The newcomer series about a therapist who becomes personally and professionally entangled in the lives of a football team ends its freshman series with an epic showdown. Recruiting real-life football legend Terrell Owens to portray a rival of T.K. (delightfully portrayed by Mehcad Brooks), the season finale pits T.K. against his worst nightmare: his long-time arch nemesis, Kevin the Minefield, played by Terrell. Refereeing the melee is team trainer, Matt Donnally (deftly portrayed by Marc Blucas). Life for the fictional New York Hawks is messy both on and off the field, but for the actors, it was a whole lot of fun. In a fun press call, Marc and Terrell took time out of their busy schedules to chat about the season finale.
Terrell, what sparked your acting bug?
TERRELL: Well, I’ve done a few things throughout my career playing football, so I’ve done a lot of cameos here and there, and as of lately, I’ve done a lot of acting. I did a comedy last year called DYSFUNCTION FRIENDS that’s hopefully going to be hitting the theaters this fall, and just did, obviously, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS, did an episode on SINGLE LADIES, and just taped another little episode on GOOD CHRISTIAN BELLES, that’s going to be on ABC. So I’ve just had a lot of people tell me that I was very comfortable in front of the camera. A lot of people have kind of hinted on me doing commentating, broadcasting, things of that nature, but you know I have a lot of friends that are in the industry — a new friend in Marc Blucas who I’ve known for a while and Mehcad Brooks. And I’ve had a great cast of people that I’ve worked with along the way, so I’m very fortunate and thankful to USA Network and everybody that brought me aboard to play and participate with this role of NECESSARY ROUGHNESS.
Marc, what was it about this particular role and this show that brought you back to television?
MARC: So many times actors are so drawn to the character that’s so opposite of them. We want to play roles that have nothing to do with ourselves so we can create a character that’s so unique and so different than what we’re used to doing in our daily lives. But to be honest with you, in this particular case — obviously I was not near an athlete to the caliber of a person’s stature — but it’s just so nice for me having been a college athlete and been around the world of sports for so long, to play a character that that was his career, that was his passion. To be involved in that it’s so nice to be able to bring a second layer to the process. So many times it’s kind of: stand here, say this, say this — in what we do as actors. And so it was nice that they given me kind of the freedom, the writers and the creators, to have a say. They’ll bounce their ideas off of me and say, ‘Hey, is this real? Does this work?’ They know that that was part of my world before the acting was. So much like ‘T’ there, he says he’s transitioning into maybe doing this a little more, and you know I was kind of the JV-version of that.
Terrell, since there is such a dynamic rivalry between The Minefield and TK, in what ways did you relate to both characters?
TERRELL: Well, obviously, I’ve been where TK is with this character, so I can definitely understand what he’s going through. But then at the same time, I’ve gone against The Minefield before, so I kind of know the disposition, the mindset of a DB like that, that he’s going against. So again, I was definitely totally opposite of someone that I would play. But again, me being around football and me understanding the mindset of a defensive back, it wasn’t too hard for me to transition into. But I just really just listened to the director and as far as the direction that they wanted me to take the character to. And at the same time, I kind of just took upon that character with myself and I just tried to make the best of it.
Since TK struggles with the thought that it may be his last game before he goes up against The Minefield, how did you find the strength to overcome similar moments in your career?
TERRELL: Well, that’s the thing; you just have to be mentally strong. I think TK’s character is a little bit exaggerated than me, but I have gone through those moments where you kind of struggle. But at the same time, you just have to be mentally strong and go out there and you have to just play. But again, the character TK played by Mehcad, I’ve seen some episodes, he’s done a great job.
Marc, can you tell us a little bit of what is going to happen in the finale between Matt and TK and Matt and Dani?
