Super Bowl XLIV – Friday, February 5, 2010
QUOTES FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESS CONFERENCE
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL
(opening statement) “Good morning. I’d like to say greetings on behalf of the Indianapolis Colts. It’s a real pleasure for me to have an opportunity to stand before you and represent our team and our organization. Before I get started I’d like to first of all thank the local Super Bowl committee and organization for the great hospitality that you’ve shown us. We’ve had an absolutely tremendous time and I know that it takes a lot of planning and dedication that goes into this whole process. Uniquely, I’m familiar with a couple guys that have kind of moved down to the area and used to help with the organizational process through the NFL. Jim Steeg, an old Wake Forest guy that I got to know. Michael Kelly, Reid Sigmon. So I know exactly what Frank Supovitz had to go through in order to get everything done and I certainly want to say thanks him. I want to thank the NFL for the guidance and direction they’ve given us all week. It’s been very smooth. We have not had any glitches whatsoever and we’re certainly appreciative of how they put things together and made it possible for us to come and function extremely well. I’d like to thank also the local and federal law enforcement just in terms of the things they’ve been able to do for us in providing security. Not only security but also our transportation to and from our practice facilities and other events. They have been absolutely outstanding. I want to thank Marriot Harbor Beach for their hospitality. It’s great when you have a chance to go back to avenue that you’re familiar with and they’ve done, once again, a great job of hosting us. We certainly appreciate that and they’ve done everything in a first class manner. Thank the Miami Dolphins for giving us a chance to practice in their fine facility. It’s a great venue. It’s been outstanding for our players and our coaches to have fine fields and weight room facility we can utilize and a training facility they’ve opened up to us. We certainly appreciate that. Also like to say congratulations to the New Orleans Saints and coach Sean Payton. They are certainly an outstanding team. Gifted with a lot of outstanding players and a tremendous organization. We want to just say that we are looking forward to the ball game on Sunday. It’s going to be a great competitive game and we certainly appreciate having an opportunity to compete against them. Thanks to the fans in this country that have certainly made this sport so popular. Made this particular event so popular, made it a global event. We certainly appreciate the interest. We certainly appreciate the time spent in terms of articles written through the media and also the televisions and radio. It’s just been outstanding in terms of the coverage. I know our players and everyone in our franchise appreciates that. To give you a quick update, we’ve had a great week of work thus far. I think our guys have been extremely attentive. They’ve focused in, I think on the little things the last couple of days and so we need a couple more days of good focus. But everything has gone well and we’re looking forward to the next few days in preparation for the ball game. I will open it up for any questions.”
(on the journey to getting to the Super Bowl and a OG Ryan Lilja update) “I am assuming you’re speaking of Ryan Lilja, yes I’ll answer those. Number one, that’s one of the things when you start, we started March 16, I think we all got together and had an opportunity to visit shortly with the team. We talked about what it was going to take to get here. One of the things that we had promised them all along was that we wanted to certainly develop a team that first of all, that had an atmosphere that was conducive to success. We do believe that we were able to get that accomplished. It made it a lot easier, obviously when you have a number of guys that understand what winning is all about. We have a real solid group of core veterans that made that journey a lot easier. It starts in the off season and the off season is really not an off season. You have to work and work extremely hard in order to get yourself in position to be able to compete in the fall. The thing I had promised them was that we would have a hungry, a fresh and a well prepared team. I think we did start that way in terms of the regular season and I do believe we started that way also in terms of the playoffs. Now my mission and goal is to have that same type of fire and enthusiasm, obviously for Sunday’s game, but that won’t take a whole lot of prodding. I think the guys are ready to play and they’re certainly focused. In regard of Ryan Lilja, we anticipate that he’s going to play. We do not foresee a problem.”
(on keeping players focused leading up to the Super Bowl and if he is doing anything different than last time) “Well in terms of our schedule, we haven’t deviated much from what we had done previously. I don’t believe in changing things, just for the sake of change. I always make the statement, that I think I heard it somewhere along the line, be careful of the person that says they’ll change nothing or the person that wants to change everything and I think we’re somewhere right down the middle for the most part. No we haven’t done anything any differently. We’ve talked about focus and we’ve talked about the little things in terms of trying to keep distractions out of the way and particularly out of our preparation. I think our guys have done a great job with that.”
(on the schedule leading up to the Super Bowl) “Our schedule is such where we are just going to, on Friday, we are doing exactly the same as we would do an ordinary Friday. Nothing changes in terms of our meeting, the amount of time we spend in our meeting, etcetera. Often times I think, this game is so big. It’s gotten so much attention obviously that you can sometimes get out of whack and think you have to do some things differently. A little extra time and things of that nature. We don’t believe that’s required. We try to keep things as close to normal as we possibly can. Our Friday won’t be any different. They will have Friday afternoon off after we complete practice this afternoon. Tomorrow morning we’ll get up. We have our meetings, we’ll do our walk-through and after our walk-through we’ll come over and eat lunch, take a break until we go to the hideaway hotel. So it really isn’t anything any different than we would normally do on a game weekend.
(on if it is a long wait leading up to the game) “It really isn’t to be honest with you. One of the things that we wanted to make a point of, was we told them we want you to do exactly what you would do normally. As a matter of fact, if a guy ate pizza on Thursday night, then he should’ve eaten pizza. If a guy relaxes and takes a nap on Friday afternoon then he ought to take a nap. When we have a night game and we have Saturday preparation, whatever you do that afternoon, that’s what you should do and probably shouldn’t do anything out of the ordinary in that regard. So we try to stay as close as we possibly can. It’s not a long wait. Certainly I think guys are going to be anxious because they haven’t had a chance to play in a couple of weeks. But nevertheless I think that they’ll be able to manage it and I think we all will. Coaches as well will be able to manage that time and use it productively.”
(on if younger guys on the team took advice on minimizing distractions and if the team will switch hotels) “Yes. The answer is yes to that last question. In regard to the veterans, we have obviously like you mentioned, we have 25 guys, that’s including our 53 and then also our injured reserve that were actually in this game a few years back. One of the things that we did, and I think that’s the value of experience, we had a few guys stand up and just talk about their experience here. Reggie Wayne did a great job for us. Adam Vinatieri did a tremendous job for us. Then John Teerlinck, also who is our defensive line coach, who has been involved in I think this is his fourth Super Bowl actually. We had them reflect and just talk about a few things. I think they were able to hear it from someone else besides me. I think it was effective. I think you saw a number of guys in the room that felt a little comfort level in a sense that they had someone to follow, someone to emulate who knew how to handle this type of environment successfully.”
(on coming back in games when trailing and DE Dwight Freeney update) “One of the things that I think has been kind of the hallmark of our franchise through the years, even prior to my taking over, I think Tony (Dungy) had done a tremendous job with making sure this was understood and I think he reflected it also in his demeanor on the sideline and that’s to never panic. He talked about poise quite often and I think our guys bought into it. They bought into it because he embodied that kind of poise and that kind of confidence and I think it was kind of a trickledown effect. Then plus, we have guys that have been through a lot of battles and certainly understand that the game is not over until that final whistle blows. Peyton (Manning) has been in a lot of ballgames and Jeff Saturday. They’ve been around. Reggie Wayne, Gary Brackett, Dwight Freeney. All those guys have certainly been involved in a number of big games. They do understand that simply because of the fact that someone returns a kickoff on you on the first play, that that’s not the end of the contest. There’s still obviously four quarters to play in this ballgame. One of the things that I think we talk about, and we try to emphasize is that we travel with, when we leave home, things that are going to be important to us in terms of being effective during the ballgame, that’s poise, that’s passion, that’s confidence. Those things are extremely important to us and I think our guys do a great job following through on those things. In regard to Dwight Freeney, he’s treading in the right direction. He’s getting better but we’ll see. It’s still a day to day situation; we’ll see how he is at the end of the day.”
(on DB Jerraud Powers status) “Well he feels really good. He feels that he’ll be able to play. That’s just kind of up to the doctors and ourselves obviously as we look at him and see what type of movement skills that he has. That he’s able to run and run without any inhibitions whatsoever. I think that obviously he’s moving along and moving well and we’ll see, we’ll see how that goes. But he feels great about it so if he feels good that makes me feel even better.”
domingo, 7 de febrero de 2010
martes, 2 de febrero de 2010
PRESS CONFERENCE SAINTS - S ROMAN HARPER - Ingles
Super Bowl XLIV – Tuesday, February 2, 2010
QUOTES FROM NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PRESS CONFERENCE
S ROMAN HARPER
(on the city of New Orleans) “It’s been good just coming from where we have been when I first got drafted there and I drove in from Alabama, it feels great. It seems like the place was very, very destroyed. Signs and stuff were down. Now seeing New Orleans, where it is now, we’ve come a long way in four years. We have really rebuilt a lot, but a lot is not back from what I was told. It has come a long way. The city is behind us so it has been great.”
(on fan support in New Orleans) “The city has always been behind us and we have always brought a little bit of juice and brought a little feedback to the community and do as much as we can. It’s always good, now when the city of New Orleans is getting more respect and a little bit more eyes on it and (people) see how it really, really had to rebuild and how it’s coming along. Now that everybody else is starting to pay little attention, the more success we have it seems the more eyes have come on the city. It’s good for that but everybody else is giving it a little bit of respect.”
(on Peyton Manning’s ability) “I just think that his accuracy, the thing with his timing and the way he understands everything and communicates and runs that offense. It is the things he does. It seems that everything revolves around him. He does such a good job with all the pressure and all the calls that he makes and getting his team in the position to make plays with his pinpoint accuracy on throwing the ball and doing the little things he has to do to be a great quarterback in this league. He does it all with the hand signals. Just everything he does is just amazing to watch on the field.”
(on containing Manning) “I don’t really know if you can contain him. You really can’t stop the guy. He is going to make plays and we understand that. Hopefully we can limit him, try to confuse him a little bit and try to rattle him to throw off his timing. Hopefully we can affect (him) with coverage and maybe we can affect him by hitting him and knocking him down and little things like that.”
(on making mistakes against the Colts’ offense) “We understand that mistakes are going to be made throughout the ball game. We are not trying to out-execute them and their offense. I know their offense is going to execute extremely well. They all are going to be on the same page and they are going to go out and make plays, too. The biggest thing that is going to help us out is that our offense is also very talented and our offense is going to make plays.”
(on the mentality of the Saints’ defense) “We have always understood that it is not about yards given up or anything like that, it’s all about points scored and limiting (mistakes) when in the red zone and always trying to force turnovers. That’s what we always talk about, ‘Why can’t we get a turnover every possession or why can’t we get the ball out?’ We have got to do something and try to make something happen. It’s not always that our offense scores, maybe we can score. So we are always trying to affect the ball, trying to tackle the ball and trying to over populate the ball with guys trying to tackle and get the ball out. We are always trying to talk about it, and the more you talk about it, it becomes more of an issue and you want to make it happen.”
(on being in one of the best Saints’ draft classes) “I have only seen four draft classes come through and I definitely think we’re probably one of the better ones that has come. No one really thought we were going to turn out as well as we have but it has been a great, great group of guys. You know you have got (Marques) Colston in the seventh round; you had Jahri (Evans) in the fourth and me in second and of course Reggie (Bush) in the first. We all came to help our team and we all started since we got here and it’s all been well. I guess it is one of the best draft classes since I’ve been here.”
(on being friends with his draft class) “We all kind of jelled because we were all in our little separate rookie locker room. At the same time, we all focused on trying to learn the playbook, go out there and make plays and do what we do. Lo and behold you see Colst (Marques Colston) snagging balls across the middle so he probably stands out more. Jahri (Evans) starting immediately when he gets there and Reggie (Bush) is Reggie so there’s not much to be said. Reggie is going to make his plays. Then I get thrown into the fire really early and I make my first start against the Colts, I think, in the preseason. It all started soon and happened so fast for us. We were just young guys playing and we didn’t think about that we were just doing what we normally do and just trying to make plays.”
(on the training camp rookie locker room) “In training camp, you have your rookie locker room and then you’ve got your veterans locker room. Once you get out of the rookie locker room when the season starts, you’re officially a part of the team.”
(on fans from Jackson, Miss. attending training camp) “Yeah we were at Millsap College in Jackson, Mississippi, and it’s hot as hell. Nobody’s happy. Everybody is cranky every day. We are going to try to make this thing go and everyone had a really good year that year.”
(on what media day means) “I just sat down so I am trying to soak it up too. I will probably get the most questions asked to me today than I have in a long time. I am going to have a good time though.”
(on when being in the Super Bowl sunk in) “I think it’s starting to hit now. Now that we are here, all the events, the different things that we got to come to and all the different things we got to do. It is starting to hit me now. I am just ready to get back into practice and get back into a little routine and then be ready to hit it on Sunday and be ready to go.”
(on playing in New Orleans) “It’s been good. I wouldn’t want to be in any other place. New Orleans is a great city. It is so much fun, the culture, the people. Everybody is very friendly and everybody loves their Saints. That’s all they want to do. They want their Saints to win more than anything. They have been believing in the Saints for a long time, way before I had been there. This is honestly the first time they have had all their dreams come true. We have got to go out there and win it for them. We have got a big time challenge ahead of us. The Colts are a great team and they have won a lot of games. We are going to try to knock them off one time.”
(on matching wits with Peyton Manning) “I don’t know how you match wits with the guy. The guy is all over the place. He knows actually what is going on. Anybody that is on the take, that moves or does anything he checking it. He is trying to see what you are doing and he does a great job of that. You can see on the film all the things that he does. He gets the team lined up in the right position and puts them in the right plays and does everything to make sure they have the best success. They have been putting up large numbers and big yards all year long and we ‘vejust got to try to limit them this Sunday.”
QUOTES FROM NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PRESS CONFERENCE
S ROMAN HARPER
(on the city of New Orleans) “It’s been good just coming from where we have been when I first got drafted there and I drove in from Alabama, it feels great. It seems like the place was very, very destroyed. Signs and stuff were down. Now seeing New Orleans, where it is now, we’ve come a long way in four years. We have really rebuilt a lot, but a lot is not back from what I was told. It has come a long way. The city is behind us so it has been great.”
(on fan support in New Orleans) “The city has always been behind us and we have always brought a little bit of juice and brought a little feedback to the community and do as much as we can. It’s always good, now when the city of New Orleans is getting more respect and a little bit more eyes on it and (people) see how it really, really had to rebuild and how it’s coming along. Now that everybody else is starting to pay little attention, the more success we have it seems the more eyes have come on the city. It’s good for that but everybody else is giving it a little bit of respect.”
(on Peyton Manning’s ability) “I just think that his accuracy, the thing with his timing and the way he understands everything and communicates and runs that offense. It is the things he does. It seems that everything revolves around him. He does such a good job with all the pressure and all the calls that he makes and getting his team in the position to make plays with his pinpoint accuracy on throwing the ball and doing the little things he has to do to be a great quarterback in this league. He does it all with the hand signals. Just everything he does is just amazing to watch on the field.”
(on containing Manning) “I don’t really know if you can contain him. You really can’t stop the guy. He is going to make plays and we understand that. Hopefully we can limit him, try to confuse him a little bit and try to rattle him to throw off his timing. Hopefully we can affect (him) with coverage and maybe we can affect him by hitting him and knocking him down and little things like that.”
(on making mistakes against the Colts’ offense) “We understand that mistakes are going to be made throughout the ball game. We are not trying to out-execute them and their offense. I know their offense is going to execute extremely well. They all are going to be on the same page and they are going to go out and make plays, too. The biggest thing that is going to help us out is that our offense is also very talented and our offense is going to make plays.”
(on the mentality of the Saints’ defense) “We have always understood that it is not about yards given up or anything like that, it’s all about points scored and limiting (mistakes) when in the red zone and always trying to force turnovers. That’s what we always talk about, ‘Why can’t we get a turnover every possession or why can’t we get the ball out?’ We have got to do something and try to make something happen. It’s not always that our offense scores, maybe we can score. So we are always trying to affect the ball, trying to tackle the ball and trying to over populate the ball with guys trying to tackle and get the ball out. We are always trying to talk about it, and the more you talk about it, it becomes more of an issue and you want to make it happen.”
(on being in one of the best Saints’ draft classes) “I have only seen four draft classes come through and I definitely think we’re probably one of the better ones that has come. No one really thought we were going to turn out as well as we have but it has been a great, great group of guys. You know you have got (Marques) Colston in the seventh round; you had Jahri (Evans) in the fourth and me in second and of course Reggie (Bush) in the first. We all came to help our team and we all started since we got here and it’s all been well. I guess it is one of the best draft classes since I’ve been here.”
(on being friends with his draft class) “We all kind of jelled because we were all in our little separate rookie locker room. At the same time, we all focused on trying to learn the playbook, go out there and make plays and do what we do. Lo and behold you see Colst (Marques Colston) snagging balls across the middle so he probably stands out more. Jahri (Evans) starting immediately when he gets there and Reggie (Bush) is Reggie so there’s not much to be said. Reggie is going to make his plays. Then I get thrown into the fire really early and I make my first start against the Colts, I think, in the preseason. It all started soon and happened so fast for us. We were just young guys playing and we didn’t think about that we were just doing what we normally do and just trying to make plays.”
(on the training camp rookie locker room) “In training camp, you have your rookie locker room and then you’ve got your veterans locker room. Once you get out of the rookie locker room when the season starts, you’re officially a part of the team.”
(on fans from Jackson, Miss. attending training camp) “Yeah we were at Millsap College in Jackson, Mississippi, and it’s hot as hell. Nobody’s happy. Everybody is cranky every day. We are going to try to make this thing go and everyone had a really good year that year.”
(on what media day means) “I just sat down so I am trying to soak it up too. I will probably get the most questions asked to me today than I have in a long time. I am going to have a good time though.”
(on when being in the Super Bowl sunk in) “I think it’s starting to hit now. Now that we are here, all the events, the different things that we got to come to and all the different things we got to do. It is starting to hit me now. I am just ready to get back into practice and get back into a little routine and then be ready to hit it on Sunday and be ready to go.”
(on playing in New Orleans) “It’s been good. I wouldn’t want to be in any other place. New Orleans is a great city. It is so much fun, the culture, the people. Everybody is very friendly and everybody loves their Saints. That’s all they want to do. They want their Saints to win more than anything. They have been believing in the Saints for a long time, way before I had been there. This is honestly the first time they have had all their dreams come true. We have got to go out there and win it for them. We have got a big time challenge ahead of us. The Colts are a great team and they have won a lot of games. We are going to try to knock them off one time.”
(on matching wits with Peyton Manning) “I don’t know how you match wits with the guy. The guy is all over the place. He knows actually what is going on. Anybody that is on the take, that moves or does anything he checking it. He is trying to see what you are doing and he does a great job of that. You can see on the film all the things that he does. He gets the team lined up in the right position and puts them in the right plays and does everything to make sure they have the best success. They have been putting up large numbers and big yards all year long and we ‘vejust got to try to limit them this Sunday.”
PRESS CONFERENCE SAINTS - WR MARQUES COLSTON - Ingles
Super Bowl XLI – Tuesday, February 2, 2010
QUOTES FROM NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PRESS CONFERENCE
WR MARQUES COLSTON
(on Drew Brees’ work ethic) “Drew is definitely the hardest working player that I have ever been around. His play on the field is definitely a result of that.”
(on his biggest inspiration) “Definitely my late father. It has always been both of our dreams for me to be doing what I’m doing; just to be in this and know that he is definitely still a part of it for me.”
(on his hometown of Harrisburg, PA) “I just really want to say thank you for all of the support. Hopefully I will be bringing that trophy and ring back to you guys.”
(on growing since high school) “In high school, I think that is where you learn the fundamentals. For me, it was just trying to learn how to work, just getting a better work ethic. Obviously, I have grown as a player since then and continue to keep growing.”
(on having success at such an early age in the NFL) “I think I was just put in a great situation with a great coaching staff that believed what I could do. Obviously, I havea great quarterback and other great skill players around me. I was just put in a great situation and was able to take advantage of it.”
(on his motivation to progress) “You don’t get to this point or to this level without being a self-motivated person. Like I said, I was placed in a great situation with great players and people around me. I owe a lot of my success to that.”
(on WR Coach Curtis Johnson) “When I first got down to New Orleans, he and I really didn’t see eye to eye just because he is really an in-your-face type of guy. Over the years, our relationship has definitely grown. I respected him from day one but have learned to tolerate him a lot more over the years.”
(on the organization) “You know you are coming into a situation when you are going to get an opportunity to show what you can do. As a player, that’s all that you can ask for. It’s up to you at that point to just take advantage of the opportunity that you are given.”
(on WR Robert Meachem) “Meach obviously is having his breakout year of his career so far. He is only going to continue to get better. He is a guy who works extremely hard. I’m so proud of him and just so happy for him just to see him having the success that he is having right now.”
(on the biggest difference with Meachem) “I think he is finally healthy. He went through his rookie year coming off a knee injury and just fought through injuries up until this year. He is finally healthy and is finally getting the opportunity to show you guys what he can do.”
(on how he ended up playing college ball at Hofstra) “Coming out of high school, I was 175 or 180 pounds. I wasn’t very polished as a receiver or a player. Hofstra ended up offering me a scholarship and gave me an opportunity to grow at a rate that I needed to grow. I just continued to work to get better as a player. Hopefully I’ve shown you guys what I am capable of doing.”
(on if Missouri offered him a scholarship) “They came in late. They offered me [a scholarship] after I had already committed to Hofstra. I stuck with my original decision.”
(on why he stuck with his commitment) “For me it was important to play. I knew coming into Hofstra, I would get an opportunity to play a lot earlier. I took that opportunity.”
(on Reggie Bush’s post season) “He has been as explosive as I have seen him here. He has been having a great post season and is definitely a huge part of the reason why we are here right now.”
(on Reggie Bush’s turning point) “If you look at the second half of the season, the healthier he got, the more productive he was. I think he is probably as healthy now as he has been all year and expect some great things from him on Sunday.”
(on Sean Payton’s game plan) “It is like starting from scratch every week. We kind of keep some of the concepts going. Sean has a great offensive mind and he has the tendency to put us all in great situations and to take advantage of our strengths. It is all in the game plan and you are always excited because you know you are going to have a chance to be successful.”
(on Bree’s back shoulder throws) “That is something that all of the receivers and Drew work on day in and day out. It’s something that Drew is so good at that it has become really a staple of our offense.”
(on if he can take on any cornerback in the NFL) “As a player you have to feel that way. I definitely feel confident in my abilities and how healthy I feel at this point.”
(on his father) “Still to this day, he is my role model. Just a really stand up guy and definitely a family guy and community first type of person. I aspire to be like him still.”
(on dealing with the loss of his father at 14-years-old) “For me it was really important to have my family around but a loss like that, you never get completely over it. In a lot of ways, I am still not over it. Just being out here doing what I’m doing is kind of like therapy to me just because it was always both of our dreams to be doing.”
(on playing for a team so deep with WRs) “It is definitely a blessing just to have so much talent around you. I think the thing for us, we are generally happy and excited for one another. Just that atmosphere alone makes it so easy to share the ball. We all dream about winning. Just to be in that atmosphere is special.”
(on representing the number 12) “That’s funny because it’s not a number that I actually chose. It was one of those things where you just come in and they give you a number. After training camp I decided to stick with it.”
(on his favorite number) “I would have to say 89 in college but I have a feeling I will be sticking with 12 for a while.”
