Last week, I went to game 5 of the Lakers v Thunder series with Barry Bonds. He's become friendly with my stepfather over the last year, but this was my first chance to meet him. I had no idea what to expect. I didn't even know if he would be comfortable talking baseball.
He was a very, very nice guy. He took time for everyone who asked for an autograph or picture. I started the night just asking about his interest in basketball and the Lakers. After enough fans and reporters came up to him, I realized that he loved talking about baseball. I asked him about working out with Ryan Howard during the offseason. He said, "I'm 45 years old, but I killed him in the batting cage. KILLED HIM!" It was clear however, that he was more comfortable discussing the early part of his career (when he could run and play the field). Not a lot of talk about post-2000 ball. I finally understood how he could be friendly with my stepfather: they're both regarded as major jerks in their respective industries, but surprisingly friendly outside of work.
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