MEET BRUINS CAPTAIN ZDENO CHARA

DEVIN McCOURTY PRESS CONFERENCE

DEFENSIVE BACK DEVIN McCOURTY
(on how the first practice went) ”It was good. Everybody got a chance to get out there and get after it. We ran around. We practiced hard. It was a good first day. We felt like we wanted to come out here and practice hard to start off the week. This was an important day to just kind of set the tone.”

(on if he feels fortunate that he got to the Super Bowl in just his second season) ”Definitely. Just talking to the other guys on our team and other friends that I have made that are veterans, to be at this level in only my second year, you have got to be grateful for it. I think the biggest thing, is just trying to take advantage of the opportunity of being here – working hard, studying hard and getting ready to go for this game.”

(on how difficult it will be to face the Giants’ wide receivers) “It’s a very difficult challenge. I think it all starts with their offense, how balanced they are with a good running game, a good quarterback and they have three very good weapons outside at receiver. We are really going to have to prepare and come to play, because any of the three of those guys are capable of having big games.”

(on what makes Eli Manning a good quarterback) “I think his poise. Obviously, at this level the quarterbacks can make all of the throws, get the ball down the field and he does a good job reading coverage, but he is always calm and poised back there in the pocket. A lot of times when it’s time to make a big play, he is doing it. Whether it’s scrambling or throwing a perfect pass. So, I think the biggest thing is we have to be disciplined and we have to do a good job covering guys because he is going to put the ball there.”

(on how the Patriots’ defense hasn’t received any love recently) “That’s how it goes. We have a great offense and we have had some down points. I think everyone will keep giving our offense the love and the respect, because they deserve it. As defensive guys, we just got out there and play. We have to do our part in this game. We believe in each other, we play for each other and that’s all that matters to us.”

(on how much of his success he attributes to Greg Schiano and if he is sad to hear he is leaving Rutgers) “It is kind of bittersweet. He is a big part of my development as a player, and as a person. But, you have to be happy for him. I don’t know any coach in that profession that doesn’t dream about being a head coach at the highest level of football. To get that opportunity, I think that’s great for him. But, as a proud alum, seeing him go after the job he has done there at Rutgers. People said we were probably one of the worst programs in college football and then to build it up to what it is today. But, I am sure they will find a replacement and he will do a good job too.”

(on how many points they can give up and still win) ”As a defensive guy, you don’t want to allow any points. You start off with the scoreboard 0-0 and that has to be our mindset. We can’t say, ‘Give up a certain amount of numbers and that will be the game,’ because you can’t play like that.”

(on what the difference is between playing inside versus outside) “It’s probably just the spacing. On the outside, you have the sideline and you can use that. On the inside, the guy has two ways to go, so you just try to take one away. That’s probably the biggest thing. Guys run different routes inside than outside, so you just have to study and understand how you will be attacked.”

(on what makes Victor Cruz so good) “I think it’s just his physical nature. He is not one of those just quick guys who wants to avoid contact and make guys miss. He is able to be physical and still has that shifty ability. He definitely can run. I think just the physical nature of what he brings at wide receiver helps him inside and outside.”

(on if the defense is peaking right now) “I hope so. We have been playing well. We have had some good games. I think the biggest thing is like coach (Bill Belichick) tells us, ‘The past won’t matter.’ When we take the field on Sunday, how we played two weeks ago against Baltimore won’t help us play. How we played against the Giants the first time won’t help us play. We have to string it together in practice, have some good days and then come out and execute on Sunday.”

(on how the secondary’s struggles early on have helped make them stronger now) “I think every football team is like that a little. I know last year, coming in I was just a rookie, so it was my first time playing, but the other guys have been playing for a little while. Kyle (Arrington) was kind of new last year and we bonded throughout the season, your ups and downs. I think this season was the same. We had some bigger downs compared to last season but I think you have to, especially in the secondary. It’s an important part of the field, our play determines a lot of what goes on in the game. I think we definitely bonded throughout the good and the bad of the season.”

(on if they had more of a back to work mentality today) “Definitely. Coming off the big pep rally that we had before we left was kind of cool, then you get on a plane and it’s still kind of surreal. But, as soon as we got there and put our equipment on and went out to practice, it was like right back to work. Whatever practice day it is, we are getting ready for Sunday.”

(on how important it is to keep the same routine and understand that this is a business trip) “Very important. When we got here and going out last night to get something to eat, you don’t want it to feel like a vacation. Waking up this morning, going to meetings, going over to the facility, going to practice, guys started to go through their natural routine of the week. We get in routines and once we get in it, we don’t know anything else. So, as soon as we are able to get in our routine, it helps us get ready to go.”

(on his twin brother Jason being in town and them kind of going through their NFL careers together) “It’s pretty cool. For us, we have been there for each other in every situation. When I was in college at the end of my season, I got to go check out a game of his during his rookie year (with the Titans). We talk a lot, every day. We talk about things that have to deal with football and life. I think the biggest thing is we are still brothers through everything else. Playing football is secondary to being brothers, and our relationship.”

(on how they will manage being in one place for this long of a period of time) ”We just kind of try to stay on our routine, even though you are in a hotel, you are not back at your house. I think the biggest thing now since we are in a hotel, guys are coming back, ‘Let’s get together. Let’s go eat. Since we are all in the hotel, let’s go down and watch some extra film.’ So, it kind of helps in a way, especially because we can kind of stick together and stay in our little bubble. Rather than being outside and being entertained by the circus of everything going on with the media and the fans, just staying in our bubble and getting ready to go.”

