[quote align=”center” color=”#999999″]Colin Scotts is the first Australian to win a football scholarship in the United States of America and then have an outstanding career in the NFL. Colin played defensive end for the University of Hawaii, the St Louis Cardinals, the Arizona Cardinals and the Houston Oilers. He played five years of college football and 3 years as a professional[/quote]
Bio and Photo from www.colinscotts.com
Ben Fraser recently jumped on the phone with Colin to chat about his life and the recent College Football Game in Sydney.
Ben Fraser: Hi Colin, thanks for your time today. I’m speaking to you from south of the Border in Victoria.
Colin Scott: You’ve got Gotsis, right, from Denver; didn’t he come from down there, didn’t he?
Ben Fraser: Yeah, yeah, Adam’s Monash Uni boy.
Colin Scott: Wow! That’s unreal!
Ben Fraser: Yeah. So I thought what we’d have a bit of a chat about is, obviously about the game itself, but a little bit of background on yourself, as well?
Colin Scotts: Yep.
Ben Fraser: So first off, are you based in Sydney?
Colin Scotts: In Sydney, Yep.
Ben Fraser: So do you see much of the Gridiron scene up there?
Colin Scotts: Yeah. Though locally? You know, a little bit, but not enough.
Ben Fraser: OK. Do you still watch your old college much on TV?
Colin Scotts: Yeah, yeah, I do. I watched Hawaii play. The coaches were out here just about a month ago, and I went out and saw them at the University of New South Wales with Israel Folau
Ben Fraser: OK.
Colin Scotts: I met the coach before; but Coach Rolovich was there, I met the all the coaches. I had a really good time. It was just a great experience, to see the potential coming through.
Ben Fraser: Yep. Fantastic!
Colin Scotts: Yeah, I’d keep an eye on it; I’d keep an eye Hawaii. We’ve had a couple of tough years, but new coach, and new attitude, and things seem really positive.
Ben Fraser: Didn’t they go undefeated in 2007?
Colin Scotts: Yeah, they did! Few years ago now, and they just… the coach was heading in the wrong direction, so they got rid of him, thank God. Rolovich just brought back his whole Pride, like “Live Hello” or “Live Aloha”. Play Warrior, and have pride in the rock, you know?
Ben Fraser: It sounds like it’s something you’re quite passionate about?
Colin: Yeah! I lived about 5 years in Hawaii, and what a thrill to come back here, and have the first NCAA game, you know. It’s a big honor to me, we should be very proud of the country, and Sydney, and there’s got to be over 30 million people watching from America. There are thousands coming down, and it’s a big occasion, and it’s a great celebration and an advertisement for Gridiron. It’s such a high level; it’s not a preseason, it’s a real game; so I feel good.
Ben Fraser: When you first went over there, to the University on a rugby scholarship, right?
Colin: Actually, I was on a school boy’s tour, and they saw me playing rugby.
Ben Fraser: Oh, OK, Yep.
Colin: And I became the Australian trying to receive a football scholarship.
Ben Fraser: What was the first training session like; was it a bit nerve-racking?
Colin: I was running around my butt-pad around my groin, so that wasn’t a good start.
Ben Fraser: [laughs]
Colin: Yeah, intense, the biggest men I’ve ever seen; they’re hitting the fibreglass; the noise, the noise, it was like a car crashing. I’ve never seen people so big; it was terrifying, man. Then there was the people coming to the game, you’re going to hear noises that you’ve never heard before.
Ben Fraser: What position did you start playing: defensive end or defensive tackle?
Colin: Defensive end.
Ben Fraser: What system did they run at that time? Was it a 4-3 or 3-4?
Colin: Yeah, good question mate, it was a 3-4; we ran the 4-3 on long yardage.
Ben Fraser: So I guess that tackling and chasing the ball carrier came pretty naturally?
Colin: Yeah, it did, but it was also wasted in a way because I had really good ball skills and coordination with the football—my natural athleticism was very much canceled out. I never really got a chance to see a ball.
Ben Fraser: OK.
Ben Fraser: Yeah, that was just a part of the specialization of the sport—when you’re coming to a specific position, that’s it.
Ben Fraser: You had actually transitioned into a tight end, right?
Colin: Yes.
Ben Fraser: Was that after college?
Colin: Yes.
Colin: Although I did have a few cracks at running the ball, mostly blocking, and I loved it, mate.
Ben Fraser: Was that more like as fullback, or just an extra running back?
Colin: Yep. Extra tight-end, fullback, yeah.
Ben Fraser: Wow! So what do you find to be the most often asked question to you when it comes to watching a gridiron game?
Colin: “What does first-and-ten mean?” and “why are there so many players on the team?”
