Versatility beomes name of the game with Texans' new draftee

Ashley Marchand
May 28, 2009
Bleacher Report – NFL Correspondent Contest
Creativity and Research Ability

Assignment:

Pick any player from your team, and list all of the questions you would ask for a feature interview.

Player:

James Casey, a rookie tight end from Rice University, drafted to the Houston Texans in 2009

Casey recently graduated from Rice University with a triple major in economics, managerial studies, and sport management with a 3.84 GPA in addition to earning Academic All-American second-team honors from ESPN last year. In 2003, he was also drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 2003 Major League Baseball during the seventh round of the draft, but ended his pro-baseball career in 2006. This is a player whose versatility was displayed in both academics and athletics.

Feature Questions:

1. How does it feel to have been drafted by the Texans?

2. Describe the moment when you discovered that the Texans had drafted you.
James, you’ve made your mark on college football during your career with the Rice Owls. Texans general manager Rick Smith and head coach Gary Kubiak repeatedly described you in a recent interview for the Texans’ Web site as being versatile. In fact, they mentioned using you not only as a tight end, but also as a fullback and long snapper. In what position do you expect that you will be of greatest help to the Texans?

3.Are you up to the challenge of wearing multiple hats for the Texans?

4. If yes, how do you expect to meet the challenge?

5. Are there any other positions where you could see yourself succeeding?

6. Let’s say there’s a high school student out there who loves sports and wants to be as versatile an athlete as you. Can you tell them what led you to become so versatile, as Kubiak and Smith said? Is it genetics or some type of special training?

7. Is there any chance that you might be a budding running back, a position the Texans wanted to draft this year (light-hearted question)?

8. Are there other things that you’re balancing right now in addition to preparing yourself for play in the NFL?

9. How have you been preparing yourself mentally for the pro-football season?

10. Your versatility as an athlete has allowed you to play MLB baseball before. How does your preparation differ for football as the beginning of the season nears as compared with baseball?

11. When you were going into the major leagues, did you ever imagine that you would also get play time in the NFL?

12. Does playing football feel like a better fit for your athleticism? Why/why not?

13. Besides versatility, what do you hope to bring to the table for the Texans fans this year?

14. You’re originally a Texan, from Fort-Worth, and you attend college here in Houston. Did it make any difference to you that you were able to remain here in Texas to play?

15. What do you think of your fellow Texans teammates so far?

16. Do you have any anecdotes about how your teammates welcomed you and/or the other rookies this year?

17. What do you think the Texans greatest challenges will be this season?

18. What do you expect your greatest challenge(s) to be this season?

19. What if you aren’t able to meet those challenges?

20. What if you are successful and have a record-setting season?

21. Is there anything else that you would like to add that I may not have asked you?