Antwane Grant: Player Spotlight of the Week
Thomas Amster
So, you had an amazing game this weekend going against Albany five touchdowns, great job, you and Mason clicking was one of the few bright spots I felt like for y'all on Saturday, so I applaud you and him. Especially on those first two touchdowns, it just seemed like your route running was like so crisp and clean that it didn't really matter who was guarding you.
Antwane Grant
Yeah.
Thomas Amster
But that was a tough loss for the team. So what's the vibe been like in practice this week? How has practicing been going?
Antwane Grant
I would honestly say, the vibe is what it was. We know what type of team we are. And everybody's still locked in, the focus is still there, everybody understands the big picture. The big picture is it to you know go undefeated or be all that, the big picture is the championship game, August 14 that's when it matters, that's when it counts. So I mean of course we took bits and pieces, anything that we could learn any mistakes or any errors that we had, we took that from the game we learn from it, and we're just moving forward. Nobody has lost any confidence the morale is still high. Everybody's ready for this weekend against New Jersey so everybody's locked in.
Thomas Amster
So you've told me before, can you go ahead and tell me what you prefer to be called so we can just go ahead and set the record straight.
Antwane Grant
So what everybody's can call me is grizzly aka big Grizz, but you know my name is pronounced Antwane, like Mark Twain, Antwane grant but nicknames, just call me big griz for short call me big griz that is what everybody calls on the team big griz so awesome.
Thomas Amster
Yeah, I was up in the booth this weekend and they kept calling you Antwan.
Antwane Grant
Yea, yea, yea I'm like 'Who is that guy?'
Thomas Amster
So I just wanted to set that straight. So this season's had some ups and downs for you you missed a lot of beginning of the season with injury. I'm sure that was tough but then you came back, and have been playing really well since your first game back, and most recently a five touchdown outing so talk to me first a little bit about that setback with those injuries.
Antwane Grant
To be honest it was a big blow, not only for the team, but definitely for me and I feel like in my absence, a lot of guys stepped up, a big name one guy I would definitely shout out is Desmond Reese. Of course he's been with the team before but he's a great teammate to have. He's a guy that you know comes in every day, doesn't matter the situation, he's just gonna he's in a ball out so. He's definitely one guy that I would you know shout out but in my absence, as a whole, not only offensively but defensively, having a number one defense in our league while I'm out is huge and for those guys to perform the way they've been performing all season, my hat's off to them as well. But like I said with me, with me not being out there and it just felt like the offense didn't miss a beat, and it was good to see that but definitely, for me personally it was a blow, but at the same time I understood the goal, the objective is not the regular season, but the postseason, and we all know we're going to be there. It's a matter of when we are there making it please and just showing up.
Thomas Amster
Yeah that's great. So talk to me now about how it feels, coming back now that you're kind of dominated last week and it's got to feel good right almost something like redemption?
Antwane Grant
Definitely. Coming from off of game one having my first two touchdowns of the season in the first quarter going out on injury, you know it was definitely a blow. But I know what I'm capable of. It was just a matter of the past three weeks just getting back into the flow thing so coming back against my first game I believe was Jacksonville I think I have five (receptions and 51 (yards) I'm just getting a good feel into the offense just get a good flow within the offense being plugged in wherever I could. And then going from North Carolina we played the Cobras I had a good game like, I felt like I contributed there, went down to Jacksonville and the same. And each week as we kept going, of course, the confidence gets there the morale can continue to grow. Like I said I know what I'm capable of doing. By the time we played Albany I was going, I'm going full throttle. So, you know five touchdowns, six touchdowns but the refs called one back. But I'm just looking to just find ways to get better wherever I can try to perfect my craft and just go from there so we're looking to finish the game this season on a high note against Jersey and I'm just looking forward to it.
Thomas Amster
Yeah. So you have a lot of strengths on the field you've kind of showcased those in the games that you played this season, like your route running, your hands, speed and quickness, what would you say is your biggest strength on the field?
Antwane Grant
My biggest attribute I would say is, I would say my IQ honestly. Just being around so many different leagues, on the NFL to CFL, the AFL and now I'm in the NAL, it's just my IQ. I would say the game, coming from Canada, with the waggle coming down to arena with the waggle is just the same. I would say it's the same from a receiver standpoint, the only thing that is different for me was the speed of the game the tempo of it. Read it plays quicker just a smaller field to play on, so you're routes, your depth, your leverage, the way you stem a defender up, like different things I would just say my biggest attribute it would be my mental, my IQ and other knowledge of the game,
Thomas Amster
and you feel like, do you feel like that's something you provide to the team as a whole in practice as an older guy?
