Professor

Bulluck has heart and sole - Nashville, Tennessee - Thursday, 08/09/07 - Tennessean.com

excerpt:

Before Keith Bulluck heads into the weight room each day, he slides on his pair of Timberlands.

"These are my workout boots,'' the Titans linebacker said. "They give me my workman's mentality, my grit and grind. They help me get my mind right, you know?''


It's a routine Bulluck began at Syracuse and continued when he entered the NFL in 2000.

Another side of Bulluck comes out when he steps on the field. That's when he really puts his foot down. Heading into his eighth NFL season, Bulluck demands perfection from himself and from those around him.

Anyone not ready might get a kick in the backside. It was Bulluck who called the players-only meeting last season after the Titans started 0-4. They went on to win eight of their final 12 games.

"As far as Keith's concerned, you either do your job or you don't,'' defensive tackle Rien Long said. "It is like you can't be kind of pregnant with him. You either are or you're not. And if you're not doing your job he knows and he'll tell you.

"You either go with him and do your job and everything is good, but if not he'll put you in place. He instills peer pressure.''

Bulluck, who's led the Titans in tackles each of the past five years, has set some especially high standards for himself this season. Inside his locker is a picture of former teammate Steve McNair holding up his NFL Co-MVP trophy from the 2003 season.

"I have to go out and get this defensive MVP,'' Bulluck said. "I keep the picture of Steve in my locker, him holding up his trophy, and I want to get a trophy of my own. I feel with that trophy that means our team is in the playoffs, deep into the playoffs, probably even Super Bowl.

"So I aspire to be the best in this league. But it doesn't matter what I think of myself.

"I want the whole NFL to realize that I am one of the best outside linebackers in this game.''

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