(on if he thought 12 was a bubble number) “That was definitely a thought initially. It didn’t really make it past the first our first game. Once I got into practicing and started to compete all of that stuff was a nonfactor.”
(on Bree’s saying he was confident in Colston since day one) “I felt exactly the opposite. I felt terrible coming out of minicamp. To be honest, I really didn’t think that I was going to be on the roster too much longer. I got into training camp and was able to do some good things. I’m sitting here now.”
(on why he didn’t think he was going to be on the roster) “I really wasn’t in the best shape coming into that first year and really didn’t know what to expect. The heat and humidity in New Orleans definitely didn’t help me out. It is so far removed from that and I am just so happy to be here right now.”
(on the Colts’ defense) “They are fast. I think everything in their defense is built around speed. There are going to be some interesting matchups come Sunday.”
(on the Colts’ roster having Super Bowl experience) “I don’t think once the game starts it will be very much of a factor. All of the stuff leading up to the game, they have been through it. They know what to expect. We feel confident in our preparation and will do everything that it takes to be successful in this game.”
(on the turning point of the season) “It might have to be right here in this stadium. We were down 24-3 to the Dolphins. Just to see the look of everyone’s eyes and the sideline and to really know what we had on the sideline. No one was wavering in their confidence that we were going to win that game.”
QUOTES FROM NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PRESS CONFERENCE
WR MARQUES COLSTON
(on Drew Brees’ work ethic) “Drew is definitely the hardest working player that I have ever been around. His play on the field is definitely a result of that.”
(on his biggest inspiration) “Definitely my late father. It has always been both of our dreams for me to be doing what I’m doing; just to be in this and know that he is definitely still a part of it for me.”
(on his hometown of Harrisburg, PA) “I just really want to say thank you for all of the support. Hopefully I will be bringing that trophy and ring back to you guys.”
(on growing since high school) “In high school, I think that is where you learn the fundamentals. For me, it was just trying to learn how to work, just getting a better work ethic. Obviously, I have grown as a player since then and continue to keep growing.”
(on having success at such an early age in the NFL) “I think I was just put in a great situation with a great coaching staff that believed what I could do. Obviously, I havea great quarterback and other great skill players around me. I was just put in a great situation and was able to take advantage of it.”
(on his motivation to progress) “You don’t get to this point or to this level without being a self-motivated person. Like I said, I was placed in a great situation with great players and people around me. I owe a lot of my success to that.”
(on WR Coach Curtis Johnson) “When I first got down to New Orleans, he and I really didn’t see eye to eye just because he is really an in-your-face type of guy. Over the years, our relationship has definitely grown. I respected him from day one but have learned to tolerate him a lot more over the years.”
(on the organization) “You know you are coming into a situation when you are going to get an opportunity to show what you can do. As a player, that’s all that you can ask for. It’s up to you at that point to just take advantage of the opportunity that you are given.”
(on WR Robert Meachem) “Meach obviously is having his breakout year of his career so far. He is only going to continue to get better. He is a guy who works extremely hard. I’m so proud of him and just so happy for him just to see him having the success that he is having right now.”
(on the biggest difference with Meachem) “I think he is finally healthy. He went through his rookie year coming off a knee injury and just fought through injuries up until this year. He is finally healthy and is finally getting the opportunity to show you guys what he can do.”
(on how he ended up playing college ball at Hofstra) “Coming out of high school, I was 175 or 180 pounds. I wasn’t very polished as a receiver or a player. Hofstra ended up offering me a scholarship and gave me an opportunity to grow at a rate that I needed to grow. I just continued to work to get better as a player. Hopefully I’ve shown you guys what I am capable of doing.”
(on if Missouri offered him a scholarship) “They came in late. They offered me [a scholarship] after I had already committed to Hofstra. I stuck with my original decision.”
(on why he stuck with his commitment) “For me it was important to play. I knew coming into Hofstra, I would get an opportunity to play a lot earlier. I took that opportunity.”
(on Reggie Bush’s post season) “He has been as explosive as I have seen him here. He has been having a great post season and is definitely a huge part of the reason why we are here right now.”
(on Reggie Bush’s turning point) “If you look at the second half of the season, the healthier he got, the more productive he was. I think he is probably as healthy now as he has been all year and expect some great things from him on Sunday.”
(on Sean Payton’s game plan) “It is like starting from scratch every week. We kind of keep some of the concepts going. Sean has a great offensive mind and he has the tendency to put us all in great situations and to take advantage of our strengths. It is all in the game plan and you are always excited because you know you are going to have a chance to be successful.”
(on Bree’s back shoulder throws) “That is something that all of the receivers and Drew work on day in and day out. It’s something that Drew is so good at that it has become really a staple of our offense.”
(on if he can take on any cornerback in the NFL) “As a player you have to feel that way. I definitely feel confident in my abilities and how healthy I feel at this point.”
(on his father) “Still to this day, he is my role model. Just a really stand up guy and definitely a family guy and community first type of person. I aspire to be like him still.”
(on dealing with the loss of his father at 14-years-old) “For me it was really important to have my family around but a loss like that, you never get completely over it. In a lot of ways, I am still not over it. Just being out here doing what I’m doing is kind of like therapy to me just because it was always both of our dreams to be doing.”
(on playing for a team so deep with WRs) “It is definitely a blessing just to have so much talent around you. I think the thing for us, we are generally happy and excited for one another. Just that atmosphere alone makes it so easy to share the ball. We all dream about winning. Just to be in that atmosphere is special.”
(on representing the number 12) “That’s funny because it’s not a number that I actually chose. It was one of those things where you just come in and they give you a number. After training camp I decided to stick with it.”
(on his favorite number) “I would have to say 89 in college but I have a feeling I will be sticking with 12 for a while.”
(on if he thought 12 was a bubble number) “That was definitely a thought initially. It didn’t really make it past the first our first game. Once I got into practicing and started to compete all of that stuff was a nonfactor.”
(on Bree’s saying he was confident in Colston since day one) “I felt exactly the opposite. I felt terrible coming out of minicamp. To be honest, I really didn’t think that I was going to be on the roster too much longer. I got into training camp and was able to do some good things. I’m sitting here now.”
(on why he didn’t think he was going to be on the roster) “I really wasn’t in the best shape coming into that first year and really didn’t know what to expect. The heat and humidity in New Orleans definitely didn’t help me out. It is so far removed from that and I am just so happy to be here right now.”
(on the Colts’ defense) “They are fast. I think everything in their defense is built around speed. There are going to be some interesting matchups come Sunday.”
(on the Colts’ roster having Super Bowl experience) “I don’t think once the game starts it will be very much of a factor. All of the stuff leading up to the game, they have been through it. They know what to expect. We feel confident in our preparation and will do everything that it takes to be successful in this game.”
(on the turning point of the season) “It might have to be right here in this stadium. We were down 24-3 to the Dolphins. Just to see the look of everyone’s eyes and the sideline and to really know what we had on the sideline. No one was wavering in their confidence that we were going to win that game.”
PRESS CONFERENCE SAINTS - QB DREW BREES - Ingles
Super Bowl XLIV – Tuesday, February 2, 2010
QUOTES FROM NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PRESS CONFERENCE
QB DREW BREES
(on playing for the city of New Orleans) “It’s a great source of strength for us and our team, just knowing that we are playing for much more than another ‘W’ or a Super Bowl for our organization. It’s a Super Bowl for our city and our fans and everything they’ve been through the last few years. There is no organization or city that deserves a champion more than New Orleans.”
(on how important it is to establish the run) “It is very important to be balanced, to be able to run and pass and have each of those set the other up, because you can’t be one-dimensional against a team like the Colts. They’ve shown with their pass rush and their ability to bring a safety down in the box to stop the run, if you are one-dimensional, they can eat you up. You have to be able to mix both the run and the pass and be effective at it.”
(on if he is concerned whether Dwight Freeney is playing or not) “We’re planning on that he is playing. We feel like they are going to have all of the bullets in their gun and their full arsenal, just like ours. Anytime you play a team like this in an atmosphere like this, you expect everyone to play.”
(on his study of the Colts’ defense) “I don’t think there are any holes, but you hope that you can catch them from time to time and be able to get a big play. You rely on the ability to catch, break a tackle and get yards after the catch, run the ball efficiently and be balanced – to be able to mix the run and the pass and never be predictable. You always want to feel like you have the upper hand and that you are setting the tempo for the game.”
(on which Super Bowl-experienced players or coaches he talked to prior to the trip) “I talked to a few quarterbacks who have been in this situation before, Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks. Also, our head coach Sean Payton was here as a coordinator in 2000 with the Giants. He was able to give me some words of wisdom on how to approach the week and how to handle it and prepare to deal with the media and the hype and stay within your routine.”
(on what the Super Bowl means to New Orleans and himself) “It means so much. I have met season-ticket holders since New Orleans started in 1967. For so many of them, just to have waited so long through so many tough times to this point, and what people went through in New Orleans post-Katrina, it’s so much more than just a game to us. It’s a feeling that we have an opportunity to give them so much hope, lift their spirits and give them something they deserve.”
(on coming through adversity) “You have to go through some tough times and fight through adversity in order to get to this kind of level and have these types of opportunities. Had you not gone through some of those things earlier in the history of this organization or in my own career, you wouldn’t have learned the lessons you learned in order to get here – have that chip on your shoulder or have the motivation we have to be here and take part in the Super Bowl. I believe wholeheartedly the fact that everything happens for a reason. At times, God is going to put you in a position to wonder why this is happening to me or to us, and yet you know it’s happening for a reason. It’s there to make you stronger and to give the opportunity to accomplish something later on – and here we are.”
(on if he feels any pressure from Saints fans) “We don’t look at it as pressure. We feel like we are playing for so much more than just to win a game for our organization or team, we’re playing for an entire city and region. And you could say for an entire country because there are still so many New Orleans natives who had to evacuate after Katrina who have not been able to move back yet. We know we have fans across the country who are pulling for us and rooting for us, fans who will eventually come back to New Orleans, but are just waiting for the right time. Whatever we can do to give them hope and raise their spirits, that’s what we want to do.”
(on a formula for success against the Colts) “We have to be balanced and mix the run and the pass. We have to have a plan for their pass rush, because we know how they can rush the passer. Take care of the football, try to keep Peyton (Manning) and that offense off the field as much as possible and take advantage of the opportunities when we get them.”
(on having offensive balance) “You can’t be one-dimensional against these guys, because they are too smart for that. You have to be able to do both. If you can do efficiently, possess the ball, convert third downs, keep them off the field, eat up the time of possession – all of those things that you talk about as an offense, that’s the key for success.”
(on his injury while with San Diego) “The injury happened in the last game of the 2005 season, my fifth year in San Diego in which I did not have a contract after that. All of a sudden here I am thrust into free agency two months after a right shoulder dislocation, which I was told by some doctors that I had a 25 percent chance of coming back and ever playing. Only two teams were interested in me in free agency to be the starting quarterback – Miami and New Orleans. That was a defining moment in my life and one that brought me to New Orleans with a sense that this is a calling for me, an opportunity that I have to not only come to a city and be a part of the rebuilding of the organization, city, community and region. This was an opportunity that really doesn’t come along for most people in their lifetime, and yet here it is staring me in the face. So it was much more than football and I felt it was destiny that God put me there for a reason. It’s been such a special experience. I was embraced by the city in a way that I can’t even describe. My wife and I had our first child in New Orleans a year ago, so it seems like so many things beyond football, from the standpoint of our family. Our foundation (Brees Dream Foundation) has raised or committed $3 million dollars to the city of New Orleans. That’s just the beginning. I want to be somebody who is not only a leader on my football team, but a leader in the community, somebody who is going to follow through with what I say I am going to do, be accountable, show integrity and give back.”
