Tarkus
09-12-2008, 08:10 PM
Q&A with DAMON HUARD - 9/11
Sep 11, 2008, 3:07:14 PM
Q: Did you just slip back into character?
DAMON HUARD: “Yeah right, it’s almost Halloween. Here we are, big game
this week. Obviously, I’m filling in for (QB) Brodie (Croyle) and I’m
just going to go out there for our home opener and try to get a win.”
Q: Does it make it tough to not be the guy?
HUARD: “I don’t know. You’re foolish if you don’t prepare mentally as
well as physically. You know, maybe I didn’t get as many snaps, but at
the same time as you get older, maybe that’s not a bad thing. I felt
comfortable out there, I certainly would have liked to punch it in there
at the end of the game, but we didn’t get it done. I think if you are a
backup quarterback, if you are going to play, sometimes it’s best to
play early. You are coming off training camp and playing in some of the
preseason games and you’ve played with some of the guys. You do get
those reps to feel comfortable. I don’t really think about it too much.”
Q: Does it bother you that you’ve had opportunities in other cities, but
you never became the starter?
HUARD: “I just come to work. I did whatever they say and whatever the
coaches asked of me. When your opportunity comes and you get a chance to
play, you just have to make the most of it.”
Q: Head coach Herm Edwards said that QB Tyler Thigpen would play some in
the next few weeks. What do you think about that?
HUARD: “I don’t know. Whoever they put out there on the field, all it’s
about is getting a win on Sunday. And if playing Tyler is the best way
to do that, I’m all for it. I just want to win football games. That’s
what I’m about.”
Q: Do you ever look back and wonder what could have been in those other
cities?
HUARD: “I’m not one to look back, I try to look forward. I think about
now. Obviously there’s been lots of talk about rebuild. For me it’s
reload, I mean let’s go play, let’s play today. When you’re 4-12 there’s
going to be change. We brought a lot of new guys in here, kept a few of
the older guys, and we feel pretty good about this team.”
Q: Does it help you to know what kind of player you’re going to be every
day?
HUARD: “Certainly this has kind of been my role here in the five years
I’ve been here, except for last year when I started the season. But this
is kind of more or less for my entire career, coming off the bench,
going in there and filling in when need be. Certainly everyone wants to
be the starter, but for some reason that hasn’t materialized.”
Q: Do you remember a time in your careers when you said, I’m probably
not going to start, so I’m just going to be the best backup I can be?
HUARD: “I think more than anything, even if you’re not a starter, you
see the guys get hurt in this league. How many starting quarterbacks are
out this week? Three, four? When you do the math last year, 64 guys.
Okay, I’m not the starter but there’s a good chance that I’m going to
play at some point in this season. If I’m the two, if I’m the three, you
know, you’re probably going to play. You always have to have the same
mindset. I think if some guys think, oh I’m not going to play, and then
get forced in there, they either get the job done or they don’t.”
Q: Herm has kind of made it known that Brodie will be the starter,
pretty much no matter what happens. What do you think about that?
HUARD: “I’m not thinking about that. I mean, whatever. I’m going to
worry about the game this Sunday. Everyone wants to talk about the
future here, and honestly, it kind of gets old. So let’s just worry
about the Raiders on Sunday.”
Q: Are you surprised that they played as bad as they did on Monday night?
HUARD: “They got off to a good start, they almost punched it in there at
the beginning of the game, and then it’s probably a different game.
That’s a good football team with a lot of great players. They play
tough, it doesn’t matter what their records are. It’s a rivalry game.
Every game that I’ve been involved with the Raiders, it seems like it’s
come down to the wire. Throw everything out the door, because it’s going
to be a tough, physical football game that will probably come down the
fourth quarter.”
Q: How nice would it be to be the quarterback that throws him the pass
that gets him the record?
HUARD: “That would be quite an honor. I think I’m the guy who threw him
the touchdown pass, so we might as well get him the 120 yards this week,
that sounds good to me.”
Q: Herm has said that you don’t need the reps in practice that other
guys do. Is that true?
HUARD: “I think you get a little tired sometimes, or get tired faster.
But certainly you need the timing and some of those things. But you get
enough. It’s hard exactly to pinpoint how much you need, how much you
don’t need. Certainly you need some. I’m not sitting here, dwelling on
it, thinking about it. Let’s just go play football.”
Q: Can you talk about the significance of Tony’s milestone?
HUARD: “It’s history. Playing that position, not only are they receivers
but they’re asked to block and be a lineman sometimes, too. The
longevity that he’s had playing this game at such a high level. That’s
why it’s so hard to do, why it’s taken him so long to get to this
record. It takes a real special athlete and a real special person that’s
exactly what Tony is. He’ll go down as easily the greatest tight end to
ever play this game.”
