Mike McNoodle Gives Press Conference

[TheLoopster]

Mike McNoodle, the safety prospect out of the University of Michigan, took time today to field questions from the media before he started his warm-ups for the All-American game.

At the start of the conference, McNoodle gave the following statement:

"Hey everybody, thanks for coming to this today. Been flying around a lot lately, so you'll have to excuse me if I'm a bit tired or out of it in general. I just wanna say to begin that it's really just an honor for me to be a part of this process at all and to be in consideration alongside so many other great safeties. I have a degree in history, so it's not like I have a whole lot of job options waiting for me if this doesn't pan out, haha. Alright, I gotta prep for the game after this, so let's get started."

[Jbearly]

Who are you most excited to play against in this upcoming game?

What kind of safety do you see yourself as? Who have you idolized coming into the league?

Of the 6 teams in the NSFL, which do you relate to the most?

[BenderRodriguez]

Hey there Mike. A few questions for you...

1) What single skill do you think sets you apart from other prospects?

2) How did playing under Harbaugh, a veteran in college and pro football coaching, prepare you to transition to the NFL?

3) Have any teams shown interest in you yet?

4) What are some things you like to do off the football field?

5) Who was your favorite player growing up?

[TheLoopster]

Who are you most excited to play against in this upcoming game?

Well, Bill Weller was a teammate of mine at Michigan, so I know how tough he is. He's a big tight end with good hands who can run right through you if you're not careful. Don't you worry though, I can handle him. I want to show teams that I can bring down big guys like that.

What kind of safety do you see yourself as? Who have you idolized coming into the league?

Listen, I'll be honest. I'm not an incredible ballhawk. I mean, I can intercept when the opportunity comes, of course, and I did that plenty of times at Michigan, but that was never my primary focus at all. I want to be a thumper of a safety, a guy who can tackle and cover anybody in the league. That's what I was best at in college, and that what I'll be best at in the pros. As far as idols, let me tell you, to be honest, I haven't watched more than maybe four or five NSFL games since I entered college. I was focused on my own game, not the pros. I'll be watching some tape in the coming months to get to know the play styles of my colleagues, though.

Of the 6 teams in the NSFL, which do you relate to the most?

Do you mean mascot-wise? I guess I'd have to say the Hawks. A hawk watches the action closely and always knows just the right moment to take down its prey. I'd say that describes me pretty well.

[JBLAZE_THE_BOSS]

1. Do you have your resume ready for local high schools as a history teacher in case this football thing doesn't work out?

2. If you had the chance to paralyze the opposing team's best receiver with a cheap hit, but only be penalized 15 yards, would you do it?

3. There are rumors that coach Harbaugh did inappropriate things to secure your commitment to Michigan. Any comments?

4. Is there any special meaning behind your number 32?

5. What made you want to be a safety instead of a cornerback?

[TheLoopster]

1) What single skill do you think sets you apart from other prospects?

I always, always know where my man is and the quickest way to bring him down. I can't even remember the last time I lost track of my man. If you gave a somebody a football and put him inside of a shopping mall or something, I could sniff him out like a bloodhound. If you're my assignment or you've got the ball in your hands, you know right away that I'm coming barreling for your ass.

2) How did playing under Harbaugh, a veteran in college and pro football coaching, prepare you to transition to the NFL?

Coach Harbaugh is a wild dude, and I'm not exaggerating at all. He pushes you, because that man does not tolerate weakness. I got caught slacking off in drills my freshman year, and he made me go to the supermarket six miles away to get his groceries and then come back - on foot. It was hell, because that dude gets like six gallons of milk whenever he grocery shops. To be frank, I owe most of my discipline, work ethic, and technical ability to him and his refusal to let me reach anything less than my full ability.

3) Have any teams shown interest in you yet?

None specifically, but I can't imagine my tape has gone unnoticed.

4) What are some things you like to do off the football field?

