BR.com caught up with Ravens linebacker * ***Terrell Suggs* **
, who talked about his focus on Sickle Cell Anemia with his charity work, the launch of his entertainment company and his favorite part of the holiday season. *
What's your favorite thing about the game of football?
"Just the whole atmosphere. It's a fun game, and a lot of us have been playing it since we could run. You're doing something that's so fun, and then there's everything else that ties in with that – the stadium with 70,000 fans yelling and the fact that you get to go out there and hit another person legally. It all feels good. It's also about a group of men coming together for one common goal. It's very fun."
When did you start playing?
"I was eight and played Pop Warner. I was too big to play with the little kids, so I had to move up. I was eight playing with the 10-year-olds."
What made you want to focus on Sickle Cell Anemia with your charity work?
"With the economy so bad right now, I just wanted to give back to a charity, and I wanted to actually see the results. I wanted to give back to something that I feel is important. Sickle cell, you don't really hear too much about it, so that's why I chose that."
You recently had a pretty big birthday bash, which helped raise money for Sickle Cell. What went on at that party?
"It was really fun. It was launching my LLC, Team Sizzle Worldwide. It's an entertainment company. It's also a movie production company. I'm getting into movies, making films. I want to make films that are not just the typical film that a young African-American, 26-year-old filmmaker would make. I want to tell good stories that people can pop in five years from now and say, 'This is a really good movie,' and watch it over and over."
Does the production side or the writing appeal to you most?
"I do the writing, and I do the production – all of it, right now. Not so much acting. I've co-starred and done cameos, but I will wait to break into acting."
What are your top three favorite films?
"Definitely the Ocean's movies, Finding Forrester and The Usual Suspects. You made me narrow it down to three, but I've got a whole bunch of them."
What's your favorite part of the holiday season?
"Christmas. The whole family is coming together. Even the stupid little arguments that you get to have, you've just got to enjoy the whole experience because you never know how many family members are going to make it to the next Christmas. I just love Christmas because it's the biggest family holiday of the year."
Is there something about the Christmas season that you could do without?
"The shopping. It's just a hassle. Your favorite stuff, people already got."
Are you a procrastinator with your Christmas shopping?
"Big time. I'll be doing most of my shopping on December 23."
What other nicknames have you had besides "Sizzle"?
"My dad used to call me 'Tubs.' I know I'm not going to hear the end of that. He also used to call us 'One-two.' There are five of us kids, and 'One-two' means let's go. Even when there was just one of us, he'd say, 'One-two, let's go.'"
What's the best concert you've ever attended?
"Beyonce right there at First Mariner Arena. I'm a big fan. Anybody who knows me knows that. I had this alternate fantasy that we used to date back in high school. I've got the whole story drawn up in my mind how we used to date and then we broke up because I went to college and she went to pursue her music career. Then she met Jay-Z, and Jay-Z called me up and said, 'I'd like to marry her,' and I'm like, 'Hey, she chose you. I give you all my blessing.' Just a little fun thing."
Perhaps a movie might come out of this story?
"No! It's all in good fun. I just love her. I'm a big fan of hers. I think she's gorgeous. I think she's beautiful."
