Bucs locker room quotes

BUCCANEERS OPEN LOCKER ROOM QUOTES
RB MICHAEL BENNETT
(On the trade)
First off, it came off as a definite shock. I am definitely thrilled about the opportunity, I am definitely happy to be in a great organization, a great winning team, a heck of a coach. I am happy to be here. [I am] ready to get started, I have a lot to learn. The last 48 hours for me have been really crazy. The guys have really accepted me well and I really appreciate that.

(On the potential of playing time)
Right now I don't know. I ran a few plays today and I feel like a rookie all over again. I think as the week goes on I will learn more of my role. I am just excited to be here, excited to be apart of a winning organization and a winning team, I get to meet you guys and have some fun.

(On the experience of moving around from team to team)
When I was in Minnesota I did my five year term there. I signed with New Orleans, they drafted Reggie Bush, and I was the odd man out, so I got traded to Kansas City. I went there and played a little bit. But you have the great Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes is coming back. It is just kind of being at the right place but at the wrong time. It is just opportunity. I think this is a great opportunity for me to come in and play, play more than I was playing in Kansas City. Again, I am around a veteran team, a lot of great leadership on and off the field, so I am definitely thrilled to be here.

(On his speed)
The speed is great. The coach is telling guys that I ran a 10.3, but that was in high school. I ran a 9.98 in college, which I am still working on maintaining. I know Joey Galloway is really, really fast so I won't be trying to race him any time soon.

(On his arrival to Tampa)
I got here at about 11 in the morning. From there it was straight over here, straight to the book. Had a chance to meet coach, eat some dinner, and I was here until about 8 last night. Really just trying to get in and learn things, but again it is a lot. This West Coast system is like me trying to learn Chinese in 48 hours; it's not going to happen. That is why we have the coaches and the veteran players, the guys that have been here before to try to help me along with the progress.

QB JEFF GARCIA
(On Michael Bennett)
I remember Michael, obviously coming out of Wisconsin as a first-round draft pick, having quality years in Minnesota and then losing track of the guy. He's been with a pretty good staple of running backs in Kansas City, which makes it difficult to get on the field, but the guy has some talent. He has great speed, he has tremendous ability, he showed that in Minnesota. He's not an old guy, he hasn't been through years of being beat up, so hopefully he can step in. The main thing for him is to mentally grasp what we are trying to do, to understand what we do as an offense, understand terminology, understand schemes. Once he gets comfortable with some of that, I think he can make an impact on our team.

(On the necessity of the running game in a loud environment)
No matter where you are at and what you do, the running game is a necessity. It doesn't matter crowd noise or whatever it may be that you have to deal with, our running game needs to improve. Our running game needs to be a big part of this offense. We need to have balance in order to have successful plays on offense in order to establish drives, you can't just rely on being a one-dimensional team, because we are not necessarily built to be that team. We will do what ever we have to in order to find a way to succeed which is what we had to do against Tennessee. You can't live and die in that mold every week. We need to find a way to run the football.

WR IKE HILLARD
(On Michael Bennett)
Mike's a very fast guy. He's a versatile back. Hopefully we are going to be able to use that skill set to our advantage and try to get the match-ups we need in order for him to be successful and our offense to be successful. I'm looking forward to what he can do.

DT CHRIS HOVAN
(On Lions head coach Rod Marinelli)
Coming down from Minnesota, I was at a standstill in my career. Rod helped rejuvenate my career; Coach Gruden helped me, and Coach Kiffin and Mr. Allen. It was a constant effort to get me to play the way I should be playing down here, so I want to thank every man that I mentioned.

(On RB Michael Bennett)
I actually knew Mike. He was drafted the year after I was drafted. We spent a lot of time [together] in Minnesota, played a lot of games together, some good [and] some bad. Mike is a great player, a great person off the field, and he is going to be a key addition to our organization. He is fast. If you can get Mike going in a straight line from point A to point B, I don't know I don't want to say anything against the great Joey Galloway, but Mike is pretty fast.

G DAVIN JOSEPH
(On Detroit's defense)
They have a really good front seven; another challenge for us on the road. But we have to find a way to win, so just like last week it will probably come down to the end and its going to be a long fight.

(On the Bucs running game)
I think it's a mixture. It's communication, effort [and] execution; it's a combination of things. We all have to get back on the same page.

LB CATO JUNE
(On Detroit's offense)
High power. We're going to go up there and they are going to throw the football, try to move the football, big plays, lots of receivers that can catch and run, [and] a quarterback that can get them the football. It will be a tough task for us. We are definitely going to have to be on our game and be ready for a lot of looks in the passing game.

(On excelling on defense with a good passing game)
Definitely, it will be fun. Those guys are going to throw the ball, their going to test us all in the back seven; we're going to have to be ready. We need great pressure from our D-line, which will make it that much easier to go out there and make the plays in the passing game.

DE GREG SPIRES
(On going against some former coaches)
It's going to be good. When they watch the film, I feel like I'm being graded by two coaching staffs. This is definitely one of those games where I want to be at my best.

(On the Detroit offense)
They have a really good offensive line, the quarterback is really good, [and] they have the best receivers, the group of guys, I've seen this year. I think they set up the run by passing the ball and we have to stop the run and they have a good running back, so we have a job ahead of us.

Comments

[shawn]

I remember a sprint between Sapp and McFarland. I would like to see/hear about a Galloway/Bennett race.

[Tom]

I would like to see Bennett and Galloway race butt naked. It would fulfill my fantasy and my life would be complete.

[DR]

As long as they wear banana hammocks!

[Tampabaysportsfanatic]

In a regular race I think bennett wins, but I think that Galloway has better "football speed" so in a game with having to move, I think its Galloway.

DR talking about bananas and men racing naked. The outing continues

[beau]

So is he going to play sunday or not? My RB's are a little thin.... LT is on bye this week. So i don't know wheather i should put him or Priest Holmes in. We will miss Michael in KC for sure. I always thought he was just as good as LJ.

[Nick]

He might get a few touches, I think more in the air than on the ground. GREAT trade for Tampa. Super Bowl bound!!

Tampa 28 Lions 17

[Skylar]

On one of the Sirius NFL radio shows, Galloway said he "still had 4.1 speed." A caller then responded by blasting Galloway and Jerry Rice told the guy that he knew for a fact that Galloway was that fast. I don't really "know" how fast he is, but I know for damn sure that no-one has ever been able to catch him once he's in the lead. I think he probably is about as fast as he needs to be. Just my opinion.