The Shutdown Corner Interview: Ndamukong Suh
The Shutdown Corner Interview: Ndamukong Suh
Thanks to our friends at Subway, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh(notes) has become a bit of a regular on the Corner, and we were pleased to talk with him again on Thursday. We spoke with Suh as he was bringing the avocado greatness to various Subway shops in the Detroit area, and also talked about his offseason, the lockout, how rookie Nick Fairley(notes) may fit in Detroit’s already scary defensive line, and what the Lions need to do to take that next step. Shutdown Corner: First of all, talk about what you’re doing with Subway these days. Ndamukong Suh: Right now, I’m running around on a part-time job with them, bringing avocados to the various restaurants in the Detroit area. It’s a lot of fun and I’m enjoying it. And sometimes, when it becomes busy during the lunch hour, I become a sandwich artist and help the rush line move a little bit quicker. Just to help them out. I’m looking forward to continuing it, and I’m out here today helping my second store. SC: I can imagine that your presence would speed things along if that’s what you wanted. Now, do you have previous experience in the art of fast-food service? NS: Yes, I do — I did this last year. I’ve been working with Subway for a while, and it’s been fun to be a part of this. SC: Before we talk about the NFL, tell us about Camp Suh in Detroit. You had your high school coach involved? NS: We had a great, great camp. We just finished it up yesterday—it was a two-day camp, and the first day was probably the most fun I’ve ever had. We put on a free impact camp for inner-city kids — about 120 kids came out, and that was probably the most enjoyable time, because you had them out there having fun and racing around. And it wasn’t just the kids; it was their family members as well. SC: You came into the NFL — very structured situation. Your head coach [Jim Schwartz] is a D-line guy; [defensive coordinator] Gunther Cunningham obviously does it the old-school way. So you had a structure that allowed you to bring your talent to the league and really get it done. How are things different through this offseason with the lockout? NS: For me, it’s my first NFL offseason, so there hasn’t been that much to adjust to. I guess you could say that going off my prior offseason as a rookie — I had great OTAs that I got to go through with my teammates and the other rookies. That was a huge part of my development in a successful rookie season, and I feel bad for all the rookies this year, because they don’t have that same opportunity — they’re going to have to learn it on the fly. My offseason changed in that aspect, as well as having surgery, so it’s been kind of twisted all around. But I’ve been able to manage and get to the position where I am now, and I’m just looking forward to getting into the 2011 season. SC: Obviously, everyone’s talking about the potential havoc created by the interior duo of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. Based on what you’ve seen of Fairley, what’s your take on him, and how you see that combo working out? I assume you two have talked? NS: We have spoken — I talked with him at the Super Bowl for about an hour at lunch. I had no clue that he was coming to play for us, and I then had a great opportunity to speak to him after he was drafted. He seems very eager and ready to become part of the defensive line. I think we’ll be able to be a great tandem. Hopefully, it can be like it was at Nebraska in my senior year, with myself and Jared Crick, and him coming and being a real impact guy. He relieved pressure off of me I relieved pressure off of him, and we became a dominant unit inside. SC: When it comes to team leadership, do you see younger players now coming to you, and how important is that role to you? NS: That’s going to be interesting, to see how younger players talk to me in the NFL. I know I’ve had a little bit of that reaction with my own rookie peers with the Lions. Not only that, but friends I’ve had from playing in the Big 12. I definitely want to hone in on that and take it by the reins. One rookie in particular, Prince Amukamara(notes), who was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round — he went to my school. So, it’s something that I’ve embraced. Fairley was actually one of those guys that reached out to me after he won the Lombardi award, and we had won it in back-to-back years. SC: Yeah — I talked with Prince a few months back and he said that you’ve been very helpful. You obviously came in to the NFL without too much of an adjustment issue; you were blowing stuff up pretty quickly. But when you think about your game as it stands now, what would you like to improve? NS: My overall game. I know it sounds like a cliché, but I feel that I had a good season as a rookie and I need to improve on betting faster, stronger … moving my feet and hands on a daily basis. That’s something that’s always true, even in the middle of the season — you’re never in a position where you have the perfect hands and feet for the whole season. You continue to build and work on new things, and continue to beat offensive linemen, week in and week out. SC: You’ve had some pretty positive things to say about the progressions