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**Q: Things were going good until this last weekend, what was the story with that game and what they did?**
M: They didn't really do much that we weren't prepared for. They kept fighting and fighting and they found the way to win. Our biggest thing was that we turned the ball over twenty times, that hurts.
Q: One of interesting things about Denver is that no matter who the running back is he immediately comes in and is a success Terrell (Davis), Olandis Gary and now you, you are the new guy having success, how does it happen, that is not a coincidence that all three of you guys have had to come in in situations where you had to play and had success, why is it Mike?
M: It starts with the coaches. When they go out looking for a back they look at a specific kind of guy. A guy that they feel can come in and fit in well with the system. It's a great system. We have a great offensive line coach and a great running backs coach. They look for a guy that can come in and fit in with whatever they need done. He understands what the line is doing, what kind of blocking they are doing up front, reading his keys and making one cut and getting down the field and if a guy can come in and learn the system like that then he is going to have success.
Q: It is pretty good to find a guy that fits the system who is always a sixth round draft choice?
B: It is. Everything has been good out here for me, TD is playing the best of his career
Q: Are you disappointed that you didn't start last week? Didn't you have some chance at a record?
M: Yes I had chance of being the first rookie ever to rush for three consecutive 100 yard games in their first starts and I think I came 50 yards short of that, but what really hurt me wasn't not making the record, but not getting the win. That was the main thing for me going into the game hopefully we come out of the game with just a win.
Q: Is it an advantage to assume because you are a more mature young man coming into the league having been in the marine Corp, facing the discipline necessary to reach that level, is that a big aid for you in pro football?
B: Yes it is. It is a big time advantage for me because at this level and in my situation to get thrown in there so early being a rookie and having to handle all of that pressure with your teammates counting on you, your coaches depending on you, everyone is depending on you and to go into the situation, I was nervous but at the same time I was calm about it and I was able to just go out there and handle it and just do my job. That is why they brought me here.
Q: Did you have similar situations as a member of the Marines Corp, what rank did you finally reach?
M: Corporal.
Q: Did you have similar situations where someone was counting on you, your platoon in situations where it is really similar in so many ways to the way your teammate counts on you?
M: Yes, in the Marine Corp you become part of what we call the squad unit. It is a twelve-man team and every guy has a job to do. If you go out on an observation post or a night post and you are observing looking for the enemy, keeping an eye on the enemy and where they are located and things like that, each guy within in their unit is depending on the next guy. With that situation you are putting your life into another guys hands and vice versa that guy is depending on you with his life. You have got to be real smart about it and understand what your assignment and what your job is and what you have to do when you are out there in the bush like that. So it is a like that, guys are really depending on you and like with anything you don't want to let the guy next to you when you are a team player, let him down, so you are not understanding your job or you are not on top of your job.
Q: Did the age thing work against you in the draft or is this where you were slotted?
M: I really don't know. To this day I still don't know what happened with the draft. I really didn't get too big into the draft. My whole focus was just let me get drafted or just let me be a free agent on a team and give me a chance to play in a mini camp. I just looked at the whole draft thing, for me, it is not where I started but it is where I finish at.
Q: You didn't play in high school right?
M: No not at all.
Q: You were in the band right?
M: Yes.
Q: What instrument did you play?
M: I was a drummer.
Q: Is music a big part of your life?
M: Yes, when I was in high school I used to love it, but now I don't have the time like I use to have back then to play like I use to. I use to go home all the time and practice. I took my drums home and just practiced, practiced, practiced, but it is different now, but yes I love playing play music. I used to love it then and I still love it. It is a way to relax and get away for awhile.
Q: You went to junior college and who talked you into playing football?
M: I had a coach by the name of Bob Curley and he was a retired Colonel out of the Marine Corp and the base is not that far from the junior college which was two hours away. Actually he live about 20 to 30 minutes away from the base itself and he used to come up there every game, every week. There were so many different games being played on the base and he would just scout guys and check out guys and convince guys to come up and play for the college. He was the one that came and saw me for the first time and then he kept coming back and finally he convinced me to come up and play for him.
Q: So you played Marine Corp football?
M: Yes.
Q: You started when you got out of the Marines, someone talked you into that too?
M: Yes.
Q: And the best thing you ever did right?
M: Yes no question.
Q: Did you go to any hot spots around the world?
M: Yes I got deployed to Somalia and basically our job, the company I was with, was to serve basically as a backup unit and made sure all of the troops got out safe and after they got out just maintain the peace for a little while so I wasn't in the thick of it in the sense.
Q: Did that have an impact on you some of the things that went on over there?
M: Yes it did, it had a big impact on my life. I learned from there to never take anything for granted and always be happy with the things you have. There are other people around the world that don't quite have the things that you have that you take for granted so just be happy and thankful for the things that you do have and just take life one day at a time.
Q: What has been the biggest adjustment for you in terms of NFL football and the speed of the game?
M: Learning the system and of course the speed comes with it. You realize that right off the top when you first get here how quick the game changed for college. But learning the system and watching the veterans and how dedicated the guys are to this game and what it takes to play this game for so many years. What kind of work ethic, you have to figure out what you have to put into it to it in order to get out of it what you want.
Q: I would think one of the things that would be interesting to you and one of the things that you probably found out early is how good that offensive line is?
M: They are real good. I'll be surprised we're in the game and we are running the plays and the holes just open so wide. To me they are one of the best offensive lines in the business.
Q: Isn't it kind of funny when you look back and reflect, there you were in a dusty country that has nothing but upheaval and now here you are in the glow and spotlight of the NFL it seems almost surrealistic in many ways?
M: Yes it does. It feels like a dream. Ever since I have had a chance to play and have been having success it just seems so much like a dream. I am at the point now where I just don't want to be woken up. If this is a dream than just let me continue the dream a little bit longer. It is a great feeling though.
Q: Joining the Marine Corp out of high school was it something that you thought about for a long time?
M: Coming out of high school looking for, like average teenagers looking for some kind of direction in life. Trying to pick out what I wanted to do basically in life and I happened to come across a Marine recruiter because they come visit the school quite often and I happened to just come across him one day and we started talking and I was liking everything that he was telling me and then I decided to come down and visit him in his office and he showed me some videos and I just made up my mind that this was what I wanted to do.
Q: You watch an ad for the Marine Corp on television and it makes you want to run out and join doesn't it?
M: Yes it gets you pretty pumped because I know what that mean "the few the proud" wearing that uniform. You have to go through thirteen weeks of pretty much hell just to wear that uniform.
Q: A lot more difficult than the Denver training camp I assume?
M: Yes it was tough.
