ArenaFootball.com spoke with Chicago Rush WR/LB DeJuan Alfonzo about his recovery process, his trip to Beijing for the Olympics and his outlook on the 2009 season.

 

First of all, how is the recovery process going?

 

I am just getting back into the swing of things.  I had surgery at the end of the season last year, so I am starting to work out on a regular basis.  I am pretty much done with everything, just a little more than month left on my rehab.  I am ahead of schedule.  My last appointment to see my surgeon is on the 21st of October, so I should be cleared to do everything.

 

I heard you spent some time in Beijing this summer for the Olympics.  Who was it that was competing you knew?

 

My girlfriend’s brother was actually running the 200.

 

What was the overall experience like going to China, interacting with the Chinese people?

 

It was great.  It was different.  The anticipation was high; I was very excited about going over there.  And once I got over there it didn’t let me down.  It was a good time.  I heard so much about the Chinese people – about them being rude and mean, but my experience was that they were very nice and kind people.  The venues were magnificent.  They invested a lot of money and you can tell – from the Bird’s Nest to the Water Cube.  It was awesome.

 

Have you ever travelled outside the US before?

 

No, that was my first time besides Canada.  That was my first time actually crossing over the water.  And I enjoyed it and I am not going to miss another Olympics.  I will definitely be in London in four years.  This time I will be prepared to go.

 

Good first experience out of the country?

 

Yeah, it was a great experience and I don’t know if it had anything to do with the fact that it was the Olympics or just the fact of being over there in China, but I did have a great experience though.

 

Did you interact with other US fans and fans from around the world?

 

It was just different countries.  Everyone was pretty much nice.  And being from the US and the way I am built, a lot of people thought I was an athlete.  I am over there taking pictures with people, and they are asking me what I am doing and what sport I play.  So it was a great experience.  You got to interact with other athletes and the natives of China, so it was great.

 

What events did you have access to?

 

I went to the track and field events.  It was a last minute thing going over there because we didn’t know if her brother was going to get to actually compete.  A majority of the events were sold out, so it was kind of hard to get tickets.  They were extremely, extremely overpriced in line.

 

Did you do any tourist activities?  Go see the Great Wall?

 

I got to go visit the landmarks of China.  I walked the Great Wall of China, which was a great experience.  I got to see Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven.  And I did a lot of shopping at the silk market.  Mainly the thing I wanted to do was actually get to see the history of China.  The Olympics was great, but I wanted to have that experience because I may never get to go back there again.  And I am definitely going to London in 2012 for the Olympics.

 

How was the food?

 

Oh, it was good.  I tried the roast duck, rotisserie duck, which was great.  I also had this thing called the Mongolian Hot Pot, which was delicious.  Pretty much everything was good over there.  I actually ate some KFC over there, which tastes a lot better over there than it does over here.  Overly priced, but it was good.

 

Turning back to football, it seems like your absence was really felt in those last few regular season games and in particular in the playoffs.  Are you looking forward to coming back?

 

Yeah, I am really looking forward to it.  It was so hard on me, just the fact that I felt like I let my team down by getting hurt.  It played hard on me because I have never suffered an injury like that where I actually missed games of that magnitude.  Just going through this off-season and going through this workout process, has just got me amped to get back into it.  I am cutting my body fat.  I feel like I got something to prove next year.  I don’t want anybody to speculate that my arm is affecting me or anything like that.  So I am coming in ready to go, bigger, stronger, and faster than ever.

 

So, more interceptions, more fumble recoveries all going to the end zone?

 

Yep, I am looking forward to it.  I can’t accept anything less.

 

The last few seasons everybody talked about the Rush defense and how it’s the best in the League.  They said it spurred the offense and a lot of the time it put points up on the board.  Do you see that dropping off at all this year?

 

Actually, I think we’re going to be better this year.  Just because of the simple fact that we’ve kept a lot of the players on defense.  I think we maybe lost 2 or 3 coming up next year, but our coaching staff does a great job of bringing players in because if you look at two years ago and then look at last year, we had several new guys on defense and we still led the league in the fewest amount of points given up – actually, both of those years.  So, I think they do an excellent job of getting guys in there and getting us ready and preparing us for each game.  I actually think we’re going to be better because we got some guys who are familiar with the system, some young guys who are going to step up who were on the roster last year who got some experience.  So I just think everything is uphill from here. 

 

What are your thoughts on the American Conference?  Obviously, Grand Rapids came on strong late, but it was really a two-horse race between you and San Jose.

 

You know what?  It’s been that way for a while.  I see the conference getting stronger.  We got some new coaches in there.  Los Angeles has a new coach.  Grand Rapids got a new coach last year and you’ve seen what effect he’s had on those players.  He has a year under his belt and I think they are going to be a lot better next year.  I think Los Angeles is going to step up.  Utah came on strong at the end of last year.  I think the American Conference is going to show itself this year.  We always hear talk about us being the down conference of the two.  I just think a lot of coaches and a lot of players are taking that to heart.  I think that we’re going to take over as the best conference in the league.

 

With the loss of Damian Harrell you have an opening at the WR position.  Any chance of you filling that next season?

 

Probably not.  I think my days at receiver are over unless somebody gets hurt.  I don’t think they want to use me that way.  Talking to Coach Ho [Mike Hohensee], he likes to keep me fresh on defense and special teams.  I will still be over there running the ball hopefully, on offense.  He always has a couple of plays for me in the red zone to catch the ball.  But to play a full game at receiver, I think those days are over.

 

Any chance Bobby Sippio will fill that position?

 

You know what?  I don’t know.  If he comes back to AFL, he will be a hot commodity.  A lot of teams are going to want him and throw a lot of money his way.  It just depends where his heart leads him.  Is it going to lead him to the money or is it going to lead him to coming back here and playing for a coach that took a chance on him?

 

You also have a set of good, young receivers, one of whom won the Rookie of the Year Award last season.  How important will they be next season?  How important is the af2 talent pool you always seem to tap into?

 

I think Donovan [Morgan] and Travis [LaTendresse] are great receivers and both ended last year on a high note.  That just shows the experience happening throughout the season.  So, I think that year enabled them to learn and to get a chance to show what they can do – showcase their talent.  I think Coach Ho is going to use them in the best way that he knows how, so that they can get the job done.

 

With Coach Ho and the af2 players, I think a lot of guys hear about what kind of program we have and a lot of guys make the decision to come to the Rush.  A lot of those high-caliber af2 players we get to pick from because we have a great organization, we have a winning organization and a  lot of guys want to play for a winner.

 

Is there anything else going on this off-season?

 

No, I am just doing my rehab and travelling a little bit.  I just got back from New York.  Besides playing out there, it was my first time going out there.  I am really just travelling and working out – getting ready for the season.  My girlfriend competes in a figure competition, which is sort of like body building and it was her national competition in New York.  She actually took first place.  I went out there to support her.

 

You have a degree in criminal justice.  Have you ever thought of putting that to use?

You know what?  I actually sort of double-majored.  I need maybe like one or two classes in electronics and computer technology, which was my first major, but in order to get out of school faster, I picked criminal justice.  But I did think about going to grad school and finishing my electronics degree.  Going to grad school and maybe becoming a computer lawyer.  That is all in the future.  I haven’t decided yet.  I may just want to coach professionally.

 

Final word...

I want to be entered as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.  That is the only accomplishment I really have left is one of those trophies and seeing D-Rob’s [Dennison Robinson’s] trophy kind of made me work even harder this off-season.