Q: Tony, overall I thought the Lions had a great year. What are your thoughts?

A: We got off to a great start, but you have to remember we played many of those games at home. We just couldn’t win on the road. That turned a potentially great season sour. I wish our schedule could have been reversed. If we had played some of those early games on the road and then come home to play those same teams we probably would have been better off. Of course we have no control over that. We were 6-2 at one time and then all of a sudden, it just fell apart. I really can’t explain it. I tell you what, anybody can beat anybody on any given Sunday; and this year, that has been proven. Teams are so evenly matched that it’s unbelievable. There is no dominant team out there. Playing and winning at home plays a major factor in a team’s overall success.

Q: Now the Lions were, of course, without All-Pro running back Barry Sanders this year. Did that help bring the team together in some kind of cohesive way?

A: I think it took some of the pressure off of us, first of all. On the other hand, it put a different kind of pressure on us. We had to find a running game. When we lost Barry, we didn’t have that, and we became too one-dimensional. The offensive linemen took a lot of heat for not having a running game, but we really never had a back in there who could consistently get the job done.

Q: I thought your offense did an admirable job considering the fact that you lost an All-World performer like Sanders.

A: I thought we did a pretty good job with the hand we were dealt, but the statistics showed when we could only rush for fifty or sixty yards per game it was hard for us to win. They would force us into a passing game and in order for that to work it must be balanced with a solid running game. You’re not going to go very far in the National Football League if you can’t run the football.

Q: How did that change your role as an offensive lineman this season?

A: Well, I thought it was very difficult because a lot of times we found ourselves, especially in the second half of the season, getting behind. It’s another level when you’ve got nothing but pro bowl guys flying up field pass rushing. I mean, you’ve got your hands full.

Q: Like many NFL teams this year, you had an interesting quarterback situation.

A: Gus (Ferotte) did a heck of a job coming in. Charlie (Batch) is going to be a good quarterback. He needs to experience what life is like in the NFL. He needs to learn to play through adversity. He’s going to have to find a way to do that.

Q: It sounds like you feel pretty confident with either one of those guys at the helm.

A: I did feel real confident. Everybody knows at this level you have to play through pain and adversity. Just like in my circumstance when I dislocated my elbow. They were expecting me to play in a couple of weeks. I had to sit out for three weeks and was fortunate to have a fourth week due to the bye week. That gave my injury time to heal properly, so that I could be the most productive. I had to play through pain, everybody does. It’s just something that young players have to learn.

Q: Tony, the few games I did get to see you play in on TV showed that you really stepped up and when you were healthy you really played extremely well.

A: Thanks, I appreciate that.

Q: What made the difference for you this year?

A: I felt very confident in myself and in my ability this season. I enjoy starting and I look forward to many more years of it, whether it be with the Lions or with somebody else. You know I’m going to go play where I can be a starter and where I can stay a starter. I feel very confident.

Q: I know most of us here in the Lincoln area have no idea what it took to raise yourself to the professional level. Enlighten us.

A: One thing is consistency and believing in yourself. A lot of people give up on themselves because of what they hear from other people and I think you determine your own outcome in life. You’re given a certain portion, but it’s what you do with that portion. I’ve seen a lot of great athletes in high school and college who were a lot more athletic than I am, physically better than I am...they just had better skills. They didn’t make it to the next level. I think perseverance is a big key. It’s not just in football it’s in anything. If you want to be the best writer or the best car salesman you’ve got to persevere. It doesn’t matter, if you want to be the best doctor that you can be, you’ve got to persevere. It’s not going to be given to you, no matter what you do.

Q: I want to take you back in time to your days as a Lincoln Railer. What are your memories of that time in your life?

A: What I remember most about my time at Lincoln High School are the great people. I remember having great teachers...Mr. Overby, Coach Plese, Cal Hubbard, Coach Ross, Craig Patton, Coach Spears, there are just so many special people I can’t even name them all, but they were all great to me. I remember wearing the green jersey on game day and the great games on Friday nights and how during the season those games were the talk of the town. That carried over to basketball as well. There was nothing better than a packed house in Lincoln on a Friday night. I enjoyed it and I’m glad that I played both sports. I know there are people out there that think kids should just concentrate on one sport, but I don’t believe that at all. I think you should let your kid play as many sports as they can, because it helps you develop so many skills that you may not even know you had. In high school, who ever knew I was going to play professional football? In basketball, who ever knows if you’re going to get past the high school or the college level? Let’s just let the kids be kids. I’m glad my parents were so supportive of me. They said if you want to do it, we will support you.

Q: What about your teammates at LCHS?

A: I remember Tate Jones our quarterback. Tater always had a smirk on his face. I remember chasing Charlie and Chad Cicci all over the field, since they were a couple of guys with speed. Big Brian Aeilts...a great lineman and a brute, I mean a true hacker on the basketball court.

Matt Vlahovich was a hard worker and a good friend. Matt was the kind of guy that showed up every day to get better, whether it was basketball, lifting or at football practice. I remember Blake Shelton being a speed guy. Eddie Ingram was a strong, tough kid who was a great possession back. Potts was a kid in a man’s body...I liked it that he was just a big kid. He had a lot of talent and he also was a good friend. Aaron Donsbach was pretty good also. Our linebackers Jeff Cosgrove and Richie Singleton were as good as anybody. I could go on and on, but that would take all night! Jerome Bernardes and Mike McLaughlin were also two pretty cool guys. What I remember most was that it was a great bunch of guys and we all had a great time.

Q: What about your time at Memphis State University?

A: Coach Flowers was like my savior down there. He was almost like a dad away from home to me. I wouldn’t be here today playing pro football if it were not for him.

Q: What made him so special?

A: Off the field, if I had a problem or wasn’t doing well or if I was struggling, I could always go and talk to him. He would put the coach-player relationship aside and just be my friend. I also had the unique opportunity to bond with him on a spiritual level through the church there. He really helped me on my football skills. He’d take me aside and say you need to work on this or that... I’m telling you, he was a blessing. If I had to do it all over again and get recruited to several places, I probably wouldn’t have changed a thing! Coach Flowers really helped me get where I am today!

Q: What kind of advice do you have for the kids of Lincoln and the Logan County area?

A: First of all, follow your heart. Make sure what you’re doing is positive and productive. Find something that you like to do and do it well. Be balanced. I have so many things that I like to do. I like to hunt, golf and shoot at targets or clay pigeons. I think the more things you can do to keep yourself interested, the more productive you’re going to be in life. Getting active in positive things will take you a long way in anything you pursue. Whether your parents enjoy it or not, if you like it, work hard at it. I think it’s important to get involved in something and give it your best shot, I really do.

[Jeff Mayfield]

Editor's note:  If you would like to join or show your support for Tony,  write to the Tony Semple
Fan Club, P.O. Box 116, Lincoln, IL 62656