Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By ROGER MILLS
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 2, 2001
He grew up in North, South Carolina. He is the son of a logger and a self-proclaimed country boy. And he puts the "q" in quiet. Here is Bucs defensive tackle Chartric Darby with a few takes on life.
RM: What's the story behind the name, is it Chartric or Chuck?
CD: I got no idea where my moms got it from, but it is a different name. I've never met someone with that name, so I guess that counts for something. My father's name is Charles and he started to call me Chuck. So I told coach to make it easy by calling me Chuck and everyone here now calls me Chuck. So both are fine.
RM: But when you're being introduced on the PA system, should they call you Chuck or Chartric Darby?
CD: Chartric Darby!
RM: Who are you?
CD: I'm country.
RM: Define "country."
CD: I think fields. Cotton fields, tobacco fields, cow pastures. Ponds, lots of ponds. That's what I grew up around. I worked in watermelon fields with my dad. He was a logger and I did logging with him also.
RM: What's the hardest thing you ever did?
CD: Logging was the hardest, most definitely. I went with my dad surveying the trees one time and had to walk through the swamps with the snakes, and I'm afraid of snakes. It was different.
RM: If you weren't playing football, would you be logging?
CD: Nah, no more of that. But logging really paved the way. Well, I probably would work in the same business, but I don't know about going out there in the swamps and stuff.
RM: Who is tougher to knock down, a tree or an All-Pro guard.
CD: Chopping that tree down is harder, much harder. The tree's got roots.
RM: Have you ever taken home a towel from a hotel room?
CD: Most definitely. I'm not going to even hold back on that one. The majority of all my trips, I've kept a towel. It was something I always did. I did it in college and still do.
RM: I'm figuring that seeing that you're country, you're not a big concert guy.
CD: Correct. I'm not a concert person. Every now and then I'll go out with the boys, watch a couple movies or something but, no, I'm not a concert guy.
RM: Janet Jackson is supposed to be coming to the Ice Palace this fall, you in?
CD: Now, that's one concert that I don't want to miss. I'm going to make that one.
RM: When you see the yellow light, do you slow down or speed up?
CD: I'll be honest with you, I slow down ... occasionally. RM: So, country boy, are you afraid of snakes?
CD: Man, I can't handle snakes. That was the big thing out there logging. I've come close to being bit, real close. Once I was out there in the swamps and was right there by this tree and he was next to (my face, inches away) in the tree.
RM: You didn't see him.
CD: Nope, but he saw me. Most definitely. It was a rattlesnake too. I would have been through.
RM: Everybody has an embarrassing family member; who is yours?
CD: My Aunt Joyce. Man, she's something else. She's always changing her clothes over and over. She's very loud. She's very disrespectful. She'll say any and everything. Yet, a lot of things she will do are limited. She goes out and tries to talk to everybody I know. I don't know why. She does it all the time and I have no clue why. RM: Did you get your tax rebate?
CD: Yeah, and I gave it to my wife. I think she spent it on the kids. I hope she did. She probably spent it on herself, though.
RM: If you won Lotto this weekend, would you come to work Monday?
CD: You know what, the game of football means a lot to me. A lot of people had doubts about me, so if it's one thing I want to prove it's that I can play on this level. So, I would show up to work the next day.
RM: Would you stay in the league for 10 years?
CD: No. No. No. Hell no.
RM: You ever go to Hooters?
CD: Yes.
RM: Would you take your wife and children to Hooters?
CD: Nah. I do see families there. But it's a different atmosphere. It reminds me of a different setting.
RM: Where would you like to go?
CD: Cancun and Jamaica.
RM: Fruit Loops or Corn Flakes?
CD: Fruit Loops, I'm all about the flavors.
RM: Pancakes or bacon and eggs?
CD: Bacon and eggs. I'm a country man.
RM: Ever notice that the God of the Old Testament was a God of wrath?
CD: Man, when he got angry, he tore (stuff) up. He destroyed things. He just wiped out cities. Just wiped them out.
RM: Why did he change?
CD: Because his son died on the cross.
RM: Is he a different God?
CD: He is totally different in the New Testament. He's a more forgiving God, he's got a lot more mercy for folks. He was a bad dude. But now, he's giving us an opportunity to change our lives and live the right way.
RM: If he gets sick of us, is he going to do it again?
CD: I hope not. But, if he does, I should be ready to go with him.