The 108 Interview Series – Lauren Nisavic
Here at the 108, it is our job….our duty to bring to you the great personalities of White Sox twitter, either via tweet / photo / video or blog post. In continuing with the tradition of bringing you “the goods” from White Sox twitter we have our interview with the great and powerful Lauren Nisavic (@LaurenNisavic on twitter).
Before I start I’d like to thank all of you guys at Section 108 for highlighting me on your blog. As a fan I truly support your entertaining, personality-driven content, unique voices you each bring and of course #108ing.
Likes
Favorite Game That You Were At
Easy. Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. We didn’t go on vacation that year because my dad got us tickets to the game.
Favorite All Time Player That Doesn’t Have a Statue On the Concourse
Mark Buehrle. He deserves more than a statue. Give the man a street named after him.
Nancy Faust is an honorable mention.
Favorite Drink and Dinner at the Park
Beer, nacho helmet, soft pretzel (with salt and mustard on the side)
Favorite Place to Sit
I honestly don’t think there’s a bad seat at the park as long as you’re in good company.
Favorite Uniform
Bring back the vests.
Favorite Giveaway
My favorite giveaway would have to be the Hawk Harrelson alarm clock. It was annoying at first listening to them going off around the park (Why would they include batteries?), but it makes an awesome addition to my apartment.
Dislikes
What is the worst part of being a Sox fan?
The worst part about being a Sox fan is having not made the postseason since 2008.
What really grinds your gears?
The wave really pisses me off.
Game Day
Most memorable experience as a White Sox fan
Where to start?? I have so many memorable experiences as a White Sox fan. I grew up about 10-15 minutes away from the park and almost weekly, and every time on a whim, my dad would ask if I wanted to go maybe 30 minutes prior to first pitch. I’d run to my room and grab a hat or shirt- whatever I could find- along with my “White Sox” CD that I burned a bunch of my dad and my favorite songs on (lotta Sinatra) and we’d listen to it on the way to the park. We went to a lot of games leading up to the 2005 World Series and he treated me to game 1 when I knew he probably couldn’t really afford it. I remember him telling me it might be the only opportunity in his lifetime he’d see this happen live. I’m hoping that’s not the case, Dad 🙂
*Dad don’t read this next part*
Also getting an annual group together to go the Bullpen Bar and bringing a sharpie for each of us to keep track of how many beers we could down before first pitch. I wish I could remember the record.
**Ok, Dad, you can read again**
Another memorable moment for me was Paul Konerko’s grand slam in game 2 of the 05 WS. How could you forget it. I was screaming in my living room and jumping around while watching the game with my dad who was just standing there in awe and fist pumping like he was Tiger Woods sinking a putt.
Screaming OOOO-EEEE-OOO Maaaaggglioooooo
This past summer I was working on our weekly show in the studio and couldn’t physically go to the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando and was pretty bummed since I heard A.J. Pierzynski was going to be there doing some broadcasting for our PGA TOUR Live team. Well it turns out my roommate at the time (who knows/knew nothing about baseball) did some type of project with him at the tournament one day- she didn’t know who he was other than he played baseball and lived nearby. She called me up later on in the evening and asked if I knew him and I lost my mind. I was like “DUDE, I’m texting you questions to ask him you NEED to find him tomorrow and do an on camera interview.” I sent her a bunch of questions and she sent me back footage the next day. I featured AJ in my show that week for no reason other than c’mon it’s AJ and I’m a White Sox fan. My coworkers questioned my work and my motive and I’m totally ok with it. No regrets.
When I moved down to Florida a year and a half ago my mom made me go through all the stuff I had been storing in their basement for years. I stumbled upon an old scrapbook I made when I was a little girl of all of my White Sox ticket stubs, print articles I cut out and glued onto pages with stickers, pictures and other cute kid stuff I collected from games. It was a reminder of how the team has been such a prominent part of my life and especially childhood- it put a smile on my face since I completely forgot the book existed.
Last one- This past summer I was working producing at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, NC and one of my projects that week was to ride along and go with TOUR player Harold Varner III and capture him driving into the park and throwing out the first pitch at the Knights game. It was really cool to be on the field that night and it was the first time I saw Michael Kopech pitch in person since I was allowed to stay for the game if I wanted. As a lifelong Sox fan, it was really cool to see my two worlds of golf and baseball come together like that. If you haven’t been to BB&T Ballpark you should consider going! It’s a gorgeous park and Charlotte is a fun city with some great breweries.
Feelings on the wave?
No. Look- I get that it might be fun for kids, but it’s terrible because…
1) It means you’ve given up on watching the game
2) It means your team is probably losing
3) You look like an idiot when singled out
4) It’s distracting to the players
5) It’s annoying to people trying to watch the game
6) There’s a good chance you’ll spill your beer if you’re still holding on it
7) You look like an idiot
Which Gate is your favorite to enter the park from?
My favorite gate is gate 4. My family has a brick in that 05 shrine area. I like to go look at it.
How Early Do You Get To Games?
Depends on when the tailgate starts
What Do You Bring To Games?
