I don't regret giving up football for acting. I love football and am very proud I played for Morton. But the truth is, I wasn't going to get much higher in football. At the same time, I sensed I could go somewhere in acting. I'm 28, which is young for acting, whereas in football I'd now be near the end of my career.
If I may make a football analogy, we're a team whether we're a football team or community or the United States of America. We are part of a team and I believe the people on that team have a right, but they also have the obligation if there is something that is not good or we don't agree on, to speak about it.
We're so concerned about being polite in society, and rightfully so, that it carries over onto a football team. But on a good football team, they are your friends, but first and foremost they have to be good teammates.
I don't really like the business side of football, but I just like adding good players to our football team.
I just want to play well, have the people in Chicago enjoy watching soccer. You have a very good baseball team, a very good ice hockey team, and a very good football team. Hopefully you'll have a very good soccer team.
There's nothing wrong with me, and I'm not going to apologize for the amount of time that I spent in two countries and I'm not going to apologize for the fact that I speak two languages and I'm not going to apologize for the fact that I have two versions of my name.
What I've been telling everyone that loves Carolina football is that we are going to put a team out there that, number one, is in good shape. We're going to be fit, we are going to be able to play the whole game and we're not going to poop out.
Supporting the English cricket team is like supporting a second division football team. I support Norwich City football team and when they lose I really don't mind because I expect them to; but when we win I'm so happy - much happier than any Arsenal supporter could ever be.
I like watching Tom Brady, not just because he's handsome - I get handsome; I understand handsome - but he's a fine leader, he's a great quarterback, and I like the team. I'm not going to apologize for that.
In football winning games is all that matters, but a team like West Ham and every team apart from Man City are going to lose games.
If everyone's on the same page, doesn't matter what race, what background, what religion you are, if everyone comes together like a good, solid football team, baseball team... that's how you win games. It's easy.
When I'm playing football, it's what I know; it's what I'm good at. The spotlight is not just on you: you're with 10 of your team-mates. I could have done other sports, like tennis and athletics, but I like being part of a team where it's not just about you; it's about everybody.
I see football as a bit like a stairway, and you have to climb it bit by bit. First, you have to play good football so that you get to play for a good team. Then, hopefully you achieve such a level that you are invited to play for your national side, in time for a World Cup, if possible.
I had taken an acting class at Berkeley - I was on the track team, and a friend of mine on the team said, 'You should take an acting class. It's just like recess.' So I viewed it as a simple credit.
As a football team, you head into the season the same way with confidence and a positive mindset that you are going to win a bunch of football games.
I think you can learn lots of skills playing football. Team building is one. You also learn how to solve problems within your team. Sometimes you find yourself playing with players that you don't necessarily like, but you have to put your differences aside for the good of the team. It gives you skills that you may not appreciate at the time.