Super Bowl XLVI – Wednesday, February 01, 2012(on what it is about wide receivers that allows them to come from nowhere and be productive) “I don’t know. I think there are a lot of us. There are a lot of receivers around the country that have talent and don’t get the opportunity and don’t get the chance to show their skill level on a national stage. A lot of guys go to the UMass’s, and the Delaware’s, and the James Madison’s, and schools like that and really make a difference. They kind of fly under the radar and then they put up some big numbers, and get a chance in the NFL, and get a free agent deal and things of that nature to make the best of their opportunity. I just think sometimes they get overlooked, naturally.”
(on how fine of a line it is between making it and never making it) “It’s a very, very fine line. It takes a little bit of luck. It takes a lot of skill and a lot of determination. It takes a lot of hard work because to get to this position and to get to where I was, it took being at the right place at the right time and choosing the right team. It took being there at the right moments and making the necessary plays when you had to. When your number was called upon, you made all the right moves and you made all the right decisions. It takes a whole lot.”
(on if Vegas put odds on players, what would his odds of making it be) “Most definitely 10 million-to-one because nobody expected this kind of performance from me, including myself. I just wanted to come in and do whatever possible to make the team and do some positive things out there, but never anything like this.”
(on how much it helps having the complementary receivers that he has) “It’s huge. We all take the pressure off each other. When one is doing well, the other can do what they do and fly under the radar and vice versa. Anytime those guys are doing well and playing hard, we’re all playing on the same level, we’re hard to beat.”
(on if he sat around waiting for a call on draft day) “Subconsciously, I knew nothing was going to happen. I understood my position in the Draft. I understood the type of player I was and where I came from. I understood all of that. Obviously, towards the end of the Draft, you always kind of think there is a longshot that you might jump in there. For the most part, I understood it and I understood that I would have to make a team and be a free agent and work my way up the ranks.”
(on if he grew frustrated watching the draft thinking he was better than players drafted) “No, not really. I really wasn’t a guy to say, ‘I’m better than him’ or this or that. I was just waiting for my opportunity and really anxious to see where it would come from and what team. I was anxious to see if I would end up somewhere like Denver or far or close. It all worked out well and it worked out in my favor.”
(on his observations of the rivalries between New York and Boston) “It’s very intense. New England (Patriots) and New York (Giants), Boston (Red Sox) and (New York) Yankees, (Boston) Celtics and New York (Knicks), it’s just an intense rivalry all the way around at every level. It’s amazing to see the passion on both sides that they have. Both sides are equally as passionate and they love their teams. It’s just an amazing experience to be on both sides of that, living in New England and going to school up there for four years. Being from Jersey and seeing both sides of it, it’s just been interesting thing to see.”
(on if any other teams contacted him after he went undrafted) “Leading up to the Draft, a couple guys were calling me. Carolina called me a few times. The scout from Denver called me a few times. It was a few teams that were interested leading up the Draft. Once it happened and after the Draft, the Giants were the only ones to actually offer me a free agent deal and really invite me to camp. Everybody else was just on a tryout basis. Because of that, I kind of just jumped on it and I felt that they really believed in my talent and really wanted me, so I jumped at the opportunity.”
(on if he feels a kinship with Wes Welker because of the way they both came into the League) “A little bit. We kind of have a similar path, as far as not being drafted and having to make a team believe in our talent, and believe in us. So there are some similarities there and things I look at.”
(on if he’s happy with the path he’s had to take to right now) “Most definitely. I’m glad with the way I came up. It really taught me to savor the moment and really not take anything for granted. Every moment, every day, every hour that I get the opportunity to play this game and be in front of you guys, I soak it all in and just make sure I enjoy the opportunity.”
(on when he realized he had become a big deal) “I haven’t realized it yet. I kind of realized it when I went back to Patterson (N.J.) and I went to (Patterson Public) School #21 and they had a little pep rally for me leaving and going to the Super Bowl. They were just flooding the streets and they blocked the streets off and all kinds of fans and people were in the streets. They were wishing me good luck and were really happy for my success. That’s when it first really settled in. Still, I kind of react and still go places and try to act like my normal self.”
(on what has impressed him about Kyle Arrington) “He’s a good player. He’s physical. He likes to get his hands on (you) and is really a cerebral player that likes to read you through the quarterback. It’s going to be a challenge. He’s definitely a Pro Bowl guy and Pro Bowl talent. It should be exciting to see the type of matchups that they present.”
(on if they have been able to get as much work done in Indianapolis compared to what they usually do back home) “I think so. We start our meetings today, so we’ll see. It’s kind of a chance to lock in, and really get into the meeting room, and really look at film, and be away from everything. It’s the best opportunity we have to look in and really zone in on our game plan and what we have to do. I think we’ll be able to get some solid work though.”
(on if he has surprised himself with his level of success) “Most definitely. Coming up, I just wanted to come in and just get the opportunity to play in this game and play in the NFL, period. To come in and do the things I’ve done, it’s definitely been a surprise to myself.”
(on the tribute he does to his father before games) “It’s right when we come out of the tunnel and everybody runs out to the sideline. I go to the far end zone to take a knee and pray to him, and talk to him, or have a conversation with him, and just ask him to guide me while I’m out there and watch over me. I understand that he’s out there with me. He taught me how to play the game. Hopefully, I can play it the way he taught me, with respect and honor. That’s what I talk to him about in the end zone.”
(on what this Super Bowl would be like for his father if he were able to be here) “Yeah, all the time I think about it. He’d be here and he’d be going crazy. He probably would’ve gotten here when we got here on Monday and stayed the whole week, going crazy. He was a very great guy. He was just very passionate about his sons and daughters and anyone in his family, so to reach this point, for him to have been here, that would’ve been crazy.”
(on who his hero was growing up) “My dad. He taught me everything I know. He taught me how to be a man and how to play the game and treat everyone with respect.”
(on what makes their wide receivers so successful) “I think just the way we are all very unselfish guys. We understand that it takes all of us to win the game and all of us to win all these games so far. For us, we’re very similar, but we do a lot of things differently as well. I think the collaboration of all those talents makes us really great.”
(on if there is a friendly completion between the receivers) “No, at least not outright. I think subliminally we do, but we don’t tell each other. I think that keeps us all on our toes.”
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario