Tua Tagovailoa – August 14, 2021 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 14, 2021
Postgame – at Chicago
QB Tua Tagovailoa (transcribed by the Chicago Bears)
(How do you think you did?) – “Well, I think the better question for that is what didn’t I do well? I thought I did all right. There were a lot of things that we need to clean up offensively. You know, with our communication, more so our execution with our plays that we’re given. But first time coming out in a real game-like situation, environment. I thought it was pretty good for the first time. Obviously there’s a lot of things that we need to clean up, but that’s what we got film for, you know, when we hop on to the plane, we’ll take a look at some of those plays that didn’t go the way we wanted to, and we’ll get those fixed.”
(What should you have done differently in the interception to Shaheen) – “Probably not throwing it. Probably not throwing it. I think the DB made a great play. That wasn’t a good decision on my part. When you get down to the red area, you gotta make good, quick decisions, and that wasn’t a quick decision — or that was a quick decision, but not a good decision. That was just something that I gotta continue to learn from, take that and put it in my arsenal and hope not to make that same mistake again.”
(Were you looking at another receiver before you came back to him or were you looking at him first?) – “Yeah. I just went through my progression. And to me Adam looked wide open.”
(He was.) – “But I — you know, I was late. And in this league you can never be late over the middle in the red area. Like I said, those are recipes for disaster and that’s what happened.”
(Before that you had like eight completions in a row. Were you feeling it, I guess is the question. Were you feeling good about I’m stacking good precision?) – “I would say we were getting into a good groove offensively. I think we did a pretty good job converting on our third downs. On our fourth downs as well. But then again, it’s a one-play-at-a-time kind of mentality that we need to have. You can never get too high. Hey, we’re feeling good. Maybe take a shot. Whatever play we’re given, gotta go through the fundamentals and techniques that we’ve been taught throughout the week, you know, and use that.”
(Tua, what went into the long completion play working out?) – “I think it first off started with the line. I think the line did a tremendous job today. They kept the pocket clean, gave me a lot of time to step up into the pocket and make that throw. And it wasn’t just that play. There were numerous occasions throughout the first quarter and second quarter where they’ve really shown up and given me a clean pocket. But, yeah, they played one route around that. Just went over the top. Mike had a one on one matchup with them and just gave them a chance.”
(Tua, you had the 50-yarder and the 16-yarder to Hollins that was called back. How much of a focal point for you was it to take those shots down field and not settle for the shorter throws?) – “I’m just going through my progression, but those were all within the play. What I seen from what the defense had given me, I made my mind up on where I was going to go with the ball if this wasn’t open or if this wasn’t open. And I think for quarterbacks, being able to understand where you’re going, being decisive with knowing where you’re going with the ball, and getting the ball out quick helps with kind of building up that rhythm.”
(Was the line of communication today Coach Godsey in the press box directly to you? Was that the line of communication?) – “Really Charlie was giving me the plays. I don’t really know how that kind of communication came in, whether it was from George or whether E said something to Charlie.”
(You’ve known him for a long time. Has that worked out well? What kind of communication do you have with Charlie?) – “With Charlie?”
(How is it working?) – “Yeah, I think it’s working really good. I like who Charlie is. I’ve known him for quite some time. I think he’s a really good coach. He’s personable. A lot of the guys on the team like him. But, yeah, I think he’s a really good coach.”
(Tua, what’s that moment like when you come out of the tunnel and your parents are there? You kind of ran by and you had to come back.) – “Yeah. That wasn’t good on my part, but it’s good to be able to see my parents. I never take that for granted. Anytime that I get to see them, say hi to them, spend time with them, I’m going to take that time to do that. But it was great seeing them.”
(What did you think of their number one today, Fields?) – “Yeah. I think he did good. A little tough in the beginning, you know, first couple of series, but you could see he kind of found his rhythm throughout the game and kept playing, stayed in there. I mean he’s good. He’s a good dual-threat quarterback, too. He can stay in the pocket and throw, throw on the run, you know, run the ball like we’ve seen. But, yeah, I thought he did really good. Wish him the best.”
