TMI: You’re not having as much fun as Odell Willis
If you’re not having as much fun as Odell Willis is, I think you’re doing it wrong.
Did you see him give Trevor Harris a lesson on how to throw a ball? Or that time the Eskimos won the coin toss and he did a happy dance? Or how about that time he told Zach Collaros he was this close to sacking him?
I really don’t think there is another CFL player that is as happy to hit the field every single week as Odell Willis. I just don’t.
“First of all, I thank God for giving me the chance to walk on the field and from there everything else is history,” he said. “Once I step on the field, I’m going to have fun regardless. I like having fun whether I’m on the field or off the field. For me being on the field it’s almost like a drug.”
And to cap off the first six weeks of the 2017 season, Odell kicked off for the Esks and some people were a little confused. But really, it’s not surprising at all. Willis kicked for his high school team and was actually listed on Edmonton’s roster as the back up kicker. The versatile defender can also be used as a long snapper. Yep, he does it all.
“I’ve always been the emergency kicker since coach (Chris) Jones was here,” he said. “One day, he (Jones) was just trying out kickers just in case our kicker got hurt and I showed him I could kick. He put me down on the roster as a back up kicker. It was for a roster situation but at the same time, I’ve always been able to kick because I did it in high school.”
So when Sean Whyte had to leave with an injury last week, there was no question of who was going to take his place.
Get to know Odell Willis a bit more in this edition of TMI!
Kristina Costabile: Tell me something that fans might not know about you?
Odell Willis: I like to golf. I just started last year.
KC: How are your golfing skills?
OW: I’m probably about an honest 112. On a good day, I may get to 100. That’s on a good day and that’s rare. But on a regular day it’s probably like a 110-113. I golf a lot with my buddy Chris Getzlaf.
KC: What is on your pregame playlist?
OW: Future and Beyonce. All of the Future and all of the Beyonce songs. I listen to Future when I wake up and Beyonce right before the game.
KC: Which one of your teammates would you want to be stranded on a deserted island with?
OW: Adarius Bowman. (Editors note: Adarius also said Odell when I asked him this question earlier this year. Read about it here!)
KC: If you could bring three things do that deserted island, what would they be?
OW: Food, phone and some women. Do I have to get off the island soon? Or am I stranded there for life? So if somebody is coming to get us I only need food, drinks and some women just so I won’t have to look at Adarius all day!
KC: What is your favourite football memory?
OW: The Grey Cup.
KC: What would you be doing if you weren’t a football player?
OW: Probably working at a gym as a trainer or something. I like fitness. Being an older player, I’m starting to see differences in my body, how to take care of it and recover it. It’s starting to interest me because as a younger player you never think that your body goes through changes but the fact that it does go through changes and you can feel it, it’s interesting. It’s almost like getting to know your body all over again.
KC: Do you have any superstitions or routines you have to do before a game?
OW: Pray. And that’s every day so that’s not a really a superstition for real though.
KC: What are you watching on Netflix?
OW: I only watch a few shows. The only show on Netflix I watch is Last Chance U. Normally when I get home I watch Property Brothers, Love It or List It. Then as the day goes on I get into TV shows that make me laugh like Love & Hip Hop, and Black Ink Crew. Then right before I got to bed I watch my interesting TV shows like How to Get Away with Murder and Power.
