Overtime 01 - London Games 2018

ISSUE 01

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elcome to the first of three editions of Overtime brought to you around the 2018 NFL London Games.

Speaking to some of the biggest names in the game, we will take you inside the NFL like never before. In this issue, you will learn the keys to playing linebacker with a tutorial from Seattle Seahawks defender K.J. Wright, while Oakland Raiders tight end Jared Cook lifts the lid on the sanctity of an NFL locker room.

Long-time NFL defensive coordinator and Sky Sports pundit Rob Ryan kicks off a three-part series on the keys to coaching by looking at selecting ‘the right 53’ and dealing with problems and adversity that can arise during the season.

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And there is much more on offer in this first edition of 2018 as Colin Hubbuck unveils his All-Under 25s NFL Team of the Future and Seahawks players chime in on what it’s like to play for inspirational head coach Pete Carroll.

Away from reality to a little bit of drama on the big screen, we’ve also been looking at how American football has impacted cinema culture. In this issue we reflect on the epic Any Given Sunday, with Al Pacino taking on a starring role as an ageing football coach.

We recreate that ‘inches’ scene with some special artwork (see right for a taster ) to immortalise Pacino’s interpretation on what it really means to coach and inspire a football team.

Enjoy the 2018 NFL London games and enjoy this edition of Overtime.

SKY SPORTS’ NFL ANCHOR NEIL REYNOLDS PRESENTS HIS SIX RAIDERS AND SEAHAWKS PLAYERS TO WATCH AT WEMBLEY STADIUM

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RUSSELL WILSON SEATTLE SEAHAWKS QUARTERBACK The little magician is one of the most dynamic players in the game today and a truly elite quarterback. He can frustrate defenders with his mobility but always has his eyes down the field ready to deliver a pin-point strike. Only seven seasons into what could very well be a Hall of Fame career, Wilson has already played in two Super Bowls and lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy once.

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DOUG BALDWIN SEATTLE SEAHAWKS WIDE RECEIVER As feisty and determined as he is talented, Doug Baldwin epitomises the in-your-face attitude of the Seahawks and has regularly proven himself to be Russell Wilson’s favourite target. Baldwin has 449 catches during his NFL career and can not only move the chains with precise route-running, he has an uncanny knack for getting open and picking up key yards after the catch.

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BOBBY WAGNER SEATTLE SEAHAWKS LINEBACKER With the speed of a running back and the defensive hitting power of a lineman, Bobby Wagner is one of the most complete players in the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler, threetime All-Pro and Super Bowl champion is integral to everything the Seahawks do on defense. He races from sideline to sideline and will definitely be in on a lot of tackles at Wembley on Sunday evening.

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DEREK CARR OAKLAND RAIDERS QUARTERBACK Oakland’s gun-slinging, strong-armed quarterback has been voted to the Pro Bowl all-star game in each of the past three seasons.

With a penchant for delivering big plays when games are on the line, Carr is a true franchise quarterback who can make every throw in the book. So far this season, Carr has thrown for 1,641 yards and seven touchdowns for an impressive quarterback rating of 90.4.

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JARED COOK OAKLAND RAIDERS TIGHT END Now in his 10th NFL season, Jared Cook is enjoying a career year with the Silver and Black and has reeled in 30 catches for 390 yards and two touchdowns. With his impressive size (6-foot-5 and 254 pounds) and veteran smarts, Cook is proving to be more than just a reliable target – he is a game-breaker who can make big plays at vital times.

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MARSHAWN LYNCH OAKLAND RAIDERS RUNNING BACK Beast Mode is impossible to ignore as one of the most violent, tackle-breaking running backs in recent NFL history. Now in his second season with the Raiders, the fivetime Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl champion (with the Seahawks) will be facing his old team at Wembley. And Lynch remains a genuine threat as he has averaged 4.3 yards per rush in 2018.

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WITH K.J. WRIGHT

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EVER SINCE HE ENTERED THE NFL AS A FOURTHROUND DRAFT PICK OF THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, K.J. WRIGHT HAS PROVEN HIMSELF TO BE ONE OF THE LEAGUE’S MOST RELIABLE DEFENDERS. WRIGHT HAS NEVER RECORDED FEWER THAN 65 TACKLES IN A SEASON AND HAS PUT TOGETHER FOUR STRAIGHT 100-TACKLE CAMPAIGNS IN SEATTLE. THE PRO BOWL ALL-STAR AND SUPER BOWL 48 CHAMPION TAKES US INSIDE HIS POSITION, HIS TEAM AND HIS SPORT BY ANSWERING OUR FIVE RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS.

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You’ve been on both sides of the equation, winning Super Bowl 48 at the end of the 2013 season and losing Super Bowl 49 at the conclusion of 2014. What does each feel like?