MARC: It’s a good question. What I like so much about Matt and playing a trainer is having good friends that are pro athletes, and I think that Terrell can probably attest to this, training staff kind of sits on the fence and they play both sides because they get to see the behind the curtains and get to see the coaches and some of the front office and some of the decisions that are made on an administrative level and see the business of the game. But also, they get an opportunity to be friends with the players. The trainers and the athletic and the staff they spend so much time with the athletes, a lot of times more so than the head coaches do. I mean, always more than the head coaches do. And so, you get a really good chance to grow a friendship as much as have that professional dynamic. Now TK, we see him continually spiraling out of control being self-destructive and making bad decisions, and often times yet Matt and Dani have to kind of join forces to figure out the best way to go about correcting that. In the Finale I think that the character that Terrell plays actually just great. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking football or acting, here’s a guy who is a trained professional. He hit this role out of the park. But we’ve all been in that position where we have that ‘nemesis’ in life. That person that kind of like whether it’s the school bully or whether on the athletic team or in the academic arena, you always have that person that really gets in our head that really just messes with us, and so TK, who let’s just say, doesn’t have a framework to be able to deal with his own life, let alone someone coming in and throwing a curve ball — in playing head games for him – it really throws him for a real loop. And so Matt and Dani have to do what they can to try to keep him on point in the show.
Terrell, I was wondering if there was any interaction between your character of Kevin and Nico, or does Kevin steer clear of needing any handling by Nico?
TERRELL: Yeah, I think I kind of steer clear of those guys So my character was trying basically to get in the head of TK. And, again, this is my obviously first experience being on a show like this, and so I was very pleased with the cast and the direction that they wanted me to take the character of The Minefield into. And I try to do the best of my abilities, considering that I’m definitely trying to transition into the acting world, and these guys made it very, very comfortable for me to do that, and I’m looking forward to doing more and more stuff and possibly coming back next season as a reoccurring role.
Marc, is Matt as squeaky-clean as we’ve seen so far, or does he have a darker side that he’s kept hidden from everyone?
MARC: No, I think in reality you kind of have to pick and choose your storylines a little bit. And I thought Nico was actually great and well executed by Scott Cohen. I thought he did a beautiful job, along with the writers of really developing a terrific part for my character through the whole season, and Matt’s the one we don’t know much about actually. Like we’ve only caught glimpses. We heard a little bit about his dreams and his ambitions and the things he wants to do and transition into, but we really haven’t seen that other side. And so, it’s funny that even in the last three episodes of this season we’ve spent a lot of time talking about what those things could be moving forward, and I think that the writers have a really great plan. I’m excited about it because you have to have that duality. We all bring our home to work and we all bring work home, and so it’s the side of Matt we haven’t seen. And so I’m looking forward to us seeing some of the chinks in the armor a little bit.
Terrell, how true to life do you find the show from what you know of it so far, as far as the football aspect; training, player interactions, and stuff like that? Do you think viewers are getting a more or less accurate glance of what pro football is behind the scenes?
TERRELL: Definitely. I think there’s some definite parallels to what’s goes on in the football world and what you see on the show. And I think that’s what’s so refreshing about the show, because these are the type of things that players go through on an everyday basis that really that the outside world and the fans really don’t get to see. So again, I like shows like this because it definitely gives an insight as to some of the things, the particulars that goes on with players, and with the business of football. And so, I think some of that is gets taken away by all the glitz and glamour of actually the actual games days, and what goes along with that. So, again, I can’t be more pleased with being a part of something that has been so great.
Marc, you’ve gotten to show off some of your basketball skills in the season so far, was that something that was part of Matt’s character originally, or did they add it for you?
MARC: No, they kind of added it in. In the world of pro sports, I’m a slug. In the world of actors I’m a phenomenal fucking athlete, and so knowing what my background was they were quick to write in basketball scenes and change the character around, because one it’s an active fun place to see teams. It’s like on the football field. It gives us another place to that’s not in the training room. And two, it’s all the actors at the bottom of their resume they have the special skillset and when they find out you can do something and you’ve done something at a professional level, they have an opportunity to write it and change it, and that’s the beauty of television that you can adapt as you go. You can write for your actors. Whereas a movie, it’s kind of like beginning, middle, and end, and ] the whole character is pretty much spelled out right there and there’s no chance for adaptability. And so, it has been a nice thing for me. It is fun to kind of come out and go in and have them write something for me, like the first part of my life and the first passion I had.
Terrell, what have you learned from this experience? Like what are you going to take away from you -after working on NECESSARY ROUGHNESS?
