project myu Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Lawrence Taylor: Getting Blitzed L.T. talks breaking legs, prostitutes, steroids, and videogames. by Jon Robinson May 31, 2005 - "Players today are pussies," Lawrence Taylor says, lounging back on a black leather couch, talking trash about whether or not a player today would take a needle to get back on the field like they do in the videogame on the screen in front of him. That game, Blitz: The League, is a racy, rough and radical look at the life of a football player where you're just as likely to score some drugs off the field as score a touchdown on it. A game where broken legs are more common that battered egos. A game where your best tackle might just end any hopes to your opponent's plans of ever fathering a child. This is a game, an experience L.T. not only personifies, but will serve as cover athlete and spokesman for. A game that makes his eyes light up just talking about. "That's fantasy. Nowadays, they don't take no needle. Maybe back in my early years and the years before me that would've happened, but these guys today are pussies. They aren't going to take a needle. They're getting paid too much money. These guys [in Blitz] are more real than the real players." The stories behind Blitz: The League are being written by former "Playmakers" writer Peter Egan, who is ecstatic about seeing his vision live on in a new medium. "It's not 'Playmakers'," says Egan, seemingly transfixed on the polygonal violence occurring on the screen as he talks. "It's a completely new league created specifically for the game. As you know, the NFL nixed 'Playmakers', so here is an opportunity to really bring you in a world and tell a story about characters and take you as a game player through an experience on the field and off the field where each has an impact on the other. You can't do that on TV. There are only five networks now and four out of the five networks have deals with the NFL, so you can't do anything that has the grittier or edgier stuff. So where do you go? You go to the videogame, and it's a game where if this title works, hopefully there will be another game with a whole new set of characters and a whole new experience from a story standpoint." The scene on screen changes quickly from a player taking a knee to the nuts to the cheerleader. "I've seen some risqué sh!t out here," L.T. chimes in, sitting up to check out the models. "Most of the games don't let you focus too much on the cheerleaders, but I've been watching these girls. Damn!" "Maybe they can send prostitutes to your opponent's rooms before a game like you did to make them tired," I tell him. "I would love to have prostitutes in the game," L.T. shoots back. "I would hope that someone would send one to Quentin Sands. Wear his ass out." But does that type of thing still happen in the NFL? "It happens, that's part of life. That stuff happens. I guarantee you that it's still happening today. That's part of football and just having fun and trying to get the edge on your opponent. That's a part of life." The game continues to play and there is a sequence where L.T.'s character dives at the quarterback's legs and snaps one of them in two, eerily reminiscent of the Monday Night Football game where Taylor's tackle of Joe Theismann, a play so vicious in nature, still haunts football fans who can't escape the countless replays. L.T. for one, has never even see it. Then again, he doesn't have to…he lived it. "I've never seen the play. People get hurt all the time in the game of football, it's part of what we do. I've seen a lot worse hits on film. It's funny because the very next morning after I broke his leg, I called him up. I guess his girlfriend or wife at the time answered the phone, and she was like 'Joe, Joe, it's that guy!' Joe got on the phone and told me how I broke both bones in his leg, and I told him that's because I don't do anything half way. If I'm going to break them, I'm going to break them both." The room erupts with laughter, but the comment reminds Egan of why L.T. makes the perfect cover athlete for Blitz. "From the very beginning, when we created the character of Quentin Sands, L.T. was the person who was at the top of my wish list. If we were going to have a real player who does the voice and brings that attitude, he was that guy," says Egan. "He was the perfect guy before we even knew who the character was. He just has this great personality, he's one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform, and if you're going to have anyone stand out in front who was actually a player, and not just any player because this is a rough game. This isn't a finesse game…" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimster Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 wow, what a role model for children everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthcat Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 LT...Mike Tyson... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Give the guy a break and take what he says with a grain of salt . Besides his bad boy persona he really doesn't have anything else to offer anymore. We all know the money he ever made went up his nose and with his name quickly fading into obscurity this may be one of his last paychecks he ever gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 I remember Joe and LT being on good terms... any chance this quote was taken out of context? :whoknows: Not defending LT... but from what I know LT is/was a lot of things, but I don't remember him ever bragging about injuring someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Washington Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 it is what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by zoony I remember Joe and LT being on good terms... any chance this quote was taken out of context? :whoknows: Not defending LT... but from what I know LT is/was a lot of things, but I don't remember him ever bragging about injuring someone. Gallows humor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamSneed36 Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Cocaines a hell of a drug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mookie0720 Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Whatever. Any of you who saw LT's reaction to the injury on the field know that he did not find it humorous, nor did he make a joke of it. Joe has said many times on the air since then that him and LT are on good terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeythetapeworm Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Off topic but is anyone else mildly amused by the google ads for this thread? The sponsored ads get bizarre sometimes when they try to guess. Swim with Broken Leg, Arm The Only True Waterproof Cover! Get Wet with Stay Dry by XeroSox e-leg Laptop Legs In Stock, We Ship Quickly, and Our Profits are Donated to Charity! www.BrokenBeauties.com Fashion Orthopedic Products, Help, Bathing Aids & Broken Bone Info! Redskins items galore Find a vast selection of Washington Redskins products at FansEdge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westbrook36 Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 One of the top 5 defensive players OF ALL TIME. It pains me to say it but it is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatal Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Lawrence is probably the best defensive player of our time. He should have no shame in how he played. His lifestyle might not have been suitable for children. But come on, in his book he talked about sending prostitutes to the other teams runningbacks...... now that is cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scruffylookin Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 I agree, LT's reaction at the time said it all. Besides, it's not like it was some vicious hit that caused the injury. He grabbed Joe and was pulling him down and Joe's leg got caught. In reality, LT did nothing other than make a routine tackle that went horribly wrong. I remember the guy Joe was mad at was Harry Carson. Not because of the play but after the game Harry said something to the effect that it's too bad Joe got hurt because Jay Schroeder came in and beat the Giants. Joe countered that if Harry was a better tackler, he would have brought Joe down prior to LT getting him but Joe was able to escape Carson's attempted tackle before LT grabbed him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budski Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 LT was and is in my mind one the best, drugs or not, he showed up every Sunday, and teams respected his abilites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyKilmer Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by laurent Give the guy a break and take what he says with a grain of salt . Besides his bad boy persona he really doesn't have anything else to offer anymore. We all know the money he ever made went up his nose and with his name quickly fading into obscurity this may be one of his last paychecks he ever gets. He gets a monthly check from the NFL retirment fund in excess of 32,000 a MONTH, O.J. lives off the same thing. LT's lack of class has never been in doubt. However he was the most dominate Defensive player I have ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by Westbrook36 One of the top 5 defensive players OF ALL TIME. It pains me to say it but it is true. No, he was the best defensive player of all time. He was the only defensive player I've ever seen who could carry the entire team and win games singlehandedly. I love your boy Reggie but I never saw him do that... not even close Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by BillyKilmer He gets a monthly check from the NFL retirment fund in excess of 32,000 a MONTH, O.J. lives off the same thing. LT's lack of class has never been in doubt. However he was the most dominate Defensive player I have ever seen. Wow, I had no idea the NFL retirement fund paid out like that. Do you have any idea how those numbers are determined, I'm kind of curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chachie Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by mookie0720 Whatever. Any of you who saw LT's reaction to the injury on the field know that he did not find it humorous, nor did he make a joke of it. Joe has said many times on the air since then that him and LT are on good terms. I saw it happen. Taylor was freaking OUT when he heard the bone break. He got up and animatedly started calling for a medic. He was scared for Theisman and NOT celebrating. P.S.- The Redskins won that game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chachie Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by SamSneed36 Cocaines a hell of a drug :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiveStrongSkins Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by mookie0720 Whatever. Any of you who saw LT's reaction to the injury on the field know that he did not find it humorous, nor did he make a joke of it. Joe has said many times on the air since then that him and LT are on good terms. This is what i thought as well. Taylor looked scared out of his mind on those tapes when Joe was hurt. The comment about not doing anything half way is something him and joe have probably laughed at together.:2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In Flames Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 Originally posted by mookie0720 Whatever. Any of you who saw LT's reaction to the injury on the field know that he did not find it humorous, nor did he make a joke of it. Joe has said many times on the air since then that him and LT are on good terms. apparently we were the only 2 who saw it happen, cause i remember LT waving desperatly at the sideline to get some medical people there!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaSkin Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 I've heard Joe tell the story about the 'not doing anything halfway' bit. He thought it was funny. There's a context to it. He wasn't making light of the injury or revelling in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 I seriously doubt LT meant to cause the injury or thought it was funny. As noted above, his reaction on the field proved that, and as this article points out, he called Joe the next day, a classy move. Now we've all visited friends in the hospital in when they're all broke up, and usually, a little humor is attempted to try to comfort the person or the visitor. I see it as nothing more than that. ESPECIALLY in the case of a guy as competitive as Theismann. LT and Theismann have never made any secret of their mutual respect and admiration for the other.. with the battles the had, they'd have had to. Last preseason, Jeff Bostic did color on the Redskins games, bad bad bad,,, BUT one night Theismann happened to be there as well, and they talked for about fifteen minutes about that play, and what happened. Very candid, very interesting, considering the relationship between QB asnd Center. I've never heard either of them talk about that night as off the cuff as they did during that preseason game. Bostic said that he looked down at Theismann and kept telling him he was going to be fine.. (I kept picturing Yosarian from Catch 22... "there there... there there..") Joe said Gibbs ran out, took one look at him, and said "Joe you've left me in a hell of a bind here." Now, does this mean that Gibbs was being callous and crass as some suggest LT was being with his phone call? Or maybe a little attempt at levity to distract a seriously injured man from the gravity of his situation? I see LT as an unfortunate case. Much like I see Dexter Manley he is a guy with tremendous ability, terrific passion and a gigantic weakness. Considering in the 80s practically everyone with a few bucks did some coke, I try not to hold it against him. It was bad, and he shouldn't have done it, and it made him into a really lousy person, but people make mistakes. I'ts how they handle themselves after they make their mistakes is what's important in the present. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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