Cardinal Rewind: Ibn Green

CSZ: What are you up to these days?

 

Ibn: I am currently working as a coordinator and public outreach rep at the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD). I also coach a little league team in Louisville’s West End called the Flaget Rams. I stay quite busy raising my five daughters (YES I SAID DAUGHTERS) as well. Pray for me please!!!!

 

CSZ: Wow! I will pray for you for sure! What memories stand out to you the most about your time at Louisville?

 

Ibn: The memories that stand out the most about my time at UofL is just playing the game in front of all the great Cardinal fans. I really enjoyed playing for my hometown and playing with great players like Chris Redman, Don Bibb, Rashad Holman, and countless other players that I consider my brothers to this day. I had that chance to break in the new stadium and help take a team that was 1-10 to two bowl appearances. There were so many great memories that I could go on forever.

 

CSZ: That point in time was when we really started taking the turn towards being a team that mattered nationally. How do you feel about the current staff, and their squad?

 

Ibn: I think that the current staff is awesome!!! Coach Strong is the perfect coach for the program. He will be able to get things back to how they should be. We are a young team with a bright future. With the players Coach Strong has now and the ones he will bring on in the future, big time things are about to occur at UofL. 

 

CSZ: I agree. The future is bright with Coach Strong. I think the University knows it too based on his lengthy contract extension. Do you ever have time to make it to any games these days?

 

Ibn: Yes I do attend games on occasions. It’s great to come out and check out the team. I try to stay low key, but many of the fans still remember and say hi. I also run into some of the guys I play with at the games. Not to mention the tailgating. Cards fans have always been the greatest tailgaters!!!!!!

 

CSZ: Yeah I have been tailgating since we got out of UofL and they know how to tailgate, thats for sure. What made you choose to go to Louisville out of high school?

Ibn: What made me choose UofL out of high school was my love for the Cardinals. Growing up, I was a die-hard Cardinal fan. To get the chance to play for a school that I loved was an honor. Coming out of Male High we had many great players. The chance to play with all of the guys in our hometown was one that I couldn’t pass up. I also like the fact that my mom and dad didn’t have to travel far at all to see me play. 

 

CSZ: Yeah, although I wasnt an all-american (cough cough) that was the reason I picked UofL also because growing up in this great city, I couldnt imagine even being a fan of any other team and I was close to my mom and dad and friends. Win-win! Talk about how far the program has come since your freshman year. Stadium expansion at PJCS, Big East, winning a BCS Bowl…that type of stuff.

 

Ibn: I remember playing in the old Cardinal Stadium. It was a great stadium, but it was like playing on a piece of patio carpet on a parking lot compared to the new stadium. What that did however was make all of us who played in the first game in the new stadium appreciate it even more. To go from a facility like the old Cardinal Stadium to Papa John’s is truly a blessing. We had some rough years in the beginning, but they helped mold us into the team that led the nation in offense my junior and senior year. Back then we played in Conference USA. We were overlooked by many teams in many games, so often times we played with a chip on our shoulder. We had an awesome offense and a young defense that came up under the wings of great players like Sam Madison and Tony Bethel. We competed every day against great players like Tyrus McCloud, Terry Rice-Locket, and David Campos. The Cardinal roots go way back to players like Roman Oben and Anthony Shelman, so there was no doubt that great things were in the Cardinal’s future. We competed against teams like Penn State, Michigan State, and North Carolina. When we finally moved into the Big East my thinking was, it’s about time. We have always had great players, so I wasn’t shocked to see us compete in the Big East and eventually win a BSC bowl. I remember being in elementary school and getting a coupon for a Whopper at Burger King. With that Whopper you would get two tickets to a UofL football game. We’ve come a long way since then!!!!

 

CSZ: The old field was horrible, point blank it was not good. I also believe that that 4 year team may not have had the best record, but it was the best overall team we ever had in my opinion. That offense was crazy good! Redman at QB, you at TE, and then Jackson, Sheffield, Zek, Dorsey and Boyd at WR. Moreau and Stallings at RB and I wont even start on D. Just amazing! Speaking of those guys,do you still keep in touch with some of your teammates from those teams?

 

Ibn: I still keep in touch with many of my teammates. Some of them are playing in the NFL and some are successful citizens in the city of Louisville or their hometown. I even coach with one by the name of Jason Wyatt. I am in constant contact with Don Bibb and Rashad Holman, and I talk to Chris Redman and Deion Branch quite often as well. I run into many players around town as well as at the Cardinal football games. We are and will always be a family!!!! Once a Cardinal always a Cardinal!!!

 

CSZ: We coined a phrase back then called C4L, which stood for Card4Life….still believe that. If you could say one thing to CardNation, after all these years, what would it be?

 

Ibn: If I could say one thing to Card Nation after all these years, I would say to stay loyal. There are going to be some bumps in the road, but hang in there. The best is yet to come. Continue to support us and we will continue to play our hearts out.  GO CARDS!!!!!!!!!!

 

CSZ: Ibn, thanks my friend for the great interview. You were always one of the coolest teammates I had. I appreciate it and thank you for your time. Go Cards!