04-16-2023, 08:00 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-21-2023, 02:10 AM by xenosthelegend. Edited 1 time in total.)
I was able to sit down for an exclusive interview with DSFL MOP, DPotY, & MVP Bruce White to talk about his upbringing, how he handled immediate success in the DSFL, his feeling on being drafted 6th overall in the ISFL draft, and his friendship with fellow rookie Rico Savage.
TheRake: Bruce, before we dive in, just want to say congratulations on your very successful rookie DSFL campaign where you tied the DSFL single season sack record and made it all the way to the Ultimini! As we head into the ISFL draft can you just tell me how you feel overall about your season?
Bruce White: First of all, I'd like to say thank you and also tell myself congratulations on a very successful rookie campaign in the DSFL. I feel pretty good about the season overall obviously I wish things would have gone a little bit differently in the Ultimini, but sometimes that's the way the cookie crumbles you know what I mean. it's weird trying to be satisfied with a season where you see so much success but you don't quite reach the level of success that you wanted to reach if that makes sense. Obviously, I was very very close to Breaking the DSFL sack record and Portland as a team was very close to winning the Ultimini. I mean we had that game in the bag don't you agree? to have that kind of a lead and to just give it up it was tough to handle especially since it was on us as a defense to try to stop that Bondi Beach offense from cooking and they cooked on us. but failure leads to success and with failure, we truly learn who we are and we learn how to become the people that we need to become to find the ultimate success I really believe that. so I feel good about the season overall I feel good about the success we have I feel great about my Portland Python teammates, I just wish things would have shaken out a bit differently.
TR: Now that we’ve caught up with the most recent news, let’s go back in time. Tell me about growing up in Dumas, Texas on your grandfather’s cattle ranch. As many are well aware, both of your parents died in a freak boating accident when you were 11 years old. How did that affect your work ethic and make you into the man you are today?
BW: Well, growing up on a cattle ranch is just a different life. You know a lot of people ask me all the time if it’s as hard playing professional football and college football and I don't know how to make them understand it's a cakewalk compared to what I had to do with my grandpappy. I used to wake up at 3 in the morning just to get ready for the day. Sometimes I wouldn't go to bed until 10 or 11 at night just tp get up 3 in the morning the next day and go back at it again. Spend all your days taking care of the land, taking care of the cattle, taking care of the horses, and you barely have any time for yourself. On top of that, I had to make sure that I took care of school, played football, practiced, lifted weights, most of the ranching helped with the weights part, but it was still difficult to juggle it all. So when people ask me if the ISFL and the DSFL are hard work, I tell them, nah this is the easy part of my life. You know losing my parents at such a young age, you deal with that kind of grief, you deal with that kind of trauma and it changes you. There's a part of you that's just gone forever and it's a weird feeling being 11-12 years old and understanding sometimes you're going to be happy and sometimes you're going to be sad. You grieve the loss of the people that you loved, but once you accept that they're gone, they're not coming back anymore, and you try to remember who they were and what they meant to you it makes things a hell of a lot easier I can tell you that.
TR: Let’s move on to your college years, there was a bit of a hullabaloo on campus almost as soon as you arrived being the #2 high school recruit in the country yet the coaching staff at A&M refused to name you a full time starter until midway through the season. Can you tell us how that made you feel and if you had any ill will toward the coaching staff, particularly the Head Coach?
Well the beautiful thing about growing up understanding what hard work means and that sometimes it takes time to get to where you want to be, I think it helped me cope with not getting the starting job as soon as I got to Texas A&M. There's always a pecking order in things. there's always a chain of command that you have to work your way up you have to earn people's trust and that's just what that was for me I had to earn the trust of the coaching staff. I had to earn the trust of my teammates. and most importantly I had to earn my own trust to show myself that I could do this at a higher level than High School but man once I got on the field it was over for everybody else.
TR: After two dominant seasons as a starter, many considered you a top draft pick heading into the DSFL. Was being drafted at 4 overall a surprise? Did it give you extra motivation for the upcoming season?
