Welcome to my blog:
Week 9 brought a lot of excitement throughout the league…I want to personally congratulate Peyton Manning on tying Vikings Hall Of Famer Fran Tarkenton for 4th in career victories (125) and becoming the first player in league history to throw for 40,000 yards in one decade…WOW that’s so amazing! And I also want to give a shout out to Drew Brees for his valiant effort for not giving up when being behind for the third time this season, and showing the NFL that the Saints are for real and are strong contenders.
Here are my picks for week 10:
QB- (Patriots) Tom Brady; He’ll be facing a Colts defense that’s not playing the pass well and the Colts lost All-Pro Safety Bob Sanders for the year. That’s good news for Brady and Moss who like they’re in rhythm!
RB- (Vikings) Adrian Peterson should be well rested from his bye week. Look for some explosive numbers against the Detroit Lions!
RB- (Panthers) DeAngelo Williams had some great numbers against the Saints (21 carries for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns). He enjoys competing against the running backs on the opposing field…Look for him to put up some good numbers against Michael Turner.
WR- (Saints) Marques Colston will roast the Rams secondary for some huge fantasy number this week.
WR- (Cardinals) Larry Fitzgerald loves playing against the Seahawks. Look for some big fantasy numbers.
TE- (Colts) Dallas Clark will have a big day again catching in the red zone against the Patriots. He had a career-high 14 catches last week.
Kicker-(Steelers) Jeff Reed could have a busy day against the Bengals with field goals. It’s tough to score on Cincinnati’s defense at home.
Defense/ST Vikings will crush the Lions offense; I’m looking for 5-6 sacks and 3 interceptions. It should be a blow out!
Team to watch: New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts
I can’t wait to watch this showdown. We have the NFL’s two best quarterbacks going against each other and trust me, there’s no love lost between these two teams. I’m going with the Patriots to upset the undefeated Colts 30-21 to give the Colts their first loss.
Must Start- (Falcons) RB Michael Turner is running on fire. He had a big game last week against the Redskins for 166 yards and 2-TDs
Must Start-(Steelers) QB Ben Roethlisberger will step up his game to show the league who’s the best team in the AFC North!
Must sit- (Bengals) RB Cedric Benson; I know he had a good games against the Ravens with over 100 yards in both games, but he’ll have a tough time to get those numbers against a tough Steelers defense.
Must sit- (Seahawks) RB Julius Jones will have a tough time running against a tough Cardinals defensive front.
Sleeper- (Chiefs) RB Jamaal Charles will set out to prove that he’s the next star running back in Kansas City. He doesn’t have to share carries with Larry Johnson anymore so he should have a good game against the Raiders.
Sleeper- (Cardinals) WR Steve Breaston should be the beneficiary of the Seahawks’ double coverage on Larry Fitzgerald. Look for him to put up surprising numbers this week.
Good Luck Fantasy Players I’ll see you next week!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Week Eight Recap and Moving on to Week Nine
Brett Favre made me look bad in Week 8; I picked Aaron Rodgers to beat the Vikings but Brett’s playing like a young 25 year old QB. He’s making me a true believer after watching that performance.
The Ravens Defense finally woke up and pounded the Denver Broncos 30-7. Hopefully this doesn’t stop Denver from having a strong year, but it was a serious reality check!
Here are my picks for week 9:
QB- (Eagles) Donovan McNabb is coming off a big win against the Giants and his timing looks good.
RB- (Jaguars) Maurice Jones-Drew had an awesome game against Titans. Look for the same performance against a weak Kansas City Chiefs defense.
RB- (Bears) Matt Forte looks like he’s running like his old self again; he had 90 yards against the Browns and 2 Touchdowns.
WR- (Colts) Reggie Wayne is a beast regardless of who throws him the ball: Peyton Manning or Joseph Addai!
WR- (New England) Randy Moss had a good rest over the bye week. Look for this receiver to explode with some huge fantasy numbers.
TE- (49ers) Vernon Davis has been on fire lately and I don’t expect the Titans secondary to slow him down.
