Bates Interview

[Captain Kangaroo]

ELLIOTT BATES, CHARTIERS-HOUSTON

Bates was a standout lineman in football and has a scholarship to the University of Akron. He also is the Post-Gazette's No. 1-ranked 275-pound wrestler in WPIAL Class AA and has a 30-2 record this season with 19 pins. His career record is 102-33. When Bates graduates, he will have 12 varsity letters -- four each in football, wrestling and track and field.

Q: Do you like wrestling or do you simply use it to stay in shape for football?

A: I really just use it to keep in shape. I just started wrestling years ago kind of as a hobby. But I started developing and once I got to the varsity level, I started to get good at it.

Q: What's the worst part about wrestling?

A: It has to be just the training. In wrestling, you usually have only one match all week. But you get a lot of forfeits in wrestling. So you train all week and then get a forfeit because other teams don't have enough people to fill all the weights.

Q: Do you like the WWE and all that kind of wrestling?

A: I used to when I was little, but I kind of outgrew it. Now I'm just a [ESPN] SportsCenter guy.

Q: Steelers or Patriots?

A: Oooooh. That's a tough one. If Big Ben comes to play, I'd have to pick the Steelers.

Q: Should Big Ben get rid of the gloves?

A: I don't know, maybe on his throwing hand.

Q: If you could be anyone in the world for a day, who would it be?

A: Shaquille O'Neal. He's a character. Some people say I'm kind of like him. He just seems funny, but he's very truthful about things.

Q: How many chicken wings can you eat?

A: I've never tried real hard, but I could eat 50 easy.

Q: Your father's name is Norman Bates. Do you hear much stuff about the movie "Psycho?"

A: When football recruiting started, recruiters would ask the name of my dad. I'd tell them Norman. Some of them didn't believe it. But I have a brother named Norman and my grandfather also is Norman.

Q: You don't own a motel, do you?

A: Ahhhh, no (laugh).

Q: You ever see the movie "Psyhco?"

A: Yeah. I'd say the old one, the black and white one, is pretty corny. The newer one is dumb. The old one is better than the new.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A: In the NFL.

Q: Is that realistic?

A: It's realistic for me. Everyone who is going to play Division I football should be thinking about the NFL. I've got goals. That's one of them. Every goal I've ever set, I've achieved.