(Tua, how much time do you feel like you need to get your comfort level with Fuller and DeVante and Albert?) – “I think only time can tell. Whenever those guys are available and they’re ready to get back in action, it’s just practice. I think for anyone is just takes practice for them to get good at something or build communication, build chemistry with one another. I really think that’s all it is.”
Brian Flores – August 14, 2021 (Postgame)
Saturday, August 14, 2021
Postgame – at Chicago
Head Coach Brian Flores (transcribed by the Chicago Bears)
(What were your impressions of, I guess, what your starters did in the first half of the game since that’s how most people would evaluate preseason games?) – “I mean we’re evaluating the entire game. I thought we did some good things, executed in some instances, didn’t execute in some other instances. I thought played well defensively, got off the field, played well in the kicking game. Punt return unit got some positive plays there with Jakeem and Jaylen. Offensively we actually moved the ball. We just didn’t finish drives. When you don’t finish the drives, you can’t punch it in from the one, turn it over in that area of the field, you know, that comes back to bite you. And it did. It did today.”
(What did you think of Tua?) – “I think he did a lot of good things. I thought he made several good throws. I know he had the drop early. I want to say he had another drop, but he fired the ball in there, couple end cuts, made some good decisions. Obviously the one bad decision in the red zone. We talked about it. He knows exactly what he should have done with the ball there. And it’s correctable. That’s what we talked about as a staff, something that is very correctable. And he’ll make the correction and we’ll move on and get better from it.”
(Your wide receiver group has several guys that have missed time. At what point do you reach like that critical moment where they need to start to work so that they can get with their starting quarterback and be ready?) – “I mean, DeVante has gotten some work. Albert has gotten some work. Really who you’re talking about is Will Fuller. That’s the one guy.”
(I’m talking about they’re not all working.) – “I mean DeVante’s been in there. Albert’s definitely been in there quite a bit. So as far as timing and working with the quarterbacks, I think you’re really talking about one guy. So we’re going to get those guys back as soon as we can. They’re all working to get back. It’s still early, got two preseason games left and then there is basically two weeks after that last. So there’s quite a bit of time here. So I think once we get them back, hopefully, I think we’ll have enough time to get the timing and the QB-receiver chemistry I think you’re alluding to.”
(What did you see in the running game as it relates to the running backs and the offensive line?) – “I saw some good things, looked like. We had a head on the hat when we did we got good yardage. When we didn’t, they were in the back field, and they had a couple of plays that were some negative plays. I thought we over came some negative plays and some penalties in the game. But at the end of the day we didn’t finish the drives well enough, which I think we’ll learn from. I think our guys understand the importance of that. We gotta have better technique, better fundamentals, better overall execution in those instances, especially in the scoring area. We’ll work towards that.”
(What was the thought process for Malcolm starting the game and then how you used and rotated in the backs?) – “I mean, you saw all three backs played. All of them got carries. So pick one and put him in, basically. We like all three guys. They all do good things. And I think we saw that today. We’ll just keep working all three days.”
(Jacoby had the touchdown to Ahmed. What did you see from Jacoby today?) – “Good command of the offense. Good decision making. I think he had to get out of a few instances where the rush was on him, but he got the ball off and didn’t take negative plays when those situations occurred. Thought he made a nice throw to Ahmed there just before the half, or it was 40 seconds left before the half. Thought he played well.”
(You came about that close to going into the locker room at halftime without giving up a first down. What were some of the things that you liked out of the defense in that first half?) – “Good fundamentals, good technique, good communication. Guys were competitive. Looks like they tackled well, set the edge. I thought they played solid. I mean that’s a good situation for us at the end of the half. Didn’t really execute the way we would have wanted in that instance. We gotta be better. We will be better. But I thought defensively and the kicking game, really across the board I thought we did some good things, and hopefully we can build on them.”
(With the breakdown Fields’s touchdown to wide open Jesse James. I’m assuming that’s a breakdown?) – “Yeah. It was a breakdown.”
