Frank Gore – May 31, 2018
Download PDF version
Thursday, May 31, 2018
RB Frank Gore
(On his son being at practice today) – “Yes, I was happy to see him. As long as he keeps working and listening to me, he should be fine his next couple of years in high school.”
(Did you know today was going to be the day his team came to practice?) – “Yes, he told me. And also his coach told me.”
(Did you have a chance to talk to the team?) – “No. I talked to them at their spring game.”
(What did you say to them?) – “I just told them to keep working hard, believe in each other and you all can do whatever you want to do.”
(We had a chance to talk to your son and he said one of the coolest things to him … He’s gotten to see you play a lot but not the other way around.) – “Yes, I think two weeks ago was my first time seeing him play live since he was like five years old. I was surprised because when you hear people … When I was in San Francisco or when I was in Indianapolis, you hear coaches saying your son is good. Sometimes you think they’re just saying that because of you. Then I got a chance to really see him and he has a chance to do some great things this year.”
(What’s your scouting report on your son?) – “He has great vision. He can catch the ball. He can run routes. I just want him to continue to work hard and whatever he does this year, don’t let that get to his head and just stay grinding.”
(How much do you think carrying your name puts added weight on him?) – “He doesn’t think about it. I remember when he was in private school and I wanted him to get out because I didn’t like how they were favoring him because they knew what his name was, and he showed flashes as a freshman. So I transferred him to a public school in Coral Gables, around more talent, to see that you have to work hard. One of the reasons he didn’t want to go to Gables wasn’t because of the competition, it was because he wanted to stay because … Everything he does, it gets mentioned – my name. I told him if you’re doing great things, that’s a good thing. As long as he keeps working hard and has his grades, I think he has a chance.”
(Everybody on the team has roles and your role throughout your career has been the leading ball carrier – the guy that carries the rock. What do you see your role as? What do you want your role to be here?) – “Whatever my teammates want me (to do) and whatever my coaches want me to do. We have a great young back in ‘K.D.’ (Kenyan Drake), who I think has special talent. He can run and catch the ball. I’m just going to come in here every day, especially during training camp, and just try to be me and compete. Whatever my coaches want me to do, I’ll do.”
(But as a competitor, it’s there, right?) – “What’s there?”
(The starting job.) – “We’ll see. Like I said, we have a young back who’s very talented. Like is said, I’m going to come in every day and we’re going to try to get each other better in that room. Whatever coach wants us to do, we’ll do.”
(Seeing your son play seems like a cool thing. How many cool things have you done since you’ve signed with the Dolphins? You had the UM Hall of Fame, keys to the city…) – “It was big. When I first signed, those first two weeks, some big things happened me. I’m just happy to be home and I get an opportunity to play in front of my family who didn’t get a chance to go to San Francisco or Indianapolis. Now they get a chance to see me with the Dolphins. And also my friends, my childhood friends, my high school friends and even my college fans. For me, to come out here, train my behind off getting ready for training camp and help with whatever my coaches want me to do and have fun.”
(How many of those things have you done? Can you list them? You got the key to Miami right?) – “Yes. The UM Hall of Fame and the key to the city. Watching my son play. I was nervous before the game like I’m about to play. (laughter) It was my first time seeing him live since he was five years old. To see what he did, I was really happy about that.”
(We asked you about the added pressure that comes with having your name, being a 16-year-old kid playing football. How important was it to you, for him to play the game?) – “That’s on him. I’m not going to push on him to do nothing. Whatever he wants to do, he’s going to do it; not because I played ball, he has to play ball. Me seeing him when he was a little kid playing outside with his bigger cousins, I knew he was going to play football. But if he doesn’t want to play, as long as he gets his grades and does something positive with his life, I’m okay with it.”
(How much does he train with you now?) – “This is going to be his first year training because when he was younger, I let him be a kid. Now he has a couple more years. Now it’s time to go. He’s going to be with me this whole summer.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said that you won’t be out there every day and every drill during OTAs. He said that’s been your pattern for a few years. Why is that?) – “I haven’t done OTAs in seven years. My second year with (49ers Head Coach Jim) Harbaugh. Once he understood who I was and who some of the vets who were on our team were, and what we bring to the table, as long as we come in here, work out, do individuals and help the young guys, he knew that we were going to be ready for training camp. I think that kind of helped me with my career – not doing flag football.”
(Do more vets do that? Is that more of a skill position thing?) – “It depends. I just knew it worked for me and I know it worked for Justin Smith. Ever since then, I felt good with it. My coach knows. My coaches know how I feel about the game and when training camp comes, I’ll be ready.”
(It seems to me that a lot of veterans, maybe once you’re in your 30s … I know there’s a need to be out there but…) – “I think my seventh year I was, what? 28? I think (Jim Harbaugh) knew what I brought to the table. He knew I was going to work and get ready for training camp, and that I was going to be ready for the season.”
(Do you think most guys that are 7, 8 or 10 years into the league need OTAs? Or do they just do it because?) – “I’m happy that I’m here listening to the plays and going in there just to be in the huddle with a different quarterback and different teammates. I think at times, you do (need it) because it’s new. The offense is new, so I hear it a little bit and when training camp comes, it won’t be so fresh for you.”
(Have you ever had any teammates in San Francisco or Indianapolis say, if Frank doesn’t do it, I don’t have to too?) – “No, because my teammates knew how hard I worked. They knew when Sundays came, I would play, and they respected it.”
(How many days a week do you train, not just OTAs but in the month before training camp?) – “The six weeks? I train … I don’t want to tell my secrets right now. (laughter) I’m still playing. I’ll let you know when I’m done. I’ll let the younger guys know what I did. I train … I’ve got a good regiment. I’ve got good stuff I do.”
(Since the last time we talked to you, I think you had a birthday. Is 35 like a wow for you?) – “I still feel good. I think about it sometimes. I think about how blessed I am to still be playing a game that I love since I was a kid. I always hear it every year: ‘When you turn this age, you can’t do it anymore.’ Especially with what it took me to get here, to play in this league, with the injuries that I had, and still to be blessed to play this game and have pretty good years, I think that’s a blessing.”
(You mentioned the fans. Since you’ve been back, have you had any interactions with Canes fans?) – “They’re happy that I’m home. Coming from Coral Gables and going to the University of Miami, it’s been good. Now I’ve got to make sure that I’m ready for the season and do some good things for the team.”
(When you train, does that … You’re used to the pressure but how does that motivate you?) – “I do. I do every day. Once I get started and get ready for training camp and the season, I think about that every time.”
(Was it your master plan to end your career here? Is that something that you ever gave any thought to before this offseason?) – “I remember when Bobby McCain, when he was in his rookie or second year, we trained together over the summer. I told him before the end, I’m going to be in the locker room with you. I remember when I signed, he said ‘Boy, you were right.’ I’m happy to be here. Now I just want to show everybody that I still can play.”
(The field in Indianapolis is turf right?) – “Yes.”
(Are you looking forward to playing on more grass?) – “I like grass. Turf is tough on your body and it’ll have you swollen. Playing on turf, I wouldn’t get my body back until that Friday. But when I’m playing on grass, I’m good after the game. I’m happy that I’m on grass.”
(Other athletes talk about other athletes. When you see LeBron James just finish his 15th season, led the league in minutes per game. In his 100th game the other day, he played in all 48 minutes. What do you see in a guy with what he’s doing and logging all of those minutes?) – “You can tell that he works hard and he loves the game. If you work hard and love the game … If you love the game and don’t work hard, he wouldn’t be playing. I think that’s the same with me, especially at my position getting hits. If I didn’t love it and I didn’t work hard, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
(I talked to WR Danny Amendola about the quarterbacks influence on the entire team, not just the offense. You’ve played with some good ones. How does a quarterback influence the whole team, the defense, the special teams?) – “The way he prepares, the way he stays up every day, how he mans the huddle and (the ability to) go out there and make plays. When things are going wrong, he has to be the one to stand up and say ‘We’re going to be alright. Let’s go play.”
(Who is the best at doing that, that you’ve played with?) – “I’d say the little bit of time I’ve played with Andrew Luck. The little bit of time being around him when he was healthy, he was special. He’s a special dude.”
(Have you stayed in touch with QB Colin Kaepernick?) – “I haven’t talked to Colin since I left San Francisco.”
(What do you think about what he’s been going through?) – “He believes in what he believes in. I feel that he should be on a team and that he can play. I feel like the quarterback position is probably the least talented position in the NFL. I think with me playing with Colin, I think that he should be in the NFL.”
(You trained a couple of seasons ago with RB Lamar Miller. What can you help RB Kenyan Drake with?) – “I’ve got to wait until I’m going and once we get in pads, to see the little things about what I do and what he does. Then I can tell; but so far, he can do everything. He can catch, run crazy routes like a receiver and he’s very fast. Once we get in pads and we’re competing and helping each other get better, then I can tell.”
