Ripa's got the right idea.

I played HS football. I'm 5'9" and was about 165 then (I'm 10 pounds lighter now, not many people can say that at the reunion!). Anyway, I played running back and defensive back. At times I was also an outside linebacker.

The trick with that sport is you gotta get mean. I'm not kidding. Real F'n mean. If you get the ball very often, you learn to take punishment like a Cuban welterweight. I spent a lot of time black and blue, but 20 years on, I'm glad I did it.