Kicker- (Jaguars) Josh Scobee should be pretty active this week vs. the Chiefs
Defense/ST (Pittsburgh) – You can bet that Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator is watching the Ravens-Broncos game film from last week to figure out how to stop the Broncos offense. Pittsburgh definitely has the talent to replicate the Ravens success.
Team to watch: Dallas vs. Philly – NFC East games are always fun to watch, especially when both teams are playing at a high level like the Cowboys and Eagles are. Expect a lot of big plays from these explosive offenses. I’ll give the advantage to the Eagles at home.
Must Start- (Colts) QB Peyton Manning wants to have a better showing this week; he was a little frustrated against the 49ers defense. Look for some big fantasy numbers this week!
Must Start- (Falcons) QB Matt Ryan will be facing a weak Redskins team that’s not playing good football these days, look for Ryan to light it up!
Must sit- (Panthers) RB DeAngelo Williams is facing a tough Saints Defense at home. Delhomme will not be able to keep Darren Sharper and company from crowding the line of scrimmage to focus in on Williams.
Must sit- (Houston) RB Ryan Moats had a great game last week against the Bills with 126 yards and 3 touchdowns. This week will be a little tough to get those kinds of numbers against the Colts defense at home.
Good Luck Fantasy Players I’ll see you next week!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Here we go Week 8 and Week 7 recap- Drew Brees is on a Roll!
Week 7 was full of surprises as the Arizona Cardinals shocked the NY Giants with 24-17 win and took the NFC West lead over the 49ers. The Pittsburg Steelers defense stopped Favre and Peterson to give the Vikings their first loss! New Orleans rallied against the Dolphins to remain unbeaten! The two others team that are undefeated are the Broncos and Colts.
My starting lineups for week 8:
QB- (Green Bay) Aaron Rodgers is facing Brett Favre and the Vikings. Trust me, there’s no love between these two teams. Brett won the first meeting but Aaron is eyeing a win in the second meeting! Lambeau Field will be rocking on Sunday!
RB- (NY Jets) Thomas Jones has been putting up some good numbers all season. I like the way the Jets are having a 2 back system; it keeps both backs fresh!
RB- (Saints) Mike Bell is running with a swagger and a lot of attitude. He only had 80 yards last week against a tough Miami defense…but it’s Monday night and he loves the spot light!
WR-(Cowboys) Miles Austin is emerging to be a serious deep threat for the Cowboys. He’s putting up superstar numbers every week; he burned the Falcons secondary for 6 catches for 171 yards and 2 touch down. He’s becoming a fantasy dream for the fantasy players out there.
WR-(Chargers) Vincent Jackson put up some good numbers last week against the Chiefs he had 5 catches for 142 yards and 1 TD…He’s facing a “I don’t want to play” Raiders team, so look for some big numbers from him.
TE- (Colts) Dallas Clark will be out to prove that he’s the best TE on the field when the Colts take on the 49ers this weekend.
Kicker- (Eagles) It will be a defensive battle in Philadelphia this Sunday. The Eagles offense will probably stall in the redzone a few times, giving David Akers plenty of opportunities.
Defense/ST-( Philadelphia Eagles) The Eagles will be coming off a short week because of their Monday night game. Hopefully it won’t be a physical game because the Redskins are not playing to good these days, and I know there’s some bad blood between the Giants and Eagles…The good thing for Philly is they’re playing the Giants at home.
Team to watch: (Denver Broncos). …The Broncos will be facing a tough and nasty Ravens defense in Baltimore…We’ll see how Kyle Orton holds up against one of the NFL’s best defenses.
Must Start- RB (NY Jet) Shonn Green ran for a season high 19 carries for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Raiders last week, he’s running on fire. Leon Washington is out for the season and even though he’ll have to share touches with Thomas Jones, I’m still expecting a big game from Shonn.
Must Start- (Saints) Drew Brees is The NFL MVP in my book. He elevates his play week after week against power house teams like the Giants, and then coming back against the Dolphins. The Saints are a team to be reckoned with.
Must sit- (Raiders) Justin Fargas will face the Chargers this weekend. It may be tempting to start him, but the Chargers defense will be keying in on him.
Must sit- (Panthers) DeAngelo Williams will be going up against one of the surprisingly best run defenses in the NFL in the Arizona Cardinals. They shut down the lethal Giants rushing attack. Expect the same this week.
Good Luck Fantasy Players I’ll see next Week!
Friday, October 23, 2009
My Starting Line Up for Week 7
After 6 week teams are gelling and coming together. Tom Brady got his Mo-Jo back throwing 6 TD's for the 2nd time in his career and Brett Favre keeps amazing the league by keeping the Vikings undefeated and with his stellar play and leadership!
And the one team that I've been forecasting to make it to the Super Bowl this year is the New Orleans Saints...Drew Brees is in his third season with the Saints and he's lighting it up! The Saints Defense and Special Teams are solid as a rock and I love proving my case when the Saints play!
QB- (Packers) Aaron Rodgers. He was 29-37 for 358 yards and 2 TD passes. I'm looking for Aaron to torch the Cleveland Browns defense with some great fantasy numbers!
RB- (Falcons) Michael Turners. The Falcons are playing some good football! Look for Michael to explode against the Cowboys!
RB- (Patriots) Laurence Maroney. New England's offense is back on track with Tom Brady leading the way with the passing attack, so look for the running game to be a huge factor down the stretch with Maroney playing a big role!
WR- (Texans) Andre Johnson is playing like a beast and no one in the league can stop him. He'll find away to get his numbers! Look for some ridiculous numbers against the 49ers defense.
WR- (Saints) Marques Colston. He had a big day last week against the Giants, 8 catches for 166 yards. He's playing in a red-hot offense with one of the best QBs in the League throwing to him; look for some great fantasy numbers this week!
TE- (Giants) Kevin Boss. I must say the Cardinals are pretty solid with their defensive backfield, but still look for Eli to throw to Boss in the redzone against Arizona!
Kicker- (Colts) Matt Stover. Expect the Colts offense to click on all cylinders this weekend meaning plenty of opportunities for Stover.
Defense/ST (New England) - The Bucs will have a tough time moving the ball against the Patriots defense that shut out the Titans last week.
Game to Watch: Minnesota vs. Pittsburgh. These two teams are evenly matched with two of the leagues best QB's leading the way with Brett Favre and Ben Roethlisberger.The last couple of weeks Brett has been on a tear winning last minute games against the 49ers and Ravens. Look for a very entertaining match up!
Must Start- (Colts) Peyton Manning- Look for some crazy fantasy numbers this week. Peyton is well rested from the bye-week and other QB's have put up some big numbers against the Rams. Trust me, Peyton wants to top their numbers!
Must Start- (New England) Tom Brady. Look for a repeat of great numbers against a weak Buccaneers Defense!
Must sit- (Cardinals) Kurt Warner. It's the wrong time to be facing the NY Giants; they're coming off a big loss against the Saints!
Must sit- (Browns) Derek Anderson. I like Derek but he's facing a tough Green Bay Defense that's playing with a lot of confidence!
Those are my picks for the week...Good luck to all of you Fantasy players I'll see you next week!
And the one team that I've been forecasting to make it to the Super Bowl this year is the New Orleans Saints...Drew Brees is in his third season with the Saints and he's lighting it up! The Saints Defense and Special Teams are solid as a rock and I love proving my case when the Saints play!
QB- (Packers) Aaron Rodgers. He was 29-37 for 358 yards and 2 TD passes. I'm looking for Aaron to torch the Cleveland Browns defense with some great fantasy numbers!
RB- (Falcons) Michael Turners. The Falcons are playing some good football! Look for Michael to explode against the Cowboys!
RB- (Patriots) Laurence Maroney. New England's offense is back on track with Tom Brady leading the way with the passing attack, so look for the running game to be a huge factor down the stretch with Maroney playing a big role!
WR- (Texans) Andre Johnson is playing like a beast and no one in the league can stop him. He'll find away to get his numbers! Look for some ridiculous numbers against the 49ers defense.
WR- (Saints) Marques Colston. He had a big day last week against the Giants, 8 catches for 166 yards. He's playing in a red-hot offense with one of the best QBs in the League throwing to him; look for some great fantasy numbers this week!
TE- (Giants) Kevin Boss. I must say the Cardinals are pretty solid with their defensive backfield, but still look for Eli to throw to Boss in the redzone against Arizona!
