He's Burning To Be A Success

"I live my life to enjoy myself. I can't explain things I do much beyond that. I have more energy than I know what to do with. I can't sit around. I get bored. A lot of what I do is silly, trying to cheer other people up, to cheer myself up. To be funny. To get attention. That's probably the best reason, to get attention."

His visitor said he had only heard of people eating glass, that he'd never seen it done. Rossovich took the empty tea glass and bit down through the lip. The glass shattered. Faint pulverizing noises could be heard as he chewed on it perfunctorily. Mikey screamed. "Timmy! I've been saving those glasses!"

"I'm willing to experience things," said Rossovich. "People should be willing to experience as much as they can. People should be able to do what they want without being concerned what others might think. If everything is right, if you are at peace with yourself, you shouldn't have to hassle others. Problems are caused by people not being willing to understand each other. No one listens. The son doesn't listen to his father, the father doesn't listen to his son. I think we're fortunate to have a good rapport on the Eagles. Some guys are maybe 10, 12 years older, really veterans, but we talk all the time. I had a talk with Jerry Williams [the Eagles' head coach] about my hair. He listened. He didn't agree, but he listened.

"I respect authority. I've never been fined for anything. My objective is to be a good football player, not make waves. So I'll get my hair cut." He felt his hair. "Some of it. The hair will grow back, the money won't. I'm subdued now, just thinking about it."

He sat down on the couch, subdued.

"I don't know who set the 'image' of football, but I don't think there should be an image. It shouldn't matter that a guy wears a brown shirt with a brown tie or his hair long. What matters is what you say and do. All long-haired people don't protest and blow up buildings. I don't think a guy in the stands should be able to say, 'That player's got a crew cut. He must be good.'

"Meggyesy was wrong to knock football. Some things are dehumanizing, the childish way you're treated, but that's no reason to knock football. Everything about football can make you a better person. Teach you to react better to crises. Teach you responsibility. To be level headed. To make split-second decisions.

"It is brutal at times, of course, but that's part of it. I'm more physical than I should be, but it's a physical game. I like to hit people when I'm on the field. If I can't make the tackle, I turn around and knock somebody down. I see somebody loafing and I bring it to his attention by knocking him down. He's the enemy. Hit the enemy. That's what it's all about. Next time he'll be more alert.

"I used to like the specialty teams for that reason. A lot of hitting goes on on a kickoff. You can get some good licks in. The harder I hit people the better I like it. When you hit a guy and he hits the ground hard, and his eyeballs roll, and you see it, and he looks up at you and knows you see it, then you've conquered him. It's a great feeling. I would love to do that, to put the quarterback, the halfback and the split end out of a game. Just the game, not the season. They have families, too. But I wouldn't feel guilty about that.

"But I don't go out there just to beat up a guy. I play to get respect, for myself, because you have to believe in yourself. And for the respect of my teammates. I have great respect for them. I don't know if my teammates love and respect me as much as I do them, but I want them to feel I put out for them.