(I mean, I guess you’re not going to tell me. How does that happen? How does something like that happen?) – “Man, breakdown in communication. Blown assignment. I don’t know exactly what happened on that play. I’ll be able to tell you that probably tomorrow or tonight after I watch it. It happens. There’s breakdowns and it was a good play by them. I thought, you know, on that play it looks like a run, it’s not a run. Guy kind of sneaks out the back. Kind of lose track of him. I think that’s what happened on the play. But missed assignment, which is essentially a blown coverage is what it was.”
(What did you think of Fields overall?) – “He’s a good player. He’s a good player. I know he’s had a great college career, and just seeing him throughout the course of the week, I thought he did a lot of good things, obviously mobile. Somebody you gotta be aware of setting the edge and keeping contained and not letting him out of the pocket. I thought he threw the ball well on the run today and really this entire week. He’s a good kid. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. If he keeps working the way he’s working, or the way I saw him work these two days — I don’t want to speak for him or anyone with the Bears staff which I would say these joint practices, coach and I and his staff, they were incredible this week, welcoming us here. We got two good days of practice, which I think were very good for us We got a lot of great work. So I just want to say thank you to them for being so welcoming to us. But specific to your question on Fields, if he continues to work the way I saw him work this week, I think he’ll be just fine.”
(With Jakeem how pleasant is it to see him make the most of those opportunities, two big punt returns?) – “I mean it’s — he’s a good player. He’s a good returner. He’s a good receiver. Good teammate. Yeah, I mean I’m not surprised. I mean we’ve seen him do it before. I’m not surprised. He’s done a good job for us really since I’ve been here, good teammate, and we’re happy to have him.”
Christian Wilkins – August 14, 2021 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 14, 2021
Postgame – at Chicago
DT Christian Wilkins
(You came close to going into the locker room at halftime without giving up a single first down. What did you think of the defense and their first half?) – “I think we did pretty solid. We started fast. We did pretty good. We had a good week of practice. We did a good job of taking things one day at a time, one play at a time. It was fun just to compete too. I think we did a pretty solid job to start the game. It was fun to get back out there, run around, see some guys compete and everything. I think today was really good for the defense and for the team in general.”
(What did you think of Justin Fields?) – “He’s a good dude, man. Me and him are pretty cool. It was good to see him compete and I think he’s going to be a heck of a player in this league. He made some good plays. He didn’t get rattled even after his slow start and everything. It was good. It’s cool to see the type of player he can be. Just a little glimpse. It was good for him.”
(It looked like you had a batted ball in there. Is that something you’re looking for even more this year?) – “Yeah, any time I can make plays and help the defense, help the team – however I can do it, whether it’s tackling, setting the edge, batting balls, whatever it is – I try to help the team out as many ways as possible.”
Austin Jackson – August 14, 2021 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 14, 2021
Postgame – at Chicago
T Austin Jackson
(How was your first preseason game?) – “Oh, you know. It was my first preseason game. I haven’t seen the film yet. I know I gave up a pressure on my last play in. I’m just learning stuff. Getting back into the groove of the game. Having fans outside, it was different last year with that; so it was a lot of excitement and it was good to get out there.”
(That was your first career preseason game. How different is it as opposed to a regular-season game?) – “I didn’t really notice a big difference. I guess the only difference is kind of more people have to get reps in. We’ve got a very full roster right now so knowing a lot of people have to get reps in versus a regular-season game where you’re in until 0:00.”
(I know this is a very good Bears defensive line but what do you as an offensive line take away from this week’s practices and then the game?) – “I definitely take away a lot, especially me going up against veteran guys like Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack – guys I’ve been watching since I was in high school. Getting the opportunity to compete against them all week has been great. I’m taking it one day at a time and I enjoyed it. I took a lot. I love competing against that type of talent.”
(How frustrating was that red zone? You guys had two chances to run it in and didn’t get the touchdown.) – “Yeah, it’s difficult. One of the things we stress is getting into the red zone and scoring. To have – I know one was a turnover and I think the other was just loss of downs. It’s frustrating for sure.”
(I was talking about the specific one where you guys ran twice on the left side and it was like no gain and a loss of three.) – “Yeah, it’s frustrating at the end of the day. We’ll go back and look at the film, see what we could have done better. One of the things we emphasize is getting in the red zone and scoring. All we can do is take it one day at a time and get better at it. Get better next time, for sure.”