(on what he saw from Tom Brady today at practice) ”Kind of what I see every day in practice. Guys have a certain way about going about everything, working hard, that’s Tom every day in practice. From the first minicamp I was here and I saw him, he was working hard. He was very competitive and that always sticks out. What we saw from Tom last week in practice and what we saw this week is always the same. He is a consistent guy. He works hard and he gets everyone to rally behind him.”

DAN CONNOLLY AT THE SUPER BOWL

CENTER DAN CONNOLLY
(on how Assistant Head Coach/ Offensive Line Coach Dante Scarnecchia helped him get ready so quickly) “It probably wasn’t something immediately; it was probably something he’s been working on for years.  When I was needed I was able to just step in and do it and not even think about it.  I think he just prepared me a long time ago to be ready.”

(on how Scarnecchia prepares them) “Individual work, working guys in, practice, and extra film study with him.”

(on everybody saying Scarnecchia is in the building longer than Bill Belichick, and if that’s true) “That’s true.  He got in at four o’clock in the morning and got three hours of sleep last night, so he works hard.”

(on if he feels any pressure facing the Giants defensive line) “Every week we have different challenges and they pose their own set of challenges.  They’re very good pass rushers and we welcome that challenge.  We’d like to be able to go out there and have a good D-line to play against and we have that with them.”

(on being able to blossom in the Patriots system) “I think there’s just a good coaching staff, they do a good job of developing players and giving guys opportunities to play.  I waited and when the opportunity was there I stepped in to do it and it paid off.”

(on if the Giants do some unique things with their pass rush and defensive line) “There are things like that, yeah.  Usually, inside, we see bigger defensive tackles, but they’ll put those smaller quicker guys inside so we’re faced with different issues there.”

(on how significant it is to protect Tom Brady and make sure he doesn’t get moved off his spot, and if it’s realistic) “That’s always our goal.  I think we can do it.  It’s just going to take a lot of work and effort on our part, but that’s always our goal to make sure nobody touches him.”
(on if anyone sticks out on that Giants defensive line) “No, no one sticks out.  We’ve watched them all and there are no slouches on that D-line.”

(on what’s the best part of being an offensive lineman) “The camaraderie is always great.  We’re five guys, we’ve always got to work together as one unit, so it takes some closeness there working together to get the job done.”

(on what’s the worst part of being an offensive lineman) “Getting beat.  Having your quarterback get hit.”

(on if he wasn’t an offensive lineman today, what would he be doing instead) “Kick returner, right?” (laughing)

(on how he would characterize the relationship they have with Scarnecchia) ”Drill sergeant might be a good one.  It’s a good relationship, it’s very professional, he expects a lot of out us when we’re working, and then as soon as practice ends he’s the nicest guy.”

(on the tactical advantage of their two tight ends and the challenge it poses to defenses) “I don’t play defense.  Obviously, I see they do well against defenses.  I don’t know that’s for them to find out.  I’m an offensive lineman and I block the plays, that’s what I do.”

(on the city of Boston winning a lot of championships over the years and how that brings the community together to help motivate them as players) ”It’s great.  We’ve got a great fan base and they expect a lot out of us.  They want us to win championships and we do all we can to try and do that for them.”

(on how challenging it is setting the protection when defenses are moving around all the time) “There’s different things, different things to look at, but watching films and making sure I know who’s in the game and see what they’re doing before they do it is key.”

(on if the bigger challenge with the Giants is their physical ability or figuring out what they’re doing) “I’d say their pass rush is probably the toughest part.  They rush the quarterback pretty well.”

(on where the Giants pass rush ranks amongst the teams they’ve played this past season) “They’re up there. They’re one of the best and they’re playing in the Super Bowl.  So they’re obviously the best one we’re playing this week.”

(on if there is one particular aspect about the Giants that distinguishes them from the other teams they’ve played) “They’re physical, they’re quick, and they can move, so that makes them good.”

(on all the shuffling the offensive line has had this season due to injury and how they have been able to continue to play at a high level) ”I think it goes back to practice.  We don’t just play five guys in there all the time and don’t rotate.  We put everybody in, different combinations of people, and I think over the years and through 110 practices through the season it pays off when we get comfortable playing with any combination of who’s in there.”

(on if it doesn’t matter who’s to his right or left, he trusts the job is going to get done) “I’ve played with anybody they could put in there, so I know they’re going to do the job when they get in there.”
(on if it’s strange sitting at a podium at a Super Bowl press conference for the first time) “Yeah, I’ve never done this before, but yeah, it’s nice to be here.”

(on what he recalls from the first time they played the Giants during the regular season) “I don’t know.  We just didn’t score enough points to win.  We just didn’t put enough points up in the red area, stuff like that.”

(on how Tom Brady makes players better around him, and how he makes an offensive line better) “He’s really good at seeing defenses and communicating what he sees and gets us in the right place.  Then, we can make our calls to make sure we pick it up.  I feel like he’s a step ahead.  He knows who we’re going to block before we even make the blocks, and I think that helps us.”

(on how Tom Brady is leadership wise and firing guys up) “He’s a great leader in the huddle.  He can get us motivated to go, and there’s not another guy I’d rather have in there marching us down the field.”

(on how he balances everything out while soaking in the moment being here at the Super Bowl) ”Just try to focus on the goal and focus on the game.  Try to go through the exact same routine I would for any other game.  Put in my film study, go through practice, and just try to keep it as routine as possible.”

