In an interview with HoopsHype, LeBron discussed the 2010-11 Miami Heat, working with Hakeem Olajuwon on his post game, the fans in Cleveland and more.

Here’s what he had to say about the 2012 Olympics:

What about the Olympics next year? You don’t want to commit yet?

LJ: I’m committed. I can’t wait for it – to have an opportunity to go to London and defend our gold medal from Beijing. It’s going to be great. I’ve always loved the Olympics just to be around the athletes from all over the world. Not only in my country but to see all of the athletes, it’s so fun… I have a great deal respect for all other athletes that are competing as well.

Later, he was asked about the MVP award.

Did you think you have a real shot at winning the MVP last season?

LJ: No.

Why?

LJ: Just the thing I did. The change from Cleveland to Miami wasn’t going to allow me to win the MVP.

No matter what.

LJ: No matter. It didn’t matter.

What about next season?

LJ: I got a chance. But they made me take a year off.

It’s interesting that he blames The Decision for not winning the MVP award.

Even if you’re a Green Bay Packer fan, it’s hard not to love Jared Allen.

That’s because the Minnesota Vikings defensive end plays with a fierce relentlessness, isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and is a guy that if you spent an hour with him you wouldn’t have the slightest idea he was a million dollar athlete.

Jared will be hosting his 2nd annual charity golf tournament called “Night-Ops II” on Saturday, June 18, which is an event that benefits his foundation “Homes 4 Wounded Warriors.” As Jared explains in the interview, the root of the foundation is that you “should feel your most comfortable at your most vulnerable state.” Thus, “Homes 4 Wounded Warriors” is about helping wounded soldiers by remolding their homes so that they’re handicap accessible. For someone who also has family members and friends that have served in the military, it’s a truly touching cause.

Jared also shared his thoughts on the lockout saga, whether or not Brett Favre’s situation was a major distraction for the 6-10 Vikings last year, and what quarterback he loves drilling the most. It would be an understatement to say that his answers weren’t entertaining.

For more on Jared Allen, including details and information on his “Homes 4 Wounded Warriors” foundation, check out his official website.

Jared Allen: Hey Anthony!

The Scores Report: Hey Jared! How are you?

JA: I’m doing well.

TSR: Is your schedule busy today?

JA: Not really – I’m actually just being lazy. I was supposed to play some golf and go for a mountain bike ride, but I’ve got the wrong size tube on my tires so…you know. (Laughs)

TSR: So here you are stuck talking to me. (Laughs)

JA: (Laughs) Yeah!

TSR: Your annual charity golf tournament goes to a fantastic cause. Can you fill readers in on how your foundation “Homes 4 Wounded Warriors” got started and what it’s all about?

JA: Absolutely. First of all, my family is all military. My grandfather spent 26 years in the Marine Corps, is a retired Marine Corps Captain, and my little brother is in the Marines. I think two of my uncles were Marines in ‘Nam and another one was in the Air Force for 30-some-odd-years. So I have a family lineage of military members, but I got to go on the USO tour and while it wasn’t exactly what my grandfather or uncles went through, I got a look into what our military services go through during the time of war. To be able to see first hand the sacrifices that they make on a daily basis was so humbling. It makes you realize how much we take for granted. After hearing about the multiple trips that these guys have made overseas, when I got back from the USO tour I realized I wanted to do more. I wanted to help and give back to our men and women that serve in the military. So I talked with an Army buddy of mine that’s been over to Iraq three times and we came up with the Jared Allen’s “Homes 4 Wounded Warriors” foundation. We based it on the idea that when you’re at home, you should feel your most comfortable at your most vulnerable state. I know that when I come home from a bad day, a tough practice or whatever it may be, I can breathe a sigh of relief. I know that I’m home and for that time, I’m relaxed and everything like that. So the one thing that we thought of was that the last thing that these soldiers should have to worry about is not being able to get around their house because they’re missing an arm, or a leg, or are blind, or whatever it may be. So that’s where we come in. We remodel an existing home or, if necessary, we completely build a new home so that it’s handicap accessible and fits the specific needs of our wounded vets. So that’s how we started and we just finished our first house in Minnesota for a staff sergeant up there. Now we’re focusing on building a couple of homes for some people down here in Arizona. We work directly with the V.A. so everyone is 100-percent medically discharged and I’ll tell you what, it’s been a cool thing.

TSR: I can only imagine have the opportunity to go overseas and grasp how much the members of our military do for us back home. This sounds like a truly great foundation that you’ve started.

JA: Oh, yeah. And now we’re getting ready for our golf tournament, which is a fun way to raise money. We wanted to figure out a way to incorporate the military aspect into the tournament so we came up with the “Night-Ops” where we play half the holes during the day and half of the holes at night. And we have Marines out there screaming and Air Guard out there doing stuff, so it’s a good time.

TSR: What kind of response have you gotten so far from the people and the lives that you’ve affected?

JA: You know, I don’t know if I’ve affected anyone’s lives. I think they’ve affected me more than I’ve affected them. My biggest take away from being able to see these people overseas are how humble it makes you. To see a smile on their face and to take their minds off the war for a few minutes…if we did that then that’s awesome. To me, it doesn’t matter if you’re pro-war or against it, republican or democrat – it doesn’t matter. The point is that these military people from the United States are risking their lives every day so that we can be back home enjoying ours. So from that stand point, the dedication that these people give is what has inspired me. They embrace the suck because it’s their job. You talk to these marines who are living in barracks in the middle of the desert and they don’t bitch, they don’t complain. They get up and they do their job day in and day out. So it makes you appreciate the little things that we take for granted and it makes you realize that a bad day at home is a good day over there. (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) No doubt.

JA: Again, I don’t know how much I’ve affected their lives but I know they’ve affected mine just from the standpoint of the dedication and focus that they’ve had.

TSR: Well I wish you the best of luck at your golf tournament and everything having to do with your foundation, Jared. It’s a great cause and I hope it continues to grow each year.

JA: Definitely, thank you. We’re always looking for ways to better it and the response has been awesome. The one cool thing is that nobody from our foundation makes a dime from it. So 100-percent of these proceeds go directly into building these homes.

TSR: I wanted to get your take on the latest lockout drama. Can fans get their hopes up that this secret meeting held by union officials and the owners last week is a sign that the lockout is ending soon or are the two sides nowhere close?

JA: I think the meetings are a little late but I’m glad they’re happening. Obviously both sides have been negotiating for a while now and the biggest thing that fans need to understand is that this is a lockout and not a strike. The owners have locked us out from work and the reason that we sued was to get back to work. Know what I mean? But these meetings are the only way something is going to get done; by the two sides coming together and finding a middle ground. Unfortunately most of our resources right now on both sides are being wasted on court fees and lawyer costs. Eventually a fair deal has to get done, but at the same time I’m really proud of our guys for standing their ground and not just signing a deal to get it done and get back onto the field. Because there are some fundamental issues that need to be resolved. The long-term healthcare issue is definitely something that needs to be addressed. I know a bunch of retired players that can’t get healthcare unless they own a business or something because they’re so beat up. I’m glad we’re fighting for better benefits for retired players because we’re all going to be retired one day and the outcome of this CBA negotiation is going to determine a lot of things from here on out, just like in ’87. So, there are some fundamental issues that I think must be addressed and the rest is obviously financials and semantics from the ownership side. Remember, we were happy with the deal the way it was. It’s the owners who want us to take a paycut. You don’t give without receiving something back, you know?

TSR: Right.

JA: But I think it is heading in the right direction. There’s a timeline crunch coming on and I think both sides realize that we have the best game in sports and that we have a very good product. Look at what happened in baseball and hockey when they took that product off the field. I mean, they’re still trying to recover. Football is a great game and I think unfortunately they’re implementing too many rules. Heck, I’m in for going back to 14 games and leather helmets – let’s go play ball. (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) I don’t think receivers who have to go over the middle want to go back to leather helmets. They won’t even make it through one game, nevertheless 14 or 16!

