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Q&A with Doug Plank
By The Tribune-Review
Thursday, October 19, 2006
The rich tradition of high school football in Western Pennsylvania is rooted in personalities who will be featured in this space each week. As part of the 100th anniversary of the WPIAL, former scholastic football greats will be asked about their careers, which ultimately led to great futures. Doug Plank arguably is the best-known player to come out of Norwin High School. The all-state selection in 1970 was spurned by Penn State and wound up playing in three Rose Bowls for Ohio State before being drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 12th round. Former Bears coach Buddy Ryan later named the famed 46 defense after the jersey number worn by Plank, a free safety whose punishing hits led to a neck injury that cut short his pro career.
Plank, the head coach of the Arena Football Georgia Force and broadcaster of NFL games for the Sports USA Radio Network, wanted to play at Penn State, but wasn't offered a scholarship by Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno. Instead, when former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes showed up at Norwin, Plank agreed to join the Buckeyes. "I was in New York a while back taping a Sports Illustrated commercial with Rocky Bleier," Plank said. "I didn't realize that Rocky and Joe were good friends. They exchanged pleasantries before Paterno turned and looked at me. I extended my hand and said, 'Joe, you may not remember the conversation we had.' He said, 'I remember it, and I know who you are. I haven't made many mistakes in my life, but I made one with you.'"
Question: How does it feel to know that the mere mention of your name stokes memories of a wreckless defender who would stop at nothing?
Answer: It's pride. That's the first word that comes to my mind. I was in Chicago for the Bears-Buffalo game (Oct. 8), and I counted seven fans wearing Doug Plank jerseys on my way through the parking lot. I haven't played there in 24 years. It was overwhelming to me.
Q: The famed 46 Defense, used by the Chicago Bears of the 1980s, was named in honor of your jersey number. How much do you cherish being recognized this way by your former coach, Buddy Ryan?
A: It was really exciting. Buddy never called anyone by name. You were either a number or an adjective. If you played well, he used your number. He got a piece of chalk, circled my number and said "the 46 Defense." It worked. We beat Dan Fouts and the Chargers the next weekend. He kept tweaking it and in 1985, it was an unstoppable force.
Q: Was your hard-hitting style the same from the beginning?
A: It started when I was 8. My mother took us out and signed us up for pee-wee football. I couldn't believe you could knock people down and get a pat on the back. There's something about the competition. It was so satisfying. Most people do not have a switch. Off the field, I'm a very nice guy. There was something about stepping on a football field. It just struck me deep, down inside. It was something I was destined to do. I didn't need anyone to give me a pep talk. Just put me on the field and I'll do the rest.
Q: How much do you think about all those brutal hits and what they did to your body?
A: Someone told me you only have so many hits in your body. I believe them now. The manner in which I played was basically helmet only. A lot of people thinks it only involves your head and neck, but the reality is it's a compression of your entire spinal cord. It's a reverberation through your whole body when you hit someone. I was averaging around 100 tackles, and that's like 100 trainwrecks.
Q: What did Buddy Ryan teach you about football and beyond?
A: He was a sergeant in the Army. He was responsible for men's lives. The one thing I appreciated about him was how to play as a unit. He taught you to play for everybody. By not doing your job, you were letting your teammates down. One thing I didn't want to do was be in that meeting room Monday morning and you didn't give 100 percent.
Q: Did you figure coaching was in your blood?
A: I never, ever thought I'd want to be a coach. But when you think about it, whether it be giving advice to your childen, we're coaching. When my career was done, I ran Burger King franchises. I was coaching. It just wasn't 300-pounders.
Q: How often do you return to your roots in Westmoreland County?
A: Other than broadcasting a game, or playing in a golf tournament, I don't get back too often. But it's hard not to go back and not feel that it's a special place.
Q: Do you think the NFL has changed considerably since your playing days?
A: When I became an NFL player in the '70s, you were making reasonable amounts of money. Now it's almost like the NFL has become an entertainment business. I can't believe how many people are out there merchandising themselves, whether it be dancing or celebrating. Everyone is out there trying to get a reputation. Look at the Steelers of the '70s. That was enjoyable. But celebrating and hugging should not be discouraged. It's not disrespectful if you make the end zone. That's what it's all about. There's a lot more review going on, and some of it's good.
