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(http://i.imgur.com/mGE8TML.png)
Graig Merritt
Former MLB player and currently a Scout for the league, as well as an avid yogi from Pitt Meadows, BC.
Age: 36
Hometown: Pitt Meadows, B.C.
Occupation: Pro. Baseball Scout/Coach
Describe yourself in three words: Passionate. Emotional. Real.
Do you have a strategy to win Big Brother Canada?
Well, first of all, I’m going to tell the houseguests I’m 30 years old. Then I’m going to tell them that I work at Costco. I don’t want them to know that I recruit players for Major League Baseball and used to be a Major League ball player myself. That may put a target on my back. I’ve done my Costco research. I spoke to a manager there and I know how much I make an hour, what my shift is (5 a.m. to 1 p.m.), etc. I’m ready.
If you could take one thing inside the house, what would it be and why?
I would bring in a yoga mat and a yoga block. I’ll definitely do my yoga in the house.
Brain vs. Brawn. Which challenges, physical or mental, do you fear most?
Mental challenges. Don’t give me a puzzle! Some of those trivia challenges are so confusing and they trick you with the words. I mean, I was a catcher, I have been concussed several times!
If you won, how would you spend the $100k?
I would buy land and a house in Britannia Beach, B.C. There’s nothing there right now – totally untouched. It’s a beautiful piece of land on a huge hill overlooking the ocean. I’ve been saving for that for a long time.
Who is your Big Brother Canada idol and why?
I loved watching Adel (BBCAN2). He had such a positive energy and I think we would have hit it off. He saw the light in everything. I really thought he played an awesome game even though he got carried away at the end. I’m sure it’s easy to get carried away in the Big Brother Canada house.
True North strong and free. What is your favourite thing about Canada?
I think it’s amazing how loyal and patriotic Canadians are. I’ve traveled all over the world and nowhere have I seen people more genuine and pure than right here in Canada. I mean commuters here just invite you right into their lane! You wanna merge ahead of me?
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https://www.youtube.com/v/hFkSy1iC0Zo
Source: User sabrina on youtube
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Merritt is now the manager of the Victoria Harbourcats Baseball team:
Victoria HarbourCats name Graig Merritt new head coach
The Victoria HarbourCats feel that as a scout for seven years with the Tampa Bay Rays, Graig Merritt is right in their wheelhouse.
“He knows a lot of the players we will be going after,” said HarbourCats GM Jim Swanson, in announcing Merritt will be taking over the head coaching position in 2015 to replace the departing Bob Miller.
“His scouting will take him to the places he needs to be. It naturally dovetails.”
The HarbourCats play in the West Coast League, which features top U.S. collegiate NCAA players.
“Our goal for 2015 is the playoffs,” said Merritt, a Canadian from Maple Ridge who was signed by the Rays as a catcher in 2001 and reached Double-A in his five seasons as a pro player, catching current MLB players Jason Hammel and James Shields along the way.
The HarbourCats have been nowhere near the post-season in their first two seasons in the WCL, finishing 22-32 in 2013 under Dennis Rogers and 25-29 in 2014 under Miller. The club has been successful in the stands, however, leading the league in attendance in 2014 and placing second in WCL attendance in 2013. The HarbourCats’ per game attendance of 1,576 was 28th among collegiate summer-league teams in North America. The aim now is to match that off-field success on the diamond.
“I will demand hustle and effort. Those are things every player can control,” said Merritt, the 36-year-old former Canadian junior team player, who scouts B.C. for the Rays.
“I have a very aggressive [coaching] style and demand a lot out of my players. I break them down and build them back up again.”
Also crucial, said Merritt, is to “keep all the players happy.”
“You could recruit the best [NCAA] Division 1 players, but if they are not having fun with chemistry and team morale, the team won’t be successful. It’s my job to provide that successful environment.”