JA: Hey, we all sign on the dotted line! I chose to be a receiver, I chose to be a defensive line – we all know the risks.

TSR: (Laughs)

JA: But yeah, I think both sides are heading in the right direction in getting together recently. I think it does some good to get away from the attorneys and obviously this looming appeal is going to play a huge role in this. I think if something can get done before the appeals court can make a decision, I think it’s the best-case scenario for both sides. Obviously you know how emotions can get played out when they announce these types of rulings. People can suddenly feel jaded one way or another, but I think the only way something is going to get done is by communicating. It doesn’t do us any good to sit and wait for a judge to get something done because that’ll prove to only benefit the attorneys.

TSR: The most frustrating thing to me about all of this, you know, besides the fact that there may not be football next year, is that at the start of this fiasco the best way to resolve this issue was for the two sides to talk. And now here we are so many months later and the best way to resolve the issue is if…the two sides talk.

JA: (Laughs) Yeah you know, and that’s what I’ve been trying to say to our fans. As players, we want to play. We filed the suit for the injunction so that we could play and get back to work. That’s our stance on the deal. But yeah, it is, it is annoying. I think people are starting to see the business side of things. As fans, we tend to look at football as purely a sport but whenever money is involved there’s always another side. Unfortunately through this lockout, fans are seeing the brutal side to our game.

TSR: No doubt.

JA: But like you said, you can’t get anything done without communication. As a player having already had to go through the negotiation process and all of that, one thing they always tell you is don’t negotiate through the media. That’s what the owners and all the organizations tell the players: Don’t negotiate through the media. So why did they go through the media back at the start of this? You know, saying that we’re asking for too much when our thing was, ‘show us your books.’ Let’s make a fair deal. Open your books and let’s make this a mathematical equation. You’re making X amount and if we need to help, let’s work something out.

TSR: Right.

JA: But when you starting negotiating through the media, this is what it leads to. Then emotions get involved and hands get forced. You know, this wasn’t something that just came about. The owners knew they were opting out back in ’08 or ’09. So there has been time to get something done. It’s on the owners. We’re ready to get back to work but at the same time you can’t rake us over the coals.

TSR: This is just a generalization on my part, but I think most fans side with the players because like you said, you guys want to play.

JA: Absolutely and hey, I completely understand the fans’ frustration. As a fan myself, you look at the situation and you say: This is ridiculous. Who’s making the decisions here? Let’s get both sides together and get this thing done.’ Attorneys just seem to cause problems. (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) Definitely. Let’s switch gears and talk Vikings. I know it’s not one guy that turns a team that played in the NFC title game two years ago into a 6-10 mess. But was Brett Favre a distraction last year or were there bigger factors that led to the Vikings’ struggles in 2010?

JA: Oh, it’s a bunch of factors. I mean, you even look at our NFC championship run and there were games we won…if you look at that Niners game for example, are you kidding me?

TSR: (Laughs) Right!

JA: Greg Lewis was on the team for a week and he makes the greatest catch I have ever seen. (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) The ending of that game was incredible unless you’re a Niner fan.

JA: You look at games like that where they could have gone in a different direction, and unfortunately it kind of went against us last year. I’m not going to sit here and say that the Brett saga wasn’t a distraction because it obviously led to be more than it was. But as players and as an organization, we have to take responsibility for allowing it to become a distraction. At some point when you enter that locker room, everything outside of that locker room has to be put away so that you can perform your best on the field. We get paid to put our best on the field and win day in and day out. We’re human too, so outside issues are going to cause problems sometimes. But at some point they have to be addressed the right way and moved on from and that’s really what happened. There was a lack of communication from the organization and then they’re scrambling, and then all of a sudden they’re dealing with a head coach-quarterback controversy, then they wind up firing Brad in the middle of the season. And you know, Brad wasn’t to blame for everything. I’m good friends with Coach Childress still and I thank him for getting me to Minnesota. But when things get mishandled, now you’ve got people trying to right a ship by all extreme measures and I’ll tell you what, it really got messed up. Then our dome collapsed and anything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. (Laughs) What is that? Murphy’s Law or something?

TSR: (Laughs) When it rains it pours, right?

JA: (Laughs) Yeah! I’ll never forget, we were getting ready to play the Giants and my buddy Lawrence Tynes, the kicker for the Giants who I played with in Kansas City, calls me. I answered and I asked why he was calling me so early and on the day of the game no-less. He goes, “Your roof collapsed!” I said, “Whaaaaat?” (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs)

JA: It was 5:30 or 6 o’clock in the morning and I was like, you’ve got to be kidding me!

TSR: What else could go wrong?

JA: No kidding. So we had a combination of things happen to us last year and you can’t blame one person. But like I said, I don’t want to make excuses because at the end of the day it’s your responsibility as players to put your best product on the field and to win games. And you know what? It’s part of the league and a lot of teams have gone through it. We’ve got some stability back now. We have Coach Frazier. We don’t really know what’s going on with our offense, our quarterback or the league, but we’ll figure all of that out eventually. (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) I don’t want to keep you all day, so let’s go rapid fire from here on out. Give me some quick-hit thoughts on these topics.

JA: No problem.

TSR: Christian Ponder will be your starting quarterback in 2011.

JA: (Long pause) Depends on free agency.

TSR: Ray Edwards will be a Viking next year.

JA: Uh, not looking so good.

TSR: (Laughs) Well how about this: Is he going to be a boxer or a Viking?

JA: Well, I’ll have to go back and study the tapes. (Laughs) I think he’s going to be a boxer over a Viking.

TSR: (Laughs) All right, last one: I know hitting every quarterback is fun, but which one gets you fired up the most? I think I know the answer to this question but I’ll ask anyway.

JA: Peyton Manning. You always like hitting the best, you know? I used to hit Peyton a lot but it took me five years to actually sack him, so that’s probably my most memorable hit. Along with Tom Brady and those future Hall of Famers.

TSR: That’s a good answer but I’ve got to tell you, I’m shocked. I’m shocked it’s not one of two guys: Aaron Rodgers or Jay Cutler.

JA: Oh well yeah, yeah. Aaron is a hell of a quarterback and he’s tough to get to, too. I think I’ve played against him so much now that you just come to expect that you’re going to get to him a couple of times at least.

TSR: That memory from a couple of years ago when their offensive line was a mess and you just teed off on him keeps popping into my head. What was that, a Monday night game?

JA: Yeah, it was a Monday night game. Then I got like sacks three up there so I got him 7.5 times in one year, which is funny because Chad Clifton is a guy I really enjoy playing against. We tend to have these games where up there, he may get the better of me, and then we get under the dome and I usually get a sack or two on him. So we’ve been having some great battles over the last four years of my career.

TSR: This has been a lot of fun and while I could easily talk a couple of hours, I’ll let you go. Thank you for sitting down with us – I really appreciate your time.

JA: Not a problem – any time.

TSR: And best of luck with your golf tournament.

JA: Thank you so much.

TSR: Take care.

In his 14-year NFL career, Kevin Carter handed out plenty of punishment for opposing quarterbacks. He totaled 104.5 career sacks, reached double digit QB-takedowns four times (1998-2000, 2002), and led his team in sacks five times (1996, 1997, 1999, 2004). He also never missed a game in the NFL, which is a testament to his training habits and toughness.

Now that he’s retired, Kevin is helping to promote the website SchoolOfTheLegends.com, which offers fans a chance to interact with not only current players, but legends of the game as well. The site also offers instructional videos from some of the best in the game, which is a great tool for high school athletes or players of any age who want to get tips from the pros. (If you’re a young defensive back, how can you pass up the opportunity to get instructional lessons from Pro Bowler Brian Dawkins?) The site is free to join and in minutes you could be interacting with NFL stars.

Kevin sat down with me recently to discuss not only SchoolOfTheLegends.com, but I was also able to pick his brain about the current lockout mess and get his reaction to the recent comments made by his former Florida coach Steve Spurrier, who says college players should be paid.

The Scores Report: Hey Kevin!

