The actual game is only part of the Senior Bowl experience - the practices are equally important. D'Brickashaw Ferguson More Quotes by D'Brickashaw Ferguson More Quotes From D'Brickashaw Ferguson Being an offensive lineman, you always have the mindset of being an unsung hero - a lot of the people who look at the game follow the ball. D'Brickashaw Ferguson gameyouheropeople We constantly had family conversations. A lot of conversations about life. We've always been a family to where we did everything together, whether it was karate or Bible study... I just really had a chance to look and learn. D'Brickashaw Ferguson familytogetherbiblelife In football, you are going to have highs and lows, and you have to recognize when you have new opportunities and walk in those. D'Brickashaw Ferguson walknewyoufootball I don't see myself as the perfect person at all. D'Brickashaw Ferguson personseemyselfperfect Players have an in-season playing weight, and we have to be careful not to stray too far from it when we're not under the watchful eye of the nutritionist. This can be a problem when the food isn't being prepared and regulated by our cooking staff. D'Brickashaw Ferguson cookingeyeproblemfood I feel like sleep is the most important thing. I notice in my body, when I don't get enough sleep on a consistent basis, how I am dreary, or my mood changes, or I'm not as focused. D'Brickashaw Ferguson i-amfeelmoodsleep You rewind. You think of your preparation. You think of everything you did throughout the week, your life, the practices, the intensity. Everything flashes, and you come right back to that point. And it's like, game on. D'Brickashaw Ferguson gameyoupreparationlife Everyone's struggle is different. Just because I wasn't struggling on the streets, it doesn't mean I don't know what it's like to struggle. D'Brickashaw Ferguson everyonejust-becauseknowstruggle When the season ends, I like to take a little time off from the diet I follow when I'm playing. D'Brickashaw Ferguson followdietliketime At the Jets training facility in Florham Park, N.J., we have strength and conditioning staff but also a nutritionist, Glen Tobias, who helps to whip everyone into shape. There is a heavy emphasis on grass-fed meat and on foods that aren't genetically modified. D'Brickashaw Ferguson everyonetrainingmeatstrength When a 300-pound person like me is playing, I'm supposed to drink at least a gallon of water a day. D'Brickashaw Ferguson daymedrinkwater I think, growing up, I was seen as the perfect power forward. For a long time, I thought maybe I was supposed to be a basketball player. D'Brickashaw Ferguson long-timepowertimelong I just try to keep it simple, not let too many outside things influence me. D'Brickashaw Ferguson trymeinfluencesimple There's a number of years that went by going from a white belt to a black belt. And I think, in a similar respect, years go by with your maturation process, and it's just as important to be disciplined with that as it was in karate. D'Brickashaw Ferguson thinkrespectblackwhite I've been cutting my hair ever since college. I try to do that whenever it gets rough. I'm not too cheap to go the barber shop, but I mostly try to do that by myself. I try to keep my skills sharp. D'Brickashaw Ferguson gomyselfcollegehair I wouldn't mind being like X-Men and having the claws. I mean, I don't think they'd let me play football, but it would look cool. D'Brickashaw Ferguson coolmemindfootball I sat in the green room at Radio City Music Hall for the 2006 NFL Draft. At my table, I was encircled by my parents, brother, agent, former coaches and close friends. D'Brickashaw Ferguson citygreenmusicbrother Prior to my arrival at the Crowne Plaza in Indianapolis, my agent and I decided that it would be best not to participate in any drills at the combine. We wanted to wait until my pro day at Virginia, where I could limit the distractions and just focus on being my best. D'Brickashaw Ferguson waitbestdayfocus I received a call from Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Eric Mangini. They asked me if I was ready to become a New York Jet. I quickly answered 'yes' and began to hug everyone at the table. D'Brickashaw Ferguson everyonenewmehug It's just a blessing from above. I can't stress that enough, because I don't feel like it's anything that I've done. For me to say, 'Well, it's because of this, this and that is why I've been able to play,' it's just a lie. I couldn't tell you why. D'Brickashaw Ferguson meyoustressblessing
