3.09.2007

The Thomas Jones Interview


Q. Thomas, congratulations. Can you just talk a little bit about why the Jets are a good fit for you and just your general reaction to being here in New York?

THOMAS JONES: I'm very, very excited. I had a great time in Chicago, and it was a great experience for me playing there, making it to the Super Bowl last year with those guys. But, you know, I'm very, very excited to be here in New York. It's a great city. We had a chance to play the Jets this year, and the energy and the excitement that we felt up here at the Meadowlands and just being in New York in general was something that was special. I'm excited about the opportunity. They have a great team. They have a lot of great players on this team, and I'm just excited about being here.

Unruly's Grade: A+ He is saying all the Right things here.

Q. You're going to be coming in perhaps a year removed from Curtis Martin's tenure here. He didn't play last year obviously, but a lot of fans will connect you to Curtis as being the next in the line of featured tailbacks that can help the Jets greatly. How do you feel about moving into that same role that Curtis filled for a number of numbers?

THOMAS JONES: Curtis Martin is one of the best backs of all time in the NFL. Like I said, I'm just excited about being here in New York, having an opportunity to help this team win. They have an exciting team, they have a lot of great players like I said before. I'm just one of the guys on the team that's of the mentality to come in and just try to help this program and get to the level that they're trying to get to.

Unruly's Grade: C- Common Jones, have some balls and say something that is going to get Jets fans excited!

Q. What's your understanding of your role? Are you going to be a featured guy or are you just going to have 15 to 20 carries a game? What have the Jets told you?

THOMAS JONES: I'm here to help this team win. The best players play, and that's a great situation to be in there because it's an opportunity to go out there and compete. Competition makes everyone better. My mentality is just to come in here, do the best I can to be productive on the field and the meeting room and the weight room and just be the leader that I've been at the Chicago Bears and bring something positive to the team.

Unruly's Grade: C BORING!

Q. Do you have a preference? Are you ‑‑ some guys say that they need 20 carries before they get going. What's your approach to that? OK Good Question.

THOMAS JONES: Any time you're a skill guy and you have a ball in your hands you love the opportunity to make plays to help the team win. Obviously you want to get as many opportunities as possible.

But that will be proven in practice, and that's what I'm looking forward to is getting a chance to go into the off‑season program, getting to know my teammates. I know a couple of guys up here that came in the draft with me and I've met guys just being in the NFL. I'm just excited about getting a chance to meet these guys on this team. Everyone has said a lot of positive things about this organization and the players on this team, and I'm just happy to be a part of it.

Unruly's Grade: C+ Snooooor!

Q. Congratulations. First of all, in your mind were the extension talks, did they go fairly easily, and was everyone on the same page with that?

THOMAS JONES: As for the extension, that is between the organization and my agent. I really didn't have much to do with that. I actually just came in, met everyone, had great conversations with everyone, and I just left that up to my agent.

Unruly's Grade: B- OK, you can't blame the guy from staying away from that one. He's got Drew Rosenhouse who is probably going to try to take a big chunk of that $17 million in free cap space. Although, that hurts the Jets, Jones has got to eat so I would let his agent do the dirty work here too.

Q. Thomas, you accounted for more offense in the last two seasons than everybody but Tiki Barber for his team. He did??? Why would the Bears want to trade you?

THOMAS JONES: That's one situation that you might want to address with the Bears. You know, I had a great, great time in Chicago. I want to thank Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith and the Bears' organization for giving me the opportunity to come in there as a free agent. They definitely gave me a spark in my career. All the guys that I played with in Chicago, we were always very, very close, and we had a special season last year making it to the Super Bowl, and the fans of Chicago and the city of Chicago showed us so much support, showed me so much support, that it's something I'll never forget.

But in the NFL sometimes it doesn't go the way that you may think it's going to go, and you just adjust. Like I said, that situation is something that you might want to address with the Bears.

Unruly's Grade: B- I guess he answered this ok. But I am intrigued by the offensive numbers.