Kevin Carter: Hey there, how are you?

TSR: Very good. You enjoying this ongoing lockout? I know as a fan, I sure am. It’s not nauseating at all.

KC: What a mess.

TSR: Do you think this secret meeting that transpired with the NFL and union officials can be viewed as a positive thing for fans? Are we finally pushing forward here?

KC: I really do, because there’s a certain portion of this fight that needed to be brought to the American public’s attention. There was a lot of posturing on both sides, but really a lot of posturing from the owners. Doing things like securing television revenue money, that even if there’s no season they’re still going to get their money. Doing things like lobbying on Capital Hill to try and influence the lawmakers so a lot of the things like tax laws that they enjoy still remain in place. So there was a portion of it that needed to be fought and brought to the American public’s attention. But ultimately, we’re not going to be able to negotiate through the court systems. At some point we’re going to have to sit down, have a conversation and get down to the brass tacks in order to make a deal for the greater good of the game. Our fans don’t deserve this. They’ve been too great to the sport of football. We’ve been able to grow exponentially; the NFL owners themselves have been able to enjoy a 400% increase in the equity of their business in the last 15-20 years, so the fans have been loyal. They’ve gone through strikes and CBA extensions, and near-scares and whatnot. But this is like nothing else in our history: this is a lockout. Basically the owners are saying, ‘We don’t like the economic structure the way it is set up, even though we’re the ones that have enjoyed this 400% increase in the equity of our business.’ Nobody can say that they’ve enjoyed anything close to that unless you own oil. A certain portion of this fight needed to be done in the courts. But now, with them having a private meeting and talking real numbers, and real dollars, and talking about how we can get this thing out of the courts and people back to work, I’m all for it. I think this is the first real step from a negotiating standpoint that we’ve taken on both sides.

TSR: What’s your gut feeling tell you about the lockout. How long do you think it’ll last and do you think it’ll wipe out the entire 2011 season?

KC: No, I don’t think that’ll be the case because yes, the owners get their revenue from the television contracts but they’re going to pay it back later. Yes, they’re going to succeed in squeezing out the players and basically making them settle for a deal that they might not want. But at what expense? Like I said, you’re letting your fans down. You’re letting your fans down when you’ve enjoyed so much economic prosperity. A lot of the people that you’re providing this game for are bending backwards working two jobs just to be a part of your league. Not to mention the fact that 29 out of 31 stadiums are owned and operated by the Municipal Policies and the tax payers in which the cities that they exist. So you’re talking about people that, basically this is their livelihood. You know, you’re affecting jobs: the policemen, the firemen, all the restaurants, all the car rental places, all the hotels. I mean, the economic value that a game brings to a city…if we don’t have that, it should be almost criminal. That part should almost be illegal. The NFL shouldn’t be allowed to do that. They shouldn’t be allowed to not put on a game because they want more money in an economic crunch, which our country is in. It shouldn’t be allowed to happen because so much is contingent on that game taking place. So if they play their cards wrong, from an ownership standpoint, then they’re going to lose the infrastructure of people who support the game. So I’m inclined to think more often than not that they’re just not that stupid.

TSR: In your opinion Kevin, what is the biggest thing that’s holding back this labor dispute and on which side is the issue coming from?

KC: Well, I know what’s holding it back. It’s almost like someone standing in your front yard offering you $100 to buy your house. You’re not going to entertain them because it’s not a real offer. I was on the executive committee for six years and even though there wasn’t a lockout there was a pending lockout, we started having CBA negotiation meetings back in 2007 and 2008. So for the last two years that I served on the board, I was actually going to these meetings. I can tell you there was no real offer. We discussed certain points and what would happen down the road with certain things, but to me in my gut estimation of what’s holding this thing back, it’s the fact that they’re just now starting to present what they’ll settle for on both sides. I mean, you can’t show your hands – especially from the players’ side. It’s good to be in the NFL right now. The benefits of playing in the NFL are just now getting up to par with the other professional sports. The things that they’ve enjoyed for years like medical assistance after you’re doing playing, you know, the other sports have this down pat already. Football for whatever reason, even with the barbaric nature of it, has just been so far behind. So we as players can’t just take a step back and say ‘ok, we’re going to settle for so much less,’ and screw the membership of guys who have suffered from head trauma and everything else. We stand on the shoulders of those players on the picket lines who have fought for a better league. We can’t turn our backs on that either, so the players are caught between a rock and a hard place. It’s not what you want, it’s what you’ll settle for. But at the same time, we can’t let those players down.

TSR: You played under Steve Spurrier while at Florida. I don’t know if you heard him the other day at the annual SEC meetings but he wants to figure out a way to pay college players. Do you think it’s wise to pay college players or do you think as a former collegiate athlete that a scholarship is enough?

KC: I think in this day and age where the economic value of a college football game and how much value it brings to all these different campuses, yeah. These universities are making money hand over fist off of football. If you’re Tim Tebow and you’re walking to class, you see your jersey all over campus and in every bookstore. Let’s be real: There is a big time value that the programs bring to their universities. I agree with coach Spurrier. He is always so much further ahead from a trends standpoint and setting a precedent, that’s why I enjoyed playing for him all of those years ago. But yeah, I think a per diem would ease the strain of being a college athlete. Because when you’re in college and people are talking about living off of Ramen noodles, mac ‘n cheese and $2 pizzas, well if you’re a college athlete, yeah your books and tuition is paid for, but you can’t work. You can’t go get a job because you’re not allowed. Most of your time is filled up with studying and with your sport. I had very little time to do anything else when I was playing football. So much of my time was invested in that and whatever time I had left I had to study and make the grade. So yeah, I’m definitely in line with the idea of paying the players, do something and work it out. It helps those players get by and it may limit the pressures and temptations that come from agents who are willing to ease your entire financial situation that has been a strain on you as you break yourself in half earning millions of dollars for this perspective university.

TSR: Those are good points, although I wonder if it’ll be a slippery slope. For example, if your Tim Tebow you’re obviously making the university more money than the punter. So should Tebow get more than the punter? Do athletes in all sports get paid? Like I said, I think it would be a slippery slope, although I can see both sides of the argument.

KC: Well not if you mandate it. Obviously the NCAA regulates everything else, so they should be able to regulate this. There shouldn’t be different pay scales for different universities, or a measure of how much you bring in for the university. It should be flat across the board. It should be a flat fee and I’m sure they can work it out so it’s fair across the board. I don’t think it would be a slippery slope. I think you set the precedent and you talk about the consequences of making a bad decision just like they’re doing now. But I don’t think you would see so many Tressel situations.

TSR: I went onto the SchoolOfTheLegends.com website and I’m highly interested in hearing more. Please fill myself and readers in on what SchoolOfTheLegends.com is all about.

KC: You know, SchoolOfTheLegends.com originally started off as a way to link players with each other and then, of course, link them to the outside world. As we know with Facebook and Twitter, there are all kinds of social networks that people can be a part of. They’re started with all kinds of premises and intentions of doing all kinds of different things. But most times they just give people the ability to upload photos, videos and you know, create different kinds of groups to develop friendships and offer a way for people to keep in touch.

TSR: Right.

KC: The same concept applies when you’re talking about SchoolOfTheLegends. It is a social network and it works just like Facebook, but basically we think of it as Facebook for football. Anyone or anything that pertains to football, you know, basically that’s what we’re about. But like I said, we’re a full-service social network and instead of starting ours with people, we started it with football legends who made the game great. We are an officially licensed partner of the NFL Players Association, which gives us access to every current locker room in the NFL and when you see John Randle, Bill Bates, Jason Witten, Jerome Bettis or Tony Gonzalez on our site, it’s the real player and not a fan tribute to that person.

TSR: Right, like on Facebook or Twitter.

