MGoExclusive: One-on-One with Charles Woodson
[Fuller/MGoBlog]
Don't tell the SEC, but Charles Woodson has been on something of a satellite camp tour of his own lately, crossing the country to meet fans and talk wine. Woodson's the proprietor of Charles Woodson Wines, and he and director of operations Rick Ruiz have been holding events where fans get a chance to taste some of the company's offerings (like the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, which made Wine Spectator's 2014 Top 100 list) and purchase autographed bottles of said wine. Woodson and Ruiz were in Ann Arbor for an event at the new Plum Market near North Campus yesterday, and I had the opportunity to sit down with Woodson for a few minutes to talk about some of his memories of Michigan.
If you're beating yourself up because you missed the event yesterday you should stop, but you're going to need to cancel your plans for this afternoon: Charles will be at the Plum Market in West Bloomfield (6565 Orchard Lake Rd.) from 4-6PM; there's no tasting event today, but you can purchase a bottle of the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, get it autographed by Woodson at no additional cost, and ask that burning question you've had since '97.
What are some of your favorite memories from your time at Michigan?
"My favorite memories? I don't know. I mean, of course it all revolves around football, you know. [laughs] But really it was, let's say memories of dorm rooms all of us stayed in, because most of us were in West Quad or South Quad. So it was just the times that we all spent together in the dorms. We were all kind of close knit, especially your class. The times we spent together in our rooms, whether we were partying or whatever it was, it was always great."
The [annual West Quad v. South Quad] snowball fight?
"Snowball fight, mmhmm. And then of course the games. My first time running out in '95, running onto the field and kind of losing my breath that first game because I had been in the Big House before but never as a player, and all of a sudden I'm a player and it's like 'oh, wow.' Kind of the magnitude of it hit me. Then of course the Ohio State game with a chance to go to the Rose Bowl, winning that game, the punt return, and the rose in the mouth. I'd say that's five things right there."
In that game, did you allow that receiver a free inside release to bait Stanley Jackson into throwing an interception in the endzone?
"Well, it wasn't deliberate to let him inside, but it was deliberate to undercut him because it was in the endzone and you're always taught, you know, in the endzone the guy's not running a deep route- there's nowhere to go. So you undercut the route and the quarterback threw it right to me, so it worked out."
Did you have a favorite defensive play call or coverage that you guys ran when you were in college?
"No, I didn't. I mean, it was pretty simple what we did. Either I was in man-to-man or it was Cover 3 for the most part. But I played on the wide side of the field most of the time so no, I didn't have a favorite call."
Was there any receiver you had a bigger rivalry with in college than David Boston?
"Uh, no. Yeah, he was the biggest. He was the one that talked the most noise, you know, on that team. He was their star receiver and of course me being on defense, it was kind of a natural thing. So yeah, he would have been my biggest competition."
How did you get into wine and winemaking?
"So I spent a lot time in Napa Valley as a result of being picked there. The Oakland Raiders' training camp was in Napa Valley, and so as a result of being there three and a half-four weeks every training camp I used to spend a lot of time in the Valley at different restaurants just kind of watching people interact with wine, and I became very interested in it. I decided a few years after that that I would get into it."
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I just started 6 weeks ago and I've gotten 2 check for a total of $16,400...this is the best decision I made in a long time! "Thank you for giving me this extraordinary opportunity to make extra money from home. This extra cash has changed my life in so many ways,.. Read more on this web site...Visit This link.... http://www.earnmore9.com/
No questions about Jabrill?
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Maybe self serving, but I'd be curious to know if he reads this blog.
+1 ....For many years I had this framed in my office.
The bromance has continued since 1995.
(Hey, Adam - I meant Charles, not you. Nothing personal)
Most important question: How did you not faint? I think I would have been like:
I prevent fainting by drinking a glass of whole milk and eating a steak before every interview.
Cool story bro:
I recently learned I attended your wedding and you attended mine. Crazy eh?
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That is indeed a cool story, bro. Email me: adam [at] mgoblog [dot] com.
. . . since that endzone pick was more famous, and I was all wait, wasn't that Ryan Leaf, and didn't the receiver break outside?
His PR TD in the OSU game is so much more famous that I forgot he even had a pick in that game.
Don't read too much into it, folks. (By "it" I mean my derp.) I just need more coffee.
Sir Charles. Another proud fence-jumper. Reopen the Ohio Pipeline at once!
This is what we should be telling all ohio recruits. "Hey, people who have jumped the fence have won Heismans.".
So many levels of awesome, but it just leaves me wanting more. More Charlz Plz.
Can I buy your wine in PA?
Asking about a specific play like it's the press conference after that game, but it's like 20 years later---awesome.
So do they only do Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon? I usually spend a lot less than $120 a bottle for wine, but his wines seem to get good reviews, so thinking of getting a bottle or 2 for special occasions.
Do you think he'll be honored before one of the games this year, a la Howard in 2011?
Woodson had the wide side of the field....and he took every inch of it away. Ive never seen any defensive player do that. He put fear in opposing coach's heads. They knew that throwing it Charles way, would not end up pretty.
Ive spent a good chunk of time up in Napa. The wine culture has a way of getting in to you. Its a great place to visit and I think I'd like to live up there someday.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume ingestion is the primary method.
Went to the event in WB yesterday, super cool.
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