Post columnist Steve Serby caught up with Giants defensive back Stevie Brown for some Q&A.
Q: Are you this year’s Victor Cruz?
A: (Laugh) I like to joke with Vic all the time. I tell Vic people keep trying to compare me to him, and I’m like, “There’s only one Victor Cruz.” I just like to give Vic a hard time (laugh).
Q: Do you feel like a star?
A: Not at all. (laugh). When people text me from back home, they’re like, “Oh you actually text me back.” I’m still the same person, that’s all I ever tell them.
Q: How do you explain your five interceptions?
A: Definitely my teammates, ’cause I can look at probably all five of my interceptions and I can see where my teammates have been in certain passing windows where the balls have been elevated a little bit, or they’re getting pressure on the QB where he has to hurry it.
Q: What traits do you have?
A: I feel like I can read the quarterbacks pretty well. I try to study ’em on tape as much as I can throughout the week. I like to see if they look off, if they don’t look off, if they pat the ball … read their shoulders, if they’re pointing up, if they’re level, down a little bit, all those type of things. I just try to be able to get a good bead on the quarterback. And if I can read the quarterback and then use my preps to see the route concepts at the same time, that helps me out.
Q: What’s your on-field mentality?
A: I’m probably real laid back on the field. I don’t really talk trash. If I feel laid back and relaxed and comfortable, that’s when I play my best.
Q: What was it like getting cut by the Raiders in 2011?
A: The special teams coach came up to me and Rock Cartwright at the time, and he was like, “You two guys are gonna be my leaders on the special teams unit.” He was like, “Rock, you’re gonna be my veteran leader, Stevie, even though it’s second year, I still have to think of you as a vet.” So this is all before the fourth [preseason] game. And then, I get the call. Came in, and they ended up releasing me, so it kinda came as a shock. And then I wake up in the morning, my agent calls me and he’s like, “Well, you’re going to the East Coast now. You’re going to Carolina.” So I got all my stuff ready, flew out to Carolina on the red-eye, landed, went straight to the practice field, and Ron Meeks was there, and he was just like, “All right Stevie, if anything happens to our safeties, you’re gonna have to go in in the nickel package.” So I had like an extra meeting with him that night, and then Tuesday was our day off. … And then I wake up Wednesday morning to get a ride to the facility ’cause none of my stuff’s out there yet, and it’s like, “We gotta let you go.” Been there a day-and-a-half, and I already got let go. They said they needed a corner, so I flew home to Indy. I was there for a week or whatever. People were just kinda like, “What are you gonna do?” … Talked to my coaches out in Oakland, and they were trying to talk about bringing me back possibly if Al Davis would allow it. Then I think Monday or Tuesday or something like that, my agent calls me and he said, “You don’t have to go far this time. Just go to the Colts complex in the morning.” So I was like, “All right, this works for me (smile).”
Q: So what was it like joining your hometown team?
A: It was definitely exciting. Even though I was a Cowboys fan growing up, all I knew was Peyton Manning pretty much. … He got drafted when I was in fourth or fifth grade, something like that, in ’98. So I watched a lot of Colts games, my grandpa had season tickets.
Q: How was he different from Eli?
A: I think Eli probably jokes around a little more than Peyton. Peyton always seemed pretty serious.
Q: Did you get a sense that Peyton was going to try to come back and play?
A: Definitely. He never threw whenever we were there … but the training staff would tell me that he used to come in and he would throw and do things like that. He’d put on his shoulder pads and he would go out there and try to throw. It was later in the season and everything like that. You always knew he was trying to come back.
Q: What were the circumstances that brought you to the Giants?
A: The Polians [team president Bill and son Chris, GM] were like, “We want to bring you back next year.” And then whenever they all got let go, the new regime that came in, they’re just kinda like, “We’re not opposed to bringing you back, but we’ll let you go explore your options.”
Q: Describe your Giants visit.
A: They all seemed genuine. They all have the same goal, winning in mind. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come here.
Q: This was your first choice as a free agent?
A: Well, Cincinnati had already actually offered me a deal.
Q: Was that tempting?
A Yeah … Cincinnati’s close to where I’m from. They offered me a one-year deal, standard, just like the Giants did as well. They said they’d let me think about it and I came here. When it came down to it, I just felt like this was a better place for me.
Q: Why?
A: They wanted to win.
Q: What were your first impressions of coach Tom Coughlin?
A: Honestly, he reminds me of my high school coach. Tough, disciplined and strict.
Q: Did you meet Al Davis by the way?
