Q:  How did they look?  It is obviously a good opportunity to get to see them first hand today.
A:  Well, there is so much thrown at them, that is totally different, that they have to comprehend the new verbiage and then compute all of that and line up and act like they have done it before.  So it is a humble start; a slow start, no doubt.  They will get better; they will pick it up and get better.  They will probably be better at the end of the sessions today.  But it is slow and of course you don’t have a lot of meeting time.  The night before you can’t meet (per the League).  So this is it.  They had a morning meeting and they are right out there.  They want to.  It is just a little bit like everybody being all over the place this morning.

Q:  Do you look at the top guys more or do you try to just watch the whole practice?
A:  I know where they are.  I look, pick a couple of groups out each time we come out here and that’s where I concentrate most of my attention unless I see something jump out at me.

Q:  The way the season went last year and all of the rookies that contributed, do you look at this pile of players and realize there could be one, two, three or how many more that might make an impact?
A:  Always, that is the objective.  And that is the first thing that they hear.  When they come into a meeting the normal impact that a rookie or even a college free agent makes on a team is in special teams.  And we had all seven drafted guys plus two free agents that made our team last year play a 116 plays on special teams.  So that is where it normally takes place.  But you are always looking for those nuggets, yeah.

Q:  What about Kenny Phillips in terms of attributes and what do you see in him?
A:  Well, obviously he can run; he is big, he is smart.  He was real good in those early meetings this morning.  I didn’t get a chance to see a whole lot of him out here on the field.  But I like the way he moves and I like the way – so far – he has grasped what we are doing.

Q:  Now that you have been to the top of the mountain does your approach change at all in the sense of looking at players from a chemistry standpoint; which players do you think would fit well in your organization?
A:  Well, you always think of that.  The evaluation is exactly the same. How players fit is very, very important whether they are team players, or whatever their reputation is as our scouts and coaches have evaluated them; have done the research on them.  But the approach to the game is basically the same and it is right back to the very beginning when you start a camp out like this.

Q:  How about Manningham?  Do you plan on talking to him?
A:  A couple of flashes this morning with the quickness type thing.  I have already talked to him once and I’m sure we will continue.

Q:  Given the hype and issues surrounding him, is that a different conversation that you have to have with him than you would with some of the other rookies?
A:  Each conversation is based on a certain set of things that you want to communicate to the rookie player.  And then it is all based on the individual.  So certainly they are all different.  The initial discussions are different based on the individual.

Q:  Do you talk to each drafted guys individually?
A:  You may not get them in this short period of time but we will before this spring is over. 

Q:  Do you get that look from these guys like a deer in headlights with everything thrown at them right now?
A:  We are trying to evaluate that to see how many of them can handle that part of it.  Some of the guys are very good at just maintaining their poise and listening to what is being said and other guys are a little bit anxious to get going but without knowing what they are doing to get going with.  So that is all part of it. 

Q:  Goff had a nice interception.  He had a couple of plays down here.
A:  There were a few interceptions out there today. He did make a nice play.  So anytime someone makes a play like that it jumps out.

Q:  How do you evaluate on what people are …… today. 
A: Yeah, well that -- as I said, a lot thrown at them, a lot to try to understand.  Just for a young guy to have to walk in the huddle with a whole different language and call a play.  If you could do it, you would like to have them listen to those kinds of things for a little bit of time, a reasonable amount of time, before they have to go do it.  But in a camp like this they walk right out and are expected to walk into the huddle and stand tall and with confidence call formations, plays, start counts, the whole thing.  So he did fine.  He did better as he went along, which is natural.  And hopefully he will do better this afternoon.

Q:  Does Manningham remind you a little bit of Steve Smith?
A:  No, he is Manningham.  He is Manningham. 

Q:  In what ways does he stand out?
A:  I just said that he had some quickness this morning.  We saw some flashes that way but otherwise it is hard in here.  Everybody knows that it is a 60-yard field.  So you are going to get a little bit of that.  But I thought he did some good things.

Q:  …………have a young guy – a free agent – slip through the cracks.  I know you won the Super Bowl, it is going to be hard to make this team.  But what do you tell guys like coming in here – free agents.
A:  Opportunity, opportunity.  And I cite the numbers that we just talked about.  The seven draft choices that made it and contributed.  And the two free agents.  There is always opportunity.  And the surest way to it is to be a standout on special teams. 

Q:  Do you like this group overall?
A:  We have to see.  We’ll see.  I like they way they came to work, but we’ll see.

Q:  When you look at a guy like Kenny, obviously you did a pre-draft evaluation on him, ….. warm him about trying to figure how he is going to fit in your system?
A:  No, the first thing you are trying to do is bring the guys in and take a look at them; put them on the field and just assess where you think they will fit in.  And that is basically where we are right now after one practice.

Q:  Can you comment on Diehl’s deal?  Good to have him?
A:  Absolutely, no question.  The kind of guy he is – David Diehl – having him under contract for “x” number of years. He has been a guy that has accepted whatever challenge has been put in front of him and has done a good job with it.  So we are excited about that part of it.

Q:  If I remember when we talked to you right after the draft you had said that you would hope at some point soon you might get more word from Michael Strahan about what he was thinking.  Are you any further along in getting a time frame on that?
A:  No, he was in working out yesterday.  I had a chance to visit with him a little bit.  But there is still no --- he hasn’t said anything about what his plans are.

Q:  Is that a good sign, though – that he was in here working out?
A:  It’s always a good sign; it’s always a good sign.

Q:  Do you expect a decision anytime soon?
A:  That is the 4,000th time that I have heard that one.  It is going to be according – basically when he decides that his term for it is, “Whatever the decision I make I know I am not going to change my mind so therefore I want to be right.”