Post by jetstream23 on Sept 17, 2015 3:10:23 GMT -5
Didn't see this posted. Some really good stuff in here. Bunch of characters on that OLine.
nypost.com/2015/09/12/ryan-fitzpatrick-on-ny-mangolds-mustache-and-wifes-facebook-claim/
Ryan Fitzpatrick on NY, Mangold’s mustache and wife’s Facebook claim
Q: What are you like in the huddle?
A: I’ve pretty much played with everybody in the NFL now, so you can probably ask anybody (smile). But pretty laid-back … definitely crack a joke here or there depending on the mood, but I would say I’m just pretty laid-back.
Q: What’s the best joke you think you’ve ever told in the huddle?
A: (Laugh) Usually, as long as nobody in the huddle’s mic’d up, we’ll crack jokes at guys in the defensive huddle. Stuff like that, but there’s nothing we can put in print.
Q: Do you ever get angry in the huddle?
A: Not really, no.
Q: Describe your on-field mentality.
A: I don’t like sliding feet first, A, because I’m not good at it, and B, because I always feel like when you slide feet first, they put the ball down where the ball is when you start your slide. When you dive headfirst, they put the ball down pretty much when I fall awkwardly to the ground, so it’s an extra few yards, which to me makes a big difference in a game, so my mentality would be, “Do whatever it takes to win.”
Q: You’ve always loved the guys that you’ve played with.
A: I just have a lot of fun playing the game. I think football’s a game where there’s a ton of adversity, and so working with a group of guys towards a common goal, I think there’s a lot of fun in that. I think you really get to find out who a person really is in times of adversity, or even times where you haven’t been winning a lot of games, who still shows up every day to work? I haven’t had too many that I’ll look back and say I didn’t enjoy playing with ’cause I think I can bring out the best in a lot of people.
Q: How do you do that?
A: I’ve played with a lot of different people, a lot of different personalities, and so, a lot of it isn’t even on the field, it’s just off the field in the way that we’re able to develop relationships and all that. I feel like that’s one of my strengths.
Q: What drives you?
A: I think it’s changed over the years. I think, even back to college, and not really getting recruited to go to college, I think the naysayers, probably that was a driving force for me. I think early on in my NFL career, it was the same thing. But I think it’s shifted now. There’s still plenty of people that are naysayers, but that doesn’t bother me or drive me very much anymore. I think it’s more my teammates and my family. I’ve got two boys — one’s 8 and one’s 6 — so the dynamic of kind of me and my personality and what I play for has probably shifted a little bit. Every time I go out there, I want to make sure that what I’m doing makes my kids proud, that I’m doing the right thing, that I’m providing a good example for them. And that really is something that I think about when I practice and when I play now.
Q: Why do you think you’ve had naysayers every step of the way, really?
A: It’s been different at each level. High school, I don’t know if my size was prototypical. … I grew a little bit in college, but I didn’t have the prototypical size, I didn’t have the arm strength. But the things that I’ve always relied on are toughness and the mental side of the game. And that’s not just the Xs and Os, it’s overcoming adversity and those type of things. I just think those are two of the qualities I’ve always had, and two things that have helped me overcome everything.
Q: You strike me as a half-glass-full guy. Is that right?
A: Yeah, I would say so. I don’t let things bother me. I always look for the good in things, and in people. I think my wife is definitely like that too, and so we work well together because of that. There’s so many things in this world and in football specifically that you can’t control, and so, to have a positive outlook and to keep a positive attitude is really important.
Q: Describe Nick Mangold.
A: Incredibly smart, relaxed, calm … great hair … mustache is OK, beard game is strong. Tremendous husband and father. He loves the game of football, but he also has a lot of fun.
Q: Mangold reminds me a little bit of you as far as sense of humor and …
A: We’ve hit it off. We get along real well. You need a center that’s calm, that’s been there … so on the field and off the field, our personalities are pretty similar.
Q: Willie Colon.
A: (Laugh) A large human being, tenacious … a lot of miles on that body … heavy breather.
Q: Heavy breather?
A: Heavy breather … likes to pant when he gets tired. … Warrior, absolute warrior, somebody you want in your huddle. … Very loyal guy.
Q: Breno Giacomini.
A: Breno’s hilarious. He’s maybe the funniest guy in that O-Line room. Keeps it light. He’s got a mean streak to him on the field. But again, loyalty pops into my mind for him. Tenacious competitor. Sometimes he’s got a pretty thick Boston accent. Only sometimes (smile).
