Today's Four Downs comes while wondering if the Bengals' Super Bowl chances really are any better today than they were a day ago ...
Former Vikings defensive tackle John Randle shared some of his thoughts on a conference call earlier this morning. Here are a few of the highlights:
First down:
Everyone talks about how hard it isfor professional athletes, particularly football players, to transition to a normal life like the rest of us (except for the financially-secure-and-I-can-do-anything-I-want-for-the-rest-of-my-life-and-I'm-still-young part). Randle said it wasn't difficult for him to leave football and start a new life with his wife, Candace, and their newborn twins. "It wasn't that hard for me. At the time, we had just had twins. So the transition for my family to be bigger ... we were dealing with that, and at the same time, for me, I was just at the point where I was looking forward to the next things in my life. Being a dad, spending more time at home, getting to see a lot of my friends who I hadn't seen in the past 14 years. That was exciting. I got to spend some time with my mom (Martha) before she passed away. And to hang out with my brothers (Ervin and Dennis), for me that was an exciting time. ... And now I've picked up the game of golf and it all kind of tied together." By the way, Randle says he plays about three or four times a week and has a 10.6 index, which means he's about a 12-13 handicap on most courses. (John, I just became a 14.1 this week. So I need some strokes).
Second down:
I was talking to Randall McDaniel the other day. A Hall of Fame inductee last year, he'll be in Canton when Randle is enshrined on Aug. 7. "A lot of us are really looking forward to hearing Johnny speak," McDaniel said. "I know he's worried about it. We already have him picked as the first to cry. But he'll do a great job." Randle talked about what it will be like standing at the podium giving his speech. "It's going to be unbelievable and I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to giving my speech and sitting down and listening to some of the other guys. ... I think about when I was a kid watching the Hall of Fame speeches. Now I kind of have to pinch myself and say I'm going to be one of those guys doing that. I just can't believe I'm going to be inducted."
Third down:
Randle is a quiet guy off the field. Even a little shy, you could say. But on the field, he was a notorious trash talker, often using personal information acquired from media guides and so forth to get under an opponent's skin. Kevin Seifert, ESPN's NFC North blogger, asked Randle if anybody every tried to reverse the stream of personalized trash talking in Randle's direction. "Many people tried that. One of the unique things about it is that's one of the things I would do to entice the quarterback," Randle said. "When you'd talk to an offensive lineman and he'd try to trash talk back to you, sometimes the quarterback would tell the offensive lineman to be quiet. Next thing you know, they're telling each other to shut up. They get into an argument and sometimes would take a time out. I loved when that happen. I loved when there would be a confrontation between teammates. I'd just walk away."
