Reby:
This is NYGiantsGirl, Reby Sky here with legendary New York Giant, Leonard
Marshall. How you doin ?
Leonard Marshall:
I'm doing fine, Reby, how are you ?
Reby:
I am fantastic ! It's such an honor to be sitting here with such a legend;
10 seasons with the Giants, two Super Bowls. . .
What of yourself do you see in this season's Super Bowl Championship
team /
Leonard Marshall:
Well I see that the NFL has improved the variety of folk they have around
the game now. You being so lovely, this is all new and fresh. I've never
seen so many lovely faces around the NFL as I've seen within the last
twelve months !
Reby:
Best answer ever.
If today's Super Bowl Champ Giants were to play your Super Bowl Championship
team who would win and why ?
Leonard Marshall:
Well, I think the '86 Giants would be a better football team, and I'll
tell you why. I think the fact that we had 6 of the guys that are now
head coaches, both in the NFL and football, came from the '86 team's
coaching staff; Tom Coughlin, obviously, who is the head coach of the
Giants, Ron Erhardt, Bill Parcells, Charlie Wise, Romeo Crennel, &
Bill Belichick. Many have become head coaches in other organizations
and helped those organizations be successful. The main one being Bill
Belichick, who I think, within the next 5 years - if he continues at
the pace he's going - they're going to change the name of the Lombardi
trophy to the Belichick trophy !
Reby:
You heard it here first, there we go !
Back then, did you have any pre-game superstitions or crazy rituals,
or things like that ?
Leonard Marshall:
My stupid superstiation, believe it or not, Reby,
was I would wear the same cutoff t-shirt, smelly and all. That's the
one I left home today, so I didn't want to run you away from me.
Reby:
Thank you.
I hear that you're not only contributing to victories on the field,
as a player, but also off the field, as an advocate for fellow retired
players. Can you tell me a little about the Game Plan Foundation
?
Leonard Marshall:
The Game Plan Foundation was an idea I got from watching disconnect
that's associated with pro football and its retired players. I think
the disconnect is so bad that someone has to step in, that's a business
person, quase, and try to take a strong hold over the situation. I think
the three biggest things that players are faced with today are the financial,
the psychological and the medical disconnect that they have from the
game. I think that players don't have a fanbase anymore because they're
not a non for profit. They don't play the game no more. Their jerseys
are not sold no more, they don't get the pats on the back and told they're
great, they don't have the comradery of the locker room around them
anymore. The main thing they don't get is an itinerary to go out and
deal with life, a game plan to go out and deal with life. So, if there
is a way to bridge the gap between players and the league, players and
fans, & players and players, it has to be identified through the
number one media vehicle that there is right now, the internet. The
only way that you can really capsulate that is to try to drag in people
of the past and drag in fans who support those guys from the past. What
they did on the field made them heroes, what they need now makes them
human, and they need the human interest now to step in and say, "I'm
gonna help to try to help my fallen hero".
Reby:
Where can I and my viewers go to help ?
Leonard Marshall:
You can make a donation online. The money will go to support fallen
heros of the past. You can also go online to LeonardMarshall70.com
and obtain more information about the Game Plan and about what
I'm doing to help support the issue as it relates to former, retired
players. I'm now in a career mode where we're trying to help the on-the-field
process for players. I've developed a company called ProSportsTransitions.com
and have partnered with a buddy of mine who played in the NBA by the
name of Jonathan Corey Crowder, who spent a few years with Utah Jazz
and has a business called EliteProCoaching.com,
which helps high school and collegiate athletes, as well as professional
athletes.
Reby:
Well that's enough bookmarks to keep you busy for the night !
One more question, just a silly one :
If you had to take down any Quartback in the NFL today, what
sack would give you the most bragging rights ?
Leonard Marshall:
Which sack would give me the most bragging rights ?
Well, I'll tell you, I would love to lay some wood on Ben Roethlisberger
I mean, bigtime.
I mean, I would love to just lay some wood on him. He's just
a big guy, paid too much money. I would love to lay some wood on him.
Reby:
This is great ! Great stuff.
Thank you so much for your time!
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