My, how the times change for former sports stars.
Take Brian Bozworth, for example. He is now playing a sheriff in the Dr. Pepper Fansville commercials, which are peppered to fans all across the nation during football game telecasts.
To see this one-time rebel (he was suspended by the NCAA before the Orange Bowl for failing a steroids test and followed that up by showcasing his immaturity by wearing a t-shirt on the sideline with the lettering “National Communists Against Athletes” for NCAA and had a phrase “Welcome to Russia” on it that got him kicked off the Oklahoma football team, quite the accomplishment in the Barry Switzer renegade era) now playing a member of the law is quite laughable.
Even in a fake town.
And that, no doubt, it the point in having him cast in that role.
As the self-proclaimed character, The Boz, he was – best described here by Rick Reilly writing for Sports Illustrated at the time – as “the multitalented, multiquoted, multi-Clairoled (his newest creation: ‘The Rainbow Warrior,’ with four stripes—yellow, black, red and yellow—on one side of his head), multimedia machine and part-time linebacker for Oklahoma.”
He loved attention and headlines and said outrageous things to get more of both. Born in Texas but having gone to Oklahoma, he once said this to a reporter: “the guy asked me if I was a Texas boy. I said, ‘No, I’m an Oklahoma boy.’ I don’t like Texas. That burnt orange makes me want to puke.”
In 2013, Bosworth became a born-again Christian and that pretty much put the Boz to bed. His alter ego had really retired some years earlier when a shoulder injury – and Bo Jackson – quickly ended his NFL career.
Now he’s in public eye again, this time “protecting” the Fansville community. My, how the times do indeed change for former sports stars.
Every successful person has a gimmick!! His was “The Boz.” The post-football “Sheriff of Fansville” is his proof. Way to go Brian.
So true!