TERRELL: Well, the thing is just talking with Mehcad and some of the directors, the casting directors, I mean they just basically told me that just be confident. You know, I’m constantly asking questions as to am I getting what they want or what they need? Everybody was very pleased with my acting skills, considering I’m trying to transition. And me being a football player and a lot of football players that have tried to do it, it doesn’t come off naturally and genuine. So I think with me just talking to them and obviously Mehcad, he basically told me on a number of occasions, he’s like, ‘Dude, you’ve got it.’ He’s like, ‘I was very surprised at your acting skills,’ and this and that. And considering that I haven’t taken a whole lot of acting classes, but I’m starting. I’ve signed with an agent and I need to get into a lot more acting classes to really perfect the craft and really dig deep into developing characters, or what have you. So just being on the cast for the short amount of time, being on set the short amount of time that I was, I was always kind of just being intuitive, you know very observant, kind of looking around, watching how Mehcad and everybody handled themselves in situations. So every time that I step on a set and I have to do something, I’m always going to ask questions, I’m always going to be watching to see how people are really developing their characters and all that stuff. So anytime that I can get on the set and be with anybody and pick their brains I’m going to do that. And at the same time, now that I’m doing a little bit more acting, I’m really looking at movies, sitcoms, any type of show. I look at it in a different way now.
Marc, in the last episode we saw Matt kind of telling Dani, ‘Hey, I’m here, so do something about it.’ But, if she doesn’t, I’m guessing he’s not going to stick around. Is that kind of what we can expect to see play out in the finale?
MARC: Yeah. I thought that the writers did a really nice job of kind of teasing that place in life in this episode that just aired. And then in the finale, Matt really lays that on the table and just say, ‘Hey, look, this is where I’m at professionally. This is where I’m at personally. This is where I’m at socially. These are the things I want in my life.’ And he spells it out to her and says, ‘Hey, look, I have an opportunity to go somewhere else,’ and I’ve really tried to play Matt in a way that is very straightforward and blunt. I think that’s both strong and I think it’s vulnerable at the same time. But I think that we’ve all been through those transition points in our life where we breathe our life where we’re writing to say, ‘Hey, look, I’m ready to settle down or I’m ready for this.’ Where we know exactly what we want. What is our happiness? We know exactly what makes us happy. And while look at the end of the day Matt and Dani only had one night together, but he sees the potential for something more and he wants to explore it. And I think it’s courageous to sit there and say, ‘Hey, look, this is what I want. I think it’s worth giving it a shot, and if not then we’ll have to go a different way with our relationship altogether or friendship.’ It’s just supposed to be around her, what have you. So, I like that he really spells it out for her in the end, and then you’ll see how she responds.
Terrell, you would think playing a football player would not be a challenge for you since you’ve done it so much in your life, but were there challenges that you weren’t expecting kind of actually having to do it as a character?
TERRELL: Not too much. Again, it’s definitely something opposite of — in terms of position that I play. But at the same time, I took on my personality naturally as a receiver. I tried to channel that personality in the mindset and mind-frame of The Minefield, if you will. So, again, The Minefield’s character, I mean he is the top dog. He is a guy that has shut TK down, any occasion at any time. And so, this is a guy that’s trying to mentally [push TK]. TK is already mentally out of it right now, so he’s really just trying to check him out of a game. So, to have that mentality shutting somebody down that he’s going to catch anything, he’s going to stop them at any cost. That’s the mentality that I have on the football field in real life that when I’m up against somebody like The Minefield, my mindset is that you can’t stop me. No matter what you do, bring your best, you still can’t stop me on your best day. So that’s the mentality that I try to bring out with The Minefield. And so, in talking to everybody that’s seen the show already, they said I did a good job of pulling that off.
This finale seems like it’s a go big or go home sort of episode, so you know for the both you what would you say has been the memorable moment on set while working on this episode in particular?
TERRELL: Do you want to go first, Marc?
MARC: No. If you have an answer go ahead, otherwise I definitely have one. Actually, I’ll go first because it’s a compliment. I’m going to stroke you on this one. Look, this is our last episode and it’s a good one. And it was our last episode and for us to like be winding up a season it’s that feeling that like school’s out; you’re ready for summer. And it’s always nice when you have a curve-ball or a surprise thrown at you, and when Terrell signed up to do this, we were all very excited about it. Not only was he perfect for the role, but it’s exciting to have an elite athlete come and join our show that has athletics as a primary story point and backdrop for us. And so, as an actor and as a football fan and as an athlete, for me to start my day in the Georgia Dome playing catch with Terrell Owens before I do my acting, like that’s a good thing for me. That’s a good thing for me. So I got to say for that particular episode that was definitely the highlight.
TERRELL: Okay, thanks.
