Falcons Vice President of Football Communications Reggie Roberts spotlights a player each week in a series of on-the-spot, off-beat questions in a new weekly segment featured on AtlantaFalcons.com called "Behind the Facemask." This week's featured player is Falcons DE Kroy Biermann, who has 13 tackles and one sack for the 3-1 Falcons. We caught up with Kroy two days before the Falcons jump on the bird and head up to Ohio to face the Cleveland Browns.
Reggie Roberts:Catch us up on how your season has been going so far big fella?
Kroy Biermann:"I think it's gone pretty well. I got off to a pretty fast start with a sack in Pittsburgh, and was able to get some pretty good pressure on the QB against Arizona. The New Orleans game was a great win for the team in that I thought we played real well. We had another real good win last week against San Francisco. I haven't got the numbers that I would like to have, but I'm getting good pressure and the sacks will come."
RR:**You grew up in Montana. What's it like there?
KB: "It's beautiful. There are mountains, rivers, lakes and tons of hunting and fishing. The people there are amazing. Everyone there supports me and they love the fact that I am part of the NFL."
RR:What's the name of the town you grew up in and describe it if you would?
KB:"I grew up in Hardin, Montana (population, 2,500). We had one high school (Hardin High School Bulldogs), and my graduating class had 85 kids in it. Quite a few of my friends from my high school graduating class still live in Hardin, and I still stay in touch with a few of them."
RR: Growing up in Montana, which professional athletes did you follow?
KB:"I didn't follow sports all that much in high school. I was always outside either hunting or fishing. When I did watch sports, we watched three channels on our TV set and we'd usually see the Denver Broncos or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I watched more college football than NFL football growing up."
RR:Browns RB Peyton Hillis looks like he's a load to tackle. How do you tackle a man that big?
KB:"We've got to swarm him. Our smaller guys on the perimeter will have to hit him low, and we will have to make sure that we wrap him up because he's a big strong guy who can run through arm tackles."
RR: How many songs are on your iPod and who are some of your favorite artists?
KB: "I've got about 1,500 songs. Sixty percent of the songs on my I-Pod are from country music artists, 30 percent of it is rock and the final 10 percent is hip-hop and R&B. I like Lil' Wayne, Young Jeezy and Jay-Z. On the country side, I like Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton and Carrie Underwood."
RR:Do you feel bad for opponents when the Falcons win the game?
KB:"No."
RR: Not even a little bit?
KB:"Not even a little bit. I feel for them having to get on that plane and go back home after a loss only because I've had to do it, and it's never any fun. I know how bad it feels, but the competitive nature in me won't let me feel bad for too long. It's all about us and what our team and organization is trying to accomplish."
RR:Do you do your own laundry?
KB:"I do. I wash, I dry, I fold and I hang it. I do get my suits dry cleaned."
RR:How many suits do you own?
KB:"Twelve."
RR: How many suits did you own before you signed your first NFL contract?
KB:"One, but it wasn't a real suit."
RR:Don't take this the wrong way, but the entire persona of Kroy Biermann has dramatically improved over the last few months (clothes, designer sunglasses, custom-made suits). What's caused that?
KB:"I think that's just the nature of evolution. You're in a situation where you have the opportunity to do things better, and I am a guy who has always wanted to look nice and present myself with class and I am able to do that these days."
RR:Do you shop at Wal-Mart?
KB: "Yeah, I pick up the basics there. I'll run in there and pick up face wash, body wash, shampoo, hand towels, my favorite snacks, movies and video games."
RR:Who are the top people on the speed dial on your cell phone?
KB:"My parents Keith and Kathy Biermann."
RR:What's the greatest thing about being in the NFL?
KB:"Sundays. I love Sundays and the fact that I get to play this game."