KC: Right. And the thing that I’m perhaps most excited about on this site is the web-based, high-definition position-specific training videos that we offer that are taught by the NFL legends. So people like Warren Moon and Michael Vick…you know, Michael Vick basically shares all of his secrets. He teaches you and on the things that made him one of the most versatile quarterbacks in the NFL. Darren Sharper teaches you about playing the Cover 2 and the safety position; a defensive back using the trail technique footwork. The list of training videos goes on and on. Larry Fitzgerald, Derrick Mason, DeAngelo Williams, Jerome Bettis…you can learn how to play defensive line from the likes of myself. Every position is covered. If you’re a high school player looking to gain an edge or you’re a father or a parent that’s looking to give your child the extra-added edge to help them succeed on the field and learn, you’ll learn the correct way to play this game that we all know and love.

TSR: This sounds incredibly interesting and beneficial for young athletes.

KC: Football isn’t just about violence. It’s technique and you can learn a lot of things from NFL legends that they have learned along the way. They’re offering to teach you via the site and our program. So in a nutshell, that’s basically who and what we are. But like I said, we have over 1,300 current and former NFL players that are engaged on our network. The few names that I’ve mentioned, they’re big name guys. We have 20-30 Hall of Fame players that our engaged on our site. We’ve got a couple of hundred Pro Bowlers. It’s unbelievable. Like I said, where else can you strike up a Facebook-type relationship in an environment that’s just football. I speak to guys like Cornieuls Bennett and John Randle, players that are my heroes that I looked up to. But I also have relationships with guys like Marcell Dareus and Mark Ingram, who are our new legends that just engaged on our site.

TSR: Very Cool.

KC: So if you’re into football, if you love football, if you’re a football junkie, you can go from page to page to page, looking at profile after profile, photos and individual accounts. These profiles are customized to the actual NFL legend. So when you go to my actual profile, you’re going to see the things that I’m doing in the community, and you’re going to see what I’m doing with my life now. I guess the options and the things that you can do through this site are pretty much endless. We pride ourselves on being a complete site. We’ve got health and safety features and the tools necessary for any high school coach, player or parent to help their child succeed in football. I was actually present when Michael Vick was taping his video and he stopped in the middle of the video and said, ‘Man, if I had something like this when I was a kid, I would have broken the VCR tape just rewinding it watching it over, and over, and over again.’ And I said dude, I hear you – this is gold. I don’t even play quarterback and I’m sitting here watching you talk about all of the tricks of your craft and it’s just truly amazing. The NFL players that have given themselves to these training videos have taken great pride in who they are and how far they’ve come. The videos are great. Some of the people on here are big name players. Tony Gonzalez, Brian Dawkins they’re legends. These are guys that know the game and have played 14-15 years in the NFL and just have a wealth of knowledge to give back. So I’m really, really excited: SchoolOfTheLegends.com.

TSR: Well, I will certainly plug the website because it sounds fantastic for fans and young football players alike. I want to thank you for chatting with me today Kevin and I wish you the best of luck with the site.

KC: Thank you for having me.

TSR: Good luck with the website and hopefully we’ll talk again soon.

KC: I appreciate it – any time.

While the NFL owners and players continue to battle in court about how to split the $9 billion pie, some fans are not sitting idly by waiting to find out what happens. Brian Frederick, the executive director of SportsFans.org, is one of those who is literally fighting on behalf of the fans–the fans like you who continue to get shafted by greedy sports team owners and overpaid players. We had the chance to ask Brian a few questions recently about SportsFans.org and some of the current issues affecting fans:

The Scores Report: First, if you can tell me briefly about how you started your organization and some of the things that you stand for?

Brian Frederick: Sports Fans Coalition was founded in 2009 by the chair of our board, David Goodfriend, a former Clinton White House staffer. He put together a great board, including a member of the Bush White House. I was brought on in August of 2010 to be the first full-time employee. We were founded to give sports fans a voice on public policy issues; to bring the voice of the fan to the halls of power. We are concerned about issues like media blackouts, stadium construction, ticket prices, work stoppages and the lack of a college football playoff.

TSR: I read that you were trying to earn a seat at the initial labor negotiations. Did anyone respond to you at all and if so, what did they say?

BF: After one of the mediation sessions in DC, DeMaurice Smith asked to speak with me and he and I walked back to his office and chatted. He said we had written a great letter and he was interested in some of our ideas. He saw no reason, for instance, that a new CBA couldn’t include language ending blackouts. I am still hopeful that he will try to include that in whatever the new CBA looks like, but I am not holding my breath. I never heard from Roger Goodell.

TSR: Now that the appeals hearing is set for June 3 and a ruling might not come down until a month later, do you think any games will be missed?

BF: It depends on the ruling (and further appeals). I’ve always felt that we are likely to lose some early games but not the whole season. That’s not to say that there’s not a chance the whole season will be lost, it just seems unlikely because this is just over how to divide revenue within a structure that works. The NFL doesn’t have the deeper problems that the NBA does, for instance. If the owners win their appeal, I think we’re looking at some lost games. If the players win, I think there’s a better chance for football in the fall.

TSR: Do you think the NFL has done enough damage to this point that will make fans boycott, at least to some degree?

BF: The NFL is certainly damaging its brand every day this dispute drags on. I don’t think it’s caused enough harm yet that fans will boycott. Only after games are missed will there even be a chance of enough fans uniting to take action. This is unfortunate, of course, because that is what the NFL and NFLPA are counting on — that fans won’t care until games are missed. But that attitude (like a game of chicken) is exactly what leads to missed games. There’s this sort of attitude among fans that it will get worked out — “they always work it out.” Well, they don’t always work it out. Sometimes there are games missed and even whole seasons.

TSR: When players and owners say how important the fan is, do you believe them? Why or why not?

BF: I believe that they believe the fans are important in the sense that they are important to their bottom line. They are interested in treating fans as loyal consumers and they don’t want to jeopardize that relationship. They want the fans to have an enjoyable experience and to pay as much money as they are able to in order to have that experience. They don’t mind that they lose fans who can’t afford to follow anymore. That’s troubling. Sport doesn’t have to be that way. At SportsFans.org we’re trying to empower sports fans and fight for a different way of thinking about sports — one that places what’s great about sports (passion, camaraderie, fair competition, athleticism, etc.) ahead of huge profits.

For more information about Sports Fan Coalition and SportsFans.org, please visit Sportsfans.org.

His name is Osborne Earl Smith but to baseball fans everywhere, he’s simply known as “The Wizard.”

In an era when the shortstop was known as being the best defender on the field, Ozzie Smith was the best of the best. For 19 seasons he strengthened the middle of the diamond for the Padres and the Cardinals, making 15 trips to the All-Star Game and winning an astonishing 13 Gold Glove Awards. Before he hung up his cleats in 1996, he helped the Cardinals win a World Series championship in 1982 and was the 1985 NLCS MVP. The Cardinals retired his No. 1 jersey in order to pay homage to the man who thrilled crowds with his dazzling defensive heroics and of course, his entertaining back flips in between innings.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Ozzie, which was a great pleasure to someone who has always cherished the game of baseball. He’s currently assisting Holiday Inn with their “Pay it Forward” program, which is encouraging people to show each other a little extra kindness every day to benefit Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) youth initiative. Ozzie spoke about the program and his involvement, as well as how people can be entered to win an all-expense paid trip for two to the 2011 All-Star Game in Phoenix, Arizona just by sharing their “pay it forward” stories.

Of course, Ozzie was gracious enough to field some questions about baseball as well, including what current players impress him and what his secret was to always being in the right position to come up big defensively. He also gave his take on whether or not Albert Pujols will return to St. Louis next year and what he thinks of the ever-evolving shortstop position.

For more information on Holiday Inn’s “Pay it Forward” program, including how you could win a trip for two to the 2011 All-Star Game, check out Holiday Inn’s Facebook page.

Ozzie Smith: Hey Anthony!

The Scores Report: Ozzie, how are you?

OS: Doing real good, how are you?

TSR: Excellent! As a fan and big admirer of the game, it’s a pleasure to speak with you today.

OS: Oh, no problem – no problem at all.

TSR: How did you get involved with Holiday Inn and their “Pay it Forward” program?

