WHY DO THEY CALL YOU "MAD DOG?"
I'm the guy you call when everyone else gives up. I NEVER, NEVER, EVER QUIT! (Winston Churchill)
In 1982, as a Sophomore at F.P.M., I went out for the football team. By the 2nd game of the season, Coach Bailey (Everett "Monk" Bailey Brigham Young University Football star and the Defensive Back for the NFL St Louis Cardinals 1960s) moved me up as a starter to the Varsity Squad and put me in at Outside Linebacker and Right Guard, and all special teams lineups. From that point on, I never missed a play in a game. By way of my extreme intensity, hustle, and aggressiveness, yet clean hits, in practice he moved me up quickly. "If I had 10 more Matt Sweeneys on this team, we'd win every game," said coach Bailey to the whole team....a little embarrassing but I embraced that.
My Father, Bart Sweeney III (RIP 1981) was a standout Noseguard, Center and Kicker at John Adams HS (South Ozone Park) and was named ALL CITY in his Jr. & Sr. years. He also played Semi-Pro Football for the Lynvets Organization for several years after. They played with leather helmets (I still have his) and no face mask back then. Broken noses and teeth were common. My father raised my older brother Bart IV (RIP 2024), and me to always try to be the hardest hitting, toughest player not only on our team, but on the gridiron. "Play clean Matty, but make them always worry about where YOU are on the field at all times."
Papa regaled us with stories, books and game films of the Monsters of the Midway, Chuck Bednarick (Eagles), Mike Ditka (Bears), Johnny Unitas (Colts), George Blanda (Raiders), Ray Nitschke (Packers), Dick Butkus (Bears), Larry Csonka (Dolphins), and one man that particularly intrigued the young Matt Sweeney, Mike "Mad Dog Curtis #32 of the Baltimore Colts (1960s-1970s).
Papa died suddenly when I was 13, so Big Bart (7 years older), a local ALL-CITY football phenom himself at St Francis Prep and St Johns University, Lynvets Semi Pro, took over my football acumen, weight training and guidance. He bought me a book on Mike Curtis and we'd watch his game films at Duke and The Colts together for instruction and motivation. Curtis was a highly intelligent, Stud Linebacker with a very high Football IQ.. Anyone who has ever played organized tackle football at any level has heard and made, the grunts, the growls, the viciousness of men doing hand to hand battle. Mike Curtis was a master at it, scaring the living wits out of other tough as nails, grown men with his audible ferocity that accompanied his crushing tackles. Mike Mad Dog Curtis (RIP) was, and still is, my Life Coach through my 8 years of organized, tackle football, then on the Rugby Pitch, after HS till today.
In 1983, as a Jr. we were playing North Shore HS in Glen Head. I had a fantastic game making big holes for my running backs as Right Guard on offense, my kickoffs were all in to the end zone, and I made about 12 or 13 solo tackles at Middle Linebacker and close to 20 assists. I was on fire! All day long I did one on one battle with their star Fullback/Middle Linebacker.
He was a big, tough, fast kid and we went to War on each other on that fall day in Glen Head. When the game was over, we were both hurting, bleeding and limping, eye black smeared and running down our faces. He took off his helmet and had a red bandana on, the pirate look, 1980s style. He walked toward me and put his hand out: "Bro...I just wanna shake your hand...you were unstoppable today. You came after me every play like a rabid, Mad Dog! Great game man." My teammates and coaches overheard him, and the name stuck.
When I come to your home or business it is with great respect, intelligence, and stone cold seriousness, as a I diagnose your poorly installed boiler, design or install your heating system or plumbing. My intensity & seriousness assures great attention to detail, honesty, and thoroughness. Unlike, almost all others in my field, I will tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you want to hear. I will be straight up with your options, and I ALWAYS honor my quotes and stand 100% behind my diagnoses. Mad Dog does not blow people off or fail to return phone calls after the check has cleared. Thank you for listening to my story.