Newsgroup: it.sport.americani
Titolo: Parlano Zach Thomas e Ahmad Green

Mercoledì sera, pur di sfuggire alla noia e al casino dell'ufficio, mi
sono sentito le interviste collettive di Zach Thomas e Ahmad Green.
Riporto qui di seguito le trascrizioni della ASAP (=as soon as possible)
Sports, in inglese perché sinceramente non ho tempo di tradurle.
Da notare, fenomeno che accade spesso quando gli americani trascrivono in
fretta, alcuni errori di battitura: esilarante quando a Thomas chiedono
della "hyberbolic" chamber scambiandola per la "hyperbaric" chamber.
 
Miami Dolphins LB Zach Thomas
 
            MODERATOR:  Zach, thank you for joining us today. 
  
            ZACH THOMAS:  No problem. 
  
            MODERATOR:  Let's start talking about the challenges in
offense that St.  Louis presents to your defense. 
  
            ZACH THOMAS:  Yeah, they're so talented that they can hit you
at all spots.  I think if you try to take one person out of the game,
they're definitely going to hit you up with a lot of one-on-one. 
            It's going to be huge because of what Marshall Faulk can do
out of the backfield.  Then they can put him out and match him up with
mismatches.  Their team is all about mismatches.  Usually when they got
them all out there, it's a mismatch anyway. 
            The biggest thing is not to get rattled for us, just play our
type of defense, not get rattled, because they're going to have big plays,
they're going to put up some points, but not get rattled.  Let's cause
some big plays, which I think we can cause some turnovers, create some
turnovers.  That will be a big way of helping out our offense. 
            The biggest thing is just not getting rattled because they're
definitely going to make plays. 
 
            MODERATOR:  Let's open it up to questions from the media.
 
            Q.  How important is it to get off to a good start and keep
the crowd quiet?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Oh, it's definitely important, I think,
especially for our offense, when we're on the road.  You know, this team
does so much shifting and trying to create mismatches, we can definitely
get people alive when they're on the road on defense because I would hate
to play St.  Louis at home, mainly because of our crowd noise, and we
wouldn't be able to make a lot of checks and things like that.  I think
it's definitely going to help our defense out playing on the road. 
            But, you know, it's always great, big, to take the crowd out
early like we did at Tennessee. 
 
            Q.  Can you tell me, what have you found to be the key to
success in playing middle linebacker in the NFL? 
  
            ZACH THOMAS:  It's just study, preparation.  It's kind of like
the quarterback.  You definitely got to know your reads.  I think the
biggest thing for me is recognition, recognizing the play, knowing the
play when they first snap the ball, and how quick you can recognize it and
get there. 
            It doesn't matter how fast you are, because middle linebacker
is all about position when alignment comes on.  If you read slow,
alignment's got leverage on you.  I'm huge on this.  I'm huge an
alignment, too.  You got to get yourself aligned because it doesn't matter
how good or how fast you are.  If you're misaligned, alignment is either
going to be waiting on you or coverage is going to be bad.  I always look
at tape to help my alignment and to recognize plays.
 
            Q.  I'm sure you've heard in the past that you're too short to
play middle linebacker.  Is it all the more satisfying now to show them
that you're not by having been successful, gone to the Pro Bowl, et
cetera?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Oh, yeah.  Oh, yeah.  I wouldn't want to be
6'2".  I think being low definitely helps me because when I'm high, I'm
still low.  That's why, you know, there's times when it does get clogged
up, and I don't think somebody that's 6'2" can see more than I can see. 
Then there's times it helps me, when a quarterback can't see me, because
of his alignment.  He throws it in the coverage and I pick it. 
            I mean, the biggest thing, when you have leverage, because
when somebody is high, doesn't matter how strong, you're going to get
knocked back.  I just stay low at all times. 
            You know, alignment, even when they're coming that low at me,
they're having to push down, I'm pushing up.  I feel like I'm stronger
when you're pushing up than pushing down.  So, you know, it's just like
we're playing London Fletcher this week.  I mean, he's a great
linebacker.  He showed the same thing.  He's all over the field.  I think,
you know, it shouldn't a matter in the whole situation. 
 
