Fuse Science Inc (DROP)

[spaderox]

re-bump: USA Today Article 12/8


http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/12/what-do-the-red-sox-need-next-year-me-says-david-ortiz-fuse-science-tiger-woods/1



What do the Boston Rex Sox need to do to get back to the World Series in 2012? David Ortiz knows the answer.

"Me," he says with a smile.

Game On! met with Ortiz New York earlier this week where he talked about whether or not he would accept arbitration to stay with the Red Sox (he did), the team's late-season swoon and his latest endorsement deal with Fuse Science. Ortiz will serve an athletic endorser for Fuse along with Tiger Woods who recently posted his first win two years.

Relaxing in his hotel suite, the 36-year old Big Papi looked fit and ready to go. Ortiz and his teammates suffered through the worst September collapse in major league history, blowing a 9-game playoff lead and missing the 2011 post-season. But Ortiz did his part, bouncing back a couple of sub-par seasons to bat .309 with 29 HR's and 96 RBI's. That was his highest batting average since hitting .332 during Boston's last championship season in 2007.

We sat down for a few questions with Ortiz (Watch video excerpts here). On the BoSox' September swoon, he says: "We just didn't play well...We started off slow, the first few games, we got hot and started doing our thing and next thing you know, the last five weeks, things went south."

When asked how new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine will handle the spotlight, Ortiz notes ex-New York Mets skipper already worked in a big market.

He's happy to hear suspended former teammate Manny Ramirez is seeking reinstatement.

"It's good. He wants to play baseball. Everybody deserves an opportunity in life. Its not like he's just going to walk in and play. He's still going to be suspended. If he comes back and plays, I think the game will be happy to have Manny back."

VIDEO: 5 Questions with David Ortiz

DAILY PITCH: Ortiz stays with Red Sox

Ortiz has met fellow Fuse endorser Woods in the past. "There's a whole bunch of other athletes that are going to be involved in this," he promises.

Fuse is having good luck with athletes. Woods won his first tournament in two years shortly after the paid to put its name on his golf bag.

Signing big-name athletes like Ortiz and Woods "brings validation" to the company's products, says president Rubin Hanan.

"Tiger winning his first tournament in 2 years with his new 'Powered by Fuse' golf bag could not have been scripted any better," says Hanan in a statement. "We entered into this partnership with Tiger Woods, because we believe in his comeback. He trains harder then any athlete and is committed to winning. "