I take a lot of long walks, because there's nothing that can beat the beauty of a peaceful trail. I play jazz trombone (though not all that well, hah.) My professors at UMich really fostered a love of history that I've had since I was a kid, so a lot of the time I might head to a museum or get to reading a good history book. Nothing too ultra-academic though, since I'm still getting flashbacks from my senior thesis. And also, (and I know it sounds sorta stereotypical) I try to put in time at the soup kitchen when I get the chance. Not all people are lucky enough to be an NSFL prospect.

5) Who was your favorite player growing up?

I never played WR, but as a Lions fan, Calvin Johnson was electric. You couldn't bring the dude down, he wasn't human. I'd kill for a chance go back in time and play against Megatron.

[TheLoopster]

1. Do you have your resume ready for local high schools as a history teacher in case this football thing doesn't work out?

I've thought about that. I like working with kids, so even if the kids are on the older end, I think I'd enjoy a job as a teacher. I'd want to do my best to make the kids into proper historians, since a lot of curriculums focus on teaching basic facts (though those are still important, don't get me wrong) rather than how to analyze sources and so on.

2. If you had the chance to paralyze the opposing team's best receiver with a cheap hit, but only be penalized 15 yards, would you do it?

Do you mean paralyze as in like, stop them from walking ever again? Hell no. Anybody who answers yes to that question should be kicked out of the league. This is a game, man. Accidents happen, but I'm never going to try to hurt someone intentionally.

3. There are rumors that coach Harbaugh did inappropriate things to secure your commitment to Michigan. Any comments?

Coach Harbaugh never did anything particularly inappropriate, but he did once show up at my house wearing a shirt made entirely of expired cup noodles.

4. Is there any special meaning behind your number 32?

My brother stuck a thumbtack into my wrist the day we were supposed to pick our numbers in high school. It wasn't super serious or anything, but my mom was so worried it'd get infected that she took me to the ER and I missed out on picking. The next day, the only number available for DBs was 32, so I took it and I've rolled with it ever since.

5. What made you want to be a safety instead of a cornerback?

I played cornerback for a few games back in high school, but I just really enjoy the feeling of bringing someone down, which is something safeties get to do more often. In addition, safeties are the last line of defense for a team. I enjoy contributing in that fashion more than trailing one or two guys for an entire game.

[timeconsumer]

1) Who do you think is the hardest hitting safety playing right now?
2) What are coaches and scouts underestimating about you?
3) What was the best play you've made so far in your career?
4) Besides yourself, who do you think is the best safety in this draft class?
5) What's your biggest regret in football?

[TheLoopster]

1) Who do you think is the hardest hitting safety playing right now?

The classic answer for this is probably Kam Chancellor. Dude hits hard, enough said.

2) What are coaches and scouts underestimating about you?

My ability in the film room. Teams know I'm a smart guy, but I wanna emphasize this. I've gotten watching tape down to a science over the course of my time at Michigan. A lot of the time I can predict what my opponent is going to do before he even does it based off of the time I've spent studying his past games.

3) What was the best play you've made so far in your career?

It was during our game against MSU my senior year. We were down in the fourth quarter I think 38-28 or something like that, and on one play the receiver got the ball, slipped past the cornerback and started darting down the sideline. I shoved the TE trying to block me out of the way, got to the receiver and knocked him flat on his ass. Ball went flying right up in the air, I caught it with one hand after a couple bobbles and ran that baby in for six points. You can't imagine the kind of rush a play like that gives you.

4) Besides yourself, who do you think is the best safety in this draft class?

Devin Speed has a big mouth on him, but I haven't see much to suggest that anything coming out of that mouth is especially incorrect.

5) What's your biggest regret in football?

I got a concussion once during a game and refused to tell anybody so I could keep playing. I don't remember that game. I don't remember the game after that either, come to think of it. A month later I found a notebook full of notes from my classes that I didn't recall writing - lots of little things like that popped up. It was a stupid, dangerous decision to make, and I'm never making it again.

[NUCK]

Do people tell you that you act older, younger, or your age?

Ever had an imaginary friend as a child?

Ever been skinny dipping?

Did/Do you enjoy highschool for the most part?

Do any drugs?

If yes, what?