Travis Lewis thinks outside the (Austin) Box...
Published: 11/15/2010 10:14 PM
Last Modified: 11/15/2010 10:14 PM
NORMAN — Nobody gets more into an interview than Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis.
Lewis was loquacious on a number of topics on Monday night. (That's a good thing for you, dear reader, since Bob Stoops has limited media access to players this week to just five players.)
I wanted to do a piece on Enid’s Austin Box, who suffered a back injury during the preseason, only recently became healthy enough to play and last Saturday made just his seventh career start (and his first start since last year’s Bedlam game) when he replaced Tom Wort as the Sooners’ middle linebacker. Box and Wort alternated the first five series last week, but Box played the next six series, then alternated with Wort the final five.
But since Box isn’t allowed to meet the press, I settled for Lewis’ observations. Which, since it’s Lewis speaking, works for me. Read on, and don’t skip to the end:
“It speaks about his character to keep fighting,” Lewis said. “Tom got the job and he just kept fighting. When he came back, he wasn’t the starter, but he kept working and kept preparing like he was the starter, and this is what happens when you get opportunities. Players like that, they really take advantage of them.
“I know y’all haven’t seen a lot of him because he’s been so injured, but when he’s in there, he’s not really making a lot of mistakes and he’s making plays.
“I think he is (close to being back). I think it’s more about endurance for him, gaining that stamina. But I think as far as his health, I think he’s 100 percent. He just needs to — he’s become a little fat boy. So he’s just trying to work off some of them pounds.
“I think it’ll help both of ’em, big-time. Nobody likes to have somebody rotating in with, but as far as when you’re in there, you get to go 100 percent full speed, because you don’t know when the next series you’re gonna go. You can just get in there and fly around and you can make plays and really separate yourself from the others. So competition is always good, but as far as endurance, it’ll help Box out having Tom, them rotating in series. And I think — I know Tom, and I’m hoping that he takes this as a challenge and it really motivates him to work that much harder, because all the great ones do. We all had to fight for a spot or playing time, and the great ones learned from it and came back strong.”
Once the football talk was out of the way, someone asked who’s got the better hair, Lewis with his faux hawk and Nazca Lines cut into the sides, or Box and his long, flowing mane?
“Oh, I’ve always got the best hair. Come on now,” Lewis said. Box has got that (Justin) Beiber, Tom Brady, whoever else has that look — it’s a bad look. And the way he brushes it behind his ear, like women do, they put it behind their ear. . . . and you’ll see him after he gets out of the shower, he’s got that Steven Seagal kind of rub on his head. I told him, but, you know, it’s his thing. So just let him run with it.”
Travis, I thank you. And now, TulsaWorld.com readers thank you.
— John E. Hoover
Written by
John E. Hoover
Sports Columnist
