By Zach Berman
In our off-the-field feature today, I caught up with Rashad Barksdale. The rookie cornerback played college baseball at Albany and shares his last name with a popular television character. Here is Rashad Barksdale:
Who's the best baseball player on the Eagles?
RB: On the Eagles? Yeah, I am. I don't know too many people. I know Sheldon Brown played. Me and C.J. [Gaddis] kind of go back and forth. That's about it.
What position did you play?
RB: Left or centerfield.
What was your game?
RB: Pretty much, I was an infield single type of guy. I was really aggressive on the bases. I'd steal bases. I was good at tracking balls out of the outfield. I was kind of scrappy -- I don't know if there are too many scrappy baseball players.
What do you think is more difficult: 162 games of baseball or 16 games of football?
RB: Baseball, without a doubt. The way I kind of look at it with football is football is a long season and so is baseball, but football you can put any one of these [fans] out here and they have a possibility of making a tackle. You put anyone of them out there in a batter's box against Randy Johnson, his fastball or curveball, I bet you it'll take them longer to hit his fastball than to tackle someone. It's really mental sport. They say it's a team sport, but it's kind of an individual sport as well. If you get down on yourself, that can bring you down on and off the field.
Are you familiar with the show the Wire?
RB: Yeah.
Does anyone confuse you with the character on the show named Barksdale?
RB: (Laughing) A couple people in school told me I was related to him, but I don't know what they're talking about.
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