            Q.  Beating Oakland last week in the fashion that you did in
the last minute, what does that do for a team?  Is that something the
media makes too much out of?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  No, it does great for the team, mainly because,
you know, we didn't let up and say, "This game is over with."  Because we
could have.  I think last year we would have got rattled on defense when
the offense wasn't doing much, not in sync.  I hurts us on defense.  When
we punted with two minutes and 30 seconds, I didn't think anybody thought
we were going to win that game.  They put in it our defensive hands.
            We know our offense has got talent this year, and if they get
in sync and on a roll, we can do some great things.  And that's the good
thing about this year.  We just got to stay healthy. 
            But to win it like that, especially on a game coming back
against a great team who embarrassed us last year in the playoffs, it
couldn't get any better.  But we know it's early because we always start
fast.  We're a team that always starts fast and ends slow.  We want to
start fast and then end fast because we know how important home field
advantage and having a bye in the playoffs is.
 
            Q.  Can you talk about Jay Fiedler and how much he's improved,
how much that has meant to the team?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Well, he's healthy.  That's the biggest key.  I
think he was playing big last year, especially for the new system coming
in.  But he's got a lot of confidence.  He's a guy that won't get rattled
when he has a bad play.  You saw that with the interception he had before
that, for a touchdown.  And, you know, he's got a lot of confidence.  Like
I said, he's tough, and he'll take the hit. 
            But that's the biggest thing.  We do not want to get him
hurt.  The biggest thing this year, I think he's got more talent around
him to throw at.  I mean, he's got deep help.  I mean, that definitely
will help the running game, keep people from going eight up in the box,
with James McKnight and Chris Chambers, and Dedric Ward, that puts speed
on the field, can open up the field for you.
 
            Q.  Was it a situation, Don't make mistakes and mess the game
up for the defense, whereas this year are you kind of looking for him to
be one of the assets to go along with the defense, looking to produce on
the offense, as well?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Definitely.  I think the only time we get a
little conservative is in the fourth quarter if we have a lead, then
they'll get real conservative.  Last year, you're right, there was games
we had a win nine to six.  It puts a lot of pressure on the defense. 
            But, I mean, you're not going to go all the way doing that. 
That's something we got to let the offense open up, but try to not be too
risky, but open up, you know, throw deep.  We got the talent now - but,
you know, still rely on the defense. 
            Like I said, you're not going to go all the way with that
approach.  Besides Baltimore last year, that wassomething that they were
playing top-notch defense.  We want to get to that point, but we're not
quite there yet.  Hopefully we can. 
 
            Q.  The regular officials returned last week.  What do you
think of that?  Did you see any difference last week?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Well, I thought it was great, mainly because
beforehand, they were really critical on the refs.  I think they were
blowing things out of proportion on the replacement refs.  So, you know,
they were just looking for every little thing that turns a game around. 
Every ref makes a mistake.  But I didn't want it to come down -- it would
really be bad if the came down during the season when the team lost and it
kept them from being in the playoffs. 
            To have the main guys back, they have more experience, and
that's huge.  It's something that, you know, I was glad they got back. 
            But the rest of that stuff, the injury thing they were making
all of, that had nothing to do with the whole game.  It does change the
game a little bit and I'm happy that they're back.
 
            Q.  You're not facing them this week, but you face Peyton
Manning twice a year.  Can you talk about what makes him effective?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  He's patient and smart.  I think the biggest
thing with Peyton, he'll nibble at you and nibble at you and nibble, then
go big play on you.  That's the way he is.  But the biggest key to that
offense is everything looks the same, from run to pass.  You know, that's
because Peyton, Edgerrin, their whole offensive line makes every play look
alike.  Even the press looks like play pass.  It's something that, you
know, every time we play them, I mean, he just really gets under your skin
because he's very smart, knows when the blitz iscoming, even when you're
not trying to show it. 
            I tell you what, he's one of the best quarterbacks out there,
if not the best.  He's always tore us up. 
 
