*Quenton Bode Playoff/Pre-Draft Presser

[terriblehippo]

Code:

Ready to be graded (3103 words)

Quenton Bode steps up to the podium.
"Thank you all for coming today. I'll take questions now."

Now that the regular season is over, how do you feel about your performance on the Marshals?  --EnfysNest

"I feel really good about my performance this season. I had a couple of games where I didn't play as well as I know I could have, but I think everyone has games like that. But fFor the most part, the majority of my games were really good, and a few were even great. I'm glad I was able to come in and play a significant role in this team's success. I think part of the reason I was able to play so well was because of my teammates--we have a really good group of guys on this team, and we all clicked pretty much instantly. So knowing that they had my back really allowed me to play with confidence, and I like to think I had the same effect on them. This is a team sport, so my individual success wouldn't have been possible without them. I'm looking forward to winning the Ultimini with these guys."

How high do you think you'll end up being drafted? --EnfysNest

"Honestly, I have no clue. I know some people have speculated that I'll go in the top three, but that seems like a bit of a stretch. There are a lot of good players in this draft, and the idea that I'm one of the best three seems crazy to me. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get drafted that high, but I don't want to get my hopes up. If I had to make a guess, I'd say somewhere in the third round, maybe the second. At the end of the day, though, that stuff doesn't really matter to me--I'm going to work hard, whether I get drafted first overall or with the very last pick. I'm just looking forward to having the opportunity to play with the best of the best, and to winning multiple championships for my team and my city."

Would you mind being drafted by an expansion team? --EnfysNest

"Not at all! This is a really exciting opportunity, one that doesn't come around very often in a league like this. With established franchises, there's already a culture and a locker room attitude that you have to contend with. But expansion teams don't have any of that--they're blank slates, and what you do with that blank slate has an impact for years to come. So getting to be a part of an expansion team, and getting to help shape the very foundation of the team, is an incredible opportunity. You can't win a championship without a good foundation, and I know I could help establish a solid foundation. Yeah, the team might not be successful right away. But with time and patience and hard work, that team could eventually become a powerhouse. And I'd love for people to be able to look back at my career and say, 'None of this would have been possible without that guy.' I want to leave a legacy, and there's no better place to do that than with an expansion team."

What is your favorite moment from the regular season? --Frick_Nasty

"Man, that's a good question. If I can be a little selfish for a moment, I'd have to say my pick-six in Week 10. Most of the time as a defensive player, your main concern is just stopping the opposing team from scoring. When I saw that ball coming my way, I was just focused on keeping the ball away from the receiver. So it was a nice little surprise when I was able to get my hands on it, and then to realize I had some room to run. I played running back in high school, so it was fun feeling those old instincts kick in as I ran back down the field. That whole sequence was just a lot of fun. It's not often you get to put points on the board as a defender, so you gotta enjoy those moments when they come along."

Who is your favorite offensive teammate?  Defensive? --Frick_Nasty

"Oh man, no pressure right? I hate playing favorites like this. It's tough to say--like I said earlier, I really enjoy everyone on this team, so having to pick a couple of favorites is really hard. Morgan [Marshall] is a great guy--he's been putting up incredible numbers and has just been dominant, but he's really down to earth and easy to talk to. It'd be easy for someone in his position to be a total jerk, but he's so relaxed and easy going. On defense, I'd probably have to go with my 'bash brother,' Mo Berry. We played together in college and now in the pros, so we've had plenty of time to get to know each other and to bond outside of football. I know we probably won't end up on the same team in the NSFL, but I'm sure that our friendship will be as strong as ever. He's a fantastic player, teammate, and friend, and I know he's gonna have an outstanding career."

Which game do you think was your best? --Frick_Nasty

"I know most people will probably scratch their heads when I say this, but I promise I have a good reason. I think my best game was Week 3 against Tijuana. I wasn't outstanding in any one category on the stat sheet, but I'm proud of the fact that I played really well in a lot of different areas--I defended passes, made tackles, picked off a pass, made a sack, all of it against a really tough opponent. Maybe it wasn't the most dazzling performance, but I felt really locked in, and I think I had a significant contribution in a lot of areas. That's what I strive to do in every game, and that game was the first where I really felt like I contributed in a big way to the team's win. It was great to have the confirmation that I could play well at a professional level, and that gave me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the season."