(on if it’s impossible to think of this as just another game) “You know, we do media every week anyways, so it’s just a little bit bigger.”

(on what the offensive linemen like most about BenJarvus Green-Ellis, and if he’s a good offensive linemen’s running back) “Yeah, we love running the ball and when he’s in there he does a really good job getting downfield and running hard, and we love that about him.”

BELICHICK SPEAKS TO MEDIA AT SUPER BOWL

(Opening statement) “We just got off of the practice field. We were in pads today. We had a good, crisp workout. I think we got a few things done. As I said yesterday, the Giants are a tough team to prepare for. They really do a good job with all of the different schemes they have, and the players they have present a big challenge for us. It’s good to get underway down here. It is a nice facility over there that the Colts have. We will get some film done this afternoon and get back at it on Wednesday.”

(on why the Patriots had a padded practice today) “We felt like it would be the best way for us to prepare for the game.”

(on what he admires about Giants head coach Tom Coughlin and how much of Bill Parcells he sees in Coughlin) “I respect a lot of things about Tom – his evaluation of talent, the way he attacks teams, his consistency, his discipline, his team’s toughness, their resiliency – I would say all of those things. Bill (Parcells) has a lot of those characteristics as a coach. I don’t know who rubs off on whom. That was the way Tom was as an assistant coach. He was very disciplined and very detail-oriented. He demanded a lot from his players. He was fair, but firm, like he is now. Tom is a good guy, and he has a good sense of humor. He is a good guy to be around. On the practice field and the game field, you have a job to do. He was demanding of them in a good way. There is a lot of Bill Parcells in that, too. He is demanding. He can shoot the needle in there to you a little bit, and get a little dig in. He expects a lot. He has high expectations. There is a different style, but some similarities as a coach. I don’t know how much one rubbed off on the other, as much as it’s kind of the way they are.”

(on what has allowed Vince Wilfork to play so much) “Vince is a very good athlete as we can see from all of those interception returns, all of his open-field running and those kinds of plays. I made a big mistake his rookie year when I made a bet with the team about a night off, or not giving them a night off. I put Vince back there to catch a punt. He has soft hands, and you can hear the ball hit his hands. He is a really good athlete. He has the ability to play on all three downs. Last year, we had some injuries, and I’d say he was forced into it a little bit because of our lack of depth on the defensive line. This year, he takes a lot of pride about not coming off the field, which I love in a defensive lineman. I love that they want to be out there on every play. They are not looking to come out. Shaun Ellis is like that. All of those years with the Jets, and a lot of those going back to the Giants, Jim Burt and Leonard (Marshall) didn’t want to come off the field. That’s the way Vince’s attitude is. He is in good condition. Out at practice today during the offensive period, he’s running sprints back and forth across the field, working on his conditioning. There is a week to go in the season, and I think that’s indicative of his competitiveness, his desire to be good and consistently be good week after week during the entire season. You can talk about his appearance. He doesn’t have the classic appearance. He is a good athlete. He is in good shape, and he works really hard. He can play a lot of plays, and he plays them well, too. I think those plays he made at the end of the Baltimore game last week on third and 3, when he made the stop on the trap play. Fourth and 5, he got a hold of (Joe) Flacco, and he threw it away. Those were getting into the 60-play numbers late in the fourth quarter when we had to have it when the whole game was on the line, and he made two critical plays there.”

(on former players’ opinions saying they would use the loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII as revenge) ”You can talk to all of those guys. Their opinions are their opinions. But I see this game as this game. There aren’t all that many people who played in the last game four years ago. This team is this team. I think our team is different than what it was at midseason and different from what it was in December. I think the Giants are a different team than when we played them in November, and I think they are a different team than where they were in early December. This game, the elements of it are what we have in front of us, not what happened two months ago or what happened two years ago or four years ago.”

(on OT Sebastian Vollmer, a native of Germany) “Sebastian has gotten a lot better over the last few weeks. He came out of his cast, I’d say, before the Denver game. And then he practiced last week before the Baltimore game, and I would say he was close, but obviously, he wasn’t ready to go, and we didn’t activate him. This week, he is further along than where he was before the Denver game. He practiced today, so we will see how the week goes and see how he holds up. But I think there is definitely a possibility. We will just have to see how he tolerates the added work. If he does well, then I will think you will see him. If not, then it will be where it was in Baltimore. I don’t know if we will know about that until we put him through the full week of practice. He is definitely making progress, so he is getting there.”

