Gipson grateful for his chances.

Byline: GRILLED DUCK by The Register-Guard

Grilled Duck is a game-day question and answer session with a member of the Oregon football team. Today's installment features UO cornerback Aaron Gipson, a 5-foot-9, 199-pound senior.

Question: What's the last album you purchased or downloaded?

Answer: I don't download. But I bought a Charlie Wilson CD. It's kind of like R&B.

Question: When you're done playing football, what career will you pursue?

Answer: I want to become an academic adviser, and if that doesn't work out I'd love to have the opportunity to work with Nike. ... For me wanting to be an academic adviser, I would definitely have to give all the credit in the world to my academic adviser that I have now, Uri Farkas. Up here, he has been one of the most inspirational people to me, just being my friend. It's not just like I go see him when I'm trying to get my schedule done. We're really close, and I almost kind of consider him like family. He's been a big part of my life since I've been up here.

Question: What's one thing you wish there was to do in Eugene?

Answer: I wish they had a bigger mall out here. Where I come from, the mall is a place where everybody goes on a Friday night or a Saturday night. You go to the mall and then you go to the movies, or hang out. I wish there was a bigger mall with bigger stores.

Question: What the best and worst parts about being a UO football player?

Answer: The best part, I would have to say, is having all the attention focused on you on Saturday. This is the only time it's really guaranteed that you're going to have all the attention focused on you. It's a great feeling, not only being in the spotlight but having everyone cheering for you. It's an honor. This being my last year, I'm definitely grateful for every opportunity I have to be on the field.

What I don't like about being a UO athlete, sometimes the privacy, when I'm away from the field just trying to hang out. It's fine, but there's sometimes you just want to do what you want to do, hang out or go to a movie. But it's not too bad. I've never had too many instances where it's been bad.

Question: Did you run with the "jock" crowd in high school?

Answer: I never really did that, I pretty much just hung out at my friends' house, went to the movies, went to the mall. I didn't want to get caught up in getting a chance of getting shot or anything like that, going to house parties, nothing like that. My dad was pretty conscious of always having me in before a certain time.

Question: That was a reality where you grew up?

Answer: That's the reality growing up in Fontana, Calif. Going out to places, going to house parties especially, you never know who is going to be there, you never know who doesn't like who. And even if you're not a part of that situation, you can become (part of it) fast. If people start shooting, it can become a messy situation. So I just tried to avoid that. That wasn't me anyway.

Question: Do you talk much out on the field?

Answer: I'm not a trash-talker. I think partly because of what I went through as a freshman (starting 11 games for a pass defense that ranked among the nation's worst). I never talked trash. I never did it in high school, so I wouldn't start now. I was humbled a lot coming in, being one of the best athletes in Fontana and then coming to a place where everybody's good, everybody you're playing is a lot better. It humbled me a lot and helped me grow into a man.

Question: What was your "welcome to the Pac-10" moment?

Answer: When I was playing Bobby Wade, the Arizona game. He was just killing me, to put it plain and simple. (Wade had 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown on Oct. 5, 2002.) I had watched him on TV, and to be honest I never really knew about any of the other receivers in the Pac-10, other than Bobby Wade. I grew up watching Bobby Wade when I was young; it seemed like he was at Arizona forever. He was one of the hardest receivers for me to guard my freshman year.

Question: How many tattoos do you have?

Answer: 28. I've got them all over my arms, I've got them all over my back, I've got one on my leg.

Question: What's your favorite?

Answer: I'd say this one right here (on his left upper back, showing a sign for Veteran's Park in Fontana, below crossed street signs for Merrill and Palmetto avenues). It's a park where I grew up playing football. That's pretty much where I grew up at, probably from 8 years old to about 13, 14. Playing ball, Pop Warner and everything. That's where I perfected my craft.

- Rob Moseley

CAPTION(S):

UO cornerback Aaron Gipson has gone from humbled freshman to solid defender in his senior season.