Q & A Phillippi Sparks
SI: It used to be Jordin Sparks, daughter of former NFL player Phillippi Sparks. Now it's Phillippi Sparks, father of American Idol winner Jordin Sparks (top).
Sparks: What you want as a dad is for your kids to outdo you, and that's what happened. Being Jordin Sparks's dad is going to last a lot longer than being Phillippi Sparks the football player.
SI: Were you nervous at the finals?
Sparks: Not really. I told her to look at it like a football season. I told her this is her Super Bowl. She said, "Dad, don't worry about it. I got it."
SI: Did the cornerback in you want to drill Simon Cowell?
Sparks: I love him, bro. It's a show, and I understood that. At the beginning we were interviewed by psychologists to make sure if someone said something to our daughter we wouldn't snap [laughs].
SI: Can you sing?
Sparks: I sang from third grade to 12th grade. My mom had us in choir. I can hold a tune. Maybe that's where Jordin got her rhythm from [laughs].
Q&A Extras
For more from Phillippi Sparks, go to SI.com/extramustard.
PHOTO
BOB GEVINSKI/WIREIMAGE.COM (PHILLIPPI SPARKS)