I was just happy to be drafted. I think getting drafted at 4th overall put me in the perfect position. The level of immediate success I had in the DSFL probably wouldn’t have been achieved if I didn’t go to Portland, so I’m thankful that the draft shook out that way. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have made as much noise in the DSFL as I did this past season.
TR: As the season went on, it became more and more apparent that you were well within reach of the DSFL single season sack record. Was breaking the record your number one priority during the season?
You know I would have loved to have broken that single-season sack record I would have absolutely loved it. you know Rico Savage and I, we've been buddies for a while now and it's just one more thing that I could rub in his face all these accolades and awards that I've been winning and high school and college now at the DSFL level and soon to be at the ISFL level it's really just a lot of accolades that I can throw on Rico's face so breaking the single-season sack record would have just been one more of those things but ultimately the Ultimini was the one thing on my mind. the single-season sack record the awards that's not just mine. All those accolades belong to my teammates too especially my teammates on that Python defense there is no way I would even come close to Breaking that single-season sack record if it weren't for those boys on that defense. I would be remiss if I didn't shout out those Python Defenders, who will forever be my brothers in the trenches and out.
TR: Going into that regular season finale, you had tied the record and needed only 1 more sack to become the sole record holder. As we know now, Norfolk did everything in their power to keep you from getting it. How did it make you feel to come up short?
Are you asking me if it surprises me that Rico Savage did everything he could to stop me from getting the single-season sack record? No. That is the least surprising thing anybody can bring to my attention in the history of the universe that has been created. I'm not surprised that Norfolk did whatever it could to stop me, because let's be honest, I am an absolute tyrant on that field. But to know that Rico was on the other side in that war room plan and against me and plotting against me like he always does… well I'm not surprised.
TR: The Pythons had a great season, due in large part to their dominant defensive line led by you. As we head into the ISFL draft, you have once again positioned yourself to be a top pick. Are there any particular teams you hope draft you? Are you looking to become an immediate starter or would you like another shot at the DSFL sack record?
Well, I have a little bit of news for you it looks like old Bruce why it's going to be moving up to the iso doesn't look like I'm going to be able to run it back at the DSFL level. but I'm excited to move up to my ISFL team getting drafted six overall by the New Orleans second line was absolutely amazing. you know this draft class had a lot of talent in it a lot of players who could have gone number one overall so the fact that I even went in the first round is amazing in my opinion. There was a small part of me that was kind of hoping that things would shake out with those back-to-back New Orleans pics but I'm excited to be going there with Ezra Azazel who is an incredible cornerback who played against him multiple times at the DSFL level and that dude just makes plays all over the field so to be able to head to an already Stout New Orleans defense with him is exciting. There's a small part of me that's going to miss my Python Brothers and I wish I could try to run it back one more time to try to get that single-season sack record but I'm happy with where I'm at and where I'm moving and I'm excited to move on and try to win an Ultimus with my brand new ISFL New Orleans brethren. Plus I am very excited about those beignets. that's the first thing I'm doing when I get to New Orleans is eating a pile of beignets. By the end of that day, they're going to call me Beignet Bruce, the Cajun Cowboy.
TR: Tell me about your unique friendship with fellow DSFL player and blue chip ISFL prospect Rico Savage. It was during your Senior year in high school at a Nike national football camp where you two first met. The way Rico tells it, you two bumped heads early on jockeying to be the leader of the Defensive squad; however, mutual respect quickly formed and you two became fast friends and the talk of camp as members of one of the most dominant Defense in camp history. What would it mean to be drafted onto the same team together?
You know my relationship with Rico is a unique one. like you said there is a massive amount of mutual respect between the two of us but I don't think I have ever been as competitive with any of my other friends as I am with Rico Savage. I absolutely would have loved to have been drafted to the same team as him and who knows what's in the cards. Maybe one day we'll get to play together, but all I know is right now the RICO Savage is my brother and he will be until the day that I die. Our friendship is one that constantly makes each other better and yeah we butt heads a little bit at first, but we quickly realize we were stronger being leaders together than we were apart. I'd do anything for that man and I know he'd do anything for me except for I don't know let me get the single-season sack record you, damn bastard. if you're reading this Rico I'm coming for you, you son of a bitch. Nah, but in all seriousness, I'm really excited that Rico got drafted to Chicago I know that's a place that he wanted to go and I think he's going to have a very very successful Hall of Fame career and I would really, really love to see him in the Hall of Fame with me someday.
