The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Celebrity trio: Armstrong, Gyllenhaal and McConaughey
09.08.2006 | Football
Lance Armstrong
How was it that you first became a Longhorns fan? Just living in this city for 16 years or 17 years. The biggest connection was when Coach Brown moved into my neighborhood. We got to know him and his family, and being personally involved on a neighborly level, he helped out with the Foundation. This town has really adopted him, and I'm proud of this city for finally adopting a coach like him, he's a really good man.
How was your Rose Bowl experience? It was indescribable. The feeling of watching it go down, being on the field after the game was over, being in the locker room and hearing Coach Brown's final words. It was surreal. It was like Forest Gump, like, 'What am I doing here?'
How did you first come to know Coach Brown? At that time I was living on the lake, and he moved down there, and I just got to know him through that. There's also a cancer connection in his family, and he spoke at one of our very first galas. He's always been a supporter. Any time I've done anything good on the bike, he was always there to say congratulations, and I've been involved in the games, too, with the coin toss. And it's vice versa. I think the other good thing is that we've always been there for each other when we didn't have good days. It's easy to call a guy when he wins and say, 'Hey, good job,' but when you get it handed to you on something, you've got to say, 'Don't worry, we're all still here for you,' especially in his job. College coaching is a tough job.
College GameDay is here again, and you made a guest appearance last year. How do you like the atmosphere for this weekend? It was so much fun last year with College GameDay here. At that point, I think (Texas Tech was) in the Top 10, but they were high enough, and it ended up not being that close of a game, but that's the way we like it, I suppose. I was supposed to be on the road this weekend, but I canceled all of my trips. This game, it might be big in Austin, and it might be big in Columbus, but in the last two weeks, I've been in L.A., I've been in Miami, I've been in Wisconsin, I've been in Las Vegas, I've been all over, and it's just huge. It's just a huge game.
What's new with your foundation? We just keep clicking along. The Foundation has just been a crazy success in terms of what I ever expected. We've raised $140 million to date, the (wrist) bands came along, and we sold 65 million of those. Obviously, we still work on the programming side, but now we're working on the political side trying to get the future leaders of our countries engaged on the disease. In order to win it, you have to fund it, in order to fund it, the leaders have to decide to fund it, and the quicker we get them to say, 'This is a national priority,' the quicker we all win. The cool thing is we all win -- you, me, this country and the whole world. Whatever we fix here, we fix everywhere. It's a pretty good story.
How do you feel coming in and being with the team like this? It's funny, because I always walk into these settings, because, first of all, they're as big as skyscrapers, half of them. These are MEN. I feel like a kid in here, just physically a lot smaller, literally you look up to them, but also, you respect what they have to go through going out in front of 80,000 or 90,000 people with all this pressure; these are kids. I just have so much respect for their ability to handle this. These guys this year, all the pressure being put on them about having to repeat, you have to take your hat off to them. I get nervous just walking out for the coin toss. I do, I think about with all these people, what if I mess up or drop the coin? It's big time.
How was your experience hosting the ESPYs? We had the Texas connection there with Vince (Young), Matthew (McConaughey) and myself. There was a lot of pressure there, because you're stepping out and you're trying to be the Billy Crystal of sports. When those doors open up, and you walk out in the Kodak Theater, on what's basically live TV, it makes the Tour (de France) seem easy sometimes. I was excited to it and that the ratings were great, and I could get to do it again and try not to mess it up.
You've become one of the true faces of Austin. What does the city mean to you? Outside of it being really hot in the summer, it's clearly the best city in America. You have smart people here, you have progressive thinkers, you have the ability to do all kinds of exercise -- if it's ride a bike, if it's mountain bike, if it's running, if it's swimming, if it's kayaking, if it's going to the park -- this is a real 'outdoorsy' city. Sports Illustrated is like an outside sports magazine. When they rank the best cities in America to live, Austin, Texas, is always right there. It's an outdoors town, then you add in smart people, you add in a great university, which produces a lot of the smart people, good young people, it's amazing. People are always surprised by Austin. They go to Dallas and Houston, and are like, 'eehhnn,' then they come to Austin and are like, 'Wait a minute, what's up with the hills and the water and the trees?' It's the best.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Is Lance trying to turn you into a Longhorns fan? Maybe subtly, yeah, subtly it seems like he is. He brought me over from my hometown of Los Angeles and brought me to Austin. It's definitely wooing me.
