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Brandon LaFell interview in Studio on WFNZ

Ivan The Awesome

By Ivan The Awesome,
in Carolina Panthers

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Ivan The Awesome

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http://charlotte.cbs...d=CBS.CHARLOTTE

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Mac: What happened on sunday?

LaFell: We couldn't get into Rhythm as an offense. Came out kinda dry. Couldn't get into rhythm getting that 1st down, then another then getting into the end zone. In this league if you can't run the ball it's going to be really hard.

Mac: How much was it that you guys in your opinion that couldn't execute and how much was it that Tampa is a much better team?

LaFell: I don't think that they are better (Tampa), it is more like we weren't ourselves, we couldn't move the ball, we couldn't get going and get into the rhythm of things more than anything else.

Jim coaches LaFell about the cough button...crazy old man.

Jim asks LaFell about the tipped interception. Do you feel there was a bit of contact?

LaFell: Yes, there was a little contact. I feel he did get in there a little early but it was up to me to come up with that ball, so I put it on myself. I feel I should make that play so I put it on myself.

Jim: What did you and Cam say about that play on the sideline.

LaFell: There was a lot of blame being put on ourselves for that play, but at the same time and he suggested certain things. He said he's going to put that ball out there quicker or in a better spot I'll have to make that catch.

Mac: Let's talk about cam, his demeanor, he is very scrutinized. You see him with the towel over his head and "Oh no there's the towel again" . The theory from his critics is that he has to put on a smile.

LaFell: Man, the way Cam acts after losses you know, anybody that hates to lose, they act the same way. But at the same time, you know, as team mates we know people deal with losses different ways. As long as he can act any way he wants, as long as he can come in Tuesday, Wednesday, ready to work for next week. With a smile on his face getting ready and prepared to go win.

Mac: Where you near the play where Mark Barron put a lick on smitty? That was just loud, smitty's reaction was pretty cool. What you think about that?

LaFell: Man, it was a big hit, I was right there. I've seen smitty be hit like that, and probably even harder when we played against the bears when Merriweather hit him. Smitty is Iron man. He'll let you know when he's in the locker room On the field he'll keep it to himself. Smitty is the oldest guy on the team. But you take the Jersey numbers you couldn't tell who's old.

Jim talks about smith being a leader and how he took him under his wing, when and did he take you under his wing and did you come to him or did he come to you? Did he give you advice.

LaFell: It was a funny story, during training camp he was out. He was watching camp. He pulled me to the side and said "Hey LaFell we drafted you pretty high, we expect you to come in and play this year, there is no such thing as a red shirt in the NFL, it would help if you give me someone on the other side. I'm going to need you this year. I'm gonna do what I'm going to do, but if you have any questions about a certain DB let me know. He showed me how to watch film properly.

Carolina Man just came on the phone and did a show, freaking crazy fan...LaFell was a little confused. LOL!

They talk about twitter. How after a loss they are mean as hell. How even women are mean. How "Hey they don't care.." He said that it's all better when they win, but after a loss it's sad that fans have to be that way. They asked him how many followers he has. He said he doesn't remember.

He got love from a Bama fan said that at first he wasn't for the pick but that he came around and thinks he's a good guy and great player.

They forward to the Saints***.

Mac: I worry about the schedule which is brutal, the Saints***, Giants, and so forth. I wouldn't like a bad start which would kill any chances for the playoffs.. When you look at the game, you have to put on more than 10 points. Do you feel like this is a must win game for you?

LaFell: Every game is a must win. In the back of our minds we always want to start out fast. this week we have to put up points. Because these guys will score. We can't leave our Defense out there all that time. We have to start out fast on offense. Hopefully our defense can stop them, they showed up and on defense they have to stop them. If they start scoring and we come out dry again. These guys will run up the score on us.

Jim mentions that Rivera said that you were out prepared out played out coached. Did Rivera talk about this in the locker room?

LaFell: It Defenitely took place. When your out there and you know your ability you know your team mates ability. That talk will take place. there were moments in the game that we couldn't run the ball couldn't get a play. There were plays that we've been running for 2 years and couldn't get it.

Jim: Did everyone show up? Did some of the panthers not show up for practice because of what went on back home? Becuase the bucs showed up were they that much better?

LaFell: We definitely showed up, it's not that they are that much better but we need to stop beating ourselves. Those guys showed up and played with a chip on their shoulder and came to play.

Jim: They were your bitch last year, that has to be in the front of your mind not in the back.

LaFell: Yes, I'm not going to lie, We dominated them last year and they are that different. They got a new coach, new mind set.

Jim goes crazy with his sound effect machine.

They mention that LaFell has 14,008 followers.

Caller asks Brandon about Chud and how the rush that Tampa had going. Shouldn't they have called more screen plays?

LaFell: We actually ran 4-5 Screen plays. But Ronde barber was locked on the RB, so he was on him all game. So they tried it and didn't work. They they tried other things instead.

Mac: Rivera mentions 8 men in the box. Did that really happen because it didn't look that way to us as fans. Should you have ran more? Were they trying to take the run away.

LaFell: They did, they use their safeties, Barber and Barron were on there rolling around in the box. Their front guys were just making plays too.

They mention that he picked up 10 followers and then 11. He uses his effects machine to those numbers and a kitten is 10, then a rabid dog is 11. Hah.

Larry the Caller: Does he think that all the Pressure and commercials Cam gets is a distraction? Why isn't he able to perform if they took the run away like they did last year?

Mac chimes in it's a good point, that why is it that it worked? You have Cam Newton that it shouldn't have worked.

LaFell: Mayne...those guys were good. When they took the run away. When you take the run after a while you start blitzing. You drop off 9 and rushing 2 there's a lot of double teams. it's hard for him to sit back there and then they are spying on him. He can't hold the ball that long either.

Mac: You'll see that all year, how does he combat that?

LaFell: Hopefully we'll be able to run the ball. Play action plays. Cam is going to be Cam. he'll run and make plays and us as receivers will have to make plays.

Jim: Who's laid a hit on you that you thought, Oh man that was a good hit.

LaFell: My rookie year against Atlanta. I think i caught an over route and I think the safety william moore hit me in the back of my neck. that's the hardest I've been hit. It feel like everything was shaking. In the back of my head, it rung.

They talk about Frank Garcia and how he was a huskie and what LaFell had to say about the huskies.

LaFell: Y'all need to get better.. LOL!

They go to their Ronnie Lott section.

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