Q. Can Cedric flourish as your replacement?

THOMAS JONES: Cedric Benson has a lot of talent. He's a talented guy. When you move into the feature role, there is a lot more responsibility. Coach Spencer is a great running backs coach. I had a great relationship with him, not only as a coach but as a friend. He had so much advice for me just to make me a better football player, and I'm sure he'll pass that same advice to Cedric Benson.

Unruly's Grade: A I'll give him an A for that one since he basically said, "Fuck Cedric Bensen!" without sounding like a jerk.

Q. Obviously you're not coming here as a free agent. What kind of sway did you feel like you had as far as where you ended up? And if so, what did you like about the Jets that drew you here? Ok, this is a juicy question!

THOMAS JONES: Just the fact that they're a team that ‑‑ you could tell just watching them on film, I watch a lot of film, and especially I watch the offense and the defense and they had guys that played hard. I met with Coach Mangini yesterday, and he's a great guy, definitely the type of coach you want to play for. They have a lot of energy here in New York. Just coming out when we were getting ready to play the Jets, and we came out for the game, just the energy of the stadium, the fans, I mean, it was an away game for us, but just the energy that I felt was something special, and I look forward to experiencing that and being on the team.

Unruly's Grade: A There you go TJ, now you are starting to get it. Lets get us fans amped up!

Q. Mike Tannenbaum talked about how during the first four years of your career I think the percentage was 40 percent of your team's plays. At this point how young do your legs feel?

THOMAS JONES: The thing about any situation, I was at Arizona and I was sharing carries with Michael Pittman, so fortunately I didn't get beat up as the typical back would as far as getting a lot of carries. I go to Tampa Bay and there's a running back who I'm sharing with there, too, so I've been blessed in my career to be around a lot of different running backs, learning a lot of different things about offenses and learning from those guys that I played with. Unfortunately I'll be 29 years old this year, but I haven't had a lot of carries for a 29‑year‑old back.

I'm a workout warrior. I love working out, I love taking care of my body. I'm very in tune with my body and how I feel. So the way I feel right now, I could play for a long, long time, and I'm just happy that the Jets showed an interest in me to bring me here.

Unruly's Grade: B He's 29? I didn't know this is his forth team!

Q. Just to clarify, you're coming off a team that went to the Super Bowl. Why did you want to be traded out of Chicago?

THOMAS JONES: You know what, it wasn't really a situation where I wanted to be traded. It was a situation where I wanted to have an opportunity to do what I'm capable of doing, and that's going somewhere and providing leadership like I did in Chicago. Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson, we all were running backs there and we all made plays. But sometimes in the NFL it's something that you have to adjust, and that's what I've done.

You know, in my career I was traded to Tampa Bay, and I ended up loving it in Tampa Bay, and I signed with Chicago, ended up loving it there. I'm looking forward to having that same type of experience here in New York.

Unruly's Grade: B Ok, I liked the fact that you want to do what you are capable of doing.

Q. What if the Jets arrange a situation where you're splitting the carries with Leon Washington who's a pretty talented young guy? Would you be happy in a time‑share situation? Another juicy one!

THOMAS JONES: You know what, that's up to the coaches. I'm here to play football and make plays. That's why I signed here is to help the offense be as productive as possible, like I said, on the field and off the field. The coaches make all those decisions. Leon Washington is a great back. I watched him last year, and he made some great plays for the Jets, helped them get to the playoffs. I have a lot of respect for him and all the other running backs out there. I'm one of the guys on the team that just wants to provide leadership and make plays and help us win.

Unruly's Grade: B I actually think he answered that one the right way. You don't want to trash the guys on your team before you get there.


OK, he did ok in his interview. I didn't realize he was as old as he is. But he will definately be running by committee. I think he could be a solid back, barring any injuries.

Courtesie of the Jets PR department from www.nyjets.com.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

First, see my comment on "The Team to Beat" post about TJ.
Second, what the hell do you want him to say? That he is the best RB in the world, that Curtis Martin is a decrepid old man and that Leon Washington is a pussy compared to him? The guy is trying to be as careful as possible, he is not trying to piss anyone off or step on anyone's toes or piss off his new coaches. He's just trying to get the interview over with. Fuck that reporter for asking all those questions. Just let the guy play and see what he can do. I don't give a shit what he thinks or says, as long as when he is on the field he is playing for the Jets at 100% or better.

