Re: JaMarcus Russell's Combine Transcript <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>(measurements today?)265. I think I was 6-5 and a quarter.(how have you enjoyed the process so far? Stressful?)Not really. I think it's a lot of fun. It's a new experience.A lot of people tell you what it's going to be like,but you have to get here to see.(about being projected No. 1. do you want that? Feel you need to protect it?)Not necessarily protect it, because you never know what people think.But it's an honor to go so high, if God forbid that happens.I'm just honored to be here. It's a pleasure.(did you feel it cleared way for you when raiders released brooks?)That's the first I heard that.(now that you know that )Whether it's me or any other quarterback, it really shows now.(where did you think you'd be drafted before the Sugar Bowl?)I really had no idea. I was just wanting to get through the season,and after the season I was going to make some finaldecisions. And here I am today.(where did league say you'd go when you applied for draft?)They said the first round.(nothing specific? First half of first round, etc.?)No.(was the recognition you got after the bowl game overdue?)I've been through a few games where things probably didn't go so well,but we found a way to pull them out. And some games where it didgo well from the start. But you can say it's overdue a little bit.Sometimes you get the recognition, sometimes you don't. I'm justhappy that it ended up at the end of the season with everybodygetting a chance to see me.(what do you need to improve on?)I always tell people no matter what, you have to improve on everyaspect of the game. Because one day you might try to work onsomething different, then you might be lacking somewhere else.So every part of your game can improve.(relationship with Phil Savage)I've been to a few of his camps that he had when I was inhigh school (in Mobile, Ala.) As a matter of fact, I wentto the first couple. And I had a relationship with him bycoming back him around the kids. We went down and it turned out good.(disappointed him by moving up too far in the draft?)No. I'm pretty sure he's happy for me.(how early in life did you know you could throw so far?)I started playing football at the age of six. I've been playingquarterback ever since. I was always bigger and taller than theother kids. I was always able to throw it a pretty good lengthof the field. As of now, I haven't really had a chance to justget out there and sling it around too far.(the furthest you've been able to throw?)About 83, 84 yards.(How did Fats Domino wind up staying with you after Hurricane Katrina?)The girl I was dating, her name was Chantel (*-checked). He happenedto be her grandfather. I met him before a couple years back. It justso happened that I was talking to her and I had her bring himto my home. stayed for two nights.(have you had any contact with anybody from Raiders yet?)No sir.(will you throw or run here?)No sir.(what's the biggest adjustment you'll have to make to NFL?)It's just about getting there first. Once I get there, it's a lotof things. Just being comfortable, starting all over again withteammates. A new brotherhood, relationship with the coaches.So there's a lot of things I'm looking forward to.(how much did it help you improve to get competition from other QBs at LSU?)A lot. Because you're out there each and every day. Who's to saysomebody else couldn't have started? I always told people we playfor the same team, so I was going to be their biggest cheerleaderwhether it was me or them. But it really helped out a lot.(how much would you say your Sugar Bowl performanceelevated your draft status?)I think it was a lot. Things went good for a couple years,but just to have a big bowl game, you know, it's such abig-caliber game to some people, I guess it pushed me up real high.(do you enjoy competition between you and Brady Quinn?)I really do. I'm happy for him and everything he does.I wish him the best of luck. But my main thing is I'm just happyto be here myself. Sometimes people don't get the opportunity,the chances in life, to be mentioned as the first pick in theNFL draft. I'm just overwhelmed by it and very happy for it.(why the decision not to throw? Why not show off your arm?)My agents made that decision, and I'm pretty sure they madethe best decision for me, just to wait.(when will you throw?)(at Pro Day) on March 14.(any private workouts after that?)My Pro Day is on the 14th of March, and we'll find outif there's anything else after that.(any pro QBs that have served as mentors in this process?)Not really. I've talked to (former lsu teammates) Michael Claytonand Marcus Spears and Joseph Addai. Guys I've played with overthe course of the years. They just warned me and told me how itwas going to be. But like I said, you have to go through it yourself to see.(how much did you know about Fats Domino before you met him?)None at all. But once I finally got a chance to meet him beforethe hurricane, I asked my grandmother, and she kind of broke it down to me. That's whenI realized I had a legend in my house.(heard any of his stuff since then?)As a matter of fact, after the hurricane he had a CD, heprinted out a few copies and he autographed it for me.(think you can win as a starting QB as a rookie?)My main thing is to go in and learn and let everything elsefall into place. I'm not really too worried about anything after that.(what kind of offense suits you best?)In college we kind of did it all. Whatever Coach callsI guess. I'm out there to do it.(any brothers, your father, your size?)My dad, he's 6-5, 275. He played basketball, a little footballback in the day. He was a better basketball player.(his name?) Bobby (inaudible unable to find)(was he a good mentor for you?)Not growing up, but now. Back in the day, he didn't reallyhave a father figure to push him. And to see him go througheverything, now he's my type of guy to let me know the insand outs of things. He's been through so much.