(on if there was one thing he learned between his stints as head coach with Cleveland and New England) “I don’t think there was any one thing. To me, I learn something every day, a lot of things. It is a constant process. After the 1995 season in Cleveland, I came to New England and had a great year here in 1996 working defensively with Al (Groh) Romeo (Crennel), Dante (Scarnecchia), coach (Bill) Parcells and our entire offensive staff. I certainly learned a lot that year being around Bill for three years with basically the same staff that had moved down to New York. All of the things that you do as a head coach, when you become an assistant coach again, you understand more what the head coach is going through when you have been a head coach, than when you are an assistant coach and you haven’t had that responsibility. It was a great learning experience for me. Bill was very generous in some of the information and experiences he shared with me during those four years from 1996 to 1999 – the situations he was dealing with, the things that would come up with the team and how you would handle this and how you would handle that. Our relationship is a little bit different because I had been a head coach. He would say, ‘Look, you’ve been a head coach. Here is the situation. How would you handle this or that?’ And I would watch him handle it. I have a little different perspective on it than I had during those years with the Giants when I wasn’t a head coach, and I probably didn’t fully understand some of the dynamics of various decisions, whether it was personnel decisions or – as it was in the 1990s – salary-cap decisions, strategic decisions and logistics and planning. It was certainly a great learning experience for me from a different point of view. I think I knew a lot more then than I knew in the 1980s when I was with with the Giants. Some of the same things came up, but I didn’t have the same perspective. So I wouldn’t say it was one thing, it was a culmination of things. Honestly, as a head coach of a professional football team, you make hundreds of decisions every day. I can’t talk to everyone on the team and sit down to have a long conversation with them. Some guys you talk to, some guys you don’t. You can say things one way, and you can say them a different way. You make decisions on strategy, make decisions on personnel, make decisions on motivation and practice reps – all of those kinds of things. There are a lot of things on a daily basis, that as the head coach, you are involved in. People come to you and say, ‘How do you want to do it? This way, or that way? Do you have a feeling on this?’ You can make a decision to turn it over to them. Whatever you think is best, that’s what you do, or you can say, ‘I prefer A over B, C over D.’ It’s not just one thing. There are a lot of different elements to it.”

(on what Deion Branch has meant to the team) ”I can’t speak for anyone else’s recognition, but from my standpoint and the team’s standpoint, I think everyone knows how important Deion is to our to our football team, to our offense and our passing game. He does a lot of things. He handles a lot of different responsibilities as far as where he lines up, his position and his assignments. He has a great route tree in terms of the number and variety of routes that he runs. He has great confidence in his relationship with Tom (Brady) because of their experience together. I couldn’t imagine anybody on the team not thinking that Deion Branch has a tremendous importance to our football team. I don’t care if they play offense, defense or wash towels, I just can’t imagine that anybody would think that. Maybe a lot of people out there do, but I can’t imagine anyone on our football team would feel that way. He does a great job for us. Plays like in the Denver game on the long touchdown play, I don’t know how many guys make that play for us. It was a clear-out route, but it wasn’t a clear-out route. Tom (Brady) saw it and Deion saw it, and it turned into a long touchdown. Deion does a lot of things. Blocking, people don’t give him credit for that. Deion has done a good job blocking for us this year. I look at him and say he looks like a great blocker, but he is an effective blocker. He’s done a great job. The running backs appreciate him.”

(on Rob Gronkowski‘s status) “He didn’t practice today.”

(on what he appreciates about this team that gives him confidence going into the Super Bowl) “I would say that one of the good things about this team is their consistency. They come to work every day, they are ready to work. This team overall, they come to work, they are ready to work and they go to work. There is not a lot of ‘We’ve got to get things started, things going. We are just going through the motions.’ There hasn’t been a lot of that. I respect their consistency. I respect their mental toughness, their physical toughness and their ability to put things behind them and move ahead to the next challenge – daily, weekly, after a bad play and moving on to the next play, whether that is in practice or in games. We’ve been behind, we’ve had some bad plays in practice, but they get over it. They move on to the next thing, and try to make the next thing better and don’t get bogged down by something that didn’t go well.”

(on lessons he learned working with the Giants coaching staff) “It was awesome. We had a great staff and great players. One of the biggest things I learned, that I can’t do today, but I know, is how tough those players were. We practiced every day in pads, every single day in pads. There were years that we practiced every single day on the turf before we had the grass practice fields up there on the hill, or it was being rebuilt or something happened. How we did 9-on-7, which is a good-tempo running drill, and how we did that on a regular basis. In training camp, we went out in pads every day. We hit every day. We did 9-on-7 every day. There was no way Bill (Parcells) would go out on the field without doing 9-on-7. We’d skip stretching before we’d skip 9-on-7. Going back to last year, and even this year, going out in pads, working on 9-on-7, having more contact work in practice, we’d get that look a little bit like, ‘I don’t know if the players can do it.’ I’m thinking to myself, ‘Can’t do it?’ We were in pads on Fridays with the Giants, and nobody said anything. That’s the way it was. You went out there and practiced. I know what players are capable of doing because of how demanding we were with them from a physical standpoint, and that certainly didn’t lessen their aggressiveness or their toughness in games. That was a physical defense. That was a physical offensive line. Even getting ready for the Super Bowl against Buffalo, the way we ran the ball in that game. That started on the practice field with the tempo in practice. When you get those guys crashing into each other – Jumbo (Elliott) and Mark Bavaro blocking (Lawrence) Taylor, (Carl) Banks, (Jim) Burt and all them – they just lined up and played football. I know it was a different era, but it will never be like that again. I learned players can be tough, they can be physical, they can do more than they think they can do from that standpoint. Those were valuable lessons, because I can say before I got to New York, and coach (Ray) Perkins was like that, too, we had tough, physical practices, too. He definitely set the tone. When I got there in 1979, relative to what the Giants had done previous to that, it was kind of a country-club atmosphere, from what I understood. I wasn’t there. It was a little bit different than what I had been used to. I learned a lot from the mental and physical toughness standpoint that Ray, and then Bill, built their teams with. Maybe I took it a little too far in Cleveland, I don’t know. It was kind of the same thing when I got there. People said that we were too demanding and we were doing too much. I was thinking to myself, ‘I was with the Giants for 12 years. I saw this every day for 12 years. Don’t tell me we can’t go out there and have 9-on-7 two days in a row. I know we can.’