Winning was amazing - it was everything you hoped and dreamed for. As a kid, you watched the Super Bowl games and you just wanted to be in that spot - you wanted to hoist that trophy up, have that parade and get that Super Bowl ring. When we

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lost, it was a tough loss the way we did lose (quarterback Russell Wilson threw an interception from the one-yard line inside the final minute to lose to the New England Patriots). I believe we’ve recovered from that now. It took us a while to recover from it. I think we bounced back and got it out of our system.

Is being a leader on the field and in the locker room something you relish?

Yeah, I love it. I’ve been playing a while, this is going on my eighth year, and so these young guys always come and meet for advice and I’m an open book. Whatever I know, I share with them because I want each guy to be the best professional football player they could possibly be. That’s my job - it’s my responsibility to make sure these guys are right and make sure our defense is one of the best in the NFL.

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What are your thoughts on your quarterback, Russell Wilson?

Listen, I’m glad I don’t have to play against him because he’s outstanding out there on the football field. Just the way he just takes control of the offense, makes his checks and scrambles out of the pocket when he needs to. He’s got a cannon of an arm, he’s a great guy, and he’s led us to a lot of wins.

I’m really excited to see him take that next step. He has some new weapons this year and it’s going to be fun to see.

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Rookie linebacker Shaquem Griffin has been getting a lot of attention after making it into the NFL despite needing his left hand amputated at the age of four due to a congenital disorder. He has been an inspiration to millions but is he just a football player in Seattle?

Yeah, he’s just a football player in here. He’s still an inspiration because every guy that steps through the building has beaten the odds. But he had to fight a lot of battles to get to where he is now. It’s fun to see him play with his brother (Seahawks safety Shaquil Griffin) and it’s just crazy how he’s played high school, college and now the NFL - that’s impressive.

He’s a really good rookie and the thing I love about him is that he listens and takes coaching really well. Our coaches are tough on him but he doesn’t get too bothered by it and he comes back the next day and works really hard. He’s a guy who has beaten the odds and it’s fun to see him play because he is a really good football player.

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Finally, how did it feel to see some of the big-name guys on defense leave during this offseason, players like Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor?

Well, each offseason is hard for me because I’m really close to my guys, especially my linebackers. But when we lost those guys, it was tough to see them go. We lost Sherm, Michael Bennett and Cliff retired. I just miss those guys from a personal standpoint, but these young guys are really stepping up. It’s a good environment and a good feel - the guys are hungry and ready to prove themselves. A lot of these guys haven’t had a chance to play in the NFL. So now they’re getting their chance to shine, they’re getting their shot and they’ve got to take advantage of it.

Young guys and new guys have learned our culture, learned our standard and have bought into our programme.

OAKLAND RAIDERS STAR TIGHT END JARED COOK TELLS NEIL REYNOLDS ABOUT THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF LIFE IN AN NFL LOCKER ROOM

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fter battling on the field for more than three hours every Sunday, your typical NFL player trudges into the locker room – but not for some well-earned peace and quiet.

After hearing a few brief words from his coach, a player will soon find himself surrounding by the world’s media, often hanging onto the towel wrapped around his waist for dear life!

With the NFL operating an open-door media policy after each game, journalists, television and radio presenters and their respective crews can take fans right into the locker room just minutes after a big game, including the biggest of them all – the Super Bowl.

But before every contest and at halftime, the locker room remains a sacred and forbidden place, filled with a variety of moods and emotions.

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So what goes on behind those closed doors throughout a typical NFL Sunday? We asked a man who has sat through plenty of pregame speeches, half-time adjustments and post-match interviews in Oakland Raiders tight end Jared Cook.

Now in his 10th season, Cook has seen – and sometimes heard – it all during playing stints with the Tennessee Titans, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers and now the Raiders, whether it be pre-game, at halftime or when fronting up to the media after a big win or a heart-breaking loss.

PRE-GAME You have a lot of different types of people in an NFL locker room. I’m more of a quiet guy, I don’t say too much - I have my headphones on just getting focused. I might go over a few plays before the game, but I’m just focused on getting my job done. You have some guys who are relaxed, some who like to joke

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around around a little bit or play around a little bit, they’re not too uptight. And then there are some guys who like to puke before games, who are just all nerves! They’re just in there puking because they just can’t control their nerves. You have some guys who just take themselves out of the locker room completely - they just need to get away from it all and

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they are normally the last person you see right before game time. That’s how (former Tennessee Titans quarterback) Steve McNair was - he used to go into the training room in the back. He used to take a nap before every game and you wouldn’t see him until the game started. But once the game started, you always knew he was ready.

HALF-TIME

This can sometimes be an intense period of adjustments and you only have 12 minutes between each half. If you’re getting your butt kicked then, absolutely – you have to make adjustments. The rest of that period is spent with the coaches getting little details to you while you eat some food and get hydrated.

