I thought I'd change it up a little bit. Everything that needs to be said about last night's debacle has already been put out there so i'll save you guys the useless filler.Something else happened last night....and I thought I'd write about it. For context, I work for the Bucs in a minor capacity.During the lightning delay I was waiting in the tunnel and just watching the RedZone channel. Next to me sat Chidi Ahanotu, who was also watching the RedZone channel. Then, he leans over and asks "What's going on with the game?". I inform him that they are on a lightning delay and he musters a little chuckle and says "I don't think we ever stopped play for a storm when I played" . To that, I just laughed and responded in jest saying "It's probably just another way the NFL is tailoring to offenses." After that brief exchange we sat in silence for some time. Me, with my mind running a million miles a minute, trying to think of what I wanted to ask Chidi while I had the opportunity. So I ended up asking him a few "standard" fan questions.First, "Who was the best QB you ever faced?"Chidi:Well I played against Joe Montana, but I would have to say it's Brett Favre. That guy was such a competitor. Back then the pack and bucs rivalry was great. All of our DLine held the utmost respect for Brett, he was a tough SOB.We continued on some more, chit chatting more about Favre and what not.Then I asked the next question: "Who was the dirtiest lineman you ever went against?"To which Chidi immediately perks up and says:Oh, Jon Runyan, hands down. He was the dirtiest. Man he was a dirty player. I always told people how dirty he was and because he was so nice off the field they never believed me. Until Strahan's HOF induction recently! He called out Jon Runyan as one of the dirtiest players he went against and I looked around at my friends like "See!!! I told you he was dirty as hell!" He was just such a dirty player, most of the philly line at that time was so diry.Me: "Do you think that was a team culture thing at the time?"Chidi: Oh yeah, most definitely, I believe it was a team culture thing for sure. They were one of the nastiest teams I every played in my career. That Jon Runyan though, he always played dirty. And now he's a senator or something!To which I responded with a little joke that he's probably far more dirty than he was in the NFL, this summoned a slight belly laugh out of Chidi.The next question I asked him was "What was one of your more memorable moments?"His story in response was as follows:My first ever game in the NFL is one of my most memorable. We're playing the 49ers, when they had Montana and Rice duo still. I get out there for my first ever NFL play. I'm nervous as hell, can't even really remember my thoughts at the time. I just remember seeing the ball snapped and ripping off the line. As I break through the lineman I see Joe, lower my shoulder and put one of the biggest hits of my career on his exposed ribs. I'm laying on top of Joe Montana in my first play ever in the NFL. I was ecstatic!!! Until I realized the cheering was weird...it was like, a small group of people cheering in the stands and that's it. That's when I look up to see. Joe had thrown a 50+ yd TD pass as I delivered that monster hit. That guy was so good.....I'll always remember that play.The conversation continued with a few more questions and answers, before the game was set to resume and I had to return to my post on the field.Hope you guys enjoyed it. I was in amazement that the guy would sit and talk to me for about an hour like that. I loved the conversation and just thought I'd share some of the highlights with you all. Thanks!
