1st Round NFL Draft Pick and "NEW" Tampa Bay Buccaneer CB Aqib Talib was introduced to the Media today.. Be sure to listen to the audio below. The guy LOVES football, many NFL players do, but if you take anything away from Talib's press conference, its that he has a passion for this sport.
Talib on the meaning of his first name:
"It's a Muslim name," Talib said. "I know my first name means, 'the last to come.' I'm the youngest of four kids so my first name means the last to come. My last name means ... I don't know."
Gruden on the meaning of Talib's last name:
"His name means 'good corner,' I hope," Gruden said.
Talib on the impact of winning MVP of his team's Bowl Game:
"I didn't even realize I had won a trophy.. I woke up the next morning and they told me I had won a trophy. I was just excited to win that game"
Aqib on the being Drafted by the Buccaneers:
"It's just wonderful," Talib said. "It's a dream come true for me. It's an honor to be able to start my NFL career with this team, with this defense, to have a chance to be around Ronde Barber, Derrick Brooks and guys like that. It's an honor for me. I'm excited to be a Buccaneer. It's been all smiles for me. I'm excited. I don't need no sleep, I don't need nothing. It's a dream come true. I don't want to wake up."
On his meeting with the Bucs prior to the Draft:
"After my visit I really was like, 'Man, I need to play for Coach Kiff. I want to come play for Coach Gruden.' Out of any visit I went on, this was the one I felt the best about. They didn't tell me, 'We're going to draft you,' or anything, but I just felt like this was the best situation for me when I left after my visit."
On his ability to learn early on:
"When I'm learning, I'm learning," said Talib. "I'm not talking, I'm taking notes and I'm learning. Until I've got a good grasp on what we're doing, I'm going to be quiet in that meeting room. But I think I'll fit right in pretty early. I'm a people person. I've never had a problem fitting in with a crowd."
Who is ready for football? My goodness, all this talk and its nearly four months away. It's hard to tell from a Press Conference what type of character Aqib has, but by all accounts he seems very polished, genuine, and eager to start his career. That's about all you can truly ask for...