Shawn Marion is a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA performer. He is one of the league’s most athletic and versatile players, which is why TNT’s Kenny Smith nicknamed him “The Matrix” early in his rookie season. As a testament to his versatility, he has led the league in steals twice and has finished in the top 10 in rebounding six times.

After spending last season in Miami and Toronto, Marion is now with the Dallas Mavericks, joining Jason Kidd, Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki for what owner Mark Cuban hopes will be a title run. Marion sat down with The Scores Report to talk about his new team, his prowess on the offensive glass, and why the Suns traded him away.

TSR: Thanks for chatting with The Scores Report, Shawn. We just spoke with your former teammate, Dwyane Wade, a couple of weeks ago. He seems like a really nice guy.

SM: Yeah, he’s my man.

TSR: I’d first like to ask you about joining the Dallas Mavericks. How do you think you’ll fit in?

SM: I think I’ll fit in very well.

TSR: What made you pick the Mavs?

SM: J-Kidd and Dirk tried to get me down there for like over a year now. But I wasn’t able to go directly to them, so they had to make some maneuvers and work out a sign and trade. That’s what it was.

TSR: How do you think the team will change now that you’re a Mav? Dallas was in the middle of the pack in terms of pace last season – do you see the team pushing the ball more to best utilize your skills?

SM: I think we’ll do a little bit of everything. I’m just going to come in and try to help the team in every aspect of the game, and that’s it really. That sums it up.

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Thanks to Brett Favre and their 4-0 start, the Minnesota Vikings are one of the most talked about teams in the NFL right now. One of the players off to a solid start is receiver Bernard Berrian, who has 16 receptions for 177 yards and one touchdown on the year. Bernard was gracious enough to chat with us about the Vikings’ big win over the Packers on Monday night, a game in which he hauled in six passes for 75 yards and a 31-yard touchdown. Among some of the topics we asked Bernard were what it’s like being in the same huddle with a legend, whether there was any truth to the rumor that there was a divide in the Vikings’ locker room following the signing of Favre, and who is the toughest cornerback he’s ever faced.

The Scores Report: Hey Bernard, how are you man?

Bernard Barrian: I’m fine, how you doing?

TSR: Good. Congratulations on the win Monday night.

BB: Thanks, appreciate it.

TSR: I felt that your touchdown in the third quarter gave you guys the momentum the rest of the way.

BB: Oh yeah I think it definitely did, or put us in position at least.

TSR: No knock on any of the other quarterbacks you’ve played with throughout your career, but you’re playing with a legend now. What’s it like being in the same huddle with Brett Favre?

BB: It’s fun really. He brings a lot of fun to the game. When you see highlights, you see emotion pouring out through different players on the field.

TSR: Who put the rocking chair in front of his locker after the win?

BB: I still haven’t found out who did that – I have no idea. But it was hilarious when I saw it sitting there. (Laughs)

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Here’s what many sports fans know about Phil Simms: He’s a Super Bowl winner, a Super Bowl MVP and now is a lead analyst for CBS’ sports team.

But what sports fans might not know about Phil is that he’s also one hell of an interview.

We were fortunate enough to chat with Phil recently about a host of topics, which included his work with the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week program, which starts every Tuesday morning throughout the NFL season and allows fans to vote for one player in each category through NFL.com/FedEX. FedEx will donate $1,000 to a local Safe Kids coalition in the name of each FedEx Air and FedEx Ground Player of the Week voted on by fans, so it’s definitely a worthy cause.

We also couldn’t let Phil get off the phone without talking some football, which he was more than happy to do. He gave us his opinion on Brett Favre’s comeback, whether or not he would have played for a rival team (a la Favre) and what young quarterback (Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez or Matthew Stafford) he would choose to start for him if he were a GM and head coach. His answer may surprise you.

The Scores Report: Hi, this is Anthony.

Phil Simms: Hey Anthony, this is Phil Simms.

TSR: Hey Phil, how are you?

PS: Good, bud.

TSR: Good, I appreciate your sitting down and talking with me today.

PS: Don’t be silly – thank you.

TSR: Talk to me about the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week program that you guys are doing.

PS: Well, I’ve been doing it for three years myself – six years for FedEx – and it’s about the fans voting for their favorite air and ground players each week. The nominees for this week are pretty easy: Brett Favre, David Garrard and Peyton Manning through the air, and Ronnie Brown, Matt Forte and Rashard Mendenhall on the ground. And what fans do is they go to NFL.com/FedEx, they vote, and those votes determine the winners. The two winners get $1,000 donated by FedEx to local Safe Kid coalition in their name and it goes for pedestrian safety, so it’s a great program and I’m really happy to be a part of it.

TSR: How did you get involved in something like this, Phil?

PS: Well, the people from FedEx came to me and asked me if I’d do it. And I had done a few things around schools with bike safety and pedestrian safety and it worked out well. So like I said, I’m real happy to be a part of it and it’s for a very good cause.

