Transcripts of interviews with Jets players following Saturday's afternoon training camp practice:
WR LAVERANUES COLES
On meeting Jerry Rice when he came to speak to the team …
Me personally, I just wanted an autograph. He said we were going to work it out. That's one of the great things about him. That's all I ever wanted. I mean, just meeting somebody you grew up watching, and I mean literally grew up watching, he's just somebody that everybody always talked about. He was famous, kind of like the person you pretended to be in the backyard if you were catching a ball. I was just more amazed that he was actually in the room there with me. You know how there's the deer in the headlights? I was like, "Man, there's Jerry Rice." For me, it was exciting. I had the opportunity to actually see Jerry Rice and shake his hand. In my opinion, he was the best to ever play the game. Especially playing the same position, all you can do is sit and wish you can do one-quarter of what he could do with his game. I was thankful to have the opportunity to meet him.
On previously meeting Rice …
There have been times I've been around him, but we were playing against each other so that time he was the enemy. Now it's different because I look at it from a different perspective. He's the kind of guy when he would make a play, he would get on your nerves because he was on the other team. But now that he's not playing, you can just sit back and say that's why his nickname is "World." He's the best. They put a highlight tape of him on before he spoke to us. That said it all. Here's a guy that worked to get where he is; nobody gave him anything. Just look at him today. I'm sure there's nowhere he can go in the U.S. that somebody won't recognize him as probably the greatest player to ever play the game.
On what he thinks about Rice …
One thing I can tell any kid is that you can try to emulate some of the things he's done, but I don't think there will ever be another Jerry Rice. You can to take small parts of his game and try to apply it to your game. Jerry Rice himself, you can never try to put yourself in that category and compare to him or even come close to him.
On Coles' conditioning program compared to Rice's program …
Nowhere near what Jerry Rice did. I put everything in perspective. He had, if I'm not mistaken, Bill Walsh and they were pretty much in a West Coast offense. This is Mangini's camp. I think it's a lot different. We had the opportunity to watch camps that they went through. He was out there in the tights and the little fake spiders and stuff like that all the time. That was really easy to get through. If he came out here, I don't think it would have been 20 years, that's for sure.
On whether Rice said anything special to him …
I was just excited about the fact that he asked for me specifically. I just shook hands and said, "I'm not going to talk your head off. Can I just have an autograph?" I was excited to just shake his hand. If you ever shake his hand, his hands probably came all the way up my arm. That's how big his hands are. Just the opportunity to meet a person like that, who's a legend already, you can't ask for more than that in any lifetime.
WR JERRICHO COTCHERY
On what Rice talked about …
He talked about his team, teammates, coaches and people around him that helped him. It wasn't about him breaking all those records. He can go on down the line about all the things he's accomplished, but the things he was most proud of was the things his teams were able to accomplish and he said he missed it. He missed being with the team and around [football].
On what Rice means to him …
You hit it right on the head. Early on, that's who I watched. Even though when I was younger I played a different position [running back and cornerback], that's who I learned to play wide receiver from. That's who I learned how to stay inbounds and tap my feet on the sideline from. That's who I learned how to catch balls over my shoulder from. That's who I emulated. That's who I watched when I was growing up. I made that transition to receiver in middle school and the coach said, "Wow, this guy's a natural." It came from watching Jerry Rice.
On what it was like to have him talk in front of the team …
It meant a lot. I had an interview on a radio show and he happened to be on the show the same day and time and he recognized me. He was saying there were things he liked about me, he liked the way I played. And to hear that coming from Jerry Rice, the same guy that I watched growing up and emulated all these things from, for him to say that about me and even know who I was meant a lot. I went home and told my wife. I said, "I don't care what anybody else says, Jerry Rice said he liked the way I played."
On how it was after Rice spoke …
We watched a movie, and after that everyone wanted to shake his hand. Everyone wasn't able to talk to him. Everyone at least went by him and shook his hand to thank him for coming out and talking to us. I had never met him in person, but once I said my name he said, "Hey, how are you doing? I'm glad to see you." That made me [proud]. It was good to actually see him in person and hear him talk about the same things that I heard him talk about on the radio show about the team helping him accomplish all the things he accomplished.
LB VICTOR HOBSON
On having a breakthrough performance last season …
I just wanted to come out and play and show everybody my abilities. I played to the best of my abilities every week. It was a new system and I wanted to improve in that system and show that I belonged. Now it's another year for all of us on the defense to play together and get better each and every day.