TheRake: Bruce, before we dive in, just want to say congratulations on your very successful rookie DSFL campaign where you tied the DSFL single season sack record and made it all the way to the Ultimini! As we head into the ISFL draft can you just tell me how you feel overall about your season?
Bruce White: First of all, I'd like to say thank you and also tell myself congratulations on a very successful rookie campaign in the DSFL. I feel pretty good about the season overall obviously I wish things would have gone a little bit differently in the Ultimini, but sometimes that's the way the cookie crumbles you know what I mean. it's weird trying to be satisfied with a season where you see so much success but you don't quite reach the level of success that you wanted to reach if that makes sense. Obviously, I was very very close to Breaking the DSFL sack record and Portland as a team was very close to winning the Ultimini. I mean we had that game in the bag don't you agree? to have that kind of a lead and to just give it up it was tough to handle especially since it was on us as a defense to try to stop that Bondi Beach offense from cooking and they cooked on us. but failure leads to success and with failure, we truly learn who we are and we learn how to become the people that we need to become to find the ultimate success I really believe that. so I feel good about the season overall I feel good about the success we have I feel great about my Portland Python teammates, I just wish things would have shaken out a bit differently.
TR: Now that we’ve caught up with the most recent news, let’s go back in time. Tell me about growing up in Dumas, Texas on your grandfather’s cattle ranch. As many are well aware, both of your parents died in a freak boating accident when you were 11 years old. How did that affect your work ethic and make you into the man you are today?
BW: Well, growing up on a cattle ranch is just a different life. You know a lot of people ask me all the time if it’s as hard playing professional football and college football and I don't know how to make them understand it's a cakewalk compared to what I had to do with my grandpappy. I used to wake up at 3 in the morning just to get ready for the day. Sometimes I wouldn't go to bed until 10 or 11 at night just tp get up 3 in the morning the next day and go back at it again. Spend all your days taking care of the land, taking care of the cattle, taking care of the horses, and you barely have any time for yourself. On top of that, I had to make sure that I took care of school, played football, practiced, lifted weights, most of the ranching helped with the weights part, but it was still difficult to juggle it all. So when people ask me if the ISFL and the DSFL are hard work, I tell them, nah this is the easy part of my life. You know losing my parents at such a young age, you deal with that kind of grief, you deal with that kind of trauma and it changes you. There's a part of you that's just gone forever and it's a weird feeling being 11-12 years old and understanding sometimes you're going to be happy and sometimes you're going to be sad. You grieve the loss of the people that you loved, but once you accept that they're gone, they're not coming back anymore, and you try to remember who they were and what they meant to you it makes things a hell of a lot easier I can tell you that.
TR: Let’s move on to your college years, there was a bit of a hullabaloo on campus almost as soon as you arrived being the #2 high school recruit in the country yet the coaching staff at A&M refused to name you a full time starter until midway through the season. Can you tell us how that made you feel and if you had any ill will toward the coaching staff, particularly the Head Coach?
Well the beautiful thing about growing up understanding what hard work means and that sometimes it takes time to get to where you want to be, I think it helped me cope with not getting the starting job as soon as I got to Texas A&M. There's always a pecking order in things. there's always a chain of command that you have to work your way up you have to earn people's trust and that's just what that was for me I had to earn the trust of the coaching staff. I had to earn the trust of my teammates. and most importantly I had to earn my own trust to show myself that I could do this at a higher level than High School but man once I got on the field it was over for everybody else.
TR: After two dominant seasons as a starter, many considered you a top draft pick heading into the DSFL. Was being drafted at 4 overall a surprise? Did it give you extra motivation for the upcoming season?
I was just happy to be drafted. I think getting drafted at 4th overall put me in the perfect position. The level of immediate success I had in the DSFL probably wouldn’t have been achieved if I didn’t go to Portland, so I’m thankful that the draft shook out that way. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have made as much noise in the DSFL as I did this past season.