Q: James Carpenter.
A: Carp [is] very quiet, keeps to himself. Gets the job done. … I’m still trying to figure Carp out, to be honest. I know he doesn’t like bears. … Carp is just chill, that’s a good word for him.
Q: D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
A: Brick was a huge surprise for me, because Brick is extremely laid-back. He’s extremely thoughtful. He never has a bad thing to say about anybody. Doesn’t want to listen to or participate in any sort of negativity. He commands respect just from his presence. He’s well-respected in the locker room, and obviously, very durable. He’s a guy that’s a little bit tough to get to know at first ’cause he’s kind of a quiet, reserved guy, but there are a lot of different depths and layers to D’Brickashaw Ferguson. He’s a very interesting guy.
Q: Brandon Marshall.
A: I didn’t know the old Brandon Marshall. All I know of Brandon is from this year. He’s a lot of fun to work with every single day. Very intelligent football player. He’s also a Harvard graduate — he was just there for four days — but he went to the Coop [bookstore] and bought a bunch of gear, Harvard graduate, 2014. He likes thinking outside the box. He likes in-depth conversations off the field. He’s a very interesting guy. But on the field, he’s a fierce competitor, he’s a little bit of a spaz. He’s experienced, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s tough. And he’s got the right look in his eye in the huddle.
Q: What do you mean by spaz?
A: He gets excited, especially in pregame — giddy like a schoolgirl almost.
Q: How are you going to rein him in? He can be mercurial, I guess is the word.
A: The biggest thing with him is almost over communication, just making sure that we’re always talking and always on the same page. Brandon’s gonna speak his mind, he’s gonna tell me exactly what he thinks, and for me, at this point in my career, that’s what I want to hear, and I’ll do the same exact thing to him. We’re very open and honest with each other, and I think that’s important.
Q: Eric Decker.
A: Beautiful … great hair … nice stubble. I’ve had a lot of females ask me about him when I got traded to the Jets. He’s deceptive as a receiver in that when I came here, he fit the mold of every scouting report written in America, and all the stereotypes of possession receiver, and good hands, and smart. And he’s all those things, but he’s able to make plays down the field. He’s got a great understanding of defenses, and he’s also got a great understanding of what we’re trying to get accomplished on each and every play. He’s got a great work ethic. He really relishes in the role of being a father. He’s always on FaceTime talking to his wife and his daughter.
Q: Chan Gailey.
A: Very dry sense of humor. Usually takes guys about a year to a year-and-a-half to start understanding that he’s joking with them. We’ve got similar senses of humor. I think that’s part of what makes us mesh together. He obviously has a lot of experience in the game of football, he really enjoys coaching. He also really enjoys golf and being a grandfather. He’s a really good golfer. Way better than I am. Played Augusta a bunch. Loves Georgia. And he’s always been very loyal to me. He was the first guy that believed in me and gave me a chance, and so I’ll always appreciate him for that.
Q: How many times has Darrelle Revis intercepted you?
A: I can only remember two off the top of my head, but Revis has picked me, [Antonio] Cromartie’s picked me, David Harris has picked me, Calvin Pace has picked me. … I might have thrown Calvin Pace his only pick in his career (smile).
Q: Tell me about the Destiny’s Child video you did in high school.
A: It was a class project for like an English class in high school. That’s about as far into it as I can get (smile).
Q: Your two weeks working at Wendy’s.
A: In high school I worked at Wendy’s for a couple of weeks as a summer job. I think I got half off for lunch, but I never made any money ’cause I always ate a huge lunch there. I only worked two or three hours a day for five bucks an hour or whatever it was at the time. But I got a cool Wendy’s polo out of the deal (smile).
Q: Do you remember accidentally not putting a hamburger inside the bun at the drive-thru?
A: I think I was working there when that happened. I don’t know if I was the one that was at fault. I did not take responsibility for it. However, it did happen while I was there, yes. Somebody in the drive-thru came back and said, “I didn’t get a burger in my…”
Q: What was it like picking up prescriptions for legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach?
A: That was really cool. So Danny Ainge, being the GM of the Celtics when I was at Harvard — I played high school basketball with his sons — so that’s how I knew Danny. Asked him if I could intern with the Celtics, just an unpaid internship to help out and do whatever, and really just be part of it, and it was really cool picking up prescriptions for Red. The only time I ever met him, I was in the building, and you just smelled smoke. And everybody was like, “All right, Red’s here,” because he’d smoke cigars in the building, and nobody was gonna tell him no, you know?