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What more can you say about Junior Seau that you can’t say by listing his accomplishments? In his 19-year career, Seau was a seven-time first-team All-Pro, a 12-time Pro Bowler, the 1992 NEA NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and the 1992 UPI AFC Defensive Player of the Year. He’s amassed 1,826 tackles, 56.5 sacks and 18 interceptions over his career. He was also part of two Super Bowls, including the 16-0 New England Patriots squad.

Recently, Junior teamed up with Combos to help them roll out their “Tackle Life� contest, which encourages people to finish projects that they’ve put on the backburner throughout the years. Head to www.COMBOS.com and in 10-100 words, describe a project you have always wanted to do and how $5,000 will help you do it. The contest is running from September 14 to October 31 and the grand prize is the $5,000 to help you cross that project off your to-do list.

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to sit down with Junior to talk about the contest, how he got involved and what project he’s currently had on the backburner. We also couldn’t let him get off the phone without answering some football related questions, which he was more than happy to do. He filled us in on which running back was the toughest to tackle, what current player he would pay the price of admission to watch play every week and what its like to play in Bill Belichick’s defensive scheme.

Junior Seau: Anthony!

The Scores Report: Hey Junior, how are you, man?

JS: What’s happening, brother?

TSR: We really appreciate your sitting down and talking with us today – it’s an honor.

JS: No worries, no worries – let’s do it.

TSR: Talk to me about this Combos “Tackle Life� contest that you’re partaking in.

JS: Yeah, we’re pairing up with Combos’ “Tackle Life� contest and what we’re doing is trying to encourage everyone to get all of those daily duties out of the way. Pick one, visit Combos.com and submit 10 to 100 words on this dream project, which could be anything. It could be building a deck, or painting your house, or building a shed. Whatever it may be that you’ve been putting on the backburner, we’re asking you to write about it and you have a chance to win $5,000 through this program “Tackle Life.�

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In order to keep athletes safe and performing at their best during the hot summer months, Gatorade joined forces with the NFL in July to educate parents and coaches about heat-related illness and the importance of hydration. As part of Gatorade’s “Beat the Heat� program, NFL players, coaches and their wives lead hydration awareness efforts, while also raising funds for the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation.

One athlete that has been working with Gatorade on its “Beat the Heat� program is Indianapolis Colts star receiver Reggie Wayne. Reggie was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to talk about his alma mater Miami beating rival Florida State on Monday night, who the toughest cornerback he’s ever faced is and what was going through his mind when Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XL back 100-yards for a touchdown.

Side Note: TSR must be a good luck charm for Reggie, because after he talked to us he caught 10 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown in the Colts’ 14-12 win over the Jaguars on Sunday. Anytime, Reggie…anytime

The Scores Report: Hey, Reggie – how are you?

Reggie Wayne: What’s going on?

TSR: You still waking up from that Miami hangover from last night?

RW: Yes I am!

TSR: I know you watched it – what did you think? How’d the Canes look to you?

RW: They showed me something. They showed me that they have a little fight in them. I remember when I was there and I was playing it was so easy to say, you know what? We’re not going to win this one. (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) Were you impressed with their quarterback, Jacory Harris?

RW: I was, although he might have been a little too cool back there (in the pocket)!

TSR: (Laughs)

RW: I saw him play when he was younger, playing on playgrounds and things. I’ve heard a lot about him and his play at Northwestern High School, which is a good school. So it doesn’t surprise me to see him play well. In the summer time (the coaching staff) said he was ready and he showed it last night by staying poised and winning the game for them.

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Dwyane Wade is in Chicago right now for the 3rd annual “Wade’s World� charity weekend. The festivities include a benefit dinner, a kick-off party, school visits, a bowling party, a youth summit and a school supply giveaway. But the event that D.Wade really wanted to promote was the Gatorade “Chicago Has Talent� show on Saturday night at the Harris Theater at Millenium Park. (For tickets or information call 312-334-7777 or visit www.harristheaterchicago.org. All proceeds go towards the Wade’s World Foundation.) Go to the foundation’s website for more information about the weekend’s festivities and events.

D.Wade took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to chat with The Scores Report about the weekend, what it was like to win an Olympic gold medal and where he might sign next summer.

TSR: D. Wade. How are you doing?

DW: I’m good, boss. I’m good.

TSR: It’s a pleasure to talk to one of the best – if not the best – basketball players on the planet.

DW: Aw, well, I appreciate that.

TSR: I saw your itinerary for this “Wade’s World� Weekend and it looks like you are about to present a check to the William Leonard Public Library. What does it mean for you to be able to give back to your hometown?

DW: It means a lot. Whether it’s a big contribution or a small contribution to be able to give back to not only my hometown and my community, but to others as well. I’ve been very blessed and I think it’s my job to continue to help others that are in dire need, like the William Leonard Public Library in Robbins.