JEROD MAYO PRESS CONFERENCE

Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo addresses the media during his Super Bowl XLVI press conference at the team hotel

(on how happy he is to be in Indianapolis) “As soon as we landed, you really could feel the feeling really hitting that we’re at the Super Bowl.  We’re down here on a business trip.  We’re down here to win, so we’re going to work tomorrow.”

(on how much Head Coach Bill Belichick has emphasized a sense of urgency) “I think a sense of urgency is already there without Bill even having to say a word.  Guys are coming down here ready to work.  We’re not worried about all the distractions of the Super Bowl, but at the same time we’re going to enjoy the experience but go out here with the goal to win the game.”

(on the pep rally prior to the team leaving for Indianapolis) “It was nice.  Our fans really gave us a great going away gift with the pep rally, and hopefully we can bring back a victory.”

(on if it will be better when he goes back) “Hopefully.”
(on LB Brandon Spikes return to the lineup) “Spikes is a great player.  He brings a lot of energy to the game.  Any time you lose a guy like that, it’s pretty tough on a defense.  We have that next man up mentality, and guys really stepped in and helped fill the void, but it’s good having him back in the lineup.”
(on how that will affect covering New York Giants TE Jake Ballard) ”To be honest with you, I’m not sure.  For most of the game last time we played them we did a pretty good job until the end of the game, so I’m sure we’ll make some adjustments and try to get the job done with multiple people.  He’s a great tight end and he’s a great weapon for (New York Giants QB) Eli (Manning).”

(on what he’s saying to the rest of the defense going into this week) “It’s a one game season. Nothing else matters.  None of the stats from the regular season, none of the stats from the postseason matter.  It’s all about Sunday, and that’s our focus.”

(on the impact of the team’s younger players) “The first and second-year players have done a great job.  We were just talking about Brandon Spikes for one.  The energy that he brings to the game and just the intensity that he brings are huge for us. Those guys have really helped us along the way.”

(on if he’s getting any input from the players on the team that have been through this experience) “(DT) Vince Wilfork, he’s the only guy on the defensive side of the ball that’s won a championship, but (RB) Kevin Faulk, he’s a great leader in the locker room.  He’s won multiple championships.  He tells us to come down here and enjoy the experience, but at the same time, it’s a business trip and it’ll be that much better if we treat it that way if we happen to win.”

(on if he talked to any former patriots) “Those guys haven’t really…they were happy for me. I talked to (Former New England Patriot’s LB Tedy) Bruschi, I talked to (Former New England Patriot’s Safety) Rodney (Harrison), those guys were happy for me, but at the end of the day, they know the job wasn’t done after the AFC Championship game and we have to continue to win.”

(on how much he takes from the team’s first matchup with New York this season and how much they’ve changed since then) “They’re a lot better team now than they were then.  They beat us back then.  You could take a little bit as far as the personnel, but as far as our game plan is concerned, you really can’t take too much. They’ve had an extra week to prepare – so have we – and I’m sure we’ll have a lot of different looks from them.”

(on the New York Giants missing WR Hakeem Nicks and RB Ahmad Bradshaw during their first matchup this season and how they’ll affect the game plan) “Those guys that you named are explosive players and they’ve made a lot of explosive plays this postseason, so they’ll be a great challenge for us.”

(on if it has soaked in yet that he’s on such a big stage) “Yeah, it has.  As soon as I got off the airplane, it was like, ‘Wow, I’m finally here.’  Hopefully we can come away with a victory.”

(on if he’s seen any changes in the play of New York Giants QB Eli Manning since the first game) “He’s on fire in the postseason with nine touchdowns, one interception, something like that.  He’s making all the right decisions, all the right throws, and he’s making plays with his legs that he wasn’t making during the regular season.  So he’s a great threat, a great player.”

(on what he’s seen from their running game) “(RB) Ahmad Bradshaw and (RB) Brandon Jacobs and (RB D.J.) Ware as well, those guys are very talented.  You have Jacobs, the downhill style runner, you have Ahmad Bradshaw who is really like a scatback but he’s still strong at the same time, then you have Ware coming in on third downs who has great hands and can make a lot of plays in the screen game.  So you have a lot of weapons in the backfield.”

(on the New York Giants being the worst rushing team in the NFL) ”To be honest with you I don’t know, and at this point in time it doesn’t even matter.  Like I said earlier, it’s a one game season.  They have three great running backs and I’m not sure who we’ll see, but I’m sure we’ll see all three of them at some point in the game.”

(on LB Brandon Spikes’ pink suit that he wore to the pep rally) “I think it’s great.  He said that’s his lucky suit.  He’s been wearing it since his Florida days when he was winning championships at Florida.  I told him to wear it.  I like it and it’s his own personal style.”

(on this being a business trip mindset)  “It is.  It’s a business trip, and we talk about all the parties and things going on during this trip, how we need to ignore all that stuff and focus on the Giants and it will be that much greater when we get back.  We talk about sacrifice as far as off the field, sacrifice staying in the film room and things like that, so that’s what we’re coming down here to do.”

(on treating this like a normal week) “It’s very important.  Like you said, we have a little nice streak going on here so we don’t want to change anything up, and at the same time putting that extra effort in as well to prepare for these guys.”

(on how much it will help to get in town today and have a normal routine) “Just the continuity of coming down here and having that normal week is huge.  It’s worked these last couple weeks.  We’ve won how many games in a row?  Nine games in a row?  10 games in a row?  It’s been working and hopefully it continues to work this week.”

