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ASAPSports Interview with Chicago Bears' Cedric Bentson
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Thanks to Frank Supovitz, SVP of Special Events for the NFL, Greg Aiello, Vice President of Public Relations of the National Football League, and Leslie Hammond, VP of Media Relations for the NFL, I was able to cover the 2005 NFL Draft. Here's my account - Zennie Abraham, Chairman and CEO, Sports Business Simulations.
2005 NFL DRAFT
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
April 23, 2005
CEDRIC BENSON
Chicago Bears
Q. Did Chicago have any historical or tradition?
CEDRIC BENSON: Without a doubt, Gayle Sayers, Walter Payton, you know, I take pride in running the football. It pays off, part of your success, things like that. It pays tribute and helps along with a lot of other things. I know the city takes pride in their team and I know what they are looking for and what drives it. So I'm very excited. I think fate has a weird way of working itself out, and it worked itself out tonight.
Q. Are you glad this whole thing is over?
CEDRIC BENSON: Yeah, definitely. It was just a tough process, to go here, go there, work out for me, work out for me. You know, people tell you, they like you, they want you to play on their team and things like that, and that's not really what they mean or what they say. I'm very glad I'm past that part and can move on to football now.
Q. I think you used the word "degrading". Did you find it a little degrading, especially the comparisons to Ricky?
CEDRIC BENSON: Yeah, more so just the fact, you know, the terminology was "We want to bring you in and get to know you." It was more just bring me in and pick me apart, you know what I mean, or to tell me I'm like somebody else and whatnot. I just thought it was silly.
Q. Evaluating Cedric Benson which I guess you can do better than most, what three things do you think you need to work on when you sit down and look at yourself?
CEDRIC BENSON: Probably need to work on being able to hold my emotions back. I'm going to start crying and stuff. (Laughter). I don't know, man, I'm always improving in everything. We're growing every day and, you know, you change every day, and just learning as I go and absorbing everything.
Q. What were the emotions like? Did it just overcome you?
CEDRIC BENSON: Yeah, it was just a big relief. You know, my process has been different from most people's process, and it was just a great relief to finally be on the team.
Q. Why was your process different?
CEDRIC BENSON: Because I went to Texas, wore dreads, I'm African American and played running back, and was successful at it.
Q. Starting a couple of months from now you're going to be an idol for a lot of young people in America, have you been talked to or have you thought about what that entails and are you looking forward to the challenge of being someone that a lot of young people can look up to?
CEDRIC BENSON: Man, I've been that for years, man.
Q. Even a broader scale now.
CEDRIC BENSON: That's just more lives I'm touching, more people. I remember when I was a kid, I was watching -- I was like a freshman and whatnot in high school, a sophomore, and I was in Texas watching Ricky run and things like that, and I remember I watched him, the way he made me feel as a football player and made me think of who I wanted to be and what I wanted to be at that point, I know just by going out there and working hard and being successful -- just amazing, man. He didn't even have to say anything to me.
Q. Have you had a chance to talk with Coach Smith yet?
CEDRIC BENSON: Yeah -- well, not tonight, but I have and I respect him a lot. I think he's a genuine person. I had a good interview with him when I went to Chicago. I think he's good people. I'm glad I'm at Chicago.
Q. Got to get used to that cold weather, I guess.
CEDRIC BENSON: I don't think it will be that -- I'll be running most of the time. (Laughter).
Q. Most of us predicted you to go to Chicago, is this what you expected?
CEDRIC BENSON: I had no expectations, because I know it could go south, go north, go east, west, whatever. Teams don't know what they are going to do. They are just playing, don't want to let you know until the last ten seconds or whatnot. So I had my mind open and clear for whatever was to come.
Q. Very successful passing games this past season in the NFL yet we have seen three running backs go with the first five picks. What does that tell you about the nature of the program and where it is right now?
CEDRIC BENSON: It tells me it's hard to win just throwing the football. It doesn't really tell me nothing; it's football. I think you win games by running the football. That's why they are picking running backs.
Q. What do you know about Levy's style of offense and how do you think you'll fit in?
CEDRIC BENSON: I don't really know nothing. I was watching college, not NFL. I do know the new coordinator likes to run the football and that's all I need to know.
Q. Do you think the baseball experience helped you just?
CEDRIC BENSON: Without a doubt. Got money, 18 years old, got to travel with men on a bus, had to be up in the morning, had to be on time or else I get fined. I've been here, I've done this. That's partly why I was, you know, so hard to sit there and listen to them tell me those things like that. You know, I've been here. Of course I made mistakes, we all have. How can you expect me to be perfect, you know what I'm saying. But I dealt with them, I handled them, I handled them like I was supposed to, put them behind, moved on and learned my lessons.
Q. As tough as it's been on you and talking about the Ricky comparisons, would you take any of it back?
CEDRIC BENSON: Would I take any of it back?
Q. Yeah. Was it worth it, everything you went through?
CEDRIC BENSON: Without a doubt. Made me a better person today, stronger. It sucked, but I wouldn't take it back, no. (Laughter).
End of FastScriptsÖ.
NFL Draft Part One
| NFL Draft Part Two
| NFL Draft Part Three
| NFL Draft Part Four
| NFL Draft Part Five
| NFL Draft Part Six
| NFL Draft Part Seven