(Did any of those two guys that you mentioned before – Robert Quinn or Khalil Mack – show you a move or anything this week that you can kind of file away and go now I know what to do the next time I see this? Or had you seen all their stuff before?) – “Yeah, Robert Quinn had a good like jump-chop kind of swim karate-chop move. It was the most efficient I’ve seen it done before. It was good to go against that and learn how to beat it really. I’m just taking away a lot from those guys, really. I’m not – I like to compete. That’s what I like to do. I like to go in there against the 10-year vet, this, this and that, and see how much I can learn and get better, and help them get better too.”
(So the next time you see one of those from them, you know right?) – “Yeah, but those guys are pros. You never know. Every down is different. You don’t know what move they’re going to throw; but like you said, when you see it, it’s less surprising, I would say.”
(Where do you feel you guys are from an offensive line standpoint in terms of being where you want to be right now?) – “I think where we are right now versus where we want to be, that’s a tough question to ask in Week 1 of the preseason. Definitely. It’s like our second or third week of camp. I don’t even know what day it is. That’s a tough question to ask, especially with all of the moving pieces going in. We’re putting in the offense right now, so we’re all learning; but I know one thing we do do is we come in and compete every day. The effort part, if you’re not lacking the effort part – which is a struggle for a lot of people and teams – then you can go great places. We’re staying on that track and just keep building until we get a brick wall.”
Jacoby Brissett – August 14, 2021 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 14, 2021
Postgame – at Chicago
QB Jacoby Brissett
(So the touchdown to RB Salvon Ahmed, can you tell us what went into that play working?) – “It was a play that we practice a lot. I saw the coverage for him and threw him a ball to give him a chance. He made a great play and had a great time on it. I’m excited that he did that. He made a good play for us and scored.”
(There was a period there where you had five or so completions in a row. Did you personally feel like you were in a good rhythm today?) – “Yeah, for sure. We were running plays that obviously that I knew and that we had talked about. I had time and guys were getting open. A lot of those guys made plays. Like you said, I felt like I was getting into my rhythm so I was happy about that.”
(In your experience over the years, how long does it take before a quarterback and a set of receivers kind of sync up or feel like they know each other, like they have instincts for each other?) – “I think it’s an ongoing process, year in and year out, game in and game out, because every game is so different. You get put in different situations and you hope that within those situations you get to learn more about each other. Then when you go back and watch the film, you get on the same page and things like that. It’s a never ending process.”
(What are you enjoying about being a member of this team so far?) – “I love team. I love football. I love being in the locker room. I love competing. I love going out there and playing football. I think that’s just it. Getting an opportunity to play in the NFL is a huge dream of mine. It’s a huge honor so I don’t take it lightly.”
(Obviously you’ve been a lot of places but what does it mean to play at home or for your hometown?) – “It’s awesome. You get to feel that when I do go back home, my hometown, and you know all of those old guys that were longtime Dolphins fans and seeing those guys at stores. It’s been awesome. Knowing that it’s not too far from home, my family and my friends can come and see me play that haven’t had the opportunity to see me play and practice and stuff like that. It’s been good so far.”
(You grew up in South Florida. Was today a special feeling or do you think that the regular season debut will be your “Dolphins debut?”) – “(laughter) No, today was crazy. When I walked in and saw my jersey, I was like ‘wow!’ My first NFL game was the Patriots versus the Dolphins, that I ever went to in my life. Then I got drafted by the Patriots and now I’m playing for the Dolphins. It’s crazy to be on this side of it. Like I said, it was surreal when I walked in and saw my jersey with my name on it.”
(How do you feel like camp overall has gone?) – “It’s getting better. I think kind of like the mindset of coach always says we’re just taking it one day at a time, and really embracing that mindset coming to a new situation, a new offense, a new team, a new city, a new everything. Trying to find and navigate my way, while at the same time, being the guy that I am, being the man that I am, and trying to get better at being a better teammate, being a better player – whatever I can get better at and trying to do that. It’s been a one day at a time process but it’s been good.”
(Are you going to try to get a couple of friends or family members out to the joint practices at y’alls place?) – “Oh, for sure. A couple of my family members have come to practice so far. I’ll definitely try to get them down next week too.”