MARC: I’m not going to tell you that he dropped the ball every time I threw it because I’ve got so much food on it, but that was fun.
TERRELL: Oh, thanks, Marc, for the compliment. . . I would say just being on set was a joy for me. We aspire to actually being a part of the show. I sat down with the casting directors, the executive producers, and what you, and for myself I didn’t really know what The Minefield character was going to be like until I actually got the script and started reading through it. And so, once I started reading through it really got the mental picture of how I wanted to carry out the character of The Minefield. Again, me being on set with these guys was just a joy in itself, and I think everything that’s so new for me that I’m always sitting around, I’m taking everything in, trying to take direction, because I really want to take this acting thing seriously and I want people to take me serious at the same time. But I want to have fun. I think the fun comes when you have a great cast and you have guys like Marc and Mehcad and everybody that’s involved with shooting a movie or a sitcom or what have you. It makes the environment that much better and make you more comfortable with doing your job. And so for myself, just the moment, just being around the people. Like I said, I’m trying to grasp everything that I can, as far as watching these guys act and perfect their craft. And I want to do the same thing because this is something that I’m really want as part of my portfolio because I definitely, at some point I’m going to be done with football and I want to transition into acting and this is definitely a stepping stone. USA Network has given me that platform to do that, and so I’m hoping that they’re pleased with what I gave them, and they can take me seriously down the road.
Terrell, you mentioned about a recurring guest role. How is that looking for you on NECESSARY ROUGHNESS?
TERRELL: Well, I mean that’s really up to the producers and everybody involved. And if that’s case then I’m definitely going to be ready to jump in and do more stuff. So that’s up to those guys. As far as I know they were pleased with what I had to offer as an actor trying to transition from being a football player, transitioning into acting. So, again, you would have to ask those guys.
MARC: You can call me. I’ll tell you all about it. . . I’ve got to tell you — like look, obviously you cast someone like Terrell and you can get intensity, you can get his physicality, but what you can’t teach and what you don’t know is timing. And he has a few moments where we were off camera laughing so hard. I think people are going to be surprised and raise an eyebrow once they see his performance in this.
Terrell, have you seen a sports psychologist yourself, like Dani, or do you find that your double-trouble team from your reality show tends to be enough therapy for you?
TERRELL: No, I haven’t personally sought a sports psychologist, but again you did remind me of the two friends that I do have on my reality show. But you know what, no. I don’t think I ever got into a mental funk as bad as TK had enough to seek out a therapist. I think for me in real life — football — you have those moments where you drop a couple of balls and sometimes you can mentally check-out to where some people sometimes they can’t shake it, and sometimes it depends on the magnitude of the game. I can remember one in particular that the catch in the game that I played in a wild card game against the Green Bay Packers before, I ended up ultimately catching the game winning touchdown. During the course of that game, I had about three or four drops, and if I would have mentally checked-out that could have just really just ruined it for my career. But I just kind of just stuck with it, hung in there, and had positive teammates around me, and a quarterback that regardless I had dropped a touchdown earlier in the game due to the sun, and I’m talking about – – I mean it hit me right in the hands. And the thing is, I came back in the second and third quarter and dropped a couple more key passes; our first down and that good stuff. So if I would have just mentally checked-out and didn’t have the confidence in myself that if the next ball comes that I’m going to catch it, it would have been all over been me, and I think that was really the beginning of who I’ve become now in real life. And so obviously TK is going through that and, me playing The Minefield, I want to continue to be in his head to continue to be on him and be like, ‘Yo, you’re no doing nothing today. I am your worst nightmare.’ And so I was really relishing the character and once I got in there and I got comfortable and saw the direction that they really wanted me to take The Minefield to, and so for myself I didn’t want to go too big, you know? And sometimes you have to go in there and you have take that character big and let the director or whomever kind of tone you down a little bit. But I just wanted to give them what they wanted and I think they were very pleased. And honestly, I’m looking forward to seeing the show myself on Wednesday.
When you joined the cast they’d already been working together for some time, did you slip in a little seamlessly with then welcoming you in right away, or did it take a bit of time for you to find your footing with everyone?