Kicker- (Colts) Matt Stover. Expect the Colts offense to click on all cylinders this weekend meaning plenty of opportunities for Stover.
Defense/ST (New England) - The Bucs will have a tough time moving the ball against the Patriots defense that shut out the Titans last week.
Game to Watch: Minnesota vs. Pittsburgh. These two teams are evenly matched with two of the leagues best QB's leading the way with Brett Favre and Ben Roethlisberger.The last couple of weeks Brett has been on a tear winning last minute games against the 49ers and Ravens. Look for a very entertaining match up!
Must Start- (Colts) Peyton Manning- Look for some crazy fantasy numbers this week. Peyton is well rested from the bye-week and other QB's have put up some big numbers against the Rams. Trust me, Peyton wants to top their numbers!
Must Start- (New England) Tom Brady. Look for a repeat of great numbers against a weak Buccaneers Defense!
Must sit- (Cardinals) Kurt Warner. It's the wrong time to be facing the NY Giants; they're coming off a big loss against the Saints!
Must sit- (Browns) Derek Anderson. I like Derek but he's facing a tough Green Bay Defense that's playing with a lot of confidence!
Those are my picks for the week...Good luck to all of you Fantasy players I'll see you next week!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Interview with Football Diner
The other day I had the pleasure of speaking with Brian Davis, a 49ers fan over in England (can you believe it!) and he wrote up this great piece.
http://www.footballdiner.com/rogercraig1.html
The Football Diner Big Interview: Roger Craig
Interviewed by Brian Davis
20/10/2009
Four-time Pro Bowler Roger Craig was the offensive focal point of a dominant 49ers team that won three Super Bowls between 1984 and 1989. Playing for legendary coach Bill Walsh alongside Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, Craig was a do-it-all threat whose versatility continues to set the standard for dual-threat backs to this day. The 1988 Offensive Player of the Year retired in 1993 having amassed an incredible 13,143 total yards and 73 touchdowns.
As the Diner staff were wrapping up their working day here in the UK, Craig was getting his own morning started on the West Coast of America. But before he nipped out for a spot of heavy duty a.m. exercise, there was just time for our own Brian Davis to ask him all about his extraordinary career, legendary teammates and awesome Super Bowl performances in our exclusive interview.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Football Diner:
Roger, what was it like to win your first Super Bowl, scoring three touchdowns in the process (being the first person ever to do so)? It must have been like all your Christmases and birthdays had come at once?
Roger Craig:
It was a great game, I was young – in my second year – and I wasn't quite sure what to expect in the build up, so I spoke to some vets on the team and Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds gave me some great advice, he just said: "Play every down as if it's your last, don't blow your chances, remain intense and focused," and I had the game of my life. It was real cool to score three touchdowns in a game and be the first person to do so in a Super Bowl.
Football Diner:
What was it like getting your hands on the Lombardi trophy?
Roger Craig:
When I got my hands on it, it was amazing, and the ring as well. That's what you play for and it was awesome to achieve a goal that lots of other teams and players don't get to.
Football Diner:
It must have been even more special to win it in the Bay Area at Stanford?
Roger Craig:
It was like playing in our own back yard and it felt like we had home-field advantage. It was our environment and especially when the fog rolled in, we were like: "Oh Man, we are at home!"
Football Diner:
The following season, you became the first player to both run for and receive 1000 yards. That must have been pretty special as well?
Roger Craig:
I knew that, after the three touchdowns in the Super Bowl, teams would be gunning for me, people knew who I was now and the Super Bowl really propelled me into the national spotlight of a superstar. So during the following off-season, I trained so hard for it. Bill Walsh talked to me after the Ring Ceremony and he said: "Roger, I expect 1000 yards from you next season," and I'm like: "Wow, I'm a full back." But my attitude was: "Alright, I'll do it," so I covered my ass and I did it on the ground and receiving!
Football Diner:
Who do you think can be next to join the 1000/1000 club?
Roger Craig:
Well, Marshall Faulk's already there, but there are 2-3 guys who right now I think can get there and they would be Reggie Bush, Leon Washington and Brian Westbrook, but Westbrook really needs to stay healthy to manage it.
