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On Wednesday, Texans running back Arian Foster spoke to the media gathered at the team facility for the first time all spring or summer. The 90 seconds of back and forth that ensued was described, in the words of CSNHouston.com's Dave Zangaro, as "essentially and effectively wast(ing) the time of everyone involved."
Zangaro notes that "being a better teammate" has been a frequent refrain of first-year coach Bill O'Brien, and that theme was evident during Foster's version of a question-and-answer session with reporters.
Here it is in its entirety:
Question: How do you feel? Were you 100 percent out there today?
Foster: I’m just out here trying to be the best teammate I can be and I’m gonna work hard at doing that.
Q: Physically, you’re good to go?
F: I’m just trying to be the best teammate I can be, man.
Q: Arian, can you tell us exactly what kept you out, what was going on?
F: Yeah, man. I’m just trying to be the best teammate I can be, you know. I’m gonna work hard at doing that.
Q: What was physically wrong with you?
F: Yeah, I’m just out here, working hard every single day, trying to be the best teammate I can be.
Q: What did it mean to be able to get back out here and start working, Arian? And get back with your teammates?
F: You know, being with your teammates and being the best teammate you can be is what you strive to do. So that’s what I’m out here for.
Q: Your teammates talk about how they want to see you out here. They know what you mean to this ballclub. What does all that stuff mean to you, Arian?
F: Yeah, man. When you're the best teammate you can be, you just work hard at doing that every single day. That’s what we’re out here trying to do.
Q: Is your body starting to break down?
F: Yeah, man. I’m just out here trying to be the best teammate I can be. And I’m gonna work hard at doing that.
Q: How’s that coming, Arian, your progress with being a better teammate?
F: Yeah, you know, I’m just, every single day, just trying to be a better teammate, man.
Q: What do you think about these fans going crazy for you guys?
F: Yeah, man. I’m just out here trying to be the best teammate I can be. And I’m going to continue doing that.
Q: Is there any difference in the way you felt physically, feel stronger?
F: Yeah, man. I’m just out here trying to be the best teammate I can be. And I’m just going to continue to do that.
Q: What was the offseason like, working at your brother’s facility, different than other previous seasons?
F: Yeah, just every single day, man, just working hard, trying to be the best teammate I can be.
Reporter: You got that down.
Foster: Thank you.
Reporter: You’re welcome.
Foster: Y’all take care.
That's right out of the Bill Belichick handbook for dealing with the media. (In related news, O'Brien was the Patriots' quarterbacks coach before leaving for Penn St. and later the Texans.)
Reporters don't take well to having their time wasted but let's be honest, players feel similarly whenever they're forced to answer questions. Either way, we mention all this because it doesn't look like Foster's view of the those paid to cover him will be changing anytime soon.
Here's a tweet from Thursday morning:
Media is full of propaganda and you're subjected to their agenda. Don't let them think for you. #staysuckafree ??
— Arian Foster (@ArianFoster) July 31, 2014
#Staysuckafree -- words to live by, indeed.
