Antwaan Randle El On Mike & Mike in the Morning

[SkinsFan4Life2003]

they're asking about his decisions to leave Pittsburgh:
RE says he prayed alot and comin to Washington with Al Saunders is more of a passing offense

They're asking what the team expect of him in the offense:
RE says they want to get the ball to him downfield and let him make plays, he says he's leaving a good situation in Pittsburgh and coming to a good situation in washington.

They're askin how it was sayin goodby to Pittsburgh:
RE said it was tough, and he thanked coaches at Pittsburgh for taking a chance and drafting him. Plans to visit Pittsburgh tomorrow to sorta wrap things up in Pittsburgh.

End of interview.

[Canes & Skins]

Anything else?

[SkinsFan4Life2003]

Anything else?

he was only on for like 10minutes, he's already gone. Very short interview.

[smoak]

Maybe it is me, but I thought El seemed very selfish in his press conference yesterday. I was very disappointed. He talked all about himself and how he was promised to be #2. He mentioned his oppotunities and when asked about special teams he said he'd have to talk to Danny Smith b/c "there is only so much you can do". I am not thrilled with the El signing at all.

I missed him on M&M. How was it?

[SkinsFan4Life2003]

Maybe it is me, but I thought El seemed very selfish in his press conference yesterday. I was very disappointed. He talked all about himself and how he was promised to be #2. He mentioned his oppotunities and when asked about special teams he said he'd have to talk to Danny Smith b/c "there is only so much you can do". I am not thrilled with the El signing at all.

I missed him on M&M. How was it?

he sounded humble, very appreciative to Pittsburgh for taking a chance and drafting him. Sounded excited about being here in washington and playing in a offense where he can get more touches.

[EberKain]

Maybe it is me, but I thought El seemed very selfish in his press conference yesterday. I was very disappointed. He talked all about himself and how he was promised to be #2. He mentioned his oppotunities and when asked about special teams he said he'd have to talk to Danny Smith b/c "there is only so much you can do". I am not thrilled with the El signing at all.

I missed him on M&M. How was it?

Guess we all hear what we want to hear. He actually said that he wanted to do punt returns because he loved it, but was not a big fan of returning kickoffs. He said he would have to talk to danny about doing the kickoff returns, the "only so much you can do" comment was directed at being a reciever, and returning punts and kicks. I thought he was humble in the press conference and got me excited to see what he can do.

[redskinz#1fan]

Guess we all hear what we want to hear. He actually said that he wanted to do punt returns because he loved it, but was not a big fan of returning kickoffs. He said he would have to talk to danny about doing the kickoff returns, the "only so much you can do" comment was directed at being a reciever, and returning punts and kicks. I thought he was humble in the press conference and got me excited to see what he can do.

This is what I gathered from the press conference too! He did seem very humble and happy to be here. I guess time will only tell! He definitely brings a lot to the table for us.

[Keino]

Maybe it is me, but I thought El seemed very selfish in his press conference yesterday. I was very disappointed. He talked all about himself and how he was promised to be #2. He mentioned his oppotunities and when asked about special teams he said he'd have to talk to Danny Smith b/c "there is only so much you can do". I am not thrilled with the El signing at all.

I missed him on M&M. How was it?


Im sorry but I didn't get that sense at all about him at his Presser. He never mentioned being promised the #2 role, only that his role would be expanded from where it was in Pitt.

[CNYSkinFan]

Maybe it is me, but I thought El seemed very selfish in his press conference yesterday. I was very disappointed. He talked all about himself and how he was promised to be #2. He mentioned his oppotunities and when asked about special teams he said he'd have to talk to Danny Smith b/c "there is only so much you can do". I am not thrilled with the El signing at all.

I missed him on M&M. How was it?
Smoak you and I agree more then we disagree but we are total opposites on this. I thought Randle El was very skillfull in avoiding the whole #2 question and he was not promised a starting job. Said Saunders was going to make sure he got the balls in his hands and there were enough balls to go around. My bet is we start every game in a 3 WR setwith Cooley in as TE and Portis as Rb. Fauria won't mind "not starting" and everyone will be happy. My bet is Lloyd, Fauria, Sellers, Cooley, And El take turns running in plays and different formations. Moss will be on the field almost all the time save heavy jumbo packages.

[Biggie]

Maybe it is me, but I thought El seemed very selfish in his press conference yesterday. I was very disappointed. He talked all about himself and how he was promised to be #2. He mentioned his oppotunities and when asked about special teams he said he'd have to talk to Danny Smith b/c "there is only so much you can do". I am not thrilled with the El signing at all.

I missed him on M&M. How was it?

Wow, I didn't get that impression at all. Like everyone else said, El seemed very well-spoken, humble, and generally happy to be here.

[PyroGenic]

he seemed pretty excited to me, even more than anybody else. He had his whole family in front if him, couldnt wipe the smile off his face and kept on stuttering. If that doesnt show pure joy and excitement then I don't know what does.