Merritt was in spring training with Tampa Bay in 2003 and 2004 and has been through the grind in a minor-pro career that took him through Single-A and Double-A with the Hudson Valley Renegades, Charleston RiverDogs, Bakersfield Blaze, Montgomery Biscuits and Orlando Rays. He cites former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre as a role model at the MLB level because of “the way he kept his players happy” on a bench loaded with multi-million dollar talent that all wanted to be on the field.
Instead of walking off into civilian life after his dreams of the majors faded as a player in Double-A, Merritt had a burning desire to stay involved in the sport.
“I have a passion for the game that will rival anyone’s … and I will continue to follow that passion,” he said.
“This is a big jump [from his previous coaching experience in the B.C. Premier League and as former owner/operator of the West Coast Baseball Academy] but I’m ready for it. This [baseball] is what I want in my life. My goal is to coach or manage in pro baseball and I see this as a stepping stone. This progression seems perfect for me.”
Merritt is a keen student of the game.
“He’s not going to miss a thing,” said Swanson.
As Rays scout for the region, Merritt has a good handle on players in B.C. and U.S. Pacific Northwest. The HarbourCats hope to fill in California by soon announcing their pitching coach for 2015 from that state.
“[The potential new HarbourCats pitching coach] has huge connections from San Diego to San Jose,” noted Merritt.
Recruiting has already begun for 2015.
“Recruiting started two weeks ago for 2015,” said HarbourCats owner John McLean.
“If you don’t have your team recruited by mid-September or October, you are really behind.”
Having won the NCAA Division II national championship at Chico State before turning pro with the Rays organization, Merritt says he knows what players are going through at the collegiate level and in summer ball. And how to get the best out of them.
“I’ve done a lot of research in the last two weeks. [McLean and Swanson] have very high goals and that’s perfect because I have high expectations, as well, for the fans here and for how we develop players into potential professionals. We are already No. 1 in the WCL in fans. We will rival any summer league team in North America,” vowed Merritt.
See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/victoria-harbourcats-name-graig-merritt-new-head-coach-1.1313814#sthash.CCrJ0b4w.dpuf
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‘Big Brother Canada’ pre-game exclusive: Is Graig Merritt a swing and a miss?
Graig Merritt, other than having a very bizarre spelling for his first name, is an interesting character. Given his work with Major League Baseball, we’re honestly surprised that he had the months off to do “Big Brother Canada 3.” Isn’t scouting a sort of year-around job? He is an interesting guy in that he has everything on the surface to be a good player and a competitive threat. Most importantly, he also doesn’t seem to be completely out of touch with reality.
If this is the first one of our pre-game interviews that you’ve read, here’s the premise for it: We had a chance to chat with all of the houseguests earlier this week, prior to anything about them airing on “ET Canada.” Therefore, we went into this with zero knowledge of who they were, their personality, or even what they looked like since we were talking over the phone. For the sake of fairness, we asked everyone roughly the same questions. Check out the exclusive interview with Graig below, and we’ll give you a brief overall impression at the bottom of this article.
CarterMatt – Tell us about yourself: Your name, where you’re from, your age, and what you do for a living.
Graig Merritt – So I’m 36, I’m a scout part-time for the Tampa Bay Rays, and I’m a baseball coach. (Note: His bio says he’s from Pitt Meadows, BC.)
What made you want to try out for Big Brother Canada this year?
You know what? I played on a baseball team a few years, and I never even knew what ‘Big Brother’ was. It was the start of season 1 of ‘Big Brother Canada,’ and my team was like ‘did you see last night’s show,’ and I was completely out of the loop, asking [what it was]. They explained it to me, I started watching it, and as time went by they started telling me ‘dude, you have to try out. You’d be perfect for it.’ So lo and behold, I went and tried out, and here I am.
If you could compare yourself to someone from either BB Canada or BB USA, who would it be?
So I’ve gone back and watched a ton of old episodes [of both shows]. I would say Adel from last year based on how positive his outlook was and how happy he was. I’m also a redhead, so I also loved Frank from season 14, the big curly-haired guy who was a former wrestler. (Note: Well, his dad was the wrestler in Sid Vicious, but we’ll still give him some credit here.) I liked how outspoken he was, his hair, I loved everything about him.
