TESM’s Interview With NFL Legend Warren Moon

When you think of legendary NFL quarterbacks, recent legends like Brett Farve and John Elway and the current greats like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning come to mind. But another great quarterback that has to be mentioned in the same air is Warren Moon. I recently caught up with the legendary quarterback and here’s what we talked about!

MP: Who did you model your game after growing up?

WM: To be honest, I didn’t really model my game after anyone. I had versatility in my game. I could throw on the run, play-action pass, run if I had to and I could stand in the pocket and take the hit as well. That versatility allowed me to last in the league for so long and also allowed me not to be pigeon-holed as a particular style of player.

MP: Who were some of your idols growing up?

WM: Most of my football idols were minorities. I can remember growing up watching Roman Gabriel and James Harris play quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams. I also watched Jimmy Jones, who was a great quarterback at USC and in the Canadian Football League, and Marlin Briscoe, who was the first black quarterback to start a game in the NFL. Another guy I watched growing up was Joe Gilliam. Jefferson St. Joe drew me in with his flash and the strong arm that he had. Roger Staubach was a guy that I kept up with as well due to his scrambling, running ability and his propensity for making big plays. But for the most part, I idolized guys that looked like me and most of them happened to be in the area of the country where I grew up, Los Angeles. I grew up as a Lakers, Dodgers and Los Angeles Rams fan.

MP: For those that don’t know, Warren does broadcasting of NFL games as well as having his own sports marketing company, Sports 1 Marketing. Warren, what do you feel has made your career after football so successful?

WM: I prepared myself beforehand educationally and financially. I actually did radio and other things while playing to prepare myself for life after football to see what I liked and what I didn’t like. I pretty much had my plan in place for life after football during my playing days.

MP: What inspired you to give back to your community through charitable organizations?

WM: So much was done for me as a young kid with organizations like Little Leagues and Cub Scouts. I just wanted to use the platform that I had to help people that were less fortunate.

MP: Have you ever thought about coaching?

WM: I honestly never have. Coaching is a full-time commitment and I have tremendous respect for them. But I have so many other things that I like doing and coaching wouldn’t allow me to do all of them.

MP: Anything that you wish you could have done differently in your career?

WM: You always go back to certain big games that you lost, but as far as my career, I would say that I could have worked even harder. There’s always more work that you can do to get better.

MP: You played in the Canadian Football League and the NFL. Besides the rules and field length, what were some of the differences you saw in the Canadian Football League and the NFL?

WM: Players were more athletic in the CFL, especially defensive linemen because of the ground they had to cover. The game in the CFL was faster. You had 20 seconds to get the next play called when the ball was spotted. There were so many ways to score in the CFL. Every kick and punt had to be returned or you were giving up points. For example, if a field goal was missed, you had to bring it out of the endzone or it was a point for the team that missed the field goal. Another big difference is we only had three downs in Canada instead of four like the NFL.

MP: When you are doing broadcasting, what is your favorite part of calling NFL games?

WM: My favorite part would be when the game is tight coming down the stretch. You really have to analyze and anticipate what the next move is. The emotion begins to carry you and the game is moving so fast. You have to make sure that you are sharp on what you’re analyzing and saying.

MP: What do you think about the current NFL compared to when you played?

WM: It’s definitely different. It’s not as physical as reflected by the rules. The passing game dominates more and the money that these players are making is astronomical. They deserve all of it and I hope they understand what players went through before them to get what they are getting now. Another huge difference is the amount of social exposure with mediums like Twitter and Facebook. And that’s something that players really have to make sure they pay attention to and they have to watch themselves even more off the field.

MP: Who is your favorite quarterback to watch in the NFL right now?

WM: There are so many good ones, but I like watching Cam Newton. Cam is able to throw the football and can run. To be that fast and big and be able to think the game is exciting to watch. As he gains experience, he will be even better. My personal relationship that I’ve had with him since he has been out of college makes it even more interesting to watch him as well.

MP: Who was your favorite player to play with throughout your entire NFL career?

WM: I would say Tony Gonzalez. He was a young guy coming in the league in Kansas City when I was at the end of my career as a backup for the Chiefs. Me and Tony developed a bond and I became a mentor to him, gave some wisdom to him and watched him grow as a player.

MP: What advice would you give to players in the NFL or aspiring NFL players?

WM: I would tell them to continue to work on your craft and be the best that you can. There’s always someone behind you trying to take your job, so don’t become complacent, even when or if you reach stardom.