On if there was any time when he felt he didn't live up to the expectations of being a second round pick …
I'm hard on myself. I always felt the need to get better and I always worked hard at that. I work very hard every off-season to make sure I get better. I came in in the best shape to show that I belong.
On if there was a moment last year that everything seemed to click into place …
I think at camp it was, I wouldn't say a difficult time but it was a learning experience. We had a new coach, Coach Mangini, he came in and wanted to see what we were about. He tested us mentally and physically and that's hard to go through when you're trying to learn a system, too. I think it was a trying time for all of us. We showed what we were made of and we were ready to play for the season. Now we're back in camp and we're ready to play again.
On how big the upcoming season is …
It's a very big season. I want to get better each and every year. A lot of people say last year was a breakout season for me. I just say it was an opportunity for me to get better this year.
On if he has any plans to pursue boxing after his football career …
Sparring only. I get hit in the head way too much playing football. I don't need to do boxing, too.
LB JERRY MACKEY
On when he graduated …
I just came out this year.
On playing football with D'Brickashaw Ferguson …
We played in the Long Island championship our junior year in high school and graduated together. We played football together since seventh grade all the way up. We've been on the same team every year.
On having battles in practice at Freeport with Ferguson …
Usually we fought together, because I was on the line, too. I played guard and I also played linebacker.
On having Ferguson with him when receiving a phone call from the Jets …
Yeah, definitely, he was there with me, actually, when I got the call.
On his location when he received the call …
Originally, I got the call a week ago, before camp, maybe a week and a couple of days. And we moved in and whatever, and they told me to stay in shape and be ready 'cause we might bring you in, so he was there for that.
On Ferguson being a better defensive or offensive linemen …
I mean, he was great at both. He's a great offensive linemen, so I say he was great at both positions, but offensive line is his position.
On the playing the 3-4 …
I feel like it's a bit of a challenge, but I'm up for it. I'm studying my playbook, I just learned some defenses today, and I got a chance to actually go through them in action, so it's pretty cool. I'm just trying to figure it all out as fast as possible so I can let loose and just play and not think.
On the challenge of playing catchup with the defense …
You know what, I mean in life there's always pressure. You just got to deal with it. Whatever your situation is, you just take it and make the best of it. And that's what I plan to do.
On who was at practice showing support …
My dad showed up, Brick's parents came, my high school coach came and his wife, so it's cool.
On what he learned from coach Russ Cellen from Freeport High …
I just learned basically to be mentally tough. Whether it be fourth-and-inches or whatever you're going through in life, you got to tough it out. Work your best and work hard, and show up every day. Those qualities were definitely ingrained in me since high school. I just took it and I'm trying to do my best to take it as long as I can with the NFL and eventually make this team and be the best player I can, help out the team, and hopefully it can carry me there.
On the relationship with John Mackey …
He is my grandfather's brother, that's my father's uncle.
WR JUSTIN McCAREINS
On the significance of Rice speaking to the team …
It's a big deal. It's a privilege to listen to not only a guy who played 20 years in the league, but he's Jerry Rice. He holds all the records you could imagine. He's the ultimate professional. A lot of the things he said are things you hear often and growing up you read about. Coming from a guy who's the real deal and somebody who backs up everything he was saying, he's a great example not only for the younger players but anyone in the league to look up to.
On figuring out the surprise of Rice being the guest speaker ...
The only way we figured it out was, obviously, when Coach was introducing him. His introduction involved all the accolades and records, so we knew it had to be him. It was a big surprise when he walked out and it was a privilege to listen to a guy like that.
On what he took from Rice's speech …
Mostly his practice and his off-season habits. You hear about the things he would do and you don't know how much is true or just exaggerated. He would talk about how he got to the end of his career with the Raiders, how he has never been late to a practice, and he would sit in on every special teams meeting to show the guys just how important that stuff was. He's a serious professional football player. He's not just somebody that's interested in it for money or anything else. He took his job as serious as it comes and you have to respect a guy like that.
On if he was relieved that Rice didn't run routes in practice …
No way, I would love to watch him. Even at his age now, I bet he could still school us. It was a pleasure to hear him, but I would have loved to watch him live. I got to play against him a few times and watch him out on the field.