Ben Fraser: Yeah.
Colin: Yeah, why they’re so stop-and-start, I guess. But that’s part of the game of chess, you know? Once you understand the chess game, you fall in love with it. You understand why the pieces are going out. You know, what that one guy trying to counter another. It’s just brilliant one-on-one academic-cum-physical—it’s beautiful. And when it clicks, it’s got this beautiful rhythm to it, and poetry to it. You know, the ball flying through the air in a torpedo-shape; it’s beautiful.
Ben Fraser: Yep. And are we, sort of expecting more of a free-flowing game between Cal and Hawaii?
Colin: Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. From what I’ve gotten from Hawaii, and Cal throw it around, and they will be. Hawaii will definitely be opening it up. So don’t expect a boring running game; a lot of aerial stuff going on, so very exciting.
Ben Fraser: So what are some players that you’re going to be keeping an eye on during the game?
Colin: Well, it’d be nice to see who the new quarterback is, you know? To be honest. Goff. Jared Goff is the number one draft player in all the NFL. It will be interesting to see what back-up quarterback does. But I’m going to look forward to seeing Max Hendricks, you know a good Australian guy. He’s going to be playing defensive end. So that’s going to be great. There’s also a punter from Australia. You know, I can’t help but watch the Australians.
Ben Fraser: Naturally.
Colin: But also, I wanna watch how Hawaii, and I just wanna make sure Hawaii are moving the ball, and I want to watch their defensive guard get the quarterback.
Ben Fraser: Yep! Now one of the big things that I’ve noticed of the press-kit was the food. Oh, the food. The Gridiron players do love their food.
Colin: Still do.
Ben Fraser: What American fare is going to be featured?
Colin: Two foot-long hotdogs, but you know, the pretzels, the Buffalo wings, you know, the beautiful popcorn. Just things that Americans do better than anybody, even when its not healthy, you know. They got the Californian Burger against the Hawaiian Burger. There’s going to be a hotdog-eating contest. I think I’ll give that one a miss.
Ben Fraser: [laughs]
Colin: But yeah, it’s awesome; America’s all about food, you know, and lots of it. They gotta whack it on, like in a major way. Yeah, that’s a—when you’re there for 4 hours, you gonna get hungry.
Ben Fraser: Very good point.
Colin: It’s what Americans enjoy, right?
Ben Fraser: This game—is this something that Sydney, or Australia is looking to put on in the future?
Colin: Yeah, very much—if it goes well, we’d love to do it annually or just about every two years. But we’d love to do it annually, and hope it could lead into much interest from the NFL. They’re watching us very much. So we have to put on a good show.
Ben Fraser: OK, cool.
Colin: So that’s the idea.
Ben Fraser: Yep. There was an NFL game in Australia, in the past. Was it there, that the Dallas?
Colin: 1999. Yeah, it was preseason though, it didn’t have much atmosphere, you know? You gotta make the game a real game.
Ben Fraser: Yeah! It’s something that means something—an actual game means something.
Colin: Absolutely. This will be the only game then, the only game that night, and the first game; there’s no NFL, it’s the only college game, and it’s the first one. It’s a big deal, mate. That is a BIG DEAL. Just saw a couple Yankies yesterday and they said, ‘Do you realize what an honor that is? This game?” I’m like, “Yeah, I do, but whether the rest of Australia does, though.”
Ben Fraser: The opening game for MLB, the Dodgers and Cardinals was that only 2 years ago.
Colin: Unbelievable, yeah. More merchandise sold in that game than any of the history of any American game.
Ben Fraser: What?
Colin: Yep! We bought more than anything. So, it’s great, we love it. We’ll buy up Hawaii’s stuff. Hawaii’s all cool. It’s great merchandise, you know. And obviously, we have a real big appetite for it, so, yeah.
Ben Fraser: That’s fantastic!
Colin: Yeah, you bet.
Ben Fraser: Cool. Have you been keeping up with anything else, in terms of Australian Gridiron? Any players that, maybe you’re keeping an eye on, maybe for NFL?
Colin: Yeah, a lot of them. Mueller, was University of Hawaii, he signed up as a free agent of the 49ers off the Free Agency. And I think he’s got a really good chance. Just watching Gotsis, you know, with a passion, and I’m staying in touch with him. That’s the best defense, they’re calling, in the history of the NFL, last year. They lost one of their big defensive ends … he’s got a great opportunity to start. That’s really going to be massive, you know. So I’m just really keen to watch those two, and see how they develop, man.
Ben Fraser: Colin, I’ve really appreciated the time, and having the opportunity to the chat with you.
Colin: So have I, appreciate it, mate.
