Ranger Roomies
TEXAS RANGERS pitchers Kameron Loe, 25, and C.J. Wilson, 26, shared a very loud loft last season. "The floors were aluminum," says Wilson, a 6'1" lefty reliever. "We heard every move the other made." So the pair, who became friends during spring training in 2003, went house hunting, settling on a brand-new, 2,000-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath condo in Dallas's newly developed Victory Park neighborhood. Price: about $560,000, with perks including a pool, a weight room and parking spots for Loe's Chevy pickup and Wilson's Porsche 911. While the hardwood floors aren't as noisy, a Mandarin Oriental hotel is being built across the street. "The banging starts at seven a.m." says Loe, a 6'8" righty starter who's in front of Wilson on their balcony in photo (1). "I use it as my alarm clock." The condo is close to American Airlines Center, where the roomies walked to Mavs and Stars games this season and across from a just-opened House of Blues, which they plan to frequent. "We're not on long-term contracts," says Wilson, "but with everything they're doing in the neighborhood, we're looking at [the condo] as a great investment."
LOE'S BEDROOM (2)
Loe supplements limited closet space with a shoe rack in his bathroom and a rod in the corner to hang his shirts ("mostly black," he says). Above his bed is a photo of an ocean scene he loves for being both "chaotic and calming." By the door he has a framed Rocky poster signed by Sly Stallone that he bought at auction. Loe, a fan of ultimate fighting, uses the open space in his room to practice muay thai (3).
WILSON'S BEDROOM (4)
A devoted Taoist who doesn't drink, Wilson lights candles on his dresser and meditates every night before climbing onto his memory foam mattress. In the morning he practices yoga on a soft shag rug. He has four Dalí prints on his walls ("The melting clocks sucked me in") and a print of John Lennon.
WILSON'S WALK-IN CLOSET (5)
"I'm not a huge clothes guy, but you need a few key items for when you need to bring it," Wilson says, holding a pair of white Louis Vuitton loafers and a white Dolce & Gabbana sports jacket. Stacked nearby is a collection of autographed baseballs. "Guys sign like their personality," Wilson says, noting the precision of Mariano Rivera's signature and the large loops of Barry Zito's.
HALLWAY (6)
Loe got a jersey to go with the image of Nolan Ryan he had inked on his back at 17. "He's been my favorite forever," he says. After Loe won the Nolan Ryan award as the Rangers' top minor league pitcher in '04, he met his idol. "I didn't show him the tattoo," Loe says. "Might have been a little much."
LIVING ROOM
Wilson sprung for an Eames lounge chair while Loe bought a plush couch that they perch on after breaking out their guitars for guests. ("Dates usually turn into practice sessions," Wilson says.) Wilson is the more accomplished guitarist, but the two are equal in PlayStation Guitar Hero II (above). "We'll play for four-hour stretches," says Wilson. "I'm like the Ricky Bobby of the guitar."
KITCHEN
Wilson eats only organic food and has meals shipped in from Optimal Nutrition Inc. in San Diego. Loe often gets breakfast at The Original Pancake House and he eats other meals at the ballpark. Loe's items in the fridge: "The pickles. And maybe the grape jelly."
ANGEL'S CORNER
The house pet is Loe's eight-foot, 35-pound boa constrictor named Angel (7, with Loe). "She doesn't know her name or how to roll over, but she's probably the lowest-maintenance pet you can have," says Loe, who feeds Angel a live rat a week. Loe, who often brings Angel to the clubhouse, where she curls up in a drawer under his locker, lets her roam outside her heated cage. Once, she went missing for days until the roommates left a rat in the open. "We were in the living room and heard this loud crunch, and we're like, 'Angel's back!'" Wilson says. "She was under the fridge the whole time."
SEVEN PHOTOS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT SEALE/TSN
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
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CMS PHOTO (HAT)
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KARL WRIGHT/ICON SMI (LOE ACTION)
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