MARK VLASIC

Mark Vlasic was born and raised in a very sports famous area of Western Pennsylvania that produced such luminaries as Joe Namath, Joe Montana, Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett, Dan Marino and Terry Francona.

With all of that, Mark was still lured away from Penn State country by then Iowa assistant coach, Barry Alvarez.  It probably didn't hurt that Bobby Stoops was his tour guide during his campus visit and that Iowa had just completed a very successful 1981-82 football season, with a Rose Bowl appearance.  Mix in the coaching prowess of the legendary Hayden Fry and his offensive genius, Bill Snyder, who Vlasic still credits for making him "NFL ready", progressing as a quarterback and as a thinking and educated man, ready to take on life after football. 

If you look at the way Mark entered the NFL, it was very typical to his usual non-grandstanding approach.  Mark was in his Iowa City driveway, repairing his college car, that his parents bought for him his freshman year, an old Subaru.  When he came back inside his apartment, there were four messages awaiting him,  two from his agent and two from The San Diego Chargers, who had made Vlasic the 88th overall player picked in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL Draft.

"The Pickle", as his friends still call Vlasic, states that the '85 victory over #2 Michigan, when his Iowa Hawkeyes were #1, as his most memorable and favorite of his college career.  He was Chuck Long's backup and Rob Houghtlin's holder, during that game winning kick.  His best NFL memory was as a Kansas City Chief in '91-'92.  Mark lead the Chiefs to a comeback victory, after he was sent into the game at the start of the second half, as a reliever for the starting quaterback.  Oh, by the way, it was against his original NFL team, the one that drafted him four years earlier, The San Diego Chargers. 

Mark Vlasic is not bitter about having to wait for his opportunities to perform.  As he commented to me, "instead of looking at it negatively, I realized that I was able to observe and learn from a Heisman candidate in Chuck Long, a pro football Hall of Famer in Dan Fouts and a perenial winner in Jim McMahon.  How can that be a bad thing?" 

QUICK HITTERS 

This is a regular feature to let you get to know, a little more about each week's guest, outside of their claim to fame:

What is your favorite type of music? 

Lately, I've been listening to The Allman Brothers

What is your favorite movie? 

Two of them come to mind:  "Animal House" and "Remember the Titans"

What is your favorite tv show? 

"Cheers" reruns

Who would you like to meet? 

George Washington, because he was a visionary and a courageousleader.  He did what he felt was right, not popular.  Similar to a quarterback.

Mark Vlasic lives in the Kansas City area with his wife and three children.  He is a financial adviser with RSM McGladrey.

Thank you Mark Vlasic, for alot of things.  May success continue to guide your course.