OS: Well, I’ve always been associated with Major League Baseball and now I’m teaming up with Holiday Inn to encourage people to “pay it forward” by showing each other a little extra kindness every day to benefit baseball’s connection with the inner cities. We’ve lost so many youth to different sports and many programs have been eliminated. Holiday Inn is about celebrating the everyday hero and this program encourages people to act heroically every day, from holding doors open, to giving up your seat on the bus, to buying a friend a cup of coffee. It’s small acts of kindness that make a difference day-to-day, and for each person who shares their story at Facebook.com/HolidayInnHotels, in turn, Holiday Inn will give tickets to Major League baseball games to children participating in RBI. The people who post their stories will be entered to win an all-expense paid trip to the 2011 All-Star Game. It’s a great way to do something good, make yourself feel good, and make someone else feel good, too.

TSR: I was on Holiday Inn’s Facebook page and reading up on the program and as you said, it looks like a great thing to participate in. And not only because you have the chance to go to the All-Star Game, but more importantly because you’re giving something back to society.

OS: Right. There have been studies done that say for people who have had it paid forward to them, it makes them more willing to pay it forward themselves. It’s all about getting as many people on board and if you get enough people doing it, you can certainly make a change. You can’t say enough about Holiday Inn and Major League Baseball for their effort in trying to bring awareness to reviving baseball in the inner city.

TSR: Have you gotten the opportunity to read some of the stories yet that people have been posting?

OS: Not yet because I’ve been working since 6:00AM.

TSR: I imagine you’re doing a lot of these interviews!

OS: Yeah, we’re still going here and I’m going to 4:00 o’clock, so we’re just trying to get the word out there. And like I said, Holiday Inn and Major League Baseball are doing their part to make it happen.

TSR: I saw that you’re teamed up with Nick Swisher and “Big Papi” David Ortiz?

OS: Yeah, “Big Papi” was here today, although I didn’t get the chance to see Nick. But “Big Papi” was here today and he’s working with the program as well, and it’s all about people pitching in and doing their part. We’re just a small part of a giant effort all across the country to get more kids in the inner cities playing baseball.

TSR: What has been your experience been like so far working in the program?

OS: Well, here again, I think the people who head up these programs are wonderful in and of themselves. The coaches sometimes act as parents to a lot of these kids in order to give them the guidance that they need. I had the chance to visit with some of those kids here today and it teaches them responsibility, it teaches them how important it is to give back. So, this is a wonderful program and I couldn’t be any happier to be a part of.

TSR: That has to be big for these kids to see that, not only will they get something out of it, but maybe they’ll learn to pay it forward themselves. Maybe they’ll do something nice for their parents, or their teachers, or their friends because of what they learn through this program.

OS: Yeah, that’s exactly what it’s about – paying it forward. You’d be amazed, because you think about doing something nice for someone else and it makes them feel good, but it makes you feel good as well.

TSR: Mind if I ask you some baseball questions, Ozzie?

OS: No, go ahead.

TSR: I would love to know what current players impress you on a day-to-day or year-to-year basis, whether it’s with how they play the game or their overall talent level.

OS: Having the opportunity to see Albert Pujols play every day is very, very special. I think he’s one of those special players, a guy that you know what you’re going to get out of whether you’re up by 10 or down by 10. You know, Hanley Ramirez in Florida is a fun player to watch. Jimmy Rollins in Philadelphia is a great player to watch. You have Elvis Andrus in Texas. You have this young kid in Kansas City named Alcides Escobar who seems to be playing very well, although the thing that determines greatness is time, so we’ll have to give him more time before we give him on the props. But any time you get a young player that comes into the game and there are parallels made between them and myself, I always give them an extra look. That seems to be the case with Elvis Andrus in Texas, who has been one of the main reasons they’ve turned things around. He’s stabilized things for them and it appears that this young kid in Kansas City has the ability to do the same thing.

TSR: It seems like the shortstop position is always evolving. When you played, you were the best of the best at a position that demanded athletes to be skilled defenders. Then the Derek Jeters, Alex Rodriguezs and Nomar Garciaparras came along and the position become more offensive-minded. Now there are players like Hanley Ramirez, Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Reyes who can do it all. Can you talk about how the position has evolved in your eyes?

OS: I don’t think you’re ever going to be without the need for a prototypical shortstop – a guy that can give you that degree of consistency in the middle of the diamond. I think what they’ve been able to do is forgo a little defense for the offense that they’re going to present, and sometimes that balances itself out. You’ll always need that guy in the middle of the field, be it the centerfielder, shortstop, second baseman or catcher, that needs to be fundamentally sound if you’re going to contend. There are a lot of good teams but if you’re going to contend for a championship, then those are the areas you certainly have to be strong at.

TSR: I’m sure you’ve gotten this question a lot but as a fellow ballplayer I have to ask: What was your secret all of those years to always being in the right spot to make a play defensively? You always seemed to be in the right position and I would just love to know your secret.

OS: Well, the secret was really working hard, studying and always making sure you kept yourself in a position to be in the right place at the right time. It’s just studying and truly getting into your craft. I truly loved what I did and I put everything I had out there every day. When I left the field and asked myself, ‘did I do the very best that I could do?’ for 19 years that answer was yes. If that answer for you is yes, then there’s nothing more that you can do. I never left anything out there and I didn’t leave the game feeling that I needed to change or I did not get the most out of my talent. I gave it everything I had every day.

TSR: I live in St. Louis so I know how beloved you are in this city. And I think that answer right there is just one of the many reasons why you’re beloved in the game of baseball.

OS: Thank you very much.

TSR: If you could do your career all over again, what’s the one thing you would change? Not that you have any regrets, but is there one thing that you would do differently if you were given the opportunity?

OS: No, I think you live it as it comes. I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m a strong believer in manifest destiny and what’s meant to be is meant to be. You know, I look at some of these salaries today and want to have been born a little later… (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) Definitely!

OS: (Laughs) But no, I wouldn’t change a thing.

TSR: You mentioned this man earlier and I wanted to get your take on him. Albert Pujols is a guy that does a lot for his community and I don’t think people realize how much he gives back…

OS: He’s one of those guys that pays it forward. That’s what we’re talking about today: paying it forward, and making sure you do good deeds for people because it truly does come back to you tenfold.

TSR: Absolutely. Specifically I wanted to ask you whether or not you believe Albert will be back in St. Louis next year given his contract situation.

OS: Well, we’re keeping our fingers crossed. I know there’s a picture that has been circulating and I’ve been asked a million times about it today.

TSR: (Laughs) Yeah, I was staying away from that one. (Editor’s Note: A photographer snapped a shot of Pujols hugging Cubs GM Jim Hendry during a recent Cubs-Cardinals series, and the situation was drawing a lot of headlines around the time I spoke with Ozzie.)

OS: It’s a single hug – he’s just saying hi, man! (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) Yeah, people are really diving into that trying to read the tealeaves.

OS: We hope that his allegiance is with the Cardinals, which I believe it is. Hopefully we’ll get him re-signed.

TSR: What’s one thing that never ceases to amaze you about professional baseball?

OS: Well, I think we went through a period of about 10 or so years where the game had a real black eye. But I think it has resiliency as far as fans are concerned and I think it’s coming back stronger. I think the game has some things in place, as far as this steroid thing is concerned, and is now bringing the game back to where it should be. We’re starting to focus more again on the on-field product than we are with the off-field stuff. So, the resiliency of baseball is what has always amazed me.

TSR: I know you’re busy today Ozzie so I’ll let you go. I just wanted to thank you again for sitting down and talking with us about the Holiday Inn “Pay it Forward” program and what your participation means to you. Is there anything else that you would like to say about the program and the direction it’s heading in?

OS: For your readers, please go to Facebook.com/HolidayInnHotels for the chance to have a chance to go on an all expenses-paid trip to the 2011 All-Star Game just for posting their stories.

TSR: You’ve been an absolute pleasure Ozzie, thank you!

