(on what it feels like to play in the Super Bowl)
"It's a great feeling.  It's a good feeling today; it'll be a better feeling as the week goes on.  I was definitely excited last week.  Just a lot of years leading up to this that gave me a lot of energy to really celebrate in that fashion.  But you know, it's a long week.  It's one of those things where you really have to control your emotions and make sure not to be too emotional too fast, because I'm going to need every bit of my energy come Sunday."

(on if there were days where he doubted he would ever see this game and play on this stage )
"I don't know if I doubted it more than, you know, you just only get so many opportunities at it, and the further you go in your career the game can end so quickly, and it will end quickly for most of us.  You just never know if you're going to get that opportunity so I knew that as I got older, that the chances were getting slimmer and slimmer."

(on going through so many changes with Kansas City and if he realized that this isn't the team he was going to get to the promised land with)
"I can't say that.  I just knew that at some point, you have to know when it's time to kind of move away; and that point came this offseason. Then, at that point, you kind of figure, you ask yourself, 'Is there a better opportunity for you out there?' and this opportunity was presented to me, and I felt like it was the best chance for me to get here."

(on the conversation he had with Scott Pioli and how he admitted that his young replacement was ready to take that step and if it was hard being a veteran to come to that realization)  
"It wasn't all for me, it really wasn't.  When I got there, there were guys like Will Shields, Dave Szott and Tim Grunhard, and one of the things I felt like and I remember talking to Will about was, 'You want to leave it better than when you found it,' and I felt like that was an opportunity for me to leave and for the team to also not miss me either.  That's why I felt like it was the best of both worlds for both parties."

(on Jerod Mayo telling him when he first got to New England to get used to winning and now if he understands what he meant)
"Definitely, definitely.  Jerod, like most of these guys, have accepted me in without any trouble, have helped me be able to get acclimated real fast, but the one thing here is that the expectations are at a high level, and I think anybody who walks through the door realizes that, and he just wanted to let me know that second that make sure I knew that walking in the door."

(on if he knows the task ahead with this good defensive line and how are they preparing for them)
"Well, they're more than pretty good.  Honestly, these guys, individually, are as good as there are individually, and the fact that they throw so many different types of guys at you.  They're more than good; we note that.  That's going to be one of the keys to the game, and that's something that the linemen take to heart, and we're going to try and put our best efforts forth."

(on who's given him the best advice so far)
"I don't know if I've received too much advice, more than just people congratulating me and being happy for me."

(on what it is about the 'Patriot way' that works)
"Consistency, coming to work every week with the same mindset, never taking anything for granted, never taking a week or a day for granted.  When you have as high of expectations as this football team and this organization has; you know that other teams look at this team as a team to beat every week.  So you know you can't take a day off; you can't miss an opportunity to get better; you can't miss an opportunity to prepare for that opponent from week-to-week."

(on what culture resonates on everybody's mind)
"I think it's something that's pretty well known outside of the building from other teams, but I think it's more emphasized once you walk in.  You really realize how big an issue that is once you get in."

(on there being a lot of Super Bowls where one team seems heavily favored and if this one seems wide open)
"Super Bowls from history say they can go either way.  There's a lot of stuff that leads up to you guys covering every angle 10 times over.  We all know that the two best teams are there, but we all know on that given day, nobody knows what the end result is going to be because that's the reason why it has to be played. "

(on this being his first Super Bowl and if he has any butterflies in his stomach)
"Not yet, not yet, but I think there's something. I'm trying to temper my emotions about understanding and trying to get as close to a regular work week as possible, knowing that in the regular season, at this point, we'd just be coming off a game.  But this will be our third bye week of sorts, so we've kind of gotten used to doing things in that manner.  Today was just another travel day, and starting tomorrow we'll get back on a regular work schedule.  You don't want to peak too fast, you don't want to get too emotionally high too fast because this will be a long week and you really want to focus on the preparation."

(on it being just another travel day with 15,00 people screaming to send them off)
"That's definitely something a lot different for me.  I don't know about these guys, I know some of these guys went to big schools and they're probably used to that.  Yeah, that's a very good moment that I definitely won't forget."

(on if that surprised him at all)
"Not at all.  That's one thing I know about New Englanders,  they love the Patriots and that's something that through the course of this season I felt every week during the course of this season."

(on making Pro Bowls and having some of the highest accolades individually, can he elaborate on how a player feels when he doesn't get to add the experience of playing in a Super Bowl to his career)
"It's kind of hard at this point because my career isn't over.  Talking to other players who never got the opportunity to experience this it's definitely something where a lot of guys feel a void, but you also have to take solace in that fact that not too many people get to play this game.  That's something that you don't take for granted.  But you also know that given the opportunities like this, that if every player during the course of their career, if there was one thing that they'd all shoot for it would be to be in this game."

(on if the Pro Bowls and the All-Pro's even compare to the first two playoff wins of his career)
"Individually? Somewhat.  But not as a team unit, no, not at all.  It can't compare."

(on what his impressions were coming into the city and its setup)
"I'm from Dallas, and the Super Bowl was in Dallas, so it's a different thing when you're a fan and you kind of see the whole process take place.  You see all the buildings and all the different things they put up, but it's different when you're one of the teams that they're doing it for.  So it's definitely a different feeling."

(on if there's a view from the outside about this franchise because of its success and because of Bill Belichick)
"I think everybody has a great amount of respect for Coach Belichick outside of this building.  I think you respect the fact that he gets the job done, and in the form and fashion that he doesn't waiver in that… and I think that's something through the course of my career, and I think many guys as other Patriot players go to other teams they say, 'He's going to be the same guy.  Whether you like him or not he's going to be the same guy day-in and day-out,' and I think that consistency is something every player appreciates."

(on if he could give a shout out to the service men and women overseas)
"Hi, this is Brian Waters, guard for the New England Patriots.  I wanted to tell you guys thank you and how much we appreciate it.  Wish you were here and hope you enjoy watching the game. Hope we give you a great game, and again, we want to thank you with all our hearts for all you do for us."