David Ross likes Coca Cola as much as he dislikes Alabama football

David Ross has two World Series rings from his 15-year baseball career. Because he was with so many teams throughout his career he also has a healthy amount of natural rivalries. Thankfully, Coca Cola brought a giant red couch to the MLB All-Star festivities in Washington D.C. so that fans could share a Coke with their greatest rivals.

For Ross, that could mean any number of teams. After all, he played with the Dodgers, Red Sox, Cubs, and others during his career. Each of them owners of some of the most intense rivalries in baseball. I sat down on the hybrid couch-vending machine with Ross and talked about how much he truly loves Coke and who he would (and won’t) share one with.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

So you’re here with Coke.

Really cool. Look at this shirt, right? [his T-shirt says “Have a Coke with Rossy.”] Even my nickname. That’s pretty cool.

Not Grandpa Rossy though. They let you be Rossy today.

They let me be Rossy yeah, I don’t have to be the old guy.

So you’re a Coke fan.

I’m from the South. I grew up on Coke. It’s one of those … like when your parents first let you have one and you finally start to get soft drinks. Coke was always my favorite and it’s cool to team up with a brand this big and do it for baseball and the Tip Of The Cap program. It’s so cool how they’re recognizing their success and accolades off the field which is always cool and so it’s like a no-brainer for me, this is one of the favorite things I’ve done since I’ve stopped playing. I get to come to the All-Star Game and be a part of this. Pretty special.

This whole chair’s purpose is sharing a Coke with your Rival, so ...

Your rival! Right? I told ‘em I don’t know if a Cardinal fan was going to come up here ... or a Yankee. I’m in the media so I’ve gotta be a little more unbiased. But not today I don’t.

So which rivalry would you share the Coke with? Because you have so many! The Cardinals, the Yankees …

I have the Cardinals and Yankees, and I came up with the Dodgers and the biggest rivalry there is with the Giants, so some insane rivalries I’ve been a part of. So I don’t know, I’ve played for so many different teams and my favorite team growing up was the Braves because I’m from the South, from Tallahassee. So TBS and growing up with Dale Murphy and Chipper. To even get to play with Chipper! But Bobby Cox and that whole deal. Andruw Jones. Kind of my favorite guys to watch play.

You know the Phillies were always the ones who knocked us out when I was in Atlanta and that whole little bit of rivalry. All that stuff’s coming back. I don’t know that there’s only one … I’m kind of interested in doing it all because I like to talk a little trash. I’m that guy. If we get a Giants fan in here I’ll talk like I’m a Dodger. If we get a Cardinal, I’m a Cub.

You’re a one-size fits all rival.

I’ve got so many teams I played for and I’ve experienced all those rivalries so it’ll be good. I’ll be able to poke fun at whoever I get up here.

You mentioned Coke was a favorite when you were growing up. What’s your favorite flavor of Coke?

I’m an original guy. I like old school original. The flavor for me hits home.

What’s your favorite time to drink a Coke?

I’m a breakfast … this is going to be so bad. So bad. My favorite breakfast is a bacon, egg, & cheese biscuit from McDonalds with an ice cold Coke. Now I’m older so I get a coffee in the morning. But if I’m traveling I get it on the road and I go and it’s like [Ross laughed and makes a very satisfied face.]

That’ll wake you up!

It does. It gets me going. I don’t drink a ton of carbonated drinks but if I do Coke’s the one. Seriously. I’ve got a sweet tea obsession being from the South but otherwise Coke.

Same. As soon as I go below the Mason-Dixon Line I’m just like “can I get another sweet tea?”

Oh yeah with Chil-Fil-A or something.

Gain eight pounds from craving Popeye’s and Sweet Tea.

Ohhhh yeah Popeye’s I’m down with that for sure.

You can take this question however you want. What’s your favorite thing to mix with Coke?

I’m not really an alcohol guy so I’m kind of like a hot dog person. But to put in it, I grew up loving the original Coke so when Cherry Coke came out that was the deal. You don’t have to make it yourself, it’s already mixed. So I just went from original to Cherry and you got that sweet fix. That kind of dessert soft drink. I loved cherry Coke when it first came out. An obsession.

A Coke for all times of day.

Right? There should be a nighttime Coke, put me to sleep. I’m trying to think what else I’d mix with Coke. Like I said I’m original old school. That and a Cherry Coke are my two favorites I would say.

When you were on Dancing With The Stars did you have endless Coke in your dressing room?

I wish I had that much pull, but no we had to bring our own stuff in there and we were practicing six and seven hours a day. I was just trying to hydrate so I didn’t cramp up. But when we would break for lunch we would go to Jimmy John’s which was right by our studio and I’d get a Coke and a sandwich.

That’s a good combo.

Yeah it was a fun experience. It was really cool, that whole thing took me to another level as far as my popularity as far as how many people see me. I travel through the airport now and more people tell me about DWTS than they do about two World Series I won.

Besides the World Series, what’s the sporting event that you would watch while drinking Coke?

I’m a big college football guy. So I love a big daddy at the stadium.

72 ounces and sipping it for a whole quarter?

Give it to me. I’m all day long with that. I’m right there just sipping on that and some nachos. I’m a nacho guy at the football game. I love college football, I live in Tallahassee, Florida and I went to Auburn so SEC and ACC in college football.

Is there a rivalry fan who you wouldn’t share a Coke with?

Alabama.

Couldn’t go that far?

Nope. We’ve got an Auburn shirt out there in the crowd already so that’s good. My best friend’s a pitching coach and he just got the Pitching Coach job at Alabama and I told him that. He said “you gotta come by” and I said “I can’t buddy.”

Would you share a Coke with a Bama fan if you were watching the Kick Six?

Yeah, yeah I would. Because then I’d be screaming at ‘em. If I was watching that I’d be all in their grill. You know, to be truthful, I’d share a Coke with anybody because I think it’s something you do during a sporting event as you watch. It’s like with a buddy you just start talking trash. Hopefully your team is kicking their butt. I like the rivalry, I like sharing with a rivalry because it’s fun. It’s fun to trash talk. I enjoy it because my personality is if I’m watching a game with somebody I like ‘em already anyway.

I have a lot of friends who are Yankees fans ...

Oh no!

Yeah. But we can sit all day and watch baseball and drink Coke. That happened this weekend actually with the Red Sox and Yankees games on. Coke and baseball.

That’s the best thing after a long Friday night, right? Throw a Coke down and that’ll get you right back on to that game. Little caffeine, little sweetness, I love it.

That’s why Coke goes great with the All-Star Game. Baseball is America’s pastime. I think Coke is right there. Everyone loves Coke. I’ve never heard of someone who doesn’t like Coke. Like “nah, I’d rather not.”