I just meant as far as coming to the games on time; it was just like I was under the microscope, every little thing, it was like they were looking for me to come in here with my shoes untied.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
I always said to myself that the minute I thought I'd slipped, and not be the player I wanted to be, it was time for me to go.
When I arrived, I felt the spotlight shining brightly on me, and I knew the sharks were ready to strike if I did not pan out and prove myself to be the showman and the player the college ranks had labeled me to be.
I had big shoes to fill, but the way we have been playing has made the transition easy.
As the days went on, I didn't mind the games. In fact, I looked forward to them. That was the easiest part of all. I couldn't wait to get to the ballpark I'd be the first one there and I was willing to do anything. I think that's why the veterans liked me.
Looking back, my whole life seems so surreal. I didn't just turn up on the doorstep playing rugby; I had to go through a whole lot of things to get there.
Only in about 2007 or so did it become clear to me that games could stand proudly beside other storytelling mediums, and that's when I became more, shall we say, evangelistic in my position. Prior to that, I don't know how enthusiastically I would have admitted that I game.
What I went through in 1976, it's the same today: It's about all the pressure that you feel, the anxiety, the family, and everything that surrounds the Games, and then getting there knowing this is your big chance, and you're able to come through. It's such a satisfying thing.
Any one of my shoes that I had, you knew that, night in, night out, I gave my teammates and my fans everything that I had.
My challenge when I came back was to face the young talent, dissect their games, and show them maybe that they needed to learn more about the game than just the money aspect.
It was just the greatest feeling to see a kid with your shoes on.