One-on-One with Detroit`s Ron Carpenter
Neal Ruhl
Wednesday March 3, 2004
“Carp”, as the team affectionately knows him, is the only player to play in a Super Bowl (St. Louis Rams 1999), and an ArenaBowl (Nashville Kats 2000), in the same season. Carpenter played college ball at Miami (Ohio), where he earned all-Mid America Conference honors for three straight seasons, including a nomination for the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back as a senior. While in college, Ron majored in engineering physics. Recently after practice, I caught up with Ron, and he shared his views on physics and whether or not he would make a better presidential candidate than his teammate Andy Kelly….
Arenafan- “You were the only player to play in an ArenaBowl and a Super Bowl in the same year. Is that something that you take a lot of pride in?
Ron Carpenter- “I take pride in it, but it’s not some thing that is talked about a lot. I do show guys the ring if they ask to see it, and I do wear it on game days as a good luck charm. But it’s not where you’ve been, it’s where you’re at; and right now I’m here trying to win a championship for the Detroit Fury.”
AF- “Where do you put yourself in the ranks of defensive specialists in this league?
RC- “I would probably say top ten. There are some guys in the league that are a little younger, and may have a little more speed, but I have more experience.”
AF- “What’s easier- an engineering physics equation, or returning a kick off the net for touchdown?”
RC- “An engineering physics equation, not doubt. That ball can do some crazy stuff coming off the net, and then you have to catch it which can be hard also, so for sure, an engineering physics equation is easier.”
AF- “After Monday night’s win against Indiana, I was talking to A.K. (Fury QB Andy Kelly), and you walked by and said, “Andy Kelly for president!” With the election coming up, who would make a better presidential candidate, you or A.K. and why?”
RC- “A.K. would be a better candidate because he has less of a temper than I do. He is on a more even keel. Sometimes I get mad, and with the button being around, I could start blowing stuff up.”
AF- “Last question, is it frustrating to not get any respect? By that I mean you were nominated for the Thorpe award in college, yet you went undrafted. You are here in Detroit where you guys, in my opinion, are a top four team in this league, yet you are always overlooked. Does that frustrate you?”
RC- “Yeah, it gets frustrating, but at the same time it motivates you. You put it in the back of your mind that you get no respect, and you draw motivation from it. You want to prove everyone wrong.”
Unleash the Fury
The Fury travel to Denver to take on the Colorado Crush on Thursday March 4th at 9 pm eastern…OL/DL Curtis Eason will be activated from the injured list this week…FB/LB Cameron Chance is tied for third in the league in sacks with two….
On the Air
Catch Arenafan’s Neal Ruhl on the Fury pre-game show on WXDX 1310AM….
Neal Ruhl lives in the Metro Detroit Area where he has covered the Detroit Lions as well as the Motor City Bowl.