- By Dave Mackall
Q&A with Doug Plank
By The Tribune-Review
Thursday, October 19, 2006
The rich tradition of high school football in Western Pennsylvania is rooted in personalities who will be featured in this space each week. As part of the 100th anniversary of the WPIAL, former scholastic football greats will be asked about their careers, which ultimately led to great futures. Doug Plank arguably is the best-known player to come out of Norwin High School. The all-state selection in 1970 was spurned by Penn State and wound up playing in three Rose Bowls for Ohio State before being drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 12th round. Former Bears coach Buddy Ryan later named the famed 46 defense after the jersey number worn by Plank, a free safety whose punishing hits led to a neck injury that cut short his pro career.
Plank, the head coach of the Arena Football Georgia Force and broadcaster of NFL games for the Sports USA Radio Network, wanted to play at Penn State, but wasn't offered a scholarship by Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno. Instead, when former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes showed up at Norwin, Plank agreed to join the Buckeyes. "I was in New York a while back taping a Sports Illustrated commercial with Rocky Bleier," Plank said. "I didn't realize that Rocky and Joe were good friends. They exchanged pleasantries before Paterno turned and looked at me. I extended my hand and said, 'Joe, you may not remember the conversation we had.' He said, 'I remember it, and I know who you are. I haven't made many mistakes in my life, but I made one with you.'"
Question: How does it feel to know that the mere mention of your name stokes memories of a wreckless defender who would stop at nothing?
Answer: It's pride. That's the first word that comes to my mind. I was in Chicago for the Bears-Buffalo game (Oct. 8), and I counted seven fans wearing Doug Plank jerseys on my way through the parking lot. I haven't played there in 24 years. It was overwhelming to me.
Q: The famed 46 Defense, used by the Chicago Bears of the 1980s, was named in honor of your jersey number. How much do you cherish being recognized this way by your former coach, Buddy Ryan?
A: It was really exciting. Buddy never called anyone by name. You were either a number or an adjective. If you played well, he used your number. He got a piece of chalk, circled my number and said "the 46 Defense." It worked. We beat Dan Fouts and the Chargers the next weekend. He kept tweaking it and in 1985, it was an unstoppable force.
Q: Was your hard-hitting style the same from the beginning?
A: It started when I was 8. My mother took us out and signed us up for pee-wee football. I couldn't believe you could knock people down and get a pat on the back. There's something about the competition. It was so satisfying. Most people do not have a switch. Off the field, I'm a very nice guy. There was something about stepping on a football field. It just struck me deep, down inside. It was something I was destined to do. I didn't need anyone to give me a pep talk. Just put me on the field and I'll do the rest.
Q: How much do you think about all those brutal hits and what they did to your body?
A: Someone told me you only have so many hits in your body. I believe them now. The manner in which I played was basically helmet only. A lot of people thinks it only involves your head and neck, but the reality is it's a compression of your entire spinal cord. It's a reverberation through your whole body when you hit someone. I was averaging around 100 tackles, and that's like 100 trainwrecks.
Q: What did Buddy Ryan teach you about football and beyond?
A: He was a sergeant in the Army. He was responsible for men's lives. The one thing I appreciated about him was how to play as a unit. He taught you to play for everybody. By not doing your job, you were letting your teammates down. One thing I didn't want to do was be in that meeting room Monday morning and you didn't give 100 percent.
Q: Did you figure coaching was in your blood?
A: I never, ever thought I'd want to be a coach. But when you think about it, whether it be giving advice to your childen, we're coaching. When my career was done, I ran Burger King franchises. I was coaching. It just wasn't 300-pounders.
Q: How often do you return to your roots in Westmoreland County?
A: Other than broadcasting a game, or playing in a golf tournament, I don't get back too often. But it's hard not to go back and not feel that it's a special place.
Q: Do you think the NFL has changed considerably since your playing days?
A: When I became an NFL player in the '70s, you were making reasonable amounts of money. Now it's almost like the NFL has become an entertainment business. I can't believe how many people are out there merchandising themselves, whether it be dancing or celebrating. Everyone is out there trying to get a reputation. Look at the Steelers of the '70s. That was enjoyable. But celebrating and hugging should not be discouraged. It's not disrespectful if you make the end zone. That's what it's all about. There's a lot more review going on, and some of it's good.
- By Dave Mackall