(on when he felt at home in New Orleans) “It was right away. That first year in New Orleans in 2006, we made it to the NFC Championship Game, the first time in the history of the club. It seems like we have had so many ‘firsts’ as a part of that organization, a first time to go to the NFC Championship Game, and this year a first time to start 13-0, first time to host an NFC Championship Game, first time to be in a Super Bowl and hopefully it will be the first Super Bowl championship as well. My wife and I felt like a part of the community quickly because of the way we were embraced by the city. I’ve had more people come up to me on the street who tell me, ‘Thank you for being part of our city. Thank you for being a part of our community. Thank you for what you have done and by the way, good luck on Sunday, but we love you for being part of this community.’”
(on the Saints’ pregame chant that he leads) “I am not going to tell you what we say because that’s what makes it unique and special, because it is just for us. It’s for our team, and if you are a member of our team, you know the chant. For everybody else, you can keep wondering what we are saying. I think that’s unique because each year there is an inspiration for that. This year’s inspiration was from an USO trip that I went on to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. I got to do P.T. (physical training) with the Marines one morning, and as we are jogging in formation and doing calisthenics, there are all of these chants that the Marines do. So I took one of those chants, made it applicable to us as a team, and that’s what we chant about. It’s inspired by the Marines at Guantanamo Bay. That makes it unique.”
(on how the comeback against the Dolphins in Sun Life Stadium earlier this season might help them in the Super Bowl) “Walking into the stadium today and for the Pro Bowl, all those memories come back from that game, everything that transpired. Being down 24-3 in the second quarter and going into halftime with that touchdown with six seconds left where we jump over the top. We score feeling like that was what we needed momentum-wise, and we come out in the second half with an interception return for a touchdown, just this sequence of events where all of the sudden we have this huge come-from-behind victory. The feeling in that locker room, looking around and saying, ‘You know what? This is the feeling that we want a couple of months from now on Super Bowl Sunday when we come back here.’ And sure enough, here we are and I hope we do have that same feeling in the locker room.”
(on the team’s progress in the last four seasons) “We had that special season back in 2006. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hits. the team relocates to San Antonio, has a 3-13 season and never really plays a home game, playing in the Alamodome, Baton Rouge and a Monday night home game in New York against the Giants. Everything they went through and I’ve heard the stories from the guys how it was tough. Back in New Orleans, the team’s facility had been used by the government as a staging ground for rescue missions throughout town to save people. Here we are trying to come back and find ourselves. Sean Payton gets hired, I get brought in as a free agent with Scott Fujita, Reggie Bush and Marques Colston gets drafted, we bring in guys like Mark Simoneau and Scott Shanle. The list goes on of the guys we brought in that year as free agents. In a way all of us were castaways, guys who were obviously free agents because there were plenty of teams out there that didn’t want us. Yet, the New Orleans Saints wanted us and they wanted to give us an opportunity. We all used that as a rallying point to come together and accomplish something special and we did. It was the first time we made the NFC Championship Game, and we fell one game short of the Super Bowl, which is our ultimate goal of being Super Bowl champions. To take that memory and that bitter taste, to go through the adversity we’ve gone through the past two seasons of missing the playoffs – all that’s done is build our motivation, our strength and mindset to be able to get to this season and to say, ‘You know what? This is our time. Why not us? Why not the New Orleans Saints?’ And here we are.”
QUOTES FROM NEW ORLEANS SAINTS PRESS CONFERENCE
QB DREW BREES
(on playing for the city of New Orleans) “It’s a great source of strength for us and our team, just knowing that we are playing for much more than another ‘W’ or a Super Bowl for our organization. It’s a Super Bowl for our city and our fans and everything they’ve been through the last few years. There is no organization or city that deserves a champion more than New Orleans.”
(on how important it is to establish the run) “It is very important to be balanced, to be able to run and pass and have each of those set the other up, because you can’t be one-dimensional against a team like the Colts. They’ve shown with their pass rush and their ability to bring a safety down in the box to stop the run, if you are one-dimensional, they can eat you up. You have to be able to mix both the run and the pass and be effective at it.”
(on if he is concerned whether Dwight Freeney is playing or not) “We’re planning on that he is playing. We feel like they are going to have all of the bullets in their gun and their full arsenal, just like ours. Anytime you play a team like this in an atmosphere like this, you expect everyone to play.”
(on his study of the Colts’ defense) “I don’t think there are any holes, but you hope that you can catch them from time to time and be able to get a big play. You rely on the ability to catch, break a tackle and get yards after the catch, run the ball efficiently and be balanced – to be able to mix the run and the pass and never be predictable. You always want to feel like you have the upper hand and that you are setting the tempo for the game.”
(on which Super Bowl-experienced players or coaches he talked to prior to the trip) “I talked to a few quarterbacks who have been in this situation before, Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks. Also, our head coach Sean Payton was here as a coordinator in 2000 with the Giants. He was able to give me some words of wisdom on how to approach the week and how to handle it and prepare to deal with the media and the hype and stay within your routine.”
(on what the Super Bowl means to New Orleans and himself) “It means so much. I have met season-ticket holders since New Orleans started in 1967. For so many of them, just to have waited so long through so many tough times to this point, and what people went through in New Orleans post-Katrina, it’s so much more than just a game to us. It’s a feeling that we have an opportunity to give them so much hope, lift their spirits and give them something they deserve.”
(on coming through adversity) “You have to go through some tough times and fight through adversity in order to get to this kind of level and have these types of opportunities. Had you not gone through some of those things earlier in the history of this organization or in my own career, you wouldn’t have learned the lessons you learned in order to get here – have that chip on your shoulder or have the motivation we have to be here and take part in the Super Bowl. I believe wholeheartedly the fact that everything happens for a reason. At times, God is going to put you in a position to wonder why this is happening to me or to us, and yet you know it’s happening for a reason. It’s there to make you stronger and to give the opportunity to accomplish something later on – and here we are.”
(on if he feels any pressure from Saints fans) “We don’t look at it as pressure. We feel like we are playing for so much more than just to win a game for our organization or team, we’re playing for an entire city and region. And you could say for an entire country because there are still so many New Orleans natives who had to evacuate after Katrina who have not been able to move back yet. We know we have fans across the country who are pulling for us and rooting for us, fans who will eventually come back to New Orleans, but are just waiting for the right time. Whatever we can do to give them hope and raise their spirits, that’s what we want to do.”
(on a formula for success against the Colts) “We have to be balanced and mix the run and the pass. We have to have a plan for their pass rush, because we know how they can rush the passer. Take care of the football, try to keep Peyton (Manning) and that offense off the field as much as possible and take advantage of the opportunities when we get them.”
(on having offensive balance) “You can’t be one-dimensional against these guys, because they are too smart for that. You have to be able to do both. If you can do efficiently, possess the ball, convert third downs, keep them off the field, eat up the time of possession – all of those things that you talk about as an offense, that’s the key for success.”
(on his injury while with San Diego) “The injury happened in the last game of the 2005 season, my fifth year in San Diego in which I did not have a contract after that. All of a sudden here I am thrust into free agency two months after a right shoulder dislocation, which I was told by some doctors that I had a 25 percent chance of coming back and ever playing. Only two teams were interested in me in free agency to be the starting quarterback – Miami and New Orleans. That was a defining moment in my life and one that brought me to New Orleans with a sense that this is a calling for me, an opportunity that I have to not only come to a city and be a part of the rebuilding of the organization, city, community and region. This was an opportunity that really doesn’t come along for most people in their lifetime, and yet here it is staring me in the face. So it was much more than football and I felt it was destiny that God put me there for a reason. It’s been such a special experience. I was embraced by the city in a way that I can’t even describe. My wife and I had our first child in New Orleans a year ago, so it seems like so many things beyond football, from the standpoint of our family. Our foundation (Brees Dream Foundation) has raised or committed $3 million dollars to the city of New Orleans. That’s just the beginning. I want to be somebody who is not only a leader on my football team, but a leader in the community, somebody who is going to follow through with what I say I am going to do, be accountable, show integrity and give back.”
(on when he felt at home in New Orleans) “It was right away. That first year in New Orleans in 2006, we made it to the NFC Championship Game, the first time in the history of the club. It seems like we have had so many ‘firsts’ as a part of that organization, a first time to go to the NFC Championship Game, and this year a first time to start 13-0, first time to host an NFC Championship Game, first time to be in a Super Bowl and hopefully it will be the first Super Bowl championship as well. My wife and I felt like a part of the community quickly because of the way we were embraced by the city. I’ve had more people come up to me on the street who tell me, ‘Thank you for being part of our city. Thank you for being a part of our community. Thank you for what you have done and by the way, good luck on Sunday, but we love you for being part of this community.’”
(on the Saints’ pregame chant that he leads) “I am not going to tell you what we say because that’s what makes it unique and special, because it is just for us. It’s for our team, and if you are a member of our team, you know the chant. For everybody else, you can keep wondering what we are saying. I think that’s unique because each year there is an inspiration for that. This year’s inspiration was from an USO trip that I went on to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. I got to do P.T. (physical training) with the Marines one morning, and as we are jogging in formation and doing calisthenics, there are all of these chants that the Marines do. So I took one of those chants, made it applicable to us as a team, and that’s what we chant about. It’s inspired by the Marines at Guantanamo Bay. That makes it unique.”
(on how the comeback against the Dolphins in Sun Life Stadium earlier this season might help them in the Super Bowl) “Walking into the stadium today and for the Pro Bowl, all those memories come back from that game, everything that transpired. Being down 24-3 in the second quarter and going into halftime with that touchdown with six seconds left where we jump over the top. We score feeling like that was what we needed momentum-wise, and we come out in the second half with an interception return for a touchdown, just this sequence of events where all of the sudden we have this huge come-from-behind victory. The feeling in that locker room, looking around and saying, ‘You know what? This is the feeling that we want a couple of months from now on Super Bowl Sunday when we come back here.’ And sure enough, here we are and I hope we do have that same feeling in the locker room.”
(on the team’s progress in the last four seasons) “We had that special season back in 2006. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hits. the team relocates to San Antonio, has a 3-13 season and never really plays a home game, playing in the Alamodome, Baton Rouge and a Monday night home game in New York against the Giants. Everything they went through and I’ve heard the stories from the guys how it was tough. Back in New Orleans, the team’s facility had been used by the government as a staging ground for rescue missions throughout town to save people. Here we are trying to come back and find ourselves. Sean Payton gets hired, I get brought in as a free agent with Scott Fujita, Reggie Bush and Marques Colston gets drafted, we bring in guys like Mark Simoneau and Scott Shanle. The list goes on of the guys we brought in that year as free agents. In a way all of us were castaways, guys who were obviously free agents because there were plenty of teams out there that didn’t want us. Yet, the New Orleans Saints wanted us and they wanted to give us an opportunity. We all used that as a rallying point to come together and accomplish something special and we did. It was the first time we made the NFC Championship Game, and we fell one game short of the Super Bowl, which is our ultimate goal of being Super Bowl champions. To take that memory and that bitter taste, to go through the adversity we’ve gone through the past two seasons of missing the playoffs – all that’s done is build our motivation, our strength and mindset to be able to get to this season and to say, ‘You know what? This is our time. Why not us? Why not the New Orleans Saints?’ And here we are.”
PRESS CONFERENCE COLTS - QB PEYTON MANNING - Ingles
Super Bowl XLIV – Tuesday, February 2, 2010
QUOTES FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESS CONFERENCE
QB PEYTON MANNING
(on if this is an opportunity to take his personal career to a whole new level in history) “I certainly am not looking at the game that way. I agree with Drew. I think this game is about two great teams, that have had two outstanding seasons, really from the get go. Just realizing this is the first time since ’93, I think, that the two number one ranked teams are meeting in the final game. So that says a lot about both teams. We have had a target on our backs the entire season. Both teams have persevered through some tough circumstances and found themselves in the championship game. So I think it is going to be a wonderful football game. It is two excellent teams, competitive on both sides of the ball and there is a lot of great players in this game and I am just proud to be a part of it.”