Much thanks to Warren for doing this interview with me. And remember to check out his company, Sports 1 Sports Marketing( http://www.sports1marketing.com) and also be on the lookout for Warren calling an NFL game near you!
(Warren Moon picture via http://www.knue.com)

Not This Year

The Lakers finally got off the snide Tuesday night with a thorough domination of the Utah Jazz. The Lakers looked more energized and they didn’t look like an old team. Shockingly, they played harder than a younger Jazz team playing their first game. All in Lakerland are saying that this could be the beginning of the team getting on a roll. But, I’m not so sold on that.

The Lakers ended the season very unimpressive last season as the Dallas Mavericks steamrolled the Lakers right out of the playoffs. Going into this season, many expected the Lakers to make a move to inject some new life and give them some hope to be a contender. What the Lakers got this season was more frustration followed up by signings that most question. The first move was the proposed trade of Chris Paul to Los Angeles. Well, like we all know, Lamar Odom was in that trade as well as Pau Gasol. The trade ended up not happening as NBA Commissioner David Stern nixed the deal. In the process of that deal getting scrapped, Lamar Odom got his feelings hurt and asked for a trade out of Tinseltown. The Lakers obliged and traded him to Dallas for the trade exception the Mavs got in the Tyson Chandler sign-and-trade to the Knicks. If I were the Lakers, I would have tried to persuade Odom to stay and be a part of the team. But, they didn’t and they let him go.

Most thought the next move would be for the Lakers to make a run at Dwight Howard. But, that deal never materialized and the Lakers ended up signing PFs Josh McRoberts and Troy Murphy. No offense to these two guys, but neither of them bring the skill level that Odom brought, let alone the scoring ability. So, this move is deemed by me as a downgrade.

The Lakers also failed to get some PG help this off-season. Sure, some say there was nothing out there, but I believe they needed someone to man the PG position. I like Derek Fisher and I believe that he still can play, but to be honest, his starting PG days are over and he would be the perfect backup PG for this team.

The last thing I want to look at from the Lakers perspective is they do not have any consistent offense off the bench. Backup PG Steve Blake had a good game off the bench the first game and Metta World Piece played well in Sacramento, but neither of these guys are dependable on the offensive end. And this means that more of the scoring load will fall on Kobe and Pau Gasol. And over a 66 game season that’s compressed and offers a lot of back-to-back games, that’s trouble for these older stars.

With all that I’ve mentioned, I think the Lakers are still going to be a thorn in some teams’ sides. C Andrew Bynum comes back from suspension in one more game and maybe his presence will help mold this team into a more defensive team. To be honest, this team may be better suited to hang its hat on defense more than offense based on the pieces that they have. Only time will tell but this team, as it stands, is not a contender. It should be interesting to see how they evolve this year.

The Everyday Mailbag-12/6/2011

There was plenty of big news this week with the BCS, the Tebow craze and other things as well. And with those exciting events and players, there are also questions. Without further adieu, here are the questions the sports world wants to know!

Q: Who do you think will win the Shortened NBA Season?
-Brandon T., Nashville, TN

A: I think the logical choices for the title will be the Heat and the Lakers, but I also believe its too early to tell right now due to the pending NBA free agent and trade movement coming up. Once rosters are mostly set, then I could probably give a more accurate pick there.

Q: Is Cam Newton a sure pick for Rookie of the year after breaking the QB single season rushing record?
-James R., Nashville, TN

A: I don’t think Cam Newton is a surefire pick for rookie of the year. Even though Cam has broke records, Bengals QB Cam Newton has won games. Simple and plain, he has been one of the catalysts of this team, along with AJ Green and that Bengal defense.

Q: After what we’ve seen in Chicago since Cutler went down, question is does backup QB Caleb Hanie have a future role as a backup in Chicago?
-Lee L., Chicago, IL

A: I think that Hanie is done in Chicago. I understand that he’s a backup, but in this instance, he hasn’t shown he can fill in for Cutler when they need him and to be honest, the Bears need to look for more stability in that position because the backup QB is only one play away. Who knows when this situation could arise again for Chicago.

Q: Why is it so hard for Tim Tebow’s critics to give credit where credit is due? Yesterday, Cris Carter looked like he’d rather vomit than admit tebow is winning.
-JW, Lafayette, IN

A: I actually think that folks are afraid of what they haven’t seen. People haven’t seen a QB like him be successful and I think it bothers the “experts” a whole bunch that someone unconventional as Tebow is winning.

