DB-IDREES BASHIR (on competition and changes in defensive backfield) Training Camp
"There is competition every year. That's what the NFL is about. If you have good competition, you're going to have a good squad. There are changes going on every year. We'll see what happens. We'll go out and have fun and everything will work out itself."
DB-IDREES BASHIR (on if he is tired of hearing in offseason that defense is one area that needs to be improved) Training Camp
"Oh, yeah. It gets frustrating sometimes but everyone has their own opinion. All we can do is do what Coach (Ron) Meeks tells us to do and go out and do it well."
DB-IDREES BASHIR (on how his shoulder is doing following surgery) Training Camp
"I feel really good. The shoulder is doing really good and it hasn't really given me any problems all offseason. I'm expecting to come in and get things running. I had surgery in February. They said it would be six months before it would be fully recovered and it's the six-month time period right now, so like I said, I'm feeling pretty good. I'll probably just wear the same brace I wore last year for a while until I get comfortable."
TE-DALLAS CLARK (on if being on the brink last season made for a long offseason) Training Camp
"The good thing is you get another chance. The summer always goes fast. It's here and we're excited. We trained hard in the offseason and with our mini-camps. We looked pretty good. We're just excited to get back and it's time to get started."
DB-NICK HARPER (on if DB is as important coming in as any other position) Training Camp
"Yeah. We lost a lot of guys last year and we have a lot of new guys coming in that don't have a lot of experience. You look at them, and I'm probably the corner with the most experience back there. So it's going to be very important for the guys coming into camp to have a good camp so they can go out and be able to perform if we have to call on them."
DB-NICK HARPER (on approach after going from fighting for position to being veteran of DBs) Training Camp
"It doesn't change. Every year you want to come out and validate it. You have to prove yourself year in and year out. I don't look at it any differently than the previous two years."
DB-NICK HARPER (on defense being questioned) Training Camp
"Every year it's been like that. They question our defense every year. Our offense is only as good as our defense, whether you believe that or not. They are going to score points, but if we don't hold people to a lower score than our offense, we don't win."
DB-NICK HARPER (on which is a bigger motivation coming into camp…a 41-0 loss in 2002 or AFC Championship loss) Training Camp
"The championship loss. To come so close is a big achievement, for any football team to get as far as we did. It's going be even bigger if we can go back. We want to get back to that same position so that maybe we'll have a different outcome. But it's going to be a long road so we are going to take one game at a time."
LB-ROB MORRIS (on the attitude that the Colts lack defense) Training Camp
"I guess the same response that it's been to everything else in the last five years. What do you want me to say? Our offense has been awesome and defensively we've been good at times and we've struggled at times. Our goal is the same as last year, to win a championship."
LB-ROB MORRIS (on what goals there are for training camp) Training Camp
"Just the same as every year, the fine-tune things. Getting back into hitting shape. Getting all the details. I think you're pretty much in shape when you get to camp. Obviously you get in better shape while you're at camp and you get in a different kind of shape when you're at camp."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (general comments on another camp) Training Camp
"I'm excited about the season getting started. I've said this before, about training camp, I know for the linemen it's not the most fun thing, but for me, it's more mentally, I guess, draining than it is physically. But it just means the regular season is getting closer and closer. That's what I get excited about."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on studying part of football and TC) Training Camp
The thing about training camp, unlike the regular season, training camp is a lot of review. So for me, it can get somewhat repetitive…when the first meeting is talking about how to huddle up and what the snap-count is. There is a meeting on everything, but it has to be because we've got some quarterbacks who have never been here before so you have to catch everybody up on the same pace. So there is some review but once you get into the game plan of the preseason and the regular season and start watching film, that's when it gets exciting for me because you are getting ready to try to beat an opponent."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on which is a greater motivation…Super Bowl or living up to contract) Training Camp
"Well, that's never been an issue with me. I've always tried to play at a high level and tried to earn my keep I guess as you would say. We're excited about our team. We're motivated. We had a great year last year but we have some business we still want try to accomplish and hope we can build off last year's season."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on if he feels a sense of urgency this season since it's hard to keep teams together) Training Camp
"I've really felt there was a sense of urgency the past couple of years, with ever since Edgerrin (James') injury it kind of proved we're all human, I think. Certainly this is the year we want to try to capitalize on. I've always felt every single year you want to try to take advantage of the team you have this year because you don't know who's going to be here the following year. But we feel like we have a core group of guys coming back and some exciting new young players and we would like to take advantage of this team."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on if this team better than last year's) Training Camp
"I feel like we are. I feel like we were better in summer school and in mini-camps and I think this training camp will be another test. Anytime you put the pads on, it's like another test. You see how guys respond and you see some live contact and see some guys flying around. I thought it was a really productive mini camp and summer school."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on approaching season being more like an uphill climb because of first two games on road) Training Camp
"Yeah. I think definitely it's the toughest test so far. We've always had tough openers, but following the New England game with a road game against Tennessee, a division game, then come back with Green Bay at home. Really our first three games, we'll find out really quick what kind of team we have. I think there's a real sense of urgency in training camp to be on the same page and to be going full-speed. Fortunately, the entire time I've been here and certainly because Tony (Dungy) has been here, we've had really good training camps and always come out and played well. I think we've come out and won our opening game five years in a row, so we sure would like to continue that."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on how long NE loss stuck with the team) Training Camp <