TR: As the season went on, it became more and more apparent that you were well within reach of the DSFL single season sack record. Was breaking the record your number one priority during the season?
You know I would have loved to have broken that single-season sack record I would have absolutely loved it. you know Rico Savage and I, we've been buddies for a while now and it's just one more thing that I could rub in his face all these accolades and awards that I've been winning and high school and college now at the DSFL level and soon to be at the ISFL level it's really just a lot of accolades that I can throw on Rico's face so breaking the single-season sack record would have just been one more of those things but ultimately the Ultimini was the one thing on my mind. the single-season sack record the awards that's not just mine. All those accolades belong to my teammates too especially my teammates on that Python defense there is no way I would even come close to Breaking that single-season sack record if it weren't for those boys on that defense. I would be remiss if I didn't shout out those Python Defenders, who will forever be my brothers in the trenches and out.
TR: Going into that regular season finale, you had tied the record and needed only 1 more sack to become the sole record holder. As we know now, Norfolk did everything in their power to keep you from getting it. How did it make you feel to come up short?
Are you asking me if it surprises me that Rico Savage did everything he could to stop me from getting the single-season sack record? No. That is the least surprising thing anybody can bring to my attention in the history of the universe that has been created. I'm not surprised that Norfolk did whatever it could to stop me, because let's be honest, I am an absolute tyrant on that field. But to know that Rico was on the other side in that war room plan and against me and plotting against me like he always does… well I'm not surprised.
TR: The Pythons had a great season, due in large part to their dominant defensive line led by you. As we head into the ISFL draft, you have once again positioned yourself to be a top pick. Are there any particular teams you hope draft you? Are you looking to become an immediate starter or would you like another shot at the DSFL sack record?
Well, I have a little bit of news for you it looks like old Bruce why it's going to be moving up to the iso doesn't look like I'm going to be able to run it back at the DSFL level. but I'm excited to move up to my ISFL team getting drafted six overall by the New Orleans second line was absolutely amazing. you know this draft class had a lot of talent in it a lot of players who could have gone number one overall so the fact that I even went in the first round is amazing in my opinion. There was a small part of me that was kind of hoping that things would shake out with those back-to-back New Orleans pics but I'm excited to be going there with Ezra Azazel who is an incredible cornerback who played against him multiple times at the DSFL level and that dude just makes plays all over the field so to be able to head to an already Stout New Orleans defense with him is exciting. There's a small part of me that's going to miss my Python Brothers and I wish I could try to run it back one more time to try to get that single-season sack record but I'm happy with where I'm at and where I'm moving and I'm excited to move on and try to win an Ultimus with my brand new ISFL New Orleans brethren. Plus I am very excited about those beignets. that's the first thing I'm doing when I get to New Orleans is eating a pile of beignets. By the end of that day, they're going to call me Beignet Bruce, the Cajun Cowboy.
TR: Tell me about your unique friendship with fellow DSFL player and blue chip ISFL prospect Rico Savage. It was during your Senior year in high school at a Nike national football camp where you two first met. The way Rico tells it, you two bumped heads early on jockeying to be the leader of the Defensive squad; however, mutual respect quickly formed and you two became fast friends and the talk of camp as members of one of the most dominant Defense in camp history. What would it mean to be drafted onto the same team together?
You know my relationship with Rico is a unique one. like you said there is a massive amount of mutual respect between the two of us but I don't think I have ever been as competitive with any of my other friends as I am with Rico Savage. I absolutely would have loved to have been drafted to the same team as him and who knows what's in the cards. Maybe one day we'll get to play together, but all I know is right now the RICO Savage is my brother and he will be until the day that I die. Our friendship is one that constantly makes each other better and yeah we butt heads a little bit at first, but we quickly realize we were stronger being leaders together than we were apart. I'd do anything for that man and I know he'd do anything for me except for I don't know let me get the single-season sack record you, damn bastard. if you're reading this Rico I'm coming for you, you son of a bitch. Nah, but in all seriousness, I'm really excited that Rico got drafted to Chicago I know that's a place that he wanted to go and I think he's going to have a very very successful Hall of Fame career and I would really, really love to see him in the Hall of Fame with me someday.
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