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People called me a hoodlum and a thug. But they didn't tell you I was a carpenter, an architect, a stand-up comic - even a bartender. And a barbecue cook. But they didn't tell you that.

To those who would call me a thug or worse because I show passion on a football field - don't judge a person's character by what they do between the lines. Judge a man by what he does off the field, what he does for his community, what he does for his family.

When I was a kid doing television, they'd stick a leather jacket on me, and I would be the thug.

I'm not thuggy.

A thug is someone who stands on his own. He lives by the decisions he makes and accepts the consequences. A thug is comfortable in his own skin. I wear mine like a glove.

I always watched movies and rooted for the bad guys, you know? I've always been that kind of guy. I still hold some respect for criminals that are good at their jobs.

This question: 'How do I deal with a bully without becoming a thug in return?' has been with me ever since I was a child.

Even at drama school if there was a part of some eastern European thug it would be me.

I wanted to be a tough kid, so I thought, 'I'm going to move to New York, and I'm going to be a thug when I come out of there.'