When Phil Loadholt left Fountain-Fort Carson High School for Garden City (Kan.) Community College in 2004, he did so without much fanfare. Not anymore. Oklahoma’s 6-foot-8, 352-pound junior offensive tackle has soaked up the attention, including a spread in ESPN The Magazine. Saturday in San Antonio, the former Colorado prep star will help the Sooners try to win the Big 12 title game against No. 1 Missouri. Loadholt chatted with Denver Post staff writer Chris Dempsey this week.
Q: So, when you do interviews, how many of them start with your size?
A: About 90 percent.
Q: Well, we won’t do that here.
A: OK.
Q: But I guess we just did.
A: Not really. We’re good.
Q: Of course, there’s more to you than your size, right?
A: Definitely.
Q: Like what?
A: I’m a pretty laid-back type of guy. I don’t do too much off the field. I like to chill, that’s fine with me. I’m always watching “SportsCenter.” ESPN, all day, every day. That’s about it. I’m addicted to sports, man.
Q: True or false: When you were in little league football, other parents didn’t want their kids to play with you because you were so much bigger?
A: Yeah, there was a little worry about how big I was.
Q: Did they have reason to be worried?
A: (laughs) Oh, yeah, they did. They did.
Q: You’re from Fountain. How did the University of Colorado and Colorado State miss out on you?
A: Well, my grades were extremely bad coming out of high school. There was a big question on whether I would qualify. So I went to Garden City (Community College), and from there I signed with Oklahoma.
Q: If you would have qualified, do you think you would have ended up staying in Colorado?
A: I can’t tell. I don’t know where I would have ended up. It would have been a whole different story. Colorado was in my final list. I never talked to Colorado State one time.
Q: Are you the best athlete to come from Fountain?
A: (laughs) Nah, there’s been a lot to come out, you know what I mean? You may not know them, but there’s been a lot.
Q: Where are you on that list?
A: I guess I have to say I’m top three.
Q: I heard “hog maws” are one of your favorite things to eat. What are they?
A: (laughing) It’s kind of like chitlins, a piece of the pig.
Q: A good piece?
A: Definitely. That’s what my mama cooks on special occasions. Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Year’s. Dinner every now and then, yeah.
Q: What’s the best thing about going to OU?
A: The tradition and history. It’s so rich here. You can tell right when you get to Norman.
Q: What’s going to happen this weekend?
A: We’re going to come out and play our game, trying to win a championship. We’re familiar with (Missouri), just like they’re familiar with us.
Football is king
Phil Loadholt, the self-proclaimed “addicted to sports” OU big man, gives us his top five sports. Well, make that three:
1. Football
2. Basketball
3. Hockey
4-5. “That’s pretty much it,” he says
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
