Pittsburgh Steelers -2- Jueves 29/1/09

Super Bowl XLIII – Thursday, January 29, 2009

QUOTES FROM PITTSBURGH STEELERS PRESS CONFERENCE


C JUSTIN HARTWIG

(on if the whole season of football can be overwhelming) “That’s all we do from July to February, but at the same time, that’s our job – it’s our livelihood – and we love to do it. Our careers aren’t going to last forever, and we’re going to maximize our time that we spend doing it. We want to be the best we can be and I think that it’s paying off for us, obviously, with us being in the Super Bowl. I think that we wouldn’t be here without all the hard work and time we put in leading up to this.”


(on home film sessions he hosted for the offensive line during the season) “It’s pretty much all business. We get a bunch of food and we watch film. That’s what it comes down to. We usually have the rookies pick up the food, but we have anything from gyros to P.F. Chang’s to Burger King and wings. We get all kinds of stuff, and my place is usually a mess afterwards when everybody leaves, but I’m the leader of the group and I’ll take it all on my shoulders.”


(on the criticism of the offensive line this season) “It’s impossible not to hear the criticisms that you get. The way the NFL is, and as overwhelming as the media presence can be, the NFL is the biggest thing going in pop culture in the United States. It’s impossible not to hear what people are saying about you, but at the same time, I don’t worry about it. We are accountable for the guys in our room and the guys on our team. We try to not let that get to us. I can have some reporter tell me that the offensive line played bad because we gave up a few sacks, but how does that guy know whose responsibility that was on a blitz pickup? I’m not saying that’s the case, necessarily, but what do I care what someone else thinks? I’m accountable to every guy that sits in our offensive meeting room.”


(on how the whole experience has been for him) “This whole experience has been a bit overwhelming. I’m just trying to stay grounded. We’re here for one reason, and that’s to win this game. There’s a lot of hoopla and a lot of hype surrounding this game, but I’m not going to get caught up in it. We have a regular work week this week, except for this media time which is kind of throwing a kink in it. I’ll have a lot of friends and family here this weekend and that will be a potential distraction for me, but I’ll stay pretty focused on what I’m doing and I’m not going to get off track.”


(on what other Steelers players have told him to focus on in this Super Bowl) “I think the general sentiment was that in the last Super Bowl, they didn’t enjoy it as much. They didn’t really embrace the moment and take it all in. I think that’s what everybody has been telling me to just enjoy it and live in the moment as this potentially may be the best moment in your life in the Super Bowl. I can’t wait for it and I’m enjoying it very much.”


(on the play of the Cardinals defensive line) “I think the Cardinals defensive line is kind of hot right now. They’re coming off the ball and Darnell Dockett gets off the snap quick and is an aggressive player. I think they’re just playing at a high level right now. If you watch them on tape, from what they were doing in the regular season to what they’re doing now, it seems like they’re playing a lot harder. They’re bringing more pressure, but we’re game planning as we would with any week.”


(on Ben Roethlisberger’s ability as a quarterback) “The thing with Ben is that you never know where he’s going to be. He’ll sit in the pocket for a few seconds and if nothing’s open, he’s going to scramble. He’s done a great job. He definitely holds onto the ball, but he makes huge plays for us. I think a lot of times he’s just playing out there like street ball. He’s a beast, he holds onto the ball, he takes those big hits and at times is able to shake guys off. Ben’s a playmaker for us.”


(on former Steeler center Dermontti Dawson ) “He’s another great center in a legacy that we’ve had with the Steelers. Unfortunately, centers don’t get a lot of credit and don’t get a lot of recognition especially with offensive linemen. With all these skill players that get up (for the Hall of Fame) every year, their names stand out, and unfortunately when you have one of the greatest offensive linemen and one of the greatest centers of all time like Dermontti (Dawson) up for the Hall of Fame, guys like him get overlooked and it’s unfortunate. One of our offensive linemen, Trai Essex, had the idea for all of us to wear Dermontti Dawson jerseys to media day and try to generate some support and some awareness for him. We’re just trying to do whatever small part we can to get his name out there and make sure that he gets elected to the Hall of Fame because that’s where he belongs.”


