When you play professional football in the United States, you quickly learn that dealing with the media is just part of the job. Sometimes, it can be even more important than throwing touchdowns (just ask David Beckham!) So with a few interviews booked for this week, I was curious to see how it would be dealing with the media here in Austria.
My only previous experience with the European media happened last season while playing in Italy. Needless to say, it was very ‘Italian’ and very comical. Every quarterback in the league was asked to by Sportweek Magazine of La Gazzetta dello Sport to fly to Milan for a follow-up article to John Grisham’s “Playing for Pizza” book. After feeding us an enormous five-course pasta lunch, the photographer asked us to strip off our shirts and pose like we were “tough football players!” Didn’t he know that quarterbacks do not look like body-builders? This is especially true after eating a huge meal that made our stomachs bulge… mama mia!
With this in mind, I was ready for anything here in Austria. My first appearance was Wednesday, when I was invited to be a “celebrity chef” for a story with a local publication. The only problem is that I can barely even make cereal for breakfast! So much for just the “normal” interview I was hoping for! So instead of schnitzel or sauerkraut, I opted for ‘dummy proof’ pasta and apple strudel. With the help of a professional chef and a funny looking hat, I faked my way through it, although I had to promise the reporter and the real chef that this would not be my next career after football is over!
The next day, I received a call that in downtown Innsbruck there was a huge new billboard featuring a player for the Vienna Vikings! Needless to say, this didn’t sit well with the people here in Tirol. The Kronen Zeitung newspaper wanted a picture and comment, so I met a photographer there. The funny thing is that before arriving here, I didn’t even know there was a rivalry between the two cities! Trying to make light of the whole situation, I jokingly posed in front of the picture as if the Vienna player was sitting in the palm of my hand! The photographer laughed… and of course this is the picture that made the newspaper! I can only hope that the people in Vienna (and especially the defense of the Vienna Vikings) know that I was just joking…
4 comments:
It is not a player on the ad, it is their marketing manager.
how difficult is it, to get a job as a quarterback in europe?
Thank you for your comments -
Yes, Walter, I learned in Vienna that it was in fact the marketing manager for the Vikings on the poster. He approached me after the game, and we had a great conversation. I really appreciate his efforts to gain publicity for the league! (I also complimented him on his massive biceps, and thanked him for understanding my intentions on the joke!)
As for the difficulty of getting a job as a QB in Europe, I think it depends upon your qualifications. The level of football here is rapidly improving, and I would say that you would need to have solid American college experience in order for teams at the highest levels to take a look at you.
Thanks!
Jason
I started my college career at Rutgers and started there 15 games. I transfered to Western Michigan and had a two fine years in the Mid America Conference.
It sounds like a great experience. How good are the practice facilities?
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