Q & A: Ex-UGA star Pollack looks back -- and ahead

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Q & A: Ex-UGA star Pollack looks back -- and ahead[/b][/size]

By CHIP TOWERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 10/25/07

The irony is not lost on David Pollack. As his legend grew as a star defensive end at the University of Georgia he became weary — and sometimes wary — of his media obligations. Now sidelined from his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals because of a potentially career-ending neck injury, Pollack finds himself on the other side of the microphone. He is now a college football analyst for CSTV, which brings its traveling road show — "Chick-fil-A SEC Tailgate" — to Jacksonville to preview the Georgia-Florida game on Saturday. The show airs weekly from noon to 1 p.m. from the site of the CBS SEC game of the week and can be seen in Atlanta via satellite on DirecTV Channel 610 and Dish Network Channel 152. Staff writer Chip Towers caught up with Pollack via telephone Thursday afternoon.

[b]Q: How does it feel to be on the other side of the microphone?

A:[/b] It's kind of weird. I like what I do. In my aspect of it, I'm not interviewing people or calling people. I can just sit there and talk football. It's so good to sit back and watch tape on teams and see what I see and tell people about it. I think from playing football for so long I know a little more than your average fan out there and I'm able to point out things to them, which is cool. And I get to see SEC games, which I grew up watching and playing in, which is super cool. I love what I'm doing right now.

[b]Q: Do you think this is where your career is headed if you're unable to keep playing football?

A: [/b]I definitely could see myself doing it. I enjoy it. It's a unique challenge. I'm not as good at it as I'd like to be. I don't speak as concisely as I'd like or make my points as well as I'd like to. But it's a new challenge and it keeps me close to SEC football, which I love.

[b]Q: How do you feel about returning to Jacksonville?

A:[/b] It's going to be awesome. It's the first Georgia game I've gotten to do so that's really cool. And I've never seen The Landing and the tailgate atmosphere that everybody talks about in the Georgia-Florida game. I finally get to see it so that will be good.

[b]Q: You guys almost ran the table in 2002 except for a 20-13 loss to Florida. What do you remember about that game?

A: [/b]It was my sophomore year and we were undefeated coming in. They kept running screen passes the whole game and I read the screen pass and I just jumped up and caught the ball. I intercepted it. It was one of my prouder moments because I made three people miss before I broke into the open, so I was able to display my running back skills a little bit. I caught it on about the 5-yard-line — they were about to score — and I handed it to Sean Jones at about the 50. I wasn't going to make it. I was so tired. I was like, 'Here ya go, Sean, take it.' And Sean actually ran it all the way back.

[b]Q: Yeah, but they called it back. They ruled it was a forward lateral, didn't they?

A:[/b] It was the worst call I've ever seen by an officiating crew in my experience. They called it a forward lateral and I handed it directly to him beside me. It was a terrible call. But it is what is, right?

[b]Q: Do you look back at that as a play that cost you guys a shot at the national championship?

A:[/b] Nah, because there were about 30 other plays that season that could meant we were 10-4. You can't do that in football. Any given play can influence the outcome of a game big-time.

[b]Q: I'm assuming finally breaking through against the Gators in 2004 is your favorite memory?

A:[/b] I was 1-0 against them as far as I'm concerned. You only remember what you do last. . . . It was definitely big to be able to say I beat Florida because Georgia has had a drought against them. It was definitely a huge accomplishment to go out saying we beat them.

[b]Q: What do you make of Florida's recent dominance in this series?

A:[/b] Football runs in streaks, you know. Tennessee had our number for a long time then we had their number. It goes back and forth. Florida's definitely done a good job against us but it's a matter of luck. I'm not saying they're lucky. I'm just saying sometimes the ball bounces the wrong way.

[b]Q: So being a Georgia letterman, are you able to be an objective journalist?

A:[/b] Absolutely not. I have no journalistic integrity whatsoever.

[b]Q: How's your rehab going and do you still think you'll play football again?

A:[/b] I just went to the doctor today. I'm continuing to rehab and continuing to see how my neck feels. It's still a process that's going to take awhile. I had surgery in January and it's a year, year-and-a-half process for everything to heal up. So I'm just sitting back and waiting and letting God take the reins and see where he takes me.