TERRELL: Well, I think that sometimes it can be a little bit and be I guess, alarming. it can be interesting sometimes when you come in and you’ve had a cast that have been together for so long, and then they just insert you in there. And you know you have to come in there and pull it off as if you’re a part of the cast and like you’ve been there the whole entire time that they have. And again, I think that some of that comes with the confidence of myself and whatever I put my mind to. And I know I mentioned earlier that I really want to take acting seriously, and so again sometimes I think mentally I have an edge because I heard as Marc said earlier, that being a football player — some players take direction very well and I’ve been one of those players. I’ve been known to be very, very coachable and take direction, and so that’s what I really tried to go in there and step in and do. I just tried to do a great job and try to act and be there like as if I belonged.
Terrell, now that you’re acting more, in what ways is it helping you grow as a person, beyond who we’ve seen on the field?
TERRELL: Man, I mean, acting is totally different. I think to be taken seriously in Hollywood and in acting you really have to bring your game, and I never see myself as a failure. And I know there’s going to be a lot of people, a lot of critics out there that’s going to say ‘He can’t act,’ and they’re going to be very critical of any and everything that I do. So I try to take on the task at hand and try to be the best at whatever it is that I put my mind to. And so being on a show like this, obviously with millions of viewers, again I try to put on the best performance that I knew how.
Have you noticed any similarities between a director and a head coach?
TERRELL: Well, there are. I mean, when you’re playing football you have a head coach that’s always out there. In a sense being on a football field, he’s like a director, he’s just not behind a camera, so there are similarities to a director and a head coach. And obviously, they have the last say so. Whatever they say goes. So it’s all upon the person on the end as to how they take the coaching and how receptive they are to direction from an acting standpoint. So again, I’m very fortunate to be part of a great show, a great network in USA Network, and being on a TV series. And so, this is definitely a great opportunity for me to really just blossom outside of football and really transition for everybody to really see that I can act. And so, I mean honestly the guys, Marc and everybody they came up to me and they were like, ‘Dude, you’re doing a great job,’ or what have you. And so for myself, I really take that to heart because these guys have been doing it for years. And for me to step in and do what I’m doing without a whole lot of coaching and acting and stuff like that I think it’s a win-win and it’s a plus for me, because now I really want to sink my teeth into the craft and take more acting classes and really learn how to develop characters and get into character. And again, I’ve done a few things besides NECESSARY ROUGHNESS, so this is definitely a stepping-stone for me in the right direction if I really want to consider acting as a career, which I really do.
Marc, about Matt and the fact that he has become the real balanced center of the show, like the theory is it’s Dani because she’s the therapist and everything, but Matt is the guy who has the common sense for everybody and who answers people’s problems in the other way. Was it your idea to make him sound like he’s common sense character out of the whole lot?
MARC: You know, I think it was a little bit of both. I mean, I do think that the early conversations I had with the creator is I say, ‘Look, I think it’s really interesting.’ I mean, one, I do get cast often time as the voice-of-reason. I mean, maybe you ask my wife and she’s going to tell you, ‘I don’t know why you’re getting cast this way.’ But, for whatever reason, I do get cast as that character lots of times. And in my early conversations with them I had said, ‘Hey, look, I would really like to see this character be someone who is very blunt, is very direct, is very honest; is done with the whole game playing. Whether it’s relationally, professionally, someone who says he knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to say it.’ Since storytelling has began we’ve seen this device where the fixer needs fixing, so you know that Dani as a character, Callie’s character Dani is going to go through a lot of obstacles and she’s going to have her roller coaster. And TK, obviously is right on the surface every episode, is a human tornado, like just a self-destructive mess. And so, somewhere in the middle of that has to be a balance and since Matt is kind of the liaison between those two characters and the bridge between those two worlds, if you will, it made sense that I continued to kind of pursue it and be that leveler, to be that grounding place. But, in the world of a television show that could potentially go for a few seasons, if we are so lucky to have that opportunity to keep telling the story, it also gives Matt a fun place to go, which is down. You see a character, which is seemingly very together and very much has it’s faculties and his moral compass pointing the right way, it’s a pretty fun exploration, both for an audience and for an actor to see that go south.
Terrell, based off the previews it looks like a lot of the finale takes place like during the game. Do we get to see your character off the field or do we only see him in the game moments?
TERRELL: No, you’ll definitely get to see me off the field as well. So I guess if that’s any incentive for you to tune in then I will leave that to that.