(on if in his dreams he ever thought he would play the Saints in the Super Bowl) “No, probably not. I had no idea I would ever get to play in the NFL. So I have been counting my blessings every day since I have been able to play competitive football. The fact that I am in my second Super Bowl I consider myself very lucky. Having to wait nine years in order to play in my first Super Bowl certainly taught me to not take anything for granted. So I feel fortunate to be back. Every three years you go to a Super Bowl, I might run out of eligibility. So I need to try to take advantage of this one and hopefully we can win this game. I think certainly after you have gone through some struggles as an early player, early in your career going 3-13 as a rookie and having some disappointing playoff losses, it does teach you a lot about how special it is to be able to play in this game. I think our veteran players realize that and I have taught that to these younger players. Although, we have a lot of younger players like Joseph Addai for example, Antoine Bethea that are both in their fourth year and this is their second Super Bowl. For these guys it is their own path. For me, it is very special and I understand just how unique the opportunity is.”
(on who he thinks the people of Neumann High School in New Orleans will root for) “I certainly understand people in New Orleans are Saints fans. They have outstanding fans, always have. I certainly appreciate the people of New Orleans supporting me and Eli throughout our careers. That is our hometown. It is very important to us, Eli and I that he and I continue to support New Orleans through charitable endeavors. I understand this game New Orleans people are Saints fans and I am fine with that.”
(on if you ever have too much time to prepare with having the extra week) “It is certainly a great question and I think there is a real important timeline there as to when you get that feeling, ‘hey I’m ready. I have seen enough, now it is time to go play.’ I have never put a certain deadline on having to have that feeling. Obviously you hope to get it before kickoff, but sometimes in years past and during a playoff game or a big game or maybe a season opener, sometimes it happens the Wednesday before a game or sometimes it might not happen until Saturday before the game. As I am watching tape all of a sudden you say, ‘you know what, I got a pretty good idea, I got a good feeling right now.’ That is all you want is a good feeling, going into a game. The Saints may come out and play something entirely different than what we have seen, but you have to be prepared for the unexpected, but I am still on tapes right now. I am still studying, I am still learning. This is an unfamiliar opponent. This is a team with a lot of players we have not played against in this game. So, the more you can get familiar with these guys the more comfortable you hope to feel.”
(on what teammates and coaches he relies on with in-game adjustments) “I think it is important to have good sideline communication. Howard Mudd certainly when it comes to pass protection, he is the guy that we are talking to make adjustments. I think Jeff Saturday is probably the main guy as well. We have to get it fixed on the field. Sometimes you don’t have enough time in a long series, a long drive to go to the sideline. So Jeff and I will do a lot of talking. We are certainly anticipating to be playing like a road game this (Sunday). We feel like there will probably be more Saints fans in the stands. So we feel like crowd noise will be a factor. So you have to take all that in account in preparation.”
(on his relationship with Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore) “Well, I’ll always be indebted to Tom Moore. Being my offensive coordinator for twelve years our relationship is quite strong. We have been through a lot together. I have great trust in him. I feel like I have earned his trust as well. I think that carries onto the field. He gives me great freedom out there and puts a lot of confidence in me. He tells me before the game, ‘Hey if you see something out there, you call it. You change it and I have your back.’ That puts a lot of confidence in you as a quarterback. Some coaches tell their quarterbacks, ‘Hey you can change the play, but it better work.’ That is not confidence, that is a threat. I do appreciate the confidence that Tom puts in me. He and I spend a lot of time talking together during the week about what we are thinking together. So I think we are on the same page throughout the game. I don’t think I have ever changed a play that has surprised Tom. Like I said, I have certain limitations as well. Now, I am not allowed to change to the double reverse pass back to the quarterback. I have to keep it within the system. I have said this before, I don’t know if there will ever be an assistant coach in the Hall of Fame, but if there is one, Tom Moore has got to be the first one in. He has paid his dues. His goal, at least what he has always told me, I am sure he at least had aspirations at one time to be a head coach, but his goal was to be the best assistant coach there was. He has been a coordinator most places he has been and he has been one of the top coordinators around. I will be indebted to him.”
(on the uncertainty in the offseason regarding whether Tom Moore would return) “Certainly I was aware that last year possibly could have been his last year. I am certainly aware this year probably will be his last year. I was aware of it. I just wanted there to be a plan. For awhile there was some uncertainty as to what the plan was. I just think in April, May and June those are your core months of offseason training. So the plan needs to be in place. So the fact that we were kind of in limbo was sort of the unsettling thing. We got it all worked out and obviously it has worked out well for us this year.”
(on not being outside in the stadium for this year’s Media Day) “Disappointed obviously. It is fun to be out there in that stadium. I understand they had to make the call weather wise to move it in here. I think all our players and I am sure the Saints players have our fingers crossed that the weather will be good on Sunday, no matter what happens during the week. But picture day will be outside so we’ll get a little chance to be on the field and experience it and sort of get that feeling of what the environment is going to be like next Sunday.”
(on the influence Dan Marino has been on his career) “Dan Marino has had a tremendous impact on me. Growing up my dad was my favorite player always. He retired back in ’84. I was eight years old. Dan Marino was just coming into the NFL. I think it is important to always have a favorite player at all times. A current player. I went from Archie Manning to Dan Marino. Once Dan retired Eli was just starting to play college ball so Eli Manning became my favorite player. So I have always had good favorite players, but Dan, I always loved the way he competed, loved the way he commanded the offense and he has been so supportive of me since he has retired. I asked a lot of questions of him. As an older quarterback you still have to have guys you can ask questions of. Nobody will ever throw the ball like Dan Marino. I truly consider him a friend and I value his friendship.”
(on what it would mean for the city of Indianapolis if the Colts won the Super Bowl) “The city of Indianapolis, really the whole state of Indiana, have been so supportive of our team this year. Ever since the Colts have established themselves as a contender in the NFL really since Bill Polian got here, Jim Irsay took over ownership, they have been with us the entire way. We know we couldn’t be here without them. Being able to bring another championship back to the people of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana that would be special. Part of winning three years ago that was so special was being able to share the celebration with them. It is an exciting time for our players. I know the fans are excited and we feel like we are all in this together.”
(on the feelings he had winning the Super Bowl three years ago and how he would feel to win it again) “I don’t think it will be any different if we are fortunate enough to win because I know just how special it was three years ago. Just how much work you put into it. You think about how many people have helped you get to that point. My high school coach is coming to the game on Sunday and I think about him. My college coaches. My parents how supportive they have been throughout my sports career. I think during this time you do reflect on the people that have helped you get to this point and it is an emotional time. It is an emotional week. Like I said, but it is exciting also. I think you got to have great passion to play this game and if you win it you will certainly feel emotional.”
(on the most influential person/coach for him being at this point) “It is hard to pick one. I have had so many people that have helped me in so many different phases of my life. But when it comes to sports, I have had great coaches. I really have throughout. My dad obviously has never really been one of my coaches, but he has been my role model. Always been the guy that I have gone to. My mother drove me to all my sporting events. She did her part and hugged me after every game. My parents have been great, my brothers have been great. Coaching is a unique fraternity. There is something about coaches that is special. I have had a lot of coaches that have had a big impact on me throughout my career so I am indebted to all of them.”
(on what his dad taught him about Johnny Unitas) “My dad always said that his two favorite athletes growing up were Johnny Unitas and Mickey Mantle. Obviously I wasn’t old enough to see those guys play. Hearing stories from my dad about just the kind of impact those guys had on sports, in baseball and football. I understand the significance of Unitas as a quarterback. Playing for the Colts, even though we are in Indianapolis, I still feel a connection to the Colts history. Got a chance to meet Raymond Berry, some of the former Colts players, hearing them tell stories about Unitas. Had a chance to spend a couple of evenings with John Unitas before his passing. Those were some special evenings for me. Special conversations. He was always very nice to me.”
QUOTES FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESS CONFERENCE
QB PEYTON MANNING
(on if this is an opportunity to take his personal career to a whole new level in history) “I certainly am not looking at the game that way. I agree with Drew. I think this game is about two great teams, that have had two outstanding seasons, really from the get go. Just realizing this is the first time since ’93, I think, that the two number one ranked teams are meeting in the final game. So that says a lot about both teams. We have had a target on our backs the entire season. Both teams have persevered through some tough circumstances and found themselves in the championship game. So I think it is going to be a wonderful football game. It is two excellent teams, competitive on both sides of the ball and there is a lot of great players in this game and I am just proud to be a part of it.”
(on if in his dreams he ever thought he would play the Saints in the Super Bowl) “No, probably not. I had no idea I would ever get to play in the NFL. So I have been counting my blessings every day since I have been able to play competitive football. The fact that I am in my second Super Bowl I consider myself very lucky. Having to wait nine years in order to play in my first Super Bowl certainly taught me to not take anything for granted. So I feel fortunate to be back. Every three years you go to a Super Bowl, I might run out of eligibility. So I need to try to take advantage of this one and hopefully we can win this game. I think certainly after you have gone through some struggles as an early player, early in your career going 3-13 as a rookie and having some disappointing playoff losses, it does teach you a lot about how special it is to be able to play in this game. I think our veteran players realize that and I have taught that to these younger players. Although, we have a lot of younger players like Joseph Addai for example, Antoine Bethea that are both in their fourth year and this is their second Super Bowl. For these guys it is their own path. For me, it is very special and I understand just how unique the opportunity is.”
(on who he thinks the people of Neumann High School in New Orleans will root for) “I certainly understand people in New Orleans are Saints fans. They have outstanding fans, always have. I certainly appreciate the people of New Orleans supporting me and Eli throughout our careers. That is our hometown. It is very important to us, Eli and I that he and I continue to support New Orleans through charitable endeavors. I understand this game New Orleans people are Saints fans and I am fine with that.”
(on if you ever have too much time to prepare with having the extra week) “It is certainly a great question and I think there is a real important timeline there as to when you get that feeling, ‘hey I’m ready. I have seen enough, now it is time to go play.’ I have never put a certain deadline on having to have that feeling. Obviously you hope to get it before kickoff, but sometimes in years past and during a playoff game or a big game or maybe a season opener, sometimes it happens the Wednesday before a game or sometimes it might not happen until Saturday before the game. As I am watching tape all of a sudden you say, ‘you know what, I got a pretty good idea, I got a good feeling right now.’ That is all you want is a good feeling, going into a game. The Saints may come out and play something entirely different than what we have seen, but you have to be prepared for the unexpected, but I am still on tapes right now. I am still studying, I am still learning. This is an unfamiliar opponent. This is a team with a lot of players we have not played against in this game. So, the more you can get familiar with these guys the more comfortable you hope to feel.”
(on what teammates and coaches he relies on with in-game adjustments) “I think it is important to have good sideline communication. Howard Mudd certainly when it comes to pass protection, he is the guy that we are talking to make adjustments. I think Jeff Saturday is probably the main guy as well. We have to get it fixed on the field. Sometimes you don’t have enough time in a long series, a long drive to go to the sideline. So Jeff and I will do a lot of talking. We are certainly anticipating to be playing like a road game this (Sunday). We feel like there will probably be more Saints fans in the stands. So we feel like crowd noise will be a factor. So you have to take all that in account in preparation.”