(how big were you at age 6?) About his size(pointing to a reporter off to the side). No, I'm not sure, man.(what QBs did you idolize?)Growing up I always liked Randall Cunningham. I used to watchESPN Classic just to see what he does. And I always liked DougWilliams. Those are two type of big guys. And right now,Peyton, I talk to him on and off. He's one of the guys I like also.(what do you learn from their games?)Just try to learn and look at their film and the things that they do.(are you the right weight?)My planned weight was originally around 257, 256.(how do you feel about comparisons to Daunte Culpepper?)A lot of people say that, I guess because we're bothsimilar, big, a little tall. To know that he's an NFL superstar, that feels great.(what's your best attribute?)I'd say that I'm a lot bigger than most quarterbacks.And at times I can get out of most trouble that smaller guys can't.(how are the fingers of your receivers?)I hope normal. They probably have a little bruise nowand then, from taking your eye off the ball, but nothing spectacular.(with competition at LSU, were you ever concerned youmight not have this opportunity to be a No. 1 pick?)No, I just looked at it as they were trying to push me.No matter what ins and outs, they wer ethere to push meto do the best I could do.(when did it dawn on you that this would be possible?All through college?)Well, you couldn't think that far ahead playing ball.But toward the end of this season, I kind of figuredI was ready to make that jump and try my skills out at the next level.(what about your receivers?)Dwayne (Bowe), he's a big target. He's a big guy. Short yardage,you've got to go to him. He's able to get separation fromthe DBs anytime. Craig Davis, he's more of a faster guy,more of a deep ball guy, over the top. They both usetheir hands great. I think they'll both do good.(what did you get out of working at Peyton Manning's passing camp?)Just the way he carries himself around people. His face is onevery TV channel, but he was always a laid-back guy.He never was too high above others.(you seem like a quiet, reserved guy. Has anyone talkedto you about being more assertive in the huddle?)In the games, it's a lot different. But this is me, I'm a laid-backtype of guy. My coach told me that in order to be that guy,I'd have to get more vocal as far as getting on the guys. ButI've always looked at it as if you can talk to a man 1 on 1,sometimes you never know, guys might take it as you're tryingto embarrass them. So I try to get with them and talk oneon one, and sometimes that helps a lot.(how do you feel about all the scrutiny that comes with this process?)Just going through life, man, everybody always has their opinionsabout what you can and cannot do. You've just got to take it andrun with it. It will be fuel to your fire.(what do you think teams will find out about you?)That I'm a competitor. When the game's on the line, I'm very reliable.I'm a team player. I'm just there to win and be able to help myteammates, put them in a position to make plays.(how much do you know about the Raiders?)I've watched them a few times on television. Right now, nothing much.If that just so happens to be the team I go to, I'll find out a lot about them.(inaudible) It was sort of that coming up because you have guysyou went to school with, but they played in differentneighborhoods, different recreation centers. You just wantedto go out and beat them every time. So it was a lot of fun.(schedule for the rest of the week?)I might stay the whole time. Just get to know the coaches ofdifferent teams. Other than that, sit back and watch some of my guys perform.(how disappointed would you be if you're not No. 1?)To tell you the truth, my main thing is just getting an opportunityto go out and showcase my skills of football at the next level.There really won't be any disappointment because everybodydoesn't get a chance to go as high as No. 1 or No. 2. I'llbe more than happy, whatever position I go in.(what are the advantages of being 260-plus as a QB?)Sometimes you're bigger than most of the defensive guys, where Icome from at the college level. It's a lot of fun when you've gotbig guys trying to tackle you and you're really not falling.You're still able to make plays. I'm bigger than most of the guys out there.</div>
Re: JaMarcus Russell's Combine Transcript <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>(the furthest you've been able to throw?)About 83, 84 yards.</div>
Re: JaMarcus Russell's Combine Transcript Seems alot like an Eli Manning-type laid-back personality. Not sure if that's a bad thing or not though. Hopefully he's more aggressive on the field.
Re: JaMarcus Russell's Combine Transcript It's better than sounding like a jackass (cough Michael Bush cough)
Re: JaMarcus Russell's Combine Transcript <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Punisher @ Feb 24 2007, 02:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It's better than sounding like a jackass (cough Michael Bush cough)</div>Where exactly did he sound like a Jackass? I thought he handled himself nicely. You're reading too much into it IMO.
Re: JaMarcus Russell's Combine Transcript I guess it's just the way you look at it. If I was the interviewer I would've felt a little disrespected after.
Re: JaMarcus Russell's Combine Transcript <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Feb 24 2007, 02:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Seems alot like an Eli Manning-type laid-back personality. Not sure if that's a bad thing or not though. Hopefully he's more aggressive on the field.</div>Good QB's have been laid back. Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, Jim McMahon, and John Elway to name a few. As long as you aren't TOO laid back or TOO intense (IE Ryan Leaf) then it should be all ok.
