http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/
Saturday, January 31, 2009
TAMPA, Fla. -- Steelers inside linebacker James Farrior probably enjoyed his greatest season in the NFL in 2008. He racked up a team-high 146 tackles -- the third-highest total of his career -- and was captain of a defense that ranked No. 1 in the league in total defense, No. 1 in pass defense and No. 2 in run defense.
Farrior was named to his second Pro Bowl, as the Steelers advanced to Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. He shared his thoughts leading up to the game with the Tribune-Review. This is his final entry.
Revved up"We had a good practice (Friday). The tempo was good. Everybody's starting to get into it and get excited. It's really starting to get down to it. Guys are getting wired up."
Keeping it light
"Coach (Mike) Tomlin doesn't get too emotional when he gives his pregame speech. He usually keeps it real lighthearted. He usually just tells us something funny that you can relate to football, usually about his two sons. He talks about them a lot and how he tries to develop them into being great young men and the things they go through and the things they think about when they're little kids. You just look back on it, how we were all at this point at one time. Stories like that. Then he'll get down to football and tell us what we need to do to win. Sometimes he talks (long). It depends. I don't know if I should tell you this, but me and Casey (Hampton) have bets on how long he's going to go. We've done it a few times and Hamp beat me every time. I thought it was going to be longer than what it was and Hamp was pretty much on point.
Game-day routine
"The day of the game, I wake up, go eat breakfast, go back to the room, take a shower, get dressed, and watch a little TV, usually the news. Sometimes I watch the pregame shows to see what the commentators are saying."
Differing opinions
"I really don't pay too much attention when I'm on there because I have a good idea what I was talking about. I've seen myself plenty of times on TV. I just like to see what the commentators say before the game and then what they turn around and say when the game is over. It's just funny sometimes how the tables turn and they go the opposite way. One week this guy's the best, the next week it's another guy."
Music selection
"I usually catch the last bus to the stadium, because I don't really need a lot of time to get ready. I don't need a lot of tape and all the extra stuff. I get my iPod ready with my pregame music, from the time I get into the locker room until I warm up. Probably at least 30-40 minutes. I listen to old-school, hardcore hip-hop, like Public Enemy. It's like the heavy metal of rap. That gets me fired up. That gets me started."
Making an impression
"The funniest thing to happen this week was the guy at media day on Wednesday with the raccoon hat. That dude was funny. He was sitting right beside me. He was close enough to kiss me, if he wanted to. He was asking me stuff about Steeler Nation and the fans. Then he had some words of wisdom, some type of poem that he wrote down for me, to inspire me for the game. He was a character. No, he didn't ask for my autograph."
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