Football Diner:
Just how cold was the 1988 NFC Championship game in Chicago and what is it like to play in conditions that cold?
Roger Craig:
That was so cold. It was 30 below, big wind chill factor, the field was frozen. We couldn't even wear spikes. We were all in tennis or turf shoes.
Football Diner:
A lot of people had written the 49ers off and said this was 'Bears' football weather'...
Roger Craig:
Yeah, they were calling us West Coast soft boys and sissies, but we played harder, we were more prepared and we won 23-0. I asked Coach Ditka after the game, I said: "Damn, Mike, how do you prepare your team for games in this weather?" He looked at me and he said: "Roger, nobody gets used to this weather. I was counting down the seconds just like you were!"
Football Diner:
In Super Bowl XXIII, the 49ers are 16-13 down, faced with a 92-yard drive to win the game. You played an integral part in that drive. Was there any doubt in your mind that you would win the game at this point?
Roger Craig:
No way, none at all. Bill Walsh prepared us well for the two-minute offense. We'd strategized way before the game and we knew exactly what to do. As a result we didn't panic, whereas their defense did; we were calm and Joe worked his magic. We were down their throats, big play after big play – we made it happen – and I had a few crucial plays in that drive. It was perfect. That's how all Super Bowls should end, that's what you pay your money for!
Football Diner:
Bill Walsh was rightly deemed 'The Genius'. His attention to detail was second to none – what was it like to have him has a coach?
Roger Craig:
Bill knew talent and how to orchestrate a team and spot players that fitted his system. I was the prototype running back for his West Coast offense and the player to take the 49ers to the next level. He was a great strategist – at half time, if things weren't going our way, Bill would always have new ideas, plans for the situation, and he made us all feel special, like we were all an extension of each other. Everybody had a role on every play and that's how we won games, each as an extension of each other.
Football Diner:
Are you still in contact with any of the 49ers from your time there? And do you still get to 'The Stick' to see games?
Roger Craig:
I speak with Ronnie Lott, he's a great guy in and out of football. I also speak with Frank Gore regularly and yeah, I still go to games to cheer them on.
Football Diner:
Shortly before this interview I got in touch with Randy Cross and asked him what it was like to be a teammate of Roger Craig's. He said: "Roger was an incredible RB whose legacy is not only as one of the great all around runenrs but as the man who taught Jerry Rice how to work his butt off." Is he on the money?
Roger Craig:
Haha! Yeah! It wasn't just Jerry though, I got together with Barry Sanders as well and we innovated new types of training that we were doing at that time; we were in it for the long haul and we took great pride in that. These days I also run marathons and just like the training then, I take great pride in that.
Football Diner:
As a Hall of Fame semi-finalist last year, do you think you'll ever make it to Canton?
Roger Craig:
I think I'll get in one day. I can't make the calls and it's not my place to talk about the media guys who do the voting, so I'm numb about it really, I can't feel anything. It would be great to get in and if and when I do it'd certainly be the icing on the cake. If I don't then, hey, I still made it on to the All Decade 80s team, won three Super Bowls and went to four Pro Bowls. It hasn't changed my life and I won't let it, nor will it change my life if and when I get in. It would make my friends and family very happy, but if I don't, I'll just move on – you can't let it rule your life.
Football Diner:
You were known for your 'Catfish eyes' and high stepping. Do you still get teased about Catfish?
Roger Craig:
Haha! Freddie Solomon gave me that nickname, because my eyes really expanded when I was running into the holes, I just wanted to make sure I used all of my eyes to see where I was going. He used to say I swam through holes!
Bill Walsh once drew a picture of it and presented it to me in front of the team the night before a game. The team were screaming with laughter, but that was Bill. Bill would do things like that to lighten the mood before a game. He also drew a picture of Joe Montana as a stick man, holding a football wearing the Number 16, teasing him about his skinny legs!
Football Diner:
I'm a big fan of middle linebacker 'Hacksaw' Reynolds (another player with great attention to detail - he once taught then-rookie Ronnie Lott a lesson by refusing to let him borrow one of his one hundred pencils in a team meeting) – do you have any stories about your time in the team with him?
