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Arrington on John Thompson Show


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You asked, so you shall receive. (I'm no typist, nor stenographer. This is also not exactly word-for-word, but is real darn close.)

JT: "Hey [Lavar]. Congratulations. I'm really proud of you."

LA: "I appreciate it."

JT: "First thing I want to know. I'm looking through the binoculars [apparently he was sitting in Snyder's booth watching the game] and you're always going over to the table and talking on the white phone. Who are you talking to?"

LA: [laughs] "It's Jesus! He's telling me I need to step it up! [laughs] No. It's Coach Wesley [?] that's the linebacking coach up in the booth and they're able to give us a different insight on what they're trying to do to us and telling us what we can do better or differently."

JT: "Another thing I wanted to ask you .. [the] coaches picked you as defensive captain yesterday. How did that come about."

LA: "Yeah .. I don't know how that came about, but I'll tell you what .. I was tickled to death. [You know] I've just been doing everything I can possibly do to try and rally everybody together and try to keep us together as a team and maybe it didn't go unnoticed. I didn't do it FOR that purpose, but maybe it didn't go unnoticed."

JT: "You know, the thing I'm so pleased with Lavar, you now seem happy because you always want to play and be competitive, but what I always admire is how you hussle and how hard you play, but I'm glad to see that your relationship with the coaches seems to have changed. I'm just so happy about that."

LA: "Yeah. Me too. It's been a long road and you never know how things are going to materialize, but I've always thought that even if people don't see eye to eye on issues but as grown men we should try to come together and try to resolve things. It's been long overdue but I think that's where we're at and we've gotten a whole lot more comfortable with each other, and we've had at-length talks, me and Dale, we have been able to just shoot the breeze and it seems that the relationship has taken a turn and I just couldn't be happier. You always live to earn the praise of the coaching staff, and you know with all of the talk swirling about Terrell it's nice to know to see another side of the coin where you have a situation that came about but we worked it out without letting it escalate or get out of cotrol, but we worked it out as a team and have worked through it. I guess that's the thing that I'm most proud about."

Doc Walker (DW): "You've done that, and both sides had to humble themselves and also had to put team first, and I'm proud of you because you didn't have to do that .. neither did they, and the two of you should be commended. Now let's talk about the football side of it .. this was your first full game going wall to wall, playing linebacker. Doing it all. First of all, how's the body? I mean, I saw flashes, but I also saw you really concentrating to handle the details of all of your assignments."

LA: "Yeah. I did that. And I think there might have been times where I came off a block to try and make a tackle and I didn't, and you know as we get more comfortable we get with one another and they know that that's what I am doing and as opposed to thinking that I don't know what I'm doing then maybe I'll get back to doing a little more."

"As far as playing the game, it was just a great feeling to be in that atmosphere and be able to be a part on a consistent basis. I was able to get my motor going and I feel fine. I took some bumps and bruises but it's a good after-the-game pain to be in, my wind felt good. Like I had eluded to in an interview earlier in the week, I've gotten back to running a whole lot better. I'm no longer running with my head flailed back and my chest stuck out and things like that. I'm getting back into a groove, and that comes with getting more practice reps like I've been getting. I mean I can get a whole lot better and improve, and I'll keep working on that and as a team I think that's where we're at and we'll try to build on that."

"I mean that was a monumental victory for us. I said to the guys if we go out here and play our type of game we have to be aware that the headlines are going to say one or another way and "they can do it without T.O." or "they couldn't do it without T.O." That's to be expected. What we have to do is expect a win and try to build on that, and try to get better for the upcoming week with Tampa Bay. I think that's where we're at."

Smokin' Al Koken (SAK): "Go back to that for a second, Lavar. In your mind, because you've been in a number of these situations before in your Washington career, where was the difference, where was the change made to make this into a "Redskin game" in the biggest game of the season."

LA: "Well, I attribute it to continuity and familiarity with what we're trying to get done, with one another and the coaching staff. Those halftime adjustments were those of understanding. It wasn't confusion or "well, I can't believe we've got the lead, let's just keep going out there and do what we're doing." Great coaching staffs are going to make changes and tweak it a little bit to be successful. I think we stayed ahead of the curve going into the second half of that game, and I think it showed with the way that the defense played, and the offense played, and special teams, so I think that's the one thing that is visibly different since I've been here. The adjustments and the understanding of the adjustments by the players is on a whole different level, and that's usually how games are won or lost."

JT: "Lavar, you indicated the significance of this came with the Eagles, especially after the disappointing thrashing you all received from the Giants, and with the upcoming game on the road in Tampa Bay. How will you guys approach and prepare for this game differently?"

LA: "Well, you know, we worked really hard both weeks. What I attributed to the Giants game is that anything can happen any Sunday, and it just seemed that the Giants were better prepared for that game than we were, and going into last nights game we knew that we needed to have a good showing. Not just for our own morale, but for that of our fans as well. We kept that in mind, and we knew we could bounce back. That wasn't a question, and like I said last week, that [G'aints game] was not indicative of what type of team this is. It was a very long week and we'd just have to go out and "show it" and after the feeling we had after that Giants game we just have to protect against having a showing like that."