(on his relationship with Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore) “Well, I’ll always be indebted to Tom Moore. Being my offensive coordinator for twelve years our relationship is quite strong. We have been through a lot together. I have great trust in him. I feel like I have earned his trust as well. I think that carries onto the field. He gives me great freedom out there and puts a lot of confidence in me. He tells me before the game, ‘Hey if you see something out there, you call it. You change it and I have your back.’ That puts a lot of confidence in you as a quarterback. Some coaches tell their quarterbacks, ‘Hey you can change the play, but it better work.’ That is not confidence, that is a threat. I do appreciate the confidence that Tom puts in me. He and I spend a lot of time talking together during the week about what we are thinking together. So I think we are on the same page throughout the game. I don’t think I have ever changed a play that has surprised Tom. Like I said, I have certain limitations as well. Now, I am not allowed to change to the double reverse pass back to the quarterback. I have to keep it within the system. I have said this before, I don’t know if there will ever be an assistant coach in the Hall of Fame, but if there is one, Tom Moore has got to be the first one in. He has paid his dues. His goal, at least what he has always told me, I am sure he at least had aspirations at one time to be a head coach, but his goal was to be the best assistant coach there was. He has been a coordinator most places he has been and he has been one of the top coordinators around. I will be indebted to him.”
(on the uncertainty in the offseason regarding whether Tom Moore would return) “Certainly I was aware that last year possibly could have been his last year. I am certainly aware this year probably will be his last year. I was aware of it. I just wanted there to be a plan. For awhile there was some uncertainty as to what the plan was. I just think in April, May and June those are your core months of offseason training. So the plan needs to be in place. So the fact that we were kind of in limbo was sort of the unsettling thing. We got it all worked out and obviously it has worked out well for us this year.”
(on not being outside in the stadium for this year’s Media Day) “Disappointed obviously. It is fun to be out there in that stadium. I understand they had to make the call weather wise to move it in here. I think all our players and I am sure the Saints players have our fingers crossed that the weather will be good on Sunday, no matter what happens during the week. But picture day will be outside so we’ll get a little chance to be on the field and experience it and sort of get that feeling of what the environment is going to be like next Sunday.”
(on the influence Dan Marino has been on his career) “Dan Marino has had a tremendous impact on me. Growing up my dad was my favorite player always. He retired back in ’84. I was eight years old. Dan Marino was just coming into the NFL. I think it is important to always have a favorite player at all times. A current player. I went from Archie Manning to Dan Marino. Once Dan retired Eli was just starting to play college ball so Eli Manning became my favorite player. So I have always had good favorite players, but Dan, I always loved the way he competed, loved the way he commanded the offense and he has been so supportive of me since he has retired. I asked a lot of questions of him. As an older quarterback you still have to have guys you can ask questions of. Nobody will ever throw the ball like Dan Marino. I truly consider him a friend and I value his friendship.”
(on what it would mean for the city of Indianapolis if the Colts won the Super Bowl) “The city of Indianapolis, really the whole state of Indiana, have been so supportive of our team this year. Ever since the Colts have established themselves as a contender in the NFL really since Bill Polian got here, Jim Irsay took over ownership, they have been with us the entire way. We know we couldn’t be here without them. Being able to bring another championship back to the people of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana that would be special. Part of winning three years ago that was so special was being able to share the celebration with them. It is an exciting time for our players. I know the fans are excited and we feel like we are all in this together.”
(on the feelings he had winning the Super Bowl three years ago and how he would feel to win it again) “I don’t think it will be any different if we are fortunate enough to win because I know just how special it was three years ago. Just how much work you put into it. You think about how many people have helped you get to that point. My high school coach is coming to the game on Sunday and I think about him. My college coaches. My parents how supportive they have been throughout my sports career. I think during this time you do reflect on the people that have helped you get to this point and it is an emotional time. It is an emotional week. Like I said, but it is exciting also. I think you got to have great passion to play this game and if you win it you will certainly feel emotional.”
(on the most influential person/coach for him being at this point) “It is hard to pick one. I have had so many people that have helped me in so many different phases of my life. But when it comes to sports, I have had great coaches. I really have throughout. My dad obviously has never really been one of my coaches, but he has been my role model. Always been the guy that I have gone to. My mother drove me to all my sporting events. She did her part and hugged me after every game. My parents have been great, my brothers have been great. Coaching is a unique fraternity. There is something about coaches that is special. I have had a lot of coaches that have had a big impact on me throughout my career so I am indebted to all of them.”
(on what his dad taught him about Johnny Unitas) “My dad always said that his two favorite athletes growing up were Johnny Unitas and Mickey Mantle. Obviously I wasn’t old enough to see those guys play. Hearing stories from my dad about just the kind of impact those guys had on sports, in baseball and football. I understand the significance of Unitas as a quarterback. Playing for the Colts, even though we are in Indianapolis, I still feel a connection to the Colts history. Got a chance to meet Raymond Berry, some of the former Colts players, hearing them tell stories about Unitas. Had a chance to spend a couple of evenings with John Unitas before his passing. Those were some special evenings for me. Special conversations. He was always very nice to me.”
PRESS CONFERENCE COLTS - WR REGGIE WAYNE - Ingles
Super Bowl XLIV – Tuesday, February 2, 2010
QUOTES FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESS CONFERENCE
WR REGGIE WAYNE
(On whether Peyton Manning is the best quarterback in history) “I don’t know. That’s up to you all. The only thing I can do is help build that foundation. He’s definitely one of the best, in my mind. He puts in so much heart and hard work and preparation. He just wants to be a winner and whenever you have a quarterback that wants to win and do whatever it takes to win, you want him on your team. So I’ll let you all decide if he’s the best and what his legacy is but I guarantee you if we win Sunday it would make it a lot easier for the critics to say who is.”
(On how many Super Bowls he wants to win) “The more the merrier. One thing about winning one is that you have to figure out a way to win another. It’s kind of like tattoos, it gets a little contagious after a while. In this case, two is better than one, and after you get this one, three is better than two. It never stops. It works for infinity, so hopefully we can get this job done because we understand it’s not easy.”
(On whether he has talked to his former University of Miami teammates that are on the Saints) “I haven’t talked to them yet. I’m sure I’m going to get a lot from them soon, but those are my brothers at arms and I’m looking forward to playing against them this Sunday. May the best team win.”
(On what has changed without WR Marvin Harrison) “It has changed, simply because now more attention is keyed on me. Now I’m seeing a lot more double coverage. I guess the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Every receiver wants to be the No. 1, but it comes with a lot of heartache, I must say. But I learned a lot from him and hopefully I can take that with me in this game on Sunday.”
(On the Saints defense) “They’re a scrappy bunch. They play with a lot of intensity. Those guys seem like they always find a knack for punching the ball out and creating turnovers. A lot of that is on momentum with the offense. The offense really gets those guys fired up, so you really have to do a good job of disguising coverages, changing things around. Hopefully we can do what we’ve been doing, and that’s make plays. The more plays we can make with them doing all the disguising, hopefully that can keep them sane a little bit and we can go from there.”
(On if he’s still a Saints fan) “Deep down inside I’m still a Saints fan. Growing up in New Orleans, it’s like you really have no choice. I’ve seen a lot of brown paper bags in my lifetime and just to see those guys where they are today is just outstanding, the things that they’re doing for that city. A lot of times, coming home from church with my mom and sitting down with my dad, the game was blacked out and we had to listen to the game on the radio. I’ve seen Bobby Heber, I’ve seen John Fourcade. I’ve seen so many names come through there. I remember Saturday night, getting ready for the game, wanting to see Eric Martin have a big game. So I’m a huge fan of the Saints. I always have been. It’s going to be tough to take that away from them, but just to see what those guys are doing this year and the years prior to this, keeping that city together, keeping that city on the map, it’s outstanding.”
(On the Saints having no experience of playing in the Super Bowl) “It’s been three years for us, so I guess you could say we don’t have much experience either, so that’s the beauty of it. With this game, it changes. No never know who’s going to be there, so when you do get the opportunity to be there, you have to take advantage of it and hopefully it works out to your advantage.”
(On his mentors) “I’ve got plenty of them. To be honest with you, my mentor at UM [University of Miami] is now the receivers coach for the Saints. He was my receiver coach in college, Curtis Johnson. He’s taught me a lot. He’s pretty much taught me everything I know and I’ll do my best to not let him down.”
(On the Colts’ rookies) “They’ve been big for us. They’ve been stepping up to the plate all year, making things happen. They work so hard. They want to do well. Every time you see them in meetings, they’re taking notes and doing whatever it takes to be good. That’s all you can ask for, guys that take the time out of their busy schedule and put all the focus into watching film and going on the field and making things happen. They’ve showed up for us. One thing about them is they’ve been pretty healthy all year and they’ve been able to have an opportunity to make thing happen, so we’re going to need them one more time this year. They’ve been playing big for us. After like Week 6, we told them you’re not a rookie anymore. You got your feet wet and we’re going to need you to really focus in on the task at hand and make things happen and they’ve done that all year.”
(On WR Pierre Garcon playing well despite the earthquake in Haiti) “I think that goes to show you that even in the midst of what was going on that he’s able to focus in and still play football. That’s an opportunity for him to get away from all of that stuff. You know it’s hard on him. He’s doing a good job of just maintaining and staying focused and hopefully we can be there for him at the end. We felt like if we go ahead and get this job done Sunday, then it will be a lift off his shoulders.”
(On many of his friends and family being Saints fans) “Unfortunately, that’s kind of how it is. I got a lot of ticket requests, but I’ve got to do it. I’ve got to go to work. This is how I find out who my real friends are, but it’s going to be fun. I’m glad it is this way, so a lot of my friends who don’t get a chance to see me much on TV can see me play, and at the same time, see their favorite team play. They have to make a decision. There’s no going into the game wearing a half Saints jersey, half Colts jersey. I want to see either/or.”
(On whether there are any distractions this week) “The only distraction I see is that we’ve got the guys that haven’t had this experience yet. We’ve got a young team, so we’ve got to get those guys to understand that this is a business trip, not a vacation. Hopefully we can just continue to instill in their system that Miami is going to be Miami. It will always be the same way. You’ll be even a bigger rock star if you win this game.”
(On if he’s looking forward to the game) “I am. I really feel like it’s going to be a good one for me. I’m playing a childhood team, playing in my own backyard from school. Looking at the crystal ball, it looks really bright for me.”
(On if he would root for the Saints to win the Super Bowl if the Colts weren’t in it) “Whenever I’m not in the Super Bowl, it really doesn’t matter. I do want them to win. I probably would go for the Saints. I feel like they deserve it. I really do. This is the only time of the whole year I felt like they didn’t deserve it, but those guys have done a great job putting that city together, giving everybody something to be happy about. They do a great job in the community, getting everybody together and going out and lending a hand to help out everybody. Maybe next year, or the year after that, or whenever I retire.”
(On the keys for the offense on Sunday) “Turnovers are always key. Normally the team that has the most turnovers is the team that loses. We understand that you have to take care of the ball, no matter what the situation is. You want to score as much as possible, as fast as possible and just hope that you don’t lose that turnover battle.”
(On the best part of Super Bowl XLI) “Winning. Winning, winning, winning. That was the beauty of it. It was two weeks of a bunch of media. I remember after the game was over, I’m celebrating with my teammates and it’s 15 minutes after the game and I’m still seeing Chicago Bears walking off the field. That’s a feeling that you understand is not easy to handle, so the best way to not experience that is to win the game. That’s what our focus is and hopefully we can get it done.”
QUOTES FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESS CONFERENCE
WR REGGIE WAYNE
(On whether Peyton Manning is the best quarterback in history) “I don’t know. That’s up to you all. The only thing I can do is help build that foundation. He’s definitely one of the best, in my mind. He puts in so much heart and hard work and preparation. He just wants to be a winner and whenever you have a quarterback that wants to win and do whatever it takes to win, you want him on your team. So I’ll let you all decide if he’s the best and what his legacy is but I guarantee you if we win Sunday it would make it a lot easier for the critics to say who is.”
(On how many Super Bowls he wants to win) “The more the merrier. One thing about winning one is that you have to figure out a way to win another. It’s kind of like tattoos, it gets a little contagious after a while. In this case, two is better than one, and after you get this one, three is better than two. It never stops. It works for infinity, so hopefully we can get this job done because we understand it’s not easy.”
