Hot Clicks Q&A: Marshawn Lynch
Hot Clicks Q&A: Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Lynch and Skittles are auctioning off packs of limited-edition Seattle Mix Skittles to raise money for Lynch's Fam 1st Family Foundation. I spoke with the Seahawks back on Wednesday night to discuss ghost riding at Cal, his dog Ice's plans for Sunday's game, and of course, Skittles.
SI.com: So tell me about this venture with Skittles?
Marshawn Lynch: We came together on an agreement where we're doing a limited pack of Seattle Mix Skittles and we'll be having an auction which started today with all proceeds from the auction donated to me and my cousin's (Joshua Johnson) foundation, which is Fam 1st Family Foundation. And, for every touchdown that I score, Skittles will donate $10,000.
SI.com: Did you get a lifetime supply of Skittles as part of the deal?
Lynch: (laughing). No, I think the fans took care of that for me.
SI.com: I saw your mom used to call them power pellets when you were little.
Lynch: Not used to. Still does. Josh knows about it, too. My mama gave him some of the same things before high school games.
SI.com: Let me ask you this. You go to a store to buy Skittles and they are out. Do you have a backup candy or do you leave and go to another store?
Lynch: Nah, I really don't have to go to the store. The fans make sure that every time they see me or know they have an opportunity to see me, I make sure they bring plenty of Skittles.
SI.com: I saw that ESPN Sports Science feature and it looks like they actually make you better. They took all these measurements and showed that your performance improved. Do you feel like you get more energy?
Lynch: No I don't. It's really a mind over matter thing. It was something I did back in Pop Warner. My stomach used to get upset and we tried everything: Alka Seltzer. Pepto ... all kinds of things. And then for some reason my mama just told me, "Eat this candy." I forgot what candy it was that she gave me but it settled my stomach. So I told her I liked it but it takes too long to eat it. So then the next game she came with a big-ass bag of Skittles and was like, "Here you can chew these down real fast." And that's how it happened. It was just the candy of her choice.
SI.com: Whose idea was it to come up with the Seattle Mix?
Lynch: I think it was just due. Me and Skittles have not been affiliated but we did some talks with them to try and see if we could get something done and the timing was right. I'm pretty sure some marketing genius came up with it. The bag of the Skittles actually looks pretty good.
SI.com: Did you have any idea Seattle was so crazy before you moved there?
Lynch: Actually I did know what I was getting into but I didn't know about the 12th Man and all that.
SI.com: Do you think any people still hate you from your game-winning run against UW in 2006?
Lynch: Yeah, you know what? There's probably some true UW fans who hate me but they put that to the side. I have a couple family members who go to school there -- Marcus Peters and DiAndre Campbell right out of Oakland so I got love for UW.
SI.com: Would you say theGhost Ride on the injury cart was your favorite college experience?
Lynch: My favorite college experience was probably leaving college. But the Ghost Ride was up there, too.
SI.com: What was your favorite run - the Beast Mode run against the Saints or the overtime winner against UW?
Lynch: Not to take away from either of those runs but it would probably be the run I had in the Silver Bowl when I was in high school.
SI.com: Let's talk aboutBuffalo. Do you have good memories, or is it disappointing that you couldn't lead them to the playoffs?
Lynch: No, there's no hard feelings for Buffalo. I still have a place in my heart for them. That's where I got drafted to and I still have family over there, my brother Fred Jackson and my little brother C.J. Spiller who I still keep contact with. There's no hard feelings and I wish the best for them.
SI.com: I read this story about you owning a dog when you were in Buffalo and the homeowners made you get rid of it because it wasn't within the rules. What exactly happened there?
Lynch: No, it wasn't that it wasn't in the rules. I guess the homeowner's association didn't approve of the type of dog I had, which was a baby pit.
SI.com: Do you have a dog now?
Lynch: I do
SI.com: What's its name?
Lynch: Ice.
SI.com: What does he do while you play? Does he watch your games?
Lynch: Haha, no. He's out doing his doggie dog thing, living in his doggie dog world. You feel me?
SI.com: I feel you. When the season's over and you want to forget football, what do you do to relax?
Lynch: I like to go home and get involved in my community. ASAP. So that means the day after I am done, me and my cousin Josh will hit the streets. We'll probably be running into someone's elementary, junior high or high school, or going to somebody's youth development center so we can find ways to get ours up and running to make sure that ours is running smoothly. With us being the president and vice-president, we have some obligations to some people to keep this thing going and up until this point I feel we've been doing pretty good with our foundation. I mean, we've seen a lot of success from it. We have guys who came through our foundation who actually played in the league and some guys in college who hit the business world. We have guys all over that are making a change for the better and sometimes that's hard to see in our area. Especially from our neighborhoods.
SI.com: Last question. Do you have a prediction for Sunday?
Lynch: I just hope we have one more point so we'll win.
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Click here for more information on the Skittles Seattle Mix auction.
Click here for more information on the Fam 1st Family Foundation.
