The Cover Boy Speaks
On tonight’s Friendly’s Scoop, Jonathan Papelbon got his first look at the new October 1st cover of Sports Illustrated with his intimidating stare looking out back at him. Apparently he just found out last night that he’d be the cover boy, and hadn’t actually seen the cover photo until the FSN team showed it to him. He seemed pretty impressed with his blue steel looks (”No! No! It is [sexy]!”), and did a couple of fierce poses recreating the cover stare.
Papelbon also proclaimed he’d get another “3 or 4″ magazine covers before long- and left the door open for lessons from Gisele for his next cover (but was properly horrified at the thought of showing his tan lines on a Swimsuit Edition).
This is the first time Papyboo’s been on the cover of a national magazine- and I’d bet dollars to donuts that someone (not naming any names *coughJoshcough*) will anonymously plaster Papelbon’s locker with cover photos of a certain other pitcher. You know, just to remind him that said certain other pitcher has been there and done that before.
And anyone who’s concerned about that ol’ SI cover jinx (like, for example, Theo Epstein- who apparently broke it to the guys gently about the cover, worried everyone would freak out about the curse), Papelbon cleared those fears away:
“Cinco Ocho don’t get jinxed.”
That’s what I like to hear.
Until FSN has the video live on their website, here’s some video of tonight’s segment- where Papelbon also discusses celebrating the playoff spot and prepping for the postseason:
Oh, man–why hasn’t anyone given this guy his own show yet!? (More than these 5 minutes, I mean.) He’s freakin’ hilarious!
“And, actually, Theo came up to me and said, ‘You know, I don’t want this to jinx anybody or whatever.,’ and I said, ‘Theo, listen, Cinco Ocho don’t get jinxed.”
“These tan lines, right here, I don’t know if that’d do too good.”
I’m going to agree with Liza – he’s so funny!
The “Cinco Ocho” part had me laughing, but I was crying helplessly in unadulterated laughter when it came to the “No, no, it’s sexy!” and the “tan lines” bit.
That’s right I don’t get jinxed.
Between Cinco Ocho’s tan lines and Dustin Pedroia’s illiteracy, I just want to adopt this team.