The Decision: Where Is Zac Crain Going For An After-Work Drink?

This has been tough. Really tough.

What’s new? What’s been going on with you this summer?

Man, this whole free agent experience, looking forward to it.

What have you thought about this process?

This process has been everything I’ve thought and more. And that’s what I did a few years ago; I put myself in a position to have this process where I can hear bars’ pitches and figure out what was the best possible chance for me to ultimately drink and to ultimately be happy.

You weren’t able to be recruited because you were an extremely average high school basketball player. Have you enjoyed this recruiting process now?

I have enjoyed it. And I want to thank all six bars that I had an opportunity to sit down with and hear what they had to say. And my team, they hear what we had to say also.

It’s been an unbelievable experience, a real humbling experience to be even to be in this position.

What did you expect? Because we’ve seen 30 foot billboards. We’ve seen teams clear out all kinds of cap space. We’ve seen cartoons made about you and for you in part of their pitch. President Obama, for crying out loud, seven times has commented that he’d like to see you go to Chicago. What did you expect from this process?

[blank expression; more so] I think you grabbed the wrong card.

Right. Where was I? Oh — how many people know your decision right now?

Not many. It’s a very, very small number. And I probably could count them on my fingers. But don’t ask me to do so. I may or may not have been bluffing about my ability to count to a number less than 10.

One hand or two hands?

Seriously, man. Come on. Next question. Jerk.

So the last time you changed your mind was yesterday?

The last time I changed my mind was probably in my dreams. And when I woke up this morning I knew it was the right decision. Because the dragon saved the princess from Bruce Willis in the Die Hard building and then we all had cupcakes with an audioanimatronic Frank Sinatra and my third-grade teacher. So it was pretty obvious.

So does the team that you’re going to, that you’ll announce in a few minutes, do they know your decision?

They just found out.

They just found out?

They just found out.

They just found out?

They just found out.

They just found out?

They just found out.

They just found out?

They just found out?
They just found out. Ah — you got me! Bugs Bunny logic.

Indeed.
So the other five, on pins and needles, they don’t know; they’ll be listening to this?

Right.

Are you still a nail biter?

I have a little bit. Not of late.

You’ve had everybody else biting their nails. So I guess it’s time for them to stop chewing. The answer to the question everybody —

Wait. You set me up with that nail biting thing for THAT question? Nice work, Jim Nantz. Come on, man. Okay, fine. Let’s just do this.

O…kay. So, where’s it going to be?

In this afternoon, this is very tough, in this afternoon, I’m going to take my talents to Henderson Avenue and remain with the Old Monk.

"Who cares?"

Ever want to go through this again?

This is tough. This is very tough, because you feel like you’ve let a lot of people down. You’ve raised a lot of people’s expectations also. But it was a tough decision, because I know how loyal I am.

And one thing my mother told me when I was going through this process and what ultimately helped me make my decision is you have to do what’s best for you and what’s going to make you happy at the end of the day, because no one can live with the consequences or anything that comes with your decision besides you.

And once I heard that from my mother, the person that I always look to for guidance, it was easy.

Also, I’d like to point out that this has all been tough. Very, very tough. Tough tough tough tough tough.

Tough.