Dawgs By Nature

Ready to hear something completely shocking?  Joshua Cribbs is awesome.  

Joshua Cribbs is working with the G Series Mobile Locker Room.  Gatorade has turned a 18-wheeler into a Pro Football Locker Room on wheels.  They are taking it around the nation and stopping at 8 different high schools to allow the kids to see the locker room and use it for a week.  Also, they will be bringing in scientists and athletes to discuss with the students the importance of staying properly hydrated while working out.  This week the mobile locker room is at Medina High School.  They will be given the new line of Gatorade products and also get the chance to meet Josh Cribbs. 

If you are interested in the new Gatorade products here is the link.

Luckily enough, I was given a few minutes with Josh to discuss his work with Gatorade and some other topics with about Browns and the NFL.

Josh, tell us about your work with Gatorade.

This is all about awareness.  When you are working out like we do, recovery is important.  You need energy before and after when you work out.  I am happy to come in here with my personal experience and let these kids know what you have to do to recover.  These products from Gatorade are the same stuff we use in the Browns locker room.  It's really cool.

With all the good work that you do in your community, like this, does it bother you to see other players in the NFL in the headlines for getting into trouble?

Yeah it does.  These guys are given such great gifts from God and they are mis-using their talents.  We are on a stage for everyone to see.  Everything we do is viewed through such a microscope.  That is why I am glad our commissioner is doing his best to clean this up.  As NFL players, we are told from day one that we are held to a higher standard.  These guys know that they need to stay out of trouble.  From my experiences, if you are working on your game and doing the right things in your community, you don't have extra time to be doing the wrong things.

As you know the draft is this weekend, does it bother you to see these rookies getting all this money before they even play a down in this league?

It doesn't, it actually drives me.  It makes me take my game to another level.  The team is drafting a player who is going to come in here and take my job.  The NFL stands for Not For Long.  I remind myself of that.  It puts a chip on my shoulder and makes me want to prove every day that I am better than these guys and I have to keep proving myself and the team.

What kind of interactions do you have with the rookies?

The team asks me to speak to the rookies every year.  I let them know how much of an uphill battle they have.  I stress to them, especially the undrafted players, that they have to take advantage of opportunities no matter how they get them.  

With your new contract, has Holmgren and Mangini given you any idea on how you will be used in the offense this year?

Oh man, it's going to be awesome.  The addition of Seneca Wallace is going to be such a great addition to the Flash Package.  It is going to allow me to be much more of a playmaker.  I have been lining up all over the place, I have even met with the RB coach a couple of times.  I can't wait to start getting some of these plays on the field.  I may even get to throw some more out of the Flash.

What will Jake Delhomme bring to this team?

He is in here every day working his butt off.  His physical ability speaks for itself, but what really impresses me is his leadership.  He is in here leading by example.  He is going to a great job in bringing along a young player and teaching him to lead a team. [This question was asked before the Browns drafted Colt McCoy]

I have to ask, do you think that Brady Quinn got a fair shot at being this franchises quarterback?

Like I said before, in this league you have to perform when you get that chance.  If that means in a game, great.  If you aren't getting into games, you have to make your mark in practice.  Make the coaches put you in the game.  So if you think about it in that sense, yeah Brady Quinn got his shot to be the Browns QB.

Who is the most famous person in your cell phone?

[Laughs] I would have to say Prime [Deion Sanders].  I talk to him often, he is actually trying to make me switch to Under Armour right now.

Josh Cribbs makes it easy to be a Browns fan.  If every football player carried themselves like Josh Cribbs, being a NFL fan would be an easier task.  Every time you hear about a Pac Man or a Mike Vick, remind yourself that we have a Josh Cribbs.

Pittsburgh can keep their Big Ben's, we will keep our Cribbs.