TSR: There’s a jam-packed weekend of activities. One thing I wanted to ask you about was the Gatorade “Chicago Has Talent� show on Saturday. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

DW: Yeah, you look at the whole weekend and we’ve got many different events going on. Some of them you’re going to have fun and some of them are fundraisers, but I think the biggest thing is the one that Gatorade really got behind was the “Chicago Has Talent� because it’s showcasing our kids and giving them an opportunity in life. I think we’re going to have between 10-15 different groups of kids perform in front of a crowd of around 1,000 people, and get a chance to showcase their talent. And the top 3 will get an opportunity to do some special things, but the winner is going to go on and do some great things and get an opportunity to be seen. I think our job is to give them that chance and that hope that they can do it. So I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait until that Saturday event. That’s probably the biggest event to me of the week of all the things we’re doing.

TSR: That’s at the Harris Theater at 7:00 PM at Millenium Park and tickets (which start at $15) are available.

DW: Yeah, that’s at the Harris Theater and it’s just after we get done with a youth summit where we have a panel full of celebrities and powerful, important people in the community, and they get to talk to kids for a couple of hours about violence and sex, and about so many different topics, and that’s actually right before the show.

TSR: And that’s at the UIC Forum at 725 W. Roosevelt Road.

DW: Yeah.

TSR: So do you mind if I ask you a couple of basketball-related questions?

DW: Sure.

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Interview Date: 1/8/09

It’s not often that a sports writer gets the opportunity to interview a sports legend. So when we were offered the chance to sit down and talk with former San Francisco 49er great Jerry Rice, we nearly leaped out of our seats.

Jerry has dabbled in a number of different professions since retiring from his Hall of Fame NFL career, including competing on “Dancing With the Stars� and more recently, acting. He has a cameo appearance in the movie, “Without a Paddle: Nature’s Calling,� where he plays a character named Hal Gore (uh, Al Gore’s brother…seriously), who happens to be a bit off his rocker. (Hal’s game plan to stop global warming was focused around squirrel farts…again, seriously.)

Jerry was gracious enough to talk to us about his role in the movie, his experiences with acting and whether or not more acting was in his future. We also couldn’t let him get off the phone without asking him some gridiron questions, including his thoughts on who currently is the best wide receiver is in the game, what young quarterback has the best chance of winning a Super Bowl, and what defensive backs were the best he ever played against. He also filled us in how legends Joe Montana and Bill Walsh were pranksters, and whether or not coaching is in his future now that the 49ers have hired former player Mike Singletary has their next head coach.

Jerry Rice: Anthony!

The Scores Report: Jerry, it’s an absolute pleasure to talk with you!

JR: Not a problem. You’re the last one of the day, bud! It’s been a long day so I’m giving you my best.

Tony LaRussa is much more than a World Series-winning manager and current skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals. Along with his wife Elaine, Tony is also is the founder of a foundation that reaches out to animals that are very much in need.

Tony and Elaine started Animal Rescue Foundation (or ARF) in 1991. The goal of ARF is to find families for adoptable animals before they become euthanized and according to the foundation’s website, the foundation now has a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator, which is America’s largest charity evaluator. Considering only 25 percent of charities reach a 4-star rating, it’s quite an achievement.

This Sunday, January 18, Tony will host “Stars to the Rescue�, which is an event that benefits ARF and other St. Louis area animal non-profits. “Stars to the Rescue� will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Chaifetz Arena on the campus of St. Louis University and will feature music and entrainment such as country music star Vince Gill, rockers Huey Lewis and The News, Kevin Cronin and Dave Amato from REO Speedwagon, as well as comedians Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan, and 2008 CMA Horizon Award winner Lady Antebellum. For tickets and general information, please call Metrotix at 314-534-1111, or visit the foundation’s website at www.arf.net.

Tony was gracious enough to sit down with us recently to talk about “Stars to the Rescue�, ARF, and whether or not he would ever consider concentrating solely on his charitable work in the wake of Tony Dungy retiring from coaching to work more on his off-field contributions.

We also had the opportunity to ask him some baseball questions, including what it meant to add shortstop Khalil Greene this offseason, how the Cards look heading into the new season and what the health status was of Albert Pujols.

Much like Scores Report contributor John Paulsen, I had the opportunity to sit on a conference call with three-time Super Bowl champ Troy Aikman and FOX play-by-play announcer Joe Buck. I was even fortunate enough to ask Troy about his past Super Bowl experiences, as well as listen to his response on whether he believes the Patriots are one of the greatest dynasties ever. Below I’ve compiled five of the most interesting questions from the call, including my question to Troy (which is listed first) and Joe’s response to being asked about the differences between calling a World Series compared to a Super Bowl.

Troy, Tom Brady is going for his fourth Super Bowl victory and Eli Manning his first. You were a three-time Super Bowl winner – I realize all Super Bowl victories are hard-fought, but was there one in particular that stood out to you as being harder than the rest?

TA: Well, each one got a little more difficult for us and the last one was the most compelling when we played Pittsburgh. That was a pretty tight ballgame and the other ones, you know, we beat Buffalo the first time 52-17 and it was basically over by halftime or early in the third quarter. New England though, the three that they have won, they’ve won all three by only three points, so they’re accustomed to being in tight games. So, they’re going to be well prepared if this game goes down to the wire, too.

Click here to check out the rest of the five questions.