(On whether he has talked to his former University of Miami teammates that are on the Saints) “I haven’t talked to them yet. I’m sure I’m going to get a lot from them soon, but those are my brothers at arms and I’m looking forward to playing against them this Sunday. May the best team win.”
(On what has changed without WR Marvin Harrison) “It has changed, simply because now more attention is keyed on me. Now I’m seeing a lot more double coverage. I guess the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Every receiver wants to be the No. 1, but it comes with a lot of heartache, I must say. But I learned a lot from him and hopefully I can take that with me in this game on Sunday.”
(On the Saints defense) “They’re a scrappy bunch. They play with a lot of intensity. Those guys seem like they always find a knack for punching the ball out and creating turnovers. A lot of that is on momentum with the offense. The offense really gets those guys fired up, so you really have to do a good job of disguising coverages, changing things around. Hopefully we can do what we’ve been doing, and that’s make plays. The more plays we can make with them doing all the disguising, hopefully that can keep them sane a little bit and we can go from there.”
(On if he’s still a Saints fan) “Deep down inside I’m still a Saints fan. Growing up in New Orleans, it’s like you really have no choice. I’ve seen a lot of brown paper bags in my lifetime and just to see those guys where they are today is just outstanding, the things that they’re doing for that city. A lot of times, coming home from church with my mom and sitting down with my dad, the game was blacked out and we had to listen to the game on the radio. I’ve seen Bobby Heber, I’ve seen John Fourcade. I’ve seen so many names come through there. I remember Saturday night, getting ready for the game, wanting to see Eric Martin have a big game. So I’m a huge fan of the Saints. I always have been. It’s going to be tough to take that away from them, but just to see what those guys are doing this year and the years prior to this, keeping that city together, keeping that city on the map, it’s outstanding.”
(On the Saints having no experience of playing in the Super Bowl) “It’s been three years for us, so I guess you could say we don’t have much experience either, so that’s the beauty of it. With this game, it changes. No never know who’s going to be there, so when you do get the opportunity to be there, you have to take advantage of it and hopefully it works out to your advantage.”
(On his mentors) “I’ve got plenty of them. To be honest with you, my mentor at UM [University of Miami] is now the receivers coach for the Saints. He was my receiver coach in college, Curtis Johnson. He’s taught me a lot. He’s pretty much taught me everything I know and I’ll do my best to not let him down.”
(On the Colts’ rookies) “They’ve been big for us. They’ve been stepping up to the plate all year, making things happen. They work so hard. They want to do well. Every time you see them in meetings, they’re taking notes and doing whatever it takes to be good. That’s all you can ask for, guys that take the time out of their busy schedule and put all the focus into watching film and going on the field and making things happen. They’ve showed up for us. One thing about them is they’ve been pretty healthy all year and they’ve been able to have an opportunity to make thing happen, so we’re going to need them one more time this year. They’ve been playing big for us. After like Week 6, we told them you’re not a rookie anymore. You got your feet wet and we’re going to need you to really focus in on the task at hand and make things happen and they’ve done that all year.”
(On WR Pierre Garcon playing well despite the earthquake in Haiti) “I think that goes to show you that even in the midst of what was going on that he’s able to focus in and still play football. That’s an opportunity for him to get away from all of that stuff. You know it’s hard on him. He’s doing a good job of just maintaining and staying focused and hopefully we can be there for him at the end. We felt like if we go ahead and get this job done Sunday, then it will be a lift off his shoulders.”
(On many of his friends and family being Saints fans) “Unfortunately, that’s kind of how it is. I got a lot of ticket requests, but I’ve got to do it. I’ve got to go to work. This is how I find out who my real friends are, but it’s going to be fun. I’m glad it is this way, so a lot of my friends who don’t get a chance to see me much on TV can see me play, and at the same time, see their favorite team play. They have to make a decision. There’s no going into the game wearing a half Saints jersey, half Colts jersey. I want to see either/or.”
(On whether there are any distractions this week) “The only distraction I see is that we’ve got the guys that haven’t had this experience yet. We’ve got a young team, so we’ve got to get those guys to understand that this is a business trip, not a vacation. Hopefully we can just continue to instill in their system that Miami is going to be Miami. It will always be the same way. You’ll be even a bigger rock star if you win this game.”
(On if he’s looking forward to the game) “I am. I really feel like it’s going to be a good one for me. I’m playing a childhood team, playing in my own backyard from school. Looking at the crystal ball, it looks really bright for me.”
(On if he would root for the Saints to win the Super Bowl if the Colts weren’t in it) “Whenever I’m not in the Super Bowl, it really doesn’t matter. I do want them to win. I probably would go for the Saints. I feel like they deserve it. I really do. This is the only time of the whole year I felt like they didn’t deserve it, but those guys have done a great job putting that city together, giving everybody something to be happy about. They do a great job in the community, getting everybody together and going out and lending a hand to help out everybody. Maybe next year, or the year after that, or whenever I retire.”
(On the keys for the offense on Sunday) “Turnovers are always key. Normally the team that has the most turnovers is the team that loses. We understand that you have to take care of the ball, no matter what the situation is. You want to score as much as possible, as fast as possible and just hope that you don’t lose that turnover battle.”
(On the best part of Super Bowl XLI) “Winning. Winning, winning, winning. That was the beauty of it. It was two weeks of a bunch of media. I remember after the game was over, I’m celebrating with my teammates and it’s 15 minutes after the game and I’m still seeing Chicago Bears walking off the field. That’s a feeling that you understand is not easy to handle, so the best way to not experience that is to win the game. That’s what our focus is and hopefully we can get it done.”
PRESS CONFERENCE COLTS - TE DALLAS CLARK - Ingles
Super Bowl XLIV – Tuesday, February 2, 2010
QUOTES FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESS CONFERENCE
TE DALLAS CLARK
(on the tight end position) “The thing about being a tight end, you can line up in a lot of different positions, you can do a lot of different things, especially in this offense. I can be in the backfield. I can be out wide and try to act like a receiver sometimes and be in with the big guys (offensive line) and try to block big defensive ends. I just love the versatility of the position and being able to do different things. Each week you do different things and that’s what I enjoy the most about the position.”
(on the evolution of the tight end position) “It’s changed a lot, even before I got here. The position has gone in a direction where it has given people like me – I’m not 270 (pounds) or a glorified tackle. It’s one of those things that gives a guy like me who probably can’t block every play. I’m not going to be blowing any defensive end off the line of scrimmage or driving anyone back. It just gives us a chance to give the offense a different option and defenses and different thing to try to defend.”
(on how the tight end position has changed) “It’s been accelerated even before I got here. (Antonio) Gates and (Tony) Gonzalez really opened up the gates. Jason Witten and the guys have done a good job of taking advantage of an opportunity. Offensive coordinators have done a great job of trying to utilize tight ends. The last few years, tight ends’ productivity has gone up a lot. Offenses are trying to incorporate them as much as possible, especially when you have guys like Gonzales and Gates. Those guys have done a great job of helping their offense with another weapon.”
(on whether he has improved on blocking) “It’s gotten better. It’s a consistent improvement. I’m trying to get as good as I can get.”
(on using good technique to play the tight end position) “That’s one of the things we harp on as a team and at the position. A guy like me – I have to have good techniques and fundamentals because I’m not bigger than any guy out there. You have to use that a lot. It’s a constant challenge, but it’s a good challenge to have.”
(on what he remembers about facing the Dolphins earlier this season) “A lot has happened since then. We have gone through a lot of different changes as a team. We’ve experienced a lot of things as a team. That’s what we needed to do. We needed to grow and mature as a team and get that bond. Week two was way too early to have any idea of what the team was made of and what we were about. We learned a lot about ourselves. We had a lot of close games. We had games where we had to come back. We had games that the defense won for us, that the offense won for us, specials teams. Everyone contributed. That’s what’s special about this team. The fact that we’ve been able to win different ways has been an important season by having to depend on everyone. We weren’t banking on one phase to win games. We had everyone contributing. That’s a solid thing.
(on whether anything is different this year as opposed to the last time the Colts were in the Super Bowl) “Nothing really, I think our maturity level is higher. Going to the hotel, it’s not new anymore. We’ve done this. It’s been a real easy transition from going to working out in Indy then coming down here – being in the same hotel and pretty much doing the same thing. It’s been a real nice transition. Last time we came down here everything was new. Having experienced this, you adapt a little bit easier. It definitely helps the guys who have been here. Hopefully the rookies, Pierre (Garcon) and Austin (Collie) take this all in because this is what it’s about. It’s a special day.”
(on what he likes about Super Bowl week) “Take it day-by-day and enjoy every event and every little thing, but don’t get too involved with it. Take it for what it’s worth and keep focused on the game and your job. The more you can do that the better.”
(on wide receiver Austin Collie) “It’s one of those things that each year it is going to be something new for him. He has done a good job of taking every new experience and situation as a true professional. Both him and Pierre (Garcon) have done a great job of having a huge playoff game and staying humble, aggressive and wanting to learn more and get better. The great thing about those guys is that they know that they don’t have it figured out. They’re still learning. That’s a sign of a good, humble athlete that’s going to keep working hard, not let the attention get to them and think that they’ve arrived and that they can take a couple of days off. They’re still hungry and trying to get better as a player.”
(on how much he has to be aware of Saints safety Darren Sharper) “He has a good nose for the ball. He is a physical player. A lot of those guys back there have done a great job of finding the ball. When they have a chance to make a play, they’ve made it. They’ve done a great job for the defense to make plays. Those are the biggest things that you have to pay attention to. You have to fight like crazy to get open. They are good physical coverage guys and they definitely know how to cause pressure.”
(on the chemistry of the Colts and the overall organization) “It’s a lot of things. It’s a good chemistry of a bunch of great guys. Everyone in the locker room gets along. Everyone is a phenomenal teammate. Everyone has the right focus, the frame of mind and goals in life. When you combine all of that with competitive and athletic players, it’s been a good chemistry. The guys have done a great job of trying to improve every day. Collectively, we’ve been getting better as a team. Mix that with coaches who have been around and seen any and everything. They know each other really well. You can go even higher with coach (Jim) Caldwell and our owner Mr. (Jim) Irsay, everyone is on the same page and is there for the same purpose. It’s a really good chemistry that we have. The players have done a great job. The leaders have done a great job of leading. The young guys have done a great job of learning their role as a player.”
(on head coach Jim Caldwell) “Coach Caldwell is a very strong Christian. It’s one of those things that Coach (Tony) Dungy had more opportunities to express his faith, but Coach Caldwell has done a great job of continuing that within the team.”
(on whether teams are shying away from running the ball) “Teams strive for balance. The most successful team is the team that can beat you both ways. Passing is more glorified, but sometimes those five yard runs are just as effective as 30 yard runs. There are different ways to move the ball. New Orleans offense can be effective running the ball as easily as passing it. They’re more of a threat than a one dimensional team. The more you can be multi-dimensional as an offense the tougher you are for defenses.”
(on the Colts offense lacking a balance) “We don’t run the ball as well as we throw the ball, but we run the ball good enough that it makes defenses have to respect us. You have to respect (running backs) Joe (Joseph) Addai and Donald Brown. Those guys have done a phenomenal job. They’re not getting the carries that other (running) backs on some other teams are getting. The chances they get, they’re getting a first down, they’re running hard, they’re hitting defenders and being physical backs and doing everything the team has called them to do.”
(on former Colts running back Edgerrin James being an honorary captain for the AFC title game) “That was the first time that we’ve seen him. He’s been down here with his family. It was phenomenal to see him. He is such an important part of this team. He has done so much for the organization and is such a great guy. For him to come back and be a captain, it meant a lot to the guys in the locker room and especially Indianapolis. Everyone was excited to see him. He’s a true professional. He did so many great things for the city of Indianapolis.”
(on this year’s media day) “We’re inside, but it’s a very similar environment – the craziness of all the questions. Experiencing it a few years ago makes it a little bit easier. Last time it was pretty impressive to see all those people. Once you see it once you kind of get used to it. The shock factor has gone down a little bit experiencing it the second time.”