(on playing offensive line for the Steelers) “I think that not only playing offensive line in the NFL is a great thing, but the Steelers offensive line has a great legacy and has a great tradition of great offensive lines. So I think the standards and expectations are high here, and we want to live up to those standards and expectations. We’re always reaching for the ceiling in our room, and we understand what those expectations are. All we can do is continue to work hard and try to live up to the expectations and the standards of the men who were in our room previously.”


(on what words describe the Steelers offensive line the best) “Smashmouth; toughness – those are words that epitomize the Steelers offensive line and our mindset. Those are good characteristics of what it takes to play for the Steelers.”


(on what it’s like to practice against the Steelers defense) “We don’t necessarily face them that much in practice during the season, as it’s the scout team we face who gives us what the upcoming opponent’s defense is going to look like. But during training camp we’re there for a month and we go against our starting defense every day and they absolutely bring it. They are the best defense in the league, hands down. When we have success against them, we feel pretty good about it because we know that they’re the best. So I think that they definitely prepare us for the season and the intensity of our training camp is like anything I’ve ever experienced. It definitely prepares us for the season and the intensity we have to bring in every game.”


(on what it’s like for him to have so much media attention this week) “I’m not used to having to be up on a podium. It’s pretty interesting because it’s not like being in the locker room and talking to the media. It’s a real neat experience. I’m not particularly one who likes to spill my guts to the media necessarily, but I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve gotten to speak to media types from all over the world and it’s been a real interesting experience. Out of my regular work day, it’s kind of annoying, but at the same time I’ve kind of enjoyed it.”


(on how focused the team is) “I think we’re very focused and we have been working on this gameplan for two weeks. We’re not necessarily getting bored with it, but we’ve seen it so much that I feel like we know what we’re doing. We’re watching the same stuff over and over. Right now, we’re watching last week’s practices that we already watched last week. So it is getting a little repetitive, but the more we watch the stuff, the more mentally prepared we’ll be along with the more looks we get in practice which will help us be more prepared this week. It’s definitely good preparation, but we’re definitely ready for the game. We’re prepared to go.”


(on how they treat this game) “You have to treat this game like any other game, but emotions are going to be running so high and everybody’s going to be real amped before the game. I’ve been watching these old Super Bowl games they’ve been airing all week on NFL Network and you see the looks of the faces of the guys on the sidelines and they’re just stoic. Everyone just has no expression on their face and they’re nerved out about what’s going on on the field and wondering what’s going to happen. We have to stay even-keel. Kendall Simmons is also the guy who told me that he was almost hyperventilating until halftime in the last Super Bowl game. So I know emotions will be running high and I think that will carry us through the game and that’s how I expect us to play at the highest level.”


(on if he prefers to get the ball first) “I don’t really care who gets the ball first. If we get out there, hopefully we’ll set the tone. If the defense gets out there, then hopefully they can set the tone. But that’s what we need to be about because when that ball gets kicked off, we better be prepared to smash people’s faces in, and that’s what we plan on doing.”



WR SANTONIO HOLMES

(on what he needs to do to be successful against the Arizona defense) “I’ve got to be humble, accept everything that is going on around me and go out and play the same game I’ve been playing this postseason. I don’t think I can change anything. Hopefully it works out in our favor that they want to play me in one-on-one coverage with their defensive guys and Ben (Roethlisberger) is aware of it and we can make the best out of it.”


(on the strengths of the Arizona secondary) “It’s the turnovers that they’ve been able to force in the secondary. They have a group of guys that have been around and play fearless. They’re not worried about getting beat deep because they have the speed to recover if guys want to go deep on them. They’ve been playing good football thus far in the postseason.”


(on Matt Wilhelm giving him a high five after his punt return TD against San Diego in the postseason) “That was just Buckeye love. He smiled at me after he saw it and shook his head like, ‘why did you have to do it against us?’ That’s just out of respect. Even Ed Reed, after I scored that touchdown and dove in the end zone, he even came up to me. People didn’t talk about that. That’s out of respect for what one player can do to change the game, and you have to respect what players can do.”


(on what another big return would do to ignite the team) “It’s going to spark this team like it has been doing during the postseason. The two big plays that I’ve made, touchdowns in both games, have really sparked this team. That’s what the guys look for, and I want to be that exciting guy to help spark this team.”


(on the tradition of chasing rabbits in his hometown of Belle Glade, Fla.) “Growing up there, it was real tough. There weren’t many jobs or opportunities for jobs. If your parents are out working in the field, there is no opportunity for you to go out and find a job because you have to stay home and take care of your brothers and sisters. We didn’t have many opportunities to do things other than play football and chase rabbits.”


(on how chasing rabbits helps you on the football field) “I never thought about it until after I went to college and started hearing about it so much. We did it because it helped us get money. Now, people are saying these guys are really fast because they chase rabbits. I never thought of it that way. Running in the muck, the soil that’s down there, it’s not like a football field. You have divots all over the ground that you have to maneuver through while you’re running. I think it strengthened my legs, but a lot of the guys that chased rabbits also ran track. That probably helped elevate their speed too.”


(on a typical day chasing rabbits) “We’ll probably catch between 40 and 80 rabbits a day, depending on how many come out of the field or how many people are chasing them at a time. If you’re there with two or three guys, you can catch that many in a day. We would go out around seven in the morning and not get home until 6:30 at night. That was our job, what we did to make money. Our parents didn’t have enough money to supply our needs. We wanted shoes and clothes, so we went out and did it on our own.”


(on any tricks to chasing rabbits) “You’ve got to take a dog with you because they love to chase the rabbits. They love it just as much as we do. Also, you’ve got to take one of the cane stalks. If you’re not fast enough to chase them, you’ve got to throw that cane stalk at them. When they’re sitting in the bushes and you walk up on them, you just grab them by the body, break their neck so they die instantly, throw them in the backpack and keep moving. We’re out there hunting just like people would do if they were trying to survive.”


(on what the market was for a rabbit) “It’s between three and five dollars a rabbit. We would take them home, and my grandfather was well-known for selling fish and rabbits outside of our house. People would just come up to the house and say, ‘hey, I want to buy five or 10 rabbits’. We sell them by the bag and put five rabbits in a bag. The price would go up depending on what kind of rabbit it was.”


(on his hometown of Belle Glade, Fla.) “We don’t have a Wal Mart, don’t have a Target. There are maybe two grocery stores, no movie theaters, no mall. There isn’t really anything to do where we live, so all you’re going to do is chase rabbits, go to school and play football, or you’re going to stand on the corner and sell drugs.”


(on the decision to go north for college) “I was doing research on Ohio State and figuring it was either Ohio State or North Carolina State. Knowing that Philip Rivers was only going to be there for another year and a half, I figured I wouldn’t have enough time to grow with him. Going into Ohio State, I knew I had Troy Smith and Justin Zwick, two guys that were premier quarterbacks in the state of Ohio. I knew they were going to be there just as long as I was. Plus, the list of wide receivers that went from Ohio State to the NFL I think is more than any other college right now, if I’m not mistaken. I wanted to be a part of that tradition.”



G CHRIS KEMOEATU

(on the excitement leading up to the Super Bowl) “I think everyone is starting to understand the fact that we are in the Super Bowl and it feels that the closer we get to the game, the more exciting it will be.”


(on his approach for the Super Bowl compared to the AFC Championship) “The Super Bowl is the icing on the cake; it is accomplishing all of your dreams. I think that plays a part in the difference between the Super Bowl and other playoff or conference championship games.”


(on the Cardinals defensive line) “They are really tight up there. They’ve got Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith who are really good players. They’re all excellent athletes and we’ve got to be ready for them. We are excited about the competition.”


(on the importance of an efficient performance of the offensive line) “We can only beat ourselves, we know that. We’ve got to continue to do the things we have done that got us here. It is important for us to establish the run game and more forward from there. Our goal is to play our game and hopefully we can be successful from there.”



DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR DICK LEBEAU

(on his discussion with Head Coach Mike Tomlin when he decided to retain him as the defensive coordinator) “The first time I talked to Coach Tomlin he called me on the phone and he said I’m real busy, but I just want you to know that I want you to stay. So, after that it was just a matter of meeting with him and figuring out what he wanted to do. That was all I wanted to hear and he told me that and I knew he was real busy, so I didn’t really talk to him for two or three days. But we spent a lot of time in our earlier association with just trying to exchange defensive philosophies and situational calls and things of that nature; they were very productive by far. Before he got completely immersed with the draft and free agency and everything like that we had some real quality time there and it was, I thought, I hope, productive for him and it certainly was for me.”


(on why he wants to continue in his position win or lose) “Well, I think these guys play defense pretty well and it’s kind of fun to coach them. They keep me young, there’s no question about it and that’s the reason why. As long as my health holds up and people want me to work, I think it’d be pretty foolish to leave these guys.”


(on what he thinks about the recent surge of younger head coaches) “I think all coaching is a young man’s job really. I don’t think there’s any question about that. I’ve been blessed. But, is it a young man’s job? I think invariably most coaches are going to say yes. There is something to be said in all walks of employment for experience. The older you are, hopefully, you are more experienced, but sometimes you wonder. But, you should get better every year. Hopefully that is the case.”


(on the scouting department) “Our scouts do a great job. Our Director of Football Operations who coordinates our draft is Kevin Colbert and he’s done a tremendous job of getting people that fit and fit what we do.”


(on if he met any resistance when he was in Cincinnati about using the zone blitz scheme) “No, I was really lucky there too because we were really going far off the diving board in 1983 and 1984. Sam Wyche was the head coach and Coach Wyche was an innovative guy himself. Really the popularization of the no-huddle as a constant theme of attack. I think Sam was one of the very, very first guys that I ever saw do it and as far as I know he was the first guy. Everybody used two minute, but Sam evolved it into an every attack, which is pretty prevalent around the league. Most teams will do it some throughout the season. He was more open perhaps to something that was a little bit more bizarre perhaps than cover-3, so I was lucky there.”


(on the players’ reaction when he first introduced the zone blitz scheme) “The players have always enjoyed the pressure schemes. I move them and they like to move. I’ve never been exposed to very many players that don’t like to put pressure on the quarterback and not just set in one position. The offense makes us adjust to everything, formation, snap count, shifts, no huddles, so it’s fun to make them have to adjust.”


(on if it’s like turning the tables and making the offense adjust to the defense) “Well, try to level the field a little bit for your guys that’s all. Still, they’re going to initiate the action because they’re the ones that have the football. We’re always going to be a stimulus-response type of situation, but hopefully by moving and bringing some different people in different combinations we can deter some of the things they want to do.”


(on if he has seen Mike Tomlin grow as a coach from year one to year two) “I think he’s done a tremendous job both years. I think Coach Tomlin knew what he wanted to do when he came in here. If you check his track record out, he’s achieved at a very early age all through his career. I think that he deserves a tremendous amount of credit for coming into a situation where there was a great coach just leaving and leaving pretty much at the top of his record and the things that Coach Cowher accomplished at Pittsburgh and that’s not an easy situation for any man to step into. Mike went in with his own personality and his own thoughts and I think Coach Tomlin would tell you that he has grown. Hopefully, we all grow every year with what we’re doing, but I think from day one he’s done a tremendous job and I don’t think it can be overstated the degree of difficulty to follow a man that is successful as Coach Cowher was there. I think you’ve said all you need to say about Coach Tomlin when you say that he was successful in a difficult situation.”


(on if the Cardinals offense is similar to what Coach Whisenhunt did with the Steelers) “Yeah, I mean sure. We’re going to see some of the things he’s done. He has a great cast of characters to orchestrate it. The quarterback has so more experience and accuracy. That, to me, is the main ingredient that he brings; he’s so accurate. It’s not like he doesn’t have anybody out there to catch the ball. He has three tremendous wide receivers. No one talks about their tight ends, but they’re big, really big and they can really catch the ball. I know we’re going to see some things that Coach Whisenhunt’s done before, we’re going to see some things he hasn’t done. I know he’ll have some surprises. The thing that makes him so formidable are the people they have doing them.”


(on why his players play so well) “It’s because of their character. They’re competitive and they live to play, so we try not to hurt them, we just try to stay out of their way. I’m blessed. We have a tremendous group of young men. You would be proud to call any one of them a member of your family. They’re going to defend everybody and they’re going to play every minute they have left. I’m probably the most proud of that: how they play. I’d like to claim some credit for that, but the people that they are, they’re just tremendous competitors. They’re going to play, I promise you that.”


(on not being able to prepare for every possible play the Cardinals will use) “Well, a wise man once said, ‘He who defends everything, defends nothing.’ That was Fredrick the Great, the unifier of the Prussian states. I think he knew what he was talking about. He had a pretty good competitive record.”


(on how Arizona QB Kurt Warner said he hates him) “That’s quite a compliment. On the other hand, I’m a great admirer of Kurt Warner. I think his story is great. I think his career is great. I think he’s a tremendous example of all that’s right in professional athletics. I’m a tremendous fan of Kurt Warner. I admire him. I hope he doesn’t do too well on Sunday, but I really think he’s a great man and a great player.”


(on if he thinks this is the best group of athletes he’s had as a whole package defensively) “Again, I’ve been blessed. We had Kevin Green and Greg Lloyd on the outside and Levon Kirkland and Chad Brown on the inside and you’re not going to get very many better players than that to work with. I think, from the standpoint of numbers, from what they produce, the numbers speak for themselves. I think maybe the game is progressed to where what they’ve done certainly has merit, but I wouldn’t compare them to other teams. But, as far as people, I’ve never had better people to coach either on or off the field. They’re special.”


(on when he first got to Pittsburgh and how much of a melting pot of defensive ideas it was with him, Dom Capers and Bill Cowher) “Well, there’s no question that it was a melting pot. All three of us had been defensive coordinators. Coach Cowher had the final voice because he was the head coach and Dom Capers was our defensive coordinator. I certainly was not a prime mover at first, but we didn’t talk much about the fire zones early. But as we got in to where people were comfortable with what we were going to do, we began to get into some different pressures and we had success with them. So, it was just an out-pouring of a lot of guys who had some good defensive exposure.”


(on what year he started using the zone blitz) “I’d say about 1984. I started delving into dropping different people. That was the first year that I was the coordinator. I had always had these ideas, but if you’re not the coordinator you don’t get them in. Then, it really grew when we drafted a guy from Arizona by the name of David Fulcher who was a tremendous force blitzing and he could play like a linebacker. Yet, he had pretty good open field capabilities too. Trying to utilize his ability to blitz without having the opponent just always hot-read away from him was one of the first things that got me thinking in some of the things we did.”



CB BRYANT MCFADDEN

(on facing veteran QB Kurt Warner) “It’s going to be a big challenge for us. He is a veteran that has seen everything. It’s going to be a collective effort. We all need to be on the same page to have success against them. We have to confuse them or do something that gets them out of their comfort zone.”


(on various players stepping in for injured players in the secondary) “That made us a lot better. We have a lot of depth. That puts a level of security around us, knowing that if something were to occur we won’t miss a beat. It also raises the level of competition in practice so everybody is on their job.”


(on how you defend WR Larry Fitzgerald) “You have to go at it like you’re fighting. You have to pull off and make sure you’re ripping and punching. You have to do everything possible because Fitzgerald has very strong hands. If it comes close to his hands, he’s bringing it in. You have to make an extra effort to do whatever you can to get the ball out.”


(on what goes through his mind this week) “Making plays and an overview of the game in my mind. In my mind, I’m always doing some positive things. I tend to reflect on that and being successful and the team having success.”


(on where Warner ranks) “He is ranked very high. Looking at the success that he has had, he has always been the type of guy who is very instinctive and smart. He recognizes what the defense is trying to do to him. Kurt is not ashamed of using his check-down guy, dumping it off and getting the ball out of his hands.”



TE HEATH MILLER

(on his athletic past helping develop him as a tight end) “As a kid you enjoy playing all kinds of different sports and it definitely develops you athletically, so I am sure there is some carryover when it comes to football.”


(on switching from a college receiver to a professional tight end) “I felt like I was a pretty good blocker coming out of college, I definitely took pride in it. The moment I started playing tight end I realized that there was more to it than just catching the ball, I was glad to come here where I am able to do both.”


(on how plays seem to breakdown but yet seem to be successful) “Any time I think that you are a receiver down the field with Ben (Roethlisberger) scrambling around back there then you are a viable option and if you get open he is going to find you. There is no question about that.”


(on getting back into a normal game week routine) “We practiced full speed yesterday, we didn’t wear pads but it was what we would normally do if we were back in Pittsburgh preparing to play a game. It was nice to get back on some sort of routine.”


(on what remembers most from the Ravens game) “Yeah it could have gone either way just like all the other games we played against them this year. Fortunately Troy (Polamalu) had the huge play at the end of the game I think that we will all remember for a while.”


(on if he thinks this game will be similar or different to the AFC Championship game score-wise) “No, you never think about it that way. We have taken the approach all year long that it doesn’t matter how we get the job done, whether it be low-scoring or high-scoring, collectively as a team, all three phases, we are going to do enough to get it done. We don’t care who gets the credit for it, we are just going out to win the game”


(on if he is impressed with the Cardinals defense during the playoffs) “Yeah, it would be hard not to be impressed with what they have been doing. They have been stopping the run, they have been sacking the quarterback, and they have been turning the ball over. They have been wreaking havoc. We are going to have to match the intensity those guys are playing with, it seems that they are playing two times faster than the guys they are playing against at times. It’s just all out effort and intensity coming from their part, so it is going to be our job to match that.”


(on what he is expecting from Ben Roethlisberger this weekend) “I expect him to play great and lead us like he has all year long. I know all the guys on offense and all the guys in this locker room wouldn’t expect anything different.”


(on the return of Willie Parker) “I hope so, its defiantly a welcoming site for us on the offense to see Willie (Parker) streaking down the sideline out running a bunch of guys. Hopefully we will see that a few more times this weekend.”



RB WILLIE PARKER

(on if he feels like the offense needs to rush well to put the Steelers in a position to win) “The main thing we have to do is execute. When we call our plays we have to execute and when we get in the red zone we’ve got to score points. It’s not about how many yards I have or how many yards Ben (Roethlisberger) gets. It’s about us executing.”


(on what it is about him and this offense that does so well in the playoffs) “It’s not really about me; it’s about us. I’m surrounded by a great group of guys and we feed off each other’s ability to make plays and they definitely love what I bring to the table.”


(on what he feels like he needs to do better in this game compared to his performance in last season’s meeting) “I’ve just got to run and keep doing what I’ve been doing like making people miss and hit the holes harder. They’ve got a good defense that’s been playing well in the post-season.”


(on how the team is dealing with practicing in the Florida humidity) “We’re getting acclimated in it right now by practicing in it. It’s definitely a lot more humid, but then again we’re playing the game at night so I don’t think that will be a problem by then. But you’ve definitely got to get acclimated with practicing in it because we’ve been used to practicing in the freezing cold with a frozen field in subzero conditions the past couple of weeks.”


(on how excited he is to get back on the field and practice for the game) “Just getting on the field and practicing has felt great. That’s what we came down here for – to play football. All the hoopla and all the distractions took center stage in the first few days, but to get back on the practice field reiterated what we were here for.”