Marc, what I’ve loved about the show is that they’ve not only focused on Dani, as far as her storyline (and her new clients), but they’ve showed Matt and his various relationships with Nico and TK, do you have like a favorite? Likedo you prefer finding out more about Matt and Nico or Matt and TK, or anything that you’re in?
MARC: You know, what I’m kind of most curious about first of all, like a lot of times journalists think that the actors know the storylines before they have them, but other than broad strokes, we get our information when we get the script, which is about three days before we start shooting that episode. So it’s not much before, which makes it sometimes a challenge, because you read an episode and you’re like, ‘Oh, if I had known there was tension between these two I would have played it last episode in this scene in this moment.’ So, that’s sometimes challenging. But for me, it’s very easy to create the relationship between Matt and TK. Like, I’ve been around athletes my whole life. I’ve been an athlete, like that was a really easy friendship. Not knowing the direction that they were going to take Nico, not knowing the direction that they wanted to go in the relationship between Matt and Nico, I’m always most curious to see where that heads because Matt and Nico are two people that both want the same thing, which is result, we just have very different ways of going about it. And I don’t necessarily agree with his methods; although I appreciate that sometimes he gets results and sometimes it’s needed. And so, that’s the one that I’m – I’ve got to always see where they’re going with it.
Terrell, you’ve been on a reality show and now you’re starting to do acting. How do you think that your fans feel about you doing things aside from playing football?
TERRELL: Well, I think it’s a great thing for myself and for the fans because again I know that I’m going to be transitioning from football where I’m on TV Monday, Sundays, or what have you. So, when I make this transition whether it’s doing TV shows, movie, or what have you, they’re still going to see TO or Terrell, or what have you, I’m still going to be gracing the big screen. So that’s definitely my dreams. So I’m going from the big screen on the football field or the big screen in your TV to still on the big screen in your living room, or going to the movies. So again, I know I’ve reiterated it and sound redundant, but being you know a part of a great cast with Marc and Mehcad and everybody that I’ve been associated with NECESSARY ROUGHNESS has been a great experience. And again, I’m just basically trying to be a sponge and soak up everything that I can. So I’m definitely, like I said, and like Marc mentioned JV in terms of something, I’m sort of like Pop Warner when it comes to the acting world. So I’m really trying to put myself on an accelerated program to really catch up and bring myself up to speed to where these guys are in their careers as far as acting. So I know that I have a lot of confidence in myself that I can do it it’s just a matter of me really just getting the experience, being on set more me getting more roles, developing those characters, and you know just building my portfolio. So this is definitely a great stepping-stone for me.
Terrell, going out on to the football field, especially probably towards the beginning of your career, there’s a certain feeling of nervousness and excitement. Is that the way that you’re feeling now about acting, or do you feel more confident because you’ve been in front of this light for so long?
TERRELL: Well, I mean there is that, a little bit of anxiety. You get on set and you really don’t know really how the cast may think of you or anything like that. So regardless of that you just want to go in and just fit right in and be comfortable and try to take the direction of the directors and try to stay along with the storyline. You don’t want to go in and, being a backup player, you don’t want to go in when you have people that are in front of you where the continuity is there, the flow is there, and then as a backup player you go in and then the flow isn’t there, you know? So, that’s the thing I think that really drives me is really just keeping the flow of the show, of everything that’s going on, and you don’t want to be the weak link, so to speak. So I try to really just try to take that confidence into you know the days that I film there and try to make the best of it. And so again I know I mentioned earlier Mehcad, I talk to him a lot and we talk about acting and how long he’s been doing it. And again, I’ve seen a few episodes and kind of got a feel of the show, watched the pilot, listened to the directors, the producers, or what have you, and I just try to take The Minefield to the level of where they wanted it, and so I’m hoping that that they’re pleased.
Marc, in the last episode Matt got to meet Dani’s mother. I’m curious as Matt becomes a bigger part of Dani’s life, how do you think you will interact with her children?
