Return standout not yet the King

Micheal Spurlock might have found instant fame by becoming the first Tampa Bay player to return a kickoff for a touchdown, but he's got nothing on famous blues artist B.B. King.

By STEPHEN F. HOLDER, Times Staff Writer
Published December 30, 2007

Bucs receiver Michael Spurlock comes from Indianola, Miss. - home of blues master B.B. King.
	[Brian Cassella | Times]

You and former Buc Ellis Wyms are from Indianola, Miss., B.B. King's hometown. Ever met B.B.?

Actually, yes. A guy who is a good friend of mine, his mother always hosted B.B. King at her house and did the catering for his events. So, I would get to meet him when he was around. We would hang out and then go to his concert that night. It's a blues concert, and he's the main event. He does it once every year. He always comes on last. He always remembers the hometown.

So, you've kind of become a celebrity all of a sudden. Is B.B. King still the most famous person from Indianola?

He will always be the most famous person. I got maybe a little fame, but I don't even know if I consider it that. Anybody can return a kick one time. It's about being consistent in this league. Doing it one time is just luck.

So, that catering must have been unbelievable, right?

Oh, yes. Any time he comes around, you're going to eat good and hear some good music.

What's on the menu?

Well, you have to have some fish. Catfish is No. 1. Then, you have a mix of a lot of things. You have to have some greens, some cornbread, and everybody sort of brings a little something extra. My friend's mom does the catering, but it's almost like a potluck.

What's Friday night like back home in high school football season?

Oh, it's crazy. Everybody is trying to go to the game at Gentry High. If you weren't at the football game, you were nobody. As a kid, you were pinching pennies trying to come up with $4 to go to the game. I used to get there early with my dad. He was the (public-address) announcer, so that's how I got in free. My mom would ask me if I was going to wait for my brothers. I'd say, "Nope. I'm going with Dad."

Has anything interesting happened to you because of your newfound fame?

The craziest thing that happened was, the other day, I was in the store buying some T-shirts. When I got to the register, I was there swiping my bank card over and over. I was like, "What's going on? Is my card not working?" Turned out, there was a fraud alert on my card, so it wouldn't work. So, I'm sitting there on the phone with the bank, and this lady just came up to me and said, "Don't worry about it. I'll pay for it. Here's my card. Just come eat at my restaurant as a favor and send me a check later." I just looked at her like, "Are you serious?" I mean, that was crazy. I told my wife, and she was like, "What?"

Two weeks ago, that would never have happened, right?

I know! I would have been right there on the phone with Bank of America and no one would have cared. I was really shocked.

You weren't drafted coming out of school. Was that hard to swallow?

Well, everybody wants to be drafted and have Mel Kiper talk about you. Everybody wants that. But that's a dream world for some people. You have to come back to reality. Everybody has a story of how they got to this league. Some were first-round draft picks, and some had to work for everything they have. Now that I'm here, I have to work hard to stay here.

You spent 15 weeks on the practice squad in '06 and seven weeks this season. Tell everyone how glamorous that is.

On the practice squad, you do all the dirty work. It's a necessary evil, I guess. But it really makes you a stronger person. It also makes you enjoy (being on the roster) so much more. You have to appreciate it because you know that on any given day, you can be back on the other side. When you get on the (active roster), you want to stay on that side. The first couple weeks doing it, I was ... mad at the world because I thought I was better than some other guys who weren't on the practice squad. But the older guys always told me to stick with it and have a team attitude and your opportunity would come.

Different topic: What reality TV shows do you watch?

Well, the last reality show I really watched much of was Flavor of Love on VH1. I think I got hooked just because I wanted to see how stupid it would get. It actually became interesting because you can't believe people are that crazy. To be honest, my TV stays on ESPN.

Weekly question: What Web site do you go to more than any other?

Got to be iTunes. I'm always putting something on my iPod. We have lots of iPods in my house.

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3377.

Fast facts

Micheal Spurlock

Position: WR/KR

Ht./wt.: 5-11, 200 pounds

Age: 24

College: Mississippi; played quarterback and running back; threw seven TD passes, nine interceptions.

Pro: Joined Arizona as an undrafted free agent in 2006; joined Bucs practice squad in September and promoted to active roster Nov. 1; returned first kickoff for touchdown in franchise history Dec. 16 against Atlanta.

[Last modified December 29, 2007, 18:41:47]