SI X NIGHTS IN B A HI A , B R A Z IL
golf be yond the links
preemptive stroke: weapons for the
scratch golfer
golf s finest: ’ paula CREAMER cheyenne WOODS
arts&culture DeLaVega Tracy Reese
blues men: miles
D A VIS james BALDWIN
JE RRY
RICE maps out his
NEXT PLAY
OBAMA!
TheGreenMagazine
LEADERBOARD IN CORPORATE
DIVERSITY volume 6, issue 1 f ebruary 20 09
JERRY RICE TALKS
ABOUT HIS ASPIRATIONS BEYOND THE FIELD OF PLAY written by laurence bass photographed by jar concengco
production manager: tricia rubino
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The Green Magazine | 47
The National Football League knows brute force. Visions of Paul Horning galloping on the heels of his pulling guards in the Packer Sweep personified the league’s image. It was Jim Brown’s herculean physique running through and past defenders to gain that extra yard. Minnesota’s Purple People Eaters, Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain, Los Angeles’ Fearsome Foursome and Dallas’ vaunted Doomsday Defense made offenses everywhere cringe in terror. This was the NFL. Show no weakness, give no inch. It was a cavalcade of teams fighting for supremacy in the pouring rain, blanketing snow and under the evening lights for all to see on televisions across America. Physically annihilating the opposition as a means to determine the victor was commonplace in the NFL. However, one player’s deceptive speed, intrepid approach to each play and unparalleled work ethic would redefine the game.
The 1985 nfl Draft class looked to be a composite of all the usual juggernauts of college football. Ohio State, Wisconsin, usc, Miami (FL), Virginia Tech and Florida were all represented in the first 15 selections. There was very little to suggest that this draft would venture into the extraordinary. As the New England Patriots deliberated on the 16th overall pick, the San Francisco 49ers frantically made a trade with the Patriots to acquire that selection. The reason for all of the commotion was simple. Bill Walsh, 49ers Head Coach, saw highlights of Jerry Rice. The Crawford, Mississippi native made a name for himself at Southwestern Athletic Conference (swac) powerhouse Mississippi Valley State University. Jerry Rice flourished as a key component in Archie Cooley’s pass happy, run-and-shoot offense. In 1983, he shattered ncaa records in receptions (102) and yards (1,450) as one half of the Satellite Express. Rice’s 1984 campaign at mvsu featured him eclipsing his own records in receptions (112), yards (1,845) and touchdowns (27). Eye-opening statistics such as these would merit accolades, but sports critics had their say on Rice’s potential. They questioned his speed and doubted his overall talent. Many critics even pointed out that the competition he faced, Division i-aa, was not up to par with the Division i-a schools. As critical as some journalists were of Rice’s skill set, they could not overlook his work ethic.
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of skills and attributes were a godsend for Walsh’s precisely designed West Coast Offense. Walsh’s new offense looked as if it were painted on canvas rather than scribbled on a chalkboard. The West Coast Offense used sophisticated blocking schemes to open running lanes and quick passing routes to create defensive mismatches. Timing was everything in Walsh’s science. In a decade that featured the Chicago Bears’ “46” Defense and defensive stalwarts like Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor, Darrell Green, and later Deion Sanders—Rice proved to be the x-factor.
Mississippi’s delta is no place for rest. It is one of the nation’s most impoverished areas and no generation is excused. Hard work is the pastime. Rice learned how vital it was to work with his hands from an early age. His father was a bricklayer. He would often assist his father on construction sites. Occasionally, he would have to catch the bricks his father tossed his way. To visualize, catch and secure each brick eventually became second nature for Rice. This seemingly insignificant chore would catapult him to greatness. Rice’s dazzling array
Jerry Rice was fearless. He made routine kamikaze missions into the teeth of the defense. Rice mastered the ability to catch any ball and protect it from the swiping hands of defenders. Quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young made good use of Rice’s 6’2” frame and larger than life wingspan to pick apart the best of defenses. Rice was an integral part of the 49ers’ aerial assault that won Super Bowls xxiii, xxiv and xxix . En route to becoming a three-time Super Bowl champion, Rice managed to stand atop countless NFL records including receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), and total touchdowns (208). His football legacy is that of legend. Rice’s 20 seasons of dominance were fueled by an unrelenting quest for perfection. Offseasons were peak seasons for Rice. Constantly viewing the previous year’s game tape, strict
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conditioning and competitive drive propelled his game to its zenith. Though his days of going toe-to-toe with the league’s best cornerbacks are done, Rice carried his drive for excellence to the links. The Green Magazine had a chance to play a round with Jerry Rice at the stunning Bridges Golf Course to discuss his days on the gridiron, affinity for golf and life beyond football.
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How did you first play golf? I started playing golf back in 1985 when I was working out with my trainer, Raymond Ferris. He brought some golf clubs and golf balls out one day. And being the athlete I am, I thought to myself, “Well, maybe, I should be able to hit this stationary white golf ball.” And I couldn’t hit it. That’s when it became competitive for me.
Was it from that point that you tried to beat the game of golf? I don’t think you can beat the game of golf. I compare it to football. It’s the same thing. You have to go out there and put the time in—repetition wise. Catching footballs is the same as hitting golf balls. Golf, to me, is all about muscle memory. If you don’t practice this game everyday, it’s going to feel weird when you step to the tee and try to place that ball exactly where you want it to go.
