Phillies shortstop Rollins shares insights on HBO Sports show

For much of his career, Jimmy Rollins has had to make his actions speak louder than the words of naysayers who believe he's too short or too inconsistent - or maybe now, too banged up - to be a lasting success in baseball.

And when he does speak on it?

"Just watch - my whole life, I have had to show people that they were wrong. I am going to show it [again this season], with a big smile on my face, too."

Those are the words of the Phillies' littlest big man to HBO Sports reporter Mary Carillo in a profile airing tonight at 10 on the cable network's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel."

The segment touches on Rollins' coming up in a Phillies organization he says had grown "accepting of failure."

He also talks about when he famously declared the Phils as National League East champions before the 2007 season even began.

"We got Chase [Utley], we got Ryan [Howard], we got me; it's, like, 'come on, guys, we have a solid team,' " Rollins explained as the reason behind his proclamation. "[Our mindset had to be] let's quit looking at everybody else, like 'those guys are good.' We're good."

Phillies fans greatly remember - and the show touches on - when the Phillies clinched the division on the final day of that season, as Rollins notched 88 extra-base hits en route to becoming the NL's Most Valuable Player.

Away from the Phillies, Rollins' mother, Gigi, explains how, through her own exploits in fastpitch softball, her son became immersed in baseball. She talks about the cowbell she rang to help Rollins win two state titles in high school - and how the same cowbell can be heard in the stands today.

There is also a sit-down with Rollins and his wife, Johari, as they discuss - along with teammate Shane Victorino - how they met when she was a Phillies front-office intern.

Also revealed is the little-known fact that, as a teen, J-Roll was featured in a music video and was a backup dancer in a few of rapper M.C. Hammer's.

Tonight's segment provides insight as to why J-Roll, in his 11th season in Philadelphia, has been too legit too quit.