Howie Long reflects on growing up in Charlestown
“I can’t afford to live in Charlestown now."
Howie Long has been associated with California for more than three decades now. He spent his entire Hall of Fame football career playing defensive end for the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders.
When he retired in 1993 after 13 seasons, he dabbled in movies, even starring in a few (notably 1996’s Broken Arrow, which has 55 percent approval on Rotten Tomatoes). Since 1994, he has been part of Fox Sports’ NFL studio program, based in Los Angeles. It’s where he and his wife Diane raised their three kids. It’s home.
But as long as he has been away from Boston now, he is still of Boston. Or more specifically, Charlestown, where he overcame a difficult upbringing, a story beautifully told by Paul Zimmerman in Sports Illustrated in 1985 as Long was establishing himself as a NFL star.
“People don’t understand,’’ said Long during a conversation with reporters Tuesday, “when you say you’re from Boston, Boston people will ask, ‘Yeah, but where are you from? Worcester? Charlestown?’ ‘’
A local television reporter asked Long if he’s the best athlete player ever to come from Boston.
“See, you mean in the city? Where’s [Doug] Flutie from? Natick?,’’ he said, without answering the question.
Long’s son, Chris, a defensive end for the Patriots, recently visited Charlestown, curious about all of the stories his dad told him about how tough it was. Chris Long reported back that it was very, very nice.
“Well, Charlestown is a unique place,’’ said Long, amused by his son’s perspective. “I know everyone kind of bases their opinion of Charlestown on The Town. That movie I believe was about a book that was written in the ‘70s. That’s kind of how it was, in the ‘70s. The Charlestown of today, the row home that my family bought for maybe 12 grand, the second story sells for a million bucks now.
“I can’t afford to live in Charlestown now. I’d have to play two years in the league to afford to live there.”
