Harvard Star Birk Adjusts to NFL

Nothing shocks him. Not the rookie hazing, not the dusk-'til-dawn NFL marathon, not Randy Moss' tattoos and definitely not success. Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Matt Birk '98 has grown satisfyingly accustomed to these things--especially the last. Having won 24 of his last 27 football games dating back to Harvard's 1997 Ivy League Championship season, Birk can afford to.

"I've been really fortunate the last two years," Birk said. "I guess now it's a shock when we lose. I have to expect to win."

Finishing up a 15-2 season with the Vikings proved to be more difficult than anticipated. In the NFC championship game, the Vikings stumbled over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, losing 30-27 on a Morten Andersen field goal. The Falcons eventually fell to the defending champion Denver Broncos 34-19 in last Sunday's Super Bowl.

Over the course of such a strong Vikings campaign in Birk's rookie season, the sixth-round draft pick and native Minnesotan learned from listening, watching, and even seeing action in seven games.

"It's been good to watch guys like Randall McDaniel, who's been to ten Pro Bowls, and Todd Steussie, another Pro Bowler," Birk said. "I watch film with those guys, and I see how they critique themselves. I mean, some guys are just really blessed with a lot of talent, but they still get out there and work hard at it too. When you see guys like that break down film, you learn what to look for in your own play."

While many would expect an NFL neophyte to head into his career with reckless abandon, Birk has made the leap to the NFL with a professional, workman-like approach. Untouched by the glamour and mystique of the NFL spotlight, Birk has carried out business as usual.

"My lifestyle hasn't changed too much," Birk said. "I don't go out as much, that's for sure. I get to the office at 6 a.m., get home at 5 p.m., and it's pretty much football all day. You really just want to lie on the couch when you get home. It's not like college anymore where you have other things to be concerned about. It's my job now."

The toughest part of that job has been acclimation to the physical and mental rigors of NFL preparation. Birk's newfound career requires the utmost attention to detail, regardless of experience. NFL rookies have a short honeymoon, and expectation levels run unusually high.

"It was a long process, and it wasn't easy," Birk said. "Later on, it got easier and easier to deal with the everyday schedule. Sometimes you just have to dig inside and find the strength to get out of bed in the morning. Mentally, it's demanding, and coming from Harvard I knew I could do it. You just have to get comfortable."

Getting comfortable, however, has proven to be something that the Vikings veterans won't let Birk to do for very long. It turns out that the coaches aren't the only ones that are so demanding of the red-headed giant. Locker room hijinks of Birk's less-than-accommodating teammates have added a little spice to the monotonous workday.

"Yeah, [Vikings center Pete] Bercich put my locker in the snow. It's pretty much an everyday event. The one thing I love about the season's being over is not having to be a rookie anymore. We would have to go around and get all the guys' playbooks together so the coaches could install the game plan for the week. If there weren't enough seats at the meetings, we'd have to go and get chairs. Typical stuff. At least I don't have to carry luggage," Birk said.

No one has eluded the veterans' wrath, even one of Birk's more brash and publicized NFL classmates, Rookie of the Year Randy Moss. Moss' extremely confident demeanor has been the talk of the league as of late. The Moss media frenzy has taught Birk a thing or two about handling himself.

"It's interesting to watch the guys that get a lot of media attention," Birk said. "It's good to be around them to see how they handle themselves professionally. Randy is a phenomenal athlete. You just realize that you're always being watched. Being from Minnesota, I guess I've probably been the most highly publicized sixth-round draft pick in a long time," Birk said.

The periodic media attention, though, has not been the most satisfying result of Birk's journey back to his home state. What matters most to the wide-eyed alum isn't the ice fishing, but the familiar faces within driving distance.

"Without a doubt, it's made the transition easier to be back in Minnesota," Birk said. "There have been some hardships and adversity, but having friends and family close by really helped a lot. If I was having a tough week, I could head over to my parents' house and have dinner. When I go home, they don't want to talk about football; they want to talk about other stuff going on in my life."

One might expect that Birk's life has always headed in this direction, especially when gifted with a 6'4 frame that now carries 315 pounds. On the contrary, Birk has ridden a wave of chance, blessings, and hard work into an NFL roster spot.

"Well, I didn't plan on using Harvard as a pipeline to the NFL," Birk joked. "I just wanted to get in camp, make the team, and have a great year. It's really a dream come true. I hope it lasts for a long time."

Always thinking ahead, Birk has plans for this offseason for making the dream last. Only Matt Birk forges his future in the weight room, in front of VCR's loaded with game film, by studying the game in which he has become the consummate professional.

"I'm heading into the offseason planning to work out hard now that I've got a year under my belt. I want to improve constantly. During the season, you're kind of thrown into the fire, but hopefully there will be fewer surprises this time. I'll know what to expect."

Don't bother trying to find a look of shock on Birk's face. Through preparation and intense commitment, Matt Birk has taken away the NFL's element of surprise.