By: Joey Bittick

Whenever someone asks me who are my favorite Rams players, Grant Wistrom is always one of the first names out of my mouth. The Rams great defense sometimes gets lost in the conversation when fans talk about the Greatest Show on Turf years. People forget that they were an intimidating bunch, and that without them, St. Louis is not lifting that Lombardi Trophy. People forget that the Rams defense allowed the 4^th fewest points in the NFL (242), and Grant was a big part of that.  I always loved watching him play, because the guy just never quit on the field. And it turns out, that the guy does not quit off of the field either. Grant was kind enough to take some time to answer some questions for Rams on Demand about his college days, his NFL career, being a “Missouri Boy”, and about his work with The Wistrom Family Foundation.

Rams on Demand: First off Grant, congratulations on your induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. What was that experience like for you?

Grant Wistrom: It was incredibly humbling. The other players I was inducted with are guys  that I grew up watching play. The whole weekend in South Bend, IN was great. My wife liked the event in New York the best. 3 days at the Waldorf Astoria. New York in December. It got a little expensive

ROD: You were a major part of three National Championship teams. That is a special accomplishment in itself. But to do it at a school like Nebraska, where they really live and die for Cornhusker football, did that make it even more special for you?

GW: Absolutely. The opening  line in the school fight song that says “There is no place like Nebraska”. I can’t argue that fact. It was the best 4 years of my football life. Super bowls included. Memorial Stadium is the 3rd largest city in NE on game day. The Huskers are the state’s professional team. My wife has been to super bowls, but I told her she hasn’t seen anything until she attended a game in Lincoln. I was right.

ROD: You grew up in Joplin, Missouri—Chiefs country. But when you were drafted by the Rams with the Number 6 pick in the 1998 draft, how did it feel knowing that you would be playing NFL football in your home state?

GW: Honestly, I wasn’t very happy at first. The Rams had been the losingest team in the NFL for the last decade. I was young and was ready to get out of the Midwest. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Living and playing in St. Louis was the best thing that ever happened to me. I take a lot of pride in being a Missouri boy and getting to play for the Rams. Winning a super bowl. Meeting my wife. I love the town. I miss it. I look forward to every trip back. If you’ve ever eaten at Paul Manno’s in Creve Coeur you know why.

ROD: In 1998, the team went 4-12, and nobody gave the Rams much of a chance after that season ended. However, the Rams then traded for Marshall Faulk and landed Trent Green. The Rams fortunes seemed to be turning. And then Rodney Harrison ended Green’s season in a preseason game, and once again almost everyone was writing the Rams off. What was the real feeling in the locker room when Dick Vermeil spoke those famous words: “We will rally around Kurt Warner, and we will play good football!” At what point did you guys realize Coach Vermeil was right and Kurt Warner was a special talent?

GW: The year before when Kurt would torch our defense everyday in practice.

ROD: Of all of the magical moments the 1999 St. Louis Rams gave us fans, what moment sticks out most in your mind? What was it like to hoist that Lombardi trophy?

GW: As far as hoisting the trophy I couldn’t tell you. The guys on the podium did that. The parade after is a memory I will have forever. Oh and getting to judge the Miss USA pageant after wasn’t too bad either.

ROD: The Rams are going into 2010 with a record of 6-42 over the last three seasons. The experts have almost unanimously written them off going into this season, and sadly, many of the fans give them no chance either (outside of the fans at Rams on Demand, of course). What advice would you give the team about turning it around? What would you say to the fans out there that are ready to give up on the Rams?

GW: You never know when things are going to come together. We didn’t expect to win a super bowl, but we just kept plugging away. One game at a time. As far as the fans go. Have patience. Hopefully, the sale of the team will go through and Mr. Kroenke will be the new owner. Mr. Kroenke is a winner. He will do what it takes to get the Rams going in the right direction again.

ROD: I do not know how closely you follow the Rams nowadays, but Chris Long was picked Number 2 overall in 2008. As a player, he reminds a lot of people of you in that he is a high-motor guy who is a very good all around end and has a similar physical makeup. However, Chris has only sacked the QB 9 times total in his first two seasons. You had 9.5 sacks in your first two years. What would you say to fans that are ready to give up on Chris Long because he has not racked up the sacks thus far? And what advice would you give to Long as far as dealing with the pressure of being a DE picked so high in the draft?