[b]Q: So the door is neither closed nor opened on continuing your football career at this point?

A:[/b] Not at the moment. It's kind of cracked. It opens a little and then the wind will blow it closed a little bit and then it cracks open again. It goes back and forth.

[b]Q: Anything else you want to tell the folks in Atlanta?

A:[/b] Just go Dogs![/quote]




[url="http://www.ajc.com/uga/content/sports/uga/stories/2007/10/25/pollackonline_1025_.html"]http://www.ajc.com/uga/content/sports/uga/...line_1025_.html[/url]

[Rumble In the Jungle]

i like pollack a lot as a person, and im not sure if i wanna see him play and get hurt and risk his life!

[oldschooler]

So here`s the only part that pertains to the Bengals.
Sounds like his neck won`t be fully healed til at least
January, at the latest June . . .


[quote][b]Q: How's your rehab going and do you still think you'll play football again?

A:[/b] I just went to the doctor today. I'm continuing to rehab and continuing to see how my neck feels. It's still a process that's going to take awhile. I had surgery in January and it's a year, year-and-a-half process for everything to heal up. So I'm just sitting back and waiting and letting God take the reins and see where he takes me.

[b]Q: So the door is neither closed nor opened on continuing your football career at this point?

A:[/b] Not at the moment. It's kind of cracked. It opens a little and then the wind will blow it closed a little bit and then it cracks open again. It goes back and forth.[/quote]


Would have been nice if he said "Go Bengals" too.
But I realize that he was playing to his crowd . . .

[esjbh2]

[quote]Q: So being a Georgia letterman, are you able to be an objective journalist?

A: Absolutely not. I have no journalistic integrity whatsoever.[/quote]

I loved that Q&A.

[claptonrocks]

Gut Feeling....
He's getting his body back to excellent shape as he's a workout warrior.
I dont think all the work is necessarily to play pro football though.
Regardless if he ever plays again or not he'll continue to workout extensively.

[oldschooler]

[quote][size=5][b]Pollack noncommittal on return to playing[/b][/size]
By Chick Ludwig

Staff Writer

Friday, October 26, 2007

CINCINNATI — While Bengals linebacker David Pollack rehabs from a potentially career-ending neck injury, he's moonlighting as a college football analyst for CSTV.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution caught up with Pollack, who will be at Alltell Stadium in Jacksonville for the Georgia-Florida game on Saturday. Pollack was noncommittal about his NFL future.

"I just went to the doctor (Thursday)," Pollack told the AJC. "I'm continuing to rehab and continuing to see how my neck feels. It's still a process that's going to take awhile. I had surgery in January and it's a year, year-and-a-half process for everything to heal up. So I'm just sitting back and waiting and letting God take the reins and see where He takes me."

So the door to playing again is neither open nor shut?

"Not at the moment," Pollack said. "It's kind of cracked. It opens a little and then the wind will blow. It closed a little bit and then it cracks open again. It goes back and forth."

[b]Chad misses practice[/b]

Wide receiver Chad Johnson did not practice Thursday because of lingering soreness from a sprained ankle.

Also not practicing were tailback Rudi Johnson (hamstring), wide receiver Antonio Chatman (hamstring) and linebacker Caleb Miller (back). Left offensive tackle Willie Anderson (knee) and middle linebacker Ahmad Brooks (groin) are out.

[b]Fullback frenzy[/b]

The Bengals want an encore performance from Jeremi Johnson against the Steelers on Sunday.

The 5-foot-11, 260-pound fullback played so hard and so well for so long in a 38-31 victory over the New York Jets that "he even left a little bit of his insides out there on the field," head coach Marvin

Lewis said.

"It was Jeremi's best game of the year. He answered the bell."

Johnson's punishing blocking style helped spring Kenny Watson for 130 yards and three touchdowns. Can J.J. do it again?

"I'll try to match everything I did last week but improve," Johnson said. "The Steelers come straight at you. That's what it's like in the AFC North. When you get down to the nitty-gritty, it's very physical."[/quote]