A Little Bit of Soul…With Dwayne Missouri
Jason Moyer
Wednesday February 15, 2006
Jason Moyer (JM): You were the first player signed by the Soul. Can you describe the changes the franchise has gone through since that beginning?
Dwayne Missouri (D-MO): I think the biggest difference is the attitude of the organization. The first year we were trying to gain respect and create an identity. Throughout the years, we have had the talent level increase and now we feel as though we are in position to really make the city of Philadelphia proud of us.
JM: Besides winning ArenaBowl XX, what is another goal you have for the season?
D-MO: Going into my third full year of arena football, I personally would like to present myself as one of the better lineman of the league. I don’t get very big on stats, but I would like to be someone teams consider they have to worry about a little. However, as a team, the championship is our only goal.
JM: What is your favorite football memory?
D-MO: I would have to say the Texas 5A Division II high school football championship my senior year. Playing high school football in Texas is big and everyone dreams of winning state. What made it special was the 5A Division I champ actually came from our district also. We, however, beat them en-route to a 16-0 season, making us the undisputed champions that year.
JM: Is it true that Soul players are required to have Bon Jovi songs downloaded on their ipod and what is currently on yours?
D-MO: Haha. No, we are not required to keep Bon Jovi songs on our ipods. But most of us have at least one song, just in case he checks. Personally, I have a lot of rap music like Lil Wayne, T.I., and Jay Z. I also have some stuff that keeps me calm on game day.
JM: Lastly, if you could influence another celebrity to invest in the AFL, who would it be and why?
D-MO: Wow, that’s a good question. I would like to see more ex-players involved in the league. I think they recognize and understand why we play the game and how we feel about it. They know what a difference it is as a player to be involved in a quality organization.
Thanks Dwayne for taking time to answer the questions.
Jason Moyer is an elementary school teacher in the western New Jersey area. He is an avid follower of the Arena Football League and has been covering the Philadelphia Soul with ArenaFan.com since 2005. Jason resides in Whitehall, PA with his wife and daughter.