Sep 11, 2008, 3:07:14 PM
Q: Did you just slip back into character?
DAMON HUARD: “Yeah right, it’s almost Halloween. Here we are, big game
this week. Obviously, I’m filling in for (QB) Brodie (Croyle) and I’m
just going to go out there for our home opener and try to get a win.”
Q: Does it make it tough to not be the guy?
HUARD: “I don’t know. You’re foolish if you don’t prepare mentally as
well as physically. You know, maybe I didn’t get as many snaps, but at
the same time as you get older, maybe that’s not a bad thing. I felt
comfortable out there, I certainly would have liked to punch it in there
at the end of the game, but we didn’t get it done. I think if you are a
backup quarterback, if you are going to play, sometimes it’s best to
play early. You are coming off training camp and playing in some of the
preseason games and you’ve played with some of the guys. You do get
those reps to feel comfortable. I don’t really think about it too much.”
Q: Does it bother you that you’ve had opportunities in other cities, but
you never became the starter?
HUARD: “I just come to work. I did whatever they say and whatever the
coaches asked of me. When your opportunity comes and you get a chance to
play, you just have to make the most of it.”
Q: Head coach Herm Edwards said that QB Tyler Thigpen would play some in
the next few weeks. What do you think about that?
HUARD: “I don’t know. Whoever they put out there on the field, all it’s
about is getting a win on Sunday. And if playing Tyler is the best way
to do that, I’m all for it. I just want to win football games. That’s
what I’m about.”
Q: Do you ever look back and wonder what could have been in those other
cities?
HUARD: “I’m not one to look back, I try to look forward. I think about
now. Obviously there’s been lots of talk about rebuild. For me it’s
reload, I mean let’s go play, let’s play today. When you’re 4-12 there’s
going to be change. We brought a lot of new guys in here, kept a few of
the older guys, and we feel pretty good about this team.”
Q: Does it help you to know what kind of player you’re going to be every
day?
HUARD: “Certainly this has kind of been my role here in the five years
I’ve been here, except for last year when I started the season. But this
is kind of more or less for my entire career, coming off the bench,
going in there and filling in when need be. Certainly everyone wants to
be the starter, but for some reason that hasn’t materialized.”
Q: Do you remember a time in your careers when you said, I’m probably
not going to start, so I’m just going to be the best backup I can be?
HUARD: “I think more than anything, even if you’re not a starter, you
see the guys get hurt in this league. How many starting quarterbacks are
out this week? Three, four? When you do the math last year, 64 guys.
Okay, I’m not the starter but there’s a good chance that I’m going to
play at some point in this season. If I’m the two, if I’m the three, you
know, you’re probably going to play. You always have to have the same
mindset. I think if some guys think, oh I’m not going to play, and then
get forced in there, they either get the job done or they don’t.”
Q: Herm has kind of made it known that Brodie will be the starter,
pretty much no matter what happens. What do you think about that?
HUARD: “I’m not thinking about that. I mean, whatever. I’m going to
worry about the game this Sunday. Everyone wants to talk about the
future here, and honestly, it kind of gets old. So let’s just worry
about the Raiders on Sunday.”
Q: Are you surprised that they played as bad as they did on Monday night?
HUARD: “They got off to a good start, they almost punched it in there at
the beginning of the game, and then it’s probably a different game.
That’s a good football team with a lot of great players. They play
tough, it doesn’t matter what their records are. It’s a rivalry game.
Every game that I’ve been involved with the Raiders, it seems like it’s
come down to the wire. Throw everything out the door, because it’s going
to be a tough, physical football game that will probably come down the
fourth quarter.”
Q: How nice would it be to be the quarterback that throws him the pass
that gets him the record?
HUARD: “That would be quite an honor. I think I’m the guy who threw him
the touchdown pass, so we might as well get him the 120 yards this week,
that sounds good to me.”
Q: Herm has said that you don’t need the reps in practice that other
guys do. Is that true?
HUARD: “I think you get a little tired sometimes, or get tired faster.
But certainly you need the timing and some of those things. But you get
enough. It’s hard exactly to pinpoint how much you need, how much you
don’t need. Certainly you need some. I’m not sitting here, dwelling on
it, thinking about it. Let’s just go play football.”
Q: Can you talk about the significance of Tony’s milestone?
HUARD: “It’s history. Playing that position, not only are they receivers
but they’re asked to block and be a lineman sometimes, too. The
longevity that he’s had playing this game at such a high level. That’s
why it’s so hard to do, why it’s taken him so long to get to this
record. It takes a real special athlete and a real special person that’s
exactly what Tony is. He’ll go down as easily the greatest tight end to
ever play this game.”