8-29-08 Logan Mankins, Patriots Guard

We are down at Gillette Stadium and this is where will be every Friday this season unlike in past years were here we are here only on Monday. This year we get the opportunity to to make the short commute on Fridays as well. -- Joining us former Patriots Friday irregulars who have never met face to face before this very moment a very clean cut Logan Mankins. What's up with that wish that red button right there there was no I don't. I was wondering what the the Friday after a Thursday pre season game as like work wise for you is this like a Monday during the regular season is that what today what -- is we came in this morning just lead in the through weights. -- and conditioning in and about two -- what's the film and needed. So worked for Kansas City will be the watching the film part -- not much on again today. I was only in there for about ten plays. Net to bed how -- feel where is -- overall -- through the pre season and camp you feel good about yourself. Not really we have had a good pre season. Tom has and in their their offense hasn't been together too much. I don't know where we stand right now we'll find out next week where we stand and offensively. That's sort of weird day in in years past if you had a firmer -- grasp on where you stood after the small the last two years we've all been together through the pre season and this -- we've had met his index last game for his first game and next week will be -- games. It will be in next week. What I'm glad dodge ball up about your shirt Tom's going to be here next week and ask him his first and that's you've been told I've told justice in this. We've always been kind of led to believe that if there's any unit. On on any football team. That -- cohesion practice school Wharton nation. It's the offensive line for all of that fair to say that the actors so much stuff is happening yet the trust the guy next news and yet it is trustees going to be there for you so you need to practice together and if a guy and this is that we here's. Or a couple of days of practice before a game -- it missed a lot of time release. While how much has the offensive line been affected by a pre season in which. Matt just got back in their last night other guys Stephen Neal still missing how much is that affecting. Yeah it's been pretty well we've new is it different positions it seemed like everyday to the pre season in training camp that. I think it's all starting fullback in place now and will work it -- Both rated that we well on your side if you back opened the right like to laugh that feels. Pretty much like home for use of the normal right that's back to Louis it feels good to be everywhere -- be -- and and hopefully we do we -- news well.

That's why I think the Russ Hochstein Rangers service sneaky damaging entered this team because he's always while not being a starter full time he's always -- in the past and I think you've got almost as much comfort level and you know familiarity with him and his game as you -- starter but he's played so much in reserve role so with Stephen down and then get on Russ Hochstein and that sort of that hurts because there's ever going to be and they are now is truly a new guy.

Yeah Russ he's done a great job he's been here or -- many years I think in every time Simmons went down is always filled in great denigrates -- And numerous positions that is a big hitter when you lose a guy is versus.

what's psychological impact of not having Tom here. Do you feel it in the huddle you feel on the sidelines do you feel when you step off the books.

You feel it in the huddle I think. And in the pre season is so hard to -- yourself motivated. To really want to go out there you're just going out there trying to work on stuff and make sure you're getting better and it's in just not the same as a real game and then now haven't found their play makes it even seem less like yeah. I know every offensive lineman on the planet would rather run block every single time you'd rather deliver the blow and received the blow. But we haven't seen this team really run the football effectively in the pre season -- Yeah I think so we just we've got to stick to it and guys gotta -- the guys exposed to and -- of and then that next find their vehicles and I don't know if we can find. In the Accenture. One of the things -- talked about it is is he may have five running backs on this team win when you guys. Finally get to the final roster he said we certainly can. -- five. Much differences there from one guy to another guy to another guy just in terms of of how they run behind you what they how they use what you guys are trying to do. Yeah for us it doesn't matter it's really we just we're going to block the guys the same way and it's that to the and to it is. They -- it would just to you via pretty much. And every every play they can go somewhere different anyway adult and that -- the -- it's it's really we just block. Try to block -- if they want to go certain ways that says he's taken that way and when index that are read it make his cuts.

Well enough ballots are in this camp as you've been. Hard do you sense that he's laid off the throttle as he'd been an easy got to work for this month the hard got to work for.

I think he's been pretty consistent with in years past. We're pads every big in this camp and we had a couple nice walk too zealous pretty rewarding we elect the for the most part bills bill he's that if push you when he thinks he needs a push you he's going to lay off when he thinks he can easily and he's been around long enough to know when to do it.

You don't sense met -- you know the way he managed overall coming off -- last year the length of the season the way it ended up you know mental and physical grind event. To think that he had to be. A little softer than and always have a lot of patted work. Do you think he's managed this month based off a little bit of how you ended last year outlast you want.