Q: And you also would pick up prospects, right?
A: I would pick up these guys that were 7-feet tall. It was crazy, it was fun.
Q: Is it true your wife, Liza, claims she was the first person ever to sign up for Facebook?
A: (Smile) She claims top 10. The story behind that is Facebook started at Harvard, OK? They sent out the invite email to Harvard students like on a Sunday morning, or Saturday morning, and my wife worked at the library at 6 a.m. on the particular Saturday or Sunday morning. So she saw the email right away, whereas when you’re in college, nobody else is really up at 6 a.m. reading emails. So she signed up right away, she invited all of her roommates, her friends, so she was one of the first for sure.
Q: Describe your fascination with Apple and Steve Jobs.
A: I’ve always been a little bit of a tech junkie. And I waited for probably at least first four iPhone launches, I waited in line, for the experience, and because of the excitement, and stood in line to be one of the first ones to get the phone. Before the pre-ordering was big.
Q: If you could pick the brain of one quarterback in history, who would it be?
A: I think it would be Peyton [Manning]. … He’s obviously had an amazing run. He’s so comfortable in the system that he runs, ’cause he’s done it his whole career, and it’s essentially been 17 years of him just adding stuff to it every year and getting better and better and better. And so I just think it would be a really interesting conversation to have because of the layers and layers of knowledge and depth that he has.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Abraham Lincoln, Magic Johnson, Napoleon.
Q: Napoleon?
A: Abraham Lincoln’s pretty tall, Magic Johnson’s pretty tall. … I don’t want to be the shortest one there.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Good Will Hunting.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Robert Downey Jr.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Meg Ryan.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: My wife’s chicken squares.
Q: Favorite New York City things?
A: The Lego store.
Q: Favorite class at Harvard?
A: The American presidency.
Q: Describe playing in the New York market.
A: I have to do more sit-down interviews, I guess. I have to talk to the media a little but more, but it’s not all that different. I try to insulate myself and I’m here [at the facility], and then I go home, then I’m a dad, and then I come back to work, and then I go home and I’m a dad, so there’s not a whole lot of excess or fluff in my life
besides those two things.
Q: You live in Jersey. So Broadway Ryan would not apply to you.
A: (Laugh) No, I may see a show every now and again, but we’ve gotta find somebody that’s willing to watch five kids before I do that.
Q: What are you like in the huddle?
A: I’ve pretty much played with everybody in the NFL now, so you can probably ask anybody (smile). But pretty laid-back … definitely crack a joke here or there depending on the mood, but I would say I’m just pretty laid-back.
Q: What’s the best joke you think you’ve ever told in the huddle?
A: (Laugh) Usually, as long as nobody in the huddle’s mic’d up, we’ll crack jokes at guys in the defensive huddle. Stuff like that, but there’s nothing we can put in print.
Q: Do you ever get angry in the huddle?
A: Not really, no.
Q: Describe your on-field mentality.
A: I don’t like sliding feet first, A, because I’m not good at it, and B, because I always feel like when you slide feet first, they put the ball down where the ball is when you start your slide. When you dive headfirst, they put the ball down pretty much when I fall awkwardly to the ground, so it’s an extra few yards, which to me makes a big difference in a game, so my mentality would be, “Do whatever it takes to win.”
Q: You’ve always loved the guys that you’ve played with.
A: I just have a lot of fun playing the game. I think football’s a game where there’s a ton of adversity, and so working with a group of guys towards a common goal, I think there’s a lot of fun in that. I think you really get to find out who a person really is in times of adversity, or even times where you haven’t been winning a lot of games, who still shows up every day to work? I haven’t had too many that I’ll look back and say I didn’t enjoy playing with ’cause I think I can bring out the best in a lot of people.
Q: How do you do that?
A: I’ve played with a lot of different people, a lot of different personalities, and so, a lot of it isn’t even on the field, it’s just off the field in the way that we’re able to develop relationships and all that. I feel like that’s one of my strengths.
Q: What drives you?
A: I think it’s changed over the years. I think, even back to college, and not really getting recruited to go to college, I think the naysayers, probably that was a driving force for me. I think early on in my NFL career, it was the same thing. But I think it’s shifted now. There’s still plenty of people that are naysayers, but that doesn’t bother me or drive me very much anymore. I think it’s more my teammates and my family. I’ve got two boys — one’s 8 and one’s 6 — so the dynamic of kind of me and my personality and what I play for has probably shifted a little bit. Every time I go out there, I want to make sure that what I’m doing makes my kids proud, that I’m doing the right thing, that I’m providing a good example for them. And that really is something that I think about when I practice and when I play now.