            Q.  Are there any similarities between the Colts' and the
Rams' offense?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Well, definitely they got big play potential,
things like that.  But I would think we'll have to see because we haven't
played St.  Louis but in the pre-season, and they didn't have Marshall
Faulk.  To be honest, it seems like they got a little more weapons.  But,
you know, the Colts can put up just as much or many forces as the Rams. 
It's tough to compare.  But I'd have to tell you that answer after this
game. 
 
            Q.  Why do you suppose it is that the Dolphins always start
fast and finish slow?  What are you going to do about it?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  I hope it's just mental.  I think, you know,
there was times we did get a little burned because, you know, we do
practice two a days, pretty rough.  We would lose a lot of people to
injury and things.  But maybe it's the weather.  Who knows.  I mean, I
think it's all excuses. 
            I think we just -- we always start fast.  Just something
happens at the end and we just kind of snowball.  You know, we're a whole
new team this year, and I know everybody's going to be talking about us
starting fast at all times.  That's why it's good.  Guys aren't getting
too excited right now because they know it's a long season and we got a
tough schedule coming up.  But I'm hoping that it ends good, too.
 
            Q.  Who is the most exciting player in the NFL?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  I guess you could say Marshall Faulk because he
can do it all, not just because we're seeing him this week.  I would have
said that last week.  He's a guy that, you know, can be lined up at
receiver and still makes as many plays as he does at runningback, even
with the corner on him.  He's talented.  He's versatile.  He can hurt you
in a lot of different things.  So if you try to take away too much of the
pass, he'll hurt you running.  He'll do the same otherwise. 
            But I tell you what, he's exciting mainly because he does make
a lot of big plays.  He's yards per catch are unbelievable. 
 
            Q.  Doesn't seem to be a lot of rhyme or reason to the way the
league season has begun.  What do you make of it?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Well, I think what everybody predicted, all
these teams, it's like that every year, to come out of the gate.  I think
the way the free agency is, it's spreading out the talent.  I think it's
going to be a lot more closer games this year.  Besides you see the other
night, Green Bay putting it on Washington. 
            I tell you what, there's a lot of even talent out there.  I
think it's going to be a lot of close games.  It's going to be exciting,
like what I was trying to say. 
            But I think, you know, evening everything out, no one knows
who is going to win the Super Bowl this year.  There's not a dominant team
they know is going to be in the playoffs.
 
            Q.  How much did the loss to Oakland in the playoffs drive you
to succeed this year? 
  
            ZACH THOMAS:  The last three years, we flopped in the second
round.  You know, it wasn't just last year.  We usually play our first
round pretty good.  We started to think, Guys, we got to get our wins
throughout the season and let's get a bye, let's get an open week and rest
and get home field advantage.  It's tough to win on the road in the
playoffs.  I tell you what, it was tough out there last year. 
            It definitely motivates you, but we know it's a long season. 
You've just got to be consistent and keep guys healthy and play well.
 
            Q.  How tough was it to play for you last year with the banged
up ankle?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  It was really terrible tough.  I think it
frustrated me because I'm a guy, I'm not real big, they put me down 235,
I'm like 224.  That's something that I need my speed.  When speed and
alignment are getting on you, you're not going to win. 
            I'm a guy that relies on it and likes to move around, things
like that.  But when I was slowed down, it definitely hurt my confidence,
too -- even when I was reading the play.  You know, last year....   I'm
just so glad I'm healthy this year.  I know that I got to take my time
coming back if I do have an injury like that again. 
 
            Q.  What are the qualities that you think make up a good NFL coach?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  I tell you what, I think the best thing is what
our coach does is listen.  He's a guy that doesn't, won't change his mind
on some of the things he does.  We have ten leaders on our team that he
puts in a room and asks if there's any problems, what we're doing, even
when it comes down to, you know, what we're eating on the road, thing like
that.  He listens. 
            That's the best thing a coach can have.  When you listen, you
have guys behind you.  If you're a guy that says, "It's my way or the
highway," it kind of pushes guys away. 
 