What brings you to Austin? Are you just with Lance for the Ohio State game? Yeah, we're here for the game, and then we're going to hang out and go to ACL Fest.
How did you meet Lance? One day, I got a phone call from Mr. Armstrong and he said, 'How are you doing, Jake? This is Lance Armstrong. Do you want to go for a (bike) ride?' And we went for a ride, and that was basically it.
How did you get into bike riding? Definitely from being inspired by Lance, and my best friend, his mom was sick with cancer, and we both started riding together, and I just fell in love with it.
Is this your first trip to Austin, and what are your thoughts? No, I've been here before. It's great. I've just spent a very short time here, I've spent one day here, and I had to come back. What I experienced when I came here last time, it was really, really hot, but the school is great, and from every person I've run into all over the country, when I've said to I've been to Austin, if they've been here, they say, 'You have to go there, it's the best city in the world.' I've heard everybody say that about Austin, so this trip is long overdue.
How much of a college football fan are you? I'm a pretty big fan. I'm not a huge college football fan, but I watch a lot of the big games. I have to say I'm a little biased to basketball, but I love all sports. I loved the Rose Bowl last year. It was unbelievable. I've seen it about six times.
You're from L.A. Who were you rooting for? I can say that I'm definitely not rooting for Ohio State (laughing). All I can say is that every play that I saw in that game was just electric. It was extraordinary from both sides. To me, at a certain point, it was like they both really did win, and then when Texas won, Texas won, but they both were winning the whole time. It was an amazing game. If I spend more time in Austin, I'll become a Texas fan.
The Austin movie scene is really growing. What are your thoughts on that? I know about the festival, which really is picking up. I think, creatively, it's an amazing city. I have friends who are filmmakers who are here and are working on documentaries, and who, through The University, have been making documentaries and making films and writing screenplays. It's amazing here. There seems to be a real emphasis on sports here and a real emphasis on the creative, which I think is not like many places. There are a lot of filmmakers and actors that live here, and they love it.
Is the independent film/documentary industry one that you would like to participate in? That's definitely what I love the most. The first types of film that were casting me were independent films, and I believe that's where real cutting edge, real interesting work is being done. I think it's where faults and the real side of what's human, which is difficulty and struggle, is shown more than in big Hollywood films. I think it's a real struggle to make films that show imperfection when people are spending a lot of money. Also, it's just nice because it's not as big of a risk. There are certain movies I've made for nothing, and there's a huge profit side to it if it becomes something people see. To me, it's a more interesting world, but I also do big films.
What about your ESPY experience getting to see Lance host? I've got to say, he dissed me pretty hard, or should I say he was tough on me (on air). I would like to say for the record, that it's kind of a bummer that a close friend would take such a cheap shot, because this is coming from a guy that wears a colorful spandex suit and stares at guys from behind six to 12 hours a day. I guess that's enough said (laughing).
He just said he didn't write it. He said he didn't write it? I don't know about that.
You've only met Coach Brown briefly. What are your thoughts having watched him in the Rose Bowl? To me, I think what's amazing about watching coaches is the ability to play chess. It is really a chess game. His demeanor, he seems like a really good guy with such a positive attitude. I know every coach has a different way of doing things, but it seems to me that's the only real way to have real success, and he has.
What are your feelings on coming to practice like this? It's a real honor. I have to say, when I'm making a movie and people come to the set, it's kind of funny to say, but it's a sacred place, and when you're let in, it's really an honor, and I really respect them. It's amazing to watch them. They look great, they look really strong, and it's going to be a great game. I have a feeling that if they do everything they're supposed to, they'll have a great chance to win.
Is there a possibility you may play Lance in a movie? (Gyllenhaal) The truth is, one, it would be a great movie. I think, judging how many people love him, and it would be an honor for whoever plays him, but it's too early to say.
(Armstrong) People ask me all the time, and it's not my job to (decide who plays me). It's the studio's job to cast it, and it's the artist's job to read the script and say, 'You know what? I want to do it or I don't want to do it. I like it or I don't like it.' We're not to that point yet. A couple of weeks ago, all of that came out, and it was like, 'What?'