in the lockout talks — do you get the feeling that we’re close to a resolution? NS: I definitely want to stick with the positive vibes and thinking that we’re going to have a full season. At this point, I think we’re still in great shape to get it done. It comes down to crunch-time and where there needs to be some heavy movement, and I think we’re at that point right now. I think we’re getting to the point that if it’s longer than a week or two [from now], you never know … but we as players, and me not being a player rep or a huge name in the NFL, don’t always get the information right away. When we do get it done — hopefully soon — I’ll definitely be excited to get the season started. SC: Everybody seems to be drinking the Kool-Aid when it comes to the Lions this year — three great drafts in a row, unified front office and coaching staff, very solid personnel at a lot of positions. In your mind, what do you guys need to do in order to take the next step? NS: We need to build off that four-game winning streak at the end of the season — that’s the biggest thing. We were in every single game and we have the talent to be in every single gave, but it’s a matter of being in the right situations. The game of football, especially in the NFL, is all about situations, and coming out on the big end of that stick. Related: Nick Fairley, Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions, New York Giants
Lee 2-hits Red Sox for third straight SO (AP)
Lee 2-hits Red Sox for third straight SO (AP)
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Cliff Lee(notes) tossed a two-hitter for his third consecutive shutout and the Philadelphia Phillies beat Josh Beckett(notes) and the Boston Red Sox 5-0 Tuesday night. In a series hailed as a potential World Series preview, Lee (9-5) and the Phillies dominated the opener. Domonic Brown(notes) and Shane Victorino(notes) each hit a two-run homer for Philadelphia, which improved its major league-leading record to 50-30. Lee didn’t allow a hit until Marco Scutaro(notes) led off the sixth with a line-drive single to left-center. The left-hander ran his career-best scoreless streak to 32 innings with his ninth career shutout and fourth this year. Beckett (6-3) gave up five runs and five hits in six innings, his worst outing of the season. Beckett entered with a major league-best 1.86 ERA and left at 2.20. He hadn’t pitched because of the flu since tossing a one-hitter against Tampa Bay on June 15. Darnell McDonald(notes) led off the eighth with a double to left, putting Lee’s shutout bid in jeopardy. But shortstop Jimmy Rollins(notes) made an outstanding play on Jason Varitek’s(notes) hard one-hopper up the middle for the first out. Lee then fanned Mike Cameron(notes) looking at a slow curve and retired Scutaro on a grounder to third. Lee finished with five strikeouts and two walks. He has been sensational since a slow start. The lefty was 4-5 with a 3.94 ERA through May. Since then, he’s 5-0 with a 0.21 ERA in five starts this month. Lee threw a two-hitter against Florida on June 16 and blanked St. Louis on six hits June 22. He needed 112 pitches to get through this one. The most popular player on the Phillies, Lee received several ovations from the 180th straight sellout, including postseason play, at Citizens Bank Park. Brown gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead when he connected with two outs in the second. The lanky rookie ripped a 2-2 pitch into Philadelphia’s bullpen in right-center. Brown came in slumping. He was 4 for 34 in his previous 10 games and got a scolding from manager Charlie Manuel after not hustling out a grounder against Oakland on Saturday night. Brown was booed by fans for not running hard that game, but heard loud cheers as he circled the bases and again when he went out to right field. Brown got things started in the fifth with a leadoff double to left. He advanced to third on Carlos Ruiz’s(notes) deep fly to right-center and scored on Lee’s sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. Lee, a good-hitting pitcher, has five RBIs in his last eight games. Victorino put the Phillies up 5-0 in the sixth. He drove a 3-1 pitch into the seats in right for his ninth homer. NOTES: Lee’s previous best was a 27-inning scoreless streak during his Cy Young Award season with Cleveland in 2008. … Lee has four complete games this season, second in the NL to teammate Roy Halladay’s(notes) five. … The last time the Red Sox had just two hits was June 9, 2010, against Cleveland. Their previous low this season was four hits, done five times. … Boston’s Dustin Pedroia(notes) was 0 for 3, snapping an 11-game hitting streak. … The Phillies placed Ryan Madson(notes) on the disabled list before the game, leaving them without three closers. Jose Contreras(notes) and Brad Lidge(notes) are also out. … The Red Sox activated relievers Bobby Jenks(notes) and Franklin Morales(notes) from the DL before the game and optioned Scott Atchison(notes) and Tommy Hottovy(notes) to the minors. … The Red Sox are 26-18 against the Phillies, including 18-7 since 2004. … Beckett had allowed only four homers this season. … The last time the Phillies reached 50 wins in fewer than 81 games was during their NL pennant-winning season in 1993. They started 50-21 that year.