(on if it’s been difficult to not get too high emotionally) “I wouldn’t say it’s been difficult, because I think as it gets closer to the game, then it will probably become difficult, but coming off the plane today…well actually, leaving the stadium today with the pep rally, that’s when it really sunk in and I know I’m at the Super Bowl and on a big stage.  It’s a great feeling.”

(on if he’s gotten any advice from teammates who have been here before) “Yeah, those guys told us to approach it like a regular business week, even though that’s hard with all this stuff going on.  It’s very hard, but at the same time, we have great leaders who have won championships. (QB) Tom (Brady), you have (RB) Kevin Faulk, (DT) Vince Wilfork, and obviously Coach (Bill) Belichick, so those guys just tell us to keep our cool and continue to do the things we’ve been doing these last 10 weeks.”

(on if being at this media session makes it more real) “It does.  Just being around this many media members, even though our media is pretty big, but it’s just a surreal moment for me.  I feel fortunate to be here.”

(on preparation for the game) “I feel like we’re still in the infant stages. We still have a lot of work to do.  That’s why we’re down here now, so we can have a regular work week and try to approach it like a regular work week.  I’m sure at practice tomorrow it will feel regular.”

(on how Head Coach Bill Belichick keeps the team focused) “He always tells us to ignore the noise. Ignore everything going on around you.  Any time you have great leaders around you that have won championships like (QB) Tom (Brady), and (DT) Vince (Wilfork) and those guys, they continue to have that presence in the locker room.  Ignore everything else going on.  Ignore the media, ignore the parties going on, and it will be that much better if we’re fortunate enough to win the game.”

(on the sendoff from New England fans) “It was great.  The pep rally was great, our fans were great, and that’s when it really sunk in that we’re going to the Super Bowl.”

(on if he noticed all the decorations during the pep rally) “We did.  People were stopping on the interstate waving us goodbye, so it’s a great feeling and we’re on the big stage.”

(on how it felt to be a part of the pep rally) ”To be honest with you, it’s a feeling I’ve never had before.  Even though college (football) down in the south is huge, it was real special today.”

(on what it means to do things the Patriot way) “Like I said earlier, just ignoring the noise and working hard, continuing to chip at the rock.  I think we have great examples around the facility in Mr. (Team Owner Robert) Kraft and Coach (Bill) Belichick.  Those guys, they never waver.  They always stay on the straight and narrow, and that’s a great model for us.”

HUTCHINSON RECALLED FOR PRACTICE DUTY

BRUINS RECALL MICHAEL HUTCHINSON FROM PROVIDENCE

BOSTON, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced
today that the club has recalled goaltender Michael Hutchinson from the
Providence Bruins (American Hockey League). Hutchinson is expected to

join the Bruins on Monday, January 30 for their practice at the TD
Garden in Boston, MA at 2:00 p.m. and will be reassigned after practice.

Hutchinson has played in 12 games for Providence this season, serving as
the primary backup to Anton Khudobin, and has compiled a 3-8-0 record
with a 2.62 Goals Against Average and .915 Save Percentage.

He was drafted by the Bruins in the third round (77th overall) of the
2008 NHL Entry Draft.

The three Bruins players who participated in the All-Star Game in Ottawa
(Zdeno Chara, Tyler Seguin and Tim Thomas) are excused from Monday’s
practice and will not be present.

BRUINS PARTNER WITH HEART ASSOCIATION

BOSTON, MA – On Tuesday, January 31, the Boston Bruins are teaming up
with the American Heart Association (AHA) as Tufts Medical Center
presents the Boston Bruins Sixth Annual Heart Health Night during their
game against the Ottawa Senators at 7:00 p.m.

Cardiac patients and survivors will be in attendance and will
participate in a variety of activities throughout the evening. The activities will include Zamboni rides, a chance to watch warm-ups from the Bruins bench, an opportunity to greet the team as they head out of the locker room to take the ice and an on-ice intermission contest.
Bruins fans will also be able to have their blood pressure checked by staff from The CardioVascular Center (CVC) at Tufts Medical Center at the Comcast Zone.

All in-game fundraising activities, as well as proceeds from the 50/50 raffle, will benefit the American Heart Association to help fund cutting-edge research, life-saving public and professional education, and advocate to protect public health. In addition, Boston Bruins coaches, broadcasters and team personnel will be showing their support by wearing a commemorative heart health tie, which represents awareness for all cardiac related diseases.

Through partnering with Tufts Medical Center and the American Heart Association, the Boston Bruins hope to elevate the cause and spread the word about heart disease, especially among women.

About the American Heart Association Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke.  To help prevent, treat and defeat these diseases — America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers — we fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional
educational programs, and advocate to protect public health.  To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.

About The CardioVascular Center at Tufts Medical Center The CardioVascular Center at Tufts Medical Center is a world-class resource for patients and physicians, providing a full array of the most cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment options.  The multidisciplinary Center includes experts from Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Vascular  Surgery and Interventional Radiology.

TOM BRADY PRESS CONFERENCE FROM GILLETTE

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady addresses the media during his press conference at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, January 26, 2012.

Q: Why do you think it is that a lot of these undrafted or unheralded guys come into this environment and succeed? Why are they able to get opportunities here when other places don’t seem to give them that opportunity?

