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+---- Thread: *Interview with MINN slot receiver, Calvin Spiff (/showthread.php?tid=39631)
*Interview with MINN slot receiver, Calvin Spiff - domffl - 06-03-2022
I had the absolute honor of sitting down with DSFL up and comer Calvin Spiff to ask some questions about the future of his career and and how he got to the ISFL/DSFL today. He was an absolute delight to speak with and showed that he is a young man that was raised to show respect to others. Before we dive into the question and answer portion, allow me to give you some background on young Spiff: Calvin Spiff was drafted in the 3rd round of the S36 draft to the Yellowknife Wraiths after spending only one season in the DSFL on the Minnesota Grey Ducks. The Wraiths loved their interview with him and decided that he was a prospect that they wanted to lock up early before he became a hot commodity in a later draft year. However, the Wraiths asked Spiff to stay in the DSFL for a couple more seasons to continue to build up his TPE for when he gets his number called up to play in the big leagues. Spiff made it abundantly clear that he is a team-player by agreeing to stay on the Grey Ducks for as long as the Wraiths would like. Both the Wraiths and the Grey Ducks happily agreed to Spiff's decision to stay down. The Grey Ducks get a maxed WR for another few seasons and the Wraiths can count on a WR to be called up when some of their older, regressing WRs retire. The Minnesota Grey Ducks expressed their appreciation for Spiff's willingness and team-centered spirit by naming him the S36 Offensive Team Captain.
QUESTION AND ANSWER
Q: Are there any short-term goals you'd like to accomplish in the next few months to a couple of years?
A: To be completely honest with you, I'm really just keeping my head down and working as hard as I can day in and day out to earn my dues. My "goal" at the moment is to just get better every single day. If I start looking too far down the line, I can start to get lazy or even get overwhelmed that I'm not where I want to be in my progression. But since I've already hit the DSFL cap, I suppose if I had to make a short-term goal, it's to make as much money as I can doing side jobs and media appearances so that I can afford the most elite training and equipment when I get into the ISFL on a consistent basis.
Q: How did you end up playing in the ISFL?
A: Yeah, so, I was actually scouted out of high school as a soccer player. But once I got to college, I was asked to try out as the UAB football team as the kicker. During tryouts, I was throwing the football to warm up some of the QBs when one of the WRs running routes for a QB drill went down with an injury. Instead of interrupting the other position drills, the QB coach asked me to step in and run routes. During those drills, I apparently turned enough heads for the WR coach to pull me into his group for WR drills the next day of try outs. From then on, I was in the WR group and ended up making the team. I played all 4 years at UAB while getting my History degree.
Q: Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of sports?
A: Absolutely. I am a huge board game nerd. I love getting a group together to play a good game of Pandemic, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, or even some party games like Mafia or One Night Werewolf. I spend some time playing Xbox with some of my friends back home. Minnesota is a long ways from Birmingham, Alabama. Other than that, I really love playing any sort of recreational sports--Spikeball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, basketball, etc. Anything that gets requires teamwork. Nothing is better than working with someone else to achieve a common goal.
Q: Is there an ISFL Wide Receiver that you look up to as a role model? If so, why?
A: Yeah, I do. Honestly, it's my teammate, Bern D. Brot (@teddyoojo). It might sound cheesy, but I am very much looking forward to sharing a locker room and lining up next to him on the field. He is the league's current reception leader and has been a consistent focal point in the Wraiths offense for several years. I'm extremely honored to learn from him for the next several seasons in Yellowknife.
Q: What are your preferred pre-game, locker room, and post-game routines?
A: Excellent question. I'll try to break it down as best as I can. For the pre-game, I always get to the stadium early. Nothing stresses me out more than the feeling of being late. I want to be one of the first ones there so that I can get used to my surroundings and feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. From there, I like to listen to some pump up music and do a bit of warm-up stretches. I've created a playlist routine that I've memorized so that I know exactly how long to do each warm up by which song I am listening to. In the locker room, I like to keep the conversations on topic for the game. I've found that if I get off on tangents before the game, I am easily distracted during the game. So I have to keep my mind focused on the game at hand and any strategies that the captains and GMs have come up with for that specific game. For post-game routines, I'd have to say that I like to keep it light. I am a very competitive person in the moment, but over the years, I've learned to let in-game grudges go and to focus on the next thing instead of letting a specific negative moment plague me for the rest of the night/week. So I like to spend time with family/friends and let the game go, win or lose.
Q: What do you believe to be one of your weaknesses and what are you doing to improve it?
A: Probably my biggest weakness is just my top-end speed. I know pace is something that the ISFL like to hype up and over-value, but it also is legitimately something I have to improve on if I want to keep up with the corners in the big leagues. No disrespect to DSFL corners, but they have the same cap that I do. But once I get called up, there is no cap. The competition gets exponentially tougher. I have to be ready.
Q: How have the past teams you've been on made you a better player?
A: Well, unlike most of the professional players, I didn't start playing football until just a few years ago in college. So I only have so many coaches and teams to think back on, haha. My time at UAB was how I developed all of my fundamentals, but I think the most formative time of my career is the season I am in right now. Being with the Grey Ducks has been absolutely irreplaceable in terms of learning the ins and outs of the league. I've received so much advice and help from my rookie mentor (shoutout to @TubaDeus), team GMs, and the veteran players on the team. I'm sure @Painted could attest to just how far I've come in just a season or two, haha.
Q: Describe your major highlights and achievements in football in the past.
A: Because my football career started much later than most, there haven't been a lot of trophies that I can put on a shelf. But I was able to help UAB win the C-USA title twice during my junior and senior year. I was given the C-USA player of the year award during my senior year. And while we were so extremely close to an Ultimini my rookie season in Minnesota, the best accolade in the professional league that I can claim is being drafted after my rookie DSFL season.
Q: Do you have any goals for racking up individual awards?
A: Honestly, no. I want to be known as one of the winningest WRs in ISFL history, doing my part to deliver my franchise to multiple titles. The trophies I want are team trophies. If I happen to stumble into individual trophies along the way, that's fine by me. But my sights are set on the trophy that matters: the Ultimus.
Q: Thank you for your time. Is there anything you want to end with to share with the readers?
A: Of course! Thank you so much for choosing me. I'm honored...Uhm, I suppose I want to say to the new DSFL players out there: don't give up. Making money and earning TPE can seem like a tall task, especially when you see the TPE leaders with over 1.5k. But they got there the same way that you and I will: hard work, dedication, and balancing their priorities. Continue to work, stay humble, and let your hard work do the talking for you, not your mouth.
It was a real pleasure to get to spend some time with one of the current DSFL greats. His attitude and humility were unlike any other player I've ever interviewed. If you haven't had the opportunity to spend some time with the young man, I highly suggest you make it happen. You won't regret it.