I expect to see the ball a lot when they double and triple Randy. Because when you double and triple Randy, you give Marcus Robinson backside opportunities against single coverage. As a receiver, all you can ask for is to get one-on-one coverage. Once you get that in coverage, you’ve got to expose that side of the defense. When Daunte reads that, me and him play throw and catch.
I have no idea. (1) I wish I did have an idea. They told me they were going in a different direction. That’s what I was told. So, whatever direction they were going in, now, two years later, they let go Marty Booker. So, now they’re going in another direction. So, I have no idea.
Here’s my biggest problem: After Gary Crowton left, after I dealt with Cade McNown, Jim Miller, Shane Matthews, you may have seen me once or twice catch a ball that was in stride. I made all those plays, and the following year with Shoop, it was like I didn’t do that.
His thing was, “If I can throw the ball to you five yards and you make a guy miss, I’d rather do that than throw it down the field.” I’m like, “Shoop, that’s what I was doing all the time. Are you kidding me?”
My hero is mom.
My mom wasn’t strict, but when she said something, she meant it. If you got her mad–it took a lot to get her mad–you were getting a spanking. You were in trouble for real.
I look back on it now because I’m older, and my town was kind of racist. (2) We had railroad tracks that ran through the center of town. There was always black side/white side. The hospital and everything was on the white side. If you got hurt on the black side of town and sometimes the train would come and stop, there was no way to get to the hospital.
We had a black prom queen and a white prom queen up until 1991. That was our first integrated prom. As I look back on it, I never saw my white teammates outside of school. I didn’t think about it then.
I have a little girl, she’s 4, and I think the best part of fatherhood is when you start to be able to carry on a conversation with your kid and they tell you how they feel, what they miss about you, because at this age, they’re going to be honest about everything. They’re going to tell you the truth.
I called my little girl and she told me she wanted me to quit work and come home.
I didn’t really know Dave Wannstedt. I was with him for two years. I never saw too many guys talk to him. Coach Tice, and Coach Billick when I was there, (3) you could walk with them in the hallway and you could stop and we could talk for five minutes, just about life in general, not necessarily football. But with Dave, you could walk by him in a hallway, and a cold breeze would pass by. He was the coach, you’re a player, and that’s it.
Ray Lewis, I can see him being a head coach somewhere. In pregame, you can be the opposing team and see when he comes out of the tunnel, it’ll get you juiced up inside.
If you were to see him outside of football, you’d be, “Wow, is this really Ray Lewis?” He so calm. Nice guy. He’s a great guy. But on Sunday, hoo. Different story.
When Ivan Fears left, (4) he called me in his office and said, “Marcus, I’m going to tell you one thing: Never stay in the back.”
(1): Why the Bears released him.
(2): He was born in Ft. Valley, Ga.
(3): In Baltimore.
(4): As Bears receivers coach.