[HAWGZHEAD]

Maybe it is me, but I thought El seemed very selfish in his press conference yesterday. I was very disappointed. He talked all about himself and how he was promised to be #2. He mentioned his oppotunities and when asked about special teams he said he'd have to talk to Danny Smith b/c "there is only so much you can do". I am not thrilled with the El signing at all.

I missed him on M&M. How was it??? If there is 1 player in the league known to be about the team and not himself it is Randel el. Not once in his career has he been accused of being selfish, not once. I missed that press conference you watched. The one I saw was nothing like that, or at least that isn't the way I perceived it.

[KMDeMuth]

Smoak you and I agree more then we disagree but we are total opposites on this. I thought Randle El was very skillfull in avoiding the whole #2 question and he was not promised a starting job. Said Saunders was going to make sure he got the balls in his hands and there were enough balls to go around. My bet is we start every game in a 3 WR setwith Cooley in as TE and Portis as Rb. Fauria won't mind "not starting" and everyone will be happy. My bet is Lloyd, Fauria, Sellers, Cooley, And El take turns running in plays and different formations. Moss will be on the field almost all the time save heavy jumbo packages.

Going to have to agree with you there. He was being cautious to not upset "anyone". Still wants to be involved in all the superbowl stuff going on with the Steelers and doesnt seem like a guy who wants to piss off the people who gave him a shot. Then he had a group of 11 family members with him and he was runing late for his own press conference. I am sure he was a lil overwhelmed and exhausted. There was a lot of stuff going on there.

He seemed like a character guy to me, dont think gibbs would have signed him otherwise. Regardless, recievers are 'all' a bit selfish, so cant really be a bad thing if it seemed that way. Unlike a lot of wr's i highly doubt thats one of his defining 'character's. :)

[silverspring]

Maybe it is me, but I thought El seemed very selfish in his press conference yesterday. I was very disappointed. He talked all about himself and how he was promised to be #2. He mentioned his oppotunities and when asked about special teams he said he'd have to talk to Danny Smith b/c "there is only so much you can do". I am not thrilled with the El signing at all.

I missed him on M&M. How was it?

i will agree with you in that he did make a big point of saying that he was concerned that if he came here he wouldn't get enough touches on the ball kind of thing. He went into how that was something he made a point to talk about with saunders. But he still sounded alright, i mean i can understand that being an issue for him, anywhere else he would go would probably make him a clear #2 receiver. I think with us having all these great WRs there is my biggest concern is satisfying egos and the resulting lockerroom troubles. We could probably avoid all that if we just let patten go. When patten came here he made a big point of saying how he was excited about being the guy somewhere not just filling a spot and i think he will be the most bummed by this.

Personally i think he needs to be returning punts and kick returns for the kind of money we are paying him.

[whistleandthumb]

More in depth coverage, inciteful coverage from Mike & Mike.


Sounds like the guy is excited to be here and wants to make great things happen. That's pretty much the attitude I want to see from our star players.

[Axegrinder]

The only negativity that I noticed from Randall-El in yesterday's press conference was that the Steelers had a year to take care of him,and when they didn't,he chose to hit the open market.
He didn't sound bitter,just like a guy who wanted to get his payday.

[The Skinsinator]

The only negativity that I noticed from Randall-El in yesterday's press conference was that the Steelers had a year to take care of him,and when they didn't,he chose to hit the open market.
He didn't sound bitter,just like a guy who wanted to get his payday.At his age, I don't fault him whatsoever for wanting his payday. He is in the prime of his career. He made the right choice. He won a title in Pittsburgh, got his payday in DC, and about to get more titles as a Skin. Very excited about this. Really didn't think we'd get him after Lloyd.

[smoak]

Maybe I should clarify. Nothing El said yesterday made me think the train wreck is emminent. I'll readily admit that I was listening while doing "other things", but it struck me as odd the El talked so much about being concerned re: his touches and being #2 guy. I also found it interesting that Lloyd spoke more about other things than he did football, but I think that was a function of the questions being asked.

Maybe I am not articulating it well, but listen to AA's press conference and how he has faith that Williams will use him to the best of his abilities as opposed to El who said he wanted to be sure he would get his touches. And don't get me wrong, it was NOTHING overt, but more subtle warning signs that I think could cause frustration and friction. I also didn't hear ANYONE mention Patten's name. These guys were talking about the "greatest show on turf" and left out a guy's name who is currently on the roster. Not a great sign if comraderie is a goal.

Again it was anything really bad like a TO or Deion Sanders... but there was just a slight hint of territorialism in El's press conference. I will listen to it again to get quotes and publicly apologize if I got something wrong. And for the record, I love El I just think we overpaid. I am not looking for something to be "wrong" b/c at this point the money part is doen and over. I just want smooth sailing.

[Keino]

I think your perception is being clouded by the fact you think we overpaid for him. Until the contract comes out, I don't have an opinion on that front, but it strctly looking at his Presser, he did nothing to make me think he wasn't a team guy.

If you have been a #3 WR your whole career, and you are being coveted on the open market, an expanded role is a reasonable inquiry. Nobody wants to make lateral moves in their careers, but rather everyone wants to have upward mobility.

