Contestants on George Gray's ESPN reality show "I'd Do Anything" perform bizarre and occasionally dangerous stunts so that their loved ones can realize their sports fantasies. But Gray, the former host of "The Weakest Link" whose ESPN show will begin its second season in April, was merely trying to watch his St. Louis Cardinals last fall when he found himself in a situation worthy of his show.
So I went to the playoffs here at Dodger Stadium, actually went in a St. Louis cap, and my brother wore a red shirt. It didn't say St. Louis, it was just red. And we actually got gang attacked. . . . No one guy wanted to scrap with me, but I got the cap knocked off my head and someone switch-bladed it in half and threw it back to me. I kept the cap and safety pinned it together and wore it during the [World] Series, but it didn't help. My joke to my friends was, everybody comes on my show saying, "I'd do anything," and we put them through the wringer so they can make someone else's sports fantasy come true, and I'd never do any of that stuff. But I basically got gang-slapped for supporting my team. That qualifies for something. . . . It got a little touch and go there at first, but when you realize you won't die it becomes a little funny. I won't ever go to Dodger Stadium again, though, I vowed that. I will never go in that stadium again.
Was it tough to watch those last two games of the World Series?
My brother and I were at the games in St. Louis and it was like being in a mausoleum, it really was. There's nothing worse than being on the losing end of that feel-good stuff. People that weren't baseball fans, people that didn't even know that you used a bat in the game were rooting for Boston. We got, "They were due," we got, "C'mon, they deserved it." Whatever. I would have liked a good Series, and I wouldn't have minded if Boston really beat St. Louis, but the truth is St. Louis ran out of steam and they didn't really show up. They just ran out of gas.
Do the Nationals make you nervous?
I thought they should have been called the Grays, not only because it's a cool name and, let's face it, probably the best last name in the world, but it would have been a good tip of the hat to the Negro Leagues. But I think it's about time Washington gets a team. I'm scared not because I think you're going to win but because I think you're going to somehow tax the rest of the teams.
You grew up in Arizona -- any good spring training stories?
One of the coolest things growing up in Tucson was a guy named Jerry Kindall, the coach of U of A, would have training camps every year and Pop would sign me up. And one of his ex-players was this kid my brother and I took a liking to, and we'd see him at the gym, and he'd give us tips. And it was Terry Francona. He was really quiet, really nice, the kind of guy you'd think would spend the rest of his life coaching a high school team. Always in gym shorts and a whistle. When he got married, he probably did it in gym shorts and a whistle.
What would be your ultimate sports fantasy?
You know, I can truthfully say it would probably be Anna Kournikova and Mia Hamm having a pillow fight and I'd be the referee. That to me is a solid sports fantasy.
Would you run five miles around a track while eating chili and chicken wings and potato salad to do that?
Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes.
I guess you're not married.
No, because if I was, my wife would be kicking me in the spleen right now.
Is it a bigger thrill to be on ESPN or "Party of Five"?
Um, ESPN, definitely. Although I have to say, when I would say, "I just did 'Party of Five'," my women friends would immediately rip out their hair. I could say I had lunch with the disciples of Jesus and they wouldn't care, but my God, the fans of that show. It's crazy, nuts.
-- Dan Steinberg
