Incognito’s thoughts a day later on personal fouls
By Kathleen Nelson
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
09.14.2009 2:43 pm
Here’s the full text of Rams guard Richie Incognito’s interview Monday, one day after he was flagged for two personal fouls and 35 yards worth of penalties (coach Steve Spagnuolo’s comments appear below Incognito’s):
Was it chippy on the field?
Incognito: “The whole game, it was chippy back and forth. That’s expected. It’s a big-time ballgame, both teams coming out trying to get a division win. It definitely got scrappy.”
Did you let your emotions get away from you?
Incognito: “Definitely. The first personal foul, I let my emotions get away from me. Did something real regrettable. My focus is get the play over with, get back in the huddle. I got away from my game plan. That’s something I’m going to have to go back to.”
Did you see the second one on film?
Incognito: “I’m running down field. It’s a quick screen. So I got out. I got my guy sealed a little bit. I’m running with him. You can see I start to choke down. As soon as my feet slowed, he kept riding me. There was a guy about three yards in front of me. I could see where the flag was thrown because I had my hands up and I delivered into the guy. But, really, it was a self-defense thing and I plowed him over. Looking forward, a deal like that, I’m going to have to throw my hands up or try to avoid the guy.”
How important is the coaches’ support?
Incognito: “It’s great knowing that the coaches are behind me 100 percent. That hasn’t always been the case. In this game, there’s zero tolerance for things like that. It’s something I have to overcome. It’s squarely set on my shoulders as something that I have to overcome to help this team get better.”
Do you feel as if you’re on a short leash?
Incognito: “It’s been a short leash from the get-go. That’s been understood since Coach got here. We’re going to be physical, we’re going to be disciplined, we’re going to have attention to detail. We got away from all three of those. Just a bonehead play and me being selfish.”
* * *
Incognito’s behavior _ past and present _ drew more questions than any other topic during Spagnuolo’s media briefing today.
“I know Richie Incognito is the Rams’ 2009 offensive guard,” he said. “I like his passion, but when passion leads to penalties that’s not a good thing. But I’d rather have that problem than trying to motivate guys to love the game of football. Yesterday’s over and we’re moving on.”
Spagnuolo said that based on Incognito’s relatively calm behavior in camp, he thought his past misbehavior and temper control issues were behind him. “I thought he had done a great job,” Spagnuolo said.
For now, Spagnuolo said he would remain patient. “We’ll deal with that as we go. Sometimes, I can be real patient and sometimes I can be real impatient,” he said.
He acknowledged, though, that the key to the loss were the penalties, though Spagnuolo wouldn’t comment on them, other than to say, “We wish they hadn’t happened. Hopefully oging forward we won’t have those again.”
Steven Jackson’s penalty for unnecessary roughness “is not on film. So I really can’t pass judgement,” he said.
* * *
Spagnuolo said linebacker James Laurinaitis suffered the only injury of note (knee) in the Rams’ 28-0 loss to Seattle.
“They’re calling it a bursa sac. He seems to be fine,” Spagnuolo said, adding that Laurinaitis participated in workouts and weightlifting Monday.
Of Lauirnaitis’ debut as starting middle linebacker, Spagnuolo said. “It’s not easy to go in there and be the quarterback on defense on your first game. The mistakes are easily corrected. He played a real productive game.”
Leonard Little and James Hall left the game to receive IV fluids but were fine.
By Kathleen Nelson
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
09.14.2009 2:43 pm
Here’s the full text of Rams guard Richie Incognito’s interview Monday, one day after he was flagged for two personal fouls and 35 yards worth of penalties (coach Steve Spagnuolo’s comments appear below Incognito’s):
Was it chippy on the field?
Incognito: “The whole game, it was chippy back and forth. That’s expected. It’s a big-time ballgame, both teams coming out trying to get a division win. It definitely got scrappy.”
Did you let your emotions get away from you?
Incognito: “Definitely. The first personal foul, I let my emotions get away from me. Did something real regrettable. My focus is get the play over with, get back in the huddle. I got away from my game plan. That’s something I’m going to have to go back to.”
Did you see the second one on film?
Incognito: “I’m running down field. It’s a quick screen. So I got out. I got my guy sealed a little bit. I’m running with him. You can see I start to choke down. As soon as my feet slowed, he kept riding me. There was a guy about three yards in front of me. I could see where the flag was thrown because I had my hands up and I delivered into the guy. But, really, it was a self-defense thing and I plowed him over. Looking forward, a deal like that, I’m going to have to throw my hands up or try to avoid the guy.”
How important is the coaches’ support?
Incognito: “It’s great knowing that the coaches are behind me 100 percent. That hasn’t always been the case. In this game, there’s zero tolerance for things like that. It’s something I have to overcome. It’s squarely set on my shoulders as something that I have to overcome to help this team get better.”
Do you feel as if you’re on a short leash?
Incognito: “It’s been a short leash from the get-go. That’s been understood since Coach got here. We’re going to be physical, we’re going to be disciplined, we’re going to have attention to detail. We got away from all three of those. Just a bonehead play and me being selfish.”
* * *
Incognito’s behavior _ past and present _ drew more questions than any other topic during Spagnuolo’s media briefing today.
“I know Richie Incognito is the Rams’ 2009 offensive guard,” he said. “I like his passion, but when passion leads to penalties that’s not a good thing. But I’d rather have that problem than trying to motivate guys to love the game of football. Yesterday’s over and we’re moving on.”
Spagnuolo said that based on Incognito’s relatively calm behavior in camp, he thought his past misbehavior and temper control issues were behind him. “I thought he had done a great job,” Spagnuolo said.
For now, Spagnuolo said he would remain patient. “We’ll deal with that as we go. Sometimes, I can be real patient and sometimes I can be real impatient,” he said.
He acknowledged, though, that the key to the loss were the penalties, though Spagnuolo wouldn’t comment on them, other than to say, “We wish they hadn’t happened. Hopefully oging forward we won’t have those again.”
Steven Jackson’s penalty for unnecessary roughness “is not on film. So I really can’t pass judgement,” he said.
* * *
Spagnuolo said linebacker James Laurinaitis suffered the only injury of note (knee) in the Rams’ 28-0 loss to Seattle.
“They’re calling it a bursa sac. He seems to be fine,” Spagnuolo said, adding that Laurinaitis participated in workouts and weightlifting Monday.
Of Lauirnaitis’ debut as starting middle linebacker, Spagnuolo said. “It’s not easy to go in there and be the quarterback on defense on your first game. The mistakes are easily corrected. He played a real productive game.”
Leonard Little and James Hall left the game to receive IV fluids but were fine.
Comment