Chat with Staley

Today at 11:30 am PST, Niner Joe Staley will be chatting on ESPN’s the Show!. Staley is stopping by to chat about EA Sports latest edition of its college football series - NCAA 08 Football.

Click Below for Full Transcript…

Jim (Denver, CO): Joe - we’re so excited you’re a Niner! How exciting is it to block for a young stud like Frank Gore?

SportsNation Joe Staley: It’s awesome. I got to experience it first hand in the OTAs how great a runner he is. To block for him is a great opportunity. And for the QB too. We have a great young team.

Dave (Seattle WA): Hey Joe! I hope you’ll do me proud when I’m cheering for you up here in Seattle! Do you have a specific game circled on the schedule you are especially excited for? Thanks, and have a good season!

SportsNation Joe Staley: I had a couple when I looked at it. We play Chicago in the preseason. I’ll get a chance to play against one of my former teammates then. We also play the Giants, so hopefully I’ll be in the lineup to play against Strahan, who I’ve always looked up to.

Keith (Pleasant Ridge, Michigan): Did going to a smaller, less known school like Central make you work harder?

SportsNation Joe Staley: I don’t know if it made me work harder. I’ve always worked hard. But I definitely didn’t take anything for granted. Any success we had was well earned. Everyone busted their butts in the off season to get ready. It also gave me a chance to play right away and have some success on the field.

Phil (NY): STALEY: How does this game compare to Madden 08?? And, how excited are you to possibly start for the greatest football franchise ever??

SportsNation Joe Staley: It is something cool that I can hear my friends say they played as me. Now I don’t have to enter my name anymore, I’ll be able to see my name. I’m hoping I’m the fastest tackle in the game.

Jeff (new orleans): how would you size up the competing teams in the NFC West?

SportsNation Joe Staley: Really, I haven’t done a whole lot of studying film on them yet. At mini camp and at OTAs, I focused on learning my own plays. I know there are a lot of talented teams in the conference.

Eddy (Miami): Joe, I’m a die hard Niner, I’d like to welcome you to the Family. What are your expectations for the 9ers this year?

SportsNation Joe Staley: Personally, I just want to make an impact on the team, whatever role that is. I’ve been working hard in the off season, gotten my body ready and then let the coaches make the decision on who plays. I’d like to make an impact in my rookie year. We’d just like to make the playoffs and keep developing as a team.

Jason in Santa Clara: Joe, The knock against you during the draft was that you need to bulk up, hit the weight room for a year, so you’ll be able to pass block against the better DE’s in the league. Do you see a connection with the weight room and your success in the league, or will you be more of a finesse player?

SportsNation Joe Staley: Currently, I’m about 318 pounds. I met with a nutritionist and came up with a plan. That’s my playing weight now. I’ve bulked up since college, when I was about 300. Hopefully, that won’t be an issue.

Travis, Canada: Joe, what are you going to miss most about the mid-west or Michigan in general?

SportsNation Joe Staley: No. 1, just missing my family. No. 2, the cheap price of real estate in the midwest. I can’t believe how expensive California is.

Faris (San Francisco, CA): How does it feel to get drafted by a team with so much prestige like the 49ers?

SportsNation Joe Staley: It’s great. My first visit there, I walked into the facility and the first thing you notice are the five Lombardi Trophies. Hopefully I can help continue that tradition.

Os (Jersey): Joe, big 9er fan from Jersey here. How are the OL vets out there treating you? How comfortable are you swithing between LT and RT?

SportsNation Joe Staley: The vets are great. I couldn’t have been surrounded by a greater group of guys. Any questions that I ask, they’re helpful. They want to see me help them win too. I’ve kept my mouth shut and not get in the way. I’m a rookie and now my place. As for the switch, it’s going pretty well. I’m just getting the fundamentals down. Getting acclimated to the mental aspects of the game.

Matt (Grand Rapids): Joe, good luck in San Fran. Do you have your name on the wall at the Corner Bar in Rockford, MI?

SportsNation Joe Staley: Yeah, I actually do. If you eat 12 chilli dogs in one sitting, you get your name on the wall, but if you eat 20, you get all your hot dogs for free. I tried for 20, but couldn’t get there. But I proudly display the bumper sticker.

mike (columbus): hey joe,did you feel any pressure to make sure your deal was done before camp?

SportsNation Joe Staley: No, not really pressure, but it was something I wanted to do. I didnt want to be behind one day or one hour. It was something I was committed to. I wanted that distraction out of the way and concentrate on football.

Arpan (Dublin,CA): Joe, Welcome to the ranks of the Red and Gold. Couple things for you: 1.) What has been the biggest challenge so far to adjusting to the pro game. And 2.) How excited are you to be able to work with and learn from a legend like Larry Allen?

SportsNation Joe Staley: The biggest adjustment I’ve experienced is the mental aspect of the game. The playbook is pretty extensive. I’m really excited in working with a great veteran and one of the all time greats in Larry Allen.

Ryan (Michigan): How many times a week would you go to the Soaring Eagle and are there any casinos where you live now?

SportsNation Joe Staley: I went there a couple of times during my college playing days, it’s kind of hard not to. It’s one of the only thing to do in Mt. Pleasant. But you don’t have too much money in college.

Tim (Milwaukie Oregon): Hey joe, where do you think the 49ers offensive line ranks in the NFL?

SportsNation Joe Staley: I feel like our OL is great. Everything that I’ve seen so far is that it’s a great group of guys. They take a professional attitude. I’m excited to get to camp.

Brent (Rockford): Who was the best defensive player that you ever faced in College?

SportsNation Joe Staley: I’d say my teammate Dan Bazuin. We had some great battles in practice. I think it helped us both to play with each other.

Bill (Palo Alto): Being a smaller tackle, what do you have to do to stop big pass rushers like Richard Seymour and Simeon Rice?

SportsNation Joe Staley: I think a lot of that will be how you prepare during the week and how you approach your film study. It’s mental preparation and how you watch your film. And also preparing in the weight room.

John (Oakland): Did you get recruited by bigger schools like Mich or Mich St? Why did you choose CMU?

SportsNation Joe Staley: When I was in high school, I was real lanky and I didn’t attend any of the camps. I didn’t know how the whole recruiting things worked. Central was one of the first schools to offer me and I accepted one week after they did.

Matt, Santa Rosa: Hey Joe, very happy you were draft by the 49ers, with one week left till training camp what are you going to do with your last week of downtime for awhile?

SportsNation Joe Staley: I’m headed back out to California tomorrow. I’ll start getting back into the facility and trying to prepare my mind for training camp. Also, I’m going to go do some sight seeing in California. I’ve got a friend who has a job as assistant wrestling coach at Stanford.

B.C. (Austin, TX): How are you enjoying the California climate as compared to Michigan? Really excited to have you as a 49er!

SportsNation Joe Staley: It’s beautiful out in California. I was telling my parents that it wasn’t even cloudy when I was out there for two months. I will miss the seasons, but I won’t have to drive in the snow.

SportsNation Joe Staley: Thanks for the support. Keep watching the 49ers this season. Go Niners!

~ by 49ersNews on July 19, 2007.