Player Reaction

[DefenseRules]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

September 12, 2007
Vrabel reaction
By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff
FOXBOROUGH -- Outside linebacker Mike Vrabel, one of the team's seven captains, answered questions in the locker room today.

Some of the Q&A:

What is your reaction to what is going on with the sideline camera?
"I think everything has been stated, pretty much, by Bill and other guys on this team. I think that if we start focusing on what happened last week, we're going to be in big trouble because we have a big test with LT and the boys coming in. They're good. They're as good as advertised."

Cheating is such a broad term. To be put in that category as a team, how does that make you feel?
"I'm confident in what I do. I prepare for the games and how I go out and approach the game and play the game, so I wouldn't label myself a cheater."

Do you feel embarassed for the organization for having to deal with these accusations?
"I don't feel embarassed for anything we do. I think we go out and try to prepare as players, we work hard, we put a lot into, year-round. We try to go out and win the game."

Is it an insult that people might think extra help could be needed?
"I think where our focus is right now, and where it's been since Sunday after the game, is we said this is one game and we're moving on to the Chargers. That's what we've been looking at since Monday night, since we've been able to get the film of them in the Bears game."

How tough is it to do that with all of this going on?
"It's not hard at all. We did it this morning. And we're going to do it in five minutes when this media session is over with. We're going to go back and we're going out on the practice field and take a look at the Chargers."

Would you be upset if you found out you unknowingly had an unfair advantage? Would it big you?
"I don't think it would necessarily bug me. I just think, as players, we have to do our job and our part as the players. And go out there and try to execute the call we may get, whatever that may be. Going forward this week, I think we're probably going to have to make some adjustments to what we did last year, because it wasn't good enough in the run game last year, the way they were able to run the ball and move the ball pretty much at will against us."

[Inaudible question about defensive signals]
"I think going forward, we don't know what San Diego is going to do. We have a pretty good idea. The signals for them would be a lot of LaDainian Tomlinson, a lot of [Antonio] Gates, sprinkled in with a little bit of Michael Turner. Those are the guys we'll have to definitely stop and guys we've had problems with in this past."

How will this affect your relationship with Eric Mangini?
"I guess we'll find out the next time we play them. Unless he's coaching for the Chargers, which he's not, I don't plan on seeing him this weekend."



Posted By: mreiss | Time: 12:02:13 PM | Link | E-mail to a friend

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...007/09/12/wilfork_tale_of_tape_is_no_concern/

We're not even paying attention to that," Wilfork said. "At the end of the day, it all boils down to one thing: Can we win football games? That's how we're looking at it.

"Whatever happens there, it happens. It's time to move on. It won't stop us from getting done what we need to get done, point blank.

"The only thing on our mind now is San Diego. Whatever they have going on with that whole incident, they have going on. But we have to get ready for an 8:30 game Sunday night against a good football team."

Wilfork was asked if he agreed with comments made by owner Robert Kraft that the Patriots are a target for other teams because of their success.

"Everybody wants to beat the Patriots, no matter what it is, they want to catch us," he said. "We have a reputation of winning and everyone wants to know how you get that reputation for winning.

"We really don't care about all the stuff going on. Our job is to go out and play football, and win football games. That's the only thing I'm worried about.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Boy, they sound devastated...

This is a pimple on the ass of their week 2 media dealings, nothing more or less. These guys are pros, that's what attracted them to Bill and visa versa. They have tunnel vision that kicks in week 1. Try as they might, the Mangini and the jealous naysayers of the world and the media can't distract them.

 

[Kdo5]

Cool...my only real concern was if the players would be distracted and angry(at the staff). Doesn't seem they are but then again its just two players.

 

[DefenseRules]

More player reaction

September 12, 2007
Hobbs reaction
By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff
FOXBOROUGH -- Cornerback Ellis Hobbs answered questions from reporters in the locker room today.