What current teammates would you most want to join you at your new team in the NSFL? --TomHanks

"Can I say all of them?" Laughs "Honestly, I don't really know that I can answer that. I know that's kind of a cop-out, but it's the truth. For one, I've really enjoyed getting to know these guys throughout the season--not just as players, but as people. I feel like I have a great relationship with all of my teammates, and it'll be tough to not have all of them in the same locker room at the next level. Second, though, is that they are all really damn talented. If I don't have them on my team, it means I have to play against them. And I'm not looking forward to having to stop these guys. Every one of them will improve their team, and that means I'm gonna have to be at the very top of my game if I want to have a chance to stop them. It'll be a challenge, and I know I'll be able to meet it head-on. But it's a tough challenge, having to stop those guys. I'll miss not having to play against them."

Who do you think will win DPOY and why? --TomHanks

"It's a really tight race, and I think at this point it could go to any of the top guys. Obviously I think I should win, but that's the obvious and boring answer so I won't go with that. I think that what Logan Uchiha is doing in Norfolk has been nothing short of incredible. Three sacks as a safety is impressive, but his six interceptions and two touchdoowns puts it at another level. He's been a force all season long, and I think he's been a big part of Norfolk's success. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he walked away with the award--he's definitely got a strong case for it."

What was the most exciting game you played in this season? --TomHanks

"I think our Week 14 game against Tijuana was really exciting. Everybody was playing hard, wanting to build some momentum headed into the playoffs, and we had to really work to come back from our early deficit. As a player, having a game go into overtime is at the same time thrilling and nerve-wracking. There's a razor thin margin of error, so you have to make sure you're doing everything right if you want to have any shot at walking away with the victory. But at the same time, that's part of the thrill of playing at this level--the winners are the people who can play the best for the longest, and overtime is just that concept to the nth degree. It's great to be on the winning side of that, and heartbreaking to be on the losing side, and the difference between the two can be infinitesimal. It's a true make-or-break moment, and that's exciting. So yeah, that game was a ton of fun, although I don't know if my answer would be the same had we ended up losing." Laughs

What are your personal expectations for the draft? --dizzyDC

"I'm trying not to have too many expectations headed into this draft, because you're almost always proven wrong. And that's in a normal draft--between the expansion teams and this incredibly deep draft class, anything can and will happen. So I try to just focus on improving myself and playing hard, and letting the dice fall where they may. I know I'll be happy wherever I end up, whether that's with the reigning champions or a brand-new expansion team, so I'm just making sure I'm ready to play at that level. The upside to having a view like that is that more often than not you end up pleasantly surprised. I was really shocked when I got drafted sixteenth overall in the DSFL draft, because I wasn't expecting to go that high. So instead of having high expectations and getting bummed, I had much more reasonable expectations and was blown away. I try to be realistic about these things, and so far it's paid off."

What one player not on your team from this draft class would you be the most excited about playing with in the future? --dizzyDC

"Man, that's a really great question. Obviously there's a lot of guys from this class I'd enjoy playing with--guys like Forrest Gump, Martavius Mack, and Dorfus Jimbo who were on the Central Grizzlies with me during the Prospect Bowl. Then there's players like Terry Taffy, Allen Josh, Nacho Varga, and Franklin Armstrong, who I've gotten to play against but that I have a ton of respect for. I don't know that I could narrow it down to one player specifically, with as talented as this draft class is. I'm sure I'll have at least one person who gets drafted by the same team that I'll be over the moon to play with, but only time will tell who that ends up being."

Who's your favorite team to play against? --CalvinP

"The games we played against Portland this season all seemed to be really good and competitive. Both teams have a lot of talent, and we just knew going into those games that we were gonna have to bring our A-game if we wanted to win. But they're not just good competitors on the field--they're all really friendly guys off the field too. There's no bad blood between us. Before and after the game, we're all good with each other. But as soon as that whistle blows, it's game time, and we give each other our all. It brought out another level of play from all of us. I know there will be other rivalries in the future for me and my team, but I'm gonna miss that San Antonio-Portland rivalry for sure."

Do you feel like you have a rival throughout the league? --CalvinP

"You mean like as a player? No, I really don't think I do. And that's not me saying, 'I'm so much better than everybody, there's nobody else in the league who's on my level' or whatever. That's me saying, there's not one player that I'm more competitive with than everybody else. Like I said, as a team we all play pretty hard against Portland, and I think if we end up facing them in the Ultimini the fans are in for a really good game. But on an individual level, I just don't think that way. There's not a specific player I want to beat or be better than. I just focus on myself and my own game, and making myself the best player I can be. If you focus too much on 'keeping up with the Joneses,' so to speak, you lose sight of what I think really matters--succeeding as a team. I'd rather put my energy into winning than being better than some other player. Winning a championship is the best way to be better than your opponents."

