By: Jeff Johnson (Johns381)

Sunday September 9th we proudly welcome Reggie Myles as he joins us in our chat room at 8 PM Central time to chat with the members of our site.

Originally from Pascagoula, Mississippi Reggie Myles was a blue chip recruit coming out of high school. He was a SuperPrep National 50 player as a senior at Pascagoula High and considered among the South’s very best cornerbacks. As one recruiting service put it "They just don't get anymore blue chip than this." Reggie decided to spend his college years at the University of Alabama and majored in General Health and continued his success on the field, staring in the Alabama secondary. He posted 9 interceptions and ranks fifth all-time at Alabama with 204 interception return yards. His 91-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. UCLA is the fourth-longest in school history. Reggie was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals out of college as a corner back and played there for five years. In this edition of "The Talk of Champions" we will get to know not only Reggie 'the football player', but Reggie 'the man' as well.

Thinking back on the recruiting process I seem to recall Reggie wearing a tux in his recruiting photo so we had to ask him the story behind the photo.

 “Actually it was a jacket and tie with khakis, but it was the idea of a reporter who thought it would make a great picture to have me with my bags ready to go down any road that I picked.”

Tell me a little about what brought you to Alabama.

“It was a great school known for defense, and I wanted to go to a school known for defense and possibly play my freshman year. Another thing was the coaches, Coach DuBose, Coach Ronnie Cottrell, Coach Harbison, Coach Williams they were all really honest with me about the possibility of playing early but not throwing me in too early. A lot of people will tell a recruit what they want to hear but they were just honest with me about my situation. They gave me a taste here and a taste there (to help get me ready) before they threw me in there. My hosts Kenny Smith and Fernado Bryant, they showed me around and showed me all the great stuff at Alabama and we had a great time. Also, Alabama was far enough away from home where I wasn’t too close and didn’t have to worry about the family just showing up but it was still close enough were I could run home if something happened. Also the education Alabama offers. “

What was your favorite building on campus?

“I’d have to say Burke Cafeteria, you know you kinda get tired of being around all the same guys all the time. You could come out from practice and go to Burke and see some women and get some food and be around people you aren’t around everyday. It gave you a chance to experience college outside of football.”

What was your favorite non-football memory from Alabama?

“Well you know getting out of practice everyday you could ride through the Highland (dorms the players stayed in) and there could be parties or get togethers just about everyday. You could just hang out with your teammates and people from campus would ride over and sometimes people from Stillman would ride over and hang out. Just a hang out spot for the football team and all the people that used to hang out with us. Once a year Bama Si Phi (football team) would have our own party week just like the sororities and fraternities had. It would last the whole week and we would just have a great time all week. “

What was your favorite class?

“Sophomore year I had a class with Dr. Webb, business law. There were a lot of people that didn’t like football players and thought we were stuck up but they never tried to get to know us, they never tried to talk to us. But in Dr. Webb’s class he would give bonus points every week say if I made an interception, but the points would go to the whole class. It was extra incentive to go out and play well. Dr. Robinson, a counselor was also great. She would help us pick classes that we needed and set up our class schedule that would work with our football schedule. She also taught some classes and offered bonus points to the entire class like Dr. Webb”.

What was your favorite play at Alabama?

“Probably my first play in my college career on my 19^th birthday on October 19, 1998. We were playing Southern Miss and I got a sack on my very first play as a starter.

Another was the first pass attempt against me on my very first start which I intercepted. But on their very next play they threw at me again and I gave up an 81 yard touchdown. That really leveled me out and let me know be right up here one minute and then the next minute you’ll be all the way back down.

1999 we played Auburn at Auburn and  I sealed the deal with an interception and we went on to the SEC Championship game.”

What football player that you have either played with or against impressed you the most?

“Chris Samuels and Shaun Alexander, whom I played with, both of those two guys are still having outstanding careers in the NFL.

Florida when Travis McGriff came down and lit us up in 1998 14-10.

Probably the whole Arkansas Razorback team in 1999 and they put it on us real good.

