The Heavenly Hot Seat: Tedy Bruschi

I’m pretty simple.  In my fantasyland I don’t need bikini models or buckets of money.  I don’t want to be President, I don’t like massages and I don’t need fancy food.

In fact, if I go to heaven, I need three things: a big T.V. that gets the major networks, ESPN (The Network to classic), Versus, TNT and HBO; a fridge perpetually filled with PBR and chicken parm; and the ability to host my own Budweiser Hot Seat. 

I’d pass through the pearly gates, grab a cold one and hang with the greats: Ali, Tiger, Williams, Russell, and Scalabrine.  But most importantly, I’d sit them down, start the clock, and finally get answers to the questions I’ve been dying to solve.

“What,” I’d ask Tiger, “drove you to the practice range day in and day out, if you’d already been crowned one of the best of all time?”

“Where,” I’d ask Ali, “did you find the strength to publicly condemn Vietnam at the risk of your title, your popularity, and perhaps your reputation?”

“Why,” I’d ask Teddy Ballgame, “were you, supposedly, such a jerk?”

And, of course, “Who,” I’d ask Scalabrine “do you think you are?  Get the hell out of Bill Russell’s seat!”

On my Hot Seat I’d get to pick the guests and I’d get to pick the questions.  No athlete–doublespeak, no clichés, and no spin.  No Drew Rosenhaus, no Scott Boras, and most of all, no Stephen A. Smith.

One of the first guests I’d have on my heaven-set would be New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi.

There’s no doubt that Tedy is a great athlete and a great football player, but that’s not what this interview would be about.  Heading in to the 2009 season, Bruschi has won three Super Bowls, captained the team seven times,  and been named to one Pro Bowl. 
At first glance, “Bruschi” might seem out of place compared to “Ali, Russell, or Williams.”  Tedy is lunch-pail guy.  Tedy is a warrior.  But most importantly, Tedy, is a hero, and that’s why he deserves a spot on the Hot Seat.

You see, Tedy’s beaten his opponents on the field over the past fourteen seasons, but he’s also shown the world the power of heart, resilience and passion.

Only days after returning to New England from his first Pro Bowl appearance in Hawaii after the 2004 season, Bruschi suffered a stroke.  For most, a life-threatening medical condition would mean the end of a “normal” life, but for Bruschi it meant only a temporary hiatus and one more on a list of challenges to overcome.

So what would I ask Tedy, once he stepped onto my heavenly Hot Seat?  Here’s a preview:

Can you think of a specific play or game that defines “Tedy Bruschi: linebacker”?  What about “Tedy Bruschi: team captain”?
What are you most proud of, both on and off the field?
What was the most difficult part of returning to football after your stroke?
Why did you want to come back to football after your stroke?  Was there ever a time when you felt that you didn’t want to?
After your illness, did you ever doubt that you’d play football again?
Do you consider yourself a hero?
Who’s the funniest guy in the locker room?
Who’s the most intense player on the team?
Currently, what is your most important football-related goal?
What do you want to be remembered for, ten years after you retire?
What’s the toughest thing about being an NFL player?
You’ve scored four touchdowns in your career thus far.  If you score again, what will your end zone dance look like?
If you could win four more Pro Bowl selections or one more Super Bowl, which would you pick?
You are currently the NCAA’s all-time sack leader (with 52), do you ever wish Coach Belichick would blitz you more?
You’ve played your entire career as a Patriot; all 176 games, good for eighth in team history.  How important is that to you and do you think you’ll retire in the number one spot?
If you had all of the Patriots fans in a room, what would you say to them?
Your stepfather was a professional tennis player.  Who is a better athlete in their prime: you or he?
Which is the best team you’ve ever played on?
As a kid, why did you choose football?
What’s the best part about being a professional football player?

I don’t know Bruschi, but after watching him in a Patriots uniform for over half of my life, I feel like he’s a part of my family.  Getting to interview Tedy, whether on earth or inside the pearly gates, would truly be heaven.