7 Minutes in Heaven with Deuce McAllister

 

Fred Taylor, Brian Westbrook, and Warrick Dunn are that rare breed of NFL player who do their talking on the field.  You won’t see them in endless commercials, or courting the media to watch their well choreographed touchdown dance, or trash talking their opponent on ESPN.  They represent the class of the game.  They’ve got a job to do and they get it done.  

We Saints fans have had a player like that for nearly seven years now.  He’s a country fella born and raised in Lena Mississippi who goes by the name of Deuce McAllister.   But the thing about “warrior players” like Deuce, is that their sword of class cuts both ways.  As a fan, you adore it.  You love knowing you won’t see them getting fined every week by the NFL or costing your team yardage in ‘personal foul’ or ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’ penalties.  But as an interviewer trying to get some juice, dirt, or maybe even a little witty repartee, the strong, silent type vibe can be a killer.   

I recently got a taste of just that after a long awaited interview with the man himself.  I’ll admit, getting him to say anything other than the “canned sports dude answer” was like getting Michael Strahan to agree he needs braces.  He was obviously in his car when I called and multi-tasking in a way that assures me this wasn’t his first time answering and driving.  Still, I did manage to ask one question in the 7 minute phone call that made the baby-faced back laugh out loud.