(on whether he enjoys Media Day) “It’s fun, as long as you don’t have to talk about Peyton (Manning) all the time. Obviously that’s one of the popular questions, but this is what you have to enjoy. It’s crazy. All these people here for us and New Orleans. It’s part of this week-long process that makes this week a special week.”
(on playing his second Super Bowl in Miami) “It’s a great place to have this event. It’s a beautiful stadium and beautiful weather, minus the rain. It’s very similar. Hopefully everything will be the same, minus the rain. It’s been a great place to come back to.”
(on Head Coach Jim Caldwell’s first year as a head coach) “I think he did a great job of sitting back, when he got the job, and seeing things that worked and things that he wanted to change. He didn’t come in and clean the closet and say, ‘This is how I’m going to do things. This is how things are going to be run.’ He did a great job of tweaking this here and there. We had success the past few years so he didn’t really want to go crazy and change a lot of things. He did a great job of changing a few things here and there. He made it an easier transition of a new coach for the players. That was the most important part. The guys have done a great job of cooperating and meeting him halfway. It’s one of the best transitions possible, if you’re going to change the head coach.”
(on how his role changes) “It changes in different ways. For the Jets game we were hoping to run a few more routes, but I ended up blocking a lot of the game. A lot of things change as the game continues as we figure out how teams try to defend us. We can go in with a certain game plan, thinking we’re going to do this or feature this, and then all of a sudden teams do this or have a little wrinkle and we have to adjust. You never know. Hopefully we don’t have to adjust so I have to protect more, but you never know.”
(on whether he can see himself with eight-plus catches on Sunday) “That would be nice. I would enjoy that, but we just see what they do and adjust from there. We see what kind of game they want it to be.”
(on his purpose in life) “To have an impact on people and have a positive influence on as many people as possible.”
(on Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon) “They’ve had a huge impact and have done a great job of handling the complexity of the offense. They have handled the pressure of stepping in and making plays. They’ve done a great job of that all year. It’s impressive to see that from young players because it takes a couple of years to feel comfortable. The good thing about them is that they know they have a lot more to learn and a lot more to feel comfortable with, but they’ve done a great job of handling every situation and adapting the offense. It’s special to see them having a huge game as a playoff game. They fully deserve that for all the hard work they put in.”
(on whether he babies Collie and Garcon) “I wouldn’t say ‘baby.’ I don’t think they would respect that word too much, but mentor and help out a little bit. (Wide receiver) Reggie (Wayne) has done a phenomenal job with those guys and has helped them with questions. Any questions that they come to ask us, we’re going to be there to help because we’re teammates. The more they get it, the quicker they respond, the better they’ll be. Everyone has done a great job of expecting a lot out of them. In return they have done a lot.”
QUOTES FROM INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRESS CONFERENCE
TE DALLAS CLARK
(on the tight end position) “The thing about being a tight end, you can line up in a lot of different positions, you can do a lot of different things, especially in this offense. I can be in the backfield. I can be out wide and try to act like a receiver sometimes and be in with the big guys (offensive line) and try to block big defensive ends. I just love the versatility of the position and being able to do different things. Each week you do different things and that’s what I enjoy the most about the position.”
(on the evolution of the tight end position) “It’s changed a lot, even before I got here. The position has gone in a direction where it has given people like me – I’m not 270 (pounds) or a glorified tackle. It’s one of those things that gives a guy like me who probably can’t block every play. I’m not going to be blowing any defensive end off the line of scrimmage or driving anyone back. It just gives us a chance to give the offense a different option and defenses and different thing to try to defend.”
(on how the tight end position has changed) “It’s been accelerated even before I got here. (Antonio) Gates and (Tony) Gonzalez really opened up the gates. Jason Witten and the guys have done a good job of taking advantage of an opportunity. Offensive coordinators have done a great job of trying to utilize tight ends. The last few years, tight ends’ productivity has gone up a lot. Offenses are trying to incorporate them as much as possible, especially when you have guys like Gonzales and Gates. Those guys have done a great job of helping their offense with another weapon.”
(on whether he has improved on blocking) “It’s gotten better. It’s a consistent improvement. I’m trying to get as good as I can get.”
(on using good technique to play the tight end position) “That’s one of the things we harp on as a team and at the position. A guy like me – I have to have good techniques and fundamentals because I’m not bigger than any guy out there. You have to use that a lot. It’s a constant challenge, but it’s a good challenge to have.”
(on what he remembers about facing the Dolphins earlier this season) “A lot has happened since then. We have gone through a lot of different changes as a team. We’ve experienced a lot of things as a team. That’s what we needed to do. We needed to grow and mature as a team and get that bond. Week two was way too early to have any idea of what the team was made of and what we were about. We learned a lot about ourselves. We had a lot of close games. We had games where we had to come back. We had games that the defense won for us, that the offense won for us, specials teams. Everyone contributed. That’s what’s special about this team. The fact that we’ve been able to win different ways has been an important season by having to depend on everyone. We weren’t banking on one phase to win games. We had everyone contributing. That’s a solid thing.
(on whether anything is different this year as opposed to the last time the Colts were in the Super Bowl) “Nothing really, I think our maturity level is higher. Going to the hotel, it’s not new anymore. We’ve done this. It’s been a real easy transition from going to working out in Indy then coming down here – being in the same hotel and pretty much doing the same thing. It’s been a real nice transition. Last time we came down here everything was new. Having experienced this, you adapt a little bit easier. It definitely helps the guys who have been here. Hopefully the rookies, Pierre (Garcon) and Austin (Collie) take this all in because this is what it’s about. It’s a special day.”
(on what he likes about Super Bowl week) “Take it day-by-day and enjoy every event and every little thing, but don’t get too involved with it. Take it for what it’s worth and keep focused on the game and your job. The more you can do that the better.”
(on wide receiver Austin Collie) “It’s one of those things that each year it is going to be something new for him. He has done a good job of taking every new experience and situation as a true professional. Both him and Pierre (Garcon) have done a great job of having a huge playoff game and staying humble, aggressive and wanting to learn more and get better. The great thing about those guys is that they know that they don’t have it figured out. They’re still learning. That’s a sign of a good, humble athlete that’s going to keep working hard, not let the attention get to them and think that they’ve arrived and that they can take a couple of days off. They’re still hungry and trying to get better as a player.”
(on how much he has to be aware of Saints safety Darren Sharper) “He has a good nose for the ball. He is a physical player. A lot of those guys back there have done a great job of finding the ball. When they have a chance to make a play, they’ve made it. They’ve done a great job for the defense to make plays. Those are the biggest things that you have to pay attention to. You have to fight like crazy to get open. They are good physical coverage guys and they definitely know how to cause pressure.”
(on the chemistry of the Colts and the overall organization) “It’s a lot of things. It’s a good chemistry of a bunch of great guys. Everyone in the locker room gets along. Everyone is a phenomenal teammate. Everyone has the right focus, the frame of mind and goals in life. When you combine all of that with competitive and athletic players, it’s been a good chemistry. The guys have done a great job of trying to improve every day. Collectively, we’ve been getting better as a team. Mix that with coaches who have been around and seen any and everything. They know each other really well. You can go even higher with coach (Jim) Caldwell and our owner Mr. (Jim) Irsay, everyone is on the same page and is there for the same purpose. It’s a really good chemistry that we have. The players have done a great job. The leaders have done a great job of leading. The young guys have done a great job of learning their role as a player.”
(on head coach Jim Caldwell) “Coach Caldwell is a very strong Christian. It’s one of those things that Coach (Tony) Dungy had more opportunities to express his faith, but Coach Caldwell has done a great job of continuing that within the team.”
(on whether teams are shying away from running the ball) “Teams strive for balance. The most successful team is the team that can beat you both ways. Passing is more glorified, but sometimes those five yard runs are just as effective as 30 yard runs. There are different ways to move the ball. New Orleans offense can be effective running the ball as easily as passing it. They’re more of a threat than a one dimensional team. The more you can be multi-dimensional as an offense the tougher you are for defenses.”
(on the Colts offense lacking a balance) “We don’t run the ball as well as we throw the ball, but we run the ball good enough that it makes defenses have to respect us. You have to respect (running backs) Joe (Joseph) Addai and Donald Brown. Those guys have done a phenomenal job. They’re not getting the carries that other (running) backs on some other teams are getting. The chances they get, they’re getting a first down, they’re running hard, they’re hitting defenders and being physical backs and doing everything the team has called them to do.”
(on former Colts running back Edgerrin James being an honorary captain for the AFC title game) “That was the first time that we’ve seen him. He’s been down here with his family. It was phenomenal to see him. He is such an important part of this team. He has done so much for the organization and is such a great guy. For him to come back and be a captain, it meant a lot to the guys in the locker room and especially Indianapolis. Everyone was excited to see him. He’s a true professional. He did so many great things for the city of Indianapolis.”
(on this year’s media day) “We’re inside, but it’s a very similar environment – the craziness of all the questions. Experiencing it a few years ago makes it a little bit easier. Last time it was pretty impressive to see all those people. Once you see it once you kind of get used to it. The shock factor has gone down a little bit experiencing it the second time.”
(on whether he enjoys Media Day) “It’s fun, as long as you don’t have to talk about Peyton (Manning) all the time. Obviously that’s one of the popular questions, but this is what you have to enjoy. It’s crazy. All these people here for us and New Orleans. It’s part of this week-long process that makes this week a special week.”
(on playing his second Super Bowl in Miami) “It’s a great place to have this event. It’s a beautiful stadium and beautiful weather, minus the rain. It’s very similar. Hopefully everything will be the same, minus the rain. It’s been a great place to come back to.”
(on Head Coach Jim Caldwell’s first year as a head coach) “I think he did a great job of sitting back, when he got the job, and seeing things that worked and things that he wanted to change. He didn’t come in and clean the closet and say, ‘This is how I’m going to do things. This is how things are going to be run.’ He did a great job of tweaking this here and there. We had success the past few years so he didn’t really want to go crazy and change a lot of things. He did a great job of changing a few things here and there. He made it an easier transition of a new coach for the players. That was the most important part. The guys have done a great job of cooperating and meeting him halfway. It’s one of the best transitions possible, if you’re going to change the head coach.”
(on how his role changes) “It changes in different ways. For the Jets game we were hoping to run a few more routes, but I ended up blocking a lot of the game. A lot of things change as the game continues as we figure out how teams try to defend us. We can go in with a certain game plan, thinking we’re going to do this or feature this, and then all of a sudden teams do this or have a little wrinkle and we have to adjust. You never know. Hopefully we don’t have to adjust so I have to protect more, but you never know.”
(on whether he can see himself with eight-plus catches on Sunday) “That would be nice. I would enjoy that, but we just see what they do and adjust from there. We see what kind of game they want it to be.”
(on his purpose in life) “To have an impact on people and have a positive influence on as many people as possible.”
(on Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon) “They’ve had a huge impact and have done a great job of handling the complexity of the offense. They have handled the pressure of stepping in and making plays. They’ve done a great job of that all year. It’s impressive to see that from young players because it takes a couple of years to feel comfortable. The good thing about them is that they know they have a lot more to learn and a lot more to feel comfortable with, but they’ve done a great job of handling every situation and adapting the offense. It’s special to see them having a huge game as a playoff game. They fully deserve that for all the hard work they put in.”
(on whether he babies Collie and Garcon) “I wouldn’t say ‘baby.’ I don’t think they would respect that word too much, but mentor and help out a little bit. (Wide receiver) Reggie (Wayne) has done a phenomenal job with those guys and has helped them with questions. Any questions that they come to ask us, we’re going to be there to help because we’re teammates. The more they get it, the quicker they respond, the better they’ll be. Everyone has done a great job of expecting a lot out of them. In return they have done a lot.”
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