Tomic youngest in quarters since 1986 (AP)
Tomic youngest in quarters since 1986 (AP)
WIMBLEDON, England (AP)—Not since Boris Becker has a man as young as Bernard Tomic graced the green grass of Wimbledon this far into the tournament. Born in Germany of Croatian heritage and raised in Australia, Tomic is only 18—and in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. “What a feeling and what a tournament it’s been for me,” Tomic said after beating 2002 Wimbledon semifinalist Xavier Malisse 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 Monday in the fourth round. “I’m at a position now where I’ve never been happier. I’m looking forward to playing on Wednesday.” Tomic is only 29 days older than Becker was in 1986 when he won his second straight title at the All England Club. In the next round, he will face friend and mentor Novak Djokovic. “Unbelievable achievement. I feel great. Great honor to do it here in Wimbledon,” said Tomic, who eliminated two-time French Open runner-up Robin Soderling in the previous round. “I’m not going to stop now. I’m going to try my best to play on Wednesday in the quarters. I’ve got nothing to lose.” Against Malisse, Tomic had 37 winners and only eight unforced errors. He also beat the fifth-seeded Soderling in straight sets. “Two different wins,” Tomic said, comparing the last two victories. “But today I was playing for a big spot. In one way they’re both unbelievable achievements, but today was a win I really wanted and I prepared for well, and I played well for it today.” Tomic’s goal a few weeks ago was just to qualify, and he almost didn’t make it. The Australian teen, who lost in the first round last year in his Wimbledon debut, had to save a pair of break points at 4-4 in the deciding set against Sebastien Rieschick of Germany before getting through. But since making the main draw, he has implemented a new game plan, playing more aggressive tennis. In juniors, he said he often relied on defensive tennis. “That’s where players missed, as opposed to here. They don’t miss as much,” Tomic said. “I found out, look, if I really want to play against these guys, I have to relax like I do in practice. That’s when I play my best tennis, in practice.” He’ll likely need his best tennis to continue in the tournament, especially against the one player on tour who knows his game the best—Djokovic. The pair share a common language in Serbo-Croatian and have hit together several times since playing an exhibition match in Australia at the beginning of last year. “He’s a cool guy. One of the nicest guys out there on the tour,” Tomic said of the two-time Australian Open champion. “To play against a guy like him that’s (No.) 2 in the world, it doesn’t get really better than that.” Djokovic didn’t sound scared about facing Tomic, but he still spared a moment to praise the young up-and-comer. “I have nice words for Bernard, and I think he has a great potential, a great talent. He’s showing it right now,” Djokovic said after beating Michael Llodra 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. “He loves playing on grass. … He just has these flat shots. He doesn’t give you a lot of time.” When they do play, it will be for the second time this year at Wimbledon following a practice set ahead of the tournament. “He destroyed me,” Tomic said, then smiled as he continued. “Things are not looking good for me, but hopefully he destroyed me then and not on this game on Wednesday.”