            Q.  So much was made from the scouts that you couldn't play in
the NFL when you were coming out of Texas Tech, what made you think you
could come out of Texas Tech and be a good football player and when did
you believe that? 
  
            ZACH THOMAS:  To tell you the truth, they kind of had me
believing it because, you know, until I got and watched tape, you know,
when you're watching NFL on TV, you're like, "Oh, wow," it's so much
faster.  Once you break it down on tape, I said, "I could make this
team."  I was just worried about making special teams at the time.  But
when Jimmy Johnson put his confidence in me and I got on a little roll, I
said, "Man, I can be pretty good at this." 
            But I even doubted it at times.  I said, "I'm going to be a
special teams guy, do whatever I can to make the team."  Once I came in
and saw what was in front of me, I'm like, "Wow. " My whole mindset
changed.  I went from there.
 
            Q.  How does Jimmy showing that confidence in you help you?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  The thing with Jimmy, I couldn't have come in in
a better system.  Doesn't matter if you're a veteran, you have more
experience or you're making more money, he was going to start whoever is
best for his team, whoever is best for the future.  So it was a guy that
gave me a fair chance. 
            If I would have come in behind a veteran or another team, even
if I was playing better, they probably would have played him.  They can't
lose their job over that stuff.  But Jimmy is just the opposite.  That's
why I love playing for that guy.  I still thank him for drafting me.
 
            Q.  How do you hold up physically if you're only 224, playing
one of the toughest positions in the game?  That's pretty small for 16
games.  How do you maintain?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  I'm huge on taking care of my body.  I bought a
hyperbolic chamber this off-season, I'm in there three times a week, get
massages three times a week, get the (inaudible) on, epsom salts,
stretching every day.  There are so many different things.  I use the
magnetic things.  I feel great. 
            They told me before to gain weight because it will help you
through the season, that's a big lie, because I felt sluggish when I did
that in my second year.  I said I would never do that again. 
            You know, I'm short anyway.  I don't need to be the weight the
guys 6'2" in height is.  So, I mean, they got to look at that, too.  My
frame I feel like is great.  I got them short limbs.  So if I tweak a
hamstring, it's going to be shorter than everybody else's (laughter).
            But, you know, I tell you, what all that stuff helps.  It's an
investment.  If it keeps me in the league another year, I it's a payoff. 
 
            Q.  How much does a hyperbolic chamber cost?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  I got a couple extra pieces to it, so it was
like $12,500. 
 
            Q.  Do you go by the adage that defense wins championships? 
  
            ZACH THOMAS:  Do I go by that? 
 
            Q.  Do you believe that?
 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Oh, yeah, definitely.  But the thing is, you got
to have a little help on the other side, too, with special teams, as
well.  I think the biggest thing for a defense is a good special teams
because if you don't get great field position, I don't care how great a
defense you are, if you're starting with bad field position all the time,
they're going to put up points.  When a team goes 80 yards on your
defense, it's pretty tough and cutsthe odds down. 
  
            MODERATOR:  Thanks for joining us today. 
            ZACH THOMAS:  Thank you. 
 
            FastScripts by ASAP Sports...
AHMAD GREEN
Green Bay Packers RB
AHMAN GREEN
 
            MODERATOR:  Welcome to today's conference call with Packers'
runningback Ahman Green. 
            Can you hear me, Ahman?
            AHMAN GREEN:  Yes. 
            MODERATOR:  People are talking about you in the same breath at
Edgerrin James and Marshall Faulk.  How have you taken to the flattering
comparisons?
            AHMAN GREEN:  Just continue to be still humble about it, just
continue to push myself and work harder during practice, get myself better
so can I help my team out on the football field. 
            MODERATOR:  Questions for Ahman. 
 
            Q.  How has it been working with Brett Favre so far?  Has it
been difficult adjusting to a new quarterback?  How has he helped your
game?
            AHMAN GREEN:  It's been a good experience working with Brett. 
When I came here last year from the trade out of Seattle, I was just going
off what I seen, you know, watching NFL teams, footages of him running
around scrambling, tossing the ball every which way but straight to get
the ball to the receiver.  So I kind of knew coming in what to expect from
his knowledge alone. 
            His type of win attitude is kind of just rubbing off on
everybody, especially myself, because I watch that.  Whatever he does, I'm
kind of relaxed, just go out there, play, have fun.  He tells us to do the
same.  I make sure if there's a situation where I had a bad play, just go
in, dig in this for play, have fun like I did when I was a little kid. 
            If you can't remember, he will remind you.  I think it's a
great benefit to have a guy like that on the football field with you. 
 