Then it’s back out for the second half.

POST-GAME (AFTER A WIN) Well, that’s the good thing! After a win everything’s good and winning makes everything feel better. So all the attitudes are

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up, everybody’s happy, everybody’s ready to go out and maybe go to the Tailgate or the parking lot for a little while after the game and spend time with family and friends.

POST-GAME (AFTER A LOSS) It’s not so good after a loss, but you still try to be positive after a loss because it’s a long season, of course - so you keep

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pushing through. But after a loss it’s a little bit more difficult to move on, for sure. And it’s tough because the media are always there to get information out of the player but it’s up to the player to keep a level head.

You don’t like dealing with the media at that time but you have to and some media guys like you, they’re pleasant to deal with. That was a good save right at the end, wasn’t it?

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TOM HARVEY IS A SELFCONFESSED NFL ROOKIE. HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE SPORT, BUT THROUGH WATCHING ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, IT HAS SPIKED HIS INTEREST. THIS IS HIS ACCOUNT OF HOW THE MOVIE HAS HELPED HIM UNDERSTAND AMERICAN FOOTBALL A LITTLE MORE...

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isclaimer: I’m not an NFL fan.

I used to watch the London Monarchs when they played at Wembley in the 1990s. It was quite fun, but I didn’t have a clue what was going on. I also didn’t mind a game of John Madden on my Commodore Amiga.

Not that I knew what I was doing half the time. I know the aim of the game is to score a touchdown, but that’s about it.

When I worked at Fulham Football Club, we were often offered free tickets when the Jacksonville Jaguars played at Wembley (Shahid Khan is the owner of both, of course). I used to pass. I just couldn’t see the appeal. Probably because I just don’t really understand it. Each team seems to have an endless roster and I always though that there are too many rules.

I also viewed British people who got up in the middle of the night to watch the Super Bowl very suspiciously.

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MY FRIENDS TOLD ME IF I WANTED TO GET INTO THE NFL OR BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND IT, A GOOD STARTING POINT WOULD BE THE FILM ANY GIVEN SUNDAY” A couple of my friends are also really into it. If we meet in the pub, I sit there in silence while they go on about some amazing “rookie quarterback who’d stiff-armed his opponent on the way to a 75-yard touchdown”. They may as well have been talking Dutch. Anyway, they told me if I wanted to get into or begin to understand NFL, a good starting point would be the film Any Given Sunday.

I looked it up and a cast that included the likes of Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz and Dennis Quaid seemed promising.

So, I gave it a go. And do you know what?

I really enjoyed it.

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The movie opens with a quote from Vince Lombardi (I had to Google him): “I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.” It implies American football is a battle over your inner demons.

You’re then hurled immediately into a dramatic action sequence from a fictional game. It draws you straight in and it’s an intimidating scene, one of several throughout the movie. You can really feel the tackles. Not that surprising I guess given the director is Oliver Stone.

Soon we cut to the locker room where we learn the main premise of the movie.

The Miami Sharks, a once-great team, are struggling. They’re coached by veteran Tony D’Amato (Pacino), who has fallen out of favour with Christina Pagniacci (Diaz).

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The young team owner has inherited the franchise and is looking to prove herself.

When two of his quarterbacks are injured, D’Amato has to call on rookie Willie Beamen (Foxx). You can kind of predict what’s going to happen; Beamen will be a star and the team will come good late on. But it’s the role of the coach and his relationship with his players and board members that really piques interest.

With Beamen struggling for confidence when he enters the fray for the second half, D’Amato puts an arm around his shoulder and tells him: “You can only get better. You don’t have to worry about getting a hook, because I got no one left. You know how to play this game, you’ve been playing it your whole life. Just focus on the next one pass.

Enjoy it, that’s what you’re here for.”

The movie opens the door to what it’s like for a coach away from the pitch. Further

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showing his caring side, D’Amato visits his star man – the injured Jack “Cap” Rooney – in hospital straight after the game. In considerable pain, the ageing Rooney vows to be back for the playoffs. Tony tells him he sees him like a son. He later helps Rooney with his marriage issues.

D’Amato is tested when Beamen’s star begins to rise and his ego grows. He also battles with Pagniacci. Estranged from his wife, D’Amato is a lonely man and spends evenings getting drunk by himself. The job can encapsulate you and ruin relationships, particularly when your team are doing badly and you begin to doubt whether you can improve matters.

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HE MOVIE OPENS T THE DOOR TO WHAT IT’S LIKE FOR A COACH AWAY FROM THE PITCH”

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Beamen is getting too big for his boots, upsetting his team mates in the process.

It all comes to a head when they lose a game and there’s a fight in the locker room.

“I’m ashamed to be a coach,” says Tony.

The pressure is getting to him. He lashes out at a reporter and has to apologise in front of the media. Can he ride the storm?