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When did you start playing consistently? I’ve been playing for 12 years and I love the game. I realized a long, long time ago that you can’t master this game. So I go out with the attitude that I’m going to play well on some days: You’ll have an excellent round, finish well and do all the right things. And on other days you want to melt your clubs down. You want to destroy them. But that’s the way this game is. I love it and had a chance to play with a lot of the pros. Payne Stewart, John Daly, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and the list goes on. It’s been fantastic. What is your favorite golf course? Pebble Beach. I just like to look out onto the ocean. I think it’s nice when you’re having a bad day on the course and still have that beautiful scenery. What was your best score at Pebble Beach? My best score there was a 78 or 79. I’ve shot under par probably five or six times. My handicap is down to about 0.7. How did it feel when you came to the decision to retire? Crazy. Hard. When you’ve been playing football for such a long time and it’s something you’re accustomed to, it’s hard to walk away. Life after football seems to be working out for you, but whose idea was it to audition for Dancing with the Stars? abc got in touch with my agent and then my agent ran it by me. At first, being this macho football player I said, “No. I am not going to put on a pair of dancing shoes.” I didn’t know anything about ballroom dancing, but I did know a little about Latin Dance. So, I decided to do it and I think it was a great move because you get to tap into a whole new demographic of people. I mean those people who aren’t into sports. It’s funny, because when I walk through the airport I start to see mothers shimmy when I walk past. It’s amazing what that show has become. I think it’s a great family show. They have one of my fellow teammates competing this year—Warren Sapp. If he can’t out dance them, I know he’ll be able to out talk them. How do you compare those two-a-days on Dancing with the Stars with those two-a-days in the nfl? The two-a-days for me with Dancing with the Stars started with four hours in the morning and then come back in the evening for another four hours. I lost about 18 pounds. There is no real comparison between the two. Football was brutal. You have all of those pads on, it’s about 110 (degrees outside)
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and you have to be able to endure. Even though it’s hot outside, you have to be able to function and make plays. Somehow, I was able block out all of the elements and get the job done. How did it feel to write your book Go Long! : My Journey Beyond the Game and the Fame? I think it is great because people get a chance to connect with me. Hopefully, I was able to influence a lot of people in their lives. I wanted to put something motivational out there as well as something that was real. I think people want to take chances, but they’re afraid to do so. You only live life once and you have to live it to the fullest. We always hear about Walter Payton and a list of other Hall of Famers and their off-season conditioning. What was your off-season regimen? I didn’t take any time off. My first ten years I didn’t take a vacation because I was so dedicated to the game and I wanted to be the best player I could be. A typical workout for me started around 7:00 a.m. I’m at the track. I may do about eight 200s without stopping. You do the 200s running first and then jog until you reach back to the starting line where you start running again. Then I do ten 100s, eight 60s and six 40s. After that, I then go down to the football field. That’s where I do my route running and cone drills. It’s all about getting your feet up and down so you know where you are on the football field and being able to explode. Football is about stop and go. When I went to training camp, I had to do more to stay in shape. Some guys like to wait until they get to training camp and then there is some kind of injury. I was in top shape when I stepped on the field. Do you still exercise? Indeed. It’s something that I owe to myself. Just because I stop playing football doesn’t mean that I’m going to be out of shape. Who were your inspirations growing up? I would say my father, John Stalworth, Lynn Swann, Dwight Clark, Freddie Solomon and Drew Pearson. Did any of the players you mentioned sit you down and offer sound advice when you first came into the league? Dwight Clark and Freddie Solomon both worked with me. I found myself sitting in the same room with Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott. When I came into the league, they had just won Super Bowl xix over the Dolphins. I would sit back and watch how they conducted themselves in practice. Plus, Bill Walsh always wanted leaders. He wanted guys
who were going to set an example on the football field and off the football field. That’s why we won so many Super Bowls. Was it intimidating walking into the locker room for the first time? Yeah. It was intimidating. Coming from a small, predominately black school like Mississippi Valley State University and then going the 49ers and being surrounded by all of those Hall of Famers was amazing. I had to pinch myself sometimes. Out of the many great games you played throughout your career, what is your favorite moment? The final drive of Super Bowl xxiii. Everything was on the line. One mistake and the game was over. You had guys that loved to be in that position: Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig and John Taylor. We relished in that because we knew we could win the football game right there. We were willing to take that chance. It was like Michael Jordan taking that last shot. All the playmakers want the ball in their hands and we were able to move the ball down field to win that Super Bowl. Are any of your children into sports? My son is going into his senior year of high school and he’s playing football. He’s doing it all: wide receiver, free safety and a little running back. When I go to the game, I’m not there to coach. I go to be a parent. Are you one of those wild parents that need to be escorted out of the game? No. I sit there and I’m nice and quiet. When I see him play, I see a kid who is very good academic wise, which is very important, and he is a complete team player. I really didn’t want him to play football because of the expectations that would be put on him. But he’s doing a great job of it and I think he’s going to get some great opportunities from it. Are you carrying the passion you had for the game into other avenues of your life? I’m always going to give 100 percent. That same energy relates to all the other endeavors that I’m doing now. It’s all about believing in yourself. I’m having a great time. I have a mixture of a lot of great things and ideas on the horizon. I’m excited about the future.