Nik Needham – August 14, 2021 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 14, 2021
Postgame – at Chicago
CB Nik Needham
(I thought you had a forced fumble but somebody said they gave it to LB Shaquem Griffin.) – “Aw, that’s crazy. (laughter)”
(Who actually forced the fumble?) – “I have no clue. All I know is I spun around and the ball came out, so I was like, ‘Oh ok, maybe I’ll get a half forced fumble.’ I don’t know. (laughter) But yeah I’m not sure who did it. I just knew the ball was on the ground.”
(What did you think of the defense in that first half? I think you gave up 79 yards.) – “I think we were executing pretty well, just trying to get that level of communication and chemistry going. I think as far as the first half, we were really connecting as a group. Just trying to build on that next week and the week after and into the regular season.”
(What was it like in the secondary? You were missing a couple of rather important cornerbacks.) – “Oh, yeah. Just step up to the plate. Whatever they need you to do, just go out there and compete. When those guys get back in there, I’ll play my role and whatever needs to be done, I’ll do it.”
(It seemed like you had a lot of hands on the ball, especially on the deep ball too.) – “Yeah, that’s what we preach every day as a point of emphasis. No deep balls and get your hands on the ball. Every time the ball is in the air, turn around and look. You want to come down with the interception but if you can’t, just don’t let the receiver catch it. I think we did a pretty good job of that.”
(How important is it for you to have your teammates and coaches know that you can be a reliable guy for them and they can count on you?) – “It feels good but at the end of the day, it’s up to me. I’ve got to keep going out there executing and doing what I need to do to be available and reliable. It feels good if the coaches feel that way and my teammates feel that way; but at the end of the day, it comes down to me and I’ve got to execute.”
(After you make your first play, does the confidence just ooze?) – “This is what, my third year? I just feel a little more comfortable out there. It felt good with the fans out there. It just felt like yeah, it’s football time. I wasn’t really too anxious as before the past couple of years. But yeah, to get the first target and get a PBU (pass broken up), I felt good. It was in the first series too; so yeah, I felt good to get that rolling.”
Mike Gesicki – August 14, 2021 (Postgame)
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Saturday, August 14, 2021
Postgame – at Chicago
TE Mike Gesicki
(You had 50 yards on your first catch of the preseason…) – “I’ve got to work on the speed, man. I’ve got to work on the speed. (laughter) No, it was fun. It was a good day. There are a lot of things to improve on and build on but like you said, preseason game one, a lot of things went well. Just continue to…”
(But you feel like you should have scored on that?) – “(laughter) Any time you get in the ball in your hands, you’ve got to go make a play. That’s my thing. You’ve got to make the most of your opportunities. I was able to make one miss but I don’t know.”
(What did you like about what QB Tua Tagovailoa did on that particular play?) – “I thought Tua did a great job all day, honestly. He did a good job just trusting his reads, going through his progression, being patient, making plays, stepping up on the pocket. We connected twice. He throws a really catchable ball. Good touch. Puts it in good spots. For me, personally, I just wanted to be able to be dependable, reliable and let him know that if things break down or if he needs somewhere to look, I’ll be there for him.”
(You know what having good chemistry with a quarterback is like. You had it with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. How close are you with QB Tua Tagovailoa to having that chemistry?) – “I feel great with Tua back there. I feel really comfortable. I think that today and however many plays it was – on two targets – I feel good. I feel like we’re on the same page. On the other third down one, I knew he was coming to me; so right then and there it’s like alright. You’ve got to know once he hits his third step in his drop and the ball is coming out, you’ve got to get your head around and just know that the ball is coming out. Right there he put it in a great spot away from the defender where I was going to go out and get it. That’s just another thing that like I said, he’s doing a great job of – just trusting his progression, knowing right there it’s third down, picking a matchup that you like and going to it. That’s where I’ve got to come in and like I’ve said, be dependable, be detailed in my assignment and go out and make a play.”
