Growing up in Texas and Oklahoma, Ben Johnson was more famous than John Wayne to some of us. I knew him. I worked with him on a low budget film years ago, and we'd sit around at night while waiting for a shot.

I came out to Hollywood when I was just 18, and my dad, he was really into Hollywood and theater and art, and I guess growing up, he exposed me to a lot of culture, and I just started making Super-8 films in high school and decided I wanted to be a filmmaker.

I got to direct a human interest sports drama - to this day, one of my proudest achievements in my career and a source of undying pride.

In the old days the studios guided your career. Now it's all up to you.

I say it all the time: Texas high school football. It's no joke. It's a big deal. And when you get good coaches like I had at Lake Travis, and then you play other good programs, it develops you very quickly, and it gets you going.

You're always just one punch away from getting hurt. But look, if it's going to happen, it's going to happen. I think I'm going to walk out of this sport of boxing when I think it's the right time.

I love playing basketball more than I love getting fined and getting suspended.

I also developed an interest in sports, and played in informal games at a nearby school yard where the neighborhood children met to play touch football, baseball, basketball and occasionally, ice hockey.