OS: All right, take care!

The word “disappointing” was the first thing out of Brandon Marshall’s mouth when I asked him about his first year in Miami. But the fifth-year receiver sees a bright future for him and the Dolphins and he’s not settling for just a playoff appearance in 2011: He’s thinking bigger.

Armed with a new website, Twitter page and a great outlook about his future in Miami, Marshall is hitting the ground running this offseason. The lockout hasn’t stopped him from improving as a player and reaching out to fans that he says have supported him through ups and downs. He even recently called a group of them just to talk and thank them for their ongoing support.

Brandon was also kind enough to talk with us recently about how he’s dealing with the lockout, what it’s like to go through an offseason where he’s actually healthy and what his experience was like in Miami last year. He also named a couple of teammates that are ready for breakout or Pro Bowl seasons and he dropped a big hint about what free agent he’d love to have line opposite him in the Dolphins’ offense next season. (It’s not hard to figure out if you followed Brandon’s career at Central Florida.)

Check out Brandon’s official new website at www.BrandonMarshall19.com and his Twitter page @BMarshall19.

The Scores Report: Hey, how are you, Brandon?

Brandon Marshall: I’m good! How are you doing, Anthony?

TSR: I’m great! I just saw that you had a birthday recently.

BM: Yeah, I did.

TSR: I’m a little late but Happy Birthday!

BM: I appreciate that. We had a good time yesterday.

TSR: So what, cake, balloons, pony ride? Do you have a party?

BM: No, my wife had a surprise dinner for me at Maggiano’s at the Hard Rock.

TSR: Very cool. Well I’m a fellow March man – my birthday is next week.

BM: Aries baby!

TSR: That’s right! We’re hardheaded and don’t like to be told what to do.

BM: That’s right.

TSR: (Laughs) Congratulations on the new web site – I like the beat going on in the background.

BM: Yeah, that’s Lindsey. Lindsey picked that beat out. (Editor’s Note: Lindsey is one of Brandon’s managers at EAG Entertainers and Athletes Group, who was also kind enough to set up the interview.)

TSR: Really? I’ll have to tell her she did a nice job the next time I talk to her. So tell me about the site and what it’s designed for. You noted recently that you wanted to reach out more to fans.

BM: It’s nothing too crazy. First though, I wanted to thank you for allowing me to do this interview with you guys. I know you guys are pretty popular.

TSR: It’s my pleasure Brandon, we really appreciate your joining us today.

BM: The website is simple. I’ve been in the NFL for five years and I haven’t been too happy with my interaction with the fans over the last five years. I’m trying to get my foot in the door and try to establish myself as an elite athlete and a great receiver. It’s now where I feel like I’m entering my prime and I’m comfortable with where I’m at in my career, so I have some room to interact more with the people who put me in this position. You know, just in terms of the support they give me – especially through my ups and downs – and sticking with me. I just want to be able to give back to them. Last night I actually did a UStream where I had them text me their numbers on the computer and I called a bunch of fans just to chat with them.

TSR: Wow, that had to be great for fans. How’d that go?

BM: It was awesome, bro. Just to hear a guy say, “Man, I don’t even want to talk to you. I just want you to leave a message so I can keep it forever.” When people say things like that it makes you think, ‘Wow, am I really that special where somebody could say that? People really appreciate what I do that much?’ That 20-second voicemail is nothing for me to do and if someone says that it’ll make their day, their month, their year, how can I pass up doing it for them?

TSR: And you’re on Twitter now, right?

BM: Oh yes, and I’m addicted already!

TSR: (Laughs)

BM: Hopefully I don’t get worn out. But yeah, I’m on Twitter responding to everyone’s questions and Tweeting back, and putting in about five hours a day right now. (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) Well before you came on with me, Lindsey told me you were finishing up a workout so at least you weren’t skipping the weights to go on Twitter.

BM: Oh, no – not skipping that. In fact, we’ve had people posting pictures of us working out – I’m mad focused.

TSR: Speaking of working out and going through your routine this offseason, I obviously need to get your take on the lockout. Do you think players and fans will be waiting a while for there to be a resolution or do you see this lockout ending sooner rather than later?

BM: It’s a loss for everyone – the owners, players and fans. You know, we’re all losing something, some more than others. But at the end of the day it’s a business and it’s a historical moment for the NFL – especially for us players. We want a good deal in place so that the guys who came before us can be proud, and the guys that come in after us are stepping into a good situation that they can be excited and happy about.

TSR: Are you treating this offseason differently or are you carrying on business as usual because you don’t know when the lockout will end?

BM: I’m going to be honest because that’s the only way I know how. When you’re away from your teammates and your coaches, you miss that bond with them. But our captains Jake Long and Karlos Dansby are doing a great job trying to keep guys together. We’re going to work out together and we’re going to be a team until we can move forward with the new CBA. With that said, I’m truly, truly, truly excited and happy that I finished the season healthy and I can attack an offseason with my main focus on getting better and not getting healthy. You know, the past three offseasons I’ve had three surgeries. The first year I had arm surgery, the next year was my left hip and the year after that my right hip. So when it was time to first report to camp, I was just getting healthy instead of getting better, you know? In the offseason I’ve just been rehabbing and getting into football shape. But now, I’ve been able to work on things like my speed, my agility, my strength, my endurance and getting off the line. I can focus more on catching the ball – had way too many drops this year. So all of those little things that you can’t focus on because you’re trying to get the hip right or trying to get the arm right, now you can get better instead of getting healthy and I’m really excited. I’m just going to keep doing those little things until the CBA gets signed so I can take my game to the next level.

TSR: How do you feel like your first season in Miami went?

BM: Disappointing. I was disappointed and I’m sure everyone was disappointed. But it’s a team game where all 11 guys have to be pulling in the same direction. Coaches, front office, you know, everyone has to be on the same page and speaking the same language. We just didn’t get the job done. But this year is a new year and I think we’ll learn from last year. I’m going to look at myself first because there’s a lot of things that I need to correct. But I think we’ll be better as a whole.

TSR: You guys are somewhat at a disadvantage when it comes to the CBA mess because you have a new offensive coordinator. If or when this lockout is settled, do you think you and your teammates will have enough time to gel with Brian Daboll?

BM: Honestly man, with the leadership we have in our locker room, the character we have in our locker room, coach (Tony) Sparano and Jeff Ireland, there’s a group of guys in the building that can overcome anything. We will use this as something that will make us better. It’s going to be tough, but we can overcome it.

TSR: I like to ask veteran players this because it’s kind of a fun question: Give Dolphin fans one or two players that are ready for breakout campaigns in 2011 – assuming there is a 2011.

BM: Let me see…ooh, boy. We have so many guys ready to take it to the next level. Let me think…man…

TSR: I usually stump athletes with this question.

BM: Man…yeah boy, you got me on this one.

TSR: (Laughs)

BM: Okay, on the defensive side I definitely have to say Sean Smith. Sean is a guy that had some ups and downs last year, but the passion he has for the game…he wants to be better. He wants to be great. I’m sure he’s working hard right now. How he finished the season last year was awesome and this is a guy that has all the tools, all the ability and the size to be one of the best corners in the NFL. With that experience he got last year, and his rookie year, he’ll put it together this offseason and he’s going to be a guy that will explode.

TSR: Do you have an offensive player, too?

BM: On the offensive side, I’ve got to say big Vernon (Carey) – our right tackle. He’s a veteran guy that has been in the league a long time but guys know him as you know, just someone who is going to do their job. But I honestly think he’s going to have a Pro Bowl year just by the way he’s approached the offseason. He’s my neighbor and I’m up at 7 or 8 in the morning, and I see him and he’s up, too. He’s just hungry. He’s been grinding, working out, he’s focused and I think he’s ready to take his game to the next level. I think Vernon will take his game to Pro Bowl status.

TSR: I lot of veteran guys like yourself don’t seem to follow the draft. But do you follow the draft and if so, what areas do you think the Dolphins need to address in order to make the playoffs next year?

