Post by Socom on Oct 22, 2005 16:27:59 GMT -5
Nate Clements: The Hot Corner
Motivation, first place, and knocking Brady's helmet off. Plus, exclusive new screens of Madden 360.
by Nate Clements
October 21, 2005 - As told to Jon Robinson
It's a close chase in the division, but it's still early. We're not counting the chickens before they hatch, but it feels good to be tied for first. A lot of people had us counted out, but we knew we had a good team and we needed to keep fighting. As long as we can play consistent football, I wouldn't be surprised if we ended the season in first place.
The biggest difference the last couple of weeks has been the focus. Everyone on the team has been more focused lately on what we need to do, and we've been a lot more consistent in terms of cutting down our mistakes. The main thing, though, is that we're going out there and really having fun again playing the game. It's really hard to have fun when you're out there struggling or losing games, but we've loosened up out there, and we're having a good time, and that means more than you'd think.
Nate drops back in Madden 360.
To me, the main things are studying film and practicing hard. That's the only way to slow down the game. The game doesn't seem fast to me anymore, and that enables me to just react to plays as they happen. All the players get together and watch film at the facility, but what I do to help get an edge is burn DVDs so I can bring the film home, pop it in my computer, and try to see if I can pickup something extra about our opponents on that film. You can actually see tendencies of players sometimes. You can getter a better idea of the concepts of the offense and what they try to do to beat you. That's what I try to get first, the concept. After that, I breakdown my opponent, watch the routes he runs, and whether or not the DB is successful at stopping certain routes or particular plays. I'll try to find the weakness of the receiver. I look for little things like if he raises his shoulders up when he gets ready to break, any little thing I can find to give me the advantage.
The Game
This week we're playing against Oakland, and teams don't give out their injury lists until the last possible second, so I'm preparing for Randy Moss as if he's going to play. Until I hear different, that's what I'm preparing for, and I'll be ready. To me, going to Oakland is like going to a fashion show. You have the fans dressed up and they're yelling and booing, and I love it. You want the fans to get into it and go all out, and as a player, you appreciate fans like that.
Not looking past Oakland, but after we go in there and take care of business, we have another important game coming up against the Patriots. It's obviously a big game because they're in our division, and right now, we're tied for the lead. We need to keep doing what we've been doing these last couple of games and get these two wins before the bye week.
Can't throw on this corner.
It's funny, because I like Tom Brady, he's a really cool guy. I remember when we were out at the Pro Bowl, my brother was filming a documentary on the Pro Bowl, and I had a chance to meet the different players and they were giving shout outs on the camera. Then when I had the chance to meet Brady, my brother asks him "How did it feel when my brother hit you and knocked your helmet off?" That happened my rookie year, I came charging in and when I hit him, his helmet went flying.
Brady looked into the camera and was really cool. He said "I was hurt, but I didn't want to show it." It was funny. I can't believe my brother asked him that. I had no idea that was going to happen.
Motivation
One thing that's funny is my agent send me motivational letters every week. This week I got one about Wilma Rudolph. She was the first black woman to win three medals in the Olympics. She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and the 400-meter relays. When she was born, she was premature, so she was only like four pounds. This meant she had to wear a brace on her leg until she was six years old. Check this out, she had 22 brothers and sisters (her father was married twice), and when she had the brace on, her brothers would sit there and rub her legs every day for six years, then her mother once a week would drive 90 miles so she could get therapy. From that rehab and that care, she was able to get out of her brace, then she picked up basketball, and she was so fast, they nicknamed her Skeeter. I think she scored 49 points in one game, then this track coach noticed her, and next thing you know she's winning races. I have all of these motivational quotes put up throughout the house, and the one I have from her is "I tell them that the most important aspect is to be yourself and have confidence in yourself. I remind them that triumph can't be had without struggle."
That's the game of football right there.
That's what I call motivation.
Credit: IGN
Motivation, first place, and knocking Brady's helmet off. Plus, exclusive new screens of Madden 360.
by Nate Clements
October 21, 2005 - As told to Jon Robinson
It's a close chase in the division, but it's still early. We're not counting the chickens before they hatch, but it feels good to be tied for first. A lot of people had us counted out, but we knew we had a good team and we needed to keep fighting. As long as we can play consistent football, I wouldn't be surprised if we ended the season in first place.
The biggest difference the last couple of weeks has been the focus. Everyone on the team has been more focused lately on what we need to do, and we've been a lot more consistent in terms of cutting down our mistakes. The main thing, though, is that we're going out there and really having fun again playing the game. It's really hard to have fun when you're out there struggling or losing games, but we've loosened up out there, and we're having a good time, and that means more than you'd think.
Nate drops back in Madden 360.
To me, the main things are studying film and practicing hard. That's the only way to slow down the game. The game doesn't seem fast to me anymore, and that enables me to just react to plays as they happen. All the players get together and watch film at the facility, but what I do to help get an edge is burn DVDs so I can bring the film home, pop it in my computer, and try to see if I can pickup something extra about our opponents on that film. You can actually see tendencies of players sometimes. You can getter a better idea of the concepts of the offense and what they try to do to beat you. That's what I try to get first, the concept. After that, I breakdown my opponent, watch the routes he runs, and whether or not the DB is successful at stopping certain routes or particular plays. I'll try to find the weakness of the receiver. I look for little things like if he raises his shoulders up when he gets ready to break, any little thing I can find to give me the advantage.
The Game
This week we're playing against Oakland, and teams don't give out their injury lists until the last possible second, so I'm preparing for Randy Moss as if he's going to play. Until I hear different, that's what I'm preparing for, and I'll be ready. To me, going to Oakland is like going to a fashion show. You have the fans dressed up and they're yelling and booing, and I love it. You want the fans to get into it and go all out, and as a player, you appreciate fans like that.
Not looking past Oakland, but after we go in there and take care of business, we have another important game coming up against the Patriots. It's obviously a big game because they're in our division, and right now, we're tied for the lead. We need to keep doing what we've been doing these last couple of games and get these two wins before the bye week.
Can't throw on this corner.
It's funny, because I like Tom Brady, he's a really cool guy. I remember when we were out at the Pro Bowl, my brother was filming a documentary on the Pro Bowl, and I had a chance to meet the different players and they were giving shout outs on the camera. Then when I had the chance to meet Brady, my brother asks him "How did it feel when my brother hit you and knocked your helmet off?" That happened my rookie year, I came charging in and when I hit him, his helmet went flying.
Brady looked into the camera and was really cool. He said "I was hurt, but I didn't want to show it." It was funny. I can't believe my brother asked him that. I had no idea that was going to happen.
Motivation
One thing that's funny is my agent send me motivational letters every week. This week I got one about Wilma Rudolph. She was the first black woman to win three medals in the Olympics. She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and the 400-meter relays. When she was born, she was premature, so she was only like four pounds. This meant she had to wear a brace on her leg until she was six years old. Check this out, she had 22 brothers and sisters (her father was married twice), and when she had the brace on, her brothers would sit there and rub her legs every day for six years, then her mother once a week would drive 90 miles so she could get therapy. From that rehab and that care, she was able to get out of her brace, then she picked up basketball, and she was so fast, they nicknamed her Skeeter. I think she scored 49 points in one game, then this track coach noticed her, and next thing you know she's winning races. I have all of these motivational quotes put up throughout the house, and the one I have from her is "I tell them that the most important aspect is to be yourself and have confidence in yourself. I remind them that triumph can't be had without struggle."
That's the game of football right there.
That's what I call motivation.
Credit: IGN
