Larry Weisman Reporter, Sports Larry Weisman, who reports on the NFL for USA TODAY's Sports section, talks about his career as a journalist: "My first newspaper job after graduation from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in speech and communications arts in 1976 was in White Plains, N.Y. at what is now the Westchester Journal News. I covered local high schools and colleges for a few years, then moved on to college basketball, professional hockey and soccer and finally pro football. I moved to USA TODAY in September of 1983 and continued to cover the NFL, college basketball and boxing. I've become sort of a pro football specialist in the last few years. My journalism career actually began when I was in high school. I served as a stringer for several newspapers in and around Bergen County, N.J., covering my school's football team and phoning in results. I worked on my high school newspaper (fine arts editor) and on my college newspaper (sports editor for two years, and assistant managing editor for a half year). I've always enjoyed sports, reading and writing. My job enables me to meld all three loves."

Q: Which pro football player do you consider to be a true hero?

A: I'd say Steve Young, quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, best fills that description for me. I remember him as a high school player in Greenwich, Conn., where I lived for a while, and he still plays the game with that same boyish enthusiasm. Steve is not only a fine player and a certain Hall of Famer but a gentleman and scholar (he's a law school grad) with wide-ranging interests. His charity work takes him from the glamour of TV telethons to the Native American reservations of the Southwest. Steve has earned millions playing football and from endorsements, but he's really very much the same person he always was. He dresses casually, doesn't live extravagantly and has big plans for the rest of his adult life. I've always found him to be cooperative with the media and generous with his time, and also curious about the writer's job.

Q: What do you think is the biggest story of this season?

A: The Denver Broncos and their 8-0 start top my list of big stories. The Broncos, who won the Super Bowl last January, clearly intend to try to do it again and have played very well. That's not always easy for Super Bowl winners, who often bask a little too much in the glory that comes with a championship. The Broncos believe they have a good chance of besting one of the NFL's so-called "unbreakable?? records - the perfect season. The only team to go unbeaten through an entire season was the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who were 17-0. If the Broncos are to achieve that feat, they would have to go 19-0 because the season today is longer than it was in 1972.

Q: What has surprised you most this NFL season?

A: The wonderful play of some old quarterbacks - Randall Cunningham in Minnesota, Doug Flutie in Buffalo, Vinny Testaverde with the New York Jets. They've all been around awhile and none has won a championship (though Flutie did collect six Grey Cup titles while playing in Canada) and all were heavily criticized for a variety of perceived shortcomings. Each one persevered and now enjoys success.

Q: What are your thoughts on college players turning pro before graduating?

A: You would wish that everyone in college would take advantage of the experience and the opportunity to learn and grow. But we cannot set every person's agenda. Many of the athletes are in college to learn their trade (football) and don't see why they need to stick around to the end. The best become instant millionaires, so it's difficult to say they make the wrong decision when they depart the college scene early for the NFL. The smart ones make sure they finish school and get their degree. The average NFL career lasts less than four years. After that, real life begins....

Q: Who do you predict will be the #1 draft choice next year?

A: Guessing right now, I'd say Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch will skip his senior year and be the first overall choice. That would make him the quarterback of the expansion Cleveland Browns, who hold the first selection. The former Browns team moved and became the Baltimore Ravens in 1996 and the NFL agreed at that time to restore a team to Cleveland. Couch has posted some extreme numbers for the Wildcats this year and is in contention for the Heisman Trophy.

Q: Do you have any predictions about which NFL coaches won't last the season?

A: There's a saying in the NFL - What have you done for me tomorrow? Sadly, some coaches won't get the chance to do anything for us tomorrow. There's very little patience with losing in the NFL today, and coaches who don't win soon after their hiring don't last. The most immediately endangered may be Ted Marchibroda in Baltimore. The Ravens have lost four consecutive games and are a disappointing 2-6. Several others figure may be hunting for new employers once the season ends. On that list, I'd include Ray Rhodes (Philadelphia), Norv Turner (Washington) and Dennis Erickson (Seattle).