prerat
01-22-2008, 10:11 AM
SERBY'S SUNDAY Q&A WITH...
R.W. MCQUARTERS
By STEVE SERBY
January 20, 2008 -- The Post's Steve Serby chatted with the veteran Giants cornerback who sealed last week's NFC Divisional round victory over the Cowboys with an interception of Tony Romo.
Q: What has this week been like for you after your end-zone interception in Dallas?
A: Crazy.
Q: They introduced you at a Knick game ... feel like a celebrity?
A: A little bit. This is New York, so it's gonna be amplified.
Q: They call you The Closer now.
A: The Finisher, The Closer ... I like that.
Q: The flight home from Dallas?
A: It felt like we upset the world and I felt like I had something to do with it. It really just made me feel good.
Q: Stephon Marbury Stephon Marbury is out for the year. Could you step in at point guard for the Knicks New York Knicks ?
A: Yes, sir. I wish Mr. Thomas would give me a call.
Q: Why don't you call him?
A: Gotta wait till the offseason.
Q: What kind of a point guard are you?
A: More of a scorer-type. Like an (Allen) Iverson.
Q: Do you think you could have played in the NBA?
A: Yes.
Q: Why didn't you pursue basketball?
A: Because basketball really didn't pursue me. I didn't get invited to the Nike or ABCD camps out of high school because everybody assumed I was gonna play football.
Q: Is basketball your first love?
A: Boxing was my first sport before I did anything [fourth grade]. My mother got me out of it because she knew what the sport did, just watching Muhammad Ali and others.
Q: You played basketball for Eddie Sutton for two years at Oklahoma State.
A: "It's a cardinal sin to shoot a jumper with your foot on the [3-point] line." He always said that. His thing was common-sense basketball, like why shoot a jumper with your foot on the line, when you can either get one step closer and it's a high-percentage shot, or take one step back and it's a 3-pointer?
Q: Your oldest child, Robert William McQuarters III (10)?
A: Trey's a book guy, a school guy. He wants to be a quarterback.
Q: Rylan Winter (8)?
A: More of a daddy's little boy. Anything I'm doing, or anywhere I'm going, he wants to go. He's all football ... wants to know how come I don't bring my helmet, my shoulder pads home. He always wants to come in the locker room. He wants my wristbands, my towels, gloves ... he'll take my shoes. He knows they can't fit 'em, but he still wants 'em.
Q: Your daughter Reagan Winston (3)?
A: The most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Definitely a daddy's girl, like she doesn't like for me to leave her side at all.
Q: You've never been married. Describe an ideal mate.
A: I can tell you one thing that sums it all up - she needs to take care of me. Period.
Q: Deserted island, one woman?
A: The mother of my children.
Q: The first time you played against Brett Favre?
A: I was a rookie in San Francisco. Only thing I can remember is Brett Favre being Brett Favre ... just gunning it.
Q: Ever intercept him?
A: Nope.
Q: The SpongeBob bandage you used to wear under your right eye?
A: Last year was Dora, SpongeBob and a little bit of Scooby-Doo. So this year, it was Hello Kitty, but I ran out of Hello Kitty band-aids, so in my bag I just had a bunch of band-aids from last year, and I pulled out one and it happened to be SpongeBob.
Q: Why under the right eye?
A: Demond Parker, we went to the same high school, and our first varsity game he said, "Man, we're gonna wear a band-aid up under the right eye." I don't know what it meant.
Q: Why did you originally grow dreadlocks as a rookie?
A: The movie "Metro," Eddie Murphy was in it. And he had these little twisties. Then I got to a point I said, 'I'm just gonna go ahead and lock it up.' I let 'em lock and I let 'em grow.
Q: Why did you cut them last March 21?
A: I turned 30 (the previous December). It was time for a change. I let my children cut them.
Q: Your first reaction when you looked in the mirror?
A: I looked like my daddy (laughs).
Q: What happened when your teammates saw you at minicamp?
A: Some of 'em didn't even recognize me. They walked by me. And then personnel thought I was a new rookie that was just signed so they walked right by me.
Q: Superstitions?
A: The band-aid. And I always say a prayer before I go out for pregame in the shower. With every punt return, I tighten up my gloves, but what I do is I pull it four times on each hand, and that's for my children and mother of my children. And then I give one big push [on the gloves] for both hands, and that's for family, that's together, for family. Then I straighten up my facemask. I kiss my daughter on the forehead by kissing my two fingers, and then I put it on the forehead.
Q: What's so much fun about punt returns?
A: Just me having the ball in my hands.
Q: Favorite childhood memory?
A: Getting a new bike for Christmas. It was like an SX 211.
Q: Boyhood idol?
A: Michael Jordan.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: "Gladiator."
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Denzel.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Halle Berry.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Jay-Z.
Q: Favorite golf course?
A: Shadow Creek in Vegas.
Q: What's your handicap?
A: 20.
Q: Favorite meal?
A Good 'ole nice, home-cooked cheeseburger; well-done, with a bag of chips and some Kool-Aid.
Q: Best hamburger in New York?
A: I've never eaten a cheeseburger in the city of New York. You know why? 'Cause I eat a lot of steaks in New York! (big smiles). DelFrisco's, Ruth's Chris, Tao ... Tao, ohmigod. They call it a kobe ribeye.
