49ers legend Ronnie Lott speaks on team getting over the hump
OAKLAND, Calif. - Pro football Hall of Famer – and one of the hardest-hitting safeties ever – former 49er Ronnie Lott's favorite time of the year has arrived: the football season.
"As of late, just watching football, and trying to get ready for the season," Lott said in a recent interview. "Trying to understand the teams and what they're trying to accomplish this year. I think college football is exciting. I think when you look at college football defensively, there are some teams that have shown why they're great. I think in the pro ranks, those defensive teams that can shut people down, I think is key to football and key to winning games."
The San Francisco 49ers have been on a quest for their 6th Lombardi trophy for almost 30 years.
Lott might know a thing or two, or perhaps, we should say four.
There are arguments out there that the 49ers would not have won four championships without Lott’s impact on the defense.
He believes there’s a certain standard this generation of 49ers should live by in order to get over the hump.
"Focus on what they do best and that is win," Lott said. "They are able to win. And they're able to beat teams a lot of different ways and so, I think the main thing for them is don't worry about the moments of what's going wrong. Worry about the moments of what's going right, and they have a lot of moments of great things going right, and so that's what I would do."
49ers rookie safety Malik Mustapha has been making some noise since being drafted. He wore Lott's jersey to their game against the New Orleans Saints.
Lott appreciated Mustapha for paying respect.
"I think what's interesting is I got a chance to bump into him," Lott said. "I went to have breakfast with Keena Turner at the facility and so, all of a sudden, you have a chance to see people like that. But I did not have a chance to chat with him or say anything to him. I think what I love is when I was a kid, I rocked Charley Taylor, and I rocked that number because of who he was because I loved everything about him. The other thing is, throughout the years that I watched the game of football, I'm still one of those guys that when you watch a game, you can't help but love watching certain people play a certain way."
Usually hearing a "woo" in the crowd might spark memories of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, who used to say "woo" after one of his rants.
Others may recall the late Pop Smoke use of "woooo" in his lyrics.
But in football terms, it usually references Lott hitting someone on the football field.
Come to find out, the hard-hitting "woo" applies to all aspects of Lott's life.
"When you have a little woo and you're bringing it, there's nothing better than that because you know in that moment," Lott said. "You are giving everything you possibly can. That can be where you're at your job, that can be getting it done in your community, that can be doing something in your backyard, and that can be barbecuing, because when my mother and father barbecue, when they get at that grill, it's a woo."