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"The Tugboat"
http://www.baltimoreravens.com/temp...§ion=press&content_id=1937§ion_id=109
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE FOR FRANK SANDERS' SIGNING 4/18/03
Transcript of Frank Sanders press conference 4/18/03
Ozzie Newsome
Good morning. This is an interesting time of the year. We just had 20 [draft] eligible players who have come through, but amid the process, to have the opportunity, two weeks or so ago, to sit and talk with Frank when he came in, there was a difference. When we talked to those young kids that were draft eligible, very few have a plan, understand what they’re looking for, what’s about to happen to them. When he had the opportunity to sit and chat with Frank when he came in, he had a plan. It reminded me a little bit of watching the Priest Holmes free agency period. Priest had some criteria he was looking for with a football team. When he found that, he felt like he had a very good match. I think the same thing was with Frank. He had some criteria he was looking for in a team. He said that for eight years he had been in Arizona, and that this was time for change for him. He was being very deliberate in his process. He had just come in from Carolina at the point we talked to him. It was very rewarding for me to talk to, especially an Auburn guy, who had a plan, knew what he was looking for, knew what he wanted from an organization and a football team and when we can bring in players the caliber of Frank that know what they’re looking for, know what to expect when they get here and then be able to deliver, I think we add, not only a good football player, but a quality person. Frank Sanders is definitely a quality person. One of the things Brian that I discussed throughout the season – we always go back and reassess our decisions – one of the decisions was to not sign Antonio Freeman last year. I think that might have hurt us a little bit in that we had a bunch of young receivers that needed to be taught how to work, how to prepare, how to get themselves ready for meetings and all of that. Even though we allowed our young guys to work and to grow, to have a mentor sometimes is very good for them. Frank provides that for our young players at this point. Someone who will be able to provide the mentorship for our young receivers. I think that’s going to help those guys. If they have a tough day, then they’ll look to Frank. They won’t have to look to David, to Brian, to myself or to Matt. They can look to Frank how to handle a tough day because he’s been down that road. Brian?
Brian Billick
To reiterate what Ozzie was saying, the thing I’m most excited about is, clearly, what Frank has done on the field has been well documented, without a question, but the class, the commitment he has to the profession that he’s going to bring [is enormous]. The signings we have had this offseason all have that similar vein, in the players we’re bringing in. I think it’s a great social commentary that Mr. Alabama has brought the two Auburn guys in, Frank and Harold Morrow. We’re overcoming all types of stereotypes in doing that. But seriously, there’s a class and a professionalism in the guys that we’ve brought in. We were going to be very careful in who we brought into this mix of what we think is an excellent young team and Frank is at the top of this list.
Frank Sanders
I do want to say thank you to the Baltimore Ravens, to coach, to Ozzie for being patient with me in my decision. As Ozzie said, when I came into this offseason, I wanted to make sure that – a slogan was given to me by Aeneas Williams, and I haven’t forgotten it. He said, ‘Frank, you need to go where you’re celebrated, and not where you’re tolerated’ – and that’s basically what I was looking for in a team this year, one that’s going to celebrate Frank Sanders and not just tolerate Frank Sanders as a player. I also was searching for if my time at Arizona was done. Obviously, my contract was up, but I wanted to make sure that my time was up. As the offseason came about and as I began to see things and notice things, I knew that my time was up in Arizona, and I was just looking for the team that was going to celebrate Frank. I came here for my visit and had the opportunity to talk to Ozzie and Coach and having the opportunity to meet the coaching staff. When I came in, I saw Ray Lewis and talking to him, he said, ‘You’re not going anywhere else. This is where you need to be. I understand this is a business and you need to make a wide decision.’ I didn’t tell Ozzie this, but when we were sitting in that room talking, I could have signed that day. But I was still in the process, and I wanted to make sure of that. My wife and myself wanted to make sure that we were in a spot that was going to celebrate Frank Sanders as a player, and not just tolerate him anymore. I believe that I bring to this team, not only a mentor, but also a player, who’s going to go out and make plays, year in and year out. I’m going to do my best to bring a Super Bowl back to this team and add to this. When I met Ray Lewis, he said, ‘We just need 14 points.’ I decided to give him 14 points and whatever else we can bring to the table. I look forward to this opportunity. It’s a change in my life. It’s a difference. Obviously, coming from the desert to this weather is a little different, but I look forward to it. There’s a lot of great things about Baltimore that I look forward to.
