Interview with Scott Fujita
By Fletcher MackelDespite the perception that athletes don’t like the media and vice versa, I consider Fujita a friend and have enjoyed not only covering his play on the field, but also getting to know him off the field. Another 80s movie buff, I sat down with Fujita to talk football (and a little film).
FM: DO YOU THINK THE NEW DEFENSIVE PLAYERS WILL HELP SOLIDIFY THAT SIDE OF THE BALL?
SF: Yes, but I’m not gonna overanalyze it. Let’s just let them come in and perform.
FM: SAINTS FANS LOVED TO HATE CORNERBACK JASON DAVID LAST SEASON. DO YOU THINK DAVID WILL START THIS YEAR OR WILL ONE OF THE NEW GUYS REPLACE HIM IN THE LINEUP?
SF: We’ll have to wait and see. One thing this coaching staff has proven is that they’re going to put the best guys on the field, regardless of salary or draft status. If JD competes well and has a great camp, which I’m confident he can do, that creates a pretty healthy predicament at a position where I think you’d like to see a lot of competition.
FM: YOU GUYS ARE PLAYING A ‘HOME’ GAME IN LONDON VS. THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS. GOOD MOVE OR BAD MOVE BY THE NFL TO SCHEDULE REGULAR SEASON GAMES OVERSEAS?
SF: Great move. Some people like to bitch about it -- I’m not one of them.
FM: QUICKLY, FAVORITE BRITISH GANGSTER FILM?: ‘Lock, Stock & Two Smoking
Barrells’.....’Snatch’.....’Layer Cake’..... ’The Bank Job’?
SF: Although they all seem more like foreign language films (due to the heavy Cockney accents), I’m going with Lock, Stock.
FM: BACK TO FOOTBALL, DO YOU THINK DEUCE McALLISTER WILL COME BACK HEALTHY AND HELP THE TEAM?
SF: I have my fingers crossed.
FM: ATLANTA, CAROLINA OR TAMPA BAY - WHICH NFC SOUTH DIVISION OPPONENT DO YOU FEAR THE MOST THIS YEAR?
SF: I fear no one. Does that sound lame?
FM: NAME ONE PLAYER ON EACH SIDE OF THE BALL (OFFENSE AND DEFENSE) THAT WILL HAVE A BREAKOUT SEASON.
SF: Safety Roman Harper and running back Reggie Bush
FM: AND FINALLY, IF HOLLYWOOD DECIDES TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT THE SAINTS MAGICAL RUN IN 2006, WHO PLAYS SCOTT FUJITA?
SF: Scott Fujita, naturally.
FM: REALLY? JUST LIKE FORMER NFL LINEBACKER-TURNED-ACTOR BRIAN BOSWORTH? NICE!
DARE I ASK WHO PLAYS TALENTED TELEVISION REPORTER FLETCHER MACKEL IN THIS FILM?
SF: They only had room for one media personality in the film, so they chose to include only Keli Fulton.
FM: SHE IS QUITE A LOOKER! GOOD LUCK THIS SEASON.