A: Sharp as a tack. I saw him out there on his gold cart at the time, so I wanted to go say hello. And he saw my number, and he was just like, “Oh, 27. Stevie Brown, University of Michigan, from Columbus, Indiana, went to Columbus East High School,” he was just rattling off all my stats. He knew everything.
Q: Why did Hue Jackson cut you?
A: Something I heard through the grapevine was just that Al Davis wanted somebody a little taller, a little faster.
Q: How did you break your ankle in gym class three games into your senior year at Columbus East (Ind.)?
A: We were playing dodgeball and it was just a freak accident. I just jumped up, and I just kinda came down on the side of my [left] foot, so I broke my fibula, and then I ended up having surgery. I have a plate, five pins in my ankle now.
Q: How devastating was that at the time?
A: That was real devastating. I had just committed. I think we were ranked second in the state, we were starting off 3-0, I was already off to a good start. … We were one of the state frontrunners to win state championship that year, and that was the goal, and getting hurt three games into your season wasn’t part of the plan.
Q: Were you on crutches on the sidelines?
A: For a while we had this little cart that they used to let me drive around on the sideline, ’cause I had to keep my foot elevated. But every now and then, I would get off of it, and be on crutches up and down the sideline.
Q: That had to be heartbreaking, right?
A: Yeah, it was.
Q: Why Michigan over Notre Dame?
A: The day I committed to Michigan, I called Coach [Charlie] Weis, and I told him I appreciate him recruiting me, I like Notre Dame, I could see myself playing for Notre Dame, but I couldn’t see myself playing for Notre Dame against Michigan. So I went to Michigan.
Q: Why couldn’t you see yourself playing against Michigan?
A: That was just the team that I wanted to play for since I was little. … One of my first real memories of watching college football is watching [Charles] Woodson walk off the field after the Ohio State game with the rose in his mouth.
Q: What was it like playing Ohio State in Ann Arbor?
A: Oh, that’s the greatest rivalry in football.
Q: Does it still irk you that you never beat Ohio State?
A: Definitely, ’cause if you go to Ohio State, you go to Michigan, you meet anybody else they go, “Oh, what was your record?” And you know exactly what they’re talking about. Unfortunately, I have to say 0-4.
Q: Boyhood idol?
A: Emmitt Smith.
Q: You were born in Dallas.
A: I grew up actually watching the Cowboys. I always thought I was gonna be a running back. That was the guy right there. He was giving it his all every single game, he was just working and working, and he eventually accomplished all the goals that he wanted to accomplish.
Q: You scored 17 touchdowns as a junior and they called you “Touchdown Brown.” Best game?
A: The most fun game I ever played in was my junior year when we were at semi-state, we played Roncali. I think we had probably about 6,000 people who came to that game, which was a big crowd for a high school football game. We ended up losing by a point, but it was me and a guy by the name of Jason Warner who ended up winning Mr. Football that year, we were going back and forth all game. He was a receiver and a safety, I was a running back and safety-corner, so he’d make a play on offense, so I’d have to come back a play on offense. I’d make a play on defense, he’d make a play on defense.
Q: Two dinner guests?
A: Martin Luther King [Jr.], Lincoln.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Remember the Titans.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Denzel and Johnny Depp.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Halle Berry.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Kanye.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Sweet potato casserole.
Q: Hobbies?
A: I’m getting into reading more now, and I love to cook.
Q: What drives you?
A: My family. I just always want them to be happy, and be proud of me.
Q: How did Sandy affect you?
A: No damage, just no power. … I’m still fighting the no power right now.
Q: Where do you live?
A: I live in North Bergen. Apparently we’re not a high-priority area is what was told to our management. Half my building has power, I’m on the half that doesn’t have power. My maintenance man came to my apartment, he rigged up a few things, so my refrigerator works, and I have heat and hot water, and then I have like a light on in my bedroom.
Q: How cool is it being a Giant?
A: It’s kinda like Michigan. Everybody watches here. And everybody’s gonna come at the Giants, ’cause obviously they did win the Super Bowl last year. They’re always gonna come at ’em with their best shot. … It’s definitely a good thing.
Q: You think Eli’s the best quarterback in the game?
A: Definitely. You just look at his closing ability. I don’t think anybody closes better than him. That’s the name of the game right there.
Q: What would you want Giants fans to say about you?
A: That he’s reliable. That you can always count on him to do what he’s supposed to do.
Q: Have you ever dreamed about holding the Lombardi Trophy?
A: Oh yeah, definitely. Missed out on my state championship in high school … freshman year at Michigan, ended up losing to Ohio State in the 1-2 game, so we missed out on going to the national championship then. … This is the last level that I can win it on, so definitely want to win it.