Yeah answer and then during the pre trinket read a lot of guys get banged up too so. They win that go down -- and Brusca heard Steve still that. And defense if you guys have been banged up to the pre season so. I think when you get a lot of guys are you got to back off a little. This is a business and we all know that and this is the time of year this weekend. Where this business is a little tough now doesn't -- I like you doesn't affect you know a lot of the guys who know where they stand. But the offense some tension on the parts of guys who are wondering paid like have a job come next week or don't. Boy I'd hate to be in that position and I know that's a tough position the next few days waiting to find out what's going to happen in your careers. In this election lately and let the guys are written here and they don't know what's going on and but that's attempts but the the I also wonder if it affects how some guys play. I mean and I'm looking specifically at. At your back -- quarterback situation where where guys are gone now I gotta I gotta get a job on this team that they were fighting for -- this pre season and I don't. It does just the there's a lot of pressure on those guys and a lot of pressure on a lot of people in numerous positions to. The make the plays when they're called upon and hopefully they made the plays and precedent.

I was curious as an instant story. That's happened this summer that is the team has decided to put up a batter to celebrate sixteen and all last year on championship banner they're putting up a batter for the perfect season annual all. Got ranked ahead of -- are going to -- what you did accomplish. Last year even though wasn't the ultimate goal I feel about it how does that he goes the right thing to do you think that that. That helped you whether it was closure or to remind you that hey you're actually still the best team in the league -- you know you could be viewed that way I think about that the -- moved to do that.

Yeah I think US -- I think a lot of the players were still looking at this season as a disappointment. Good. The guys and higher places like I think those and mister Kraft still looked at this season as a successful season. We're the only other team to go undefeated in the regular seasons which is pretty amazing and we I think I think we still think this season was a disappointment on how it ended though we still did something that's pretty amazing and I guess we could. Look back and be proud of what we did to even though we didn't finish the way we wanted to did you need to be reminded of that -- you one of those guys I still think about. The season has been. Disappointing. I would do anything that had a game over and hopefully we below the finish it out a different way but it. That's how life goes sometimes you win sometimes you lose and it's. Is you see what kind of menu are from the way you read them.

What -- at the same feeling I had I know I've probably were too much what was it the same feeling as the Colts lost or was that. Was that different that's happened two straight years Florida was was at the same thing -- or was this one in some way worse.

It was worse the colts' loss was tough as relates. And in the see the colts' -- when the Super Bowl two weeks later. They're really they're. There's in the big and that's the worse it pursuers especially. After you have at -- the whole season and and to lose your final game. To be have a perfect season Allen hurts pretty.

Last year you became the first Patriots guard since John -- to go to the Pro Bowl. You were a second team all pro selection by the Associated Press. Do opponent's. View you differently now because of that I mean they know we are they watch film and all that stuff. But now -- thank him and that's a Pro Bowl guard I'm going up against today ratchet things up based on that unser.

You is when addicted against the better guys in the league I know when I'm -- against the best defensive tackles. I want Hammond this game and mixtures that I do my best against again in. So not only for myself and my teammates but other people seated and -- and that's it's. I'm -- people of the of the game six and the and make tackles for loss against me. It's going and though there was it weird Korea being a locker room in Hawaii with guys who. You've done battle with in the past. Especially guys of the gun fights with their a third on Tuesday to Estes. But over there I got along with the -- and like. Teamsters in league and -- there's other guys we call each other lot of names but we -- that a lot of Bears in on the seats in the locker room. We will now when you play James -- in the next time will it be different for you because and a.

I'm really even -- a bunch of anymore and are saying yeah it's going to be the same for me as exhibit a in his life and reference. Nolan in the other team might influence on the suffice to say there are you can afford a -- real game. -- It is. The pre season is a game. In it it feels like scrimmage and accuse China goes dollars he -- But it it just as the fumes are you worried about getting hurt more than -- In the pre season. You think about it but what's on the field it's you don't think about it anymore you know worried about it some people might. Personally I don't I don't think about it matter once you start to look at I'm sure you have rhetorical question you start look at -- shore what about is Dorsey can be anywhere this team forgive me for not knowing it's going to be -- to plays you expect to -- we have -- depth -- But they wasted everyone's students. Nestor and those used in -- last letters must be fun though just the thought of going up against number two or three overall pick whatever he was and -- a young kid new millionaire and you know you get to introduce him to the NFL cities with CU. Clothes that when. -- Things you'll find it's. Fair to say. Regular season game preparation is a bit more challenging mentally is going to put it that way you're pretty even -- pre season right -- it'll be allowed to rule -- a lot more film on our opponent well a lot more -- and is a -- to the pre season is -- and this week will -- it into -- Jefferson it's and it's great to visit with yeah I'm looking forward to visiting with the throughout the season of the day thanks to be here thanks Logan and I are right about joining us on a Patriots Friday Sports Radio WE yeah.