It Is What It Is » Ex-Pats’ CB Ellis Hobbs on ESPN Radio
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Ex-Pats’ CB Ellis Hobbs on ESPN Radio 06.30.09 at 4:36 pm ET
By Christopher Price

Former Patriots’ cornerback Ellis Hobbs spoke with Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio today, and touched on a number of topics involving his old team.

On the big misconception about the Patriots: “That we’re all a bunch of jerks, I think, starting with the head man, Bill. I think Bill would be the first one to tell you he comes off as a jerk, intentionally. Because I think what he tries to manifest throughout the players is that we’re here for football. With so much going on and the circus in the media and all that stuff and the hoopla in the NFL these days, it’s so hard to keep the focus on the game with the players. I think that’s why they have everything so distinguished and set apart from everything as far as the organization away from the players. There’s only access for the players on the lower level — players and coaches. I think by him doing that, it kind of sets that tone that you know we’re here to play football and win games.”

Do the Eagles feel like the same sort of organization? “Not really. What I’m learning is that there’s different strokes for different folks. There is necessarily not one cookie-cutter way to win in this league. There are different ways to go about it. I’m not necessarily saying one is better than the other, but definitely, there’s always one that’s more enjoyable than the other. I think some people understand what I’m getting at with that. It’s just one of those things, you know, that’s different strokes for different folks.”

Does it feel like when you leave the Patriots it’s a bit of a beating, psychologically? “It is. I remember there were some times, definitely, coming to work, where you just had to take a deep breath before you go in through those doors because you knew it was going to be one of those days. Not necessarily where you did something bad, but you always had your nose to the grindstone. I think when you have that much success, and they’re so scrutinized and underneath the microscope, it takes a wear and tear on you, from the top down.”

Will Tom Brady play this year? Did you see him working out? “It was so funny, man, because at the time when everybody was talking about these knee surgeries and the bacteria or something that got in to his leg, we are literally looking at the man running right by us, you know, while he’s working out and things. But I think, like I said, the Patriots do such a great job of keeping things under wraps, and you know, it just kind of follows ‘Head down.’ And it’s just one of those things.”

On Brady whether Brady gets some razzing: “As much pizazz [and] fame, Tom has, Tom lets you know firsthand that he’s just one of the guys. And by him doing that, we don’t hold any punches from that guy. We let him have it, as far as, if we see him looking any type of funny looking way in a magazine — him taking pictures with a cowboy hat on, hugging dogs, all those things. We wear it at practice. We’ll show him all those things. He’s just like one of the guys.”

What impressed you as a defensive back about Tom Brady? “His precision, you know? He knew that you knew the play or knew what was going on, but his ability, while the play is going on, to either look you off or put that ball in that certain spot where you couldn’t get it. And it was always like, always just fingertips away, but it’s purposefully done. He knows you’re going to be fingertips away. That’s just how precise he is at getting the ball there.”

On going up against Randy Moss — or any other tall, fast, physical wide receiver: “Half the catches you see this man make it the games is nothing compared to the ones he’s making in practice. As amazing as the ones are in a game, the ones he’s making in practice are that much more spectacular. And he has such a bad — well, he used to have such a bad knock as far as his workout ability … I’ve seen nothing but hard work out of that man. … Every single time he’s either out there or practicing in the weight room, he’s practicing and working for a purpose, and that purpose is to win. Just to go up against him every day, man, to go up against a guy like that who you know is going to give it his all on every play, it’s just one of those things where you’re blessed to be in a position like that.”

on his Bill Belichick impersonation: “Noooooo, No. No. I actually don’t … I can do one. The best ones I’ve seen have been Brandon Meriweather…”

What do they do? What’s his habit? “Obviously, the sweatshirt. But what a lot of people don’t see is the sandals. He wears these…”

Flip-flops? “The Air Moses. We call them Air Moses. They’re real beat down. The straps are flopping everywhere. He has the whole humpback thing. He always starts his meetings off … a little too vulgar for radio, but just kind of … just kind of always putting us in our place. And its almost where — we kind of laugh about it sometimes. You would think this guy just kind of goes into a room and just writes out jokes. And because of the way he comes off, the mean demeanor, it makes it that much more funny. Because you know he’s trying to be funny, but it’s kind of like in an awkward way. And he knows that.”

Did you like him? “Oh, yeah. I loved him as a coach. Just as far as you didn’t always agree with his methods and you understood, I mean, pretty much he kind of runs the show over there. But you can’t fault the guy because he wins.”

Winning clears up everything: “He actually tells us that from time to time. He says if you’re having problems — he literally takes it to this degree — if you’re having problems in your marriage, problems in your relationships, problem with your agents, marketing, money. He said, ‘You want to take care of all those things? Win.’ You can’t argue with winning.”

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