NEW ORLEANS (Jan. 30, 2002) -- According to all the media, we're supposed to be the underdogs Sunday. Of course, they thought we should lose to the Steelers, too.
I don't let the media upset me. I might even be on their side of the microphone some day.
On Media Day, I was on a podium in the Superdome, surrounded by hundreds of reporters. They asked questions for a whole hour. Later in the evening, I went on ESPN's SportsCenter.
There is so much media around the Super Bowl, some players can get distracted, but not me. I'm not going to let the media get me away from doing what we came here to do. I'm humble. I'm balanced. I came here with no expectations. If you're not careful, you can get trapped.
They asked me a lot of questions about my days with the Dolphins, Bears and Jets. I've been dealing with the media for a lot of years. Through those years, I've learned how to deal with them.
Media Day was just a necessary step for me to get to my ultimate goal. It didn't faze me one way or the other. I'm aware that those guys have a job to do, just like I have a job to do. The only thing is, I didn't want to be inconvenienced and not allowed to do my job. Media Day lets the media do their job and lets me get it out of the way so I can do my job.
In a couple of years, I might be one of those guys. I did the ESPN Gameday show with Coach [Bill] Parcells during our bye week and I really enjoyed it. I would like to do that kind of media work when I stop playing.
My first goal is to be a general manager some day, but that's not very realistic yet. So maybe I'll join the media for a while and bring my knowledge and experience as a player.
I might be out there like cattle, but I've been in worse places.
Of course, I'm still getting a lot of questions about who will or who should start at quarterback, Tom Brady or Drew Bledsoe.
I know one thing is for sure: I won't throw one pass Sunday. So I don't care who starts at quarterback. It's not going to change how we go out and do what we're supposed to do against the Rams.
-- As told to Tim Polzer