MARC: You know, it’s funny because when we wrap, we jokingly — the actors that play the kids and I — we were all hugging and saying, ‘It was so nice to work with you. Congratulations on your show,’ because we don’t have any scenes together ever. And when I had worked and met and worked with Concetta that day that was the first time Concetta and I met as people. I never work on the days that they’re in those stages. I mean, it’s almost like we’re in that stage. It’s like I go over there and say, you know I was like, ‘Hey, what show are you guys shooting over here,’ because it’s just all so new. It’s a different world for Matt to be into her home life. And so, I think that Matt is a very fun, easy-going guy who has reached a certain age in his life, so I look forward to the scenes that he has. And what I would like to see actually, because Dani has some problems with the discipline or whatnot, it’d be interesting and fun to just explore Matt being a little bit more of a disciplinary figure to those kids since they don’t have a male influence in their life. And so, it would be interesting to see the tension and whether it’s some relief for Dani or some discomfort or what – – all those natural emotions that come up when you introduce a new person into a home life. But let’s face it, stable relationships on television are boring. So it’s going to have to be a roller coaster ride. And maybe we sit still for a while and we have a nice little relationship, but we all know over time some – that other point of the triangle has to come in and get in the way, whether it’s jealousy, whether it’s tension, something’s going to have to happen. So it’s going to be interesting to see how the writers kind of craft that and outline it out for the season.
Terrell, on television, sports is pretty stereotyped. Do you think this show has helped with that?
TERRELL: I think it does. I think with a character like TK it really humanizes the person, it really humanizes the football player at the same time. So these are some of the things that I think a lot of people, and I think I alluded to it earlier, that these things go on throughout the course of a season and in peoples’ lives that the average fan or what have you never really get exposed to. So I like the direction of where they’re taking the show and they’re taking the characters and the content of it. Because again if these things are shown, then a lot of the fans and people who really don’t really get to know what possibly may go on throughout a person’s life. And so, I like it from a standpoint of — especially TK’s character, because I can empathize with some of the things he’s dealing with. And sometimes I’ve been on teams and I’ve been in a league for 15 years and I’ve known players that have gone through similar things to the point that they’re just self-destructive, and sometimes football is all they have. They eat, breathe, and dream football and they take it to heart. And so, this is where TK is and I like his character and I like the fact that I can come in and play someone opposite of him because I’m trying to really develop The Minefield character, as well as you know interact with these guys and really try to produce something nice for the audience to watch.
Marc, since you brought up Dani and Matt’s relationship, on television a lot of drama is when to get certain characters together or not. Do you think it was the right time for Matt to lay it out on the line? Do you think it was realistic for him as a character?
MARC: I do, because of his place in life and an opportunity that’s been presented in front of him. You know, he’s got an offer to go to another team and a promotion. Here you have an athletic trainer that’s been involved with an organization that he considers home that he’d like to stay in, but who is also a person that is ambitious and has a dream to move on. I don’t think that Matt wants to be an athletic trainer for the rest of his career. He wants to go into the front office. He wants to be a part of putting teams together and having a say in personnel. And so, I respect the fact that he’s at that place in life and he has the courage to sit there and say, ‘Hey, look, these are the things I want.’ And so, you go down this checklist of like, ‘Okay, this is what I’m willing to sacrifice and this is what I’m willing – this is a non-negotiable.’ And I’ve always looked at Matt as someone who’s like, ‘Hey, he’s had his time single in the hotels with the guys on the road.’ He’s kind of been through that stage of his life where he’s had his fun and dealt with the groupies. And so, now he’s kind of ready to settle down. He’s ready to move that person and he’s met someone that has created a spark in him that he wants to explore. And that’s as far as we can go with it because they haven’t played out this relationship. And so, I like that he has the courage to say, ‘Hey, look, I have an opportunity, but my personal happiness is more important. So, if you’re saying we have a shot and you are willing to jump in full in the water and not just stick your toe into it, then let’s give it a shot, then I’m willing to stay and do that because that’s what I want.’ And I personally in life, Marc Blucas is a believer that if you’re not happy with where you wake up and where you go to bed, then all the in between is going to be a real struggle to find that happiness too. And so, I’m a big believer in making your home life as precious and special and comfortable and safe as it can be, because it’s only going to allow you to put your best foot forward in all the in betweens. Whether that’s work and career or whether that’s your friendships or whatever else, but for me it always starts at home. And so, I like to take that same feeling and apply it to Matt and say, ‘Hey, look,’ he’s trying to create that because that’s something that’s lacking for him. 
On that last thoughtful not, to find who wins in the showdown between T.K. and The Minefield, and if Matt’s heart escapes unscathed, be sure to tune in to see NECESSARY ROUGHNESS on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10PM on USA Network. Catch up on past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv
Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to TheTVAddict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower).