NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS MEDIA DAY - DEFENSIVE BACK DEVIN McCOURTY - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(on if he’s ready to go) “Yeah, we’ll keep preparing this week and try and put it all together by Sunday.”

(on playing the Super Bowl in Indianapolis compared to Miami or New Orleans) “I think right now, guys are just ecstatic and happy to be here, excited. I don’t think we really cared where it was at as long as we were here playing in this game. I think that was the most important part.”

(on this experience) “It’s been great. You can’t even begin to explain the feeling of being able to play in the Super Bowl, and it’s only my second year here. The guys we have here know how important it is. We have guys that have been in the league for 10-plus seasons and this will be their first one, so I try not to take it for granted and I realize how blessed I am to be here.”

(on how his time at Rutgers prepared him for the NFL) “I think the biggest thing was the way coach (Greg) Schiano ran the program. We always had a professionalism about us with the way we took on things, the way we practiced, so once I came to this step it was kind of like falling in and learning my role here. Taking what I learned in college and improve it.”

(on how he thinks Greg Schiano will fair in the NFL as a head coach) “I think he’ll be a good coach. Just being around him and the type of guy he is, and how he is with the players and running the program. Now, running Tampa Bay, I’ll think he’ll be a good coach.”

(on making the Pro Bowl his first year and now being in the Super Bowl his second year) “It’s been an enjoyable ride. Just trying to make sure I enjoy every moment of this. Don’t take it for granted. Being in Hawaii last year was an awesome feeling with all those guys out there, and then here with all my teammates I think is even more special because it’s the guys you grind with all season, all last season. To be here, playing in the Super Bowl, it’s like a dream come true playing with my teammates.”

(on what kind of challenges he sees from the Giants receivers) “They kind of bring every challenge that a wide receiver group can bring. Three very explosive receivers, but they all kind of go about in different ways. I think the biggest thing for us is we all have to come ready to play. They don’t have one guy that you need to make sure you stop. They have three guys that are in any game, and I think they showed it in the playoffs; that no matter what, one of those guys has stepped up and had a big game. We just have to come (prepared) and all across the board be ready to go.”

(on if the Giants come out passing knowing they struggle against the pass) “We have to come ready to play. At this time of the year it doesn’t matter what you have given up throughout the season because it seems that playoff stats are thrown out of the window. If they come out passing we have to be ready to go, but if they’re running the ball we have to be ready to go too. There’s one game left, and each team is going to do what they have to do to get a win.”

(on if he could give a shout out to all the service men and women) “Big shout out to all the service men that help us play this game, protect us, and let all the fans come and support. We just want to tell you guys thank you, I hope you have fun watching the game, and I hope you’re rooting for the Pats.”

(on what he sees in Tom Brady from a leadership standpoint and his ability to bounce back) “He comes back ready to practice. For us, you don’t know whether you have one of those crazy games like he had in Miami, or if he has what he considers a bad game because he has that same work ethic every time he comes to the facility, or if it’s his workout, or watching film. Then, each day at practice when we’re out there competing, he’s trying to complete every pass out there. With Tom you never really see a change in his attitude.”

(on what Tom Brady’s work ethic does for the team) “It kind of makes you perform that way as well. When you come in no matter if you’re a rookie, you’re a first-round pick, undrafted, if you see Tom Brady with a certain attitude and a certain way about going about everything, how could you not watch him and do the same thing? So I think it starts with him and other guys like Vince (Wilfork), Kevin Faulk, those guys all do the same things every day, day-in and day-out, so it trickles down through the whole team.”

(of if Greg Schiano and Bill Belichick are similar in the way they run their programs) “In a way, there’s definitely some similarities. Just the way they go about expecting your best, expecting you to be a professional in everything you do. So I think there’s definitely some crossroad between those two guys in that sense.”

(on what it means for a kid from Rutgers to be here at the Super Bowl) “I think the best part is I’m here with four guys also from Rutgers. Guys make fun of us in the locker room, but we just took our Rutgers picture since we have the most guys on the team from one college. I think it just shows how far the program’s come and to be here playing in the Super Bowl is just a great feeling.”

(on who has a better sense of humor between Schiano and Belichick) “People might not believe, but I’m going to go with coach Belichick.”

(on what the biggest challenge this Giants receiving corps presents) “I think just them as an offense with how balanced they are with (Ahmad) Bradshaw and (Brandon) Jacobs in the backfield. If you worry about the run too much they have three guys with a great quarterback that can get down the field, throw it short, break tackles, and take it the distance. So the biggest thing with their receiving core is they do everything well. They’re not just a bunch of fast guys that know how to run vertical. They can catch short passes and break tackles so we have to be ready to go, each guy on the defense; linebackers, defensive line, and the secondary.”

(on how he describes being two years removed from Rutgers and being in the Super Bowl) “It’s hard. You can’t describe it. I’ve just been walking around with a big smile on my face. Just happy to be here and trying to take advantage of the opportunity. I’m practicing hard, preparing, and then trying to get ready to go on Sunday.”

(on one thing that allows for them to standout) “I think our work ethic. Preparing in practice, preparing throughout the season, and going about everything the same way that we’ve been doing it all year. It lets us know if we do this and keep doing it this week, we’ll be confident that we’ll go out there and play well.”

(on what he’s thought of Indianapolis so far) “It’s been pretty cool. We got a chance to go to some restaurants, go out, and just kind of relax with the guys. Capital Grille one night and then St. Elmo last night. Once we get there, we just sit there for about two, three hours just cracking jokes and enjoying each other’s company.”