Andrew Ference Interview

• NAME: Andrew James Stewart Ference
• CURRENT OFF-SEASON RESIDENCE: "I split between Whistler, British Columbia and Sherwood Park, and Alberta."
• FAMILY: "My mom is a doctor, my dad is a dentist, and I have one 22-year-old sister who just finished her schooling to become a science teacher back in Edmonton. They all live in Alberta."
• MARITAL STATUS: "I'm single, but I have a steady girlfriend back home in Canada. She is actually competing in the X-Games on ESPN. She is a snowboarder for Team Canada."
• HOW ACQUIRED: Pittsburgh's 8th Round Selection (208th Overall) in the 1998 Entry Draft
• W-B/S PENGUINS UNIFORM NO.: 5
• BEST THING ABOUT BEING A W-B/S PENGUIN: "Being with this group of guys. I came down from the NHL, and obviously I want to get back there. But right now in terms of the guys, it's a lot more fun to be around teammates who are more your age. Everyone here is upbeat. We have a lot of fun. That's what it's all about. This is a really great group of guys I have for teammates."
• FAVORITE NHL TEAM WHILE GROWING UP: "I was a hometown boy growing up in Edmonton when the Oilers were so good, but I always had the Penguins' jersey as a kid, always Pittsburgh, an it was a Mario Lemieux jersey. So when I was drafted by them later on, I was pretty pumped up."
• ALL-TIME FAVORITE PLAYER WHILE GROWING UP: "I've never really tried to copy anyone's game, but I always had the Lemieux jersey, like I said, and I always thought he was the best hockey player I have ever seen. Remember, I lived in the same town as Wayne Gretzky, but I still defended Lemieux and thought that he was the best."
• PLAYER YOU MOST ADMIRE NOW: "Chris Chelios. He has been so good for so long and he is tough, gritty, and I really admire him and look up to him. He's so tough and mean. I have respect for what he has done and what he is still doing--he's the man!"
• FAVORITE BAND OR SINGER: "I'd have to go with Sublime."
• FAVORITE WARM-UP TUNE: "Anything by Metallica."
• FAVORITE HOBBY: "I like the outdoors. I love to ride my Harley Davidson. Instead of golfing like most hockey players do, I get on my Harley and ride around. I love that part of the summer; I also like to go snowboarding with my girlfriend up in Whistler. I also like to go mountain bike riding--anything outdoors or adventurous."
• FAVORITE MOVIE: "Full Metal Jacket."
• FAVORITE ACTOR: "I think the best actor is Sean Connery. He is really something, and a really cool guy. As far as an actress, I would say Rene Russo. I like her."
• FAVORITE BOOK: "The Beach. I read it about a year and a half ago, it was awesome and it will be a movie real soon."
• FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR: "Peanut butter and fudge"
• CAREER ASPIRATION AFTER HOCKEY: "My girlfriend and I want to open up an outdoor adventure club. It would either be for couples or for businesses, to come for like a week or weekend and do things like kayaking, rock climbing, snowboarding, skydiving, and all those types of things. We want to give people the chance to come there and getting completely away from the norm and do something different."
• FAVORITE CAR: "I'd never buy it, but my favorite car is the Porsche 911--rag top. You've got to get the convertible. Right now I'm driving the Ford F-150."
• DREAM VACATION SPOT: "Kenya, Africa! I've been there once, and I'm going back as soon as possible. I went on a private photo safari with just our family and our guide. We went out and we didn't have to follow any groups. It was awesome. We went for two and one-half weeks."
• DREAM DATE WOULD BE WITH: "You are going to get me in trouble with my girlfriend here, but if I'm picking I'd go with Rene Russo."