Rookie receiver Tiquan Underwood has nothing been short of impressive in his first CFL Training Camp with the Tiger-Cats. His success within the system has been fully noted, but he’s still a new guy in Hamilton, so I caught up with Tiquan after practice to get to know him a little better.
What’s the official name of your hairstyle?
“I’m gonna go with just a high-top fade.”
Have you been teaching Jacory Harris anything about it?
“Yeah, he has a little miniature one. His was pretty high, but he ended up cutting it down when he heard I joined the team, so I’m trying to get him to grow it back out.”
Speaking of high-top fades, are you cheering for Iman Shumpert and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals?
“To be honest, I’m not rooting for a particular team, I just like to see good, close games. I’ve only seen game one thus far because I’ve been studying so much and I don’t have any time to watch the games. I’ve heard the series has been pretty good though.”
Do you have a favourite NBA team in general?
“Not a team, but I’m a Kobe Bryant fan. I like his drive and determination, so I just root for him personally.”
Do you play Madden, and do you have a go-to team?
“I’m a big [NBA] 2K player, I’m not a big Madden guy. When I can get away from football, I try to, I don’t even want to play football video games. I play FIFA now, my guys put me onto that, and I’m a big-time 2K guy.”
You’ve been all over the map, what’s your favourite city you’ve lived in?
“It would either have to be Tampa or [Boston] Massachusetts, man. I like Boston a lot, and Tampa was beautiful with the weather there, so it would be a tie between those two.”
You said you like to get away from football when you can, do you have a favourite movie or TV series?
“Oh, Power. Power all day, on the Starz Network, I love it man. I’ve actually been getting into the Disney series because I have a daughter now, who’s a little over one, so I’ve been watching a lot of [Finding] Nemo as of late.”
Do you have a favourite character in the Nemo movie?
“To be honest, I like the pelican and those little birds who are like ‘mine, mine, mine’ at the end, that cracks me up every time.”
How are you liking the Canadian weather so far?
“It’s been a roller-coaster a little bit, but not bad. I’ve gotta get prepared, I’ve heard it gets a lot chillier once we get deeper into the season, so I’ve got my peacoat ready and I’ve gotta get some boots. I’ll be ready once it gets cold, but this weather today has been beautiful.”
Of all the teams you’ve played for, what’s your favourite jersey scheme?
“I love that New England Patriot one, that blue one, I love that one. The Tampa one was cool too, because I like when the socks are black. Here [in Hamilton] I can wear black tights with a little bit of white showing. It would be a tie between Tampa Bay and New England.”
Who’s the best player you’ve played against or with over the course of your career?
“The Tom Brady in New England, and Ronde Barber and Vincent Jackson in Tampa. They were constant professionals on and off the field, and they just demand excellence from themselves and their teammates. I learned a lot from those guys.”
What’s your favourite route to run?
“I love the deep ball. Whether it’s a fly, a sluggo, something like that, I just love the deep ball. When the ball’s in the air and you get a chance to make a play, I love that.”
Why the CFL? What led you to Hamilton?
“After not playing last year, once I got released by Carolina, I had a workout with the Jets and had a little bit of interest from the Falcons, but I didn’t get signed. Even after a year of not playing, Hamilton reached out and they showed interest. I came here on a visit, came for mini-camp and here we are today. It’s been a great fit, great organization, great coaching staff and I just want to help this team win games any way possible. I know I have to learn this playbook, and as a receiver up here you have to be in good shape with the waggle and all the running, so I’m constantly working to help this team win. Everyone here has one goal, and that’s the Grey Cup.”