(on what the effect of being undrafted has had on him) “I think it’s helped me, for the most part. It helped me be a better person and helped me mature at a quicker pace. It definitely made me a better runner. But I wouldn’t change anything that has happened in my career because I’ve been to two Pro Bowls and this is my second Super Bowl. What if I did get drafted? It probably wouldn’t be this way. I would have probably been with a different team and a different group of guys, but I’m glad I’m with this group of guys.”


(on how tough it was to deal with missing time this season due to injuries) “It was definitely tough, but at the same time God blessed me to bounce back and overcome that adversity and now I’m back full-speed. Everybody deals with it and everybody has to do it when you play this game, but it’s worked out for the best.”


(on if he feels close to 100 percent at this point) “I started feeling that way against Cleveland in the last game of the season and then it just went on from there. I had a first round bye and then I started feeling great after that. It started working that way towards the playoffs.”


(on what he did during the bye week) “Nothing. I just let my body heal. Me, the strength coach and the trainers were on the same page and they wanted me to rest my body and see how I felt when I came back.”


(on if it concerned him that the team drafted Rashard Mendenhall this season) “It didn’t concern me; this is a business. There’s going to be competition wherever you go. I’m pretty sure when he came in I looked at it like friendly competition. I took him under my wing and I taught him everything Jerome (Bettis) taught me, and that’s where it’s been since day one. I came here to compete, so I wouldn’t want to change it up for nothing. They drafted a first rounder, so it’s time to compete and we’ll deal with the business part of it later.”


(on where his hometown of Clinton, North Carolina is) “It’s near Raleigh and is beside Wilmington on the east side of North Carolina.”


(on what he’s heard from his hometown this week) “People have been getting in contact with my parents and show their love and support through my parents.”


(on how tough it was to go through rehab this season) “It was very tough and my teammates knew how bad I wanted to be on the field. I wasn’t in walkthroughs and things of that nature because I was inside the facility doing things with my body with my trainer. It was tough though seeing them playing and practicing and I wish I could have been out there with them, but I couldn’t. Then to hear their mouths (making fun of him) kind of rushed me on the field before I was really ready.”


(on having faith in himself to play hard throughout the season and a big game like this) “You have to have faith and you definitely have to believe in yourself, but if it wasn’t for the man above, I don’t think none of us would be in the respected positions that we are in today. I always had faith in myself and believed in myself, and I always believed in God and that He would work it the right way where He wanted me to be at, which is here playing football.”


(on where his speed comes from) “I don’t think it came from my parents. I think it’s just something that was instilled within me, but I definitely used to work on it and do crazy things just to work on my speed. Once I got it, I never lost it and I didn’t have to do those things anymore.”


(on what gameday is like for him) “I’ll try to wake up about 10 in the morning and go eat a good breakfast consisting of whatever I decide to eat. After breakfast I’ll try to lay around and watch t.v. and say hi to my parents and read over scripture from the Bible and then my day gets started. By then, we’ll have pre-game meal around 4:30 p.m. and we’ll get ready to go to the field.”


(on how he deals with the emotions of this type of game) “You have to bottle them up and keep them within. The game is going to be very long, and 45 minutes after warmups we’ll start playing. You have to hold your emotions and get too worn out. Even now, you have to be calm. We’ve already been here before, so we know what to expect with a long week.”


(on already holding the NFL’s record for the longest run in a Super Bowl and if he would like to gain another record in this game) “I’m not really thinking about it. I’m thinking about other ways to get this victory and get another piece of hardware. That will be real big for me. As far as the records, that’s not really a concern for me right now.”


(on if keeping Arizona’s offense off the field is a major concern) “We’ve definitely been facing other explosive offenses all season long. Dallas had an explosive offense; the Eagles had an explosive offense. So we’re definitely familiar with good offenses.”


(on if the toughness of the schedule prepared them to face anyone this season) “We had five-star matchups all year long and we treated every game like it was the biggest game. Now, it’s no different – this is the biggest game; it’s the Super Bowl. So we definitely have to go out there and keep the same mentality.”


(on if nerves are more of a factor in this game) “Yes. I can’t even lie to you. This game is the biggest of all and even though you know what to expect, the butterflies are going to be there. Everybody including your family, your friends, everybody in the NFL, the NBA, the NHL and all the sports are watching. This is the biggest game in the world so yes, of course, you’re going to have butterflies, but after the first kickoff and your first hit, you’ll wake up and get back to it.”


(on if he expects Ben Roethlisberger to be a better quarterback in this Super Bowl) “Most definitely. He definitely matured in a big way and he’s going to lead this team.”



SS TROY POLAMALU

(on his approach to the game) “I just try to approach the game like any of my teammates. Leaders have provided a great example for a lot of younger guys when they first came into the NFL. I just try to approach it with a very business, family-like atmosphere that we have in Pittsburgh like any one of my teammates.”


(on what they need to do to prevent Kurt Warner from predicting what the defense will do) “First off, that’s tough doing with someone like Kurt because he has so much experience. He’s seen pretty much all the defenses this game has to offer, so schematically speaking, you just try to give him different looks.”


(on if he’s comfortable playing the role of cornerback) “Honestly, as a safety in this defense, we’re asked to cover often. I think that’s what’s unique about our defense. We have an array of different coverage’s where at times, we’ll even be in zero man-to-man coverage with receivers as well as blitzing. How comfortable am I? Very uncomfortable. Anytime you face great receivers like that; usually if I’m covering them, there is probably going to be a big blitz, so I won’t have to cover them for long which is an advantage for a defensive player.”


(on what happens in his mind when he steps on the football field) “Honestly, for me, I don’t see any transition once I step between the lines. I do it the same why I live my life and that’s with passion and devotion to either my family or in this case, football. Football is a very violent game and it’s played very passionately. If I were doing ballet or anything else like that, I would approach it with the same passion. It just doesn’t have the violence, obviously.”


(on if he sees any changes in Kurt Warner or if he’s been consistent throughout his career) “I think it’s probably an accumulation of all of that. He’s in a great system, obviously. I think it’s a very similar situation to when Tommy Maddox was our quarterback in Pittsburgh. They’re very similar in the sense in how accurate they are. They’re able to see how defenses develop and disguise throughout a play. Obviously, Kurt has the MVP’s and the Super Bowls, but I think they are very similar in that way. I think it’s a mix of both. It doesn’t hurt him that he has one of the best, if not the best receiving corps in the game and a legendary running back with Edgerrin James back there as well.”


(on the keys to a zone blitz) “A lot of people run blitzes different. They’re either playing man-to-man blitzes or a pure zone blitz, which is like a normal cover-three. The way that we play our blitzes is kind of with a zone or man coverage mentality in basketball. I think what makes us successful is not only us coming free but I know that coaches want us to come free and hit the quarterback, but our mentality has always been about matchups and getting the linebackers and defensive linemen on the running backs and making offensive linemen block defensive backs.”


(on if he talks louder or yells on the field) “No I don’t. I don’t really do any of the communicating of the calls. I’m a hand signal guy. I’m not a rah-rah guy. We have great leaders on our defense like James Farrior and Deshea Townsend who get the guys motivated.”


(on if he’s doing anything different compared to their last Super Bowl performance) “I think going through the experience with two different coaches, I don’t see much change to be honest. We’ve played in a lot of big games this season against a lot of great teams. I think having that experience and being in those Monday Night games, big rivalry games and obviously this playoff run, I think you do have a lot of carry over in the sense that this is just one game. I think we do approach this Super Bowl in that way that it’s just one game. It’s not about winning Super Bowl XLIII, it’s about playing against the Arizona Cardinals.”


(on helping out former NFL players) “I’m not really a spokesman. I’m not the player representative for our team. Charlie Bath is our player rep. However, as an NFL player, I do believe that we should help them out, without a doubt. This football fraternity is very small and special and I think that it would be even more special. This family environment we have, it not only carries from team to team but it carries through other teams as well. I think we should definitely do everything we can to help them out.”