In the Music City Bowl my freshman year in Nashville, we played Virginia Tech. We weren’t used to that cold weather but they were. They came out in short sleeves and we came out all bundled up.

Jamal Lewis from Tennessee was tough.

DeShawn Foster from UCLA he was a pretty good back, he was consistent.

Freddie Millons, whom I played with, we were roommates for a couple years. He really stood out and got people ready for games. A lot of games he’d go out and put on a show, like in the SEC Championship game in 99 against Florida.

David Terrell from Michigan, we made him look like a superstar. He got drafted in large part by the numbers he put up against us. “

What are you doing now in Memphis?

“I was a full time truck driver for a little while but now I’m concentrating on training full time for the AAFL coming up in spring of March of 08. Right now they got me tagged for the Birmingham team. I got my degree in fitness with Human Environmental Sciences and I’m using that, along with all the knowledge I’ve gained from all my coaches, to help train and get myself ready to for this game I love so much with football. I’m also concentrating on being a father and husband and raising my daughter like my parents raised me. My parents have been married for 37 years and I was very blessed to have them raise me.”

What are your feelings about Coach Saban?

“I feel he is going to do us justice. You know that’s a coach they’ve been waiting on for a long time. You know he proved himself at LSU in what, a year or two years and then got a national championship. And that’s what Bama’s been looking for for a while. One thing that Bama stresses is if you can’t beat Auburn, you’re not going to be there long. That’s one thing they’ve always stood by. I feel he is going to do justice there and get the guys they feel can help the program to do just that, like they did at LSU. I say give him possibly this year, if not this year then next year, and I feel Bama is going to be back up there with the top dogs and competing for a national championship”

Do you feel Alabama and the fans have too high of expectations?

“If you don’t have high expectations what do you have? You need to expect to have the best. It’s like me going out on the field and saying “oh I don’t expect to get this interception” or “I don’t expect to make this tackle”. As a player I expect to make every play, every pick, every tackle, and give my all. Because if you expect great things from yourself, great things will happen.”

Would you like to add anything?

“Well I don’t consider myself a trash talker, I feel you got to let your actions speak on the field. You gotta let your actions do your talking. Now there are some guys that actually can talk the talk and walk the walk, then you got some guys that are just laid back. I’m not saying I’m a laid back guy, I’m hyper and real energetic. I can give people some of my energy and still have enough to make it another 4 or 5 more days. Some people may say I’m cocky, but I try to get out there and let my actions speak for me in between the white lines. I may say something here or there but it’s not out of the ordinary, I pretty much let my actions do the talking on the field, so I’m not out there saying this and this is going to happen and then after the game I look like a fool.”

 How did you meet your wife?

“Well I had just been through a rough break-up and my brother-in-law wanted to introduce me to a girl he knew that had been through a rough break-up also. We met and hit it off and now have a baby girl that is full of energy. She’s from Chicago and we met through my now brother-in-law Brian Robertson (his wife’s sister) of the Bengals. We met and hit it off. After 2005 I was released by the Bengals and had to get away from the city. I was looking for a city in between Chicago and Pascagoula, MS. I couldn’t beat the value of the house I could get here in Memphis. I’m just taking it day by day, step by step and enjoying life. Coming together with my wife to raise another one in this world. You kind of have to forget about yourself because everything is about that young one. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure this little girl is brought up and raised right and make sure she is happy everyday of her life. The only way I can be sad is if she is sad. I pride myself in the way I raise her. I’ve been brought up in a pretty strong family background with my parents being married for 37 going on 38 years. Take care of your family, take care of your home. I can’t forget to mention my two little puppies Money and Diamond. I love them with all my heart. They are like my children. People say dogs are man’s best friend, those are the only creatures on earth that you can tell anything to and they won’t tell anybody. When it calls for unconditional love, a dog will love you no matter what.”

So what does the future hold for Reggie you ask?

“We are going to do our best on the field, but for this league(AAFL) to be successful we’re going to need fans to come out and support us.”

Reggie we never have quit cheering for you, and we never will.

Roll Tide!