Post by TheShadow on Aug 16, 2008 9:55:46 GMT -5
www.napavalleyregister.com/
By VINCE D’ADAMO
For the Register
Editor’s Note: Each summer in the St. Helena Star and The Weekly Calistogan’s “Time Out With ...” features, sports reporter Vince D’Adamo interviews members of the Oakland Raiders who came from small towns to become NFL players. This week, assistant coach Willie Brown was featured. Brown starred as a Raider defensive back from 1967 to 1978 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984. He has been a Raiders assistant coach for 14 seasons. The 67-year-old Brown is from Yazoo City, Mississippi (population 14,880).
D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about growing up in your hometown?
Brown: I enjoyed the camaraderie, the family, the friends, participation of the community. We had a nice relationship during my time.
You’ve got to remember that during my time we had segregated schools. We had a white school and a black school but we got along well because we played our games on a Thursday or Friday night.
The white team played all of the Friday night games. Then, on Saturday we all got together to play each other and had fun out in the parking lot.
D’Adamo: What positions did you play on your high school team?
Brown: At my high school, I played guard on offense and I played defensive end. I played on all of the special teams. Sometimes we’d have a big game where the field was muddy and the coach put me at quarterback.
I did whatever they needed me to do.
D’Adamo: Which other sports did you play besides football?
Brown: I ran track and played basketball.
D’Adamo: What did you enjoy most about playing a variety of different sports as opposed to specializing?
Brown: I enjoyed it because I was helping my team and helping my school. I loved sports so I participated in all of them.
D’Adamo: Was it hard in any way to get recognized coming from a small town?
Brown: Not really, because if you’re good somebody will see it. It doesn’t matter where you play. You could be playing on the sandlot. If I walked across the parking lot and saw a pickup game of guys playing touch football, I can tell who is going to be pretty good.
I don’t have to see them play at a big-time school. I know that by watching someone’s athleticism that he’s got a chance to play.
D’Adamo: What was it like making the transition from high school to Grambling University?
Brown: I thought it was fine because I had all the ingredients and qualities coming out of high school that my coach taught me. He got me prepared for whatever I wanted to do and for whatever position I wanted to play in college.
It wasn’t a big transition for me, because I knew I had speed because I ran track. I also had basketball skills. I knew all of the positions. All I needed was for someone to put me there.
D’Adamo: What type of advice would you give to kids from St. Helena and Calistoga, regardless of whether or not they go on to play sports?
Brown: Play to win with everything you do. Every time you’re on the field, play to win.
D’Adamo: What was it like on game day in your hometown?
Brown: I enjoyed the games more than anything because I used to dominate practice so much, which was fine, but I loved competing against guys on the day of the game to see what they’ve got and to see if they’re better than I am — or if I’m better than they are.
D’Adamo: What might you have done if you did not get into professional football?
Brown: My idea was not necessarily to play pro football. My idea was to get my degree and go back and coach in high school. I didn’t even think about playing pro ball.
D’Adamo: What keeps you coming back to coaching every year?
Brown: It’s about love of the game and the passion that I have for football. I try to help guys develop.
Hopefully, I can teach guys something not just about football but how to be a better citizen — how to raise a family, how to stay out of trouble.
D’Adamo: What do you enjoy most about coming here to the Napa Valley each summer?
Brown: I think it’s great because the atmosphere is great. The people are really nice and courteous to the Raiders.
We have a lot of respect from the community. They have a lot of respect for the Raiders. I just enjoy the wine country. It’s great up here.
D’Adamo: How much have you had the chance to visit Napa Valley in or out of training camp?
Brown: Particularly during the offseason when I was playing, I used to come here all the time.
D’Adamo: You’ve been through the highs and lows of this organization. How do you teach the young players how to handle the peaks and valleys?
Brown: There will always be highs and lows, peaks and valleys in your life, whether you’re playing sports or running a business.
You just hope that all of the peaks are better than being in the valleys. You work to stay on top and stay out of the valleys. There are not too many people at the top.