My bag, usually some candy, a coozie and my Aaron Rowand jersey
Section 108 Questions
What is your favorite baseball word?
STRETCH
What is your least favorite baseball word?
Dag Gummit
What gets you excited about the White Sox?
-The [near]future of the team.
-Michael Kopech’s tweets.
-Hot stove rumors—no really, it’s been a while since the White Sox were in headlines for the right reasons in consecutive offseasons.
-Deadspin articles hating on the sox. No really, it’s cool to know you’re doing something worth hating on.
-Listening to Section 108.
-The marketing department and how focused they are on the fan experience.
What sound or noise at the ballpark do you love?
I have several favorite sounds at the ballpark and they include: the Pirates of the Caribbean song, the song “Thunderstruck”, a solid crack of a white sox bat, fireworks, the cha cha slide beat.
What is your favorite Hawkism?
I don’t know if I can call it my favorite, but I have incorporated the phrase “what are you doing, Wegner?!” into my everyday vocabulary and I don’t think anyone really picks up on it which doesn’t make it funny, but I’ll never not say it when questioning why someone did something dumb.
You work for the PGA TOUR, correct? What professional golfer do you think you could most likely get to wear a #108ing shirt?
Yes, I work for the PGA TOUR as a tv producer on the long form team. Our most recent project was for ESPN-and called Tiger Woods: The Return of the Roar, a 90-min doc on Tiger’s comeback in 2018. Sorry for the shameless plug but the team crushed it on that one.
I don’t want to speak for one of our players because I’m sure they’d all love a free #108ing shirt, but I can say I’m sure every single person at the Waste Management Phoenix Open would wear one.
Do you have any favorite parts of your job working in sports?
My favorite part of the job is that I get to watch and live sports and get paid for it. It’s a dream come true. I’ve had the opportunities to work for the Chicago Bears, NBC Sports Chicago, Big Ten Network, Fox 32 and now the PGA TOUR. It’s been awesome to take my passion for sports and combine it with my love for storytelling and now able to share so many cool stories throughout the years with fans.
The 108ers have daughters ranging in age from 8 mos to 9 years old, what advice would you give them about advancement in a male dominated profession?
Honored you’d ask this! The advice I give other ladies looking to get into a male dominated field is this- I’d say study, know your stuff and stay confident. Surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed. You might have to work a little harder to prove yourself because you are a female, I’m not saying it’s right- it’s just my experience. There are always going to be assholes, don’t let them get under your skin- they’re just insecure. If someone is creepy- tell HR. Don’t date people you work with.
The 108ers don’t golf, if you had to coach one of us up on golfing to win a bet of some sort, who would it be (Chorizy, MySoxSummer or BeefLoaf)?
First of all you would not want me to coach you in golf. But I’d take MySoxSummer in a driving contest.
Best Golf film?
Tiger Woods: Return of the Roar (HAHA SORRY HAD TO)
You recently had a serious illness, how are you?
I did have a freak illness recently. I’m doing better tysm for asking. I only have 60% of my lung on my right side but it’s cool. They found a benign tumor in one of my airways and ended up having to take a chunk of my lung out- five total incisions BUT they saved my tattoo (Chicago flag/skyline) AND I should be back to normal in 6mon-1year. Could’ve been a lot worse.
What was more inspirational in your recovery, the love and compassion of your family and close friends or Eddie Barstool getting himself hospitalized out of pure empathy?
Eddie is my guy. Such a gentleman. Really knows how to take one for the team to boost moral. No really I’m glad he’s doing ok.
Honestly thought my friends and family were so supportive and helpful during what was a really physically painful and mentally taxing process and I couldn’t have done it without them. Also Eddie O. gave me a get well shoutout the night of my operation and when I heard it, I cried I was so touched the NBC Sports team would go out of their way for me like that. I have great friends.
You took a gorgeous pic of some of the 108ers at a tailgate this past summer, any tricks you can share with people about taking bomb ass fucking pictures with a phone?
So many compliments! Some tips for good photo taking would be to follow the rule of thirds, lighting is what really matters and if you’re the subject of the photo- be mindful of your posture.
Do you have any favorite #108ing stories you’d like to share, ballpark or otherwise?
There was a guy at that tailgate you mentioned who chugged a beer out of his prosthetic leg TWICE.
What’s your greatest fear about the “rebuild”?
That somewhere down the road we hire another manager who was a former player.
That Moncada could strikeout 215+ times again in a season in the years to come.
What is there about this team that excites you the most?
That Moncada might not strikeout 215+ times in a season in the years to come.
Possibly signing Machado.
Eloy’s going to be mashing in the majors soon.
Favorite White Sox Twitter Account (Besides @fromthe108) and why?
White Sox Dave (@WSDBarstool) is my guy. He has been a great friend over the years and we’ve always supported each other for the same reasons I support you guys!
What do you like best about @fromthe108 ?
The best part about @fromthe108 would be your voices and how fan driven you are without it feeling forced or lame. Also- how you’re all pretty normal and nice dudes in real life and how easily that translates through your social media/blog.