Antwane Grant
Veteran, yep definitely the veteran leadership and understand and helping like the younger guys like Reese, even Outlaw even though he you know, he's a veteran. He's AFL indoor veteran, we still like we pick each other's mind. Even the younger guys like Romond Deloatch he's been in indoors as well but his first time actually getting like, you know considerable playing time. So its a matter of like any bits and pieces that we can provide as a veteran and having experience. I just feel like that's what I do bring to the table, that veteran leadership. But then as well, like being able to like just just just hang loose just have fun just go out there and ball like I said, even though I'm not out there to be on the sidelines sometimes I am. And I am cheering my guys on, like Desmond Reece, Deloatch, Outlaw, Sam Dobbs, all the guys out there making plays I'm just, you know, bringing that excitement and encouragement to it as well.
Thomas Amster
Yeah. So, what's something you're personally working on to improve on the field this year,
Antwane Grant
I probably just say staying locked in, like, all four quarters just a full game, like a complete game. Whether I'm getting two catches to having 12 catches it doesn't matter just being locked in and staying focused. Let's say I'm getting doubled or a team is having an emphasis on me then as long as I'm locked in, I understand and know I could be a decoy and I can get other guys open. I would say that's something I've definitely been working on, just trying to stay locked into the game, no matter how the game is going, I'm just staying locked in.
Thomas Amster
I've asked this question to both Romond (Deloatch) and Lonnie (Outlaw). But, your skills best match what famous football player?
Antwane Grant
That's easy. That's easy, I am Terrell Owens. T.O. I'm Terrell Owens... Oh, who did Lonnie say?
Thomas Amster
Calvin Johnson, both Romond and Lonnie said Calvin.
Antwane Grant
Okay, I see that then, I see that.
Thomas Amster
I can definitely see that for them.
Antwane Grant
I am the T.O .guy.
Thomas Amster
Actually both of them got that big size on them.
Antwane Grant
Definitely.
Thomas Amster
So, what do you do off the field like outside of sports what's important to you?
Antwane Grant
I would say the younger generation, the youth. So in the offseason I'm a teacher as well. I'm looking to open up a sports facility. I coach high school football. I give you a fun fact about big Grizz. I actually never graduated, I never graduated high school, I didn't understand the importance of education and academics at the time in high school. I didn't have a role model. I didn't have a mentor I didn't have someone like a confidant or somebody to lean on. So being from Wilmington, Delaware, making some of the mistakes that I made, following the crowd, whatever the case is, however I would like to pinpoint the city of Wilmington, Delaware. The younger generation for me man, it's huge man just not being a graduate high school and I still, I still hit certain a pinnacle, certain accolades I was able to go to the NFL, I was able to go to a four year on a scholarship, I was able to play football, you know, and from there I understood. I would say my freshman year colleges were really my senior. Senior going into my freshman year of college, I understood the importance of academics and as far as like if you want to play football. So if I want to play sports you got to understand you gotta have the good grades, not only having good grades so that would be eligible to play, but then you could actually take that education. It's an honor, that is something you never want to take for granted being able to go to school. Tuition for a year is, at a four year college, you know, what is it 40,000 or 60,000 whatever for a year? Now I am understanding my purpose in life is to give back to make sure that nobody makes any mistakes that I made. I still was able to hit certain milestones in my life, but I felt like I could be further in my life had I not had that rough start.
Thomas Amster
That is awesome, very admirable. So, who's a teammate you respect and why if you had to choose one.
Antwane Grant
I would give it to Ken, Ken Washington. He's a veteran. He is 32-33. Of course he's wise he has the age, he has wisdom, but he seems like he's not fazed. I just feel like the way he carries himself he's a pro. He's a true pro, he's the definition of a pro and, honestly being around him this season and being able to see the way he handles everything and the way he conducts himself the way he carries himself on and off the field. Whether it be words of encouragement, whether he's being a vocal leader or he could be a physical leader he'll show you and he'll tell you. So if I had to give it to anyone it would be him. I tip my hat to him, Ken Washington would be that guy.
Thomas Amster
And then lastly, what is your prediction for the game this Saturday against the Jersey Flight?
Antwane Grant
I give it to us. We're gonna score, I don't want to put a number on it. Can I just say more than 50. So I just say a lot to a little bit. But I know the offense is going to score more than 50. Defensively, they're only gonna allow three touchdowns max. And that's generous, I'm being very generous.
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