Question 1: Frank, in your career, you’ve only played against the Ravens twice. Before this courtship began, what were your impressions of this organization?
Because of Duane Starks, the only thing I’ve heard about this organization is great. Duane loved this organization, he loved playing for the owner. I’ve only heard great things about Mr. Modell. I’ve heard only great things about being around Coach. The guys loved it. The loved playing here, they loved being here. Peter Boulware bought a house in my neighborhood. It was just great conversation talking to guys. Guys just said that they love being here, they love playing here. You always ask guys, ‘How was it winning the championship? What was it like there? What does that coach do? How was it in the offseason?’ It was comforting to know that if I had a place to go, I’d go to Baltimore. But when I walked on the site and got the chance to meet with the coaches and some of the players, it makes a difference. A player is going to be true to his word. If Coach Billick stinks, he stinks. But if he’s going to be true, he’s going to be true. He’s going to be fair. We know that. A player’s going to tell another player the truth. He’s not going to lie when it comes down to business. It’s not like college. It’s not recruiting. It’s not the same. A player’s going to be true to another player. I think that’s one of the things that, before I got here, the players spoke highly. Coach Billick called me a week after [the visit], and I said, ‘Coach, you don’t need to say another word.’ When I got here, I felt like I was celebrated as a player and not tolerated. It was not just, ‘Well, we’re catching him on the down end of his career.’ The told me some things that they were expected from me as a player, it made the decision easier.
Q2: Frank, what do you expect to bring to the field as a player?
My desire is to come out here and be productive. That’s my desire, as a player, to score touchdowns, to move the ball up and down the field, to keep the defense off the field as much as possible, to win ballgames. I was with the Arizona Cardinals for the last eight years. I had David, when he was a baby. I had Martay Jenkins. When Rob Moore left, he was me. He was the oldest receiver on the team at the time. He had three years on me, but when he left, it was my turn to be a leader for those guys. My practice is to get ready for the game, to be a guy in the locker room that guys can come talk to if they want to, and just to be productive as a person and a player. That’s all they can ask of me. I’ve been a mentor to younger guys before. Rob Moore was my mentor when I got to the Arizona Cardinals, and he made a difference in my life. I’m going to be an ear and a voice, when I need to.
TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE FOR FRANK SANDERS' SIGNING 4/18/03
Transcript of Frank Sanders press conference 4/18/03
Ozzie Newsome
Good morning. This is an interesting time of the year. We just had 20 [draft] eligible players who have come through, but amid the process, to have the opportunity, two weeks or so ago, to sit and talk with Frank when he came in, there was a difference. When we talked to those young kids that were draft eligible, very few have a plan, understand what they’re looking for, what’s about to happen to them. When he had the opportunity to sit and chat with Frank when he came in, he had a plan. It reminded me a little bit of watching the Priest Holmes free agency period. Priest had some criteria he was looking for with a football team. When he found that, he felt like he had a very good match. I think the same thing was with Frank. He had some criteria he was looking for in a team. He said that for eight years he had been in Arizona, and that this was time for change for him. He was being very deliberate in his process. He had just come in from Carolina at the point we talked to him. It was very rewarding for me to talk to, especially an Auburn guy, who had a plan, knew what he was looking for, knew what he wanted from an organization and a football team and when we can bring in players the caliber of Frank that know what they’re looking for, know what to expect when they get here and then be able to deliver, I think we add, not only a good football player, but a quality person. Frank Sanders is definitely a quality person. One of the things Brian that I discussed throughout the season – we always go back and reassess our decisions – one of the decisions was to not sign Antonio Freeman last year. I think that might have hurt us a little bit in that we had a bunch of young receivers that needed to be taught how to work, how to prepare, how to get themselves ready for meetings and all of that. Even though we allowed our young guys to work and to grow, to have a mentor sometimes is very good for them. Frank provides that for our young players at this point. Someone who will be able to provide the mentorship for our young receivers. I think that’s going to help those guys. If they have a tough day, then they’ll look to Frank. They won’t have to look to David, to Brian, to myself or to Matt. They can look to Frank how to handle a tough day because he’s been down that road. Brian?
