FAST EDDIE CATCHES AN
INTERVIEW WITH D'MARCO FARRAdd yourself to The HERD's Official Roster (guestbook), if you think you are man enough!
The HERD's ULTIMATE link page-add your favorite here!
He said that it takes him 4 months to get over the bitterness of a losing season like the one the Rams had last year. After a year like that he said that is all the motivation he and the other players on the team need to want to get back on the field and erase those memories. He said that watching the Falcons in the Super Bowl made him even madder.
Here's a different player perspective on Marshall Faulk than the one presented by Howard Balzer and Bernie Miklasz last week...Bush asked Farr about the "buzz" surrounding the Rams this offseason with all the personnel moves that have been made and the optimism that is growing as the season approaches. Farr said that that "buzz" was for one reason and that was the addition of Marshall Faulk. He said that adding another proven "superstar" to a team that previously had only one (Bruce) has all the players very excited. It makes them want to get on the field and compete harder. He said it even takes some of the pressure off of Ike to carry the load by himself. D'Marco is obviously not among Faulk's critics in the locker-room.
When asked about his expectations for the upcoming grueling Dick Vermeil training camp, he said that it was all blown out of proportion last year. He said its very hot up there in Macomb and in a tired moment one guy said one thing too much and from there it took on a life of its own. He thinks Vermeil and the players have a good relationship and doesn't expect any problems in camp.
He went on to defend Vermeil some more. He said he goes out to eat at restaurants and people say things like, "you guys just need a new coach to get things together". D'Marco said that when he hears people say things like that, "I know that those people don't know anything much about football". He said that when you take away the coach, you take away everything. Everything that the players have been working on and building for the past two years is thrown down the drain. He said he went through that in 1996 when everyone was competing for themselves rather than for the team and that would be the worst thing that could happen right now as the team "is beginning to gel".
D'Marco also said that he has never had a winning season in the pros and the only goal that he has in his professional career is the Super Bowl. He doesn't just want to go to the playoffs, he wants to get to the Super Bowl and win it "again and again and again".
Bush also asked Farr about how the defense will respond to the loss of Roman Phifer and Ryan McNeil. Have they been made weaker by the offseason emphasis on the offensive side? D'Marco says he is not at all worried about the defense. He said "our defense is made up of warriors, and we'll do our job." He gave a hint as to the leadership structure on the defensive side as well when he said that the new guys who would step into the defense would not let us down. "If anyone isn't doing their job then they'll have to answer to myself and Kevin and Ray in the huddle."
I was very impressed with Farr. I've never seen him interviewed and I didn't realize how intelligent he is. The feature articles I've read on him in the papers have made him out to be some sort of comical over-grown kid type of personality who spends all of his time playing video games and watching wrestling. That's not at all how he comes across in an interview. He was very intelligent, mature and even classy.
Peace,
FastEddie