We recently spoke with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. Vick, 23, is on the cover of the Madden NFL 2004 video game by EA Sports. Recruited by the Falcons in 2001 after his sophomore year in college at Virginia Tech, he is one of the most exciting and talented quarterbacks playing football. Chicago Sports.com calls Vick “possibly the best athlete in the league.” He broke his right leg in training camp, and will be out a few more weeks.
Q. What was it like to be on the cover of a video game?
A. It is an honor. When you are a youngster and a new game comes out, you always want to see who is on the cover of that game. And now, it is me. That means every time someone buys the game, they are going to be seeing me. It is very special.
Q. Are any of your plays incorporated in the game?
A. Yes. I helped put in some of the plays I run with the Atlanta Falcons. Hopefully, coach [Dan] Reeves won’t get an opportunity to see that! There are some good plays in there. There is a quarterback sweep and a quarterback draw. Those were plays I was able to score on during the season, and we included those.
Q. We have played Madden NFL 2003; can you tell us what is different with this year’s game?
A. [With] the newer game, you have total control with the analog stick. You can have total playmaking ability. You can run all sorts of routes and change the play at the line of scrimmage. It just makes the game 10 times better.
Q. What inspired you to become a football player?
A. I played football when I was a kid. I always practiced my skills, trying to get better. That alone inspired me to want to play in the NFL. As I grew older, and I was playing high school and college ball, it put me in a direction to see that there was more to life than just being on the streets or wandering around late at night. Football gave me direction in life, and I used it as a tool.
Q. Did you have to learn the Dirty Bird [a dance] to be on the Falcons?
A. No. One thing I don’t do very well is dance. When the others had to do the dances [as part of rookies’ hazing] . . . I just gave my praises to God.
Q. Did you feel an extra amount of pressure after Atlanta traded away players to get you?
A. There are always pressures when you get drafted No. 1. There are so many things that come along with being a quarterback. There are so many responsibilities. I knew if my preparation was great, I would be successful. Preparation and being fit are what you have to do.
Q. Many think you are the best quarterback in the NFL. How do you feel about that?
A. I don’t know if that is true right now. I can say that right now, I am among the elite. It is going to take dedication, hard work and discipline. That is what I am working on right now.
Q. Have you ever felt like quitting football?
A. There were a couple of times in college I felt like quitting because I was trying to learn the offense and adjust to it. There were certain things we didn’t do in high school that we were doing in college, whether it was reading defenses or checking off [switching] plays. It was tough for me in the beginning, and I questioned myself, whether I could do it. Quitting is not a solution if you want to accomplish something.
Q. Was there more pressure on you in the playoff game against Green Bay or in the national championship game against Florida State?
A. I think there was more pressure in the NFL playoffs because you set your sights on a greater level. Even though the national championship was a big game for me and my team, playing in the playoffs and even against Philadelphia, there was more at stake. An opportunity to win the Super Bowl is big. Things don’t work out as planned sometimes.
Q. You were drafted by baseball’s Colorado Rockies. Did you have any interest in playing for them?
AI had some thoughts about baseball. One thing I couldn’t do very well is hit. I couldn’t make contact with the ball, so I threw that idea out the window.
Q. Is there a significance with uniform No. 7?
A. There is no significance. I started wearing No. 7 a long time ago. I didn’t see too many quarterbacks in the NFL or the college level wearing 7. I wanted to start my own legacy. All the preparation and hard work I do is dedicated to being one of the best quarterbacks I can be.
Q. Why did you choose quarterback instead of other positions, such as cornerback, running back or wide receiver? What was your position in the early stages of your career?
A. I was on the offensive line when I was 6 years old. It was fun; I was so young that I didn’t understand it. As I understood the game more, I moved to the quarterback position when I was 8. I liked having the ball in my hands for each and every snap.
Q. Does your brother Marcus [in his freshman year at Virginia Tech] have pressure on him, trying to live up to your accomplishments?
A. I think there is a little bit of pressure. He knew there were going to be comparisons to me. They are going to expect him to do some of the things I did. It’s up to him to be able to handle it.
Q. Do you think the addition of [wide receiver] Peerless Price Buffalo will help make the Falcons Super Bowl contenders?
A. Having Peerless Price on the team is going to give us a boost in the area where we need it, the passing game. He can stretch the field, open up the defense and draw double coverage. We are looking for him to make a major difference and catch at least 100 passes.
