Q&A With Troy - Sporting News

Q&A with Steelers SS Troy Polamalu

Polamalu talks hair, his head coach’s age and stopping the Cardinals’ passing game at Media Day

TAMPA, Fla. — One of the key matchups to watch Sunday will be Arizona’s receivers vs. Pittsburgh’s secondary, and Steelers SS Troy Polamalu has a big role to play in that battle. Polamalu has long made his presence felt on the line of scrimmage, but he has improved in deep coverage over the course of his six pro seasons. On Media Day at Raymond James Stadium, Polamalu answered questions about his top task — defending WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Q: What do you guys have to do to stop the Cardinals’ passing game?

A: We have a winning formula ourselves as they do as well. I think people have done a great job of being in position to make plays with him, but they’re just not making them. When you have a guy like Larry Fitzgerald who can out-jump two guys to get the football, there is nothing you can do about that. You just have to realize that he is a great player, they have a great quarterback (Kurt Warner), a great scheme and he makes great plays. I think it would be big to limit those plays.

Q: What challenges does the Cardinals’ passing game present?

A: Whenever you have a passing game with a quarterback who is able to read how defenses develop, as well as putting the ball on the money, along with great receivers who are always going to catch the ball, it’s always going to be difficult for any defender. This is really unique in a sense because they have two of the best wide receivers in the game. Even when they are in position not to make plays, they make the plays. When a cornerback makes a great play on the ball, they are still making plays and you can never substitute for that.

Q: What’s your reaction to being favored in the Super Bowl?

A: I think first of all, as football players, as athletes in general, we don’t really care what you guys say about these types of things. Quite honestly, the media feeds off these predictions. Our mentality whether we’re favored or the underdog has always been, ‘The game has got to be played.’ A lot of the times they are wrong.  The odds makers probably never had the Cardinals or the Steelers in the Super Bowl anyway. All of that stuff is really thrown out the window. Once you get between the lines, you’re just worried about the play that is at hand. You can never really give any credence to that.

Q: Did Mike Tomlin have to earn his stripes with your team because he was such a young head coach?

A: I don’t think he had to earn his stripes because he was successful from the very onset of his head-coaching career. We also believe that as a team, whomever the Rooney’s choose, it will be best fitting for our team as well. It’s been a tremendous blessing for us to have him as a head coach. It’s really unique in a sense that he’s younger and he’s more hip, more GQ than you would see any other coach. In that, he’s more compassionate, more sympathetic to what we experience as players: one, being the youth, and two, being a similar cultural background as a lot of the players as well.

Q: Are you surprised to see so many teams hiring young head coaches?

A: In every aspect from coaching changes to philosophy to scheduling, this is such a copycat league. This is just another trend. When an 80-year old coach wins a Super Bowl you know you’re going to see guys coming out of the woodworks to be head coaches again.

Q: Between you and Larry Fitzgerald, who has the better hair?

A: Him, by far. Him because it probably takes him much shorter time to get prepared than me.

 

2008 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule

PRE SEASON

Friday, Aug. 8  vs. Eagles 7:30pm

Aug. 14  @ Bills (Toronto)7:30pm 
Aug. 23  @ Vikings  8 p.m. CBS   Thursday, Aug. 28   vs Panthers 7:30pm

REGULAR SEASON

Sun,  Sept. 7  vs. Texans  1 p.m. (CBS)  Sun, Sept 14  @ Browns 8:15p.m. (NBC) Sun, Sept. 21  @ Eagles 4:15p.m. (CBS) Mon, Sep.29   vs Ravens 8:30pm (ESPN) Sun, Oct. 5  @ Jaguars 8:15 p.m. (NBC) Sun, Oct. 12 Bye Week
Sun, Oct. 19  @ Bengals 1 p.m. (CBS)
Sun, Oct. 26  vs. Giants 4:15 p.m. (FOX) Mon, Nov. 3 @Redskins 8:30pm (ESPN) Sun, Nov. 9  vs. Colts  4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sun, Nov. 16  vs. Chargers  4:15pm (CBS) Thur, Nov. 20   vs. Bengals 8:15pm (NFL) Sun, Nov. 30  @Patriots * 4:15 pm (CBS) Sun, Dec. 7  vs Cowboys * 4:15pm (FOX) Sun, Dec. 14  @ Ravens  * 1 p.m .(CBS) Sun, Dec. 21   @ Titans * 1 p.m. (CBS) Sun, Dec. 28   vs. Browns * 1 p.m. (CBS)