GW: Don’t give up on him. I was lucky enough to be on a team that was scoring 40 points a game and still only had 9.5 sacks after two seasons. The learning curve in the NFL is HUGE. It takes time. I believe any player that plays hard will have success given time. I would tell Chris to never doubt himself. The sacks will come. I don’t think a player should ever be evaluated just on his numbers. Is he a good locker room guy? Does he bring up the level of play of those around him? How does he hold up against the run? Thank god sacks aren’t everything.

ROD: You had the chance to play on two teams who boasted likely future Hall of Fame left tackles in Orlando Pace with the Rams and Walter Jones of the Seahawks. If you had to pick one of them to play left tackle for your team, which one do you choose (just kidding with you)? Seriously though, what was it like going against guys like that in practice every day? Do you think that helped your game at all?

GW: I don’t know who I would pick. You can’t lose either way. They are two future Hall of Famers. Practice sucked. Plain and simple. You can’t question your ability or get frustrated. Know that the opponent on Sunday isn’t going to be the same caliber guy you faced everyday. I’m sure it made me better, but I would have taken a cupcake to go against.

ROD: In 2002, you started the Grant Wistrom Family Foundation. For the people out there who do not know, can you tell us about what your charity does? And for those who would like to donate to this worthy cause, how can they do that?

GW: We take pediatric cancer patients out of the hospital and allow them to be the incredible children they are in a fun and safe environment. We do 4 day trips in St. Louis in June with over 20 kids from all over the country. We put on spa days for mother’s and daughter’s. Events for brothers, sisters and friends. We try to impact the whole family because when a family has a sick child, everyone suffers. The best way for anyone to contact us who wants to help is go to our website www.grantwistrom.net.

ROD: The story of Kendall Chalmers is really a touching one. Can you tell us about that? Did you know immediately after meeting Kendall that you wanted to start the Grant Wistrom Family Foundation?

GW: Kendall was about 4 when I met him after a Nebraska game. He is from Carl Junction, MO which isn’t far from Webb City, my home town. My parents informed me Kendall had leukemia and was undergoing chemotherapy and was beginning to lose his hair. At the time at Nebraska we would shave our heads before every game. Jason Peter, Jared Tomich and myself took Kendall into the locker room after a game and shaved his head. I also gave him my black shirt practice jersey and made him an honorary black shirt. Being a black shirt at Nebraska is considered an honor. After getting to know Kendall and finding out what an amazing kid he was, I knew I wanted to do something with my time and money if I ever had an opportunity to.

ROD: These children have been afflicted with such a terrible disease and have spent their lives in and out of hospitals, dealing with cancer treatments, and really having to grow up so fast.  What is it like for you to be able to provide them with the chance to just be kids for a while? What is it like for their families, who have had to watch these kids dealing with so much at such a young age, to watch them getting to just be kids for once?

GW: Playing football was awesome, but the platform it gave my wife and myself to help these amazing kids is even better. I thought I had an inkling of what these parents are going through. I had no idea until I had kids of my own. I can’t imagine how they suffer. I really want to thank the parents who trust us with their most prized possessions. I hope what we do for their children makes it worth it.

ROD: You had such an illustrious career at Nebraska, you made so many plays that brought us fans to our feet in the NFL, you have coached kids at the high school level, and you have made such an impact in people lives through your Foundation. When people think of you, what is the one thing you want them to think about Grant Wistrom?

GW: I was a player that played football the right way. I gave everything I had every time I stepped on the field. I was a contributor in the community as well. I gave people joy on and off the field. I was a player and a person that dad’s pointed out to their kids.

Thanks so much to Grant for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions.  And I am sure many of you out there would like to look into the Wistrom Family Foundation some more.  You can do so here: http://grantwistrom.net/. It really is a worthy cause.  Again, thanks to Grant, he truly is a player that everyone can look up to.