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HEADLINE NEWS - Features |
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Monday - 12/31/2001
QUICK FACTS
- Age: 37
- College: UNLV
- Birthdate: March 27, 1963 in Santa Barbara, CA.
- Attended Santa Barbara High School
- All three of his brothers (Sam, Bruce and Anthony) played college football. Sam played professionally for the New England Patriots from 1973-79 and in 1981.
Pre-game Practice: �I take three aspirin before every game. When you get hit, you always get a headache, so I try to keep the headache from coming.�Hobbies: �I like to play golf. But my main activity away from the game is writing music lyrics. I write gospel and inspirational songs. I have a music studio in Las Vegas that I built. It�s called Studio 7.� Best professional football moment: �Having the opportunity to play in the NFC Championship game in 1998 as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.� Best high school football moment: �Going to the state high school championship and playing against Long Beach Poly. We were out-powered by them and didn�t win, but it was the first time our team had ever been tested and really challenged. It was great because we fought them the best we could and displayed a lot of character. That one game taught me more about our football team than the previous 13, and we went undefeated before that.� The player that influenced his career the most: Without hesitation Randall says, �James Harris. Growing up in Los Angeles and watching James Harris play for the Rams showed me that being a black quarterback in the NFL was possible. Just seeing him with that opportunity and then watching the way he carried himself really encouraged me. That is why I wore number 12 in Philadelphia.� Best defensive players Randall has played against: Linebacker: �Ray Lewis. He has taken the position to another level. Even from the short time I have watched him play, he is just an amazing player.� Defensive lineman: �None other than Reggie White.� Cornerbacks: �Eric Allen, Darrell Green and throw Aeneas Williams in the mix too.� Safety: �Andre Waters. People don�t remember him, but he would take you out. He was ferocious. He would hit you anywhere, and he was like that every time he played.� On punting: �I started punting back in pee-wee flag football. I was always bigger than every other kid, so I did everything. It came easy to me.� ,b.The aspect of his game that has changed the most: �My throwing. I used to just step back and fire the ball and my completion percentage wasn�t real good. Guys wouldn�t see the ball coming and couldn�t adjust fast enough to it. I�ve learned to try and get it to my receivers in a position where they can get to it, make it soft enough so they can catch it.� The game through Randall�s eyes, 16 years after his first start: �I have come to understand the business and the game better. I was never really concerned with a whole lot besides those 60 minutes of game time. I was so caught up in trying to dominate everything I did, and concerned about myself, that I was oblivious to the other realities of the game. If you don�t do your job, you won�t last in this game and I never thought about that type of thing.�
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