10 : NFL Pro Interview : Shawn Andrews

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Strauss : Why do you make it extremely important to connect to the fans?

Andrews : Twitter is cool!! It gives you the chance to interact with complete strangers who you may have never come across if it wasn’t for twitter. I’m a social person, & I LOVE interacting w/ all cultures. I have always felt the need to connect with fans. When I was going into college I would log in & chat with fans from my college. I think it’s so necessary for fans who get good/bad vibes via the media to get to know a person for themselves and then form an opinion as opposed to making snap judgements.

Strauss :Who was your childhood star?

Andrews : The only star I admired growing up was Michael Jordan.

Strauss : If you could meet anyone in the world (alive or dead), who would it be and why?

Andrews : I have been fortunate enough to meet everyone in life that I have wanted to. I would like to continue to meet good spirited, kind, honest people.

Strauss : What is your favorite song to listen to before a game?

Andrews : I am so random when it comes to my pre-game music. I’m not the rah-rah type of person. One minute I may be listening to “Zombie” by the Cranberries or I may have on some Jazz music…

Strauss : What is your favorite movie of all time?

Andrews : It’s a tough call for me to be able to say what my favorite movie is. If I had to narrow down I would say Willie Wonka and the Choclate Factory, or Scarface.

Strauss : What is your favorite snack food?

Andrews : I love to snack on Jalapeno Cheez-Its.

Strauss : What is your favorite TV-Show?

Andrews : I wish I could narrow down to one favorite T.V. Show. Here are several of my all time favorite T.V. Shows : Martin, Jamie Foxx Show, Sanford & Son.

Strauss : What is your favorite meal?

Andrews : One of my favorite meals to enjoy is from BOA Steakhouse. I like to order the N.Y. Strip steak with a side of lobster mashed potatoes, & creamed spinach.

Strauss : What is your favorite video game?

Andrews : I am actually horrible when it comes to video games, but my favorite is Super Mario Bros from regular Nintendo. I still haven’t beat that game. :(

Strauss : What is the one thing you can’t leave your house without?

Andrews : I can’t leave my house without my Blackberry Bold cell phone.

Strauss : You make music in spare time, what motivates you to do this?

Andrews : I have always had a love for music. I used to get in trouble so much in grade school on up beating on the desk or singing in class. In 5th grade a classmate of mine sang Ace of Base “The Sign” & that’s when I knew I have a passion for any genre of music. Music brings people of all races, and creeds together. The only limitation to music is your imagination.

Strauss : When did you see your first live NFL game?

Andrews : I went to my first NFL game with my uncle when I was a senior in High School. We went to see the Dallas Cowboys. I don’t remember who they were playing or which team won. We sat up so high they looked like ants on the field.

Strauss : What was your favorite NFL team growing up?

Andrews : I did not have a favorite professional football team growing up until about 9th grade. I grew to like the Miami Dolphins because I liked the Dolphin on their helmets and the colors that they wore.

Strauss : What is your favorite type of pie?

Andrews : Alright, my favorite type of pie is bean pie. I remember when I bought my first one on North Broad in Philadelphia, and I ate all of it before I turned the corner.

Strauss : How long have you played football?

Andrews : I started playing football in the seventh grade. I was on the red team.

Strauss : Did you play any other sports in high school?

Andrews : I played basketball until my sophomore year, until I realized that football was going to be the way to go for me.

Strauss : What impact did your high school coach have on your college and professional career?

Andrews : OMG!! I think I owe just about my whole career to Coach Glover (H.S. Coach) because had he not taken me to the Doctor when he decided to after I hurt my back in High School, I definitely would not have had a college or professional career in football. That is very humbling in itself.

Strauss : At what age, did you realize that you were going to play football in college and in the NFL?

Andrews : In high school and college, I was always the biggest and one of the strongest. After my sophomore year I was thinking I may need a new challenge. I knew that if I stayed healthy during my junior year I would be leaving early to enter the NFL draft.

Strauss : If you weren’t playing football, what would you want to do?

Andrews : If football would not have turned out the way it has for me, I aspired to be a musical engineer/producer, comedian, or work in the criminal justice field.

Strauss : What was it like to be nominated for multiple awards in your career?

Andrews : It felt good to be nominated for a couple of college football awards for my respective o-line position. I think it shows how much hard work that I put into perfecting my craft.

Strauss : What is your favorite memory from University of Arkansas?

Andrews : I have so many memories from college. One that kinda sticks out the most is my freshman year is when I didn’t start the first game of the season, and the first game we played was a rough game for the offensive line and the fans were like put Shawn in. It wasn’t until the second game against Alabama they put me in the game about the second quarter. I was serving up pancakes left & right I never looked back….Woooooooo Piiiiiiiggg Sooooooooiiiieee (Razorbacks)

Strauss : What was it like to win the Parker award as the best offensive linemen in college? Why do you think you won it?

Andrews : I won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy (best offensive lineman in the SEC Conference) my Sophomore and Junior year. I can attribute that to my hard work as well my support cast of other good Offensive linemen and Good coaching.

Strauss : What impact did your college coach have on your professional career?

Andrews : I think my college head coach as well as my offensive line coach really helped mold me into is pretty good offensive lineman. They both were so full of intensity which ignites a player in a fun energetic atmosphere.

Strauss : What really went through your mind, when the Eagles announced that you were the 16th pick in the first round?

Andrews : On my NFL draft day I had a lot of mixed emotions. I felt as though I should have gone higher, but when teams learned that I was up to 400+ pounds that scared a lot of teams away. The Eagles felt confident enough to move up and draft me. I think it worked out for the better. My most overused tried and true phrase is “everything happens for a reason” I wouldn’t take it back. I had a blast in Philly.

Strauss : What is it like to have to start games from the rookie year?

Andrews : Being able to start my rookie year was so much fun. I was just turning 21 and I was knocking heads with these grown men. My rookie year training camp was one of my best. I only played in the first half of the 1st game against the Giants before breaking my fibula.

Strauss : How was the Eagles’ playbook built to your advantage compared to another guard’s ability?

Andrews : The Eagles playbook didn’t give me any advantage. Most of the game is mental. If u don’t know what you’re doing out there you can not only harm yourself, but your teammates as well.

Strauss : Why did you choose the number 73 throughout your career?

Andrews : I chose the number 73 because my first year playing football (7th grade) it was the number I chose. It always worked out high school, college, and professional. That I have been able to keep the number. The numbers also have biblical meaning, 7 is for Completion and 3 is for The Holy Trinity.

Strauss : What is your favorite quote?

Andrews : My favorite Bible verse comes from Phillipians 4:13…. ”I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Strauss : For someone aspiring to play football in D-1 and in the NFL, do you have any advice for them?

Andrews : The best advice I can give to an aspiring D-1 college/ NFL player is to understand your capabilities & try to go beyond those. The game of football is about making a great deal of sacrifices, and to always give your best in the weight room, classroom, and on the field. Chase perfection!!

Strauss : Thank you for your time!

Andrews : No problem. Thanks for the opportunity. It’s always good to interact and let people know who the real Shawn Andrews is. :)