Q: Why do you think you’ve had naysayers every step of the way, really?
A: It’s been different at each level. High school, I don’t know if my size was prototypical. … I grew a little bit in college, but I didn’t have the prototypical size, I didn’t have the arm strength. But the things that I’ve always relied on are toughness and the mental side of the game. And that’s not just the Xs and Os, it’s overcoming adversity and those type of things. I just think those are two of the qualities I’ve always had, and two things that have helped me overcome everything.
Q: You strike me as a half-glass-full guy. Is that right?
A: Yeah, I would say so. I don’t let things bother me. I always look for the good in things, and in people. I think my wife is definitely like that too, and so we work well together because of that. There’s so many things in this world and in football specifically that you can’t control, and so, to have a positive outlook and to keep a positive attitude is really important.
Q: Describe Nick Mangold.
A: Incredibly smart, relaxed, calm … great hair … mustache is OK, beard game is strong. Tremendous husband and father. He loves the game of football, but he also has a lot of fun.
Q: Mangold reminds me a little bit of you as far as sense of humor and …
A: We’ve hit it off. We get along real well. You need a center that’s calm, that’s been there … so on the field and off the field, our personalities are pretty similar.
Q: Willie Colon.
A: (Laugh) A large human being, tenacious … a lot of miles on that body … heavy breather.
Q: Heavy breather?
A: Heavy breather … likes to pant when he gets tired. … Warrior, absolute warrior, somebody you want in your huddle. … Very loyal guy.
Q: Breno Giacomini.
A: Breno’s hilarious. He’s maybe the funniest guy in that O-Line room. Keeps it light. He’s got a mean streak to him on the field. But again, loyalty pops into my mind for him. Tenacious competitor. Sometimes he’s got a pretty thick Boston accent. Only sometimes (smile).
Q: James Carpenter.
A: Carp [is] very quiet, keeps to himself. Gets the job done. … I’m still trying to figure Carp out, to be honest. I know he doesn’t like bears. … Carp is just chill, that’s a good word for him.
Q: D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
A: Brick was a huge surprise for me, because Brick is extremely laid-back. He’s extremely thoughtful. He never has a bad thing to say about anybody. Doesn’t want to listen to or participate in any sort of negativity. He commands respect just from his presence. He’s well-respected in the locker room, and obviously, very durable. He’s a guy that’s a little bit tough to get to know at first ’cause he’s kind of a quiet, reserved guy, but there are a lot of different depths and layers to D’Brickashaw Ferguson. He’s a very interesting guy.
Q: Brandon Marshall.
A: I didn’t know the old Brandon Marshall. All I know of Brandon is from this year. He’s a lot of fun to work with every single day. Very intelligent football player. He’s also a Harvard graduate — he was just there for four days — but he went to the Coop [bookstore] and bought a bunch of gear, Harvard graduate, 2014. He likes thinking outside the box. He likes in-depth conversations off the field. He’s a very interesting guy. But on the field, he’s a fierce competitor, he’s a little bit of a spaz. He’s experienced, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s tough. And he’s got the right look in his eye in the huddle.
Q: What do you mean by spaz?
A: He gets excited, especially in pregame — giddy like a schoolgirl almost.
Q: How are you going to rein him in? He can be mercurial, I guess is the word.
A: The biggest thing with him is almost over communication, just making sure that we’re always talking and always on the same page. Brandon’s gonna speak his mind, he’s gonna tell me exactly what he thinks, and for me, at this point in my career, that’s what I want to hear, and I’ll do the same exact thing to him. We’re very open and honest with each other, and I think that’s important.
Q: Eric Decker.
A: Beautiful … great hair … nice stubble. I’ve had a lot of females ask me about him when I got traded to the Jets. He’s deceptive as a receiver in that when I came here, he fit the mold of every scouting report written in America, and all the stereotypes of possession receiver, and good hands, and smart. And he’s all those things, but he’s able to make plays down the field. He’s got a great understanding of defenses, and he’s also got a great understanding of what we’re trying to get accomplished on each and every play. He’s got a great work ethic. He really relishes in the role of being a father. He’s always on FaceTime talking to his wife and his daughter.
Q: Chan Gailey.
