Getting to Know: Mark Vig
(RHP/RS-SR/6'4/230/Yankton, S.D.)

1) What is your favorite baseball movie?

This is a tough one because there are so many great ones. I grew up on the movie Major League (probably because my dad is a huge Cleveland Indians fan) and watched it on nearly every road trip as a kid. I was even known to quote some key parts from that movie when in public...probably using some words that a normal five-year old should not be using. I also was a big fan of Little Big League growing up because that was my dream to own and manage a MLB team as a kid. I would say now that I have grown up and have a different perspective on the game that, For Love of the Game, is probably my favorite.

2) Do you have any pregame or postgame rituals?

A: I really can't say that I do or have any that I know of. As a baseball player we always have weird superstitions and rituals but they become apart of us and become the norm and I don't even recognize them as being a ritual. This year, however it has become a pregame ritual that when Derek Fischer, Danny Hughes, Keith Cutler and myself wake up in our hotel room we jam out to Scream and Shout as our alarm.

3) What's one thing that most people don't know about you?

A: That my nephews: Rex, Rugby and Abe, and niece Bergen are easily the coolest kids in the world.

4) Who did you admire most in baseball while growing up?

A: I was a typical kid of the 90's, growing up on Super Nintendo and loving the Seattle Mariners because of Ken Griffey Jr. and his video games. Griffey and Edgar Martinez were my two favorite players growing up.

5) What is your dream job?

A: My dream job is to coach college baseball and teach a couple classes at that college in sports psychology.

6) What are your hobbies besides playing baseball?

A: Is there anything else to do besides something baseball-related? Golfing and boating come close I suppose.

7) Most embarrassing sports moment?

A: Oh boy, I think I have managed to accomplish all of the embarrassing cliché sports moments. Banking in a free throw in a high school game, scoring on the wrong goal in soccer as a kid, the list goes on.

8) It feels like you've been here forever. I want you to name one or two things that you've learned since your freshman year about the game of baseball.

A: If you respect the game it will respect you back. This game will expose you, it will bring you down, it will cheer you up and it will reward you. The game of baseball is the greatest game ever because it is just like the game of life. Somewhere down the road it will catch up to you and nip you for your shortcuts. It will also do the opposite and reward you for all your hard work and perseverance.

9) What is your favorite sport besides baseball?

A: Golf. It is a sport, like baseball, where you don't have to be athletic in order to succeed, and thats always a plus for a guy like me. It is also a very mentally challenging sport, which intrigues me.
 
10) This weekend is the regular season finale for the Cougars (and your last regular season games). Time flies?

A:  Yes it does, I still remember that first fall-ball practice of my freshman year. When I was a freshman I couldn't wait to be older. Now that I am a fifth year senior I am searching to find ways to stick around for as long as I can and prolong my playing career. As long as this weekend isn't the end of my college baseball career I will be happy. Our goal all year long has been to make the conference tournament our first year in the NSIC. We have put ourselves in position to do so. We just need to come out this weekend and earn it. It all comes down to this weekend and there is nothing better than this time of year.