Getting To Know Your Favorite NFL Player

Spotlight on Sergio Brown - Indianapolis Colts

 

By: Lucy Rendler-Kaplan

I have always been more interested in sports games, movies, books when I’ve known more about the subjects or professionals. A glimpse into them as PEOPLE has always been fascinating to me. In my quest to find out more and more about my favorite NFL players, I was lucky enough to get to interview Sergio Brown, of the Colts.

Both Sergio and I are from Illinois, so immediately I felt that familiar home-town connection to him. As a WR and DB at Proviso East High School in Maywood, IL, Brown already showed NFL level skill. His senior year, he put on the boards 710 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns at the wide receiver, position, and 41 tackles, two sacks and six interceptions as a safety. At the University of Notre Dame, Brown primarily played special teams during his first two seasons, and became a starter in 2008 as a junior, starting 6 of 13 games and recording 28 tackles and one sack. As a senior, he started 12 games, and had 50 tackles and one sack (Wikipedia.com).

Sergio Brown signed with the New England Patriots in 2010, and played for them until August of 2012. The very next day after being released from the Patriots, he was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts, where we will be watching him play this season.

Let’s learn a bit more about one of our favorite players, shall we?!

Lucy:      What do you think about the stereotype that “men know more about football than women do?”

SB:          I think people put that stereotype on women because they aren’t the ones playing the game every Sunday and practicing all week.  As players, we get to experience the game of football firsthand and nothing beats a first person experience.

Lucy:      That’s a great statement – I’ve never thought about that before, that perhaps if women were known to play football more than they currently are, that stereotype may not exist at all. What do you think the NFL could do to include women more?

SB:          I think the NFL has made strides including women more by having workshops, creating women’s design clothing, and involving the mothers of athletes more in the community.

Lucy:      Agreed! Women’s clothes used to be simply making large NFL-logo items, and now there are more and more fashionable ways we can show our love for our favorite teams! Did you grow up ALWAYS knowing you would one day play in the NFL?

SB:          I was in the 8th grade when I made up my mind that I wanted to be a NFL player.

Lucy:      Since we’re both from Illinois, I’ve gotta ask - what are some of your favorite memories of growing up here?

SB:          I have a lot of great memories growing up in Illinois, but one of the greatest was going to the Michael Finley Basketball Camp - it was the highlight of my summers.

Lucy:      That MUST have been exciting! Especially since it was held at your own high school! How often do you still come back? Do you have family still in IL?

SB:          Since Chicago is so close to Indianapolis, I try to get back a lot when time permits.  In the offseason, I train at EFT Sports Performance in Chicago, so I get to see my entire family and all my friends back home.

Lucy:      I’m sure EFT will have some ladies hanging out in front during the next off-season, hoping to have the chance to meet you after reading this! Everyone always really loves seeing that their favorite players are giving back, and it’s definitely a huge focus of mine…What are some of the charities you support?

SB:          I try to support as many charities and schools as possible because there is nothing like the feeling of giving back.  Some of the causes that I help out a lot are Baldrick’s Foundation, American Cancer Society, and I am working on creating my own Foundation for Inner City Youth in Chicago.

Lucy:      That’s great! I’d definitely like to work with you and your foundation. If you weren’t a football player, you’d want to be _______________

SB:          When I was coming out of college, I thought about doing something in fashion – possibly a marketing rep or a branding manager for an attractive clothing line and preferably one that works overseas. If I could be a part of their international marketing team that would be great since I love to travel.

Lucy:      WOW! That was definitely an unexpected answer…and sounds like that would also be a terrific career…who knows? You definitely still might have the chance once you are done with your NFL career! You mentioned you love to travel, what else do you do in your free time, when you’re not playing games or training?

SB:          I love to travel across the world to new locations.  I like thinking of new ideas and collaborations that I can work on like my LACER Headwear one – everybody should check out my hats! (http://www.lacerheadwearstore.com/product/red-navy-snap-back)

Lucy:      I’ll be ordering a hat TODAY! I hope everyone that reads this article checks out that site! I know that while some NFL players allow themselves the luxury of eating as they’d like, since they’re constantly working out, but do you ever let yourself “cheat” during the off-season? What’s a “cheat day” like for you?

SB:          I don’t have a strict diet, but it was one of my New Year’s Resolutions to eat better.  I can say that I am working hard towards that goal, but there is always room for improvement.

Lucy:      Something ELSE we’ve got in common! I think that’s also been MY New Year’s Resolution for the past 5 years! What would you call your “guilty pleasure?”

SB:          I LOVE potato chips and chocolate.  Flaming Hot Cheetos (the extra hot ones) are my kryptonite.

 Lucy:     What would you say if your son wanted to play in the NFL?

SB:          If you put your mind to it and work hard, you can believe anything. He needs to be well rounded in school and other things, so that he would know what he really wanted to do because growing up as a child I did everything from having good grades to basketball to track to karate to tumbling and numerous other activities. I give ALL credit to God for choosing football for me.

Lucy:      I really love the “attitude of gratitude” you speak with. It’s very refreshing. Knowing what you do now, what advice would you give to the 13 year old Sergio Brown?

SB:          I really don’t know – the 13 year old Sergio had no idea if he was doing things the right way, but he was living with no regret.

Lucy:      That’s the best way to live! I know you’re always watching NFL games - what other sports do you watch regularly?

SB:          I’m a big Chicago sports fan, so I watch everything Bulls and Blackhawks.

Lucy:      Again, as a fellow Chicagoan, you KNOW I’m high-fiving you after that answer! If you were to put together a “dream (NFL) team” who would you have on it?

SB:          My ‘Dream Team’ would be all my current teammates on the Indianapolis Colts with one stipulation -  I might just have to play QB!  (LOL JK, Luck is really good.)

Lucy:      HA! I love it! Is there anything else you’d like to say to the nflfemale.com community?

SB:          We need more female fans because I love you all!!

Lucy:      And I know I speak for ALL your female fans, we ALL love YOU, Sergio! (and perhaps even a bit more now, after getting to know you better!)

For more player news/interviews, follow me on twitter @arkaymktg!