Favorite White Sox related blog or podcast and why?
Section 108, because duh.
What is your favorite alcoholic drink for #108ing? Be specific and feel free to go with more than one if you need to. What about your favorite beer style?
My favorite alcoholic beverage for #108ing is beer and what kind depends on where I am and what time of the year it is.
In the summer, I generally go for something a little lighter or a saison or nice unfiltered farmhouse ale.
In the fall and winter I like anything from Revolution and you can never go wrong with a Lagunitas IPA. I’ll often get a Guiness draft if it’s snowing. Idk why.
I’m currently #108ing with a Fat Tire that my dad left here for me to drink when I started to feel better after surgery.
Where would you take @GasMoneyBob out on a date?
Hey dere, Bob. Portillos?
Favorite performance enhancing drug?
HAha wut. Does caffeine count?
Who do you hate more Jim Belushi or John Cusack?
I don’t hate neither Jim nor John since neither have ever done me wrong, but I won’t watch anything with either of the Cusacks. Sorry.
Happy Ending
What Other Chicago Teams Do You Enjoy
da Bears and Blackhawks
Favorite Chicago Sports History Moment
Ones I’ve been alive for?
2005 Chicago White Sox World Series
The parade that followed.. fun story. I was a sophomore in high school (Argo) in 05 and my parents called me out of school sick and took me to the parade downtown. I still have some confetti 🙂
2010, 2013 & 2015 Stanley Cup runs
Corey Crawford’s speech at the rally
Favorite All-Time Sox Broadcaster
Obv. Hawk
Any Stories About Running Into or Meeting White Sox Players? Other Chicago Athletes?
I’ve had the opportunity to work with several guys over the years and seeing that it’s my job I don’t typically act or behave any differently than I would talk to my friends or coworkers. BUT there was one exception where I fan girled pretty hard.
I was working part time during my freelancing days at CSN (now NBC Sports Chicago) and was using someone’s desk in the newsroom since I didn’t have my own. The desk was right near the back entrance door- the door itself was one of those heavy metal doors with the small wired window near the top. Anyways- one day I’m sitting at the borrowed desk and hear a pounding on that door. I look up and see Frank Thomas’ face in that tiny window and just stared at him until I realized who it was. He looked at me like “Um, hello??” and I was like “Oh shit. I gotta go open the door for Frank Thomas.”
I walk over there, open the door and he says hello and introduces himself. His hand was 3x the size of mine and I thought he was going to break it when we shook. I hopped out of his way as he walked through the door into the newsroom and went right toward the desk I was sitting in. He hung up his suit jacket that honestly was as big as a picnic blanket on the cubicle wall and asked if it was ok if he kept it there. I might’ve nodded? Idk I didn’t say anything the entire time. I just met my childhood hero and was working on the same show together. It was one of those oh shit I have a cool job moments. I eventually came back to earth but I’ll never get over how much of a loser I was.
Drinking margs and eating pizza with Bill Melton. That guy has got some awesome stories.
Favorite TV Show (or Netflix or HBO or whatever the fuck)?
Big Game of Thrones girl. Also, The Office.
Do you remember your first Sox game?
Yeah. I couldn’t tell you how old I was but I was really little. I remember a drunk guy demanding my sister and I whack him in the head with a glow stick and my dad was cool with it so we did.
What Player had the greatest impact on you?
Paul Konerko. I cried when he retired. He’s probably the biggest single representation of my childhood.
What was the happiest day watching the Sox?
Game 4 of the 2005 World Series
What was the saddest day watching the Sox?
Too many to count lately
What do you do for work? If you could be or do anything else – what?
I produce really cool content and shows for the PGA TOUR that get aired on ESPN, NBC, CBS, ABC and Golf Channel. I basically come up with a story and do all the things in-between having the idea to when you see it on TV. My job involves a lot of travel, interviews, working with an awesome team of producers, photographers and editors.
I don’t think there’s anything else I’d rather do, except I know what I want to do when I retire. I really, really want to be a soundboard operator at a minor league ballpark. Can you imagine being the reason why thousands of people are clapping along with the cha cha slide beat? I can, and I will have that job one day.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Lately I’ve been all about resting- but I like watching golf, baseball, hockey and nfl football. I also like traveling, working out, eating and drinking beer.
What would be your one super power?
Teleportation for sureeeee
What’s your one biggest pet peeve?
Northsiders that think they’re better than White Sox fans.
Wrigley Field & its construction
When people take things too seriously—like Twitter and any other social media. Also people that have bad hygiene. Dudes that try to slide in my DMs in the weirdest ways.
What’s your one annoying habit?
I have more than one but I’m that person that always asks to take one more picture and then one more and then another- I know it’s annoying and I don’t care 🙂
What ballpark would you like to visit?
AT&T Park- I’ve driven past it half a dozen times and have never been to a game. It looks awesome and the area that surrounds it looks awesome.
About The Author
beefloaf108
Low information White Sox Fan. Big Feet Energy ORIGINAL 108er Like Whore 2019 Opening Day #SoxMath WINNAR Mediocrity Personified