Of course he can. He’s Tony D’Amato.

The main message behind Any Given Sunday is that nothing is relevant except teamwork. In one of the stand-out moments of the film D’Amato delivers his famous “inches” speech ahead of a playoff game.

D’Amato explains how life, like football, is a game of inches. You add up all those inches and the result is the difference between winning and losing. It’s so powerfully moving, my words can’t do it justice. So I’m just going to repeat the majority of it here in all its glory…

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“Either we heal as a team or we’re gonna crumble,” he begins. “Inch by inch, play by play. Until we’re finished. You find out life’s this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game - life or football - the margin for error is so small. One half a step too late or too early and you don’t quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast, and you don’t quite catch it.

“The inches we need are everywhere around us. They’re in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that’s gonna make the difference between winning and losing.

Between living and dying.

“In any fight it’s the guy who’s willing to die who’s gonna win that inch. You’ve got to

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NY GIVEN SUNDAY A IS A FINE FILM. NEXT TIME THERE’S THE CHANCE TO TAKE IN AN NFL GAME, I WON’T BE SO QUICK TO TURN IT DOWN”

look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. You’re gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it you’re gonna do the same for him. That’s a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That’s football guys, that’s all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?”

If that doesn’t motivate you, what will?

Usually a conservative play caller, D’Amato later takes a risk in that final game and it pays off. You knew it would.

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As the credits roll, there’s a final twist.

At a press conference D’Amato is expected to announce his retirement, but instead reveals that he has been hired as head coach and general manager of an expansion team in New Mexico.

He adds that he has signed Beamen. From appearing to be down and out, the coach is back on the rise. It’s the perfect depiction of what sport can do to a man.

Any Given Sunday is a fine film. I’m not sure it’s helped me understand the rules of the game more – I still don’t know what it means when a player shouts “second and eight” – but it certainly gives you a glimpse into the life of an NFL coach and player (albeit through a fictional league and teams).

Next time there’s the chance to take in a game, I won’t be so quick to turn it down.

“Mr Khan, do you have any tickets?”

n e v i g y an su nda y

IS B L U G E V E T S Y B S N IO T A R T S U ILL

you’ve read about tony d’amato’s epic inches speech in any given sunday. now we recreate it here, step by step, as he inspires his miami sharks players at crunch time in the playoffs...

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PETE CARROLL MAY BE THE OLDEST HEAD COACH IN THE NFL… BUT HE DOESN’T ACT LIKE IT ON SUNDAYS!

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f you are ever lucky enough to watch the Seattle Seahawks practice, you will see head coach Pete Carroll buzzing from drill to drill, having fun with his players and bringing a high level of energy to every moment he and his team are on the field.

At 67, Pete Carroll is the oldest head coach in the NFL. But he looks like one of the youngest as he skips up and down the sideline every time the Seahawks are in action.

Carroll is a great man motivator and one of the most successful coaches in recent NFL history.

His Seahawks have produced six straight winning seasons, reached the playoffs six times in the past eight years, have played in two Super Bowls and lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of the 2013 campaign.

So what is it like to play for the great man? We asked three key members of the Seattle Seahawks.

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RUSSELL WILSON QUARTERBACK The best thing about Coach Carroll is he’s consistent. He’s also really passionate and he loves the game. He’s always chewing on his bubble gum... nom nom nom... he’s always running around the field having a good time.

That’s what we love about him. He’s so excitable on game day, as well. He brings a relaxed nature to the game for us players.

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DOUG BALDWIN WIDE RECEIVER For us, it’s really a blessing that we have a coach in Pete Carroll who is willing to allow us to take control of the environment, to make it our own, to have ownership of it and really push the guys to demonstrate who they are athletically but also personally and behaviourally . That brings the best out of all of us. It makes us feel safe in an environment where we can go out and accomplish our dreams and our goals.

Under Coach Carroll it is always competitive.

That’s the way we like it. You have a lot of guys out here that are competitors, just in life, and in this environment, we want to cultivate that. We want to nourish that because the cream rises to the top. We have guys who are able to compete at a high level and demonstrate physically and athletically who they are. You can do a lot of things with that on the football field.

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BOBBY WAGNER LINEBACKER It’s fun, playing for Pete Carroll - he brings a very fun atmosphere. He allows you to be loose, allows you to come in and be yourself. I think that’s the biggest thing - he allows you to be yourself, he allows you to grow and find yourself. He’s a very, very positive guy and he brings a lot of energy.

You would never know that he’s the oldest coach in the league by the way he moves and runs - he pretends he’s a quarterback out here. During the season in our practices he is always jogging – he would call it sprinting. But it looks like a jog - he thinks he’s moving fast but he’s moving very slow!

But a guy like that, to be that old and have that much energy, running around like he does, it’s inspiring.

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