Brian Bosworth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Brian Bosworth | |
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| Position(s): LB |
Jersey #(s): 55 |
| Born: March 9, 1965 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
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| Career information | |
| Year(s): 1987–1989 | |
| Supplemental Draft: 1987 / Round: 1 | |
| College: Oklahoma | |
| Professional teams | |
| Career stats | |
| Games Played | 24 |
| Sacks | 4.0 |
| Fumble Recoveries | 3 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Brian Keith Bosworth, also referred to as The Boz, (born March 9, 1965 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker in the NCAA and the NFL.
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[edit] University of Oklahoma (1984-86)
Bosworth was a college standout at the University of Oklahoma, where he was one of many blue-chip recruits from Texas lured across the border by longtime coach Barry Switzer.
Known for his then radical hairstyles and criticism of the NCAA as much as his play on the field, Bosworth was never one to shy from publicity or controversy. On more than one occasion Bosworth referred to the NCAA as the "National Communists Against Athletes". He wore a shirt bearing that slogan during the 1987 Orange Bowl following the 1986 season. Banned from the game because of steroid use, Bosworth unveiled the shirt while standing on the sidelines to the shock and outrage of many, including his own coach, Switzer. While Switzer was known for running a loose ship, this incident was too much even for him, and he threw Bosworth off the team.[1]
A strong side linebacker throughout his college career,[2] Bosworth was known for raising his level of play in big games. He was regarded as a great tackler, though sometimes criticized for tackling too high. The winner of the first two Butkus Awards as the nation's top college linebacker, he remains the only player ever to have won the accolade more than once. College Football News named him #30 on its list of the "100 Greatest College Players of All-Time."
In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Bosworth was a very good student who graduated a year ahead of his freshman class, thus making him eligible for the NFL's supplemental draft.
In September 1988, Bosworth wrote an autobiography, The Boz, with Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly. In it, Bosworth said the Sooner program was laden with drug use, gunplay in the athletic dorm and other wild behavior. Although many Sooner boosters dismissed it as the rantings of a resentful ex-player, an NCAA report issued three months later revealed many of the same things Bosworth had written about, and ultimately led to Switzer being forced to resign.[1]
[edit] Seattle Seahawks (1987-89)
Prior to his entry into the NFL supplemental draft, Bosworth had sent letters to various NFL teams stating that, if they drafted him, he wouldn't report to their training camp and he wouldn't play for them. As a joke, the Tacoma Stars of the Major Indoor Soccer League selected him in the 12th round in their 1987 draft, as their general manager jokingly stated, "Because we didn't receive a letter from him that he wouldn't play for us."
Bosworth was drafted by the Seahawks in the 1987 NFL supplemental draft and signed what was both the biggest contract in team history and the biggest rookie contract in NFL history: 10 years for US$11 million. After being drafted by the Seahawks, Bosworth sued the NFL for the right to wear #44 (the number he wore in college). Bosworth lost the case and was forced to wear #55 in the pros. Despite playing his entire college career on the strong side, he played his professional career with the Seahawks on the weak side.
Bosworth was forced to retire from professional football after only three seasons due to a chronic shoulder injury. Because of this and his unmemorable career while playing for the Seahawks, Bosworth was named the 6th worst flop on the Biggest Flops of the Last 25 Years list by ESPN in July 2004 and number three on NFL Network's NFL Top 10 Draft Busts).
[edit] Actor (1991-2005)
Bosworth starred in the 1991 action film Stone Cold and has had an on-again, off-again film career starring in several low budget titles such as One Man's Justice that went straight to DVD. In 2005, he had a role as one of the prison-guard football players in the Adam Sandler movie remake The Longest Yard. Other filmes are Mach 3, Virus, and Black out
Bosworth was also a color commentator for the short-lived XFL during their only season of existence in 2001.
[edit] Personal life
Bosworth married his high school girlfriend, Katherine Nicastro, in September 1993. The couple have three children, but have currently filed for divorce. Brian also has two nephews, Kyle and Korey Bosworth, who play football for the UCLA Bruins. Bosworth became a real estate agent for The Sotheby's International Realty Malibu Brokerage office.[3] In August 2007 he was listed as the selling agent for the sale of his own Malibu home at 6375 Meadows Court.[4] On July 5, 2008, Bosworth assisted with the rescue of a woman who rolled her SUV east of Winnipeg, Manitoba.[5]
On March 6, 2009; Bosworth was arrested for a DUI charge by Los Angeles police.[6]
On April 10, 2009; Bosworth administered CPR to a fallen man in a parking lot until medical help arrived. Bosworth spotted the man while returning home after speaking to Oklahoma high school students about the dangers of drunk driving as part of his community service requirement following his own DUI arrest.[7]
[edit] Collegiate honors (1984-86)
- All-America - 1985, 1986
- All-Big Eight - 1984, 1985, 1986
- Academic All America - 1986
[edit] References
- ^ a b Telander, Rick, and Robert Sullivan. You Reap What You Sow. Sports Illustrated, 1989-02-27.
- ^ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/03/brian-bosworth.html
- ^ Malibu CA Realtor Brian Bosworth | Sotheby's International Realty, Inc
- ^ the Real Estalker: Brian Bosworth's Big Villa in Malee-boo
- ^ Winnipeg Free Press
- ^ http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9300188?MSNHPHMA
- ^ http://newsok.com/boz-gives-cpr-to-fallen-man/article/3360797
[edit] External links
- Brian Bosworth at the Internet Movie Database
- Brian Bosworth at Allmovie
- Brian Bosworth — Switzer Talent Agency
- Official Oklahoma athletics site
- University of Oklahoma Football News
- Biggest Flops of the Last 25 Years
| Preceded by First Award |
Butkus Award Winner 1985, 1986 |
Succeeded by Paul McGowan |
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