Who is the worst player on the Marshals and why is it Cooter? --timeconsumer

"Wow, what a direct question!" Laughs "Cooter's the worst player because, if not for the last-minute interception in Week 8, the Marshals would have gone undefeated!" Laughs "In all seriousness, though, Cooter's an awesome player and fantastic teammate. Our loss that game is definitely not his fault, it's our fault as a team. And besides, we still ended up 13-1, which is a damn good record to me. To answer your actual question, there really isn't an answer. All the guys on this team are excellent players, and I don't think that there's one who's at the absolute bottom of the list in terms of talent or ability. Part of the reason we've had such a successful season is because our roster is so deep, so I don't think you can single out any one player and say, 'Yup, he's the worst one.' We've all contributed, in some way or another, to the team's success. Even Cooter." Laughs

Which current NSFL player would you want to play with? --Duilio05

"Oh man, that's a really good question. There's a lot of talented guys that I wouldn't mind ending up playing with, it's hard to narrow it down to just one. Okay, I'll narrow it down to one offensive and defensive player. On offense, I'd have to say Marquise Brown. I know he's a polarizing figure, but you can't deny that what he's been doing in Baltimore has been incredible. Even though he's a running back and I'm a linebacker, I think I could learn a lot from a player like him. On my side of the ball, I'd have to go with Sandy Bakshi. What he's been doing as a rookie is incredible, and I think he's only going to get a lot better as time goes on. I'd love to play alongside him, and to learn from him as well. I think the two of us could be pretty intimidating."

What quality do you want in your NSFL GM? --Duilio05

"There's a lot of qualities I want in a GM. Fortunately, most of the GMs I've spoken to have a lot of them." Laughs "The only quality I want above all others though is open and honest communication. I want a GM who's gonna tell me what I need to hear, not what they think I want to hear. A team is built on trust, but that trust isn't just between players. It extends to the coaching staff and to the front office. So if you can't trust your GM, you can't expect to win a title. I want to have that confidence in my GM, that they'll tell me the truth and give me all the information I need to hear. I've heard too many horror stories of players being told not to worry, only to find out that they're being traded. I want to know that my GM will be straight with me, so that I can be the best player I can be, and make the best decisions. So far, every GM that's reached out to me has checked that box, which is reassuring. But that quality is really important to me, and I'm gonna make sure that whoever drafts me knows it. Because I'm a nice bear now, but I won't be a nice bear if I get lied to."

What are your plans during the offseason? --Duilio05

"Honestly, I haven't even started thinking about the offseason yet. I've been so focused on this playoff run that I hadn't considered what I'm gonna do afterwards." Pause "I'll probably take a week or two off, to just relax and enjoy myself. San Antonio is a great city, and I want to spend some more time enjoying all it has to offer before I head to the big leagues. I'll spend some quality time with my girlfriend, too--it's hard to spend time together during the season, so it'll be nice to have some time for just us two. But after that, it's back to work. This is a really competitive draft class, and I can't afford to fall behind even a little bit. I'm gonna make sure I'm fully prepared to play at the next level, even if I end up spending another season in the DSFL. I'm really excited about getting to the NSFL, and I don't want to risk my opportunity. So I'll definitely spend some time being lazy. But after that, it's back to busting my ass. I'm not about to let my dream slip away from me."

"Thank you all for coming out and asking such great questions. I'll see you after the NSFL draft!"
Quenton Bode walks out of the room.

[Baron1898]

Now that the regular season is over, how do you feel about your performance on the Marshals?

How high do you think you’ll end up being drafted?

Would you mind being drafted by an expansion team?

[Frick_Nasty]

What is your favorite momnet from the regular season?

Who is your favorite Offesnive teammate?

Defensive?

Which game do you think was your best?

[TomHanks]

What current teammates would you most want to join you at your new team in the NSFL?

Who do you think will win DPOY and why?

What was the most exciting game you played in this season?

[dizzyDC]

What are your personal expectations for the draft? What one player not on your team from this draft class would you be the most excited about playing with in the future?

[CalvinP]

Who's your favorite team to play against? Do you feel like you have a rival throughout the league?

[CalvinP]

.

[timeconsumer]

Who is the worst player on the Marshals and why is it Cooter?

[Duilio05]

What current NSFL player would you want to play with?

What quality do you want in your NSFL GM?

What are your plans during the offseason?

[Duilio05]

Who is the worst player on the Marshals and why is it Cooter?

I got you @terriblehippo. It's because his long freaking hair clogs all the shower drains!!