Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo
June 2, 2009
(Opening Remarks)
“We all know there was a statement released yesterday on behalf of the family in regards to Goldman Sachs & Company. Along with that it said that there wouldn’t be any comments until that was reviewed, so I’m going to respect that request by the family and the organization. I won’t address those questions, but I’d be happy to talk about anything that had to do with practice or the team.”
(On what he expects from this week’s mini-camp)
“This one coming up? I expect five practices, beautiful weather, you know. One thing about the weather being the way it is right now I think it is good that we have back-to-back practices on a particular day. Right now there’s just one (practice) a day, which gets us a little bit in the flow of what it will feel like in late July and August. I think in that regard it will be a little cardiovascular. They’ll be able to feel some of the things we’ve tweaked to kind of make it appear that we’re in training camp just with what we’re doing with our practices. Hopefully, it will ease us right into that.”
(On if this mini-camp will get the team to a point where the playbook will be installed before training camp)
“Yeah, as a matter of fact where we’re headed into next week and definitely into the last week we’ll start focusing on the NFC West teams. So there won’t be any installation. It will just be things that we think we might be using in the season. We’re definitely headed that way.”
(On how the mental part is now hooking up with the physical)
“Well, I’ll tell you what happens on a day like today where it’s warm and I kind of tried to keep a keen eye on it. When the heat starts to set in are they going to let it get in here (their heads) and is it going to affect them. Now without watching the film I don’t really know for sure, but I thought we did a pretty good job of fighting that mental part of it. It’s all kind of coming together. The physical part we all know doesn’t really kick in until we put the big pads on. So they have to get the mental part down now because it’s going to be a real challenge in July and August.”
(On what was decided on DL Kirston Pittman’s injury)
“He went for a second opinion and I don’t that yet. I have not been told that yet.”
(On if the schedule for training camp will be a morning and afternoon practice)
“It starts out that way and then it shifts gears after about four or five days. Two or three weeks into it, it will change again. We kind of gear things so that we can get ready to play a game. It’ll be physical and the guys will get some work in and you guys keep scaring me with all the heat, but I think we’ll be ok.”
(On WR Travis Brown’s injury)
“Last Friday…he has a small crack in his fibula. That’s the non-weight bearing bone, so it’s just keeping weight off and its bit more than a day-to-day (injury), but we think he’ll be alright for training camp.”
(On what he wants to see from players in practice to see if they are game ready)
“Well, what we try to do, you saw it today, we’re trying to simulate some situations to see a little bit of that. The two-minute drill we did today, we did three two-point plays to try to get some competitive juices out. That’s the best we can do for right now without putting the pads on and playing real football. But we’re seeing a little bit of this and that from certain guys in those situations, which is good.”
(On if LB Dominic Douglas has done anything to catch his eye)
“Yeah, I think all those young linebackers are doing a nice job. It’s a challenge in this system as a linebacker, but I think they’re all doing a pretty good job.”
(On the challenge as a coach to keep the players focused when off the field issues come up)
“I told the guys that every team in this league probably has some kind of what we call a distraction. The challenge with every team in this league when those pop up anywhere as a team is to just keep the blinders on, stay focused on what it is we’re doing and not worry about the things we can’t control. I think our guys do a good job of that.”