02-04-2023, 09:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-06-2023, 06:46 AM by Aneeqs. Edited 2 times in total.)
Code:
75/25 in favor of McGriddy
Note this convo was made before the Ultimini.
SH: Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the annual Rookie Showcase here on SHAZAM! with me, your hostest with the mostest, Preston "Shazam" Hefner. It's draft time, and you know what that means - it's the chance for GMs to ogle at the newest toys on the market. We're here with one of those toys right now. If this guy was a toy, I think he'd be one of those big-ass Lego sets, the one it'll take you a long time to solve. He's an enigma, boys and girls. Hopefully that catches on. Anyway, allow me to welcome Mr. Quandale Dingle (@McGriddy10)!
QD: Hey-hey, what’s up Shazam?
SH: I'm great, thanks for asking. It's great every year, whenever I just get to go out there into the thick of it and dive right into what makes these rookies tick. So, let's dive into what makes you tick. You were a Texas kid, right? How was that like? I know the coaches down there are tough on you and all, do you think you'll be able to carry that out onto the field with that hard-hitting defense?
QD: Yeah, I was a Texas kid. It was so much fun playing at the Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium for one of the biggest teams in college football. I will be able to use what I learned from Texas out on the DSFL stage and later the ISFL stage. Those coaches always wanted the best from us, which pushed me to work harder and harder to be the best I could be.
SH: I actually spent a couple days down near Austin working for the Copperheads. It's a beautiful city, hoping they'll bring the hometown kid back.
Anyway, you had a pretty standout year your first year, placing top 5 in the league for interceptions. Your other stats, meanwhile, leave some room to work with. What are your thoughts on this first year? What do you think you can do better?
QD: I was impressed with my first year, but I can definitely improve my passes deflected, as well as my forced fumbles.
SH: Hey, those are always important, especially in a defensive-heavy league. Maybe you can work some magic and intercept some Wendell Sailor passes next season - sure would help with my parlays. Now, you apparently describe yourself as a "football savant". You said before this interview began that you live and breathe this game. Any reason as to why?
QD: My father, Dontavious Dingle, was my coach for all my life and he was also a former safety at the pro level, so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. He always preached to work as hard as you can because there is someone working harder than you and they can out work you in the lineup. I took that lesson and grinded my ass off in the gym and out on the field. Norfolk saw how hard I worked and took a gamble on me. I'd say it is paying off.
SH: Truly is, the way y'all are looking. Top in the South, 9 wins, 5 losses, that truly ain't something to sneeze at. Hell, y'all are going to Vegas to fight the 'Yotes. Y'all prepared for that? You both whooped ass and got your ass whooped the two times y'all fought this season. What are y'all gonna do to make it a 2-1 sweep?
QD: Yeah, we are prepared for this. We are going to shut their offense down. I will be the leading catalyst for Norfolk. Our offense will be lights out and score so many points. And, for the record, I’d love to be in Austin.
SH: Woah, someone's making some claims! Unc, Frazz, if y'all are reading this, someone wants to get paid. Why Austin over any other teams?
QD: Like I said, the culture down in Austin is so enjoyable. I loved every second of my college football career there. The fans are the biggest part in how the teams do. They pour their heart and soul into football, and it fits how I feel. I will always be an Austinite, and Austin will always be a part of me.
SH: Now, being from Texas, I know there's a certain culture down South versus the rest of the country. Buc-ees, Rudy's, Dayne's, all that. Despite this, you're a Charlotte kid through and through. What was it like going from a more idyllic community to straight into the wonders of the Lone Star?
QD: It was a weird change for sure, but I definitely want to thank Charlotte for shaping me. There were a lot of similarities between Austin and Charlotte, like the BBQ and the love for sports.
SH: You can love Texas all you want, but another thing you sure love is TikTok. With over 2 million followers, you're one of the league's most influential users online. We have, however, seen examples of this backfiring, such as with Juju Smith-Schuster during his time in Pittsburgh. My question is, do you fear - or, possibly, embrace - the possibility that you'll become the next Juju?
QD: I fear social media because what happens can't be undone, but I also embrace it because I can spread my name around and get a following to my teams.
SH: Ah. So you don't fear you'll be ridiculed as a social media influencer doing sports?
QD: I will accept whatever happens, and my game will show the haters not to hate.
SH: Right, right, you're game. This is actually a great time to touch on this - what do you feel you bring to the court that other safeties don't have?
QD: I feel that I bring an unmatchable competitive spirit and locker room activity. I will always be chatting up my teammates.
SH: Nice, nice. Now, one last question before we wrap up. You’re an orator. I know that, you know that. For the first time, I’m putting you on a soapbox so you can say whatever you wanna say, starting…now.
QD: I want to say thank you to all my friends back in Charlotte for being there for me during tough times, I wanna say thank you to my teammates in Austin for being the best teammates ever, and lastly I want to thank the 2 most important people in my life, my mom and my dad for everything they did for me when I was a kid. They truly saw a hell of a lot of potential in me.
SH: And scene! Thank you so much to Quandale for coming out here for the rookie showcase. We’re gonna get back to you with more hot rookie action, but until then, I’m Shazam Hefner, and I’ll be seeing you on the next fantabulous episode of SHAZAM!
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