BM: You know what? Everywhere. I mean, you can always upgrade at every position so any guy that can make us better. But that’s the front office’s job to make those decisions in terms of where we’re weak and where we need to adjust some things. I’m sure Jeff Ireland is doing his due diligence and he’ll make the right decisions.

TSR: I know this was a hot-button issue last season and I’m also aware that some things get blown out of proportion. But how do you and Chad Henne get on the same page so that you’re both moving in the same direction next season?

BM: You know, it was just one of those things where you had a new guy coming in to a new system. It was a totally new system and the personnel is different. It was a tough transition but Chad is a guy that is capable of making some things happen and he’s still a young guy. I’m sure he’s going to take what happened last year, learn from it and grow. I’m going to do the same and I’m going to try and not only get our offense, but our whole team on the same page and moving in the right direction. I’m excited about the opportunity to work together this offseason and get things corrected.

TSR: I think many people believe you guys are on the cusp of doing some big things in Miami given the mix of youth and veteran players you have down there. I think you’re knocking on the door of getting back to the playoffs.

BM: Oh, yeah. I look at it bigger than that. I honestly think if we can get a few things in place, we have a team, a coaching staff and a front office that can make some things happen for four, five, six, seven years. Make a run – a dynasty, you know?

TSR: Before I let you go Brandon, I always enjoy asking receivers about opposing cornerbacks. What defensive back has long impressed you in this league and which guy is always hard to shake when you’re running routes?

BM: The toughest cornerback I’ve gone against is Al Harris. He’s close to finishing up his career but hopefully he has a couple of years left. He’s a tough guy to face and I’ve learned a lot from him when I went up against him.

TSR: And what about a receiver from another team that you’ve always been impressed with or who you follow?

BM: Mike Sims-Walker – he complements me great. He’s a free agent, wink, wink.

TSR: (Laughs) He’ll look good in white and teal is what you’re saying?

BM: Hey listen, we just got done finishing a workout and reminiscing about how it used to be, you know, just having him on the other side to pull coverage. No way teams would be able to double-team me anymore. Last year I got double-teamed, especially when “White Lighting” Brian Hartline went down, almost every play. So if we add that piece to the puzzle, you know, with (Devone) Bess, Hartline, (Sims-Walker) and myself, we’d be the four horsemen. We’d be unstoppable.

TSR: Well I’ll try to get the word out: Miami Dolphins sign Mike Sims-Walker.

BM: Yeah, and I need more Twitter followers, too! I’m interacting with fans from everywhere. I love it. The goal is 500,000 before the start of the season. And again, we’ve got the website up, www.brandonmarshall19.com, which has a lot of nice things to check out.

TSR: The site looks great and I think it was really cool how you reached out to fans the other day by calling them. You don’t hear athletes doing stuff like that, which I bet fans really appreciate. Thanks for joining us today, Brandon – it was a pleasure to chat with you.

BM: Thank you, thank you. I appreciate it. And let’s talk again soon.

TSR: Definitely! Hopefully we can talk about there being a season next time. Take care!

BM: All right, you too.

It’s hard to listen to Stanford Routt speak for more than five minutes and not walk away incredibly impressed with the seven-year NFL vet.

The former second round pick out of the University of Houston is coming off his best season as an Oakland Raider, one in which he recorded 55 tackles, 15 pass deflections, one forced fumble, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown. While teammate Nnamdi Asomugha was out several games with a high ankle sprain, Routt also aided an Oakland secondary by holding his own against top receivers Mike Wallace and Dwayne Bowe. According to STATS Inc, Routt finished as the No. 2 corner behind only Jets’ playmaker Darrelle Revis, which is all the more impressive when you consider how much man-to-man coverage the Raiders’ defense plays.

Set to hit the open market as soon as a new CBA is signed, the Raiders knew how important Routt was to their secondary, especially with the possibility of losing both Asomugha and safety Michael Huff (whom are both free agents as well). That’s why the team rewarded Routt with a new three-year deal in late February to ensure he stays in Oakland for the foreseeable future.

Stanford was kind enough to sit down with me recently to talk about the impact the CBA is having on players such as himself and how he’s staying positive with the threat of a lockout looming. I also asked him to name two Raiders he thinks are ready for breakout campaigns and what opposing receiver continues to impress him year after year. Lastly, he shared information about his foundation, “Routt to Success” and how he’s trying to help children stay away from negative influences such as gang violence and drugs. It’s something don’t want to skip if you’ve ever uttered the words, “Why aren’t athletes better role models?”

The Scores Report: Hey Stanford, how you doing today?

Stanford Routt: Doing pretty good!

TSR: Good! I was wondering if you wanted to buy me lunch after signing your new deal.

SR: (Laughs)

TSR: (Laughs) We can do McDonalds – I don’t care.

SR: Yeah, I usually eat there 2-3 times a week so we’re good to go.

TSR: (Laughs) All kidding aside I did want to congratulate you on the new deal. That’s great.

SR: I appreciate that, thank you.

TSR: How are you proceeding with this offseason now that a lockout is looming? Are you doing anything differently than you’ve done in the past?

SR: Well, right now I’m just taking everything in stride like I was back in school. I’m finishing up my degree on kinesiology and as far as working out, I’m slowly starting to get back up to speed. I’ve been working out about three times a week but more so just cardiovascular than anything. But as of right now, I’m not going to panic or sound off the sirens yet. It’s only March and hopefully this thing won’t drag out too long, although a lockout does look imminent.

TSR: It sure does, unfortunately.

SR: So yeah, I’m just going to treat this like a normal offseason but when July and August come around and there’s no training camp or preseason, that’s when I’ll start to look at things with a wider eye. But as of right now, I’m just going to stay positive and optimistic.

TSR: How do players get their information during this time? Does the union contact you or are you just like the rest of us and you have to get updates through the media?

SR: The NFLPA will send players e-mails giving us updates such as options on insurance plans as well as any other kinds of tactics to help us through this process. We have the insider info so to speak, but we’re also learning things first-hand the same way everyone else is. You know, watching ESPN.

TSR: Has there been any news recently where you’ve said to yourself hey, this thing is going to get done sooner rather than later?

SR: Given the new development that came the other day with the Judge ruling against the owners using the $4 billion TV revenue, I think that evens the playing field a lot more but there are still a lot of issues that have to be resolved before an agreement comes into play. But again, it’s only March and I think the two sides have a good couple of months before things hit the fan and in my opinion, things don’t start to get nasty and hectic until July and August roll around. When training camps are missed and preseason games are missed and we start coming up on September, that’s when things start to become worrisome. But right now is kind of a dead period anyway for the NFL between March and April, besides the combine and the draft for the college guys. As long as we can get this resolved by July, I think we can move forward without there being any real wear and tear done on the league.

TSR: I heard your name come up a couple of times while I was watching the scouting combine coverage because you ran that amazing forty time a few years back. Did you watch the combine at all?

SR: I watched a little bit, but not a whole lot. I watched a little bit of the defensive backs on the last day but that was about it.

TSR: What should Raider fans expect in the draft this year? Do you think there’s a specific position that your team will target come April or is there something that you feel the Raiders need in order to get over the hump?

SR: As far as the draft goes, we’re picking somewhere in the second round because we traded our first round pick a couple of years ago to pick up Richard Seymour in the 2009 season. As far as what they’re going to use their picks on, I have no idea and I haven’t given it too much thought. But whomever they choose I’m sure will be the right person for us and I don’t see too many weak spots on our team to be honest with you. We went 6-0 in the division last year and 8-8 overall. We didn’t make the playoffs but we did sweep the division, which isn’t something that too many teams do in today’s game. Adding new talent on the team is always a good thing, but I don’t really see one position that must be addressed. Everyone did a fine job last year and if we can limit the big plays and mistakes, I think last season goes much differently than it did. If three or four plays swing the other way throughout the course of the season, I think our record and our season would have been completely different.

