In his autobiography, Dan Carter told of meeting Robert Kraft at the Oscars. The New England Patriots owner wanted to know if the All Black out-half had sent his highlight reel to Foxborough.
Months previous to the chance encounter, Carter had attended the NFL team's training facility. Carter thought it was simply for a tour, the Patriots thought it was a trial. The misunderstanding was immaterial - Carter had an Achilles tendon injury at the time.
Aidan O'Shea expects no such request for a highlight reel.
Last month - specifically, the week following the Super Bowl - O'Shea was in the US for the AIB documentary 'The Toughest Trade'. The Mayo midfielder's task was to prepare for and participate in a 'combine' - a trial which college football players go through in the hope of impressing NFL teams. The ultimate ambition: selection in the NFL draft come late April.
Part of his week was also a kicking challenge. O'Shea was candid about his prospects of making the grade but he did feel some of gaelic football's marquee free takers could make waves in American football.
No! I definitely don't but I do think that some of the boys in gaelic football - the likes of Sheehan or Murphy or Cillian [O'Connor], Cluxton... it's literally just repetition of technique.
I went out there thinking that they just throw the ball back and you run up and kick it but it's actually very technical. I probably didn't appreciate that at the time, I do now. There's definitely the chance there for some of our lads to do it, but I couldn't.
O'Shea hypothesised that if someone like Michael Murphy moved to the US at a young age, there is no reason why he could not carve out a career for himself.
I suppose maybe gaelic football players could think outside the box and look at it as an opportunity and maybe the NFL don't think of it as an option the other way too. I don't see why not, if somebody had a massive interest in doing it, maybe it's something that they could pursue.
I wouldn't be able to make it as a kicker out there but if maybe Michael Murphy went out there at the age of 16 and started doing it from high school through to college, I'm sure there's no reason why he wouldn't make it.
The 25-year-old's challenge was not just with the boot. He also tried out as a tight end, a receiver who also has the responsibility of blocking.
In preparation for the combine, the Mayoman worked out at Exos in San Diego - an elite training camp for those attending the trial.
In gaelic football, O'Shea - who weighs 100kg and stands at 6' 4" - is regularly one of the biggest men on the pitch. This was not the case at the combine, even compared to those also trying out at the same position he was dwarfed.
I knew going over that I wouldn't be anywhere near size wise to some of them. At the combine, even the guys in my category would have been heavier and possibly taller. In my position it would have been similar as well.
It's all about power, speed off the mark. Even the offensive linesmen, they're like 6' 6", they weigh around 140kg - they're animals. Even them, they were doing stuff off the ground and they're so quick - it was crazy, it was mad how quick they were.
While O'Shea's participation in the combine was essentially a bit of fun - though he undoubtedly took it seriously - for the college players in attendance it was a critical moment in their lives. O'Shea observed a 'tension-filled' atmosphere in the build-up. Dropping a ball in training was OK. Drop one at the combine and there was not another opportunity to atone for your mistake. It could be the difference between getting an NFL contract and not getting an NFL contract.
Overall, the Breaffy clubman was happy with how he did at the combine, describing his numbers as 'decent'. In terms of what he can take away from the experience and adapt to GAA, he felt that the movement patterns which he learned from running routes could add to his game back home.
What startled him the most about his week was the incredible explosiveness of the athletes he encountered.
The complete and utter explosiveness of the game; no wasted energy. I was starting on a line and I thought that I might have started quite well but they were like 'Nah, forget about it.' I was too slow getting off the mark. There's no wasted movement whatsoever because time's everything in their game. That would have been the big standout.
Episode two of The Toughest Trade featuring Aidan O'Shea and Roberto Wallace will air on RTÉ Two on Tuesday, March 15th at 9.55pm.
Picture credit: Sportsfile