So, in conclusion, give the guy a break! All athletes say the same shit in every interview, none of the are exciting. If guys get too exciting in interviews they become the spectacle (i.e., TO) and their play and the team become the second story. I'm glad he said shit like, "happy to be here" "the coaches know what they are doing" "I will do my best" etc. etc.
Let's cut TJ a break until next year. I think he will be a good fit.
Go Mets.

Anonymous said...

Side note - I will never, ever comment on anyone else's blog, again, ever. I only comment on our blogs. Just thought you would like the FYI. In addition, I will never, ever, read another blog, about anything, unless it is our blog. Fuck all bloggers and blogs!

Yeah!!!!!!!!

Arnie Shaw said...

Ok, fair enough. By the way Fakehead, you are freaking funny man. You just make me laugh.

You know, last night I was watching Seifeld and I was thinking that that guy sort of reminds me of you for some reason. Except you swear way more and I would even say are funnier. Then I was thinking that we are like the case of Seifeld except me and Mooks dont fit in. But Figgy is Kramer. If Will Farrell for George Castanza and Hawkeye from Mash for Elaine (I don't know why, but that guy reminds me of Mooks). And theres the show.

At any rate, do you like some of the bling on this blog?

Anonymous said...

Dude, Mooks reminds you of Alan Alda, the guy is like, 80 years old.

Thanks for saying I am funnier than Seinfeld. You know, I was eating dinner the other night, and I realized I only used pepper, and not the salt, and I was thinking, what about the salt, he must be feel inadequate! Sorry salt, you aren't needed in my house, I have enough spices! You are going to have to get a job, at a restaurant! They need plenty of salt at a restaurant! (insert laugh track here).

Anyway, that wasn't funny, but if you imagine it in Seinfeld's voice, it is pure hilarity.

Unruly, you are Will Ferrell through and through. Figgy is too smart to be Kramer, although he definitely fills the weird part. Mooks is like a smart, wise-ass comedian, like Denis Miller or something. Half the time you don't even know what the fuck he is talking about or he makes a reference to some 16th Century Irish Poet or some shit, and you're like, "Dude, what the fuck are you talking about, I was talking about the tits on that chic over there."

Anyway, are you making any money off these posters and helmets? If so, I want my 25%! You better watch out, I'll restructure my contract and look for 30% if you aren't careful. Fucking Miggy will never know, he's always "mudded" anyway. ha ha

Go NEW YORK JETROPOLITANS!

Arnie Shaw said...

Ush-hay on the ommission-cay. We'll talk about it on the ownd-dlay ow-lay. This way we can go 50/50 and no one will know the difference.

Actually, I intend to make this a four way split. But we'll get into that later. I am really banking on the fact that you guys will forget. Actually, once we get going I am hoping that we all can make about $10k a month off this blog. I already bought the domain names.

I read an article about blogging and that is what got my to open this one.

But at any rate, we'll get into more of this later on.

Your right, Mooks doesnt really remind me of Hawkeye, but I am not sure who he looks like.

Arnie Shaw said...

I changed my mind...any profits I decided will go to some sort of charity, any profits over $100,000 that is.

No seriously, I was thinking of if this blog does generate some income, like $50.00 here or there then it is not worth fighting over. But if we do get some advertisers, and we do start to make money I am thinking we can send a bus load of handicapped kids to a game. Perhaps it will be a good way to also have a tailgate party too.

Anonymous said...

I need to start doing something good with my life. I don't want to die and for people to say I was a good drunk and that I never shit THEIR bed when I was drunk. I need a fucking legacy (unless my son becomes a star for the Mets, then he is my legacy and I will shit everyone's house when I get all wasted).

I say round up the retards and let's take them to a game with all the millions we make on this blog.

Arnie Shaw said...

I feel the same way. So it feels good to have a Jets blog so retards (you guys) can blog about stuff.

Plus if we take a bus load of retards to a Jet game and dont come home for two days, how could our wives bitch, because we doing something good.