Q: Do the Colts draft Andrew Luck & deal Peyton Manning or do they pay two quarterbacks a lot of money? Or do they deal the rights to Luck & get a lot of draft pick? ?
-James R., Nashville, TN

A: I think the Colts, if they get the 1st pick in the draft (which seems to be a certainty at this point) will draft Luck and possibly keep both QBs. That’s a small possibility, but a possibility nonetheless. In the end though, I think that if Peyton proves he’s healthy, he will be traded. But he has to prove he’s healthy first.

Q: ‎​How will the Giants finish the season?
-Joey K., Los Angeles, CA

A: That depends on which Giants team shows up. If the one that played against the Packers shows up, they could win the rest of their games this year and win the division. If they appear like they did in New Orleans, they are done. I think the Giants will show fight and will make the playoffs due to the implosions of Chicago and Detroit right now.

Q: Do you think Jim Schwartz is on the hot seat in Detroit because of the lack of discipline shown by the Lions?
-Jeremy W., Winnepeg, Canada

A: I think Schwartz isn’t on the hot seat, but what he does need to do is make a statement with this team. A lot of times when these dumb penalties happen, Schwartz doesn’t discipline them about it. I would have liked Schwartz to have made a statement and send a player to the locker room or something. That would get the team’s attention I think that’s what has to happen.

Q: What do u think about the BCS title game?
-Jason J., Memphis, TN

A: I think the title game will be a hard-nosed, physical game and that special teams could make the difference again. On another note, a lot of fans are screaming that Oklahoma State should have been in the title game. To that I have one explanation. I believe they have one person to blame: Oklahoma State. They had their own destiny in their hands and then they lost to Iowa State. When that happened, doubt came into the picture and hope came into the picture for Alabama. In the end, doubt turned into reality for Oklahoma State and hope turned into jubilation for Alabama. I’m not saying the BCS is right or wrong, but what I’m saying is Oklahoma State should blame Oklahoma State first and not the BCS.

Thanks everyone for all the questions. And remember, if you have sports questions, I have answers.

#SportsBlogMovement

The Everyday Mailbag- 11/29/11

Time after time, week after week, incredible game after incredible game. The passion and excitement of sports flows everyday of the week. And with the passion and excitement come exciting and great questions. Without further adieu, here are the questions the Sports World wants to know!

Q: What are the Raiders chances of making it to the playoffs?
-Lyndelle M., Clarksville, TN

A: Their chances to make the playoffs hinge on their chances to win the division. If they don’t win the division, they won’t make the playoffs and those chances aren’t looking good with the Broncos making a push with Tebow.

Q: Who’s your favorite for the Heisman?
-Kareem H., Nashville, TN

A: My favorite for the Heisman is Trent Richardson. The guy has been Ram tough all year and ran over and through almost all defenses this year. Robert Griffin III is close on his heels though.

Q: ‎​What team will suffer most from the lockout?
-Joey K., Los Angeles, CA

A: ‎​The Nuggets. They have Wilson Chandler and Kenyon Martin stuck in China and have to find replacements as well as they can’t make a run at JR Smith because he’s locked in a deal over there too.

Q: As of right now you do you have in NBA Finals?
-Bobby C., Sacramento, CA

A: I think that if the teams were as they stand right now, I would say it would be the Heat and the Lakers. But with free agency, trades and those things out there, a lot of things can change just that quick. I think that December 9th to the beginning of the season will go a long way to saying who’s the best team to make a run.

Q: When will Tim Tebow finally lose?
-Sam, Highland Park, IL
A: I think that December 11 vs Chicago will be the next time that Tebow loses.

Q: Even though Sanchez won yesterday he is average at best. Will the jets be looking for a QB next year?
-Lee L., Chicago, IL

A: I think that Sanchez had a winning game yesterday. At this point in his career, I believe he should be further along, so I think next year is the make or break year for him as the New York Jets starting QB. And yes, they will be looking around for QBs in the off-season.

Q: Who is the better game managing QB, Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers?
-Robert R., Chicago, I’ll

A: I would go with Aaron Rodgers. But that’s like splitting hairs. You can’t go wrong with either QB. In my opinion though, I just feel that Rodgers is better at this point right now. He’s a little more careful with the ball than Brees at this point.

Thanks for all the questions! And remember, if you have sports questions, I have answers!

#SportsBlogMovement