at each others’ throats. This would allow me to just hang back and figure out which of the two to team with when we got to the end. The fourth person would be Cardinals mascot Fredbird. I friggin’ hate Fredbird. I’d vote his red-feathered ass out with glee. Best of all, he couldn’t talk crap about me at Ponderosa and poison the jury against me.

HOVG: Lastly, we’re days away from pitcher and catchers reporting and the Cardinals have yet to offer a contract extension to slugger Albert Pujols. What do you figure will be filled with more drama…the negotiations with the three-time MVP or “Survivor: Redemption Island”?

HOLMES: Ooof…I sure hope it’s “Redemption Island”.  I’m in the camp that says Albert has every right to pursue a monster contract. During his time in St. Louis he’s been a perfect citizen, he’s never given any less than 100%, and he’s put up with Brendan Ryan always asking for his autograph.  So, if the Cards can afford him, keep him. If they can’t, let him go. But, I’d like it to be as drama free as possible. The man played for the Cards at a discount for years. I think he’s earned the right to leave with his legend intact.  Unless he goes to the Cubs, then screw him.

HOVG: So, what can we expect next from the Survivor Hall of Fame...what are your plans?

HOLMES: For as ridiculous as the idea of a reality show hall of fame is, I’ve tried to take it very seriously. So, a lot of thought has gone into this. Every November will be “Survivor” Hall of Fame election season. We started off with a class of five, I think from here on out we’ll whittle that down to two or three. I’d hate for it to turn into something like the WWE Hall of Fame where they elect huge classes and lesser talents like Koko B. Ware sneak in.  Right now we’re working on putting together a more permanent placement on XFINITY TV rather than the blog posts it was on earlier.  I’ve been bouncing around the idea of having a spring election that would be for individual seasons or memorable inanimate objects (Bob Crowley’s fake idols get my vote). Some people have suggested voting for superlatives like “Best Looking” or “Best at Challenges” but there’s no “Best Looking Player” plaque for Willie McGee in Cooperstown, so I don’t think those are the best fit.

You can follow Gordon Holmes and get his thoughts on the the latest season of "Survivor" over at Fancast.com.  He can also be found on Twitter or at his personal blog.

The Survivor Hall of Fame can be found on Twitter as well.  Feel free to check out The Hall's interview with former "Survivor" All-Star Rob Cesternino HERE and find out who Jonny Fairplay thinks is baseball's biggest heel HERE.