(Where does that come from? Where does that sync come from?) – “I think it just builds up over time. We played together last year obviously and had a ton of reps in practice and in games on Sundays. This year during OTAs and coming back in, it just builds up over time. I think for Tua, my thing – like I said – is I just want to be there for him. I just want to be ready and just let him know that if things break down or it’s a big play or it’s third down or we’re in the red zone, I’m going to be there and I’m going to be dependable. I’ve got to go out and make a play. I think I’ve said it a thousand times to you guys, you’ve just got to make the most of your opportunities when they come. That’s just kind of what my mindset is.”
(When you’re playing with a quarterback like QB Tua Tagovailoa that has that level of accuracy and anticipation, how much does it change for you in terms of when you’re coming out of your break?) – “It’s great for a receiver like myself to understand that Tua is going to put the ball where it needs to be. Like I said, he puts good touch on it. It’s a very easily catchable ball. Like you said, he’s extremely accurate. On that third down on my second catch, he can put it away from the defender and he can put it low where only I can go get it, so it makes it easier for me to know when I’m coming out of break that the ball is going to be here. It’s not like where is the ball and you’ve got to track it. You know where it’s going to be. It’s going to be third down, I’ve got a guy on my back so it’s going to be low. Just kind of putting all of those things together while you’re running your route in pre-snap.”
Solomon Kindley – August 12, 2021
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Thursday, August 12, 2021
G Solomon Kindley
(It started to get a little chippy out there. Is that football at it’s finest?) – “You already know, it’s football. That’s a very good defensive line. The offensive line is a young group. We’re just playing football, like you said.”
(Is it always like that in a weird kind of way?) – “We’re offensive linemen, defensive lineman. We like to scuffle. (laughter) We do that every play.”
(How do you think today went for you?) – “It went pretty good. Everybody has something to work on every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s my technique or my hands or my run blocking or pass blocking. Everybody has something to work on. I can always get better.”
(How do you feel the one-on-one drills went?) – “Like I said, I’ve got to get better with my hands. That drill is particularly for the defensive linemen anyway. I can always get better with my hands and my base and everything; but other than that, I feel like I was doing pretty good.”
(Do you think today back with the ones was sort of an audition and a chance to show that ‘hey, I need to be in here and stay in here?’) – “I’m just playing football, my man. Whatever decisions the coach makes, I’m going to be out there. I’m just playing football.”
(The running game got going out there today, I know you got to love that.) – “No doubt. The offensive line loves running. We love running the football; so yeah, that was good.”
(What’s the key to getting that going?) – “Just grit. Grit, anger and giving effort. That’s all an offensive lineman needs.”
(What do you think of RB Malcolm Brown down by the goal line, the way he bulldozes and gets the ball across?) – “Like I said, we came out with a lot of effort today. We came out with a lot of grit because we knew this defensive line was good. We put our heads down and worked. Don’t worry about what nobody else says.”
(Obviously you didn’t have a chance to have a preseason last year. With that being said, how much are you looking forward to your first NFL preseason game?) – “I’m ready for it. I’m ready for it. Growing up, I always looked at preseason games, then coming out to play Sunday. Like you said, it’s my first one and I’m very excited for it.”
(With T Liam Eichenberg having an injury yesterday, what was your mindset relative to you have to run in there? You never know when that’s going to happen.) – “The offensive line group we got is next man up. Everybody is good. Doesn’t matter if you’re playing right side, left side, tackle or guard. Everybody is good, so we just plug on in. We’ll be there for our teammates.”
(Does it help to have some chemistry with guys?) – “No doubt, no doubt, no doubt. Chemistry is big for the offensive line.”
(What would be a message that QB Tua Tagovailoa has given all of the linemen throughout the summer and here in Chicago?) – “He said he loves us and we’re a family. That’s all we need.”
(You played left in college. Does it feel more comfortable being back at left now?) – “Like I said, it’s just football. You’ve got to really get into your playbook. I played right all of last year; so you got to get into your playbook because the technique, the feet placement, the man that you’re going to (block) pretty much changes; but it’s the same assignment. You’ve just got to really get into the playbook and really study your plays.”
(What are you looking forward to Saturday?) – “Very exciting. We haven’t played football on TV in a long time. Had a very long offseason, so I’m ready to be on TV and let my momma see me. (laughter)”