Roger Craig:
He helped a lot. He helped me study and was my mentor. He respected me as a player. Keith Fahnhorst once said to me when I was a rookie: "Roger, you're a lucky guy, because Hacksaw likes you and your attitude and normally he hates rookies." Hacksaw's attitude was: you don't go onto the football field without your helmet, so you don't come to team meetings without a pen or a pencil. Of course Lott went on to become a great leader in and out of football and is a real good guy.
Football Diner:
Tom Rathman was a key reason for your success after his arrival, but is his position and your old position of fullback slowly becoming a dying art within the NFL?
Roger Craig:
I actually helped get Tom to San Francisco, Bill Walsh asked me about him and I told him he was a great blocker. I helped to develop his hands and we worked out together too. He gave us a great 1-2 punch and it meant opposition defenses couldn't tee off on either of us. These days you have running back committees back there that rotate – and of course the Wild Cat – so you see less of the FB out there.
Football Diner:
You currently work for a company called TIBCO Software, what are you doing with yourself there?
Roger Craig:
We're a big infrastructure software company, help companies communicate in real time. We're in 40 different countries with over 3500 customers and we're in every major city in the US, not to mention an office in Maidenhead in the UK. I do business development, figuring out exactly what businesses need. I do a spot of HR, hiring, work with the marketing team, sales, I'll open and close doors, just do whatever it takes to win. In corporate business, you can't take a quarter off and still win games like you can in football, you've got to win in every phase. Sport prepared me for work and I take the same attitude to work as I did to the football field. We're taking on a lot of the giants of the computer world so it's a little bit like the David and Goliath story. We're winning deals by determining: "We are not going to lose, we're going to win."
Football Diner:
You must turn heads when you arrive at new businesses and walk through the offices?
Roger Craig:
Yeah, people turn their heads. It's kind of funny, but you get used to it.
Football Diner:
What else are you doing with your spare time these days?
Roger Craig:
I play a bit of golf, I run marathons, I love spending time with my family, travelling, seeing a little of the world. I've also started doing my own blogs, including one on fantasy. The fantasy game over here is huge now, so I try to break down each matchup using the TIBCO Spotfire Fantasy Football tool (See link at bottom of this page)
Football Diner:
Do you have a message for all the NFL and 49ers fans here in the UK?
Roger Craig:
We really appreciate the fans in the UK and Europe that follow American Football. Your own football is so big and we're also big fans of that here in the US; it's still growing here, but it's cool to see how football brings the world together at the World Cup. We really respect you guys following us and I say: keep on following, keep on learning, get on the blogs and get involved.
Football Diner:
Well, thanks ever so much for your time Roger and enjoy the rest of your day...
Roger Craig:
I'm going to hit the gym now, do a 10 mile run so I start the day off right! You take care Brian – it was great chatting to you.
http://www.footballdiner.com/rogercraig1.html
The Football Diner Big Interview: Roger Craig
Interviewed by Brian Davis
20/10/2009
Four-time Pro Bowler Roger Craig was the offensive focal point of a dominant 49ers team that won three Super Bowls between 1984 and 1989. Playing for legendary coach Bill Walsh alongside Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, Craig was a do-it-all threat whose versatility continues to set the standard for dual-threat backs to this day. The 1988 Offensive Player of the Year retired in 1993 having amassed an incredible 13,143 total yards and 73 touchdowns.
As the Diner staff were wrapping up their working day here in the UK, Craig was getting his own morning started on the West Coast of America. But before he nipped out for a spot of heavy duty a.m. exercise, there was just time for our own Brian Davis to ask him all about his extraordinary career, legendary teammates and awesome Super Bowl performances in our exclusive interview.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Football Diner:
Roger, what was it like to win your first Super Bowl, scoring three touchdowns in the process (being the first person ever to do so)? It must have been like all your Christmases and birthdays had come at once?
Roger Craig:
It was a great game, I was young – in my second year – and I wasn't quite sure what to expect in the build up, so I spoke to some vets on the team and Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds gave me some great advice, he just said: "Play every down as if it's your last, don't blow your chances, remain intense and focused," and I had the game of my life. It was real cool to score three touchdowns in a game and be the first person to do so in a Super Bowl.
