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Billy Bob Thornton: superstitious ex-pitcher, Bad News Bears star

Sporting News, The, August 5, 2005 by Corrie Anderson

TSN: Are you turning into Kevin Costner--the no-brainer choice for sports movies?

BILLY BOB: No, not really. In Friday Night Lights and this one, (my characters) just happened to be coaches, but they're so different. You know, Friday Night Lights is a drama, and it was a very serious part. This one is a comedy for all ages. Coach Gaines in Friday Night Lights didn't drink a lot of beer.

TSN: Which major league manager is Morris Buttermaker most like?

BILLY BOB: Oh, maybe Billy Martin.

TSN: Any other sports movies you'd like to see as a remake? Maybe Ladybugs? My Giant?

BILLY BOB: There's a movie called The Stratton Story with Jimmy Stewart that I loved. I guess it was from the late '40s or something like that.

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TSN: You must have been a decent player--I read that you tried out with the Royals after high school.

BILLY BOB: Yeah, I went to their tryout camp and got hurt after I'd been there for just a little while and never got a real chance to try for it.

TSN: You seem like a guy who might have had some crazy superstitions when you were playing. Any you care to share?

BILLY BOB: I have a little bit of OCD, so you can imagine. The simple ones I can explain to you. The more complex ones, I don't even know how to tell anybody.

TSN: Do you want your new daughter to grow up to be an athlete or a movie star?.

BILLY BOB: My daughter is so strong even though she's only 9 months old. She's a bruiser. I was a little disappointed that they're going to do away with softball in the Olympics. I was thinking that maybe one of these days my little girl would grow up and play on the Olympic team.

Billy Bob Thornton: superstitious ex-pitcher, Bad News Bears star

Sporting News, The, August 5, 2005 by Corrie Anderson

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