Some of the Q&A:

Do you feel let down by the coaching staff that they would get caught filming illegally?
"You can do whatever you want with the coaches or whatever happened. I don't even know all the specifics, but at the end of the day the players are out there playing making the plays. We have nothing to do with that, so I have nothing to comment on."

LT said the Patriots motto is if you're not cheating you're not trying...
"I don't know. I'm not going to get into the mudslinging and all that. From what he said last year as far as class we're trying to keep it a little bit more class. Let's leave it at that. We're trying to keep class, so let's leave it at that."

Doesn't bother you guys to hear that some people call you cheaters?
"None of that stuff bothers me. We work too long and too hard in doing what we do. I didn't sit up here in the summer, 12-plus hours a day, training camp ... to bet a whole game on a hand signal. The preparation that we take into games trying to find the edge the right way as far as I go and my players and my teammates and coaches and whatever. Whatever was done with Bill he's made amends with and he's handling it the way he needs to handle it, so leave it alone."

When Philip Rivers called you one of the sorriest corners in the league does something like that stick with you?
"I just keep playing my game, as quickly as he said it is as quickly as it left. That was all out of emotion. Jesus, my Lord and Savior got talked about and people starting hittting him with stones, so what makes me any different. Just brush all that off. I'm not trying to be as comical as I'm sounding right now, but you have to be a professional about it and understand it was a very emotional game and words are said and some words aren't meant to be said. There are some things I wish I hadn't done in that game, but you know we're moving on and it's 2007, so we have to play this year."

On apologizing to the Chargers and how he did it
"No, [I didn't get them over the phone]. I made my amends with you guys in the media. I publically said I was wrong. I'll leave it at that. I personally know a couple of those guys over there, the punter, Mike Scifres, [linebacker] Tim Dobbins, I don't LT that well or anybody like that, but I justified myself in making amends with the media. I did it publically, so I can talk about it publicly."

 

[Bella*chick]

I love Ellis Hobbs.

 

[WhiZa]

I would love to hear a Harrison interview right about now

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Ha!

Vrabel is a frick'n genious... he cracks me up. The question about defensive signals that he turns into what defensive players they need to defend is only out-done by his reaction to the Mangini question... unless he suddenly the coach of SD, then I don't plan on seeing him this week.

I love it! He totally blew off their questions and gave them meaningful responses to the questions they should have been asking.

 

[DefenseRules]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

September 12, 2007
Pats reaction
By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff
FOXBOROUGH -- Running back Kevin Faulk, one of the Patriots' seven captains, said coach Bill Belichick spoke to the team this morning and addressed the NFL's investigation of the club.

"He aplogized to the players for what happened, but at the same time he let us know right then and there that was it," Faulk said. "This is not what we're focusing on. We got a game to play against the San Diego Chargers."
Left tackle Matt Light was asked if he would be bothered that people might put a mark on the Patriots' three Super Bowl championships based on the investigation.

"People can look back and say whatever they want, I'm just lucky enough that I know the truth and I was there," Light answered.

What is the truth?

"The truth is what I know I've done and accomplished," he said. "I don't mix either one of those two. People can say whatever they want about anything. I stay out of all the 'what ifs?'"

Faulk was asked about studying signals and if it was part of gamesmanship in the NFL.

"I haven't the slightest idea. I didn't know anything about it. I don't want to know anything about it," he said. "We're going to suffer our penalty and that's it. We play football on the field. We don't do any of the other stuff.

"The first thing on our mind is addressing the San Diego Chargers. The video tape scandal? Hey, whatever happens, it happens with that. Our mindset right now is the San Diego Chargers. We're not playing against a video tape. We're playing against the San Diego Chargers, which has a pretty good team."

 

[Pujo]

Ha!

Vrabel is a frick'n genious... he cracks me up. The question about defensive signals that he turns into what defensive players they need to defend is only out-done by his reaction to the Mangini question... unless he suddenly the coach of SD, then I don't plan on seeing him this week.

I love it! He totally blew off their questions and gave them meaningful responses to the questions they should have been asking.

Lol, I think he had Belichick sending him hand signals during that interview.