            Q.  Can you talk a bit about the relationship between yourself
and Dorsey Levens?  Obviously he's been banged up the last couple of
seasons.  Seems to be getting healthy now.  Both in the backfield
splitting time, how have you helped one another?
            AHMAN GREEN:  He's helped me more than anything basically to
learn the offense even more.  Last season when he was down, he told me
little tidbits to help me pick up the offense.  He always kept me weary of
teams that I haven't played or ran the ball against, like Detroit and
Minnesota, you know, how their players play, guys like Robert Griffith for
Minnesota, and Stephen Boyd, the linebacker at Detroit. 
            He always kept my eyes open, that get me prepared for the
games.  Just watching him, I just watch him in practice on how he works as
a consistent professional, you know, always being on top of his game,
making sure he's in the right places at the right times.
 
            Q.  Is it very similar coming from a program like Nebraska,
which obviously is a very small state, a lot of people into Cornhusker
football, now in a small town like Green Bay?  Lot of similarities between
the two there?
            AHMAN GREEN:  Definitely.  I mean, I think the only difference
is the colors in both teams, having green and gold up there, scarlet and
cream in Lincoln.  That's probably the only difference.  The fanfare is
definitely the same.  Regardless of the game, we could be ahead by 30 or
it could be a close game or we could be down, if we're here, they're
behind us 110%. 
 
            Q.  A lot has been made of some of the problems holding onto
the football and fumbling.  Are there any special drills that the coaches
have gotten into you as far as trying to hold onto the ball more?  Is it
kind of mental?  What is the preparation?
            AHMAN GREEN:  For myself, I never really saw it as a problem. 
I was just really, you know, still learning offense, you know, when I was
in Seattle.  When I got here, the coaches gave me a chance with more
opportunity to go play.  Coaches know you going to make mistakes.  Every
play isn't going to be perfect.  If I focus, my confidence will get
stronger. 
            Probably throughout last year and during the off-season, that
was basically the gist of it, just me learning the West Coast offense. 
Once I had that down, I was back into the mindset I could just go out
there and play and not worry about am I in the right line, am I picking up
the right blitz, whatever.  Just making sure I go out there and know what
I do what I know how to do:  play football in a natural way.
 
            Q.  I heard about your Batman tatoo.  When and where did you
get that?  Why did you decide to get that?
            AHMAN GREEN:  I got it back in 1989 when the first remake of
Batman came to movie theaters with Michael Keaton as Batman.  I was
already hooked.  I used to watch Adam West that used come on in the
morning with the "wild", "splat" across the screen.  When the movie came
out with Michael Keaton, that just set it for me. 
            Probably my third or fourth year playing little league, more
than football, I got the Batman symbol shaved into the back of my head
from my barber.  From then on I did it every week before every game.  Guys
on my team, parents and friends that came to the game, just called me
Batman from then on. 
            I got it basically because the outlook of Batman, he's a Super
Hero.  When you really break him down, he's not a Super Hero in the
instance of having super human strength.  He's a guy that he's going off
pure, you know, revenge, he works hard at karate, Judo, Jujitsu, all kinds
of things that increases strength to help him defend the City of Gotham. 
            He get beat up every now and then.  Batman does get his butt
kicked, but you always see him popped back up and ready to go for the next
villain.
 
            Q.  Sounds like you're into Batman.  With Dorsey continuing to
back you, are you talking him into getting a Robin tatoo or something?
            AHMAN GREEN:  No.  He's a grown man.  He makes his own
decisions.  I don't know if I could talk him into that.  But I know in
terms of just me and him working together as a team, a Dynamic Duo, that's
no problem at all because I'm comfortable with it, I know he's comfortable
with it. 
            I've been dealing with it since basically high school.  I came
into a situation in high school where the guy there before me was a
thousand-yard rusher.  Nebraska had Lawrence Phillips there.  It was
nothing where I had to adjust to; just something I was already used to. 
It's a great situation to have two great backs in the backfield.
 