Q. Do you think you will eventually become a pocket passer, or will you continue to use your mobility?
A. I think I will become a better pocket passer as time goes on. Until you become a better pro and know more about the game, you do what you have to do to win games. That is what I have to do now. I will grow as a pocket passer and a quarterback.
Details, details
Birthdate: June 26, 1980
Birthplace: Newport News, Va.
High school: Warwick, Newport News, Va.
College: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va. Named rookie of the year. Recruited by NFL after sophomore year.
Height: 6 foot 1 inch.
Weight: 215 lbs.
Drafted: 2001, first round, first pick, Atlanta Falcons.
Injury: Fractured right fibula in training camp. Will be out several more weeks.
All in the family: Cousin Aaron Brooks is a starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints; brother Marcus a freshman QB at Virginia Tech.
Source: NFL, ESPN, JockBio.com.
HALEY JOEL OSMENT
Don’t call him a nerd
By Susan Stewart, Tribune newspapers.
If he weren’t in a Manhattan hotel doing publicity for his latest movie, where would Haley Joel Osment be?
“Let’s see.” He checks his watch. “Three-hour time difference between here and L.A. I’d be in double bio.”
That’s bio as in biology class. When he’s not making blockbuster hit movies like 1999’s “The Sixth Sense,” Osment is a sophomore at a Los Angeles-area private high school. Except for being a celebrity, he’s a typical 15-year-old: playing a guitar, running cross-country and, of course, studying.
“Freshman year was sort of setting us up, and this year they’re really pushing us. … I’m in an American lit class where we’ve been doing a lot of reading: ‘The Grapes of Wrath,’ ‘Native Son.’ “
Then, there’s drama. Osment, who speaks quietly and chooses his words carefully, gets pretty animated describing recent school productions of “Guys and Dolls” and “My Fair Lady.” Who did he play? Henry Higgins?
“Actually, I worked technical crew,” he says. “And in 8th grade we did ‘All About Eve,’ and I was part of stage production.”
What? Are there other Oscar-nominated sophomore actors at Osment’s high school? Did they get the big roles?
He laughs. “No, I’m the only actor there.”
Clearly, when he’s not acting, Osment is not seeking the spotlight. But then, when you’ve played golf with Michael Douglas (Osment has a 15 handicap) and celebrated your 13th birthday by chatting up Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show,” maybe you don’t really need to star in your high school musical. Maybe you find a little relief in being, well, kind of a nerd.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Osment says. “No pocket protectors for me.”
Protests aside, Osment indeed has a scholarly bent. On the set of his recently opened film, “Secondhand Lions,” he and co-star Michael Caine traded historical trivia.
In “Lions,” Osment plays Walter, a shy 14-year-old who doesn’t stray far from his single mom’s side until she leaves him with two wealthy great uncles in rural Texas. They become father figures, and teach Walter what it takes to be a man.
In the future, Osment says he might like to write or direct, but that for now, he is concentrating on one role at a time and staying active in high school when he’s not working.
And you thought your paper route was rough
History, as we all know, can be awfully boring. Especially when it’s about that 1,000-year span known as the Middle Ages. But a new book offers an anything-but-dull look at that time period.
“Archers, Alchemists, and 98 Other Medieval Jobs You Might Have Loved or Loathed” by Priscilla Galloway, with art by Martha Newbigging (Annick Press, $16.95), takes readers through the Middle Ages by examining the work people did back then. The book’s 10 chapters group Medieval employment into categories, such as castle jobs, traveling jobs and artistic jobs.
We all have heard about knights in shining armor and princesses staring dreamily out castle windows. But what about heralds, falconers, enforcers and gong farmers?
A herald was the “master of ceremonies” as well as judge and referee at jousting tournaments and melees, or group fights. In times of war, heralds relayed messages.
Falconers captured, trained and cared for the hawks that noble lords and ladies used to hunt small birds and animals. When a lord went off to war, his falconer and hawks accompanied him, to hunt for food.
Enforcers were officials who made sure the “sumptuary laws” were followed. These laws decreed that only dukes, duchesses and the like were allowed to wear silks and velvets or fur trim and jewels. Enforcers sought out and arrested people who were not royalty but dressed like they were.
Latrine attendants, called gong farmers, had the nastiest job of all. They cleaned the toilets of the time, called latrines, and sifted through the waste, “harvesting” silver pennies or other valuables they found.
The book is filled with cool cartoon-style illustrations and interesting sidebars, like the one on Medieval cosmetics and toiletries (who knew honey, cucumbers and water could be used as mouthwash?). But we think we’ll skip the recipe for “Salmon Fressh Boyled.”
–Marcia Borucki