(Gyllenhaal) The bottom line is that Lance and I are good friends and I respect everything that he's done, and it's not about a movie right now.
Matthew McConaughey
What are your feelings when you come to practice? I tell you what. I was here for the first time nine or ten years ago, and practice today is a whole lot different from then. That was right after the UCLA game when we got whooped pretty bad. The difference between then and now and at that time -- the kids, the speed, the confidence, some of the overall ability -- is a big difference. I like what I'm seeing today, just the way you watch them interacting, you watch how they pass each other, you watch how the kid runs a route on the opposite side of the field when he knows the play's not even coming to him. You see unity, you see also kids that want to play for their own personal best. I like this motto they've got going this year which is, 'Just do what you do.' You've got 11 kids on the field at a time doing what you do, then you've got a great team. I like it. I like watching sometime, I like not saying a word and just looking in their eyes. Other times, I like joking with them. Sometimes I like asking them if they're ready, 'Are you ready to get it on?' It's always kind of different. It's also different for different people.
It's just nice to watch for me. I just got finished doing a film, 'We are Marshall,' where I got to coach. I think the experience of being out here at these practices and watching this, obviously made me more comfortable on the field as a coach. I just like it; I'm just right there. I'm 36, so I'm right at that cusp where I go, 'I think I could still run that route,' but I like it over here. I like coaching.
I like it, I went to school here, it's a good group of kids, and I like seeing how the coaches interact here. There's a respect level, but also the coaches have some fun here too. I like the mix of the discipline and the looseness. That's where the great mix is.
How valuable is your interaction with the guys to you? To me, I'm 36, and whether they're here or wherever they're going to go off to, this is the youth of today. I come back here, and I've done good things with my life and gone on and succeeded. I love to take the time to come by and look them in the eye, shake their hand and ask them how they're feeling and let them know I'm here for them. They're just reminded that they're supported. Me, being somebody they know, there's other things I could be doing, but if I were them, it would be nice to know that I'm supported, and that's what I like to do.
What is your relationship like with Coach Brown? It's good, and I'm really so happy for him after last year. We were just talking, and there are a lot of times where you do the same things, but you don't win the grand prize, but when you do, they think you did something different. Maybe you didn't do something different, you're just doing the same thing, and the cards fell where they were, and you did it well. You've been doing it well before that, even though you maybe didn't win the grand prize. Again, we were talking about that looseness and focus, I like that about him. He's got a keen eye. Even when he and I are talking, we could be in the middle of a joke and he's got his eye on something, and he's making a mental note of it.
We talk and philosophize a little bit here and there, and I like to check in with him and ask him where the team is or what are the strengths and what's the one thing that's the biggest concern. I know they're going to play really hard, and that's what you want, because you're going to get effort. You're going to get a huge effort Saturday. I learn so much about sports just through "the game," and how to coach "the game." You work physically all day, but Friday, let's go to the mental side, let's focus, let's go over everything we did. You have a loose group too. This is the Ohio State game, these kids don't need to be pumped up. They don't need to be told to get pumped up. They're full. They need to focus on the game plan, keep it loose and take that focus to the field.
How was your Rose Bowl experience? I was exhausted after that game, man. Whooo, that was as amazing of a sporting event as I've ever seen, or most anyone has ever seen. The rhythms that team went through; you make a great move and the drama swings. It was a great testament to just sticking to it. They just stuck to it and stuck to it and stuck to it, and then when it was over, I had tears of joy, tears of exhaustion, and then seeing these kids and these coaches afterwards and hearing what they said in the locker room. I've talked about this before, but five minutes after the victory, Coach Brown had already said, 'Don't let this be the greatest thing that ever happens in your life.' That's another great thing we've got going here -- be the best at what you're doing here, but also, a high percentage of these kids will not end up playing professional football, and if you do, the average time is 3.2 years, so if you do that, what are you doing after age 25? Again, sports and life lessons. That was some of my favorite stuff, after the game. Just seeing everybody the day before, walking around looking in their eyes was great.
They were singing the song you taught them during that day before, and you just sang it again. How does that make you feel? It's cool, man. It was just a little ditty that I woke up in the middle of the night about a year ago, and I was in Spain. I was like, 'You know what, man? They don't think so, they know it -- Somebody don't think so, somebody knows so.' I feel good man, it's fun.