TB: I think there are a lot of guys on a lot of teams that aren’t necessarily the high picks or are undrafted free agents that get an opportunity and really take advantage of it. It speaks to those guys and their character and their ability to work hard and find a place that really fits for them. A guy like Danny Woodhead, we were excited to get him when we got him last year. He’s a heck of a football player. He’s really made an impact on our team since that first game. Coach Belichick, if you’re on this team, he has confidence in you. You know when you lose confidence he wouldn’t get through to you. I think everyone has a lot of confidence when you’re a part of this team and you’re able to take the field and Coach puts the trust in you to go out there and help try to win us football games.

Q: As someone who has Super Bowl experience, what are you trying to get through to your teammates as you prepare for the game?

TB: Coach Belichick prepares the team pretty well. What a lot of the veterans have tried to do is set an example by doing the right thing. It’s not so much, ‘Hey this is the way it’s going to be,’ it’s ‘Look, we’re going to work hard, it’s a football game for us, it might be the Super Bowl for everybody else but for us we’re going there to try to win a football so put all the distractions aside and don’t let anything get in the way of our preparation.’ That’s ultimately what is most important. This game, everyone will remember for their rest of their life. Hopefully it’s a good memory.

Q: Do you have any doubt Rob Gronkowski will be ready for the game?

TB: I have no idea. I’m not sure. I think everyone deals with bumps and bruises this time of year. It’s the Super Bowl so we’re all trying to get out there and be healthy. It would suck to miss this game. You put all the work in over the course of the entire year and to have the opportunity to play in this game, you know everyone is going to be doing everything they can to be out there.

Q: When you were hurt in the AFC title game in 2007, you had no doubts you’d be ready.

TB: Yeah, I wasn’t going to miss that game. I don’t miss many. I certainly wasn’t going to miss that one.

Q: You told Robert Kraft, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll play better next game,’ after the AFC Championship Game. Do you immediately turn the page or is that how you work to bounce back?

TB: I’m always trying to play better. Every player on this team is trying to play better every week. I’m glad we won that game; glad we’re sitting in this position now. I think a lot of guys played really well and that’s what it is going to take again this week. I always have private conversations with Mr. Kraft but they’re supposed to be private but I guess they’re not.

Q: Can you talk about Tom Martinez and the matching donor program?

TB: He’s been a great friend of mine for a long time. He taught me how to throw the football at a very young age. He’s been looking for a kidney for quite awhile. Hopefully we can find him one soon. A lot of people are looking for kidneys or some different type of transplants but he’s very deserving. He’s a great man.

Q: What sort of pressures do you personally experience in a game of this magnitude based on the caliber of play that you exhibit?

TB: I think there’s pressure for every player. It’s not necessarily me. Certainly there’s pressure on me; there’s pressure on the coaches and the players. We’re expected to do our job at a very high level. You go into this game where you’re playing your toughest opponent. There are only two teams that are playing in this that are still going. There’s certainly a finality to this game that you’re putting absolutely everything you can into it preparation-wise. You’re expected to go out there and play at your very best. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t because we’ve had 110 practices, this is our 23rd game of the year. It’s pretty incredible when you think of a real long football season. We have experience, we’ve seen a lot. This is our third time we’ll be playing this team: preseason, regular season and postseason. There is some familiarity with them. Everyone should be excited and ready to go out there and play our best game.

Q: What has it meant to have a guy like BenJarvus Green-Ellis in the backfield for you? A steadying presence back there; maybe not the flashiest but he’s consistently hitting the four yards per carry mark.

TB: Benny, since the day he got here, he’s worked extremely hard. He really kind of broke through in ’08. He got a lot of opportunities there and really took advantage of them. He’s always done that. He runs hard, he’s tough, he’s smart, catches the ball well, blitz pickup is really good, he’s got great vision, he’s hard to tackle. It’s great; he’s very consistent back there. We have a great group of backs.

Q: Can you talk about what Mrs. Kraft meant to you personally and why she has been such a big inspiration to this team?

TB: I spoke about that so many times. I think she’s just been a wonderful influence on every guy that has been a part of this team. We wear her initials on our patch on our jersey. It has certainly been a meaningful year for Mr. Kraft and his family. We know how important this season is to him. Hopefully we represent her well by wearing that patch.

Q: This is the fifth Super Bowl for you, Kevin Faulk and Matt Light. What does that say about you guys and this organization?

TB: We’ve won a lot of games.

Q: You’ve each had injuries that have ended seasons.

TB: I think we’ve been very fortunate. It’s one thing to be a good team. We’ve gotten some breaks. To be in this position, you certainly need some good fortune too. We’re relatively healthy, we’ve had a tough schedule but we fought through some adversity. It’s a very mentally tough team. I think there’s some very good veteran leadership and certainly the rookies have done a good job missing all of the offseason program and really done a great job for us. It requires everybody. It’s every single player on this team, every coach, every practice squad player that has really made a commitment to each other to come out here every day for these 106 practices and give everything he can to the team. We’ve won 15 games, three losses; it hasn’t been all perfect but we’re finding ways to win these games. That’s ultimately how you move on and get to this point.

Q: Do you have to utilize your quick read to get rid of the ball quickly so you’re not at risk back there because of the pressure the Giants’ front four can bring?

TB: They can rush the passer. There’s no doubt about that. In playing them before, you understand that they can – they stripped sacked us on our own 10-yard line or something like that when we played them last. They get a lot of turnovers. They put a lot of pressure on you with their front four. They have a big, physical group that plays really well together. You watch them play against the 49ers; they played a great game defensively. They gave up two points against Atlanta which was on a defensive score. They’re a great football team, they have a great defense. Every time we play them, it’s, you talk about their defense, their pass rush. It’s going to be a good game -we have our work cut out for us.