Football Diner:
What was it like getting your hands on the Lombardi trophy?
Roger Craig:
When I got my hands on it, it was amazing, and the ring as well. That's what you play for and it was awesome to achieve a goal that lots of other teams and players don't get to.
Football Diner:
It must have been even more special to win it in the Bay Area at Stanford?
Roger Craig:
It was like playing in our own back yard and it felt like we had home-field advantage. It was our environment and especially when the fog rolled in, we were like: "Oh Man, we are at home!"
Football Diner:
The following season, you became the first player to both run for and receive 1000 yards. That must have been pretty special as well?
Roger Craig:
I knew that, after the three touchdowns in the Super Bowl, teams would be gunning for me, people knew who I was now and the Super Bowl really propelled me into the national spotlight of a superstar. So during the following off-season, I trained so hard for it. Bill Walsh talked to me after the Ring Ceremony and he said: "Roger, I expect 1000 yards from you next season," and I'm like: "Wow, I'm a full back." But my attitude was: "Alright, I'll do it," so I covered my ass and I did it on the ground and receiving!
Football Diner:
Who do you think can be next to join the 1000/1000 club?
Roger Craig:
Well, Marshall Faulk's already there, but there are 2-3 guys who right now I think can get there and they would be Reggie Bush, Leon Washington and Brian Westbrook, but Westbrook really needs to stay healthy to manage it.
Football Diner:
Just how cold was the 1988 NFC Championship game in Chicago and what is it like to play in conditions that cold?
Roger Craig:
That was so cold. It was 30 below, big wind chill factor, the field was frozen. We couldn't even wear spikes. We were all in tennis or turf shoes.
Football Diner:
A lot of people had written the 49ers off and said this was 'Bears' football weather'...
Roger Craig:
Yeah, they were calling us West Coast soft boys and sissies, but we played harder, we were more prepared and we won 23-0. I asked Coach Ditka after the game, I said: "Damn, Mike, how do you prepare your team for games in this weather?" He looked at me and he said: "Roger, nobody gets used to this weather. I was counting down the seconds just like you were!"
Football Diner:
In Super Bowl XXIII, the 49ers are 16-13 down, faced with a 92-yard drive to win the game. You played an integral part in that drive. Was there any doubt in your mind that you would win the game at this point?
Roger Craig:
No way, none at all. Bill Walsh prepared us well for the two-minute offense. We'd strategized way before the game and we knew exactly what to do. As a result we didn't panic, whereas their defense did; we were calm and Joe worked his magic. We were down their throats, big play after big play – we made it happen – and I had a few crucial plays in that drive. It was perfect. That's how all Super Bowls should end, that's what you pay your money for!
Football Diner:
Bill Walsh was rightly deemed 'The Genius'. His attention to detail was second to none – what was it like to have him has a coach?
Roger Craig:
Bill knew talent and how to orchestrate a team and spot players that fitted his system. I was the prototype running back for his West Coast offense and the player to take the 49ers to the next level. He was a great strategist – at half time, if things weren't going our way, Bill would always have new ideas, plans for the situation, and he made us all feel special, like we were all an extension of each other. Everybody had a role on every play and that's how we won games, each as an extension of each other.
Football Diner:
Are you still in contact with any of the 49ers from your time there? And do you still get to 'The Stick' to see games?
Roger Craig:
I speak with Ronnie Lott, he's a great guy in and out of football. I also speak with Frank Gore regularly and yeah, I still go to games to cheer them on.
Football Diner:
Shortly before this interview I got in touch with Randy Cross and asked him what it was like to be a teammate of Roger Craig's. He said: "Roger was an incredible RB whose legacy is not only as one of the great all around runenrs but as the man who taught Jerry Rice how to work his butt off." Is he on the money?
Roger Craig:
Haha! Yeah! It wasn't just Jerry though, I got together with Barry Sanders as well and we innovated new types of training that we were doing at that time; we were in it for the long haul and we took great pride in that. These days I also run marathons and just like the training then, I take great pride in that.
Football Diner:
As a Hall of Fame semi-finalist last year, do you think you'll ever make it to Canton?