"Fortunately for us, this isn't college and one loss doesn't ruin your season. On the other hand, the beautiful thing about college is the urgency, because if you lose, your season is over. Going to the national championship [with a single loss] is out of reach, and we talked about that. We talked about taking it back to college. The feeling you had in college, and the love of the game. We call ourselves [the defensive unit] "The U." I talked to Renaldo .. when you put that green jersey on for the bowl game for Notre Dame. Shawn Springs .. playing for Ohio State. Sean Taylor. On and on. We talked about going out there and having fun. Know what you're doing, but don't be afraid to make a mistake, and I think that's what we did, and it carried over through the whole team. The energy was being fed off of in all aspects of the game. It was great to see Mike Sellers get involved the way he did. It's not often you get to see a guy like Brian Dawkins get run over. I mean, he was lowering those big boy pads last night. This game gave us a feeling that we could be a contender. These are teams that in the past we might have felt that we couldn't get past them, and guys were saying with their mouth that we could beat them, but in their hearts they didn't really believe that we could. But with the win in Dallas and now the win against Philly on the national scale, it was great for us to get in our heads and our hearts that we can indeed compete and win against the best of them. By no means does that loss by us against the Giants indicate what kind of team we are or the 4-4 record against Philadelphia indicate what kind of team they are. I'm sure they'll bounce back and show what kind of team they are. We got a very good win last night against a very good team, because teams like that know how to win and they know how to bounce back because they've been doing it for so long .."

DW: "Yeah, any time Washington wins in the division, which throughout your career has been such a rarity, it is something you really have to cherish. But what I was so impressed with yesterday was when the offense turned the ball over, and you guys flew on the field, hopping and jumping and high-fiving. You know, when there is a quick change of direction a lot of defensive units say "I can't believe it.. we've got to do this again!," but these freaks flew out on the field and said "Excellent. We've got another chance to go out and lay our game out!" It wasn't fake. And [Marcus] Washington! You know, you've got to level with us. Because, you know, coach is acting like he's getting a little older now. What is Marcus Washington .. what does he eat? Because, and I know you were in the spirit, but I could tell that the game was gettin' on you and you were like "man, I'm playin' this whole game, and I'm gonna be smart about how I'm gonna conserve my energy.."

LA: " Yeah, and I'll be trying to get him to do it sometimes .."

DW: "He won't do it! He just hops and jumps the whole game."

LA: "He can't. That dude. When he hits the nitrous button, it just kind of runs out! [laughs] He's like that on the field, on the sideline, in the locker room. He's like that all week long Doc, and it's kind of refreshing to see someone with that type of energy. I don't know how he does it. You know, I get a play in, I get pumped up, and that's it. Then I start trying to calm myself .. "breathe through your nose, and breathe out through your mouth." Marcus is all-out! He even goes to the bathroom all-out (too much information, Lavar ;) ) He's like that all the time."

----------------------------------------------------

Then they talked about T.O. and Lavar said how what T.O. has done in alienating his teammates and his coaches is wrong. That players are supposed to support each other and their team and that he views T.O. as more of a movie star than an athlete. How he's one of the best receivers in the league, but that he's more of an entertainer and he has irreparably harmed his team.

Then they talked about the Bucs and how they're preparing for it as if the Bucs are a championship team. Then DW asked about the Brahma Bull, Mike Sellers. Lavar said that Dawkins probably thought that he'd win that collision but that Sellers always plays like a big old bully.

Then JT thanked LA for giving him the game jersey from yesterdays game and JT said I can't believe you can get into this jersey. LA said how that's the way they wear them. Extra tight so guys like Doc can't grab onto them.

Sorry I pooped out, but I am incredibly slow at this, and I couldn't spend any more time tonight. Hope this suffices.

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JT: "Another thing I wanted to ask you .. [the] coaches picked you as defensive captain yesterday. How did that come about."

LA: "Yeah .. I don't know how that came about, but I'll tell you what .. I was tickled to death. [You know] I've just been doing everything I can possibly do to try and rally everybody together and try to keep us together as a team and maybe it didn't go unnoticed. I didn't do it FOR that purpose, but maybe it didn't go unnoticed."

DW: "

Is he now the defensive captain?

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Is he now the defensive captain?

Most NFL teams pick captains on a week-to-week basis. It's generally ceremonial. Springs was a captain against Dallas because his dad played there. I'm sure Griffin has been a captain against NYG at least once, since he came from there.

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Thanks TD, great info and I'd never be able to schedule streaming the interview. I love hearing how full of committment Lavar is and how he wants to keep growing as a player. Man, imagine the futerh adventures if he only he does... :wavetowel

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LA: [laughs] "It's Jesus! He's telling me I need to step it up! [laughs] No. It's Coach Wesley [?] that's the linebacking coach up in the booth and they're able to give us a different insight on what they're trying to do to us and telling us what we can do better or differently."

That's Coach Dale Lindsey. ;)

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