Philadelphia Soul Speak with Vince Papale
Published on January 25, 2011 under Arena Football League (AFL)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
PHILADELPHIA (January 25, 2011) - The Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League sat down with Vince Papale recently to discuss why he decided to become a Soul season ticket holder and what he thinks about arena football. Papale is a former wide receiver and special teams captain of the Philadelphia Eagles (1976-78).
Q: How many Soul games have you been to
VP: I've been to around 10 games - starting in 2007.
Q: Why did you decide to become a season ticket holder for the Soul
VP: The main reason is my friends - Ron (Jaworski), Craig (Spencer), Pete (Ciarrocchi) & Cosmo (DeNicola) - I like to support anything they're involved in. Also, I just love the style of play in arena football. It's a very fast-paced game and environment, but also intimate as I've gotten to know the Soul players over the years.
Q: What do you enjoy about Soul games
VP: I like the culture of Soul games, the rules that differ from the NFL, and the music that is played during the games. Soul games are very fan friendly and it's always fun to root for a winning team!
Q: How does the AFL compare to other professional leagues
VP: The AFL is a great league and gives guys who can't play in the NFL an opportunity to get recognition. It's pure football. Many other professional sports are seen as a business, but arena football players play because they love the game, not because they're going to be millionaires. That kind of spirit resonates with the fans.
Q: Are there any AFL rules you would like to see instilled in the NFL
VP: There are so many AFL rules I'd like to see in the NFL. The first is the wide receiver who is allowed to be in motion. This rule is so cool because it adds excitement to the game - frees it up and stretches the field. I also think the drop kicks should be reinstituted. We used to drop kick all the time when I played as a kid, it'd be fun to see that come back. The return rule for missed PATs would be cool to have in the NFL. I like the AFL overtime rule as well. The game is not strictly determined on sudden death, instead each team gets a chance to score before the sudden death rule is applied. In the AFL the quarterback is not allowed to kneel down in the final minute of play. I think it's a great rule; teams should have to play out the entire game, give everyone a fair chance.
Q: How do you think you'd do if you played in the AFL
VP: I would have loved playing in the AFL. I'm a defensive-minded offensive player and can see myself playing both ways, and the AFL would have let me exhibit my defensive skills. The AFL was meant for me! It reminds me a lot of an organized version of rough-touch games I used to play in. I wish it was around when I retired, it's my style of football.
Q: What did you think about the first round of Soul open tryouts you attended
VP: The open tryout brought back great memories; I saw a lot of 'Vince Papales' out there. They were so hungry just looking for a shot. It's great that the Soul are reaching out to the community. At the first open tryout I liked how sincere everyone was, especially Coach Hohensee who talked about opportunity to the players. I just like the whole team - Jaws never lost contact with the people even with his huge success, which is one of his strengths. That's one of the best things about the Soul, they treat everybody great.
Q: How was it working with Mark Wahlberg on the set of the movie 'Invincible'
VP: Mark was so cool. He played the role with such enthusiasm and passion and told me that he wanted to make me and Philadelphia proud. We became really close while shooting the movie. I admire how hard he worked, how humble, generous and unselfish he is - he's just a nice guy. He's so acclaimed and successful, but never forgot where he came from. He did a great job playing a football player. He was supposed to have a body double take the hits for him, but he wanted to do them himself. All of the football players in the movie were actually AFL players. Whenever we played the Giants, Cowboys, all of those guys out there played for the AFL.
Arena Football League Stories from January 25, 2011
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