Tuesdays with Wilde: Randall Cobb

I loved The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. That was one of my favorite shows growing up, just because of Will Smith being so funny, he reminded me of my brother a lot. Right now, I’m into Entourage and True Blood and the TO Show. Those are my top three. I’m still catching up on Entourage. Don’t tell me anything that happens.

On my iPod, right now it’s a lot of Drake, J.Cole, Lil’ Wayne. Pretty much a lot of hip-hop, R&B. I heard Lil’ Wayne came to a game last year. That’d be a good time (if he came back). Maybe he can perform a live concert in the locker rom.

I like Twitter (@rcobb18) because it gives fans insight to what we’re like off the field. Some guys keep it strictly to football. I try to give them a little bit of my personality and who I am off the field.

My favorite movie is Remember the Titans. Definitely. Also, I loved Friday Night Lights, Love and Basketball. A lot of sports-based movies. I was probably in middle school when Remember the Titans came out. I think the biggest thing is, they came together as a team. I think football builds the idea that it’s not always about you. You can’t win a football game by yourself, like you can in some other sports.

I always had hoop dreams when I was young, I always wanted to be the next Michael Jordan. Then I realized I wasn’t going to be 6-4. So I played more football.

A lot of people talk about my maturity. Obviously at one point I was a kid, I did a lot of stupid things. I think just learning from my older brother and the things he did that got him in trouble and learning from his mistakes, that helped.  My brother’s a great guy. Just seeing the things he got in trouble for, and seeing the things he did good. I learned from all those things. He’s seven years older than me, but he’s like my best friend. He wasn’t big into sports, but I started beating him at a young age. He worked with me a lot, and he’s always been supportive. He pushed me to succeed. I was always playing in the yard with him and always trying to play with his friends, but they would never let me do anything because I was so much smaller. I think that’s something that always motivated me because I was the youngest guy and I wasn’t on field when I wanted to. It made me more competitive.

I was a hot dog vendor at University of Tennessee football games when I was 12 or 13. I did that for maybe a season. I got tired of walking up all those stairs. You could choose what you wanted to sell. I picked hot dogs. I didn’t want to carry drinks, the tray was a little heavier, and I would’ve probably spilled. I used to cheat. After you’d sell your pail of hot dogs, you were supposed to go back and get more. I’d sit down and watch the game.

I committed to Kentucky before my senior year and Tennessee didn’t offer me until December of my senior year. Some people thought I would change my mind and go to Tennessee. I went back and forth there for a minute, but I felt more comfortable with the situation at Kentucky.

As a kid, I never really had a favorite team. I just had favorite players. I just kept up with the players, not so much the team. Growing up, I watched Chris Leak and Tim Tebow at Florida, Tee martin at Tennessee. Jamal Lewis, Donte Stallworth. In the NFL, I’ve always liked Steve Smith and Michael Vick.

It’s hard when you grow up watching those guys, and then you’re on the field with them.  Don’t get me wrong, I feel like I’m supposed be on this level and be here, but to think about I was in middle school watching some of the guys play like Donald Driver, and now I’m in the locker room with him, on same field with Larry Fitzgerald, who I’d watched through high school and middle school, it’s crazy. I sometimes get in awe.

I think the biggest awe moment was coming out of tunnel against the Saints (on opening night) and I’m walking by Tony Dungy. I read some of his books and really enjoyed them. He’s just so impressive. I didn’t get to talk to him, but it was just seeing him that was amazing.

The best advice I ever got was from my dad. One day, I was sitting outside shooting basketball, just hanging out by myself, and we got to talking about some things. And he told me that whenever I’m not working or getting better, somebody just as good as me was getting an edge because they’re working to get better. So if I’m not doing something to make myself better, then I was falling behind. I was probably 14 or 15. That really stuck with me.

If I weren’t playing football, I’d be coaching or somehow still involved with the game. I think I have some of the qualities of a good coach. Leadership ability, motivational skills, pushing to be better, understanding of the game, technique – I think I have those qualities.

I don’t get recognized a whole lot in Green Bay. Sometimes I do. Not a whole lot. But I do occasionally. At the mall, the grocery store, at dinner a few times. I did have somebody call me Donald one day. I was confused, since Donald hasn’t had hair in a long time.

When I said God told me to bring the ball out (on his 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Saints), I wasn’t necessarily saying that He told me that, but I meant it in the sense that I’m faith-driven. Whenever I feel something inside telling me to do something, I feel like that urge is coming from my Savior, and that’s Him pushing me to do something. So I follow His commands because I feel like He’s leading me in the right direction.

My favorite moment as a Packer was the moment I got drafted. Being able to walk on stage and (Hall of Fame running back) Jim Taylor was on stage to announce my name, that was amazing. That has to be the most memorable. So far.

If I were NFL commissioner, I would move the kickoff back to where it was before. You have to make better decisions as far as understanding the flight pattern of the ball and what you’re trying to accomplish and the blocking scheme when you’re catching it in the end zone. I would never put it on my blockers. I feel regardless of who gets blocked and who doesn’t, I should be able to make a play back there.

My closest friends on the team are D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor. We came in together as rookies this year, and we just have built our friendship over time. We all live in the same apartment building and hang out together.

Before games, I always pray.

When my NFL career is over, I hope people say that Randall Cobb was one of the best football players --- not receivers, not returners, but overall football players.