http://www.lostlettermen.com/10-26-2011 ... interview/LL: Do you stay involved with Tulane football as a fan? If so, what has the program lacked over the years, and what does it need to be a consistent force?
MM: Absolutely. I’m always involved with Tulane. Tulane is my home; it’s family. My first year in professional football (Hurricane) Katrina happened. And when Hurricane Katrina happened, there was a lot of work to be done. The first thing we did was a (fundraiser) … to bring funds in to try to rebuild our school. It was a success. There still was more work to be done. Every year, I’m always available for our charity golf event. That I enjoy. … I’m here and there, so whenever I get the call, and I’m available, I’m there. I try my best to do everything I can to help out my school.
I know a lot of change is going on in the conferences. If we ever get a chance to get in a conference where we can attract big guys – defensive lineman, offensive lineman – who have a chance to go to the NFL. That’s what it comes down to. … If I’m a running back, and I’m tops in the nation, and I have seven, eight great offensive lineman who I know are going to open up a hole for me., it makes it easier for me to decide I’m going to go to this school. Not only am I going to play, but I’m going to have a chance to play great and go to the NFL.
That’s the one thing – (recruits) say I want to go to a school where I get attention, but I took the road less-traveled … and understood that if you can play, NFL scouts will look at you. Kids see Tulane as such an academic school that they might have a little more trouble getting eligible to play. If anybody puts a little effort, a little time in their studies, stays on task and the job at hand … yes, Tulane is challenging … but if you have the mental capacity to retain information, you can get all (the academics) done and still be an excellent athlete.
LL: Being from Baton Rouge, what was your recruitment like? Did you want to go to LSU?
MM: If you look at the bigger picture, me coming out of a less-privileged area … if Major League Baseball has the ability to find players coming out of the smallest parts of the world without TV, then the NFL is going to find you with TV. It was one of those things were it was a no-brainer to be able to get that education with the prestige of Tulane to have a degree under my belt.
Every recruit in the country should read this.