R.W. MCQUARTERS
By STEVE SERBY
January 20, 2008 -- The Post's Steve Serby chatted with the veteran Giants cornerback who sealed last week's NFC Divisional round victory over the Cowboys with an interception of Tony Romo.
Q: What has this week been like for you after your end-zone interception in Dallas?
A: Crazy.
Q: They introduced you at a Knick game ... feel like a celebrity?
A: A little bit. This is New York, so it's gonna be amplified.
Q: They call you The Closer now.
A: The Finisher, The Closer ... I like that.
Q: The flight home from Dallas?
A: It felt like we upset the world and I felt like I had something to do with it. It really just made me feel good.
Q: Stephon Marbury Stephon Marbury is out for the year. Could you step in at point guard for the Knicks New York Knicks ?
A: Yes, sir. I wish Mr. Thomas would give me a call.
Q: Why don't you call him?
A: Gotta wait till the offseason.
Q: What kind of a point guard are you?
A: More of a scorer-type. Like an (Allen) Iverson.
Q: Do you think you could have played in the NBA?
A: Yes.
Q: Why didn't you pursue basketball?
A: Because basketball really didn't pursue me. I didn't get invited to the Nike or ABCD camps out of high school because everybody assumed I was gonna play football.
Q: Is basketball your first love?
A: Boxing was my first sport before I did anything [fourth grade]. My mother got me out of it because she knew what the sport did, just watching Muhammad Ali and others.
Q: You played basketball for Eddie Sutton for two years at Oklahoma State.
A: "It's a cardinal sin to shoot a jumper with your foot on the [3-point] line." He always said that. His thing was common-sense basketball, like why shoot a jumper with your foot on the line, when you can either get one step closer and it's a high-percentage shot, or take one step back and it's a 3-pointer?
Q: Your oldest child, Robert William McQuarters III (10)?
A: Trey's a book guy, a school guy. He wants to be a quarterback.
Q: Rylan Winter (8)?
A: More of a daddy's little boy. Anything I'm doing, or anywhere I'm going, he wants to go. He's all football ... wants to know how come I don't bring my helmet, my shoulder pads home. He always wants to come in the locker room. He wants my wristbands, my towels, gloves ... he'll take my shoes. He knows they can't fit 'em, but he still wants 'em.
Q: Your daughter Reagan Winston (3)?
A: The most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Definitely a daddy's girl, like she doesn't like for me to leave her side at all.
Q: You've never been married. Describe an ideal mate.
A: I can tell you one thing that sums it all up - she needs to take care of me. Period.
Q: Deserted island, one woman?
A: The mother of my children.
Q: The first time you played against Brett Favre?
A: I was a rookie in San Francisco. Only thing I can remember is Brett Favre being Brett Favre ... just gunning it.
Q: Ever intercept him?
A: Nope.
Q: The SpongeBob bandage you used to wear under your right eye?
A: Last year was Dora, SpongeBob and a little bit of Scooby-Doo. So this year, it was Hello Kitty, but I ran out of Hello Kitty band-aids, so in my bag I just had a bunch of band-aids from last year, and I pulled out one and it happened to be SpongeBob.
Q: Why under the right eye?
A: Demond Parker, we went to the same high school, and our first varsity game he said, "Man, we're gonna wear a band-aid up under the right eye." I don't know what it meant.
Q: Why did you originally grow dreadlocks as a rookie?
A: The movie "Metro," Eddie Murphy was in it. And he had these little twisties. Then I got to a point I said, 'I'm just gonna go ahead and lock it up.' I let 'em lock and I let 'em grow.
Q: Why did you cut them last March 21?
A: I turned 30 (the previous December). It was time for a change. I let my children cut them.
Q: Your first reaction when you looked in the mirror?
A: I looked like my daddy (laughs).
Q: What happened when your teammates saw you at minicamp?
A: Some of 'em didn't even recognize me. They walked by me. And then personnel thought I was a new rookie that was just signed so they walked right by me.
Q: Superstitions?
A: The band-aid. And I always say a prayer before I go out for pregame in the shower. With every punt return, I tighten up my gloves, but what I do is I pull it four times on each hand, and that's for my children and mother of my children. And then I give one big push [on the gloves] for both hands, and that's for family, that's together, for family. Then I straighten up my facemask. I kiss my daughter on the forehead by kissing my two fingers, and then I put it on the forehead.
Q: What's so much fun about punt returns?
A: Just me having the ball in my hands.
Q: Favorite childhood memory?
A: Getting a new bike for Christmas. It was like an SX 211.
Q: Boyhood idol?
A: Michael Jordan.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: "Gladiator."
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Denzel.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Halle Berry.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Jay-Z.
Q: Favorite golf course?
A: Shadow Creek in Vegas.
Q: What's your handicap?
A: 20.
Q: Favorite meal?
A Good 'ole nice, home-cooked cheeseburger; well-done, with a bag of chips and some Kool-Aid.
Q: Best hamburger in New York?
A: I've never eaten a cheeseburger in the city of New York. You know why? 'Cause I eat a lot of steaks in New York! (big smiles). DelFrisco's, Ruth's Chris, Tao ... Tao, ohmigod. They call it a kobe ribeye.