Erin Andrews is all over the place, dropping intel everywhere from courtside at college hoops games to college football sidelines to Sunday nights with Major League Baseball. Now Erin is taking her presence to the virtual realm, as a sideline reporter in the new EA Sports March Madness ’08 game. We caught up with the proud University of Florida grad to talk hoops.
SLAM: Who from last year’s college season has impressed you so far early on in the NBA?
EA: I live in Atlanta so I see Al Horford quite a bit, and I’m very proud of him. Al is one of my guys. He, Joakim and Corey Brewer, those are my boys from Florida. Mike Miller, too. I know it’s not his first year, but it’s always neat to see the success he’s had, as well as Udonis Haslem. We were pretty good friends in college.
SLAM: You guys were friends?
EA: Yeah, I was on the dance team so I was always around the players. Udonis is such a great story. I remember when he first came to Florida, he was a little chunkster. He was a little overweight and I remember after his first practice, he came back to the dorm and he was laying on the floor and I asked one of the other players, “Is he alive?” And Udonis said, “I don’t know if I’m gonna make it.” The transformation he’s made with his body in the League is awesome.
SLAM: Now he’s the only guy on his team in shape, right?
EA: I know! He’s such a good guy, good for him that he’s got his ring.
SLAM: Do you ever talk to Mike Miller about what’s going on with his hair?
EA: No. I haven’t seen him much. We haven’t had the hair discussion yet.
SLAM: Someone has to. Maybe a woman should.
EA: Oh, he’s married. I’m sure she’s got him in shape. He’ll be fine.
SLAM: Do you have an NBA team?
EA: I grew up loving the Celtics. They were down for a while but now it’s pretty fun to watch them. I kind of lost touch with the NBA. When the Celtics started to stink, I was into Charles Barkley. Growing up, I had an argument with my dad and he grounded me. He didn’t take away my car. He didn’t take away anything from my social life, but what he took away was that I wasn’t allowed to listen to the radio or the television when the Suns were in the Finals against the Bulls. The night when Paxson hit the last shot, I snuck into my parents’ car and I listened to it on the radio. I was in tears when I walked into the house and my dad was like, “You’re grounded for two more weeks.” I said “The Finals are over,” and he said “Okay, well then I’ll take the car away now.” Now that the Celtics look like they’re the real deal, I told my dad it might be time for us to get back on the bandwagon.
—SAM RUBENSTEIN
