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Monday, May 20, 2002

By Rob Rossi, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

"I don't believe in luck," said a Miss Pretty leaning against doors that lead to the media lounge at PNC Park.

	Lisa Guerrero

"People make their own luck. You work hard and make your own opportunities and get recognized, and people say it's luck, but I really think it's hard work and timing." She couldn't be more wrong. Luck is banking coin for chatting up Fox Sports Net's Lisa Guerrero on a cold and rainy Monday, Monday. Hey, score one for the Angry Young Man ("Even the losers ... "), who discovered this from his time spent going "Out Of Bounds" with the Lovely Lisa: she works it hard. Fine face she has, yes, but the secret to her successes -- actress, TV sports reporter/personality/goddess and host of a show called "Can You Dig It," Los Angeles Times columnist -- is hard work. She hasn't taken a vacation in two years (we offered, she declined). Oh, and she knows her stuff, too. On Yinzers' relationship with Barry Bonds: "Well, what if he had taken them to the World Series ... just once?" Exactly, Lisa ... exactly! Enjoy the rest of her thoughts while we try to wake Angry from his Foxy Lady-induced coma.

AYM: Does Shaquille O'Neal have a future in Hollywood?

LG: [Laughs] Not as an actor. [Still laughing] Uh, maybe as a standup comic [laughter continues].

AYM: He's pretty sweet in those Burger King commercials.

LG: Oh, yeah right ... there's this little movie called "Steel."

AYM: Is Shakira the next Madonna?

LG: Anybody who wants to be the next Madonna has about 20 years to prove herself. You've got to be a lot more than a flash in the pan than Shakira is to be the next superstar pop queen like Madonna.

AYM: Does Steve Lyons ever pull down his pants in the office?

LG: [Rolls her eyes] Not in front of me, that's a lawsuit.

AYM: OK, but have you ever heard any stories?

LG: No ... none that I'll say.

AYM: Along that line, though, is there anything you can't get away with working at Fox?

LG: We can get away with pretty much ... whatever we want. It is cable, [cheap plug warning] Fox Sports Net, and they want us to push the envelope quite a bit -- which we all do in our own way.

AYM: And how do you push the envelope?

LG: I'm a pretty different blend of a real feminine girlie-girl and a true sports fan. You don't see a lot of that on television. I do the whole hair, makeup and wardrobe thing, but I also am a big, big sports fan at heart. Usually, female sports reporters try to be one of the boys. I don't want to be one of the boys! ... The Boys make me laugh.

AYM: Television show you try not to miss?

LG: On any network? "Six Feet Under," I love it. Maybe "Sex In the City," too. I'm a big HBO fan.

AYM: Favorite "Sex In the City "character?

LG: Oh, Carrie, of course. She's the reporter. Maybe I could have a spin-off called "Sports In the City"?

AYM: You might want to push the people at Fox.

LG: There we go.

AYM: Which is tougher to understand: an Aaron Spelling story line or the rules for soccer?

LG: An Aaron Spelling story line and I know because I've been on an Aaron Spelling soap opera ["Sunset Beach"].

AYM: But the rules for soccer are pretty tough?

LG: Nothing is more complicated than a mummy story line with a jewel thief/vixen home wrecker -- part of my story line. Figure that out.

AYM: First thought: Wolfgang Puck's Spago?

LG: I like McDonald's myself. Actually, I'm more of a Wendy's fan.

AYM: Ultimate Wendy's combo meal?

LG: A double double with a side of chili and a Frosty.

AYM: Everything on the double double?

LG:[Nods] Yeah, including onions.

AYM: Do you ever dip your fries in the Frosty?

LG: I do that, it's very good.

AYM: Hmmm ... Miss Pretty and a cheap date. Worst pick-up line you have had used on you?

LG: "Your eyes are the color of my Porsche."

AYM: Dude had a brown Porsche?

LG: It got a good laugh out of me, I never forgot it. The guy tried it at a place called Roxbury, which used to be the hip, trendy bar on the Sunset Strip in the late '80s and early '90s.

AYM: The one that "SNL" made a movie out of, right?

LG: Yup.

AYM: Have you ever danced like those guys?

LG: Not that I'll ever admit.

AYM: After having been married to Roseanne, could Tom Arnold win a "Tough Man" competition?

LG: Yes, but ... actually, she would win the "Tough Man" competition.

AYM: Frasier, Niles or Eddie?

LG: Frasier, I like the intellectual type.

AYM: How fun was it on the set?

LG: It was like being part of a little family for two weeks -- I was on two episodes.

AYM: You can tell people you're part of history because Frasier Crane is one of the longest-running characters on TV.

LG: Wooowww! That's impressive. Kelsey Grammer is one of the most talented ... he'll just break out into song in the middle of a scene, just go to the piano and start doing show tunes.

AYM: He sings the theme song, "Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs."

LG: Yes, he does, and he's a really great musician and a phenomenal pianist.

AYM: Do you know the other famous song that started out about scrambled eggs?

LG: Huh?

AYM: [Singing] "Yesterdaaay ... all my troubles seemed so far ah-waay ... "

LG: The Beatles, really?

AYM: Paul McCartney woke up and had the tune in his head, but he couldn't find the words. So, he placed the tune with, "Scrambled Egggss ... oh, my, baby, how I love your legs ... "

LG: An important bit of trivia to know as a sports reporter.

AYM: It's been a while since we would have heard an answer to this, but ... how is Terry Bradshaw's spelling?

LG: Could he spell "Cat" if I spotted him the "C"?

AYM: Exactly!

LG: Maybe, and I thought about that very carefully.

AYM: Is Randy Johnson's nickname -- "the Big Unit" -- the best in sports?

LG: "The Intimidator" [Dale Earnhardt] was pretty cool. And, of course, [Gary Payton's] "The Glove," but that's it. "Spider-Man" [Andre Rison], possibly.

AYM: Toby Maguire and Jack Nicholson are huge Lakers fans. Spider-Man vs. Joker?

LG: Joker, nobody beats Jack ... [squints] Jack is Jack.

AYM: Something people might be surprised to find in your purse?

LG: [Rummages though her black purse] Hold on a sec ...

AYM: You don't have to actually show me.

LG: No problem, I'm just looking. That's a good question. [Shifts items around ... she has a lot of stuff] Being in Pittsburgh, would a Dodgers press credential work?

AYM: [Trying to see what else is in the purse] If you say so. [Lisa closes her purse.]

AYM: Can you dig it?

LG: I can dig it ... can I dig it? There has got to be a clever answer to that. ... No, I just can ... dig it.

Who should next go "Out Of Bounds" with the Angry Young Man? E-mail Rob Rossi at names@post-gazette.com.