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"\n\n It's easy to dismiss Clay Matthews III's rise to NFL stardom as matter-of-fact. The Packers linebacker, whose blond mane has become so in vogue ESPN reporter Erin Andrews dressed as Matthews one Halloween, is part of football's royal family. His grandfather Clay Sr. played four NFL seasons, his dad Clay Jr. and uncle, Bruce, played a combined 38, and his younger brother Casey and cousin Kevin are both in the league. NFL general managers might not admit it, but they're likely drooling at the idea of sending the Matthews clan out to stud.\n\n An NFL roster spot was no divine right for Matthews however: he didn't receive a single scholarship out of high school, walked on at USC and didn't start until midway through his senior year. That's all the time he needed, though, to prove to Green Bay he was worthy of a 2009 first -round selection. Since being drafted, Matthews has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons. He has been such a staple on NFL highlight reels that his long blonde locks have become a topic of conversation\u2014so much so that ESPN would probably dedicate an entire channel to his hairdo if Mark Schlereth could break down hair product with the same panache as he does the Cover-2.\n\n Now in his third season, Matthews talked with GQ about his football journey, an odd friendship he made filming a commercial, and his family's favorite sport to play\u2014which, surprisingly, isn't football.\n\n\u00B7\u00B7\u00B7\n\nGQ: Your linebackers's room kind of has this long blond hair look. I'm sure the consensus is that you have the best look.\n\n Clay Matthews III: It's seems to be a growing theme throughout the league, especially at the linebacker position, especially on this team. Although [linebacker] A.J. Hawk definitely has the long blond going as well, there's no doubt that mine is much better.\n\nGQ: Noticed you're pretty active on Twitter and was surprised you follow [former UCLA Bruin and current Minnesota Timberwolves forward] Kevin Love. That has to be leaving Trojan nation a little upset.\n\n Clay Matthews III: I'm sure they're not too happy about it but I met Kevin when we were filming a few commercials for the ESPYs this past year and he actually turned out to be a great guy. Fortunately I've been able to stay in touch with him. He's real cool and I mean, yeah, he went to UCLA. Obviously I went to USC. He plays for Minnesota, I play in Wisconsin. It's definitely not pretty for the fans.\n\nGQ: Who do you dislike more? UCLA or the Bears?\n\n Clay Matthews III: Oh goodness. Well I think now that I'm past UCLA, I'm going to say UCLA just because I can and hopefully they won't hold it against me. The Bears you have to respect and I think with college football, it's a little more personal, especially with both being in Los Angeles. I think it was a heated rivalry to say the least. I think the fans get more out of it in the NFL than do the players.\n\nGQ: The comparison between your college experience and pro experience is flipped in some ways. At USC you were the team in Los Angeles. It's almost like a pro experience. And then you go to Green Bay and it has that rabid college football following that is associated with the SEC.\n\n Clay Matthews III: [At USC] the people there look at you as though you're a franchise or a top organization\u2014especially when you're winning. And then also on game day there is so much more to do out there in L.A. where you could watch the Lakers or go to the beach or go skiing that you know, perhaps, some days you're looked at as a pro team where you might not get the support that some of these schools in the south or Midwest might receive. But then I come out here to Green Bay, population 100,000, where in the offseason the city is dead. That's kind of all we eat, sleep, and breathe out here is the Packers.\n\nGQ: Nothing is like Sunday in Green Bay.\n\n Clay Matthews III: Nothing compares. It's always entertaining and fun to watch, driving to the game on Sunday, watching the fans tailgate and just seeing the excitement in the air. It reminds me almost of a high school or college environment where everyone rallies around their team or their cities. \n\nGQ: It's easy for fans to kind of forget that you had quite the journey. It wasn't your last name that got you into the NFL. A lot of great athletes play with a chip on their shoulder and don't forget those experiences.\n\n Clay Matthews III: I think now it's become so commonplace from where I've come from that that's how I play the game\u2014with a chip on my shoulder. Obviously I think that my story is well-known\u2014having zero scholarships coming out of high school, walking on at a prestigious and, at that time, the No. 1 university in USC.\n\n It's definitely something that motivates me, but it's not like I'm dwelling on the past. I let everyone know that it's not your typical college career but I wouldn't change it for anything because I think if I had it easier in regard to going to college and being handed certain things then I might not be where I am today or have the same type of drive or intensity that fuels me each and every day.\n\nGQ: When was the last time the whole clan got together and played a little backyard football?\n\n Clay Matthews III: Surprisingly we don't play football, I think, because 19 years with my father, 19 with my uncle, a few years with my grandfather, little brother now, my cousin all in the NFL, we actually prefer basketball. So that's what we do. We try to get together once a year whether it be for a wedding, a birthday or a holiday, we try and get together and there's definitely some heated moments, but it usually comes down to basketball.\n\nGQ: Who owns bragging rights on the hardwood?\n\n Clay Matthews III: I'm not even going to say myself because I'm just not that good, so I'm not going to put it out there. Surprisingly, my dad is pretty good. Despite playing the league for so long he still wakes up six in the morning, plays his hoops in the morning and then goes about his day afterwards and gets his workout in. From what I hear from the guys in the gym he's got his jumper down and his mid-range game. And he can post up in the paint so he's alright. This is also coming from 60-year old men. So you never know."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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