Detroit Lions Q&A: Kevin Ogletree on growing up in Queens and knowing Omar from 'The Wire'

Lions receiver Kevin Ogletree caught his first touchdown pass in Detroit last week in a win against Green Bay. (AP Photo)
Kyle Meinke | By Kyle Meinke |
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on December 07, 2013 at 6:59 AM, updated December 07, 2013 at 10:04 AM

ALLEN PARK -- Receiver Kevin Ogletree signed with the Detroit Lions midseason, and proved to be a valuable addition while Nate Burleson returned from injury.

Now Burleson has returned, but Ogletree is still contributing, including hauling in a spinning, one-handed touchdown catch to finish off the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving.

Oh, and he's currently living with Lions safety -- and old friend -- Louis Delmas. Plus the guy knows Omar from "The Wire." Gotta be a story there, right?

He's next up in the Lions Q&A:

MLive: What's the coolest thing about being in the NFL, besides the paychecks?

Kevin Ogletree: The coolest thing probably is the impact you have on people. You don't realize how many people get excited or something positive from seeing you play. Just putting smiles on peoples faces.

MLive: Louis Delmas, your roommate right now, has some pretty crazy stories about fans coming up to him for autographs and photos and stuff like that at random places. Including one time right outside the restroom, when he really had to, you know, go inside the restroom. What's the craziest fan encounter you've had?

Ogletree: I'm not really popular enough to have fans I think. I don't know, I've signed some boobs, so maybe that. That's a little awkward. That happened during training camp a couple years back (with Dallas). You can put that in there. She was like, 'Sign me right here.' I was like, 'right here?'

I wasn't the only signature on there, I can tell you that. It was cool and awkward at the same time.

MLive: What's one thing people should know about what it's like bunking with Louis Delmas?

Ogletree: Sometimes you got to pretend like you're sleeping, just so you don't have to go no where. I do it all the time. Just close my eyes. Don't hear nothin', don't see nothin'. He can't sit still.

MLive: You're from Queens. What was it like growing up there and playing football?

Ogletree: Queens is very diverse. A lot of different things going on. Lots of good food and (stuff). There's some rough spots, so getting out of there is the goal. You don't want to stay in Queens.

MLive: Like drugs and stuff like that?

Ogletree: Yeah, for sure man. There's drugs, obviously there's violence. My family has seen some of that. It's hit home, the violence. But that's everywhere. It's always good to go back home -- it was a good place for me to grow up.

d2870968c3566626430f6a706700c45e.jpgKevin Ogletree tries to haul in a pass in a game against Pittsburgh.  

MLive: What do you mean the violence has hit your family?

Ogletree: My brother got shot in the head like two years ago. He's alive. I don't want to get into that though. I just don't want to talk about it. But that kind of stuff used to always happen, and then it hit home. But that's Queens in a nutshell, man. There's a lot of things going on. Freaking a lot of basketball being played, and it's close to Manhattan.

MLive: So how did you end up going from Queens to Virgina?

Ogletree: It wasn't that intricate for me. Boston College told me I could play corner and Syracuse told me I could play any position I wanted to, but Virginia just seemed like the best bet. It had everything I was looking for, as far as big picture.

It was cool just going to such a historic school, to be honest. Thomas Jefferson built it, you know? All the little things that go with going there. Like you don't call campus, campus. It's called grounds. There's an honor code. People don't freaking know that if you get caught cheating on a test, you're kicked out of school. It was a really cool school.

MLive: What's the first thing you bought when you finally got to the NFL?

Ogletree: It was a bed. It was like a $3,200, frickin' king-size TempurPedic. My agent was like, 'You sure you want to do this?' I was, like, 'Man, it's a good investment. Memory foam, you know?' Five years later, I still have it. It was my best move too. That's a true story.

MLive: You're from New York and played in Dallas, so I'm sure you've rubbed shoulders with some famous dudes. Got any celebrity friends?

Ogletree: I got some dudes I'm cool with. Michael Kenneth Williams (Omar Little from "The Wire") is a cool dude. Chace Crawford is an awesome guy. Good friends with him through Tony (Romo) and his wife. I've met some cool people, especially through Tony.

MLive: Woah, you know Omar?

Ogletree: Yeah, man, and he's a cool dude too. Met him at Flight Club (a shoe store) in the Meatpacking District back in New York. I just saw him in the store and said 'What up?' and introduced myself. Dude's cool, man. I mean, my favorite show ever is Boardwalk Empire, so I was just talking to him about that. I'

I'm like, 'man, what's up with the season?' This was back in the summer. He was like, 'Yeah, we're filmin', it's going to be good.' I told him they need to give him a bigger role on there. He's the man on there. He's like, 'You know, it's going to be good.' Sure enough, he's starring this season.

He wants to come to a game. We don't go up there, but I'm going to try to get him out here for a game.

MLive: Washington's Santana Moss said this week that the officiating this season is the worst he's ever seen it. You agree with him?

Ogletree: I've seen worse, man. I think last year, when the ref through the (hat) and I nearly tore my frickin' ACL in the end zone. They had the whole replacement ref deal going on still, and someone had stepped out of bounds. They're supposed to throw their hat, but he threw it on the field of play, the ball was coming to me -- Tony threw it to me and everything -- and literally just stepped where it landed. Stepped on it, slipped. I was fine, thank God -- but I missed the touchdown. I was pissed.

MLive: If you were Roger Goodell for a day, what's the one rule you would want to change?

Ogletree: If I was Roger for a day, I'd probably just let us wear our socks how we want to wear 'em. People like to style themselves. People want to look good and feel good.

MLive: What would you do differently?

Ogletree: Oh I'd stay in the guidelines I think. But it's renown that guys want to do their own thing with the uniform, at least with the socks. I don't think it's a big deal to have on all blue and not show a little bit of white, or something like that. Know what I mean?