            Q.  Watching the game on Monday night against Washington, it
looked like the third quarter when is you guys really pulled away.  Was it
an effort on your part to be more physical?  Seemed in the third quarter,
you guys were pounding the ball, seeking out the Redskin players, being a
physical presence. 
            AHMAN GREEN:  It was basically the way the game unfolded. 
Offensively, we did want to run the ball and basically found Adam.  In
terms of the way my running style is, that's the way the game unfolded. 
It could have been any of their safeties coming up to make that tackle. 
Just whoever was in my way, I was trying to get the ball upfield and
trying to put it in the end zone for my team.
 
            Q.  The regular officials returned last week.  What do you
think of that?  Did you notice any difference?
            AHMAN GREEN:  I really didn't notice much difference.  I go
out there and I be so focused on the game play, where if it's a call, I
can't really see many calls anyway unless it's off-sides by the offense or
defense alignment or maybe a hold call.  Other than pass interference, I
don't see it till I look up on the replay board. 
            Some of the calls made, they were real good calls.  I didn't
see no calls that was questionable at all.
 
            Q.  Do you ever think back the way you were acquired by Green
Bay for Fred Vincent who has been hurt with the Seahawks, how big of a
steal you have become for the Packers?
            AHMAN GREEN:  Yeah.  I just look at it when I first got here a
blessing in disguise the way how things unfolded in the past year and a
half for myself and my teammates here because, you know, without that
trade, who knows, I could still be in Seattle doing something good there,
helping them guys out.  But I'm here in Green Bay, trying to help this
team get back to where we want to be, in the playoffs, big things. 
 
            Q.  What is the hardest hitter in the NFL?
            AHMAN GREEN:  For me, it's two guys, they're both safeties for
their team.  One guise I Robert Griffith up in Minnesota, the other guy is
still in my conference down in Tampa Bay, in John Lynch.  Two guys, if you
don't pay attention, they will knock you for a (loop?).
 
            Q.  Any added pressure since you guys are off to such a good
start?  Seems like people are focusing on your team being the favorite
coming out of the of the gate early in the NFC Central.  Any added
pressure on the team?
            AHMAN GREEN:  Right now, no.  We take it one practice at a
time, one game at a time to get ourselves better, to get ourselves to the
goals we want to accomplish.  Not thinking down the road too far.  The
only thing we're thinking about now is the Carolina-Packers coming up on
Sunday.
 
            Q.  At one point last year, you guys were 5 and 7.  You won
six straight games since then.  What has been the difference in the
offense?
            AHMAN GREEN:  I just probably say our confidence.  You know,
our confidence has build up ever since the beginning of last season.  We
had a shaky starting the beginning of last season.  From then on our team
character, not just offense, but overall team character, has been building
up and building up through the mini camps, training camps.  Our character
is getting stronger.  Cohesion is getting better on the team. 
            Right now we want to keep that going to make it more of a
snowball effect, you know, by the end of the season.
 
            Q.  Do you attribute that to Mike Sherman or to the veterans
on the squad?
            AHMAN GREEN:  A little bit of everything.  Coach Sherman knows
how to get us prepared mentally the correct way and physically, then the
veterans stepping up at certain times to say thing that need to be said at
that time, either be it LeRoy Butler, Santana Dotson.  Those guys step up
to the plate and make sure we stay in our mindset to get this thing
accomplished, to get to the goals we want to get. 
            MODERATOR:  Thanks a lot and good luck in Carolina. 
            AHMAN GREEN:  Thank you very much. 
 
            FastScripts by ASAP Sports...
 
Ciao a tutti
John, nel weekend ti rispondo, ero troppo incasinato per scrivere cose
comprensibili.
Gierre

Grande Zach, (ce l'ho nel fanta)
ROMO