The Post’s Steve Serby chatted with Mark Sanchez’s mom in the lead up to today’s Jets-Chargers playoff game.
Q: Do you get nervous watching Mark play?
A: Yes!
Q: Even now?
A: Even now, oh yeah. He’s my Mark before he’s a football player. You’re always at the edge of your seat and biting on your nails — oooh, ahhh the whole time.
Q: Today’s game?
A: I’m a mess (chuckles).
Q: How will Mark handle the biggest game of his life?
A: I’m sure he’s gonna take some deep breaths and remember what got him to where he’s at today. He’ll be very excited to be representing a city, New York, a team, a group of players, his culture. I know he’s gonna do well.
Q: How do you know?
A: I just feel it.
Q: How often do you speak with Mark?
A: Probably at least twice a week.
Q: You speak to him before games?
A: I go down to the front row of seats and I tell him Dios te Vendigo [God bless you] and give him a high-five or a kiss. I’ve done it since he was a little boy going to school.
Q: One story that sums up Mark as a child?
A: When my older son Nick went to Yale, I took the boys on a trip to (New Haven), and I remember because Mark was very outgoing. Mark flexed in front of (Nick’s) roommates. He did his WWF wrestler flexing. It was hilarious!
Q: How old was Mark?
A: 10-ish.
Q: What traits did Mark get from you and what traits did he get from his dad?
A: Hmmm . . . he definitely has my hands and my feet, ’cause I have rather large hands and feet. He’s kind of a softie like me. For sure his dad’s athleticism and competitiveness.
Q: Most memorable Christmas?
A: We’d go to my Aunt Margaret’s house in Pico Rivera and we’d act out The 12 Days of Christmas.
Q: What did his teachers say about him?
A: Ohmigosh, they loved him (laughs). In fact, one year he won the Mr. Manners award. I was so proud of him. Of all awards to get, I thought, “Wow, that is awesome!”
Q: A story that illustrates what a good son he is?
A: My car was being serviced, and we had some down time. What do you do with an antsy kid? He was so energetic. There was a tree and we saw some names with a heart on it. Well, he wanted to put Mom & Markie on it. Ohmigosh, who would think of that? And he likes to sing to me. For Christmas this year, he sang, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.” He was in the middle of a snowstorm in New Jersey when he was singing. I thought, “How appropriate.”
Q: Mark’s favorite meal?
A: He loves when I make him chorizo and eggs. He loves enchiladas . . . de pollo. And his favorite, favorite cake — Tres Leches. We get it often when he’s home at Taleo in Irvine (Calif.). It’s a treat.
Q: What is it?
A: It’s a cake made of three different milks.
Q: Any chance you’ll bring it to San Diego for him?
A: We’re gonna try to get it to him!
Q: You bring chorizo and tortillas to New Jersey in an insulated bag for him?
A: I freeze it overnight so it’s cold all the time when I go on the plane so I can make him chorizo and eggs over his house.
Q: An example of how driven Mark is?
A: When I talk to (brother) Brandon (who lives with Mark), I’ll ask him, “Is Mark home?”
“Nope.”
“It’s so late.”
“Mom, he’s at the facility.”
Q: What enables Mark to be a leader?
A: It comes back to the traits he learned from his parents. I was a school bus driver at one time, and I did daycare . . . he saw the care that was needed to be in the position. He saw the leadership of his father being Captain in the fire department.
Q: How often did you go to his high school games?
A: I was at every game.
Q: In college?
A: I probably missed maybe four.
Q: And this year?
A: I think I missed only two (vs. the Bills in Toronto, at Tampa Bay).
Q: How frustrated was Mark having to miss that Tampa Bay game with his knee sprain?
A: He was pretty bummed, I’ll tell you that. But he handled it well. It’s part of what you sign up for.
Q: How many family members and friends will be at the game today?
A: We’re talking 70-75.
Q: Did he sound down to you when he was throwing the interceptions?
A: I know he feels terrible when they lose. He’s his worst critic. But I know the type of kid he is — very resilient. He’ll bounce back.
Q: Other sports Mark enjoyed?
A: I have pictures of him holding a tennis racquet if you can believe that when he was just walking. When (older brothers Nick and Brandon) were playing Little League football, he’d try to put all that stuff on him. He was like copying them. He could barely walk.
Q: Did Mark have posters in his room?
A: I think he had a Dan Marino poster . . . I think he had an Elway, maybe . . . I think he had one maybe of David Carr at Fresno State.
Q: What did he tell you about Rex Ryan?
A: That he was the coolest guy ever! Very approachable. Wonderful guy.
Q: Pete Carroll’s recruiting visit?
A: He was very kind and polite. He was very family-friendly. I liked him. At the time, you kind of question, “Is it because he’s recruiting us as a family?” As time progressed, that’s just who he is.
Q: Mark’s hobbies?
A: Fishing . . . they’d go up to Lake Crawley. . . . In high school, he started to like surfing and going to the beach. One year he got a surfboard from his dad for Christmas. Now his hobby in New York, he’s a big fan of Broadway shows. I think that’s cool.
Q: What might Mark have been if he wasn’t a football player?
A: Because of the kid he is, he could have been a lot of things. He got his degree at USC — I mean, come on! That’s big-time, you know? Wow!
Q: What does Mark tell you about New York City?
A: That it’s very nice, very cool, very busy, very different. He said it’s a lot of cities all combined into one city (chuckles).
Q: What did you think of his GQ photo shoot?
A: Ay-ay-ay. It’s one of those things I guess that comes with the territory. I thought (model) Hilary (Rhoda) was beautiful, by the way.
Q: What did you think when Mark ate that hot dog on the sideline in Oakland?
A: I heard about it [and] thought, ‘Oh man.’ I should have given him chorizo and a burrito, then the media would have really gone nuts (chuckles). I guess it was a learning thing for us.
Q: How do you feel about your son being considered a sex symbol?
A: I don’t even think about that.
Q: It’s flattering.
A: I guess it depends what you think is flattering or not. He doesn’t have time for girls. His first love right now, besides his mom (chuckles) is football.
Q: Can you put into words how proud you are of him?
A: Ohmigosh, you have a couple of days?