Brian Billick
To reiterate what Ozzie was saying, the thing I’m most excited about is, clearly, what Frank has done on the field has been well documented, without a question, but the class, the commitment he has to the profession that he’s going to bring [is enormous]. The signings we have had this offseason all have that similar vein, in the players we’re bringing in. I think it’s a great social commentary that Mr. Alabama has brought the two Auburn guys in, Frank and Harold Morrow. We’re overcoming all types of stereotypes in doing that. But seriously, there’s a class and a professionalism in the guys that we’ve brought in. We were going to be very careful in who we brought into this mix of what we think is an excellent young team and Frank is at the top of this list.
Frank Sanders
I do want to say thank you to the Baltimore Ravens, to coach, to Ozzie for being patient with me in my decision. As Ozzie said, when I came into this offseason, I wanted to make sure that – a slogan was given to me by Aeneas Williams, and I haven’t forgotten it. He said, ‘Frank, you need to go where you’re celebrated, and not where you’re tolerated’ – and that’s basically what I was looking for in a team this year, one that’s going to celebrate Frank Sanders and not just tolerate Frank Sanders as a player. I also was searching for if my time at Arizona was done. Obviously, my contract was up, but I wanted to make sure that my time was up. As the offseason came about and as I began to see things and notice things, I knew that my time was up in Arizona, and I was just looking for the team that was going to celebrate Frank. I came here for my visit and had the opportunity to talk to Ozzie and Coach and having the opportunity to meet the coaching staff. When I came in, I saw Ray Lewis and talking to him, he said, ‘You’re not going anywhere else. This is where you need to be. I understand this is a business and you need to make a wide decision.’ I didn’t tell Ozzie this, but when we were sitting in that room talking, I could have signed that day. But I was still in the process, and I wanted to make sure of that. My wife and myself wanted to make sure that we were in a spot that was going to celebrate Frank Sanders as a player, and not just tolerate him anymore. I believe that I bring to this team, not only a mentor, but also a player, who’s going to go out and make plays, year in and year out. I’m going to do my best to bring a Super Bowl back to this team and add to this. When I met Ray Lewis, he said, ‘We just need 14 points.’ I decided to give him 14 points and whatever else we can bring to the table. I look forward to this opportunity. It’s a change in my life. It’s a difference. Obviously, coming from the desert to this weather is a little different, but I look forward to it. There’s a lot of great things about Baltimore that I look forward to.
Question 1: Frank, in your career, you’ve only played against the Ravens twice. Before this courtship began, what were your impressions of this organization?
Because of Duane Starks, the only thing I’ve heard about this organization is great. Duane loved this organization, he loved playing for the owner. I’ve only heard great things about Mr. Modell. I’ve heard only great things about being around Coach. The guys loved it. The loved playing here, they loved being here. Peter Boulware bought a house in my neighborhood. It was just great conversation talking to guys. Guys just said that they love being here, they love playing here. You always ask guys, ‘How was it winning the championship? What was it like there? What does that coach do? How was it in the offseason?’ It was comforting to know that if I had a place to go, I’d go to Baltimore. But when I walked on the site and got the chance to meet with the coaches and some of the players, it makes a difference. A player is going to be true to his word. If Coach Billick stinks, he stinks. But if he’s going to be true, he’s going to be true. He’s going to be fair. We know that. A player’s going to tell another player the truth. He’s not going to lie when it comes down to business. It’s not like college. It’s not recruiting. It’s not the same. A player’s going to be true to another player. I think that’s one of the things that, before I got here, the players spoke highly. Coach Billick called me a week after [the visit], and I said, ‘Coach, you don’t need to say another word.’ When I got here, I felt like I was celebrated as a player and not tolerated. It was not just, ‘Well, we’re catching him on the down end of his career.’ The told me some things that they were expected from me as a player, it made the decision easier.
Q2: Frank, what do you expect to bring to the field as a player?
My desire is to come out here and be productive. That’s my desire, as a player, to score touchdowns, to move the ball up and down the field, to keep the defense off the field as much as possible, to win ballgames. I was with the Arizona Cardinals for the last eight years. I had David, when he was a baby. I had Martay Jenkins. When Rob Moore left, he was me. He was the oldest receiver on the team at the time. He had three years on me, but when he left, it was my turn to be a leader for those guys. My practice is to get ready for the game, to be a guy in the locker room that guys can come talk to if they want to, and just to be productive as a person and a player. That’s all they can ask of me. I’ve been a mentor to younger guys before. Rob Moore was my mentor when I got to the Arizona Cardinals, and he made a difference in my life. I’m going to be an ear and a voice, when I need to.
