Let’s conclude the Sunday NFL studio show quotage with NBC’s Football Night in America. Lots of good stuff here.
“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” NOTES & QUOTES; WEEK 3
“You have to discipline players. You have to let them know what to expect…I actually cut a player.” – “Football Night’s” Tony Dungy opposing the Jets’ handling of Braylon Edwards“You need to be suspended. This is the perfect opportunity for the Jets organization to send a message to the players, as well as the fans.” – “Football Night’s” Rodney Harrison on Edwards
NEW YORK – September 26, 2010 – Following are highlights from NBC Sports’ “Football Night in America.” Bob Costas hosted the show live from Sun Life Stadium and was joined on site for commentary by Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. Co-host Dan Patrick, analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and reporter Peter King covered the news of the NFL’s third week live from NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios. Alex Flanagan reported from EverBank Field on the Eagles-Jaguars game.ON JETSDungy on his Saturday meeting with Rex Ryan: “I’m glad I went because I came away from it really, really, liking Rex Ryan. When you sit with him, he’s an enjoyable guy. Players love him. We did talk about the language and we got that squared away…But to be honest we ended up talking a lot more about the Braylon Edwards situation.”
Dungy on how the Jets are disciplining Edwards: “(Rex) told me he felt Braylon had been punished enough. He has been embarrassed in the media. He is going to lose money in free agency so he didn’t feel like he had to pile on him. I don’t necessarily agree with that. I think you have to discipline players. You have to let them know what you expect. When I did it, I wasn’t worried about the Collective Bargaining Agreement. I told our guys, ‘Hey, I’ve got some rules. If you’re out after 1:00 in the morning, if there’s drugs, if there’s alcohol involved, if you’ve got a gun, you’re not going to get the benefit of the doubt. And I don’t care about the Collective Bargaining Agreement…I actually cut a player. A guy named Eric Johnson was a starting defensive lineman. He and I are very good friends now, we still text, but he knew the rules. He had marijuana on the seat. He had a gun. We met and once we got the police report, we cut him.”
Patrick: “A lot of teams seem to hide behind that Collective Bargaining Agreement.”
Harrison on Edwards: “You’re a veteran payer. You’ve gone through a lot of different things in your life. You need to be suspended. This is the perfect opportunity for the Jets organization to send a message to the players, as well as the fans, to say, ‘You know what, we just won’t tolerate this. Winning is important, but setting an example to our youth across America is more important.’”
Collinsworth: “I would have suspended him for this game because of a pattern of behavior. He was there with Donte Stallworth drinking with him the night Stallworth ultimately ended up killing someone driving home that evening. He was there in the Cleveland nightclub…And now the DUI on top of it. My question would have been, when are you going to understand this? When are you going to understand that you have to take responsibility? From this football team’s standpoint, they would have been better served had they gone ahead and suspended him for this one day.”
“…Now, on top of the Hard Knocks, on top of the female reporter incident, I think this was a great time for Rex Ryan and the Jets to have taken a stand, saying ‘Listen, I know what the CBA says. Maybe we lose this case ultimately on appeal, but the New York Jets are going to take stand and we’re going to take it right here.’”
Michaels: “There’s a little bit of acknowledgement to the court of public opinion here because, early on, when this was first announced during the week, there was a feeling that the Jets would not start him, maybe play him after one play, maybe play him after one set of downs, or one series. And I think they were heading in that direction until they saw the overwhelming (response)…a lot of people obviously think that he should be sat down, he should be suspended and he should be fined…I do think this is a little bit of a sop to public opinion here.”ON EAGLESPatrick: “This was a highlight reel for Michael Vick.”
Flanagan: “It was really his three passing touchdowns that showed the continued strides that he is making towards becoming a more complete player.”
Vick to Flanagan: “I’ve been dedicating myself to the game of football, dedicating myself to being the best citizen and ambassador I can be.”
Harrison on Andy Reid’s QB decision: “Last week I was wrong…I felt like the Philadelphia Eagles players would be very bitter at Andy Reid for making that quarterback switch…(But I spoke to a player and) they have more respect for him because they know it was one of the toughest decisions he had to make.”
Dungy: “Michael’s playing better than I ever saw him play in Atlanta. He is poised in the pocket, making throws, and playing great football. I was impressed with Kevin Kolb today because he was cheering…he was into the game. It worked out well.”
ON GIANTSPatrick: “Maybe the Giants are just overrated?”
Dungy: “The penalties. We saw Ahmad Bradshaw’s penalty. That was a huge play. Instead of a 40-yard game, they got a safety…That really swung the game. But they’ve done it with penalties, turnovers, and missed field goals. The things you can’t do if you are a good football team.”
Harrison: “Coach Tom Coughlin cannot take the blame, all the blame, I should say. This is a veteran team and veterans are making these dumb mistakes. You’ve got to show a little more poise. You have to be more disciplined. But Antrel Rolle, these guys talk about leadership the entire week, but they need to talking about discipline, not leadership.”
Harrison: “Eli has to make better decisions.”
ON VIKINGSDungy: “This was a big win for Minnesota. They couldn’t afford to go to 0-3.”
Harrison (joking): “Stop panicking!…That’s what one of Vikings players told me.”
Patrick on Vikings-Lions scuffle: “A game of Twister breaks out here.”
ON SAINTSDungy on attempting field goal on first down: “I would absolutely make that call. Sean Peyton did the right thing. Inside the 30, you’ve got to be 100 percent as a kicker. Guys can get hurt…so you want to end the game as soon as possible.”
Harrison: “The Saints could easily be 0-3 right now.”
Dungy on Super Bowl hangover: “If Sean Payton was a doctor, he is describing Super Bowl hangover. That’s what that is, mistakes, penalties, just not being sharp.”
ON STEELERSHarrison: “No one ever talks about Mike Tomlin and the job that he’s done. He’s never complained. He kept his team focused. He’s down to what, his fourth-string quarterback? There’s not too many teams that could survive that.”
King: “Tonight I talked to George Whitfield, who’s been training Ben Roethlisberger three days a week during his hiatus from the football team…He said one of the things that’s been great is how (Ben) has been cooperative in working on his mechanics. They tape everything and then they go back to find little flaws to work on for the next day. (Ben) said, “This is great. I’ve never had a chance during the season to work of my mechanics.’”
Patrick on a Charlie Batch TD pass: “Charlie Batch. C. Batch. See Batch throw. See Batch connect.”
ON CHIEFSDungy on GM Scott Pioli and Head Coach Todd Haley: “They changed the mindset of that team.”
Harrison: “I think they’re playing well and I hate to be the bearer of bad news but they’re not making the playoffs.”
Other stuff coming up later.