Do we want to sign a WR who doesn't want his share of touches? WR by nature have to have a little selfishness in them......

[smoak]

We'll see I suppose, but I just want to repeat that I didn't think that it was anything but subtle undertones and that I like El as a player.

[Sean Taylor is God]

What smoak wanted to hear was team. what we got was a guy who explained his decision making process. sometimes that includes things that other people don't care about. for instance family, post-NFL career etc. He wanted to be a key part of the team. I will never fault a guy for that. He wanted a lot of money. everyone does. its not like he was high paid before and nfl careers are short, but the money has to last. he wanted complete security and thats what I felt he was addressing in his interview. as well, he was a lot more well-spoken than I was expecting and i was impressed that he aspires to be a broadcaster. although it seems like everybody in the league does now. he's a team guy and has proven it in Pitt. he might be expecting certain things here in washington but he's not the type to demand anything.

[AliBabba]

i don't know how bad our deal with randle el looks when you compare it too David Givens new deal ... 5 yrs $24M ... he's not gonna return kicks or throw touchdown bombs to Kid Bro Sweets either

[RedskinsATW!]

For what it's worth I thought RE sounded quite humble and very team oriented in the Press Conference. If a Pro Football player doesn't have at least some egotism, I don't want him on my team. RE seemed to be confident but focused on the big picture. He said several times "I'm just a piece of the puzzle."

Last night I was bored and watched the Game of the Week on the NFL Channel. It was the replay of SB XL. One thing jumped out a me: As I watched and saw Roethlisberger throw that interception in the Red Zone, Herndon looked to be gone. Guess who ran him down (through traffic) at the 20 yard line? Yep, Randle El. Great hustle and not something he'll probably be known for 20 years from now. But I think it gave an insight into his mentality: Team First.

It's still too early to tell, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

[smoak]

I have ZERO problem with a guy picking a team based on other factor including money. I personally would take less to play with the Redskins, but I would never expect any discount from other player.

In going back and listening to it again, I absolutley hear genuine humility and desire for team success. One of the things that concerned me was something I probably misunderstood. In the beginning when he says"I am here now and I want the media to welcome me" it sounds less egotistical and more like he is just saying that he looks forward to working with the media. I may have misunderstood that one.

But I am still concerned about when he was asked if he would want to return kicks he specifically says that "there is only so much you can do" and he has to talk to Danny (Smith). To me, and correct me if I am wrong, but the right answer si "I'll do anything the coaches ask me to do". It almost sounds like El wants to dictate his vision to the coaches, but I absolutely think that 99% of the interview sounds great. For whatever reason, in a 20 minute interview, those thing stuck out to me, but I hope it can be chalked up to nerves or misunderstanding.

[santanadasavior]

I really like the fact that he is happy to be here and that he is coming off a Super Bowl season. I really like that he has the humbility to leave things on a good note in Pittsburg.

[BigPlayJay]

I have ZERO problem with a guy picking a team based on other factor including money. I personally would take less to play with the Redskins, but I would never expect any discount from other player.

In going back and listening to it again, I absolutley hear genuine humility and desire for team success. One of the things that concerned me was something I probably misunderstood. In the beginning when he says"I am here now and I want the media to welcome me" it sounds less egotistical and more like he is just saying that he looks forward to working with the media. I may have misunderstood that one.

But I am still concerned about when he was asked if he would want to return kicks he specifically says that "there is only so much you can do" and he has to talk to Danny (Smith). To me, and correct me if I am wrong, but the right answer si "I'll do anything the coaches ask me to do". It almost sounds like El wants to dictate his vision to the coaches, but I absolutely think that 99% of the interview sounds great. For whatever reason, in a 20 minute interview, those thing stuck out to me, but I hope it can be chalked up to nerves or misunderstanding.

I think Randle El seems to more genuine in his answers than most football players we are used to seeing. He tries to give an honest answer instead of the cliche that he thinks eveyone wants to hear like "I'll do anything the coaches ask me to do". I find it refreshing, but it can catch you off guard if like you said you were expecting a certain answer to a certain question.

I found the "I want the media to welcome me" remark a bit weird too, but I think he just got twisted up in his words. He seems great to me. If ego were a problem I don't think he would have signed with us after Lloyd had already come over.

[HAWGZHEAD]

But I am still concerned about when he was asked if he would want to return kicks he specifically says that "there is only so much you can do" and he has to talk to Danny (Smith). To me, and correct me if I am wrong, but the right answer si "I'll do anything the coaches ask me to do". It almost sounds like El wants to dictate his vision to the coaches, That sounds to me like a humble man just saying he can't do it all. That is alot of work to return punts and kicks and be on the field as a number 2 or 3 receiver. He sounds like he doesn't want to dissapoint. If he has the burden of doing all those things he could be worn out mid season. It doesn't bother me if he doesn't want to return kicks all the time. He speaks freely to the media, not out of a predestined script that contains phrases like "I will do anything the coaches ask me too" and things of that nature, you know the "same ol' same 'ol" we hear all the time. I see your point of view in what he said, but I don't think it was intended that way.