Q: What are your impressions of Eli Manning?

TB: He’s a great quarterback. He’s been a first pick in the draft. I’ve always watched him. He does everything you’re looking for as a quarterback. I’ve seen it firsthand what he can do in the fourth quarter of these games. He’s done a great job bringing his team back. He’s a great leader. You always hear that coming out of New York, the guys really have a lot of respect for him and so do I.

Q: How hard is it to train yourself to stand in until the last second to deliver the ball?

TB: It’s part of the position and like I said, you watch the San Francisco game and I watched that and he was getting drilled and just stood in there and kept making the throws, trusting his protection and came through when they needed him. He’s certainly a great leader for that team and plays at an extremely high level. You don’t get to this game without playing at a high level. He seems to always do it down the stretch. I have a ton of respect for him. He’s a great competitor. He’s a great quarterback for that team.

Q: Earlier in the week you said you were going to play the best game of your career.

TB: I said I hoped to.

Q: What made you make that comment and do you need to play the best game of your career to beat a team like the Giants?

TB: I sure hope so. I hope I do. I go out there and you try to be at your very best in the biggest game. My teammates really count on that, certainly I count on that. There’s a lot of preparation that goes into that. Playing with confidence and anticipation and understanding the game plan and going out and executing it when it matters the most. That’s what it’s going to take. It’s a great team that we’re playing; everyone is going to need to be at their best.

ROSS SIGNS 1-YEAR DEAL WITH RED SOX

RED SOX SIGN OUTFIELDER CODY ROSS TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT

Right-handed Pitcher Scott Atchison Designated for Assignment

 

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today signed outfielder Cody Ross to a one-year contract for the 2012 season.  No further terms were disclosed.  To make room for Ross on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated right-handed pitcher Scott Atchison for assignment.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.

Ross played in 121 games for the Giants in 2011, including 107 starts, and appeared at all three outfield positions.  The 31-year-old knocked 14 home runs, his sixth straight season with double-digit homers, and hit .240 (97-for-405) last year with 25 doubles, 52 RBI and 54 runs, and led the Giants with a career-high 49 walks.  He made just one error in 192 total chances in the field and tallied eight assists.  A right-handed batter, he hit at a .309 clip (17-for-55) with four home runs and 10 RBI in 13 games in September.

Selected by Detroit in the fourth round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Ross has played in 757 Major League games over eight seasons with the Tigers (2003), Dodgers (2005-06), Reds (2006), Marlins (2006-10) and Giants (2010-11).  He has a .261 career average (636-for-2,436) with 152 doubles, 11 triples, 100 home runs, 371 RBI, 328 runs, 197 walks and 28 stolen bases.  Ross has hit at a .282 clip (193-for-684) off left-handed pitching and is posting a .563 slugging percentage against southpaws in his career, the seventh-best mark in the Majors since 2003.  He earned MVP honors for the National League Championship Series in 2010 after batting .350 (7-for-20) with three home runs and five RBI, and hit .294 (15-for-51) with five home runs and 10 RBI in 15 games overall that postseason to help the Giants to a World Series title.

The 35-year-old Atchison made 17 appearances over six stints with the Red Sox in 2011, posting a 1-0 record with a 3.26 ERA (11 ER/30.1 IP) and his first Major League save.  He also pitched in 36 games with Triple-A Pawtucket, including one start, going 6-2 with five saves, a 2.64 ERA (18 ER/61.1 IP), 72 strikeouts and nine walks.  Signed by the Red Sox as a free agent on December 2, 2009, the right-hander has appeared in 113 career Major League games (one start) over parts of five seasons with the Mariners (2004-05), Giants (2007) and Red Sox (2010-11), tallying a 4.09 ERA (72 ER/158.1 IP) and 128 strikeouts while going 5-6 with one save.

KEVIN HARRIMAN

BOSTON LOBSTERS NOTES

The 2012 Boston Lobsters InterClub Socials start up in February. At Boston Lobsters’ InterClub Socials events, we have a blast on the court, at cocktail gatherings, and then again at the Boston Lobsters matches.  We would love to have more clubs on our 2012 schedule, playing other regional clubs in the WTT format (3.0, 3.5 & 4.0) and having a great time! Participating clubs host matches between February-June, while the Finals take place in the Boston Lobsters stadium.   If you are interested in participating please contact Ryan@BostonLobsters.net / 603-860-7067. …Did we mention the cocktails? Last year, Bass River took home the championship with a 58-57 victory over Manchester Athletic Club at the end of June. Good luck to all of our participants this year.

On December 15, 2011, the Cohasset Tennis Club hosted a world-class doubles exhibition presented by the Boston Lobsters to benefit Tenacity, which was co-founded by Boston Lobsters coach Bud Schultz. Playing in the event were Lobsters doubles specialist Eric Butorac, fellow top 100 players Jamie Cerretani and Adil Shamasdin, and Harvard’s Christo Schultz, son of Bud and a No. 1 singles and doubles player for the Crimson.

Eric Butorac had a strong showing in the Australian Open with new partner Bruno Soares of Brazil. The doubles pair won their first three matches and reached the quarterfinals, against Leander Paes of the Washington Kastles and Radek Stepanek. Currently Eric Bruno are the number 10 ranked doubles team in the world.