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The Vince Young interview
June 10, 2008 12:56 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
I was watching Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday when the ABC cameras showed Titans quarterback Vince Young sitting in a suite at the new Garden. I made a quick call and it turns out he was in Boston meeting with Reebok officials about his new cleat, the VY Electrify.
Last month, I set up an interview with Young while he filmed a commercial for the new shoe. The commericial will air next month and it will feature Young sitting in front of an old-school chalkboard while flashing back to plays he ran at the Pop Warner, high school, college and pro levels. (Fortunately, UT's remedial offense has been embellished for artistic purposes).
Now, let's begin the Q&A portion of this blog entry:
Hash: I understand that having your own shoe was a childhood dream.
VY: Oh yeah, it's something I've thought about forever. It has the old Pump technology and fits me perfectly. And we have a lot of different colors. I was able to have some influence on how it turned out and I'm really pleased.
Hash: What was Pacman Jones like as a teammate and how do you think he'll fare in Dallas?
VY: Pacman's a great guy. The fans will really, really love him. I think he's gotten away from that type of crowd that was bringing him down. It wasn't Pacman. Just talk to Deion [Sanders]. He'll tell you what he's like. He's a big-hearted person. He doesn't want to mess up again, and I think he'll be great for the Cowboys. When he'd go out with guys like me and Keith Bulluck and Kyle Vanden Bosch, he was great. He loves to bowl, and he never caused any trouble.
Hash: What was he like on the practice field?
VY: He was very competitive. He wouldn't let no one throw to his side during practice. He'd get upset if you completed a pass to his side and take it personally. He talked a lot of trash and was very physical. I talked to him last week and he said, 'Texas football is really Texas football.' I told him that's all you got to do is focus on football."
Hash: Have you embraced the country music scene in Nashville?
VY: Oh yeah. I know George Strait and a big-time producer named Tony Brown. A lot of those folks are really big Titans fans and they're up there sitting in the 50-yard line suites. I went to some of the CMA (Country Music Awards) parties and had a great time. My favorite song is "All My Exes Live in Texas." Kerry Collins and I listen to that in the locker room and do a little dance.
Hash: For folks who weren't aware that you and Collins dance to George Strait songs, how does that go?
VY: [Laughing] Well, it's mainly just slappin' your knee quite a bit.
Hash: I don't really have a good transition here, so tell me how hard it is to avoid some of the pitfalls of being a celebrity quarterback. You showed up in some Internet photos recently and you've seen it with Matt Leinart and Tony Romo.
VY: You can't control all that stuff. With picture phones and so much going on, it's a rough situation. But you don't want to stay in the house all the time. You still have to live your life. In Romo's case, if none of that stuff affects the way you prepare for football, then people shouldn't have a problem. If some of that starts affecting the way you prepare, then it's fair to criticize him.
Hash: [I asked this before Bears running back Cedric Benson was released Monday] I've talked to some scouts who are cautious with former University of Texas players because they think they've been pampered so much. You've talked about having a tough transition into the league. Obviously Cedric Benson and Ricky Williams have struggled with off-field issues. Is there anything to what those scouts are saying?
VY: I don't think it's just Texas players. I think it's growing up and trying to be more mature. The last time I saw Ced, there were a couple of things going on in his life. He needs to go find something else. Right now, drinking is not it.
Hash: Do you ever regret skipping your final season of college?
VY: Somewhat, yeah I do. Getting another year under my belt might've helped me mature. But I've been fortunate to know people like Steve McNair. I've been living fast for my age. Since I was a 6-year-old, I've been hanging around people that are older than me. I look at situations like Ced's and know that if you don't pay attention, it could happen to you. I've been living the fast life, but I think I already have myself prepared for whatever I'll face.
Reebok official: I have to get Vince outta here.
Hash: Thanks Vince.
VY: Sure. You should get yourself some Electrify's.
Hash: Um, OK.
June 10, 2008 12:56 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
I was watching Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday when the ABC cameras showed Titans quarterback Vince Young sitting in a suite at the new Garden. I made a quick call and it turns out he was in Boston meeting with Reebok officials about his new cleat, the VY Electrify.
Last month, I set up an interview with Young while he filmed a commercial for the new shoe. The commericial will air next month and it will feature Young sitting in front of an old-school chalkboard while flashing back to plays he ran at the Pop Warner, high school, college and pro levels. (Fortunately, UT's remedial offense has been embellished for artistic purposes).
Now, let's begin the Q&A portion of this blog entry:
Hash: I understand that having your own shoe was a childhood dream.
VY: Oh yeah, it's something I've thought about forever. It has the old Pump technology and fits me perfectly. And we have a lot of different colors. I was able to have some influence on how it turned out and I'm really pleased.
Hash: What was Pacman Jones like as a teammate and how do you think he'll fare in Dallas?
VY: Pacman's a great guy. The fans will really, really love him. I think he's gotten away from that type of crowd that was bringing him down. It wasn't Pacman. Just talk to Deion [Sanders]. He'll tell you what he's like. He's a big-hearted person. He doesn't want to mess up again, and I think he'll be great for the Cowboys. When he'd go out with guys like me and Keith Bulluck and Kyle Vanden Bosch, he was great. He loves to bowl, and he never caused any trouble.
Hash: What was he like on the practice field?
VY: He was very competitive. He wouldn't let no one throw to his side during practice. He'd get upset if you completed a pass to his side and take it personally. He talked a lot of trash and was very physical. I talked to him last week and he said, 'Texas football is really Texas football.' I told him that's all you got to do is focus on football."
Hash: Have you embraced the country music scene in Nashville?
VY: Oh yeah. I know George Strait and a big-time producer named Tony Brown. A lot of those folks are really big Titans fans and they're up there sitting in the 50-yard line suites. I went to some of the CMA (Country Music Awards) parties and had a great time. My favorite song is "All My Exes Live in Texas." Kerry Collins and I listen to that in the locker room and do a little dance.
Hash: For folks who weren't aware that you and Collins dance to George Strait songs, how does that go?
VY: [Laughing] Well, it's mainly just slappin' your knee quite a bit.
Hash: I don't really have a good transition here, so tell me how hard it is to avoid some of the pitfalls of being a celebrity quarterback. You showed up in some Internet photos recently and you've seen it with Matt Leinart and Tony Romo.
VY: You can't control all that stuff. With picture phones and so much going on, it's a rough situation. But you don't want to stay in the house all the time. You still have to live your life. In Romo's case, if none of that stuff affects the way you prepare for football, then people shouldn't have a problem. If some of that starts affecting the way you prepare, then it's fair to criticize him.
Hash: [I asked this before Bears running back Cedric Benson was released Monday] I've talked to some scouts who are cautious with former University of Texas players because they think they've been pampered so much. You've talked about having a tough transition into the league. Obviously Cedric Benson and Ricky Williams have struggled with off-field issues. Is there anything to what those scouts are saying?
VY: I don't think it's just Texas players. I think it's growing up and trying to be more mature. The last time I saw Ced, there were a couple of things going on in his life. He needs to go find something else. Right now, drinking is not it.
Hash: Do you ever regret skipping your final season of college?
VY: Somewhat, yeah I do. Getting another year under my belt might've helped me mature. But I've been fortunate to know people like Steve McNair. I've been living fast for my age. Since I was a 6-year-old, I've been hanging around people that are older than me. I look at situations like Ced's and know that if you don't pay attention, it could happen to you. I've been living the fast life, but I think I already have myself prepared for whatever I'll face.
Reebok official: I have to get Vince outta here.
Hash: Thanks Vince.
VY: Sure. You should get yourself some Electrify's.
Hash: Um, OK.
