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People Magazine has Nothing on Us

By craig

You may have been sitting around your place and thinking to yourself, I wonder what the A-Train does in the off-season?  I know I haven't but in case you have our crack team of interns have been on the job.

POCATELLO - So where does a 20-game winner and Cy Young candidate go when he gets his chance to relax ... well, believe it or not, Pocatello.

He can relax without having to worry about TV cameras or reporters. He can cruise around town in his Mustang without being bothered. There's no traffic, and he doesn't feel obligated to answer his cell phone.

So why would Dontrelle Willis go to Pocatello, Idaho of all places?  Oh, I think you are about to understand the reason.

Oh, yeah, he's also dating Idaho State volleyball player Felice Yocopis, so the Gate City provides a secluded place for someone in need of a vacation.

He went to vacation in Pocatello for the same reason most guys do anything, because of a girl.

Further in the article he talks about the season and the Cy Young award consideration.

The 2005 season ended as the best in Willis' young career. He set career highs in strikeouts (170) and ERA (2.63). He finished the season 22-10, but the stats don't excite him. His fondest memory is of winning his 20th game against the Nationals, but it's not because of his accomplishment. Willis remembers it because it provided an opportunity to celebrate with his teammates.

"Everybody gets individual awards and that's all fine and dandy, but to win 20 games your team has to be fairly good and successful," Willis said. "A lot of things have to go right for you to win a ballgame.

"It almost felt like we all won 20 games. When I came in the locker room they were all pouring beer on me, Bud Lights, whatever they could find. We didn't have any champagne, but it was cool. It felt like we all did it, so it was one of those special things."

Willis pitched his way into the minds of Cy Young voters this year, but Willis doesn't care if he wins it. It would be nice, but, for one of the most humble athletes in the game today, winning the award isn't his driving force.

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"The biggest thing is I'm just glad to have a season where I'm up with the greats, Roger Clemens, Chris Carpenter. It sounds like a bad joke almost. You hear Dontrelle Willis and you're like, `Who?'"

In the words of Wiggins, I love that guy.

Oh, in case you were wondering about Felice Yocopis and I am guessing you were, here is her profile page for the Idaho State volleyball team.

I initially hesitated to put Felice's name in the story but since it is in the public record I went ahead and included it. If this story is picked up by a national news organization, Hah, report what you have to report but other than that, leave the kids alone.

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