A: Very dry sense of humor. Usually takes guys about a year to a year-and-a-half to start understanding that he’s joking with them. We’ve got similar senses of humor. I think that’s part of what makes us mesh together. He obviously has a lot of experience in the game of football, he really enjoys coaching. He also really enjoys golf and being a grandfather. He’s a really good golfer. Way better than I am. Played Augusta a bunch. Loves Georgia. And he’s always been very loyal to me. He was the first guy that believed in me and gave me a chance, and so I’ll always appreciate him for that.
Q: How many times has Darrelle Revis intercepted you?
A: I can only remember two off the top of my head, but Revis has picked me, [Antonio] Cromartie’s picked me, David Harris has picked me, Calvin Pace has picked me. … I might have thrown Calvin Pace his only pick in his career (smile).
Q: Tell me about the Destiny’s Child video you did in high school.
A: It was a class project for like an English class in high school. That’s about as far into it as I can get (smile).
Q: Your two weeks working at Wendy’s.
A: In high school I worked at Wendy’s for a couple of weeks as a summer job. I think I got half off for lunch, but I never made any money ’cause I always ate a huge lunch there. I only worked two or three hours a day for five bucks an hour or whatever it was at the time. But I got a cool Wendy’s polo out of the deal (smile).
Q: Do you remember accidentally not putting a hamburger inside the bun at the drive-thru?
A: I think I was working there when that happened. I don’t know if I was the one that was at fault. I did not take responsibility for it. However, it did happen while I was there, yes. Somebody in the drive-thru came back and said, “I didn’t get a burger in my…”
Q: What was it like picking up prescriptions for legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach?
A: That was really cool. So Danny Ainge, being the GM of the Celtics when I was at Harvard — I played high school basketball with his sons — so that’s how I knew Danny. Asked him if I could intern with the Celtics, just an unpaid internship to help out and do whatever, and really just be part of it, and it was really cool picking up prescriptions for Red. The only time I ever met him, I was in the building, and you just smelled smoke. And everybody was like, “All right, Red’s here,” because he’d smoke cigars in the building, and nobody was gonna tell him no, you know?
Q: And you also would pick up prospects, right?
A: I would pick up these guys that were 7-feet tall. It was crazy, it was fun.
Q: Is it true your wife, Liza, claims she was the first person ever to sign up for Facebook?
A: (Smile) She claims top 10. The story behind that is Facebook started at Harvard, OK? They sent out the invite email to Harvard students like on a Sunday morning, or Saturday morning, and my wife worked at the library at 6 a.m. on the particular Saturday or Sunday morning. So she saw the email right away, whereas when you’re in college, nobody else is really up at 6 a.m. reading emails. So she signed up right away, she invited all of her roommates, her friends, so she was one of the first for sure.
Q: Describe your fascination with Apple and Steve Jobs.
A: I’ve always been a little bit of a tech junkie. And I waited for probably at least first four iPhone launches, I waited in line, for the experience, and because of the excitement, and stood in line to be one of the first ones to get the phone. Before the pre-ordering was big.
Q: If you could pick the brain of one quarterback in history, who would it be?
A: I think it would be Peyton [Manning]. … He’s obviously had an amazing run. He’s so comfortable in the system that he runs, ’cause he’s done it his whole career, and it’s essentially been 17 years of him just adding stuff to it every year and getting better and better and better. And so I just think it would be a really interesting conversation to have because of the layers and layers of knowledge and depth that he has.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Abraham Lincoln, Magic Johnson, Napoleon.
Q: Napoleon?
A: Abraham Lincoln’s pretty tall, Magic Johnson’s pretty tall. … I don’t want to be the shortest one there.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Good Will Hunting.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Robert Downey Jr.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Meg Ryan.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: My wife’s chicken squares.
Q: Favorite New York City things?
A: The Lego store.
Q: Favorite class at Harvard?
A: The American presidency.
Q: Describe playing in the New York market.
A: I have to do more sit-down interviews, I guess. I have to talk to the media a little but more, but it’s not all that different. I try to insulate myself and I’m here [at the facility], and then I go home, then I’m a dad, and then I come back to work, and then I go home and I’m a dad, so there’s not a whole lot of excess or fluff in my life
besides those two things.
Q: You live in Jersey. So Broadway Ryan would not apply to you.
A: (Laugh) No, I may see a show every now and again, but we’ve gotta find somebody that’s willing to watch five kids before I do that.
nypost.com/2015/09/12/ryan-fitzpatrick-on-ny-mangolds-mustache-and-wifes-facebook-claim/
