Mark Frederick Schlereth (born January 25, 1966 in Anchorage, Alaska) is a former professional football player and current television sportscaster. Schlereth played guard in the NFL for 12 seasons (1989-2000) with the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN on NFL Live, Sportscenter, and other programs. He is a frequent guest and occasional fill-in host on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning. He has recently begun a career in acting, and appeared on the soap opera Guiding Light in June 2007.
Early life and college
Mark Schlereth grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and struggled with dyslexia as a youth — he did not learn to read until he was seven.He graduated from Robert Service High School in 1984. He accepted a football scholarship to the University of Idaho from Dennis Erickson, where he played on the offensive line for head coach Keith Gilbertson, blocking for quarterbacks Scott Linehan and John Friesz.
NFL career
Schlereth was selected in the tenth round (#263 overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He played twelve NFL seasons; six with Washington (1989-1994), and six with the Denver Broncos (1995-2000). He was a member of three Super Bowl championship teams (1 with the Redskins and 2 with the Broncos) and was selected to the Pro Bowl for his performances in the 1991 and 1998 seasons.
Before ending his playing career, Schlereth endured 29 surgeries, 20 on his knees (15 left, 5 right). After the 13th procedure on his left knee on July 24, 2000, Denver head coach Mike Shanahan stated, "He has a great pain threshold. I think the doctors said that it was the worst knee that they've ever seen." Schlereth would have two more procedures on his left knee during the 2000 season, his last in the NFL.
On April 18, 2001, Mark Schlereth announced his retirement. "The reason I came out here today was to announce that I have just signed a six-year, $42 million contract to extend my career with the Denver Broncos. The truth of the matter is, after going through my 15th operation on my left knee last November, it became painfully obvious that I couldn't sign a six-year contract for $42 worth of Tupperware. I started to realize in the last three months of free agency that there is not a lot of market for a 6'3", 245-pound guard that is 35 years old and beat to a pulp." He landed a job with ESPN soon after.
Television career
After retirement, Schlereth hosted an afternoon sports talk radio show on Denver AM radio 760 The Zone with fellow former Broncos lineman David "Doc" Diaz-Infante, who is now the color analyst for Broncos games' radio broadcasts. The show was frequently referred to as the "Stink and Doc" show. Schlereth was a part time analyst with ESPN for a time, commuting from Denver to Connecticut, before leaving 760 to go full time with ESPN in 2004. Besides regularly hosting NFL Live, Schlereth is a frequent guest and fill-in host for Mike Golic on Mike and Mike in the Morning, as well as an analyst on NFL Live and Sportscenter. He has also filled in for Jim Rome on Jim Rome is Burning.
Schlereth revealed on the Mike and Mike in the Morning show that he was considering a career in acting, mainly on soap operas, under the name Roc Hoover. Schlereth originally chose the name Rock Hoover, however after cybersquatters took several domain names pertaining to that name he dropped the k from Rock and became Roc Hoover. He announced on May 4, 2007, that he was cast as Detective Roc Hoover, a recurring role, on the soap opera, Guiding Light.
Personal life
Mark's daughter, Alexandria, is an actress featured on the MyNetworkTV series Desire.
Mark's son Daniel was selected in the 2008 Major League Baseball's first year player draft. A relief pitcher at the University of Arizona, Daniel was drafted in the first round by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 26th overall selection. He currently plays for major league club.
Mark Schlereth's nickname is "Stink." He discussed the genesis of this nickname on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning on November 2, 2006. Schlereth said his nickname originated his first season with the Broncos in 1995. He told a story about his sister working in an Eskimo town in Alaska, where people cut the heads off of fish and consider the head a delicacy; these heads are known as Stinkheads. Schlereth was called "Stinkhead" that season, later shortened to "Stink." Schlereth also revealed on this same Mike and Mike appearance that due to the lack of restroom facilities on the sideline, he would often urinate in his game pants (originally saying that was the reason for the "Stink" nickname, although he was joking).
Evidence of the nickname "Stinky" exists from Schlereth's pre-Denver days in the commentary on CBS by John Madden during Super Bowl XXVI in January 1992, when Schlereth was playing for the Washington Redskins. Upon Schlereth's introduction to the crowd, Madden stated on air that Schlereth's father "loves it when they call him Stink."
Although he was a good NFL Player, he is a little lost when talking about QB's For him to think Farve will take the Vikings anywhere he's a fool. Farves days are done and will set that organization back a full year like he did to the Jets
ReplyDeleteBecause he did not go back to GB they are now a year further ahead with AR than if he did.
Come on Mark you know the game better than that Farve will still like you