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First, let me know how you get started in the entertainment business as a member of a sports-oriented family?

I was in a rock bank in high school – The UFOs! I got the bug from that I think.

I really started out as a newspaper guy but the paper I started at folded a year after I started working there. I could have gone to the Press or Post-Gazette after – in fact I covered local high-school sports on the weekends for the Press as a freelancer.

While I was doing that the editor of the local Washington, PA paper called me and told me that the Meadows needed some PR help. They needed someone to write some articles for the horse racing trade magazines.  They liked my articles and offered me a job.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Tom Rooney, Owner, The Rooney Sports & Entertainment Group”

First, what positives do you take away from a more competitive game last week versus the Eagles, albeit still a Dallas loss?

I think a couple of things. They got better production from their defensive line – it may have been their best performance since their week one game against the Rams. But you have to take that with a grain of salt as they were playing an NFC East rival. They were familiar with the system and the players so that helps.

DeMarcus Lawrence did have his best game of the season, but that wasn’t against Lane Johnson. The play of Trevon Diggs was a good sign of things to come. He’s had a rollercoaster year too – he sometimes gets caught looking at the backfield.

Continue reading “Exclusive with K.D. Drummond of Cowboys News Wire”

You won Super Bowls, are in the Hall of Fame, and now have an award and a football field named after you, wrote two books…. you made a big impact on the game. Do you think about that a lot?

First, it’s such a weird time now. I went to a small, Baptist college in Arkansas. When I played there we may have had at most 5,000 people at the stadium, and that’s including people packing in on the side of the stadium.  I remember one time playing in Texas Stadium backpeddling during a play and thinking “I don’t hear any noise. It was quiet.” Then I pulled myself back together and focused on the play.”

As for my career. Wow. It creeps up on you. Life is so strange. My junior year at Hot Springs High School I was  second-string  JV quarterback. My dad got re-assigned to a different town and I ended up being the starting quarterback and our team went undefeated. From there – five Super Bowls, Hall of Fame,… I think to myself “What?” If you polled the guys from that Hot Spring team and asked which player they thought would go to the NFL, I guarantee it wasn’t going to be me!

Continue reading “Exclusive with Dallas Cowboys Safety Cliff Harris”

First, can you let us know what you’re up to now and how you’re doing?

I’ve been doing the speaking and motivational thing now for 35 years, though the pandemic has dried things up a little. I also manage a non-profit – I helped build a football stadium for the community I grew up in so do fundraising for that.

I also wrote  two books – Out of Control, and In Control.

And most importantly. as of the eight of this month, it’ll be my anniversary of staying clean and sober for over two decades now.

Continue reading “Exclusive: Former Dallas Cowboys Linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson”

First off, what do you see as potential surprises for Steelers fans about this Ravens team coming into of this matchup?

Offensively, this Ravens team hasn’t sorted out it’s identity yet this year. They’ve been trying to throw deep more than last year – they still rely on the run offense but they’ve bene throwing deep more and despite Jackson saying he worked on this a lot in the offseason, it hasn’t been working.

There have been more mental errors by Jackson this year. I think because of that Baltimore gets back to trying to pound the ball more this week against Pittsburgh. I think they try to grind down the clock and keep the Steelers offense on the sidelines. I can see them trying to throw a lot early over the linebackers to the tight ends in the seam, and maybe hit Marquis Brown on some slants and see if he can break one with the Steelers loading the box.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Ravens Wire’s Matt Stevens”

So – what’s behind the big start for the Titans – what’s been the biggest factor driving the success of the team?

First you have to say Ryan Tannehill. He’s proven that last year wasn’t a fluke. He’s playing at an MVP caliber right now – he’s the biggest reason they are 5-0.

Of course Derrick Henry too – he had a huge game last week with over 200 yards rushing and took over. But Tannehill is on the top of the list.

What’s changed for him?

It’s a better system for him. It’s a run-first offense. They throw quite a bit but it fits into his strengths, with play-action to Henry. The system has elevated his game – it’s just been a great fit for him.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Mike Mortaitis of The Titans Wire”

So what are you doing now – projects etc.?

Now I have my own blog at https://vitostellino.com/   I occasionally write about whatever interests me – no regular schedule. And during the season I’ll write about my observations before and after games. I still stay involved.

Tony Dungy bemoaned writers not getting the chance to sit down with players anymore and to get to know them -do you agree?

There’s so much more media now. Now it’s all about press conferences. There’s no chance for one-on-one with players. We used to be able to go into the locker rooms and get to know players and talk to them one-on-one. Now key players are held back for press conferences. It’s hard to do any follow-up questions. That’s the biggest change. It’s more difficult to do your job.

Continue reading “Exclusive with Hall of Fame Sportswriter Vito Stellino”