Roger Craig:
I think I'll get in one day. I can't make the calls and it's not my place to talk about the media guys who do the voting, so I'm numb about it really, I can't feel anything. It would be great to get in and if and when I do it'd certainly be the icing on the cake. If I don't then, hey, I still made it on to the All Decade 80s team, won three Super Bowls and went to four Pro Bowls. It hasn't changed my life and I won't let it, nor will it change my life if and when I get in. It would make my friends and family very happy, but if I don't, I'll just move on – you can't let it rule your life.
Football Diner:
You were known for your 'Catfish eyes' and high stepping. Do you still get teased about Catfish?
Roger Craig:
Haha! Freddie Solomon gave me that nickname, because my eyes really expanded when I was running into the holes, I just wanted to make sure I used all of my eyes to see where I was going. He used to say I swam through holes!
Bill Walsh once drew a picture of it and presented it to me in front of the team the night before a game. The team were screaming with laughter, but that was Bill. Bill would do things like that to lighten the mood before a game. He also drew a picture of Joe Montana as a stick man, holding a football wearing the Number 16, teasing him about his skinny legs!
Football Diner:
I'm a big fan of middle linebacker 'Hacksaw' Reynolds (another player with great attention to detail - he once taught then-rookie Ronnie Lott a lesson by refusing to let him borrow one of his one hundred pencils in a team meeting) – do you have any stories about your time in the team with him?
Roger Craig:
He helped a lot. He helped me study and was my mentor. He respected me as a player. Keith Fahnhorst once said to me when I was a rookie: "Roger, you're a lucky guy, because Hacksaw likes you and your attitude and normally he hates rookies." Hacksaw's attitude was: you don't go onto the football field without your helmet, so you don't come to team meetings without a pen or a pencil. Of course Lott went on to become a great leader in and out of football and is a real good guy.
Football Diner:
Tom Rathman was a key reason for your success after his arrival, but is his position and your old position of fullback slowly becoming a dying art within the NFL?
Roger Craig:
I actually helped get Tom to San Francisco, Bill Walsh asked me about him and I told him he was a great blocker. I helped to develop his hands and we worked out together too. He gave us a great 1-2 punch and it meant opposition defenses couldn't tee off on either of us. These days you have running back committees back there that rotate – and of course the Wild Cat – so you see less of the FB out there.
Football Diner:
You currently work for a company called TIBCO Software, what are you doing with yourself there?
Roger Craig:
We're a big infrastructure software company, help companies communicate in real time. We're in 40 different countries with over 3500 customers and we're in every major city in the US, not to mention an office in Maidenhead in the UK. I do business development, figuring out exactly what businesses need. I do a spot of HR, hiring, work with the marketing team, sales, I'll open and close doors, just do whatever it takes to win. In corporate business, you can't take a quarter off and still win games like you can in football, you've got to win in every phase. Sport prepared me for work and I take the same attitude to work as I did to the football field. We're taking on a lot of the giants of the computer world so it's a little bit like the David and Goliath story. We're winning deals by determining: "We are not going to lose, we're going to win."
Football Diner:
You must turn heads when you arrive at new businesses and walk through the offices?
Roger Craig:
Yeah, people turn their heads. It's kind of funny, but you get used to it.
Football Diner:
What else are you doing with your spare time these days?
Roger Craig:
I play a bit of golf, I run marathons, I love spending time with my family, travelling, seeing a little of the world. I've also started doing my own blogs, including one on fantasy. The fantasy game over here is huge now, so I try to break down each matchup using the TIBCO Spotfire Fantasy Football tool (See link at bottom of this page)
Football Diner:
Do you have a message for all the NFL and 49ers fans here in the UK?
Roger Craig:
We really appreciate the fans in the UK and Europe that follow American Football. Your own football is so big and we're also big fans of that here in the US; it's still growing here, but it's cool to see how football brings the world together at the World Cup. We really respect you guys following us and I say: keep on following, keep on learning, get on the blogs and get involved.
Football Diner:
Well, thanks ever so much for your time Roger and enjoy the rest of your day...
Roger Craig:
I'm going to hit the gym now, do a 10 mile run so I start the day off right! You take care Brian – it was great chatting to you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
