OT-ADAM MEADOWS (on the competition at the tackle position with Ryan Diem) 7/28/03
"He's a good football player and I'm a good football player. I just have to play better than I did last year. I had a good off-season and I'm confident in my ability to play. I feel like if I could do it for six years, then I can do it for seven. If he beats me out and we're a better football team, then I'm fine with that."
RB-EDGERRIN JAMES (on the health of the running backs) 7/28/03
"It's too good to be true. Something always came up before. This year, it's too good to be true that I get to move around and do a lot. I get to move out a lot more and catch some balls in the open field. I'd rather be in the open field than do the pounding. Hopefully, everything works out. I don't want to say that that we're going to do this or that because that's what we've said every year. We'll see how it goes and if everything works out and if everything goes according to plan, we'll be alright."
RB-EDGERRIN JAMES (on if he will participate in preseason games this year) 7/28/03
"If I have to, I'll go through it, but I really don't want to. I'd rather do two-a-day's every day than play in a pre-season game. I'll just go with the flow and whatever happens, happens. I'm not going to say that I won't play because if Coach Dungy asks me to play, then I'm going to put on the pads."
DE -CHAD BRATZKE (on his thinking of how long he'll play) 7/28/03
"Sometimes I think about it and sometimes I don't. The days I really hurt, I think about how long I'll play."
DE -CHAD BRATZKE (on his playing all along the defensive line) 7/28/03
"People ask me what position I play and I just say defensive line because I have to play it all."
DE-CHAD BRATZKE (on his role this season) 7/28/03
"It started last year when I played four different positions. I have gotten the hang of it and I welcome the change because I will do whatever it takes to win."
DE-CHAD BRATZKE (on playing inside or outside) 7/28/03
"It is a totally different position. Outside, you can utilize your speed a little bit more. Inside, there is nowhere to run."
RB-DOMINIC RHODES (on making cuts at his first practice) 7/28/03
"I felt like a Cadillac out there as far as making cuts was concerned. I was making some wide turns."
RB-DOMINIC RHODES (on whether or not he was nervous at his first practice) 7/28/03
"I was a little nervous. I knew my knee was strong, but I didn't know how it would react."
WR-BRANDON STOKLEY (on why the Colts were the right decision for him) 7/28/03
"Look at the guys around me, Peyton, Marvin, Edgerrin, Reggie Wayne, and the offensive line. For a receiver, as an offense player, you want to surround yourself with great players. Where else would you want to go?"
WR-BRANDON STOKLEY (on the Colts search for another wide receiver) 7/28/03
"I hope so. I am going to come in here, contribute anyway possible, and do whatever they need me to do. I am looking to work hard and help this team win some games."
WR-BRANDON STOKLEY (on his thoughts of his new team) 7/28/03
"The players are great. This organization is great. I did not think that it could get better than Baltimore's organization, but this tops it. This is first class."
LB-ROB MORRIS (on the defense getting stronger) 7/28/03
"The biggest thing is that we know the system, so we can cut down on the mistakes."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on the first day of practice) 7/28/03
"It was a nice, cool day. We got some pretty good work in. We have to work at being more consistent. We did some things well, but as a coach you are never fully pleased. We also expect a little more this year."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on difference between Edgerrin James this year and last) 7/28/03
"I think his body language. I think he is comfortable. I think he is feeling confident about what he can do out there. I think physically he is better. We are expecting some big things."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on not having his first three draft picks signed) 7/28/03
"You want to start on July 27 and you have everything set that way, and you have three guys that are not here. We obviously would like everyone to be here. But the fact that they are not here, we view it like an injury. So we have three guys that are injured. When they get back we will be happy to have them. Until then, the other guys will handle things and do well."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on the battle for a right tackle) 7/28/03
"We have battles in a lot of different places. What we want to see is what will make us the best team. The best team could have Ryan Diem at right tackle, or it could have Adam Meadows at right tackle and Ryan inside. But we want to see what makes us the best team at that position, and at quite a few other positions, too."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on differences from last year) 7/28/03
"I think our guys know what to expect a little more. They are more comfortable with the routine. It was a little bit cooler this year. I expect a little more this year, so I was probably a little disappointed in this practice. I did not think our tempo was quite what we needed early on. We rounded into things."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on why he was wearing long sleeves in practice) 7/28/03
"That's a Miami thing. We didn't get any sun out here so I wanted to sweat a little bit. At Miami, we used to practice in 95 degree weather wearing black long sleeves."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on the weather) 7/28/03
"Some guys like it cool, some like it hot. On the first day, you couldn't ask for a better day than this. It was cloudy and a little bit windy and that cut a lot of guys some breaks."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on if there is enough balls to go around on a talented offense) 7/28/03
"I hope so. Guys have to fight, scratch, crawl and do whatever you have to do to get the ball. We're loaded with talent right now. We just need to get everybody on the same page and go from there."
RB-JAMES MUNGRO (on training camp) 7/28/03
"It feels good to be back at camp. It's the first day down and the weather is helping us out right now, so I cannot complain."
RB-JAMES MUNGRO (on his running back position) 7/28/03
"I think all of us are taking snaps on all different teams. We are just out here trying to get better. We are not really worried about first or second, but we are just collectively as a group trying to get better."
TE-MARCUS POLLARD (on the edition of Dallas Clark) 7/28/03
"We've got four good guys, and with Dallas that makes five which makes us a lot stronger. I am excited for when he gets here because that will cut down on my work. I think that if we pick up the offense and we click the way we clicked the last few years with the two tight end sets, I think a lot of big things are possible."
TE-MARCUS POLLARD (on Coach Dungy's reaction to the first practice of training camp) 7/28/03
"He (Coach Dungy) said to have no excuses or explanations. I think a lot of guys are a little rusty. It is the first day of camp. I think the guys will get their feet on them tomorrow.