TSR: One thing that often gets overlooked when it comes to the Raiders’ defense is how much man-to-man you guys play. Considering that the majority of the teams a play Cover 2 can you talk about what it takes to play corner in Oakland? I don’t think everyone realizes how valuable the position is on that team.

SR: Oh man, let me see here…well, we play a lot of man. And when I say “a lot,” I mean every snap outside of maybe a handful of plays to give us a breather. You know, have us play Cover 2 or something like that. The front seven is up there to stop the run and we just let the four down linemen hunt; get after the quarterback, especially on third down. I think we have the best front four or front five in the league – just look at their sack total from last year. But as far as the backend goes yes, we play a lot of press-man. Going into games, teams already know that and when we start getting into those tight contests, opponents try to use are aggressiveness, speed and our scheme against us. But that’s just part of the game and football is a game of chess not checkers. There are weaknesses of playing mostly man but we find a way to come through.

TSR: From an outsider’s perspective, it seems like your and Nnamdi Asomugha’s contract situations were tied together. If the Raiders fail to bring you both back, then they’re in a lot of trouble. But if they lock one of you up, then maybe they can’t sign the other. I’m sure you guys are friends and it must be difficult to go through a contract situation at the same time, so fill me in on your thoughts about him and his future in Oakland now that you’ve signed your deal.

SR: Obviously I knew I was going to be a free agent coming into this offseason but I didn’t quite know that he was with that void in his contract. Our secondary has the potential to take a major hit with Michael Huff being a free agent, Nnamdi being a free agent, I was a free agent up until about a week and a half ago. So you know, it was a situation where the front office and Mr. Davis wanted to address because you don’t want to lose 75% of your back end because, for the lack of a better word, you would be starting from scratch. But I think it’ll all work itself out. Once free agency opens up and the smoke clears with this lockout situation, we’ll see what happens. But I definitely want Huff and Nnamdi back. Definitely.

TSR: Give me one offensive player and one defensive player that you think are ready to have a huge impact for the Raiders next season, barring that there is a season, of course.

SR: Wow…hmm…so basically you’re just asking for somebody that’s underrated or under the radar?

TSR: Yeah, just anyone that you think is ready for a breakout year. Obviously if you say Darren McFadden everyone knows who he is and everybody already expects a lot from him. So I’m looking for more under-the-radar guys.

SR: Wow, okay. On offense I would probably have to go with Darrius Heyward-Bey.

TSR: I bet a lot of fans will like to hear that. They’ve been ready for him to breakout since the Raiders took him in the top 10 two years ago.

SR: I think he’s definitely going to hit stride this year. On the defensive side of the ball, wow, that’s a tough one.

TSR: You didn’t think I was going to challenge you today.

SR: I didn’t, no. I would probably have to go with myself for somebody who is under-the-radar and ready to explode. But I don’t like to talk about myself or toot my own horn so I’ll probably go with Mike Mitchell – one of our backup safeties. I think he could have a really good year.

TSR: Mike Mitchell – second rounder a couple of years ago.

SR: Yes, sir.

TSR: I remember him well because on draft day, Mel Kiper said that he was a huge reach and that the Raiders could have had him later in the draft. Then it came out that Jerry Angelo of the Bears was ready to take him right after the Raiders so Oakland was wise to grab him when they did. That’s interesting that you said him because pundits said he was a guy that could potentially develop down the road and here we are, it’s down the road and you’re saying he’s ready to breakout.

SR: Oh yeah, definitely. The biggest thing that I can tell you in the NFL or even in basketball, or baseball, or what have you, is that a lot of fans think that whoever is starting or on the field is the best players on the team, which is rightfully so. But people assume that just because you’re a backup that you’re not really that good. That’s a big misconception. There are a lot of players on every team that I guarantee is just as good as the starter, hell, maybe even better, but they just haven’t been given the opportunity to go out there and show it. That’s one thing I know a lot of people overlook and that’s why every year there’s a backup that turns into a starter and everyone’s shocked about where he came from. In all actuality, he didn’t come from just anywhere, he’s always been there but now he’s getting the opportunity to show what he can do.

TSR: Give me one opposing receiver that you face every year or you have an opportunity to watch every year that continues to impress you. I don’t want to do the whole, “Who is the best receiver you’ve ever faced” bit. But give me guy who continues to impress you whether it be with his route running, his ability to always get open or his hands.

SR: Each and every year? Man, that’s a tough one…

TSR: If this is easier, give me a receiver that you think fans don’t even know how good he is.

SR: One guy that I faced a couple of times this year that I’m not sure people know how good he is, and he plays in my own division, is Brandon Lloyd. Even though he led the league in receptions last year, I don’t think people realize how fluid and how athletic he is running his pass routes, going to the ball and just his hand-eye coordination.

TSR: I know you’re involved in a lot of off-field events, which includes your own charity. Can you fill readers in on what you have going on right now and what we can expect this offseason from you off the field.

SR: Let’s see, I always do my annual camp for the kids out here in the city of Houston. I pick a date in the summer and I go work out with them, run them through a couple of drills and you know, spread some knowledge; just go ahead and answer some questions they have going from middle school up through high school. I also sponsor a YMCA youth league basketball team down here in the city of Houston.

TSR: Very cool, I love the Y.

SR: Those are the two things I do every offseason and you know, there are always things here and there. Matter of fact, one of my good friends from college coaches the track team out at Summer Creak High School and I went out there to talk to the kids and go run around with them yesterday.

TSR: What can you share with them? You don’t have any speed, do you?

SR: (Laughs) I still have a little bit. (Editors Note: Stanford ran a 4.25 at the 2005 scouting combine and is considered one of the fastest players in the league.)

TSR: (Laughs)

SR: But yeah, one thing about me is that I’m real big on kids. I don’t have any of my own but I love kids. I really believe that it’s all how you start and that has a lot to do with how you finish. Your start doesn’t have a 100% bearing on your finish, but if you start on the right foot I believe the more likely it is that you’ll finish on the right foot. One thing I try to stress through my foundation is the choices we make when we’re 15, 16, 17-years old can affect us for the rest of our lives.

TSR: Definitely.

SR:

Especially for me growing up. I had homeboys and I had friends growing up that probably were more talented than I was, at least back in high school. But you know, drugs, teen pregnancy, bad grades, not going off to school, stuff like that gets into the mix and then all of a sudden certain people fall by the wayside. One thing that I believe is being positive and having positive people around you so you can make the right choices in life. This also goes for adults too but more so for children, you know, idle minds are the devil’s workshop. Growing up in middle school and high school, you get out of class at 2:30 or 3:30 and your parents don’t get home until about 5 or 6. I think those hours between 3:30 and 6 o’clock are the most important hours of the day for child development and the highest chances of kids getting into trouble. Because usually, right between those hours of when they get home to when the parents get home, that’s when they’re not being supervised and it’s the time for the negative to start seeping in. Drugs, gangs, violence, you know, you name it.

TSR: Absolutely, that’s a great point.

SR: I know one thing my parents always had me doing was, I was always in sports. I was in football, I was in basketball, I was in track, I was in baseball all the way up until about high school, and so I always had something to do. I never had the chance to ride the school bus and get home at 3:30 or whenever. I was always getting home at 6 or even later than that so when I got home, my parents were already there. So I didn’t have a chance to run around and get those negative influences. And that’s the main point of my foundation, “Routt to Success.”

TSR: Stanford I wanted to thank you for today. I’m very fortunate in my job to talk to a fair amount of athletes and I can honestly say that I’ve never had a bad one. But some guys will give one-sentence answers and the interview is over in five minutes. But with you, we’re running close to 20 minutes and it sounds like you’d be willing to talk for another hour. You’re very gracious and I appreciate your time today – you were an absolute pleasure to talk to.

SR: Oh, no problem – thank you, thank you very much.

TSR: Again, congratulations on the new deal and I wish you nothing but the best in the future. Hopefully they can get this CBA worked out so we can all stop sweating the possibility of no football next season!

SR: Definitely! Thanks again.

TSR: Take care.

SR: You, too.