What’s something about you that would surprise people?
How physical I am. I think that goes along with baseball. That’s a tough question, I’m not too sure on that one.
What’s your basic strategy going into the house?
I have so many strategies working through my head it’s crazy. I know I want to align myself with someone who can do well in the mental challenges. I know I can do well in the physical challenges … but some of those mental challenges for me are going to be tough. I had a hard time keeping up with them on TV. If I want to go a long way in the show I need to align with someone who can do well in those, and I can carry the physical challenges, and we can go really far.
Is there any one thing you are the most excited to do this season?
Just to meet everyone and experience the house! Search around and see all the rooms, maybe try to find a secret room in there, meet Marsha the Moose. Hopefully I can meet Marsha the Moose in there. That’d be something I would be excited to do, as well.
What do you think your biggest weakness could be?
I have to control my emotions. I’m a really emotional guy. I’m going to have to think before I speak.
What are hoping to get out of the show: Money, fame, love, or just a good time?
How about all [of them]!
If there is one message you would pass along to the Canadian public before entering the game, what would it be?
Strap your seat belts on! It’s going to be electric, it’s going to be fun, so let’s enjoy the ride together.
Our overall impression - Graig sounded friendly, and he had a way of responding that was somewhat reminiscent to last year’s champion Jon. However, he’s also got too much of a competitive edge, almost like a certain guy he mentioned in Frank. We feel like he’s going to try too hard to win and get targeted because of it. The good news is that he doesn’t come across like a jerk, so he shouldn’t be public enemy #1 in the house.
Source:http://cartermatt.com/157501/big-brother-canada-pre-game-exclusive-is-graig-merritt-a-swing-and-a-miss/
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https://www.youtube.com/v/Dk1bjcTzb5Y
Source: Big Brother Daily on Youtube
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HarbourCats coach joins Big Brother
Victoria HarbourCats fans are getting the chance to get to know the team's new coach Graig Merritt from under a microscope.
Before starting his first season with the HarbourCats, Merritt is busy starring on Big Brother Canada, which premiered on March 23.
“This will be a great chance for the people of Victoria to get to know the man who will be leading our team on the field as the HarbourCats begin their third season in the West Coast League,” said HarbourCats general manager Jim Swanson.
Swanson has known Merritt for eight years and has competed on two national teams at the Baseball Canada senior championship with him.
“Graig has a lot of personality for sure, and I'm sure he'll be one of the interesting characters on the show,” he said “Graig's the kind of guy that brings out passion in a lot of people.”
Merritt, 36, is currently in the Big Brother House, believed to be somewhere near Toronto. While on the show, he not allowed to be in contact with anyone.
Swanson expects Merritt to do well on the show, calling him a strategist.
“He's already made the play that he's only 30 years old, not 36, and that he works at Costco rather than making himself a target by what he does,” said Swnason. “He's very intelligent, and the longer his intelligence can keep him from giving into the psychology experiment on a show like Big Brother, I think the farther he'll have a chance to go.”
Being on the show will not interfere too much with Merritt's HarbourCat duties. He is expected to be finished with Big Brother in time for the start of the season.
“I have full trust and confidence in our coaching staff, and I'll jump in myself to fill any gaps so we can get the season off on the right foot,” said Swanson.
Tickets are now available for the HarbourCats' 2015 season at harbourcats.com/tickets. The first exhibition game is May 31.
Big Brother Canada 3 is scheduled to air three times a week: Mondays at 8 p.m., Wednesdays at 9 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. on Global TV.
Source:http://www.vicnews.com/community/298490691.html
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Not really liking him on this season! :(
He' SUCH A TOOL lol!!!
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Since Graig called himself the Ginga Ninja, ET Canada got him to give nicknames to all the other houseguests. Pretty funny.
https://www.youtube.com/v/JhxfZ3T33Mw