QuoteASK THE EAGLES: SHAWN ANDREWS
September 6, 2005
It's back! PhiladelphiaEagles.com has once again given you - the fans - the chance to ask your favorite Eagles about anything. This week, offensive guard Shawn Andrews answers everything from his injury rehab to questions about Philly cheesesteaks. Read ahead, and you might even find a question that you submitted...
Dean asks: How hard is it to block for a quarterback like Donovan who can scramble all over the place?
Shawn says: "I won't say that it's hard because I'm kind of used to a quarterback scrambling from blocking for Matt Jones in college because he would bring it down and take off instantly and you always have to be prepared for that. It's a matter of getting yourself conditioned to know kind of where your quarterback is going to be at a certain time."
Stephen asks: With your ability to move people, should the team run the ball more?
Shawn says: "My job is to protect and to be able to block for when we do run the ball. I guess it's at the liberty of the coaches for when they want to run the ball. When they do run the ball I'll be ready."
Dennis asks: I see you have a passion for music. What kind of music are you into and do you play an instrument?
Shawn says: "I love all types of music. I'm very diverse -- I like country, I like alternative, I like a little rock every now and then, a little hip-hop, and a little jazz. I play the drums and I also play the tuba. In fact, I was in a band from middle school to my first year in high school. It was fun."
John asks: How do you like the Philly cheesesteaks???
Shawn says: "I can't really find a word to describe them. I love them to death. If I could -- if I was one of those smaller guys that had a metabolism -- I probably would eat them three or four times a day." :-D
Andrew asks: How much do you bench?
Shawn says: "Last time I benched I got 570." Holy Crap! :o
Shawn asks: What kind of diet do you require to maintain your physique???
Shawn says: "Right now, I'm not happy with my physique at the present time. But I'm working and I'm losing weight, so that's a plus. Now that my mom is up here, she prepares tuna sandwiches for me, she makes baked chicken and rice in the evening time. For breakfast, I'll eat a bagel with peanut butter or some egg whites. And drink lots of water."
Eric asks: I remember that you had a breathing problem that was corrected before last season. Did you live with that your whole life?
Shawn says: "Basically I did, yes."
William asks: What was the first thought that came to your mind after the injury and did you fear that you would not be the same player coming back from having the entire season off?
Shawn says: "There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I couldn't come back and pick up where I left off. It was just a matter of being nervous about 'am I going to get back to 100 percent and if I don't, where is that going to lead me.' Fortunately, I have a second chance and I'm back to where I was and I'm excited."
Jimmy asks: What values did you rely on to help you deal with the adversity?
Shawn says: "The first thought was 'ok, it's a broken leg.' Once the doctors said after surgery that everything lined up well I was excited.
"Then I knew it was up to me to do my rehab 100 percent of the time, never miss a day, and still going to my meetings because I knew in my mind that I was going to get back on the field."
John asks: Without giving the company line, who is honestly the hardest Eagle to block against?
Shawn says: "I would say Hollis Thomas because he's a shorter guy, he has a lower center of gravity and he's just a big, strong guy. If you're not careful, he'll get under your pads and blow you back into the quarterback."
Altoona Eagles asks: What portion of Juan Castillo's blocking scheme is/was the most difficult for you to master?
Shawn says: "I would probably say the pass protection because I moved from tackle to guard. The whole backing over thing for me was kind of tough.
"In fact, it's still kind of rusty a little bit from last year, but I'm getting better. It's a matter of going back at an angle 45 to prevent your shoulders from turning and cutting the corner so the guy won't get a sack."
Doug asks: What is it truly like in the trenches? Are people talking? Can you hear screams of pain? What is really going on in there?
Shawn says: "It's a lot of grunting, a lot of snorting, a lot of calls amongst the offensive line. We're all like one when we're down in the trenches because we have to let each other know what's going on. If there's one weak link in the line then that could cost us a sack.
Charles asks: Who was the person you looked up to as a role model while growing up?
Shawn says: "I looked up to my mom because she was hard-working. She took care of three guys by herself. She always taught us to never give up. She showed that as well as taught us that."
The Lehigh sign makers ask: You have a bunch of tattoos. What is your favorite tattoo and why?
Shawn says: "The one on my left arm, with the names of my mom, my oldest brother and my middle brother above a cross that I have here which kind of keep us together because we all have faith. We're all we have.
"That's all I've ever had, that's all we ever had, is each other. That's what I look down at every play. That's what I go out with every play."
good stuff. That cheesesteak line is classic.
He's big.
I can't even conceive of benching 570 pounds. That's six 45 pound plates on either side plus the bar give or take.
That's a strong motherfarger right there.
I'd give him a big man hug if I could be sure he wouldn't fall for my irresistible charm.
Psh. Whatever. I can bench 215 and squat a mean 136 lbs. I'd like to see him throw around those weights.
His laundry might weigh 136.
Quote from: General_Failure on September 06, 2005, 07:00:28 PM
His laundry might weigh 136.
His Thanksgiving turkey probably weighs 136.
Before the stuffing.
I like how he eats only the egg whites.Watch those fatty yolks Shawn ::)
Quote from: BobbyT on September 06, 2005, 07:46:21 PM
I like how he eats only the egg whites.Watch those fatty yolks Shawn ::)
Are you trying to be sarcastic? Because I don't get it.
I think he was trying to be funny. And failed. Badly.
Quote from: PhillyGirl on September 06, 2005, 07:48:09 PM
Quote from: BobbyT on September 06, 2005, 07:46:21 PM
I like how he eats only the egg whites.Watch those fatty yolks Shawn ::)
Are you trying to be sarcastic? Because I don't get it.
You and Dio are sarcastically challenged today.
;D
Quote from: PhillyGirl on September 06, 2005, 07:48:09 PM
Quote from: BobbyT on September 06, 2005, 07:46:21 PM
I like how he eats only the egg whites.Watch those fatty yolks Shawn ::)
Are you trying to be sarcastic? Because I don't get it.
No, it's because the yolks are high in cholesterol & avoiding the yolks is a good part of a healthy balanaced diet...meany. ::)
Quote from: MDS on September 06, 2005, 08:01:24 PM
I think he was trying to be funny. And failed. Badly.
It wasn't funny at all, that's why I didn't get it. Was he trying to be funny? Was he trying to be serious?
Not sure. Which is why I asked.